Articles tagged with Mechanical Engineering
Researchers at Duke University demonstrate prototypes for acoustic tweezers that use sound waves to manipulate bioparticles in Petri dishes. The technology has the potential to bridge the gap between academia and industry, enabling a wider range of laboratories to adopt it.
Researchers from Florida Atlantic University found that face shields block initial droplet motion but allow them to disperse widely. Masks with exhalation valves also have limited effectiveness due to unfiltered air passage.
The method can be used in a portable, tabletop device to rapidly identify known and emerging opioid fentanyl substances, aiding in the safety of law enforcement and military personnel. The AI algorithm had a 92.5 percent accuracy rate for correctly identifying molecules related to fentanyl.
A team of engineers has developed a low-power collision detector inspired by locusts' ability to avoid collisions. The device mimics the locust's response to incoming objects, responding in two seconds and using minimal energy.
Researchers discovered that hadrosaurs and other dinosaurs have a unique trabecular bone structure capable of supporting large weights, different from mammals and birds. This adaptation allowed them to carry massive loads without excessive skeletal weight.
The Penn State-led university research alliance aims to develop high-resolution radiation detectors capable of identifying dirty bombs or concealed radiation materials. The team plans to design low-cost, high-efficiency room-temperature detectors that would eliminate the need for extreme temperatures to control detecting materials.
Swimming microparticles have the potential to improve coolant performance by accelerating heat transfer from hot surfaces. This innovative technology could lead to faster, smaller devices with reduced energy consumption, benefiting industries such as electronics, automotive, and renewable energy.
Yan Li received the ASME ORR Early Career Award for her groundbreaking work on predicting fracture toughness in ceramic composites and polycrystalline metals. Her research aims to advance design of fracture-resistant materials and microstructures.
Researchers used computational models to study the effects of thinner biological tissues on transcatheter aortic valve replacement. The findings indicate that thinner tissues can lead to high levels of 'flutter energy', causing blood damage and accelerating leaflet deterioration.
A newly discovered CoO-TiO2 compound effectively stops listeria monocytogenes reproduction in both light and dark conditions, offering a potential solution for controlling bacterial contamination in food products.
Researchers created origami-built metamaterials that retain shape recoverability, directional mechanical properties, and reversible auxeticity. This breakthrough enables multifunctional applications in soft robotics and medical devices.
According to the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, rocks on Earth are, on average, cube-shaped due to fragmentation processes. The researchers' findings suggest that this shape is statistically average and applies not only to Earth but also around the solar system.
A team of bioengineers and clinical experts from Brigham and Women's Hospital and MIT have developed a new, sustainable solution for health care workers to provide protection during the pandemic. The iMASC system is made from sterilizable materials and can fit faces of different sizes and shapes.
Graphene sensors printed with aerosol jet technology can detect histamine in tuna broth down to 3.41 parts per million, exceeding US FDA guidelines for food safety. The technology also has potential applications in environmental toxin detection, wearable health monitoring, and disease diagnostics.
A team of researchers used X-ray measurements to study the behavior of waves in granular materials. The findings provide a better understanding of how particle arrangements and forces affect wave propagation. This knowledge is crucial for detecting earthquakes, locating oil and gas reservoirs, and designing acoustic insulation.
Researchers at the University of Minnesota have developed a groundbreaking 3D printing technique that prints electronic sensors directly on organs expanding and contracting. This technology could aid in diagnosing and monitoring patients with COVID-19 by tracking lung movements.
The project aims to develop a computationally efficient model of viral spread to better understand the effectiveness of disease mitigation strategies. Funding from the CDC enabled the development of this model to support H-2A farm worker health and safety.
A method for self-assembling nanostructures with gamma-modified peptide nucleic acid (γPNA) has been developed by Carnegie Mellon University researchers. The process enables the formation of complex, all-PNA nanostructures in organic solvent solutions, holding promise for nanofabrication and nanosensing.
A Cornell University team has discovered a way to control electron spin transitions using acoustic waves, eliminating the need for magnetic fields. This breakthrough enables the development of smaller, more power-efficient acoustic sensors for navigation technology and other applications.
Kamesh Subbarao, a professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington, has been elected as a fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society. He is recognized for his contributions to robotic controls and navigation of unmanned aerial vehicles.
