Research on machines, structures, and mechanical design. Covers metal foam for safer cars, drone flight paths, crumpling mechanics, and materials behavior.
Researchers have developed a cost-effective method for producing hundreds of female emerald ash borer decoys using biomimetic fabrication. The new approach, which requires only one mold, is 40% more successful than previous methods and can be produced faster and less expensively.
A recent study published in the journal Science suggests that seahorse tails' square prism shape offers a functional advantage over cylindrical shapes. This unique design could inspire new forms of armor and lead to the development of search-and-rescue robots with improved control and versatility.
The seahorse tail's square shape provides better resistance to twisting and grasping control due to increased contact area. Its resilience is attributed to gliding joints, making it a valuable inspiration for designing search-and-rescue robots and other technologies.
Porfiri's research on mechanical vibrations could lead to safer ships and ways to harvest energy from aquatic systems. His work aims to design lightweight, fuel-efficient marine vessels and microsystems with untapped energy-harvesting capabilities.
The researchers have developed a robust approach to integrate graphene onto 3D microstructured surfaces, maintaining the structural integrity of graphene. The process incorporates three sequential steps: substrate swelling, shrinking, and adaptation, allowing for damage-free integration of graphene on 3D microstructures.
Researchers apply insect vision principles to develop an 'active vision' system, which locks onto the background and lets the target move against it. This bio-inspired algorithm performs robustly, running up to 20 times faster than state-of-the-art engineering algorithms.
Professor Matei Ciocarlie has received a three-year Young Investigator Program grant to develop collaborative manipulation systems for human-robot teams. His research aims to create novel mechanisms that combine mechanical and computational intelligence, enabling robots to perform versatile tasks in cluttered or occluded settings.
A team of researchers has found a new connection between physical forces and limb development in embryos, using live imaging and computer models. Their study could lead to simulations that help repair deformed limbs, potentially creating a drug to alter mechanical stress on cells.
Researchers created a highly efficient automated tool to deliver nanoparticles and other large cargo into mammalian cells at a rate of 100,000 cells per minute. This breakthrough enables new scientific research and potential medical applications, such as studying disease development and understanding cell responses.
Engineers can now predict how complex carbon nanostructures form through a new understanding of the forces involved. By analyzing these structures, designers can create nanotube forests with desired mechanical, thermal and electrical properties, leading to breakthroughs in various industries.
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have made a groundbreaking discovery in the study of nanomaterials, revealing that tiny tungsten crystals can exhibit deformation twinning, which affects their strength and function. This phenomenon has significant implications for the development of nanostructured metals and alloys.
Researchers have developed a new design framework for powered lower-extremity exoskeletons, enabling highly customized designs with optimized performance and stability control. The custom-tailored exoskeletons aim to improve user comfort and safety while reducing development time and cost.
Researchers developed mobile applications that allow students to interact with real laboratory equipment, promoting deeper learning and engagement. The apps have been shown to be effective for students with special needs and can accommodate multiple simultaneous connections.
A numerical triaxial apparatus based on discrete element method simulates and reproduces the mechanical property of granular materials in landslide. The modified DEM model reflects the main mechanism of friction and dilatancy, providing detail information of mechanical properties such as friction angle and dilatancy angle.
Nadine Aubry recognized for innovative research in fluid mechanics, pioneering work on low dimensional modeling of turbulent flow, and invention of micromixers enabling efficient fluid combination at low cost
A team of Penn State engineering students designed workstations that allow users to share space while maintaining their own work areas. The researchers used simulations to determine optimal table shapes and sizes for accommodating groups of different sizes, ultimately publishing their findings in Applied Ergonomics.
The new journal aims to bridge the gap in publication options for the mechanics community, featuring short articles on cutting-edge research in various disciplines. It is edited by three distinguished scientists and offers immediate publication of papers without waiting for other articles.
The new gear reducer uses magnetism to transform speed, eliminating wear and lubrication needs. It can work in cryogenic temperatures and has applications in outer space, robotics, and various industries where conventional reducers are used.
A University of Washington startup has developed a new football helmet designed to mitigate concussion forces. The innovation reduces linear and rotational acceleration, a significant breakthrough in brain injury protection.
A team of researchers combined precision model experiments with computer simulations to study coiling patterns, discovering that natural curvature dramatically affects the process. The study has practical impacts on everyday life, including understanding transoceanic communication cables and rodlike structures.
The university will focus on athletes participating in various sports, including football, soccer, and lacrosse, and receive comprehensive preseason evaluations for concussion. The study aims to inform a comprehensive understanding of sport-related concussion and traumatic brain injury.
