Articles tagged with: ‘new materials‘
Tech »
MIT researchers develop fibers that can detect and produce sound
Researchers from MIT announced a new milestone on the path to functional fibers – fibers that can detect and produce sound. Yoel Fink, an associate professor of MIT’s Department of Materials Sciences and Engineering, and his associates have been working to develop fibers with more sophisticated properties, in order to… »
Bionics, Tech »
Moths inspire perfectly non-reflecting surfaces for displays
Inspired by moths, the research scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWM, Freiburg, developed a new nanocoating that ensures a perfectly non-reflecting view on displays and through eyeglasses. The necessary surface structure is applied to the polymeric parts during manufacture, obviating the need for a separate process… »
Tech »
New type of solder material eliminates usage of toxic lead
Yale University scientists have developed a magnetic solder that can be manipulated in three dimensions and selectively heated, and offers a more environmentally friendly alternative to today’s lead-based solders. It resembles the liquid metal robot from movie Terminator 2 and you can shape it and make it flow by using… »
Robotics, Tech »
Peratech Limited QTC – new generation of tactile robotic skin?
As robotic devices continue to make inroads to our daily life, their ability to understand the presence and interaction with humans and other objects within a space becomes critically important. Peratech Limited, a company devoted to the development of new materials designed for touch technology, has announced that they have… »
Bionics, Tech »
Mussel biomimicry could lead to new super-strong polymers
We may like to eat mussels steamed in white wine, but we also like to find mussels at the beach. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces and collaborators at the University of California at Santa Barbara and the University of Chicago believe they have uncovered the… »
Tech »
New nanoscopic material enables adults to regenerate cartilage
Amateur athletes, professional athletes and people whose joints have just worn out endure health problems, since humans are unable to regenerate cartilage once they are adults and often have to live with painful joints or osteoarthritis. Luckily, Northwestern University researchers are the first to design a bioactive nanomaterial that… »
Tech »
Superhydrophilic wool fabrics join the club of smart materials
There is a large focus dedicated to the new material development. The new meta-materials enhance the properties of existing materials. Scientists in China are reporting an advance that may improve the natural wonders of wool, which is already regarded as the “wonder fabric” for its lightness, softness, warmth even when… »
Bionics »
Biomimicry of butterfly wings for more powerful solar cells
The discovery that butterfly wings have scales that act as tiny solar collectors has led scientists in China and Japan to design a more efficient solar cell that could be used for powering homes, businesses, and other applications in the future. The researchers turned to the microscopic solar scales on… »
Tech »
Self-healing concrete for better infrastructure
A concrete material developed at the University of Michigan can heal itself when it cracks. No human intervention is necessary—just water and carbon dioxide. New substance could make infrastructure safer and more durable. Self-healing is possible because the material is designed to bend and crack in narrow hairlines rather than… »