Hu Lab — Jerry Hu’s corner: casual notes, handy Python tools, and personally picked products and self-published books.https://hulab.pages.dev/en-UShttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/reviews/organs-adventure-brain-gameshttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/reviews/organs-adventure-brain-gamesMost puzzle books are either too easy for adults or too hard for casual play. Organ's Adventure finds a middle ground, with gentle challenges that build cognitive skills without the frustration.Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTKDPPuzzlesBrain GamesCognitive Traininghttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/reviews/materials-characterization-notebookhttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/reviews/materials-characterization-notebookXRD patterns, SEM images, DSC curves, and TGA data are only useful if you can find them later. A structured characterization lab notebook bridges the gap between instrument output and meaningful analysis.Thu, 13 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTKDPLab NotebookMaterials CharacterizationEngineeringhttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/reviews/semiconductor-lab-notebookhttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/reviews/semiconductor-lab-notebookA review of why a structured lab notebook matters more in semiconductor processing than in most other engineering disciplines, and how the right notebook format saves time and prevents costly mistakes.Tue, 11 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTKDPLab NotebookSemiconductorEngineeringhttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/materials-thermodynamics-noteshttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/materials-thermodynamics-notesMaterials thermodynamics intimidates engineering students more than it should. The key is separating the conceptual core (free energy, equilibrium, phase stability) from the mathematical machinery used to calculate them.Sat, 08 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTKDPThermodynamicsMaterials ScienceEngineeringhttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/spectra-studio-guide-enhttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/spectra-studio-guide-enA free spectral analysis and plotting tool for XRD, FTIR, RAMAN and DSC/TGA data — multi-format loading, peak fitting, phase matching and journal-ready figure export. Download and use the free edition now; Pro is built into the same installer and unlocks instantly with a key.Fri, 07 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTPythonXRDSpectroscopyData Visualizationhttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/materials-science-guidehttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/materials-science-guideMaterials science textbooks bury you in math before you grasp the concepts. Here is a different approach, using active recall and structured notes to learn crystal structures, phase diagrams, and mechanical properties.Thu, 06 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTKDPMaterials ScienceStudy GuideEngineeringhttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/reviews/mid-career-pivothttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/reviews/mid-career-pivotA review of the transition many tech workers face in their 30s and 40s. Not a crisis, but a real question about what comes next, and how to answer it without starting over.Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTKDPCareerTechPivothttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/kyoto-travel-guidehttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/kyoto-travel-guideMost Kyoto guides send you to the same crowded spots. Here is a different approach to visiting Kyoto that focuses on timing, neighborhoods, and the experiences that reward the independent traveler.Sat, 01 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTKDPTravelKyotoJapanhttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/mediterranean-meal-planning-familieshttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/mediterranean-meal-planning-familiesThe Mediterranean diet is consistently rated the worlds best diet. But can a family with picky eaters and tight schedules actually follow it? Yes, and here is how the planning works.Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTKDPMediterranean DietMeal PlanningFamilyNutritionhttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/2d-semiconductor-bottleneckshttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/2d-semiconductor-bottlenecksMoS₂, WS₂ and other 2D semiconductors promise to extend Moore's Law, but at least five industrialization bottlenecks stand between a lab-scale flake and a wafer-scale product.Tue, 28 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTMaterials ScienceSemiconductors2D Materialshttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/side-hustle-income-parentshttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/side-hustle-income-parentsSide hustles for parents face a constraint most guides ignore: you have limited time and it is not predictable. Here is a framework for income streams that work around parenting, not against it.Tue, 28 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTKDPSide HustleParentingIncomehttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/personal-finance-solopreneurshttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/personal-finance-solopreneursPersonal finance advice for employees does not work for solopreneurs. Here is why the rules are different, and how to build a financial system that matches irregular income.Sat, 25 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTKDPPersonal FinanceSolopreneurFreelancehttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/battery-recycling-materialshttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/battery-recycling-materialsBattery recycling is not