Scientists at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland have integrated discarded crustacean shells into robotic devices, leveraging the strength and flexibility of natural materials for robotic applications. Although many roboticists today turn to nature to inspire their designs, even bioinspired robots are usually fabricated from non-biological … [Read more...] about Bio-hybrid robots turn food waste into functional machines
Materials
Better lifespan predictions for clean energy equipment
A new international study has developed a method for predicting the lifetime of mechanical equipment used in clean-energy systems. The research, led by Tohoku University and East China University of Science and Technology, is aimed at enhancing long-term performance and reducing material waste through better design. Technology, no matter how advanced, always comes with a … [Read more...] about Better lifespan predictions for clean energy equipment
Student designs and builds 3D-printed acoustic guitar
A mechanical engineering student at Binghamton University, State University of New York, has created a playable 3D-printed acoustic guitar. Unlike a traditional instrument, it’s made out of thermoplastic filament, but it works. ‘It wasn’t something that people had really looked into,’ Timothy Tran (pictured above) said. ‘People have made 3D-printed electric guitars – that’s … [Read more...] about Student designs and builds 3D-printed acoustic guitar
Metamaterials can stifle vibrations with intentional complexity
A team led by researchers at the University of Michigan and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) have shown how to 3D print intricate tubes that can use their complex structure to limit vibrations. Such structures could be useful in a variety of applications where people want to dampen vibrations, including transportation, civil engineering and more. The team’s new study … [Read more...] about Metamaterials can stifle vibrations with intentional complexity
Morphing 3D-printed structures from flat to curved – in space
An aerospace PhD student and his advisor in the Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a creative and efficient energy-saving method to morph 2D structures into curved 3D structures while in space as a way of reducing the cost and difficulty of transporting large structures such as satellite dishes into space. According … [Read more...] about Morphing 3D-printed structures from flat to curved – in space