https://techxplore.com/engineering-news/ en-us The latest news on engineering technology, engineering science, computer engineering , civil engineering, chemical engineering, aerospace engineering and environmental engineering. Scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a portable, self-powered ultraviolet-C device called the Tribo-sanitizer that can inactivate two of the bacteria responsible for many foodborne illnesses and deaths. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-12-lightning-scientists-ultraviolet-c-device-food.html Engineering Tue, 05 Dec 2023 15:56:42 EST news621014199 Researchers from Cornell Tech have developed a method to identify delays in the reporting of incidents such as downed trees and power lines, which could lead to practical insights and interventions for more equitable, efficient government service. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-12-method-cities-responses-resident.html Engineering Tue, 05 Dec 2023 12:42:23 EST news621002539 Researchers from EPFL have resolved a long-standing debate surrounding laser additive manufacturing processes with a pioneering approach to defect detection. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-12-laser-additive-defects.html Engineering Tue, 05 Dec 2023 11:00:05 EST news620996401 Inspired by a small and slow snail, scientists have developed a robot protype that may one day scoop up microplastics from the surfaces of oceans, seas and lakes. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-12-snail-inspired-robot-scoop-ocean-microplastics.html Robotics Mon, 04 Dec 2023 11:51:03 EST news620913061 Often referred to as the "dream batteries," all-solid-state batteries are the next generation of batteries that many battery manufacturers are competing to bring to market. Unlike lithium-ion batteries, which use a liquid electrolyte, all components, including the electrolyte, anode, and cathode are solid, reducing the risk of explosion, and are in high demand in markets ranging from automobiles to energy storage systems (ESS). https://techxplore.com/news/2023-12-degradation-mechanism-all-solid-state-batteries-commercialization.html Engineering Mon, 04 Dec 2023 10:26:04 EST news620907961 In a step toward more autonomous soft robots and wearable technologies, EPFL researchers have created a device that uses color to simultaneously sense multiple mechanical and temperature stimuli. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-12-color-based-sensor-emulate-skin-sensitivity.html Robotics Fri, 01 Dec 2023 07:12:03 EST news620637121 Batteries are challenging to observe and analyze. They can't really be opened up because of their volatile nature. One way to monitor batteries is through X-ray technology. However, the equipment is very expensive and those methods struggle to balance resolution, sensitivity and speed. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-sandpaper-x-ray-technique-batteries.html Engineering Thu, 30 Nov 2023 11:58:00 EST news620567878 A team of engineers at Beihang University, working with a colleague from Tsinghua University, both in China, has designed, built and tested a haptically controlled octopus robot arm that is capable of grasping, lifting and carrying objects on land and underwater. In an article published in the journal Science Robotics, the group describes how they built their robot, how it works and how well it performed when tested under a variety of scenarios. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-octopus-inspired-robot-arm-toy-shark.html Robotics Thu, 30 Nov 2023 10:18:18 EST news620561892 The building sector is the second largest sector in plastic consumption, and is responsible for more than a third of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. Manufacturing processes of construction materials pollute air, land, and water. Accordingly, construction materials made from agro-industrial waste become increasingly attractive due to their lower environmental impact. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-rice-husk-recycled-newspaper-eco-friendly.html Engineering Thu, 30 Nov 2023 00:00:01 EST news620492032 Researchers report that they have developed a new composite material designed to change behaviors depending on temperature in order to perform specific tasks. These materials are poised to be part of the next generation of autonomous robotics that will interact with the environment. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-material-tasks-temperature.html Engineering Tue, 28 Nov 2023 12:34:26 EST news620397262 Researchers have developed a self-healing robotic gripper for use in soft robotics that is adaptable, recyclable and resilient to damage, thanks to heat-assisted autonomous healing. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-self-healing-robotic-gripper-future-sustainable.html Robotics Mon, 27 Nov 2023 14:04:09 EST news620316245 Legged robots that artificially replicate the body structure and movements of animals could efficiently complete missions in a wide range of environments, including various outdoor natural settings. To do so, however, these robots should be able to walk on different terrains, such as soil, sand, grass, and so on, without losing balance, getting stuck or falling over. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-paw-ability-legged-robots-terrains.html Robotics Mon, 27 Nov 2023 12:41:44 EST news620311301 Cantilever fans move air through a flapping action, similar to hand-fans. Commercially available, they are combined with a piezoelectric bender, which provides their motive force. These fans are low noise, low power and have a low flow rate. They have a useful niche for increasing the cooling of electronics beyond that of natural convection, without requiring high flow rate. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-high-cantilever-fan.html Engineering Mon, 27 Nov 2023 09:40:01 EST news620299804 The electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) into various multi-carbon products is highly desirable, as it could help to easily produce useful chemicals for a wide range of applications. Most existing catalysts to facilitate CO2 reduction are based on copper (Cu), yet the processes underpinning their action remain poorly understood. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-tin-based-tandem-electrocatalyst-synthesis-ethanol.html Engineering Sat, 25 Nov 2023 10:20:01 EST news619870570 ETH Zurich researchers deployed an autonomous excavator, called HEAP, to build a 6-meter-high and 65-meter-long dry-stone wall. The wall is embedded in a digitally planned and autonomously excavated landscape and park. