Engineering news

Engineering

AI agents automate atom-by-atom simulations to accelerate discovery of new materials

A team from the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory has successfully demonstrated an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven system to automate a powerful simulation method that predicts how atoms in ...

Engineering

Negative imaginary theory moves from math niche to robots, aircraft and nanodevices

Over the past two decades, a powerful but highly specialized branch of control engineering—known as negative imaginary (NI) systems theory—has quietly evolved into a key tool for stabilizing complex, vibration-prone systems, ...

Engineering

Heat treatment improves strength-ductility balance of 3D-printed aluminum bronze for electronic components

Researchers from Skoltech—a VEB.RF group institution—and their colleagues from State Marine Technical University and others have found a way to improve the balance between the mechanical strength and ductility of 3D-printed ...

Engineering

These 3D-printed objects can tell you if they're being used properly

Imagine a bottle of hazardous chemicals sitting on a laboratory shelf that changes its appearance to alert scientists that its lid is not properly secured, potentially preventing a dangerous spill.

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

Octopus-inspired 'smart skin' uses 4D printing to morph on cue

Despite the prevalence of synthetic materials across different industries and scientific fields, most are developed to serve a limited set of functions. To address this inflexibility, researchers at Penn State, led by Hongtao ...

Robotics

A mathematical framework for optimizing robotic joints

Consider the marvelous physics of the human knee. The largest hinge joint in the body, it has two rounded bones held together by ligaments that not only swing like a door, but also roll and glide over each other, allowing ...

Engineering

Mechanical engineers' wood-based material could cut energy costs

University of Texas at Dallas researchers and their collaborators have developed and patented a wood-based material that can store and discharge heat to help make building temperatures more comfortable without using electricity. ...

Engineering

Taking the heat out of industrial chemical separations

The modern world runs on chemicals and fuels that require a huge amount of energy to produce: Industrial chemical separation accounts for 10% to 15% of the world's total energy consumption. That's because most separations ...

Engineering

New research enables safe reuse of concrete

Recent research in Sweden and Finland shows how used concrete's lifespan can be extended another 50 to 100 years when incorporated into new construction. A team from KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Tampere University ...