Engineering

A breakthrough in ceramic 3D printing

For Chinese scientists at Jiangnan University, the shape of things to come rests on a ceramic slurry and 3D printing.

Engineering

World's first mass production of metalenses for visible wavelengths

Do you hate the camera bumps on the back of your smartphone? A new optical component called metalens—which was named one of the top 10 future technologies by the World Economic Forum in 2019—may be the answer. Composed ...

Engineering

Solving solar panels' dirty problem

From water-repellent to water-loving with ultraviolet (UV) light, surfaces are being developed that protect panels and glass facades from expensive and time-consuming cleanings.

Robotics

A fairy-like robot flies by the power of wind and light

The development of stimuli-responsive polymers has brought about a wealth of material-related opportunities for next-generation small-scale, wirelessly controlled soft-bodied robots. For some time now, engineers have known ...

Engineering

Creating a perfect trap for light

Whether in photosynthesis or in a photovoltaic system: If you want to use light efficiently, you have to absorb it as completely as possible. However, this is difficult if the absorption is to take place in a thin layer of ...

Engineering

How eye imaging technology could help robots and cars see better

Even though robots don't have eyes with retinas, the key to helping them see and interact with the world more naturally and safely may rest in optical coherence tomography (OCT) machines commonly found in the offices of ophthalmologists.

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