Articles tagged with Mechanical Engineering
Comprehensive exploration of living organisms, biological systems, and life processes across all scales from molecules to ecosystems. Encompasses cutting-edge research in biology, genetics, molecular biology, ecology, biochemistry, microbiology, botany, zoology, evolutionary biology, genomics, and biotechnology. Investigates cellular mechanisms, organism development, genetic inheritance, biodiversity conservation, metabolic processes, protein synthesis, DNA sequencing, CRISPR gene editing, stem cell research, and the fundamental principles governing all forms of life on Earth.
Comprehensive medical research, clinical studies, and healthcare sciences focused on disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Encompasses clinical medicine, public health, pharmacology, epidemiology, medical specialties, disease mechanisms, therapeutic interventions, healthcare innovation, precision medicine, telemedicine, medical devices, drug development, clinical trials, patient care, mental health, nutrition science, health policy, and the application of medical science to improve human health, wellbeing, and quality of life across diverse populations.
Comprehensive investigation of human society, behavior, relationships, and social structures through systematic research and analysis. Encompasses psychology, sociology, anthropology, economics, political science, linguistics, education, demography, communications, and social research methodologies. Examines human cognition, social interactions, cultural phenomena, economic systems, political institutions, language and communication, educational processes, population dynamics, and the complex social, cultural, economic, and political forces shaping human societies, communities, and civilizations throughout history and across the contemporary world.
Fundamental study of the non-living natural world, matter, energy, and physical phenomena governing the universe. Encompasses physics, chemistry, earth sciences, atmospheric sciences, oceanography, materials science, and the investigation of physical laws, chemical reactions, geological processes, climate systems, and planetary dynamics. Explores everything from subatomic particles and quantum mechanics to planetary systems and cosmic phenomena, including energy transformations, molecular interactions, elemental properties, weather patterns, tectonic activity, and the fundamental forces and principles underlying the physical nature of reality.
Practical application of scientific knowledge and engineering principles to solve real-world problems and develop innovative technologies. Encompasses all engineering disciplines, technology development, computer science, artificial intelligence, environmental sciences, agriculture, materials applications, energy systems, and industrial innovation. Bridges theoretical research with tangible solutions for infrastructure, manufacturing, computing, communications, transportation, construction, sustainable development, and emerging technologies that advance human capabilities, improve quality of life, and address societal challenges through scientific innovation and technological progress.
Study of the practice, culture, infrastructure, and social dimensions of science itself. Addresses how science is conducted, organized, communicated, and integrated into society. Encompasses research funding mechanisms, scientific publishing systems, peer review processes, academic ethics, science policy, research institutions, scientific collaboration networks, science education, career development, research programs, scientific methods, science communication, and the sociology of scientific discovery. Examines the human, institutional, and cultural aspects of scientific enterprise, knowledge production, and the translation of research into societal benefit.
Comprehensive study of the universe beyond Earth, encompassing celestial objects, cosmic phenomena, and space exploration. Includes astronomy, astrophysics, planetary science, cosmology, space physics, astrobiology, and space technology. Investigates stars, galaxies, planets, moons, asteroids, comets, black holes, nebulae, exoplanets, dark matter, dark energy, cosmic microwave background, stellar evolution, planetary formation, space weather, solar system dynamics, the search for extraterrestrial life, and humanity's efforts to explore, understand, and unlock the mysteries of the cosmos through observation, theory, and space missions.
Comprehensive examination of tools, techniques, methodologies, and approaches used across scientific disciplines to conduct research, collect data, and analyze results. Encompasses experimental procedures, analytical methods, measurement techniques, instrumentation, imaging technologies, spectroscopic methods, laboratory protocols, observational studies, statistical analysis, computational methods, data visualization, quality control, and methodological innovations. Addresses the practical techniques and theoretical frameworks enabling scientists to investigate phenomena, test hypotheses, gather evidence, ensure reproducibility, and generate reliable knowledge through systematic, rigorous investigation across all areas of scientific inquiry.
Study of abstract structures, patterns, quantities, relationships, and logical reasoning through pure and applied mathematical disciplines. Encompasses algebra, calculus, geometry, topology, number theory, analysis, discrete mathematics, mathematical logic, set theory, probability, statistics, and computational mathematics. Investigates mathematical structures, theorems, proofs, algorithms, functions, equations, and the rigorous logical frameworks underlying quantitative reasoning. Provides the foundational language and tools for all scientific fields, enabling precise description of natural phenomena, modeling of complex systems, and the development of technologies across physics, engineering, computer science, economics, and all quantitative sciences.