Scientists at Columbia University developed a new method to analyze cell shapes in fruit fly embryos, revealing that tissues can behave like fluids during rapid changes. By combining experimental studies with theoretical modeling, the team found that anisotropy plays a crucial role in predicting tissue flow and elongation.
A topological pump has been developed to transport mechanical energy even through defective wave-guides and disorder. This innovation could lead to more robust devices that continue to operate despite damage.
Researchers developed an affordable, radiation-free GPS-like system to track flexible surgical robots inside the human body. The system improves localization accuracy, enabling safer and more compliant robot use in constrained environments.
Daniel Preston, a Rice engineer, has received a National Science Foundation grant to investigate the effect of varying temperatures on SARS-CoV-2. His project aims to provide evidence-based guidelines for PPE sterilization and predict virus lifetime in different climates.
A team of researchers at Carnegie Mellon University is working on developing nanoscale mechanical switches to address the limitations of solid state switches. These switches have the potential to improve energy efficiency and complement existing solid-state technology in various applications.
Rutgers engineers have created a highly effective way to paint complex 3D-printed objects using an efficient painting method that reaches all nooks and crannies. The technique, known as electrospray deposition, has been used mainly for analytical chemistry but has also been applied in lab-scale demonstrations of coatings.
The US Army has developed a new type of multi-polymer filament for 3D printing, allowing for the production of high-strength parts at an affordable cost. This breakthrough enables the use of simple printers to create parts with mechanical properties competitive with injection-molded plastics.
Caltech's Wei Gao creates an electronic skin that runs on biofuel cells powered by lactate in human sweat, generating enough electricity to power sensors and a Bluetooth device. The e-skin can monitor heart rate, body temperature, and metabolic byproducts, enabling continuous health tracking.
Researchers designed a new microfluidic device that uses magnetic nano-beads to isolate minute bacterial particles. The device improves the detection of drug-resistant strains and difficult-to-detect micro-particles such as Ebola and coronaviruses.
Researchers from Politecnico di Milano have successfully used laser 3D printing to create components from lunar regolith, a potential game-changer for future space missions. The study demonstrates the feasibility of using local resources in space, enabling In-Situ-Resource-Utilisation (ISRU) and reducing reliance on Earth-based supplies.
Researchers at UCI have successfully designed a novel plate-cell architecture for nanometer-sized carbon structures that are stronger than diamonds. The design has been shown to improve on the average performance of cylindrical beam-based architectures by up to 639% in strength and 522% in rigidity.
Pradeep Sharma, a UH mechanical engineer, received a Guggenheim Fellowship to investigate why some people can instantly reproduce music while others cannot. He aims to find a physics explanation for this phenomenon, considering the brain and physical characteristics of the ears.
Bacteria form intricate starburst-like patterns as they grow on soft substrates, with wrinkles forming at the edges and propagating toward the center. The researchers developed a chemo-mechanical model to predict where wrinkles would form, corresponding well with experimental measurements.
Biomass-enabled nanomaterials are being developed to facilitate energy-efficient water treatment, with potential applications in reducing costs and providing clean water to communities. The materials will be designed to remove organic pollutants and heavy metals from water, enabling sustainable desalination and purification processes.
Researchers developed a model that can predict the propulsive efficiency of cetacean fins based on shape and kinematics, revealing fundamental interplay between circulatory forces and added mass forces. The findings could influence the design of fast, efficient, and highly maneuverable underwater robots.
Researchers developed a new kind of soft robot that can change its shape and move freely, combining benefits of soft robots with traditional robotics. The 'isoperimetric robot' has applications in homes, workplaces, disaster response, and space exploration.
The isoperimetric soft robot is a human-scale, pneumatic robot that can move without a tether and navigate unstructured environments. It achieves this by deforming its soft fabric tubes while maintaining its perimeter constant.
Nikhil Gupta received the prestigious Brimacombe Medalist Award from the Minerals, Metals and Materials Society for his innovations in lightweight porous materials. His work has led to eco-friendly materials with applications in marine, automotive, and aerospace industries.
The study reveals how twisted graphene sheets behave and their stability at different sizes and temperatures, providing insights into self-alignment mechanisms and forces. This fundamental research could pave the way for manufacturers to achieve fine control over twist angles in 2D material structures.
Dereje Agonafer, UTA's Presidential Distinguished Professor, received the Howard University Alumni Award for his distinguished postgraduate achievements. He has supervised over 225 graduate students and has published more than 230 papers on data center cooling and 3D packaging/cooling.
