Engineering news
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, ...
20 hours ago
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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 ...
10 hours ago
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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, ...
14 hours ago
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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. ...
17 hours ago
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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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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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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
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
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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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
Researchers pioneer multi-energy, field-assisted diamond cutting technology
Machining, involving the precise cutting and shaping of materials, is a key manufacturing process. As industries increasingly adopt the use of high-performance materials with high strength and hardness, traditional machining ...
Mar 30, 2026
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Engineering
Ultralightweight sonar plus AI lets tiny drones navigate like bats
To help small aerial robots navigate in the dark and other low-visibility environments, my colleagues and I developed an ultrasound-based perception system inspired by bat echolocation.
Mar 30, 2026
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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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Engineering
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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Engineering
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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Engineering
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
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
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
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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