Self-Sensing Electric Artificial Muscles

Taking inspiration from nature, a team of researchers at Queen Mary’s School of Engineering and Materials Science has successfully created an artificial muscle that seamlessly transitions between soft and hard states while also possessing the remarkable ability to sense forces and deformations.

Assembling Matter in 3D Using Sound Waves for 3D Printing

Researchers have created a new technology to assemble matter in 3D. Their concept uses multiple acoustic holograms to generate pressure fields with which solid particles, gel beads, and even biological cells can be printed.

Smart Micro-Robots Learn to Swim with AI

Researchers have been able to successfully teach micro-robots how to swim via deep reinforcement learning, marking a substantial leap in the progression of micro-swimming capability.

Products of Tomorrow

The products of tomorrow.

Novel Chemical Glucose Sensing Method Based on Boronic Acids and Graphene Foam

Since it is a chemical sensor instead of being enzyme-based, the new technology is robust, has a long shelf-life and can be tuned to detect lower glucose concentrations than current systems.

Getting a Grip with ‘Necrobotic’ Spiders

An open-access study in Advanced Science outlines the process by which Preston and lead author Faye Yap harnessed a spider’s physiology in a first step toward a novel area of research they call “necrobotics.”

5 Ws of the Artificial Leaf

Researchers at University of Cambridge have developed floating “artificial leaves” that generate clean fuels from sunlight and water and could eventually operate on a large scale at sea.

Thin, Stretchable Biosensors Could Make Surgery Safer

Researchers formulated and synthesized the bio-inks, with the goal of creating create an ultra-soft, thin, and stretchable material for biosensors that is capable of seamlessly interfacing with the surface of organs.

Plant-Based Thermotherapy Patch

Additional applications include defogging/defrosting, wearable devices, industrial heat systems, sensors, thermochromic displays, and microfluidic chips.

Keeping the Bugs at Bay

With its instant repellency and its ability to repel rather than kill or deactivate pathogens, RepelWrap presents an effective alternative to current technologies.

University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering

The University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science, more commonly known as Penn Engineering or SEAS, offers programs that emphasize hands-on study of engineering...

“Flying Fish” Robot Propels Itself Out of Water and Glides Through the Air

A fish-inspired robot that can travel 26 meters through the air after takeoff could be used to collect water samples in hazardous and cluttered environments,...

Self-Contained Device Isolates Biological Samples

A patented self-contained device for isolating deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), ribonucleic acid (RNA), proteins, and cells without using pipettes or centrifuges has been developed at NASA’s...

Constructing 3D Models of Mineralized Tissue On-Demand

A technique to grow 3D tissue constructs, similar to human bone, in a laboratory environment has been developed by bioengineers at NASA Johnson Space Center. Problems arise when...

Products of Tomorrow

This column presents technologies that have applications in commercial areas, possibly creating the products of tomorrow. To learn more about each technology, see the contact information provided for that innovation.

Portable Device Detects Foodborne Illness

Foodborne illness hits about one in six people in the United States every year from more than 31 recognized pathogens including E. coli O157:H7, a particularly harsh strain of E. coli. Researchers...

Rapid Agent Aerosol Detector for Biological Agents

Any space, enclosed or open, can be vulnerable to the dispersal of harmful airborne biological agents. Silent and near-invisible, these bioagents can sicken or kill living things before...

Novel Ink 3D Prints Bone with Living Cells

Scientists have developed a ceramic-based ink made of calcium phosphate to 3D print bone parts complete with living cells that could be used to repair damaged bone tissue. The 3D printer method is...

3D Printing Creates Environmentally Friendly Material Made of Algae

Living materials made by housing biological cells within a nonliving matrix have gained popularity as scientists recognize that often the most robust materials are those...

Nanocomposite Material Protects Against Intense Light

Optical limiting — a manner of telecom switching without the use of electronics — is an all-optical method that could improve the speed and capacity of Internet communications. A...

Combating COVID-19 with Clean Air Tech

NASA-derived air-quality technologies help curtail the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

Novel Biosensors Set to Revolutionize Brain-Controlled Robotics

A carbon-based biosensor could drive new innovations in brain-controlled robotics.

A Primer on Solid-State Lasers

See how solid-state lasers have grown and diversified over the years.

Self-Sustaining, Intelligent Electronic Microsystems from “Green” Material

Researchers have created an electronic microsystem that can intelligently respond to information inputs without any external energy input, much like a...

Inexpensive Portable Detector Identifies Pathogens in Minutes

The smartphone-based device could reduce the pressure on testing laboratories during a pandemic.

Liquid Metal Coating Creates Effective Antiviral, Antimicrobial Fabric

The coatings eradicated human influenza and coronavirus in five minutes.

Nanoscale Sensors Measure Elusive Water Levels in Leaves

A new technology uses nanoscale sensors and fiber optics to measure water status just inside a leaf’s surface, where water in plants is most actively managed.

LED Lighting Beyond Space

NASA’s lighting research gives people on Earth better rest and helps plants grow.

Mobile Molecular Robots Swim in Water

Synthesized micro-robots can convert their mechanical motion into a means of self-propulsion in water.