Researchers at Penn State's BEST Center have created a lithium-ion battery that balances high energy density with enhanced safety. The All Climate battery can last up to 1 million miles without compromising its performance.
Adnan was honored for his groundbreaking research in traumatic brain injury and multiscale mechanics, which has led to significant advances in the field. He is recognized as one of the best in the field, accorded by ASME to less than 3% of those in the field.
Lehigh University MechE professor Hannah Dailey has received a prestigious grant from the National Science Foundation's Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program. Her virtual mechanical test approach holds promise for identifying nonunions, which can lead to depression and opioid abuse, and may enable earlier surgical intervent...
Researchers at Columbia University have developed a new method to isolate atomic sheets from layered van der Waals crystals, producing large-area atomically thin layers with high quality. The monolayers can be stacked in any desired order and orientation to generate a whole new class of artificial materials.
A new air-pressure sensor developed by Binghamton University researchers uses a micro-switch mechanism to improve the performance of various devices, including those monitoring barometric pressure and oxygen levels in hospitals. The sensor's design allows for faster response times and longer lifespans compared to conventional sensors.
A new, battery-free sensor can detect water leaks in buildings, enabling greater protection and reducing costs. The sensor, powered by nanotechnology, sends alerts to smartphones when exposed to moisture, making it more accessible for building owners.
Researchers at Binghamton University developed a new technique to examine gas and oxide interactions, leading to better understanding of catalysts, batteries, and vehicle longevity. The study's findings could also improve materials design for various industrial applications.
Jesse Little, associate professor at University of Arizona, recognized for outstanding contributions to aeronautics and astronautics. He conducts research on subsonic and supersonic flows, leading the Turbulence and Flow Control Laboratory.
Chelsea Heveran and her team have developed a novel approach to make building materials alive, using photosynthetic bacteria called Synechococcus. The self-healing bricks can be replicated and reused, reducing the need for cement and other chemicals.
Engineers at Duke University have developed a model predicting mechanical behaviors and origins of earthquakes in various rocks, providing insights into unobservable phenomena deep beneath the Earth's surface. The model accurately reproduces how friction decreases as rock speed increases, shedding light on earthquake mechanisms.
A Columbia Engineering team has invented a robotic device called the Trunk-Support Trainer (TruST) that can help people with spinal cord injuries sit more stably. The study found that TruST enabled patients to expand their active sitting workspace by an average of 25%, improving their trunk control and balance limits.
Professor Alexander J Smits has been recognized for his seminal contributions to the understanding of wall turbulence, particularly in its structure and behavior at extreme conditions. His work on bio-inspired propulsion and drag reduction has inspired new interests in biomimetic flows.
Researchers developed a parametric 3D modeling methodology to mimic the geometry of individual scales from the chiton mollusk. The scale armor model provides dual protection-flexibility performance through converging inward upon one another when under force, offering varying amounts of flexibility.
A new energy harvester captures biomechanical energy from walking and converts it to electricity, powering wearable electronics without increasing the wearer's burden. The device generates an average power of 1.6 mW, weighing only 307 grams.
Researchers at Penn State have developed a bio-inspired, liquid, sludge- and bacteria-repellent coating that can make toilets self-cleaning. The coating, called LESS, reduces the amount of water needed to flush a conventional toilet by half, making it more efficient and sustainable.
New research reveals that multilayer graphene behaves differently when bent a little versus a lot, with two distinct regimes of stiffness and flexibility identified. This discovery has implications for the creation of machines that can interact with cells or biological material.
A Rice University study found that climate change will increase the size of stalled high-pressure weather systems, leading to larger heat waves and more severe droughts. The research used climate model simulations to predict a 17% increase in blocking events in the northern hemisphere.
Researchers developed an AI framework that learns human design strategies through observation, enabling it to generate new designs without explicit goal information or bias. The AI performed better than humans on average, but its success came without the advantages humans have, such as specific goals and feedback.
The Paul Scherrer Institute has developed a micromachine that can perform different actions using magnetic fields. The robot measures only a few micrometres across and can be reprogrammed to flap its wings, hover, turn, or side-slip. This technology is an important step towards micro- and nanorobots that can carry out various tasks.
A $700,000 NSF grant will help researchers optimize lower limb robotic exoskeletons for patient comfort. The project aims to create a deeper interaction between humans and machines through machine learning techniques and co-learning.