optional — 500,000 tons of Li-ion batteries will retire by 2025. But pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy, and direct regeneration each face different materials challenges.Fri, 24 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTMaterials ScienceBattery RecyclingCircular Economyhttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/carbon-capture-materialshttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/carbon-capture-materialsCarbon capture has been talked about for decades. The bottleneck is not engineering — it is materials chemistry.Fri, 24 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTMaterials ScienceCarbon CaptureClimate Techhttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/fusion-materials-challengehttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/fusion-materials-challengeFusion reactors need materials that can withstand 150 million degrees and constant neutron bombardment. No known material can do this for long.Fri, 24 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTMaterials ScienceNuclear FusionEnergyhttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/hydrogen-storage-materialshttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/hydrogen-storage-materialsMaking hydrogen is solved. Storing and moving it is not — and materials science is the bottleneck nobody talks about.Fri, 24 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTMaterials ScienceHydrogen EnergyEnergy Storagehttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/next-gen-data-storage-materialshttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/next-gen-data-storage-materialsHard drives are approaching the superparamagnetic limit. MRAM, PCM, FeRAM, and RRAM each promise to replace them — but each is stuck on a different materials problem.Fri, 24 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTMaterials ScienceData StorageSemiconductor Memoryhttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/perovskite-solar-materialshttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/perovskite-solar-materialsPerovskite solar cells have leapt from 3.8% to over 26% efficiency in fifteen years — faster than silicon ever did. But stability and lead toxicity remain unsolved.Fri, 24 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTMaterials ScienceSolar EnergyPhotovoltaicshttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/rare-earth-magnet-alternativeshttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/rare-earth-magnet-alternativesNdFeB is the strongest permanent magnet, but over 70% of rare earth supply comes from China. Alternative materials MnBi, MnAl, and ferrite each offer different tradeoffs.Fri, 24 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTMaterials ScienceRare EarthElectric VehicleMagnetshttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/solid-state-battery-materialshttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/solid-state-battery-materialsSolid-state batteries promise safer, denser energy storage. But sulfide, oxide, and polymer electrolytes each face fundamental materials tradeoffs before mass production.Fri, 24 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTMaterials ScienceBattery TechnologyEnergy Storagehttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/thermoelectric-materialshttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/thermoelectric-materialsThermoelectrics can convert waste heat directly into electricity. The problem is efficiency — and the materials tradeoffs that keep ZT values too low for commercial scale.Fri, 24 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTMaterials ScienceThermoelectricsEnergy Efficiencyhttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/wide-bandgap-semiconductorshttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/wide-bandgap-semiconductorsSiC and GaN waited nearly a century for their moment. Now they power EV inverters and 5G base stations — but manufacturing defects still hold them back.Fri, 24 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTMaterials ScienceSemiconductorElectric Vehiclehttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/ai-productivity-knowledge-workershttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/ai-productivity-knowledge-workersMost productivity tools promise to save time but end up adding cognitive overhead. Here is a framework for choosing tools that actually work, and why AI changes the calculation for knowledge workers.Thu, 23 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTKDPProductivityAIKnowledge Workhttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/particle-analyzer-guide-enhttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/particle-analyzer-guide-enA practical guide to the SEM Particle Analyzer: what problem it solves, who it is for, how to install and run it, and what you can do with the output.Mon, 20 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTPythonSEMImage ProcessingMaterialshttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/thesis-formatter-guide-enhttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/guides/thesis-formatter-guide-enA practical guide to the Thesis Format Fixer: what pain it removes, who it is for, how to install and run it, and which formatting problems it fixes automatically.Mon, 20 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTPythonWordThesisAutomationhttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/journal/sport-anatomy-coloring-book-learning-guidehttps://hulab.pages.dev/en/journal/sport-anatomy-coloring-book-learning-guideHow an illustrated coloring-and-labeling workbook turns passive reading into active recall for sports anatomy, athletic injuries, and rehabilitation. Built for physiotherapy students, athletic trainers, coaches, and athletes.Sun, 19 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTKDPColoring BookSports AnatomyPhysiotherapyAthletic Training