Engineering news

Engineering

Hidden pore networks within nuclear fuel reveal new reactor design clues

The moment a nuclear reactor begins operation, a complex chain of events is initiated within the fuel: Heavy atoms split into fission products, knocking other atoms out of place and creating defects that can change how the ...

Engineering

Ribbon-like fiber unlocks pressure sensitivity up to 1,000 times higher than standard designs

Optical fiber has already transformed the modern world. New research now suggests it could do even more. A new flat-fiber fabrication technique produces a high-fidelity sensor for a wide range of applications, from batteries ...

Robotics

Butterfly-inspired ceramic microscrolls unroll with magnets to power tiny robots

Researchers at the University of Stuttgart and the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research have developed tiny rolls that can be unrolled and rolled up in a controlled manner using a magnet. The model for this was the ...

Engineering

Electrochemical method could make seawater a low-cost source of magnesium salts

Magnesium supplements are gaining popularity to treat conditions such as insomnia, migraines and constipation. Most magnesium salts are extracted from rocks by crushing and heating them, which requires a lot of energy. Now, ...

Engineering

New model bridges ferroelectric physics and circuit modeling

A new physics-based analytical model can accurately predict ferroelectric behavior under real-world, complex voltages, according to a study led by University of Michigan Engineering. The model bridges the longstanding gap ...

Engineering

A new way to watch heat move through electronics

The same overheating problem that happens to our laptops also plagues computer servers and data centers around the world—and heat management is only getting harder as computer chips get more compact and powerful.

Engineering

Generative AI: Modeling a proper cuppa from a proper pot

The Yixing Zisha teapot sits neatly at the intersection of art, engineering and heritage. As such, it makes for an intriguing test case for a technology increasingly taking on creative tasks across almost every field of human ...

Engineering

Neutron imaging peers inside iron redox flow batteries

A renewable energy future will rely on cheap and scalable battery technologies. A promising option is an all-iron redox flow battery, which uses iron—an abundant, low-cost, and safe material. Battery performance depends on ...

Engineering

A cooling ceramic wall to combat urban heat

In light of rising temperatures and more frequent heat waves, the Institute of Architecture and Media at Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) is presenting an energy-efficient solution to urban heat islands: 3D-printed ...

Engineering

New system detects small defects for packaging seals

Every year, billions of products are sealed in film packaging. This packaging must be reliably leakproof, especially in regulated sectors such as in the medical and food industry. In the OCTInline project, researchers at ...

Engineering

Scientists map moon regolith to aid lunar bases

A strong foundation is key to any building, and this doesn't apply only to construction on Earth. As humanity slowly expands throughout the many worlds of our solar system, and possibly beyond, understanding planetary surfaces ...

Robotics

Porous 3D-printed feet cut quadruped robot power use

Quadruped robots, which walk on four legs, are increasingly used for tasks such as inspection, transportation and search-and-rescue operations. However, their repeated leg movements consume far more energy than the rolling ...

Engineering

Study advances solar desalination with multifunctional membrane

As the world's population grows and industry expands, many countries in Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia are facing a freshwater scarcity crisis. Finding sustainable ways to produce clean water has become an urgent ...

Engineering

Why making lighter and better batteries takes time

Lithium-ion batteries have revolutionized our lives since they first came onto the market in the early 1990s. They are now used in all sorts of devices, such as cellphones, laptops and electric vehicles.

Engineering

Charging drones mid-flight with lasers

Wireless charging is nothing new for our phones, watches, earbuds and other tech. Now, researchers want to bring wireless power to the skies—recharging drones in flight by beaming a laser under their wings.