Researchers at National Taiwan University have developed bioinspired composites that mimic bone and bamboo structures to improve strength and toughness simultaneously. Using artificial intelligence, simulations and 3D printing, the team discovered how soft layers near cracks can prevent catastrophic failure. Nature has spent millions of years developing materials that are … [Read more...] about Nature-inspired bamboo-bone composites resist cracking better
Materials
Scientists take step towards building a ChatGPT for metamaterials
Researchers from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands and ETH Zürich have developed an AI model – dubbed DiffuMeta – that works in a similar way to ChatGPT, but instead of generating text, it designs 3D materials. By representing shapes as mathematical sentences, the model can generate entirely new metamaterials that meet specific mechanical goals, such as how they … [Read more...] about Scientists take step towards building a ChatGPT for metamaterials
Robotic concrete 3D-printing will cut carbon emissions of Teesside carbon capture project
Infrastructure solutions company Costain and AE Yates, a civil and structural engineering delivery specialist, have teamed up with Hyperion Robotics to deliver low-carbon concrete sleepers for a landmark East Coast Cluster project on Teesside. Northern Endurance Partnership’s (NEP) onshore CO2-gathering system will provide the CO2 transportation and storage infrastructure … [Read more...] about Robotic concrete 3D-printing will cut carbon emissions of Teesside carbon capture project
Engineers design soft robot that uses only electric current to move
A team of engineers at Princeton University in New Jersey have designed and built soft-rigid hybrid robots that move and shift without the need for motors or external pneumatic controls, combining a printable polymer, called a liquid crystal elastomer, with flexible electronics and folding techniques based on the art of origami. With their ability to shapeshift and … [Read more...] about Engineers design soft robot that uses only electric current to move
What can Chinese characters tell us about designing strong materials?
Inspired by cultural geometries, researchers from the University of Edinburgh have created and tested a number of metamaterials – materials whose properties depend highly on their patterned structure rather than solely on their composition – comprised of Chinese characters. ‘Certain Chinese characters have strong, distinctive geometries, and these are shapes that “felt” like … [Read more...] about What can Chinese characters tell us about designing strong materials?