AR/​AI

Meet AutoLabs: The New Generative AI Automating Multi-Step Laboratory Workflows

A PNNL team developed a generative agentic AI that can quickly translate experimental goals into instructions for a laboratory robot. Read on to learn more about it.

5Ws of Adaptive Phase Cooling

The energy demand of data centers is growing faster than traditional cooling methods can handle. A new nuclear-inspired approach developed by MIT-spinoff startup Ferveret directly tackles several emerging bottlenecks.

Designing Intelligence into the Electrical Foundation of Data Centers

Data centers have always been critical infrastructure, but their role has expanded dramatically in recent years. As artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and real-time digital services continue to scale, data centers are under pressure to operate with unprecedented levels of efficiency, reliability, and responsiveness. This shift is driving a quiet but fundamental transformation in how data center infrastructure is designed and managed. Read on to learn more.

Videos of the Month

See the videos of the month, including one on how researchers at Arizona State University are developing bioinspired robotic “muscles” that aim to enable robots to do much more than their motorized counterparts; one on Wichita State University and Dassault Systèmes launching a Manufacturing Innovation Center to accelerate AI‑driven automation, virtual design, and additive manufacturing across the aviation sector; one on the University of Texas at Austin's robotic hand with human-like touch; and more.

Rocket Propulsion, AI, and the Future of Engineering Workflows

On this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast, Reaction Dynamics propulsion engineer and Morius founder Balin Moher explains how artificial intelligence, digital engineering, and structured engineering data could help reshape how aerospace teams design and validate complex rocket systems. Listen now!

Accelerating Physical AI System Validation with Electronics Digital Twins

AI behavior must remain consistent and predictable across hardware variants, software updates, and real-world conditions. eDTs provide engineers with visibility into how AI-driven software interacts with underlying silicon and system architectures, supporting safer and more reliable deployment. Read on to learn more.

Giving Robots a Sense of Touch: Physical AI Advances with Tactile Sensors

Tactile sensors have existed for years, but what has changed is the systems it feeds into. Physical AI systems have matured to the point where multi-modal contact data can be productively consumed. The next step is to validate the impact on performance and training efficiency. Read on to learn more.

Training Physical AI with the Digital Twin: A Faster Path to Flexible Robotics

As physical AI continues to advance, it will increasingly be able to tackle tasks previously limited to humans, especially those requiring rapid adaptability in operations that traditional automation and AI systems could simply not handle. Training physical AI models may seem like a daunting task, but read on to learn how to simplify it.

How Physical AI Expands Industrial Robots’ Capabilities

Physical AI changes how automation projects are framed. Read on to learn more about how it can expand industrial robots' capabilities.

Aya Durbin of Boston Dynamics on Why Humanoids Are the Future of Manufacturing

Humanoid robots are moving beyond eye‑catching demos and into real-world operations. This shift is being driven less by hardware and more by advances in AI....

Making Stair-Climbing Robots Stay Upright

A team developed a fall mitigation system for robots through the use of design, AI, and technology. Read on to learn more about it.

International Women in Engineering Day Quiz 2026: Test Your Knowledge of Famous Women Engineers

From foundational computing breakthroughs to materials, communications, and AI systems used every day, women engineers have driven many of the technologies we rely on. Think you know the pioneers behind these innovations? Take this quick quiz to test your knowledge of internationally recognized women whose work continues to power modern engineering.

Cognex CEO Matt Moschner on Advancing Industrial Automation with AI-Powered Machine Vision

Matt Moschner, President and CEO of Cognex, discusses the most important trends shaping automation today and its future outlook.

VR Greenhouse: Digital Twins Allow Farmers to Walk the Fields from Anywhere

Engineers have developed a system that creates “digital twins” of real farms, allowing users to walk through fully interactive virtual spaces and observe actual plants in real time.

Accelerating Spacecraft Development with AI, Digital Twins, and Simulation

During the 2026 Siemens Realize Live conference and exhibition in Detroit, MI, the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast interviewed Dr. Tom Stoumbos, Simulation and Test Leader at Northrop Grumman, about the company’s use of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital simulation and testing tools to design, manufacture, and produce new satellites and space technologies. Listen now!

Harvard's BRIDGE Brings Video Analytics to Parasports

A Harvard-led research team developed BRIDGE, a simulation technology. The system is designed to give para-athletes and coaches access to video analysis resources that are commonplace in non-disabled sports but are rare in parasports.

Why 3D ICs Are Essential for Next-Gen AI

As 3D-IC systems grow more complex and heterogeneous to meet the demands of the AI era, the combination of human expertise and AI-augmented design methodologies will be essential.

New Products

See the new products, including Amada Weld Tech's next-generation UB Series Linear DC Resistance Weld Controls; Igus' ReBelMove Pro modular, customizable autonomous mobile robot; Logic's Octopus, an overhead industrial picking robot; and more.

Autonomous AI Design Unlocks a Faster Route to Custom Materials

In this interview, Argonne Scientist Jie Xu, also an Assistant Professor at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, discusses the results of her research and more. Read now!

AI Boosts Snakebot’s Movement Efficiency

A research group has developed a snake-like robot artificial intelligence that optimizes its rolling movement using deep reinforcement learning. This movement is aided by a unique “observation buffer” that uses data from the robot’s sensors to analyze angular velocity, acceleration, and body state information. Read on to learn more.

Delivering Industrial-Grade Physical AI at Scale

ABB Robotics is integrating NVIDIA Omniverse libraries into ABB Robotics’ RobotStudio® to help manufacturers deploy physical AI in real-world robotics applications. Read on to learn more.

Programming Robots for Improved Nonverbal Communication

At Purdue University, Sooyeon Jeong, Assistant Professor of Computer Science and robot communication and behavior expert, is working to make robots as friendly and helpful as possible in non-fictional settings. Her goal is to create robots that make the world a better place for humans. Read on to learn more.

Products of Tomorrow

See the products of the month, including a new method that automatically keeps a fleet of robots moving smoothly; inspiration for a new class of materials built on interlocking particles; and a new chip design that could improve how GPUs convert and manage power.

Improving Next-Generation Aircraft with Supercomputing and AI

With unprecedented capabilities for simulation and artificial intelligence, the Aurora supercomputer at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory is helping researchers explore new ways to design more efficient airplanes. Read on to learn more.