Stories

Knitting Machine Makes Solid 3D Objects

A new prototype of a knitting machine creates solid, knitted shapes, adding stitches in any direction — forward, backward, and diagonal — so users can construct a wide variety of shapes and add...

Space Robotics at the Edge of the Unknown

The USC Department of Astronautical Engineering (ASTE) is expanding its focus on space robotics, with an emphasis on autonomous systems that can operate in extreme and unmapped environments....

‘Metabots’ Shapeshift from Flat Sheets into Hundreds of Structures

Researchers have created a class of robots made from thin sheets of material that can snap into hundreds of stable shapes — allowing them to execute a wide variety of...

The Agility Equation: Discovering the Math of Human Movement for Robotics and Footwear

Researchers from UMass Amherst are working to define the primary mathematical components of running. Compared to walking, much less is understood about...

My Opinion: The Upsides Vs. the Downsides of Artificial Intelligence

It's crucial at this point in time to think about the direction of AI development. If it's not done right, there will be serious global consequences.

Test Your Knowledge About EV Motors

Electric motors are not new. They’re actually quite old. But that doesn’t mean all of their secrets have been revealed. Engineers today are still improving on an idea that has been around for almost … well, that’s the first question. How much do you know about EV motors? Find out with this quiz.

Researchers Discover Breakthrough Materials to Enhance Light-Based Computers

Researchers have been developing computers that deploy light, or photons, rather than electricity to power storage and calculations. These light-based computers...

NASA Mission to Test Organic Electro-Optic Materials in Space

NLM Photonics has confirmed that its patented silicon organic hybrid (SOH) photonic chips, featuring Selerion-HTX™ and JRD1, have successfully arrived at the International...

Showcasing Tomorrow’s Breakthroughs: Innovations at the 2025 Create the Future Design Contest

The 23rd annual Create the Future Design Contest was held November 7 in New York City. Read on to find out who took home the $25,000 grand prize!

A New Way to Build Soft Robots That Can Walk on Water

Imagine a tiny robot, no bigger than a leaf, gliding across a pond’s surface like a water strider. One day, devices like this could track pollutants, collect water samples or scout...

Berkeley Alums Develop At-Home Robotic Rehabilitation Device

Berkeley alumni Todd Roberts (MEng’20 ME) and Owen Kent (B.A.’17 Film) have shown how an idea can turn into a product that makes a difference. The pair first developed Reflex,...

Using Generative AI to create Realistic Virtual Training Environments for Robots

Chatbots like ChatGPT and Claude have experienced a meteoric rise in usage over the past three years because they can help you with a wide range of tasks....

Robotic Skin Allows Tiny Robots to Navigate Complex, Fragile Environments

Researchers have developed a soft robotic skin that enables vine robots a few millimeters wide to navigate convoluted paths and fragile environments. To accomplish...

How Much Do You Know About the History of 3D Printing?

It seems like there are new applications for 3D printing every day. How much do you know about its history?

Machine Learning Leads to Stronger 3D-Printed Alloy

MIT engineers have developed a printable aluminum alloy that can withstand high temperatures and is five times stronger than traditionally manufactured aluminum.

Solving Space, Power Challenges with PoE-Enabled Panel PCs

Semiconductor manufacturers are turning to panel PCs — integrated computing solutions built for demanding production environments.

Powerful and Precise Multi-color Lasers Now Fit on a Single Chip

A few years ago, researchers in Michal Lipson’s Columbia Engineering lab noticed something remarkable. They were working on a project to design high-power chips that could...

Breaking the Thermal Conductivity Barrier with Boron Arsenide

University of Houston researchers have made a groundbreaking discovery in thermal conductivity, overturning an existing theory that boron arsenide (BAs) couldn’t compete with...

Using Streetlamps as EV Chargers

Electric vehicles (EVs) can have lower fuel costs and reduce emissions relative to cars that use gasoline, but they are only a practical option if drivers have convenient ways to charge them. For people who...

My Opinion: What’s AI Good For?

Some applications of generative AI are quite useful, some not so much. One way to tame its exponentially expanding hunger for power is to use it intelligently.

Using Street Lamps as EV Chargers

EVs can have lower fuel costs and reduce emissions relative to cars that use gasoline, but they are only a practical option if drivers have convenient ways to charge them. To address this issue, a team of researchers at Penn State created a scalable framework to develop, analyze, and evaluate using streetlights as a low-cost, equitable EV charging option.

A High-Performance Mid-Infrared Imaging System Without Lenses

Researchers have used the centuries-old idea of pinhole imaging to create a high-performance mid-infrared imaging system without lenses. The new camera can capture extremely clear pictures over a large range of distances and in low light, making it useful for situations that are challenging for traditional cameras.

Light-Powered Motor Fits Inside a Strand of Hair

For more than 30 years, researchers have been trying to create small gears in order to construct micro-engines. But progress stalled at 0.1 millimeters, as it was not possible to build the...

MultiRobot Team Walks, Flies, and Rolls

Introducing X1: The world's first multirobot system that integrates a humanoid robot with a transforming drone that can launch off the humanoid's back and, later, drive away. The versatile team can...

Programming Robots with Rubber Bands

From sorting objects in a warehouse to navigating furniture while vacuuming, robots today use sensors, software control systems, and moving parts to perform tasks. The harder the task or more complex the...

Using an AI-Powered Robotic Unicycle to Study How People Learn Complex Motor Skills

The path to recovery for stroke survivors taking their first tentative steps, or individuals navigating daily challenges from balance disorders, often feels...

Test Your Knowledge About Small Satellites

Small satellites are revolutionizing space-based services due to their affordability, faster development cycles, and flexibility. Take this quiz to test your knowledge about smallsats.

Meet HandProxy: A Digital, Voice-Controlled Hand that Aims to Enhance AR/VR

A digital, voice-controlled hand could improve the convenience and accessibility of virtual and augmented reality by enabling hands-free use of games and apps. The prototype software was developed by computer scientists at the University of Michigan.

3D Printing Ultrastrong Materials

EPFL researchers have pioneered a 3D printing method that grows metals and ceramics inside a water-based gel, resulting in constructions for next-gen energy, biomedical, and sensing technologies.