Researchers at Rice University have developed a pneumatic robotic arm powered by compressed air that can grasp objects and go, using textile-based energy harvesting system. The device is designed for individuals with disabilities and can produce equivalent of 3 watts of power, outperforming other energy harvesting strategies.
Researchers at WVU are using robots to analyze potential hazards and provide walkability maps in retail environments, aiming to reduce occupational injuries. The team plans to test the robots after hours in an actual retail space, combining camera data with wheel speed measurements to estimate slip risks.
A team of researchers has created a soft polymer material that can sense, think, and act upon mechanical stress without additional circuits. The material uses reconfigurable circuits to process information and has potential applications in autonomous systems, infrastructure repairs, and bio-hybrid materials.
Researchers from UMass Amherst have created a tiny sensor that can simultaneously measure electrical and mechanical cellular responses in cardiac tissue. This breakthrough device has the potential to lead-edge applications in cardiac-disease experiments and improve health monitoring for cardiac disease studies.
Engineers use origami to build devices that grow wider as they are pulled apart. Researchers from Princeton and Georgia Tech have developed a general formula analyzing how structures respond to stress, enabling the creation of origami structures with negative Poisson ratios.
Researchers from Chung-Ang University have developed a novel device that uses respiration to power sensors in gas masks, allowing for a continuous electrical output. The device, called IVF-TENG, demonstrates potential applications in portable electronics and wireless data transmission.
Bhattacharya's project uses topological abstraction to reduce complexity in robotic systems, enabling more efficient and accurate motion planning. The approach has potential applications in industries such as transportation, manufacturing, and healthcare.
MIT engineers create a flexible, semiconducting film that conforms to the skin like electronic Scotch tape, harnessing gallium nitride's piezoelectric properties for sensing and wireless communication. The device wirelessly transmits signals related to pulse, sweat, and UV exposure without chips or batteries.
Scientists at Beijing Institute of Technology successfully controlled honeybee steering behavior using unilateral optic lobe electrical stimulation, with an average successful rate of 87% in immobilized status. The study also explored the influence of pulse electrical signal parameters on steering response behaviors.
A novel metaholographic platform has been developed to detect light exposure, addressing concerns about light damage to vaccines and other biomedical substances. The technology can be used in intelligent packaging and labeling to prevent counterfeits and verify authenticity of products.
A research team led by City University of Hong Kong discovered a new mechanism that increases both strength and ductility in high-entropy alloys. The findings provide insights for designing strong yet ductile materials and ceramics.
Researchers developed a Flashover Prediction Neural Network (FlashNet) model to forecast deadly fire events, beating other AI-based tools with up to 92.1% accuracy across various building floorplans. The model's performance improved when given real-world data, highlighting its potential for saving firefighter lives.
The new Engineering Research Center for Smart Streetscapes (CS3) will advance the future of smart streetscapes with cutting-edge technologies. The center aims to improve quality of life, enhance social equity, and stimulate economic development through innovative smart city solutions.
A research team at the University of Oklahoma has developed a new approach to triggering an adaptive immune response. The study presents a method to create molecules that can integrate into cells, cause stress on their membrane, and release signals that recruit immune cells to their location.
Researchers at Ohio State University have developed a more efficient wind sensor for drones, balloons, and autonomous aircraft. The sensor uses smart materials to measure wind speed and direction, improving safety and efficiency in autonomous flight.
A team of MIT engineers and collaborators have devised a way to overcome the foreign body response, forming a thick layer of scar tissue that blocks insulin release. The device is repeatedly inflated and deflated for five minutes every 12 hours, preventing immune cells from accumulating around it.
Researchers from Aarhus University are developing a new approach to turbulence modelling using physics-constrained machine learning to accurately simulate complex turbulent systems. The goal is to reduce computational costs while maintaining accuracy, enabling more efficient designs and predictions in various fields.
Rice University researchers create a technique to make surfaces superhydrophobic by combining sanding with powder materials, resulting in water-repelling properties. The treatment also exhibits excellent anti-icing properties, slowing down freezing and reducing ice adhesion strength.
Rice University mechanical engineers repurpose deceased spiders as small-scale, naturally derived grippers. The spiders can lift more than 130% of their own body weight and perform tasks like sorting or moving objects around. Future research will focus on testing the concept with smaller spiders.
Virginia Tech scientists have developed a novel 3D tissue-engineered model of the glioblastoma tumor microenvironment to learn why tumors return and what treatments will be most effective. The model accounts for cell types, fluid flow, and other aspects of the actual tumor environment, allowing for easy testing of drug therapies.
