https://techxplore.com/rss-feed/engineering-news/ en-us The latest news on engineering technology, engineering science, computer engineering , civil engineering, chemical engineering, aerospace engineering and environmental engineering. Passive cooling systems for nuclear power plants operate without pumps or electricity: They rely solely on physical effects such as density differences to dissipate heat. Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI have now experimentally investigated such systems for small modular reactors, collecting high-resolution measurement data for the first time. This provides an important basis for developing future generations of reactors. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-cooling-modular-reactors.html Engineering Thu, 07 May 2026 13:00:01 EDT news697377188 There is something universally appealing about the slap bracelet, and the way a simple tap causes it to switch between a straight shape and a curled one. What you probably didn't know is that a slap bracelet's satisfying snap is the same principle behind bistable structures. These can toggle between two stable positions (one representing 0 and the other 1) to store data directly within their physical forms as mechanical bits (m-bits). https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-scientists-materials.html Engineering Wed, 06 May 2026 15:20:04 EDT news697297809 All-perovskite tandem solar cells are promising candidates for next-generation photovoltaics, as they harvest sunlight more efficiently than single-junction devices and can be fabricated through low-temperature solution processing. However, their performance is often limited by asynchronous crystallization in multicomponent perovskite films, in which different parts of the system crystallize at different times. This leads to compositional and structural unevenness, which reduces device efficiency and stability. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-chemical-hardness-boosts-perovskite-tandem.html Engineering Wed, 06 May 2026 15:00:06 EDT news697297561 Good electrochemical energy storage (EES) devices such as rechargeable batteries and supercapacitors can store a lot of energy and release it quickly, but these design goals are often at odds with each other. Using design optimization and 3D printing, a team led by engineers and scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has overcome this tradeoff and demonstrated a 3D-printed electrode design for EES that maximizes storage capacity under practical conditions. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-3d-interlocking-electrodes-optimization-potential.html Engineering Tue, 05 May 2026 17:20:06 EDT news697218361 Building upon the chemistry that oysters use in miles-long reefs, scientists have found a way to create cement that is stronger and cures faster. Jonathan Wilker, a professor of chemistry in Purdue University's College of Science and an expert in adhesives and biomimetic materials innovation, has long been interested in formulating new, more sustainable and better materials. Recent work from his research group has included using nature as an inspiration for sustainable, affordable adhesives. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-oyster-cement-scientists-shellfish-stronger.html Engineering Tue, 05 May 2026 14:40:03 EDT news697209722 Materials can store information about their past—like a crease in a piece of paper that has been unfolded is a "memory" of being folded—that can be retrieved or read out and used for various purposes. In everyday life, combination locks must remember the turns of the dial to open, and the memory of specialized materials is used to make airplanes safer, electronics more efficient and bridges stronger and more resilient. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-cassette-tapes-adhesive-tape-memory.html Engineering Tue, 05 May 2026 09:01:28 EDT news697190416 In 1985, the Innovative Design Fund placed an ad in Scientific American offering up to $10,000 to support clever prototypes for clothing, home decor, and textiles. William Freeman Ph.D., then an electrical engineer at Polaroid and now an MIT professor, saw it and submitted a novel idea: a three-sided zipper. Instead of fastening pants, it'd be like a switch that seamlessly flipped chairs, tents, and purses between soft and rigid states, making them easier to pack and put together. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-year-technology-enables-sided-zipper.html Consumer & Gadgets Mon, 04 May 2026 16:00:04 EDT news697126765 At high speeds, even the smallest movement can have major consequences. When an aircraft tilts sharply during flight, the air around it does not flow smoothly. It twists into powerful, swirling currents that can destabilize the entire vehicle. These swirling structures, known as vortices, can behave unpredictably, sometimes causing aircraft to pull to one side or rotate unexpectedly. In extreme cases, they can damage critical components such as sensors or wing flaps. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-flight-angles-affect-turbulence.html Engineering Mon, 04 May 2026 15:20:02 EDT news697125241 The way bugs and birds flap their wings may look effortless, but the dynamics that keep them aloft are dizzyingly complex and difficult to quantify. Cornell researchers have created a computational model that shows the effect of insects' morphology on stabilizing their flight. The findings could lead to a new way to understand the evolution of animal flight while also providing a blueprint for designing flapping-wing robots. