Engineering news
Engineering
Ultrathin membranes could transform hydrocarbon processing by slashing energy use
A team of international researchers has developed a new class of ultrathin polymer membranes that can rapidly and selectively separate complex hydrocarbon mixtures, potentially transforming how crude oil is refined and refinery ...
19 minutes ago
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Engineering
Ease of use is key to exoskeleton adoption, engineers show
Wearable exoskeletons can help reduce physical strain in the workplace and protect employees from injury, but the technology has yet to achieve widespread adoption. A new study published in PLOS One by engineers at The University ...
Jun 17, 2026
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Redesigned high-NA lithography optical system aims to overcome challenges in semiconductor chipmaking
From data centers powering next-generation AI to vital medical technology, cars, and the mobile device or computer you're probably reading this on, semiconductor-based computer chips are essential to modern life.
Jun 17, 2026
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Simple coating could make next-generation chip transistors easier to manufacture without damaging ultrathin layers
Inside computer chips are billions of tiny transistors made from silicon. But the material is approaching its limits. In an effort to build smaller, more capable devices, researchers are exploring how they might build transistors ...
Jun 16, 2026
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Elephant trunk skin reveals design that could reshape soft robotics
An elephant's trunk is both strong and capable of extremely fine motor movements. With this muscular, boneless structure, an elephant can carry heavy logs—or deftly peel a banana. Lucia Beccai and colleagues studied the skin ...
Jun 16, 2026
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Engineering
Material dents and folds could be engineered into smart surfaces with AI
Wrinkles or dents appearing on material surfaces are often regarded as signs of damage or deformation. In a recent collaborative review paper published in Nano-Micro Letters and titled "Harnessing Surface Instabilities for ...
Jun 16, 2026
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Engineering
UK social housing design must adapt to suit changing climate demands, say researchers
A study carried out by researchers at the University of Manchester has found that future climate change will bring a clear shift toward summer cooling requirements, with implications for grid capacity, occupant well-being ...
Jun 16, 2026
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Engineering
Floating solar panels keep working through icy Canadian winters
To accommodate the increasing demand for clean energy, researchers have been developing floating solar panels for rivers, reservoirs and other waterways in recent years. While there is, of course, plenty of land for solar ...
Robotics
Simple color cue helps people master prosthetic devices faster
Controlling a robotic arm, a prosthetic hand or a rehabilitation device is harder than it looks. Picking up an egg, for example, requires just the right amount of force: too little and it falls, too much and it breaks.
Jun 15, 2026
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Engineering
All-optical signal processor developed to break AI data center transmission bottleneck
A research team led by The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has developed a novel integrated all-optical signal processor (OSP) to address the massive data transmission demands of next-generation AI systems, particularly ...
Jun 15, 2026
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Engineering
Advanced 3D printing creates origami-inspired structures
Researchers at the Department of Energy's Manufacturing Demonstration Facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have introduced an innovation in additive manufacturing by integrating origami-inspired 3D printing techniques ...
Jun 15, 2026
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Robotics
Wing-shape tests could unlock smoother water-to-air drone launches
A bird bursting from the ocean or a mobula ray launching skyward makes the transition from water to air look effortless. For unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, it's one of the hardest maneuvers to ...
Jun 15, 2026
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Engineering
Going up against the heat: Vertical greenery keeps cities cool
Climate change and urbanization have intensified the urban heat island (UHI) effect, where urban areas are significantly warmer than rural areas. This has, in turn, increased the frequency of extreme heat events, such as ...
Jun 15, 2026
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Engineering
How can we make buildings more resilient before—and after—earthquakes? We put one solution to the test
This week's magnitude 7.8 earthquake in the Philippines came with scenes familiar to New Zealanders: collapsed buildings, shattered facades and streets strewn with rubble.
Jun 13, 2026
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Engineering
Surface pre-treatment, barrier layer, automated machining and assembly of cryogenic CFRP hydrogen tanks
Researchers from Plasma Technology and Surfaces, Paint/Lacquer Technology, as well as Automation and Production Technology at Fraunhofer IFAM, in collaboration with HYTANK project partners, developed resource-efficient manufacturing ...
Jun 12, 2026
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Engineering
Waymo unveils virtual driver model to test autonomous car crash avoidance
Autonomous vehicles are already a reality on some of our streets and could become a major part of future transportation systems. Safety, of course, is the main concern, as with all vehicles. To help evaluate and improve its ...
Engineering
Porous electrode design could lift green hydrogen output by limiting bubble buildup
Hydrogen could be the key to a clean energy future, but a tiny problem has been holding it back: bubbles. In a paper published in Energy & Environmental Science, a multidisciplinary team of UNSW researchers, in collaboration ...
Jun 11, 2026
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Engineering
Fast, reliable detection of trace gases by resonant photoacoustics
The photoacoustic effect has been known for more than 150 years: Gases exposed to light heat up. Pulsing the light generates periodic pressure fluctuations, or sound waves, with frequencies that can be uniquely assigned to ...
Jun 11, 2026
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Engineering
From safety hazard to climate solution: Technology tackling fugitive methane from coal mines
Every underground coal mine has one thing in common: Coal seams leak methane gas into the tunnel network, presenting a serious safety hazard. The control is the same the world over: continuously pump fresh air through the ...
Jun 11, 2026
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Robotics
Bike robot lands first unassisted front flip thanks to Ph.D. student
A bicycle robot from the Robotics and AI Institute (RAI) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has become the first to perform an unassisted acrobatic front flip. RAI calls the bicycle robot an ultra-mobility vehicle (UMV). It can ...
Jun 10, 2026
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Engineering
Rising from the ashes, a hidden supply of critical elements emerges
Anuja Tripathi grew up in Kanpur, India, where coal fly ash from a nearby power plant coated rooftops, windowsills and laundry hung outside to dry.
Jun 10, 2026
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Engineering
Low-water lithium extraction method achieves 95% recovery efficiency from brine salts
Engineers have developed a new technology that enables the direct extraction of lithium from solid salt mixtures derived from brines, offering a low-water, low-energy alternative to conventional lithium extraction methods.
Jun 10, 2026
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Engineering
Artificial eyes could bring human-like sight to self-driving cars and robots
Although self-driving cars and sophisticated robots use advanced cameras, computer algorithms and artificial intelligence to perceive their surroundings, these artificial eyes struggle to remain reliable in mixed lighting ...
Jun 9, 2026
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Engineering
Machine learning predicts wind shear 15 seconds ahead with less than 5% error
Wind shear, a sudden change in wind speed or direction, is a major cause of aviation incidents; it was responsible for 18% of aviation accidents in 2022. Predicting wind shear events is a priority for aviation safety because ...
Jun 9, 2026
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Engineering
A low-tech solution to the 6G problem—metacrystal panels offer cheap way to guide wireless signals around corners
Basements, tunnels, large buildings—a weak Wi-Fi or mobile signal in these hard-to-reach places is frustrating. The usual solution is to add more electronics like routers, repeaters and base stations. Yet, as we move towards ...
Jun 8, 2026
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