Engineering News, Sites and Info
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- How to help assembly-line robots shift gears and pick up almost anything
A University of Washington team created a new tool that can design a 3D-printable passive gripper and calculate the best path to pick up an object. The team tested this system on a suite of 22 objects -- including a 3D-printed bunny, a doorstop-shape…
- 29 Jul 22, 2:24pm - - A 'nano-robot' built entirely from DNA to explore cell processes
Constructing a tiny robot from DNA and using it to study cell processes invisible to the naked eye... You would be forgiven for thinking it is science fiction, but it is in fact the subject of serious research. This highly innovative 'nano-robot' sho…
- 28 Jul 22, 11:59am - - Programming pH
Researchers have developed a technique to control pH at the local level, creating a dense array of microsites where the amount of protons is 100 to 1000 times higher than the average in the rest of the solution.
- 27 Jul 22, 6:14pm - - New catalyst leads to more efficient butadiene production
Researchers have developed a new catalyst that improves the efficiency of converting butane, a component of natural gas, into butadiene -- a widely-used building block in synthetic rubber and a variety of plastics.
- 27 Jul 22, 6:13pm - - Breakthrough quantum algorithm
Physicists are claiming significant progress in using quantum computers to study and predict how the state of a large number of interacting quantum particles evolves over time. This was done by developing a quantum algorithm that they run on an IBM q…
- 27 Jul 22, 3:07pm -
- newCell phone-based maps could reshape city planning, from bus schedules to traffic hotspots
Understanding how people use the spaces they inhabit—where they live, work, and gather—is key to effective urban planning that meets their needs. For example, knowing which routes are most commonly used to travel from residential neighborhoods to…
- 14 hours ago 28 Apr 26, 9:40pm - - newA solar cell moonlights as an LED, both absorbing and emitting light more efficiently
Imagine a display that harvests ambient light when it is not actively in use, offsetting some of its own energy consumption. Materials physics shows that this is possible; the same semiconductor material can, in principle, emit and absorb light effic…
- 15 hours ago 28 Apr 26, 8:40pm - - newFingerEye bridges touch and vision to improve robot handling before and after contact
To reliably complete various manual tasks, robots should be able to handle a variety of objects, ranging from items found in households to tools used in specific professional settings. While many existing robotic systems can now complete basic manual…
- 17 hours ago 28 Apr 26, 6:00pm - - newWhy some hot-running parts last longer: Rotating expansion strengthens superalloy holes where cracks start
A longstanding challenge in materials engineering has been how to extend the fatigue life of critical nickel-based superalloy structures (e.g., Inconel 718) that contain holes. These hole structures, commonly used for bolts and fasteners in rotating…
- 18 hours ago 28 Apr 26, 5:20pm - - newMeta-earplugs reduce booming voice effect, low-frequency rumbling sounds
Workplace hearing loss is one of the most common work-related illnesses. While hearing loss is preventable with earplugs, they can be uncomfortable, and users often remove them despite the risks. Low-frequency sounds, such as rumbling traffic and war…
- 20 hours ago 28 Apr 26, 3:00pm -