This Tiny, Tamper-Proof ID Tag Can Authenticate Almost Anything

A few years ago, MIT researchers invented a cryptographic ID tag that is several times smaller and significantly cheaper than the traditional radio frequency tags (RFIDs) that...

Bringing Together Real-World Sensors and VR to Improve Building Maintenance

A new system that brings together real-world sensing and virtual reality would make it easier for building maintenance personnel to identify and fix issues in...

Integrating Dimensions to Get More Out of Moore’s Law

Moore's Law, a fundamental scaling principle for electronic devices, forecasts that the number of transistors on a chip will double every two years, ensuring more computing power —...

Can Solid-State Batteries Commercialize by 2030?

Automakers are increasingly focusing on the long-delayed promise of solid-state batteries. With no liquid electrolyte, these batteries can be lighter, safer (with reduced fire risk), faster to recharge, and more energy dense while still being able to deliver ranges of 600 miles (965 km) or more.

Upcycling Commercial Fleets into Circular EVs

Based on the success thus far, Evolectric hopes to introduce its technology to more markets worldwide where demand is growing for affordable and accessible EVs. The company hopes to build a network of local partners capable of carrying out all installation and maintenance services.

Leveraging AI for EV Performance Improvement

As commercial fleets adopt more electric vehicles, they need accurate state-of-health measurements and smart charging algorithms to ensure their EVs have minimum unscheduled downtime. To solve these problems effectively, we need comprehensive data collection, capable computing infrastructure, and intelligent algorithms.

Improving and Increasing Energy Density of Batteries

When it comes to making batteries that last longer, a team of researchers including engineers at Brown University and Idaho National Laboratory believes the key might be in how things get clean — specifically how soap works in this process.

Cobalt-Free Batteries Could Power EVs of the Future

Many electric vehicles are powered by batteries that contain cobalt — a metal that carries high financial, environmental, and social costs. MIT researchers have now designed a battery material that could offer a more sustainable way to power electric cars. The new lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery includes a cathode based on organic materials, instead of cobalt or nickel (another metal often used in Li-ion batteries).

New Cathode Material for Sodium-Ion Batteries

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory have invented and patented a new cathode material that replaces lithium ions with sodium and would be significantly cheaper.

New Products

See the new products, including Beam Global’s EV ARC, an advanced sustainable charging infrastructure solution for EVs; Solvay's SolvaLite® 716 FR, an innovative fast-curing epoxy prepreg system; Recyclus Group's solution for the safe storage and transportation of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, the LiBox; and Freudenberg Sealing Technologies' new type of foldable gasket for battery electric vehicles.

Putting a New ‘Charge’ in EV Recharging

Although there have been questions about the continuing consumer uptake of EVs, BMW’s Niels Bohn said that the robustness of the charging network is the key to achieving consumer acceptance.

Autonomous Mobile Robots Take a Direct Route to Optimization With AI

While advanced vision systems give AMRs the power of “sight,” so to speak, AI allows them to identify objects and optimizes how they navigate on a factory floor.

Unveiling the Future of Robotic Sanding and Polishing with Material Abrasion Technology

This article examines advancements in Flexiv’s material abrasion technology, specifically focusing on sanding and polishing applications and the utility of force control technology.

Achieving Flexibility, Reliability, and Safety with Autonomous Mobile Robots

With 40 years of experience to its name, Sunview Patio Doors Ltd. has solved one of the industry’s top challenges: meeting customers’ increased demands for faster and better services, while providing an option for product customization.

Robots for Building Resilient Space Habitats

Led by Purdue University, the Resilient ExtraTerrestrial Habitats institute's goal is to “design and operate resilient deep space habitats that can adapt, absorb and rapidly recover from expected and unexpected disruptions.”

Snail-Inspired Robot Could Scoop Ocean Microplastics

Inspired by a small and slow snail, scientists have developed a robot prototype that may one day scoop up microplastics from the surfaces of oceans, seas, and lakes.

