Researchers explored the thermo-chemical approach to capture solar energy since the 1970s, but nobody could find a chemical that could reliably and reversibly switch between two states, absorbing sunlight to go into one state and then releasing heat when it reverted to the first state. Such a compound was discovered in 1996, but it included… »

Bone consists of fibers of collagen in which calcium phosphate is deposited in the form of nanocrystals. The team of dr. Nico Sommerdijk (Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry) consisting of researchers from Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) and the University of Illinois was able to mimic the growth of calcium phosphate inside the collagen… »

Barnes & Noble, Inc. announced the launch of NOOKcolor, their version of a full-color touch Reader’s Tablet that delivers digital books, magazines, newspapers and children’s books in color, and all in one nicely designed, thin and highly portable device. Instead classifying it as just another tablet, it is rather a logical and advanced step of… »

We mostly take it for granted, but human hand is amazing because it enables us to interact with many objects with ease. Opting for simple elegance, researchers from Cornell University, the University of Chicago and iRobot Corp. have created a versatile gripper using everyday ground coffee and a latex party balloon, bypassing traditional designs based… »

Although we already wrote a few articles where we described luxurious and eco-friendly architecture, in this article we’re going to write about 2002 Alpine – a hyper eco-luxury urban home. 2002 Alpine is the United States’ first ever American-designed, German engineered home in the US. Located in the heart of Boulder, Colorado, this residence represents… »

After months of calibrations and testing, the newest member of the Equipment Specifications and Certifications team at the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) is a state-of-the-art ball-throwing robot named E.A.R.L. (Enhanced Automated Robotic Launcher), which is designed to be able to simulate any type of bowling style with an accuracy and consistency on the lanes… »

These days, we normally use sensors to measure whether these components are strained beyond capacity, and it requires a lot of effort to install them into the component parts or glue them onto their surface, and even install networks of sensors with various sensibility. Researchers at Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Applied Material Research… »

Lightning-fast connections between robotic limbs and the human brain may be within reach for amputees. Funded by a Department of Defense initiative dedicated to audacious challenges and intense time schedules, the SMU engineers from Neurophotonics Research Center will develop two-way fiber optic communication between prosthetic limbs and peripheral nerves. Successful completion of the fiber optic… »