Researchers from GIST have developed an amphibious artificial vision system with a panoramic field-of-view based on the Fiddler crab's eye structure. The system overcomes limitations of current artificial visions, enabling imaging in both aquatic and terrestrial environments.
University of Washington researchers have created a flexible, wearable thermoelectric device that converts body heat into electricity. The device's stretchable and efficient properties enable seamless integration into wearables and soft robotics.
Researchers developed a new printing technique that applies a 19th-century color photography method to modern holographic materials, producing large-scale images on elastic materials with structural color. The team's results enable the creation of pressure-monitoring bandages, shade-shifting fabrics, or touch-sensing robots.
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 designed grippers and paths were successful for 20 out of 22 objects tested, with two challenging shapes being the wedge and pyramid shape.
Researchers at Rice University have created a system that uses the physiology of deceased spiders to create small-scale grippers. The spiders' unique hydraulic system allows them to lift and manipulate objects, making them a promising technology for pick-and-place tasks and capturing smaller insects in nature.
Researchers at Pohang University of Science & Technology developed a novel flash memory technology that increases data storage capacity and reliability through artificial defect generation. The new platform can distinguish eight data levels, making it suitable for neuromorphic computing and improving inference accuracy.
A new online tool from NIST offers a solution to regularly check ventilation by measuring indoor carbon dioxide levels. The Quick Indoor CO2 (QICO2) calculator takes into account factors like occupants, outdoor CO2 levels, and building size to provide accurate results.
New research by UMass Amherst professor Jinglei Ping demonstrates the use of graphene for electrokinetic biosample processing and analysis, allowing for faster and more efficient detection of biomolecules. This breakthrough enables the creation of smaller lab-on-a-chip devices with improved time and size efficiencies.
Researchers found that an elephant's folded skin plays a crucial role in its flexible and strong trunk, enabling it to grasp fragile vegetation and rip apart tree trunks. The study suggests that wrapping soft robotics with a skin-like structure could give machines protection and strength while maintaining flexibility.
A team of researchers from Cornell University has developed a deformable pump for soft robots, mimicking the human heart's functionality. The pump uses hydrodynamic and magnetic forces to provide soft robots with a circulatory system, allowing them to store energy and power their movements more efficiently.
A Colorado State University study found that brass instruments produce 191% more aerosols than woodwinds during play. Male performers and louder playing of brass instruments were associated with higher emissions. Bell covers can reduce particle spread, but not achieve N95 level protection.
The new system, S4, offers a high-resolution view of stressed specimens comparable to or better than established technologies like DIC. It also overcomes optical challenges posed by cement in concrete, providing a reliable strain measurement technology.
A team of researchers, led by Virginia Tech, has engineered a glove that mimics the arm of an octopus, capable of securely gripping objects underwater. The Octa-glove uses soft, responsive adhesive materials and embedded electronics to grasp objects without squeezing.
Researchers from ETH Zurich conducted a new experiment to redetermine the gravitational constant G, obtaining a value 2.2% higher than the current official figure. The team used a dynamic measurement method involving resonating beams, allowing for real-time data analysis and minimization of interference.
A new biohybrid composite material demonstrates improved elasticity and fracture energy compared to existing zwitterionic materials, making it suitable for regenerative medicine applications. The material's biocompatibility allows it to recruit cells and support tissue regeneration.
Researchers at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology developed a new method to generate nano-sized plasma mist, which could be used in transdermal drug delivery systems. The method is safer than traditional electrostatic spray and has the potential to treat internal organs.
A new distributed recycling system using microwave irradiation recovers 97% of manganese oxide and zinc from spent alkaline batteries, outperforming conventional methods. The system's potential to reduce annual energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in Japan is estimated at 26,500 GJ and 1.54 Gg-CO2 eq, respectively.
Researchers at Indiana University and the University of Tennessee have developed a one-dimensional helium model system, which enables the creation of smaller and faster microchips. The new system is designed to explore the behavior of particles in a confined space, allowing for the study of previously unexplored physics.
A team of researchers has developed a microscopic microphone that can detect sound waves by applying polymer materials to microelectro-mechanical systems. The device offers a wider auditory field than human ears and can be easily attached to the skin with a surprisingly small size, recognizing both loud and low-frequency sounds without...
Researchers have devised a way to deliver carbon monoxide to the body using stable foams that can be delivered to the digestive tract. The foams reduced inflammation of the colon and helped reverse acute liver failure in mice, offering a potential alternative to immunosuppressive treatments.