AI Model to Streamline Operations in a Robotic Warehouse

In the future, the researchers want to derive simple, rule-based insights from their neural model, since the decisions of the neural network can be opaque and difficult to interpret. Simpler, rule-based methods could also be easier to implement and maintain in actual robotic warehouse settings.

Tri-Rotor Steering Wheel Yields Programmable Vehicular Control

Innovators at NASA Johnson Space Center have developed a programmable steering wheel called the Tri-Rotor, which allows an astronaut the ability to easily operate a vehicle on the surface of a planet or Moon despite the limited dexterity of their spacesuit. This technology was originally conceived for the operation of a lunar terrain vehicle (LTV) to improve upon previous Apolloera hand controllers.

Liquid Crystals Hold the Key to Shapeshifting Robots

Robots and cameras of the future could be made of liquid crystals, thanks to a new discovery that significantly expands the potential of the chemicals already common in computer displays and digital watches. The findings are a simple and inexpensive way to manipulate the molecular properties of liquid crystals with light exposure.

Tiny, Fully Functional Water-Strider and Mini-Bug Robots

Reporting on their work in the proceedings of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society’s International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems, the mini-bug weighs in at eight milligrams, while the water strider weighs 55 milligrams. Both can move at about six millimeters a second.

New Products

See the new products, including ABB Robotics' expanded SCARA robot portfolio, Bodine's gearmotors, the C6675 control cabinet Industrial PC from Beckhoff, and KEB America's DL4 series of brushless servo motors.

Optimizing Warehouse Logistics with Autonomous Mobile Robots

Material transport workflows for production and assembly lines are time-consuming, non-value-adding tasks for most manufacturers. AMRs provide a simple, efficient, and cost-effective way to automate material handling and in-house transportation tasks in nearly any situation where employees would previously have been required to push carts around the facility.

Leveraging 3D Printing and Decentralized Production in the Face of Red Sea Conflicts

The Red Sea, historically renowned as a vital sea route connecting the East and the West, finds itself at the center of a complex crisis triggered by escalating geopolitical tensions.

How Adhesives Address the Challenges of Manufacturing Microbatteries

Currently, researchers are exploring the use of adhesives in combination with laser-cut gasket materials to deliver maximum energy density, miniaturization, and while maintaining a high degree of hermetic integrity to assure long-lived operation and efficiency.

Conductive Carbon Fiber Polymer Composite

Inventors from NASA Langley and NASA Ames have created a new type of carbon fiber polymer composite that has a high thermal conductivity.

New Fuel Cell Architecture Uses Nanowires for Durability

A promising, more durable fuel cell design could help transform heavy-duty trucking and other clean fuel cell applications.

An AI-Based Approach for Controlling Microgrids

UC Santa Cruz Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Yu Zhang and his lab are leveraging tools to improve the efficiency, reliability, and resilience of power systems, and have developed an artificial intelligence (AI)-based approach for the smart control of microgrids for power restoration when outages occur.

New Polymer Coating Could Boost EV Batteries

Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have developed a conductive polymer coating — called HOS-PFM — that could enable longer lasting, more powerful lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries for electric vehicles.

Regolith-Polymer 3D Printing

Recognizing the need for in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) to support long-duration human missions to the Moon and Mars, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and Sidus Space have developed a novel three-dimensional print head apparatus using regolith-polymer mixtures as a building material.

A Two-in-One Storage and Computing Device

A multi-institutional project led by a Penn State researcher is focused on developing an all-in-one semiconductor device that can both store data and perform computations. The project recently received $2 million in funding over three years as part of the new National Science Foundation Future of Semiconductors (FuSe) program.

4D Printing of Smart Materials with Electromechanical Properties

Researchers at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) have created software and hardware for a 4D printer with applications in the biomedical field.

An Affordable, Sustainable Solution for Flat-Panel Displays and Wearable Tech

A research team led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) has developed “supramolecular ink,” a new technology for use in OLED (organic light-emitting diode) displays or other electronic devices.

Smart Contact Lenses to Diagnose Glaucoma

Usually developing slowly over time, many cases of glaucoma are only picked up during routine eye tests, by which time lasting damage may already have been caused. But this could change in the future as academics from the U.K. and Türkiye have developed a contact lens which can detect changes in eye pressure which signal possible glaucoma.

