Engineers from Harvard University’s John A Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have developed a new 3D printing method for building soft robots that bend and change shape in predictable ways when inflated. The technique employs what’s known as rotational multi-material 3D printing, in which a dual-material nozzle prints filaments with a flexible outer … [Read more...] about 3D printing soft robots
Medical
Optimising robotic joints
Researchers in Harvard University’s John A Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have devised a new way to design knee-like joints in robots. Called rolling contact joints, they could lead to better robotic grippers, more tailored assistive devices for humans and robots that move as gracefully as animals. The new design approach optimises how rolling … [Read more...] about Optimising robotic joints
International collaboration to study the impact of the built environment on malaria
A team of researchers from Pennsylvania State and Warwick universities has been awarded a US$1.6million to explore how building design, infrastructure and development decisions can help reduce malaria risk worldwide. The transdisciplinary project grew out of a real-world challenge in sub-Saharan Africa: how to keep mosquitoes out of homes without trapping heat and cutting off … [Read more...] about International collaboration to study the impact of the built environment on malaria
Nanowire technology breakthrough could unlock new materials manufacturing
Researchers from the University of Glasgow’s James Watt School of Engineering have developed a new method of interfacial imprinting ultra-thin nanowires onto bendable, transparent polymeric substrates. This breakthrough development in nanofabrication could help support the development of new wireless, flexible, high-performance transparent electronic devices. The technique, … [Read more...] about Nanowire technology breakthrough could unlock new materials manufacturing
Vine-inspired robotic gripper gently lifts heavy and fragile objects
Inspired by vines, engineers at MIT and Stanford University have developed a robotic gripper that can snake around and lift a variety of objects, including a glass vase and a watermelon, offering a gentler approach compared to conventional gripper designs. A larger version of the robo-tendrils can also safely lift a human out of bed. The new bot consists of a pressurised … [Read more...] about Vine-inspired robotic gripper gently lifts heavy and fragile objects