Inspired by batoid fishes, such as stingrays and manta rays, researchers from University of Virginia (U.Va.) and their colleagues from 3 other universities are developing an autonomous underwater vehicle that emulates the seemingly effortless but powerful swimming motions of rays. The vehicle has potential commercial and military applications, and could be used for undersea exploration… »

Aside their use in sci-fi, nanoparticles have emerged as a viable foundation for new ways to diagnose, monitor and treat disease. Current goal in development of nanoparticles used in medicine is to develop them in a way to selectively target only diseased cells, while leaving healthy cells unharmed. University of Florida (UF) researchers developed such… »

According to a new study by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin, it is theoretically possible to produce about 500 times as much energy from algae fuels as is needed to grow the fuels. However, the researchers conducted a separate investigation where they found that their current algae growing facility is getting out… »

There are various attempts to utilize other sources of natural rubber, and we already reported about Ford performing this research. Increased worldwide demand for natural rubber and latex require usage of different sources aside the rubber trees which grow only in suitable climate. There’s also a fact these trees are threatened with a fungal disease… »

Owners of the Cooper Vineyards in Louisa County believed that there was no better place than a vineyard and winery to design and build a “green building” where the goal of the entire operation is to transform sunlight into wine. Winery’s tasting room that officially opened in 2011 has been awarded with LEED Platinum certification… »

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has recently funded the researchers from Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University to develop a smart suit that could be used to improve physical endurance for soldiers in the field. Unlike exoskeletons we previously wrote about, the proposed suit will be made from soft and lightweight… »

After a year of sustained injury or illness, most of the individuals with limited feeling or movement in their hands due to quadriplegia see very little improvement in recovery for the remainder of their lives. Georgia Tech researchers have created Mobile Music Touch (MMT) – a wireless, musical glove that may improve sensation and motor… »

Researchers from North Carolina State University and ImagineOptix Corporation have developed new technology which provides a major breakthrough for projectors that use liquid crystal (LC) technology. The new technology could lead to projectors which are smaller, nearly two times more efficient and more affordable, thus enabling their longer battery life and significantly lower levels of… »