Plasma Processing of Water and Inedible Biomass for pH Control and Nutrient Recycling

Researchers at Kennedy Space Center have developed a technology that generates plasma activated water in pH ranges that allow for the addition of nitrates and other nutrients to the water while maintaining a healthy pH for plants.

Origami-Inspired Medical Patch Seals Internal Injuries

Taking inspiration from origami, MIT engineers have now designed a medical patch that can be folded around minimally invasive surgical tools and delivered through airways, intestines, and other narrow spaces, to patch up internal injuries.

Microneedle Technology Leads to Painless Tattoos

Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed low-cost, painless, and bloodless tattoos that can be self-administered and have many applications, from medical alerts to tracking neutered animals to cosmetics.

Quantum Computing Architecture May Enable High-Fidelity Communication

MIT researchers have developed a quantum computing architecture that aims to enable extensible, high-fidelity communication between superconducting quantum processors.

New Phase Shifter to Reduce Antenna Signal Loss

Researchers at the University of Birmingham have developed a new type of high-performance “phase shifter” using a liquid gallium alloy — which varies the phase angle of microwave and millimeter-wave radio signals — for use in advanced phase array antenna systems.

Light-Based Tech to Navigate the Moon

RMIT University’s Arnan Mitchell and University of Adelaide’s Dr. Andy Boes led an international team to review lithium niobate’s capabilities and potential applications in the journal Science. The team is working to make navigation systems that help rovers drive on the Moon — where GPS is unable to work — later this decade.

SuperGPS Accurate Within 10 Centimeters

This new technology — developed by engineers at Delft University of Technology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and VSL, and which can achieve an accuracy of 10 centimeters — is important for the implementation of a range of location-based applications, such as automated vehicles, quantum communication, and next-generation mobile communication systems.

New on the Market

See what's new on the market, including: new TEMPUS™ technology from Renishaw, SPIROL's Series CL6000 Compression Limiters, binder-USA's protective caps, a breakthrough lithium coin cell holder from Keystone Electronics, and more.

Products of Tomorrow

See the products of tomorrow, including: a new metamaterial that takes advantage of the non-reciprocal magnetoelectric (NME) effect; fully 3D-printed, three-dimensional solenoids; and a freeze-resistant hydration system.

Product of the Month

See the product of the month: The IMS5420-TH white light interferometer from Micro-Epsilon. The IMS5420-TH can be used for undoped, doped, and highly doped SI wafers.

5Ws of the Dressing Robot

A bimanual dressing robot system developed at the University of York uses AI to mimic how caregivers assist humans in dressing.

Digitally Engineering the Future of Army Off-Road Autonomous Vehicles

The University of Michigan’s Automotive Research Center has a new five-year agreement with the U.S. Army for modeling, simulation, and digitally engineering the next generation of off-road autonomous vehicles.

NASA’s Invention Puts a New Spin on Automotive Brake Rotors

NASA’s invention inspired an innovative design for a better automobile disc brake that’s much lighter and drastically improves the braking performance.

Continuous Monitoring: Biosensors for Health Insights

DNA-based biosensors offer a highly sensitive and specific approach for detecting a range of target molecules.

How Much Do You Know About 6G?

How much do you know about the status of 6G wireless networking technology? Test your knowledge with this quiz.

Universal Controller May Lead to Breakthroughs in Robotic Prostheses, Exoskeletons

A team of Georgia Tech researchers in Aaron Young’s lab has developed a universal approach to controlling robotic exoskeletons that requires no training, no calibration, and no adjustments to complicated algorithms. Instead, users can don the “exo” and go.

Drones Detect, Monitor, and Prevent Wildfires

The detection would start on the ground via internet-connected sensors placed in CalFire-determined areas of danger. For reconnaissance missions, the team is building a rotorcraft equipped with navigation systems, sensors, and cameras.

Wearable Injectors: The Future of Drug Delivery

Exploring advancements in wearable injector technology, examining how these devices are transforming the administration of medications, improving patient adherence, and enhancing the overall effectiveness of treatment plans.