Researchers at Penn State have created a highly customizable microscale gas sensing device using laser writing and responsive sensor technologies. The device enables the simultaneous detection of multiple gases, including disease indicators and pollutants, in various environments and substrates.
The study used synchrotron radiation X-ray computed tomography (CT) to observe internal nonuniform deformation of a material in several dozens mm. They found that performing deformation evaluations at both macroscale and microscale can provide insights into the vibration damping mechanism of rubber materials.
A new optimization tool can quickly improve performance of various autonomous systems, including walking robots and self-driving vehicles. The tool uses automatic differentiation to identify tweaks that achieve desired outcomes, reducing trial-and-error simulations.
Researchers use machine learning to automatically analyze Reflection High-Energy Electron Diffraction (RHEED) data, enabling faster and more efficient discovery of new materials. The study focused on surface superstructures in thin-film silicon surfaces and identified optimal synthesis conditions using non-negative matrix factorization.
Scientists have found that axisymmetric 'spike waves' can exceed previously thought limits on ocean wave height, leading to significant implications for maritime safety. The new research revealed the fundamental mechanisms behind highly directional and crossing waves becoming much larger than others.
John Kershner, a Lehigh University PhD candidate, has been awarded a Fulbright research grant to continue his work on owl-inspired aero-acoustics in Germany. He will collaborate with researchers at Brandenburg Technical University and the DLR to experimentally test these designs.
Researchers have developed unique self-regulating footwear for persons with diabetes, featuring snapping mechanisms that distribute pressure evenly. The sandals can be customized to an individual's foot dimensions and walking style, promoting faster healing of injured regions and preventing further injuries.
A simplified surgical tool called RAIS has been developed to enable laparoscopic surgery in low-to-middle income countries. The device uses a mechanical retractor and does not require CO2 gas or a general anaesthetic, making it more accessible and affordable for rural surgeons.
Researchers designed a modular AI chip that can be easily upgraded by swapping out layers, reducing the need for new devices. The chip uses optical communication to transmit information between layers, enabling high versatility in edge computing applications.
Researchers developed a color filter with metasurfaces that can display vivid images on a filter as thin as three strands of hair. The filter offers 120-170 times higher resolution than high-end smartphone screens and can control individual pixel colors for various applications.
A Penn State-led team created an artificial skin that exhibits both elasticity and cognitive functions like cephalopod skin. The device retains its neurological behaviors when deformed, enabling potential applications in neurorobotics, skin prosthetics, and artificial organs.
Researchers developed an AI technology that merges physical domain knowledge with AI to accurately predict battery capacity and lifespan. The approach improved prediction accuracy by up to 20% and has significant implications for the widespread adoption of electric vehicles.
A new mathematical model has been developed to reproduce the experimental results of topological change in a partially miscible VF pattern. The researchers successfully incorporated phase separation effects and the Korteweg force into the classical miscible VF model.
A team of geologists successfully forecasted a Sierra Negra volcano eruption in June 2018 using a supercomputer-powered model. The model predicted an imminent eruption five months before it occurred, highlighting the power of high-performance computing in volcanic forecasting.
Researchers at Cornell University have developed a new algorithm for autonomous underwater sonar imaging that significantly improves speed and accuracy for identifying objects such as explosive mines and sunken ships. The new approach, called informative multi-view planning, integrates information about object locations with sonar proc...
MIT researchers develop an interactive design pipeline enabling users to create customized robotic hands with tactile sensors. The platform streamlines the process, allowing users to adjust palm and fingers and integrate tactile sensors, resulting in complex tasks like picking delicate items or using tools being performed flawlessly.
McGill University researchers have created a class of cellular metamaterials that can flat-fold and lock into positions that remain stiff across multiple directions. These materials offer unprecedented properties for deployable structures such as submarines, robots, and low-volume packaging.
Concentrated solar power (CSP) plants use wet cooling methods to dissipate waste heat, but this can lead to significant water loss. A new study developed a radiative cooling system with cold storage that reduces water consumption by up to 85% in hot regions.
Scientists at the University of Texas at Austin have developed a low-cost gel film that can pull water from the air in dry climates, producing up to 6 liters of water per day. The film uses renewable cellulose and konjac gum, making it an affordable solution for communities struggling with water shortages.
A novel surface treatment, tested in laboratory and clinical settings, reduces biofilm growth by over 80% and prevents bacterial adhesion. The treatment has shown promising results in preventing urinary tract infections and improving patient outcomes.