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-insect-flight-stable-wing-robots.html Robotics Mon, 04 May 2026 13:20:09 EDT news697118461 An international study with EPFL researchers suggests that large reductions in carbon emissions from cement and steel building materials may be achievable by 2050 using already-existing construction technologies. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-tech-emissions-growth.html Engineering Mon, 04 May 2026 10:40:03 EDT news697106701 Termite mounds are remarkable structures that regulate temperature, balance airflow, and maintain structural stability in some of Earth's harshest climates. And like other irregular, disordered systems, they can be difficult to replicate with modern engineering techniques. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-hidden-math-link-fantastic.html Engineering Mon, 04 May 2026 10:00:09 EDT news697106461 Safer and more environmentally friendly indoor solar panels could soon help power electronics in homes and offices, thanks to University of Queensland researchers. A team of chemical engineers led by UQ's Dr. Miaoqiang Lyu and Professor Lianzhou Wang have developed a new fabrication method that eliminates the need for toxic lead and other hazardous solvents in perovskite indoor solar panels. The findings are published in the journal ACS Energy Letters. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-toxic-solar-panels-indoors.html Engineering Thu, 30 Apr 2026 17:20:05 EDT news696787201 Halide perovskites are gaining ground on silicon as a critical material for solar cell technologies: A new study published in the journal Science reports a method to make perovskite-based photovoltaics more durable, allowing the films to attain the desirable black phase of crystal configuration quicker and at lower temperatures while also making it harder to degrade into the inactive yellow phase. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-perovskite-solar-cells-yellow-phase.html Engineering Thu, 30 Apr 2026 16:40:09 EDT news696784261 Automated vehicles have been steadily rolling out in U.S. cities, but scaled deployment still faces a daunting challenge: proving the technology can safely navigate the complexity of real-world driving. Virginia Tech researchers estimate that traditional testing methods could take decades—or hundreds of millions of driving miles—to validate the full range of situations an automated vehicle may encounter. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-ultimate-driver-automated-vehicles.html Engineering Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:20:10 EDT news696765721 Researchers at Seoul National University have developed a new class of ultralight structural materials that combine the load-bearing strength of engineering materials with the weight of foam. Using a method called 3D node winding, the team created mesoscale carbon fiber lattices that achieve aluminum-level performance on a strength-to-weight basis while weighing as little as 1/100 the weight of aluminum. The findings, published in Nature Communications, demonstrate a new way to build strong, lightweight structures without the need for joints or layered assembly. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-ultralight-carbon-fiber-lattices-aluminum.html Engineering Wed, 29 Apr 2026 16:40:01 EDT news696699182 There is no question that violin-making is an art form. It requires a musician's ear, a craftsperson's skill, and a historian's appreciation of lessons learned over time. Making a violin also takes trust: Violin makers (luthiers) often must wait until the instrument is finished before they can hear how all their hard work will sound. But a new tool developed by MIT engineers could help luthiers play around with a violin's design and tweak its sound even before a single part is carved. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-virtual-violin-realistic-wood.html Engineering Wed, 29 Apr 2026 14:40:08 EDT news696691981 Nature is replete with slender filaments that bend and coil—from climbing grape vines, to folded proteins, to elephant trunks that can pick up a peanut but also take down a tree. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-programmable-3d-filaments-mimic-artificial.html Engineering Wed, 29 Apr 2026 14:20:08 EDT news696690961 If a city's suburban railway network is expanded, additional flats are likely to be built in an agglomeration that is better connected as a result. The opposite also holds true: If new buildings spring up like mushrooms in a suburb, this will call for an expansion of the transport infrastructure. Urban development and transport therefore have a mutual relationship. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-traffic-roads.html Engineering Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:40:05 EDT news696684721 Imagine a display that harvests ambient light when it is not actively in use, offsetting some of its own energy consumption. Materials physics shows that this is possible; the same semiconductor material can, in principle, emit and absorb light efficiently. What has been missing is a device architecture that allows it to do both without reductions in efficiency of either application. A new study reports a perovskite diode that converts sunlight to electricity at 26.7% efficiency (a world record at the time of publication) and emits light at 31% efficiency, figures that would be high for a device designed to do only one of those things. The work is published in the journal Joule. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-solar-cell-moonlights-absorbing-emitting.html Engineering Tue, 28 Apr 2026 16:40:04 EDT news696612362 To reliably complete various manual tasks, robots should be able to handle a variety of objects, ranging from items found in households to tools used in specific professional settings. While many existing robotic systems can now complete basic manual tasks, such as picking up objects and carrying them to a set location, most systems still struggle with tasks that entail the dexterous manipulation of objects. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-fingereye-bridges-vision-robot-contact.html Robotics Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:00:07 EDT news696596891 Workplace hearing loss is one of the most common work-related illnesses. While hearing loss is preventable with earplugs, they can be uncomfortable, and users often remove them despite the risks. Low-frequency sounds, such as rumbling traffic and warehouse vibrations, are especially difficult to address because differences in ear physiology allow sound to leak into ears, despite protection from earplugs. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-meta-earplugs-booming-voice-effect.html Consumer & Gadgets Tue, 28 Apr 2026 11:00:19 EDT news696500461 As global demand for lithium-ion batteries continues to surge, a team of Rice University researchers has developed a faster, more energy-efficient way to recover critical minerals from spent batteries, potentially easing supply chain pressures and reducing environmental harm. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-faster-greener-method-recycle-lithium.html Engineering Mon, 27 Apr 2026 16:00:08 EDT news696523262 It does not take much to confuse some robots. A machine might be great at handling a simple object like a box, yet when it tries to work with a more irregular shape like a banana, it often fails. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-bananas-cups-peelers-robots-fruits.html Robotics Mon, 27 Apr 2026 14:40:03 EDT news696519081 Researchers at the Intelligent Biomimetic Design Lab at Peking University have developed a bio-signal framework showing that fish muscles do far more than generate swimming motion. In a series of studies led by Xie Guangming, Professor at the School of Advanced Manufacturing and Robotics, and carried out by twin brothers Waqar Hussain Afridi and Rahdar Hussain Afridi, muscle electrical signals were used to reconstruct body posture, infer surrounding flow conditions, and transfer biological principles to robotic systems. These findings open new directions in biological telemetry, locomotion research, and bio-inspired underwater robotics. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-fish-muscles-blueprints-smarter-underwater.html Robotics Mon, 27 Apr 2026 11:10:01 EDT news696506335 Digital image sensors (DIS), devices that capture images by converting light patterns into electrical signals, are integrated in many contemporary electronic devices, including smartphones, digital cameras and some medical instruments. These sensors rely on tiny light-sensitive units called pixels, which record brightness and color. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-motion-sensor-captures-ultra-high.html Engineering Mon, 27 Apr 2026 10:00:08 EDT news696502431 Hydrogen is often described as the fuel of the future—a clean, energy-dense way to store renewable power and decarbonize industries from steelmaking to shipping. But inside the devices that produce it, a surprisingly small and familiar phenomenon is getting in the way: bubbles. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-hydrogen-highlights-outsized-impacts-tiny.html Engineering Fri, 24 Apr 2026 11:40:07 EDT news696249121 Acrylic acid is essential for everyday products—from paints and coatings to absorbent polymers—yet almost all of it is currently made from propylene, a petrochemical. As global biodiesel production rises, so does the supply of low-value glycerol by-products, creating an opportunity for cleaner, renewable chemical manufacturing. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-boost-sustainable-acrylic-acid-production.html Engineering Thu, 23 Apr 2026 17:20:05 EDT news696181681 Smartphones, electric vehicles and many portable devices rely on batteries. Their energy storage capacity, lifetime and safety will strongly shape the future of electrification. Among the most promising next-generation technologies are solid-state batteries. These batteries would allow smartphones to run for several days instead of requiring daily charging and give electric vehicles greater driving ranges than today's limits. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-solid-state-batteries-short-circuit.html Engineering Thu, 23 Apr 2026 12:20:01 EDT news696165001 On a bright morning, graduate student Jeremy Klotz and professor Shree Nayar walked through upper Manhattan with a tall tripod and a camera that takes 360-degree images. Their route took them to bike docking stations, which use solar energy to power their kiosks, docking mechanisms, wireless communication, and even E-bike recharging in recent installations. At each docking station, the researchers raised the camera above the panel, snapped a spherical picture, and sent it to Klotz's laptop. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-solar-panel.html Engineering Wed, 22 Apr 2026 16:40:11 EDT news696093721 Scientists have found a way to boost terahertz technology using particles thousands of times smaller than a grain of sand. Research published in Scientific Reports by Loughborough University's Emergent Photonics Research Center shows how a sparse layer of nanoparticles can make materials that produce terahertz radiation more efficient. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-tiny-particles-boost-terahertz-technology.html Engineering Tue, 21 Apr 2026 17:00:04 EDT news696008881