What Can AI Provide for Unmanned Ground Vehicles?

Tim Stewart, Director of Business Development, Aitech, joins the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast to discuss what artificial intelligence could provide for unmanned ground vehicles.

How Much Do You Know About the IIoT?

The industrial internet of things (IIoT) is the result of an evolution of technology that started with the invention of the programmable logic controller (PLC) in 1968. It has blossomed in recent years with the incorporation of artificial intelligence and advanced networking protocols. How much do you think you know about the IIoT? Try this quiz to check your knowledge.

A New Wireless Tracking System Enhances the Extended Reality Experience

Aditya Arun and his team from the Wireless Communication Sensing and Network Group (WCSNG) at the University of California San Diego have developed an asset localization system that uses wireless signals to track physical objects with centimeter-level accuracy in real time, and then generates a virtual representation of these objects.

Precision Health: Developing Medical-Grade Wearables

Exploring how AI algorithms analyze and interpret the data collected, leading to more accurate diagnostics and predictive insights.

All-Liquid Iron Flow Battery Is Safe, Economical

A commonplace chemical used in water treatment facilities has been repurposed for large-scale energy storage in a new battery design by researchers at the DoE’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

Autonomous Navigation Kits for the Army’s Palletized Load System

Kurt Bruck, Division Manager, Neya Systems, is the guest on this episode of Season 2 of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast to discuss the company’s progress with the Army’s GEARS project.

New AI Tool Can Predict People’s Vaccine Attitudes

The predictive system uses a small set of data from demographics and personal judgments such as aversion to risk or loss.

Test Your Knowledge About Cobots

Cobots are robots designed to work alongside humans rather than in their own space on a broad range of tasks. So, how much do you know about cobots? Test your knowledge with this quiz.

My Opinion: The IIoT Gave Birth to the IoT

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) gave birth to the Internet of Things (IoT), but applications of the IoT are growing at an uneven pace due to real-world constraints beyond the capabilities of the technology.

A New Process for Turning CO2 into Sustainable Fuel

A process of heating carbon nitride to the required degree of crystallinity, maximizing the functional properties of this material for photocatalysis.

Data Precision in Wearables: The Challenge of Accuracy

Exploring how innovations in wearables are making treatments more precise, portable, and patient-friendly than ever before.

The Future of Hybrid and Electric Military Vehicles

Rick Kewley, Vice President, Product Development and Advanced Engineering for GM Defense LLC, is the guest on this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast to discuss some of the company's latest research and development on hybrid and electric-powered military vehicles.

How Much Do You Know About Drug Delivery?

How much do you know about drug delivery and the systems used to deliver the drugs? Find out with this quiz.

Treating Liver Cancer with Microrobots Piloted by a Magnetic Field

The idea of injecting microscopic robots into the bloodstream to heal the human body is not new. It’s also not science fiction.

Building Bionic Jellyfish for Ocean Exploration

Jellyfish can't do much besides swim, sting, eat, and breed. They don't even have brains. Yet, these simple creatures can easily journey to the depths of the oceans in a way that humans,...

Flexible “Skeletons” for Soft, Muscle-Powered Robots

Our muscles are nature’s perfect actuators — devices that turn energy into motion. For their size, muscle fibers are more powerful and precise than most synthetic actuators. They...

The First High-Resolution, 3D-Printed Brain

An international team has developed a "brain phantom," which was produced using a high-resolution 3D printing process.

A Breakthrough in Fast-Charging Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Research shows that the next generation of lithium-sulfur batteries may be capable of being charged in less than five minutes, instead of the current several hours it takes.

RISING STAR AWARD RULES

The Women in Engineering: Rising Star Awards program celebrates and recognizes women engineers who are enhancing the engineering profession through contributions to the industry and society. The nominee should be a...

RISING STAR AWARDS 2024 - Nomination Form

The nominations for 2024 are now closed. The entries are being evaluated by our esteemed panel of judges, which is comprised of leaders from engineering and technology fields. ⇒ Meet the...