Engineering news
Robotics
Too many cooks, or too many robots? Finding a Goldilocks level of randomness to keep robot swarms moving
Picture a futuristic swarm of robots deployed on a time-sensitive task, like cleaning up an oil spill or assembling a machine. At first, adding robots is advantageous, since many hands make light work. But a tipping point ...
12 hours ago
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Engineering
High-entropy design achieves 3-fold increase in hydrogen production
While mixing materials typically leads to instability, there exists a phenomenon known as high entropy, where increasing compositional complexity can actually enhance stability. KAIST researchers have leveraged this principle ...
16 hours ago
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Study sheds light on crystallization in additively manufactured Finemet alloys
New research into the crystallization process of additively manufactured Finemet alloys offers a promising roadmap toward optimizing the production of soft-magnetic components produced via metallic glasses.
15 hours ago
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Resilient actuator shows potential for space-ready soft robots
To be safely and reliably deployed in outer space, underwater and in other extreme environments, robots need to be able to withstand harsh conditions without breaking. In addition, they should be able to promptly and rapidly ...
This paint changes colors when hit, revealing location and strength of impact
Imagine a paint that changes color depending on how hard its surface is hit. It could be used on football helmets to monitor concussion-level impacts, to record the handling history of shipped packages, or placed on insoles ...
Apr 2, 2026
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Robotics
Air-powered artificial muscles could help robots lift 100 times their weight
Researchers at Arizona State University are developing bio-inspired robotic "muscles" that will enable robots to operate in boiling water, survive abrasive surfaces, bypass impediments that keep their motorized counterparts ...
Apr 2, 2026
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Engineering
Gold coating could solve long-standing challenge with zinc batteries
As the demand for more reliable power systems grows in the renewable energy sector, the race is on to develop batteries that cost less but have a longer lifespan. While zinc-based batteries are safer and more cost-effective ...
Apr 2, 2026
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Engineering
Lab tests find Yankees' torpedo bat matches standard bat for power
The New York Yankees took the baseball world by storm with the newly designed torpedo bat last year, but the revolutionary design has ended up being no better than a standard bat for hitting the ball out of the park. In the ...
Apr 2, 2026
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Robotics
Do you trust me? A framework for making networks of robots and vehicles safer
From birds flying in formation to students working on a group project, the functioning of a group requires not only coordination and communication but also trust—each member must be confident in the others. The same is true ...
Apr 2, 2026
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Engineering
UV glow test measures air disinfection performance in minutes
The effectiveness of air disinfection devices may now be measured in minutes, rather than hours, with a new technique from University of Michigan Engineering. This is important for researchers developing better antiviral ...
Apr 2, 2026
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Engineering
Lithium-air batteries break performance barriers thanks to a newly developed 2D catalyst
As the electric vehicle and energy storage system (ESS) markets experience rapid growth, the development of next-generation batteries capable of surpassing the energy density limitations of existing lithium-ion batteries ...
Apr 1, 2026
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Robotics
Researchers build a robotic swarm with no electronics, no batteries and no brains
A LEGO brick is not smart. It doesn't compute. It doesn't plug in. It just fits. A team of Georgia Tech researchers has applied that logic to robotics. Bolei Deng, an assistant professor in Georgia Tech's Daniel Guggenheim ...
Apr 1, 2026
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Engineering
VisiPrint system generates realistic 3D-print previews from two images
Designers, makers, and others often use 3D printing to rapidly prototype a range of functional objects, from movie props to medical devices. Accurate print previews are essential so users know a fabricated object will perform ...
Apr 1, 2026
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Engineering
Diffusion-based AI model successfully trained in electroplating
Electrochemical deposition, or electroplating, is a common industrial technique that coats materials to improve corrosion resistance and protection, durability and hardness, conductivity and more. A Los Alamos National Laboratory ...
Apr 1, 2026
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Engineering
Molecular additive boosts silicon-perovskite tandem solar cell efficiency to 32.76%
Solar cells, devices that can convert sunlight into electricity, are among the most promising solutions to source energy without contributing to air pollution. While most commercially available solar cells are based on silicon, ...
Engineering
Hydrogen doubles as coolant and working gas in new metal hydride compressor
A joint research team from the Helmut Schmidt University/ University of the Bundeswehr in Hamburg and the Helmholtz Zentrum Hereon has developed and presented an innovative metal hydride compressor system. For the first time, ...
Mar 31, 2026
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Robotics
Control framework lets flexible robots move in tight spaces with less math
We often imagine robots as machines with rigid arms, rotating joints, and targeted mechanical movements. The famous Optimus Prime and Bumblebee from the "Transformers" movies appear to fit these criteria. However, such robots ...
Mar 31, 2026
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Engineering
AI turns simple text into realistic building designs
When working on projects, architects must quickly turn rough concepts into visual representations. Text-to-image models offer an opportunity in this field, where high-quality designs can be generated simply by typing a description. ...
Mar 31, 2026
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Engineering
Hygroscopic salts pull lithium from mining waste using only moisture from air
The world cannot have enough of the third element on the periodic table. From smartphones and laptops to state-of-the-art EVs, all are powered by lithium batteries. The demand for metal is only going to rise, and projected ...
Engineering
Alkaline steel and cement wastewater could capture 30 million tons of CO₂ annually
Alkaline industrial wastewaters from steel or cement production are ideally suited to bind and sequester carbon dioxide (CO₂) chemically, safely, and for the long term. This is the result of a study conducted by the Helmholtz-Zentrum ...
Mar 30, 2026
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Robotics
Q&A: Robots can't feel, but novel sensors could change that
A research team, including Huanyu "Larry" Cheng, James L. Henderson Jr. Memorial Associate Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics at Penn State, is using pressure sensors—tiny devices, roughly the size of a paperclip, ...
Mar 30, 2026
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Engineering
AI-based model measures atomic defects in materials
In biology, defects are generally bad. But in materials science, defects can be intentionally tuned to give materials useful new properties. Today, atomic-scale defects are carefully introduced during the manufacturing process ...
Mar 30, 2026
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Engineering
Concrete's distinct microbial zones could change how building health is assessed
Concrete may be one of the world's most familiar materials, yet much is still unknown about its inner microbial world. Researchers from Hiroshima University and Kyoto University found that once concrete hardens, microbes ...
Mar 30, 2026
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Engineering
Eco-friendly plastic plates could replace steel bars in concrete
Researchers at the University of Sharjah have demonstrated that concrete can be reinforced using polymer plates instead of steel bars, with the new material showing superior strength, ductility, and energy dissipation. The ...
Mar 30, 2026
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Engineering
Hybrid desiccant and shallow geothermal cooling can cut energy use in humid climates
A research team from Taiwan has developed a novel hybrid air-conditioning system integrating shallow geothermal energy and a desiccant wheel. Field tests confirm it significantly reduces energy consumption by up to 34.3% ...
Mar 30, 2026
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