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-autonomous-excavator-meter-high-dry-stone-wall.html Robotics Wed, 22 Nov 2023 14:00:01 EST news619867810 Dr. Hyekyoung Choi and Min Ju Yun's research team from the Energy Conversion Materials Research Center, Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI), has developed a technology that can increase the flexibility and efficiency of a thermoelectric generator to the world's highest level by using "mechanical metamaterials" that do not exist in nature. The research results were published in Advanced Energy Materials. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-stretchable-efficient-wearable-thermoelectric-energy.html Engineering Tue, 21 Nov 2023 10:29:03 EST news619784941 In recent years, roboticists have introduced increasingly advanced systems, which could open exciting new possibilities for surgery, rehabilitation, and health care assistance. These robotic systems are already helping to improve the quality of life of many people with disabilities, as well as patients who suffered physical trauma or underwent medical procedures. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-wearable-robot-people.html Robotics Tue, 21 Nov 2023 09:50:01 EST news619782539 Northwestern University researchers have raised the standards again for perovskite solar cells with a new development that helped the emerging technology hit new records for efficiency. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-inverted-perovskite-solar-cell-efficiency.html Engineering Sat, 18 Nov 2023 05:02:46 EST news619506155 With the ever-increasing interest in renewable energy, scientists are continuously searching for new technologies to store energy. CO2 electrolysis is a promising way to store energy while recycling carbon dioxide. By applying electricity, CO2 and water react and produce more complex molecules. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-efficient-electrodes-carbon-dioxide-recycling.html Engineering Fri, 17 Nov 2023 10:26:04 EST news619439161 A team of engineers at the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, working with a pair of colleagues from Murata Manufacturing Company, has developed a regenerative electrocaloric heat pump that is more efficient than conventional air conditioners. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-electrocaloric-efficient-conventional-air-conditioners.html Engineering Fri, 17 Nov 2023 09:39:08 EST news619436343 3D printing is advancing rapidly, and the range of materials that can be used has expanded considerably. While the technology was previously limited to fast-curing plastics, it has now been made suitable for slow-curing plastics as well. These have decisive advantages as they have enhanced elastic properties and are more durable and robust. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-3d-robots-bones-ligaments-tendons.html Robotics Wed, 15 Nov 2023 11:00:01 EST news619262950 Princeton researchers have developed a flexible, lightweight and energy efficient soft robot that moves without the use of any legs or rotary parts. Instead, the device uses actuators that convert electrical energy into vibrations that allow it to wiggle from point to point using only a single watt. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-inch-machine-soft-robotics-energy.html Robotics Tue, 14 Nov 2023 09:59:57 EST news619178393 Transistors are crucial electronic components that regulate, amplify and control the flow of current inside most existing devices. In recent years, electronics engineers have been trying to identify materials and design strategies that could help to further improve the performance of transistors, while also reducing their size. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-circuits-based-2d-semiconductor-ghz.html Engineering Tue, 14 Nov 2023 06:50:01 EST news619091876 A team of engineers from the University of Illinois has published the first known study documenting the long-jumping motion of 3-D-printed insect-scale robots. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-athletic-insect-scale-robots.html Robotics Mon, 13 Nov 2023 17:00:03 EST news619117201 University of Maryland researchers aiming to combat rising global temperatures have developed a new "cooling glass" that can turn down the heat indoors without electricity by drawing on the cold depths of space. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-cooling-glass-blasts-space.html Engineering Mon, 13 Nov 2023 11:36:53 EST news619097810 Nature is the primary source of inspiration for many existing robotic systems, designed to replicate the appearance and behavior of various living organisms. By artificially reproducing biological processes, these robots can help tackle complex real-world problems more effectively. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-robot-mantis-shrimp-explore-narrow.html Robotics Mon, 13 Nov 2023 09:57:44 EST news619091850 Actuators, which convert electrical energy into motion or force, play a pivotal role in daily life, albeit often going unnoticed. Soft material-based actuators, in particular, have gained scientific attention in recent years due to their lightweight, quiet operation, and biodegradability. A straightforward approach to creating soft actuators involves employing multi-material structures, such as "pockets" made of flexible plastic films filled with oils and coated with conductive plastics. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-stable-efficient-robotic-artificial-muscles.html Robotics Fri, 10 Nov 2023 10:36:03 EST news618834961 A significant breakthrough in developing a passive radiative cooling (PRC) material has been announced by researchers at City University of Hong Kong (CityU). The findings have been published in the journal Science in a paper titled "Hierarchically structured passive radiative cooling ceramic with high solar reflectivity." https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-cooling-ceramic-energy-efficiency-sector.html Engineering Fri, 10 Nov 2023 09:42:58 EST news618831774 In recent years, electronics engineers have been trying to identify materials that could help to shrink the size of transistors without compromising their performance and energy efficiency. Low-dimensional semiconductors, solid-state superconducting materials with fewer than three spatial dimensions, could help to achieve this. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-carbon-nanotubebased-mosfets-doped-scalable.html Engineering Fri, 10 Nov 2023 06:50:01 EST news618747768 From vehicle collision avoidance to airline scheduling systems to power supply grids, many of the services we rely on are managed by computers. As these autonomous systems grow in complexity and ubiquity, so too could the ways in which they fail. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-algorithm-failures-autonomous-drone-teams.html Engineering Thu, 09 Nov 2023 10:29:21 EST news618748157