Engineering news
Engineering
Perovskite solar cells achieve over 25% efficiency and long lifespan simultaneously
A KAIST research team has solved the "solar cell dilemma," in which increasing efficiency shortens lifespan, while extending lifespan lowers efficiency. The team developed a technology to precisely control the internal structure ...
Mar 27, 2026
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Robotics
Alive or not? Tiny 3D-printed robots that swim and navigate just like animals
Leiden researchers Professor Daniela Kraft and Mengshi Wei have created microscopic robots that move without sensors, software, or external control. Instead, their behavior emerges entirely from their shape and the way they ...
Mar 27, 2026
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Integrated strategy unlocks 29.76% efficiency for all-perovskite tandem solar cells
Two stacked layers comprise tandem solar cells (TSCs), with each subcell absorbing different wavelengths of sunlight, which makes TSCs more efficient than single-layer solar cells. All-perovskite TSCs hold great promise for ...
Mar 27, 2026
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Molecular interface tuning lifts tandem solar cell efficiency to 25.1%
Researchers at UNIST have unveiled a novel interface engineering technique that significantly improves both the performance and durability of perovskite/organic tandem solar cells (POTSCs). Published in Energy & Environmental ...
Mar 27, 2026
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Scheimpflug cameras may extend LiDAR-like sensing from 6 m to 4 km
An optical principle discovered more than a century ago may soon find new applications in such areas as monitoring atmospheric turbulence, tracking airborne objects, and mapping the environment, thanks to researchers at the ...
Mar 26, 2026
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Robotics
Bat-inspired ultrasound helps palm-sized drones navigate fog and smoke
A team led by Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) researcher Nitin J. Sanket has shown that ultrasound sensors and a form of artificial intelligence (AI) can enable palm-sized aerial robots to navigate with limited power ...
Mar 26, 2026
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Engineering
Efficient carbon capture 'viciazite' materials can desorb below 60°C
Capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) before it reaches the atmosphere is a key strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Even though carbon capture technologies have existed for decades, their widespread adoption has been ...
Mar 26, 2026
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Engineering
Web application turns indoor green walls into smart, living systems breathing life into buildings
Step into a modern office tower or hospital, and the air you breathe is often carefully engineered, filtered, circulated, and cooled at a high energy cost. Now imagine those same spaces quietly breathing on their own, supported ...
Mar 26, 2026
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Engineering
Smart yarn tracks muscle activity in the body
Created from noise-resistant, conductive threads, a high-tech new smart fabric could find uses in health monitoring, sports performance and rehabilitation. The work is published in the journal Science Advances.
Mar 26, 2026
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Engineering
Strengthening wood with needle and thread
Wood laminates are used in many different ways, for example, in the manufacture of skis and snowboards or in components for vehicle interiors. However, their weight advantages for lightweight construction also have disadvantages. ...
Mar 26, 2026
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Engineering
Could factories run faster and greener? How AI 'digital twins' reshape production
Researchers at Örebro University have developed a new production system that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to improve efficiency and sustainability across industries such as automotive manufacturing. The research is published ...
Mar 26, 2026
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Engineering
What 100,000 simulations reveal about the US power grid
On August 13, 2003, a single transmission line near Cleveland, Ohio, sags into an overgrown tree limb and short circuits. Within minutes, nearby lines overload and trip one after another, triggering cascading failures across ...
Mar 26, 2026
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Engineering
An ultra-sensitive method for hydrogen detection in complex environments
As a promising clean energy source, hydrogen (H2) requires reliable safety monitoring. However, lacking a permanent dipole moment, it is "infrared-inactive" and cannot be effectively measured by conventional absorption-based ...
Mar 26, 2026
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Engineering
Simple tool developed to estimate the heating demand of entire neighborhoods
One of the research lines of the group of the EHU-University of the Basque Country is seeking solutions to generate districts or neighborhoods whose annual net energy consumption is close to zero. Using machine learning techniques, ...
Mar 26, 2026
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Engineering
Why solid-state batteries keep short-circuiting
Batteries that use solid metal as their charge-carrying electrolyte could potentially be a safer and far more energy-dense alternative to lithium-ion batteries. Unfortunately, these solid-state batteries have been plagued ...
Mar 25, 2026
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Engineering
Plasma and lemon juice: Milder method retrieves nearly 95% of critical minerals in battery waste
Critical minerals such as those used in lithium-ion batteries come in limited supply and are concentrated in specific regions around the world. Securing a reliable supply of these materials is a priority for governments worldwide, ...
Mar 25, 2026
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Engineering
Dust-resilient perovskite solar cells could cut manufacturing costs and expand green energy worldwide
Research appearing in Communications Materials has shown that perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are remarkably resilient to dust during production, challenging the industry belief that high-performance solar technology must be ...
Mar 25, 2026
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Engineering
Harvesting heat and electricity from the sun, when you need it
Solar energy is abundant and frustratingly ill-timed. A sunbeam can become either electricity (useful for running modern life) or heat (useful for keeping spaces warm). But conventional solar hardware is single-minded: Photovoltaic ...
Mar 25, 2026
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Engineering
Mach 1.5 tests reveal noise feedback loops from supersonic jets
Researchers from the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and the Florida Center for Advanced Aero-Propulsion, or FCAAP, are helping to solve a safety challenge in military aviation: the extreme noise generated by supersonic jets ...
Mar 25, 2026
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Robotics
A robotic hand without motors? How a sub-second shape-shifting actuator could work
While space structures and robotic arms require lightweight actuation devices capable of repetitive movement, conventional motor-based systems face limitations due to their heavy weight and complex structures. A KAIST research ...
Mar 25, 2026
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Engineering
New bifacial solar cells yield efficiencies above 32%
Solar cells, devices that can convert sunlight into electricity, are now widely used in many countries worldwide. Over the past few years, energy engineers have been exploring alternative designs that could further boost ...
Engineering
Stamping high-res imagery onto everyday items to 'reprogram' their appearance
Imagine a world where you could change the designs you see on bags, shirts, and walls whenever you want. Typical clothes would become customizable fashion pieces, while your humble abode could turn into a smart home. That's ...
Mar 24, 2026
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Engineering
Platinum-free fuel cells get a boost thanks to carbon-coated nickel catalyst
A high acid environment is great for a snappy hydrogen oxidation reaction—the reaction at the heart of a clean-energy fuel cell. The problem is the only catalysts that won't dissolve in the high acid of traditional fuel cells ...
Mar 24, 2026
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Engineering
A faster route to solid-state batteries? Ultrasonic welding creates lithium-garnet interface in seconds
Bonding lithium metal to a ceramic surface should be a dream team combination for creating solid-state lithium metal batteries. However, getting them to bond is the hard part. Impurity layers tend to form on the surface, ...
Mar 24, 2026
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Business
New framework helps companies turn tech risks into strategic opportunities
In the high-stakes world of product innovation, companies often face a paradox: adopting cutting-edge technology—such as biosensors that monitor heart rate and stress or energy-efficient chips that enable continuous health ...
Mar 24, 2026
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