A team led by Nina Mahmoudian has created a tabletop model of a robot team that can bring power to places in need. The robots can link up power cords and batteries to light or set flags, operating independently to choose the shortest path and avoid obstacles.
Carnegie Mellon researchers found that mechanical processes, not just chemical signaling, are essential for cell communication during tissue growth. The study used a microfluidic control system to analyze cellular mechanics and revealed that disabling these connections impairs cell communication.
Engineers at the University of Pittsburgh's Swanson School of Engineering are proposing enhanced modeling and simulation technology and new qualification standards for additive manufacturing. The research aims to improve quality and product integrity while reducing manufacturing time and costs.
The Soft Robotics Toolkit offers downloadable plans, how-to videos, and case studies to assist users in designing, fabricating, modeling, characterizing, and controlling soft robotic devices. The toolkit aims to stimulate innovation and learning in the field of soft robotics.
Materials scientist Scott X. Mao successfully creates metallic glasses from pure metals by applying ultrafast cooling rates, solving a long-standing issue in the field. The process involves a novel technique that enables transformation of liquefied elemental metals into glass.
Scientists at the University of Illinois have developed a new class of walking 'bio-bots' powered by muscle cells, controlled with electrical pulses. The breakthrough allows for unprecedented control over their function, opening up possibilities for environmental and medical applications.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have made a rarely used math strategy called the Jacobi method work significantly faster, potentially speeding up computer simulations in aerospace design, shipbuilding, and other engineering tasks. The updated method could solve problems that previously took 200 days to solve in just one day.
MIT researchers have developed smart morphable surfaces that can change their surface texture to reduce drag and improve efficiency. By mimicking the effect of golf ball dimples, these surfaces can cut air resistance in half at lower speeds, with a reduction in drag very similar to that of golf balls.
A team of Kansas State University engineers and students have developed customized devices and software to help children with severe developmental disabilities, including autism spectrum disorders and cerebral palsy. The technology, supported by a $125,000 grant from the National Science Foundation, aims to improve their health and qua...
Purdue researchers have developed a new approach to teach large numbers of engineering students, resulting in improved student performance and engagement. The Purdue Mechanics Freeform Classroom system allows students to interact online while accessing instructional videos and animations, reducing the number of students who receive a D...
A new supersonic spray system produces a smooth, defect-free graphene layer by dispersing and restructuring graphene flakes. This method enables the production of high-quality graphene on various substrates without post-treatment or introducing defects.
Researchers developed 3D models of an ant's neck anatomy to study its biomechanics and determine the relationship between mechanical function, structural design, and material properties. The results revealed that the ant's neck joint can withstand loads of up to 5,000 times its body weight.
Researchers at Penn State have developed a method to manufacture porous silicon using solar energy, which can generate hydrogen from water when exposed to sunlight. The material's high surface area and nanoscale size enable it to act as an effective catalyst, aiding in the production of hydrogen gas.
Researchers have developed degradable polymer composite materials suitable for electronic components and a degradable antenna capable of data transmission. The technology, called transient electronics, allows for devices to self-destruct or degrade over time, eliminating the need for permanent storage or disposal.
The new Center for Dielectrics and Piezoelectrics expands research capabilities with industry partners, focusing on high energy-density capacitors, flexible electronics, and piezotronic transistors. The center will leverage partnerships to support new products and processes.
Researchers at Virginia Tech used experimental measurements and analysis software to understand how fruit bats use their wings to manipulate airflow. They found that bat wings can generate forces up to two-to-three times greater than a static airfoil wing, making them ideal for designing micro air vehicles with flapping wings.
A study by Johns Hopkins engineers used juggling to investigate how vision and the sense of touch help control limb movement, shedding light on potential treatments for neurological diseases. Adding haptic feedback improved performance, but didn't correct errors, highlighting the brain's reliance on timing information.
Researchers found that water molecules in carbon nanotubes don't flow continuously but instead move intermittently, resulting in surprisingly high flow rates. This phenomenon resolves a long-standing issue in fluid dynamics and has potential industrial applications for desalination and other uses.
Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago have developed a graphene 'sandwich' that enables atomic-level imaging of biomolecules in their natural state. This breakthrough improves resolution and minimizes damage to samples, opening up analysis of difficult-to-image biological samples.
University of Cincinnati researchers are developing validation metrics that could help predict the success or failure of hypersonic aircraft. The metrics involve principal component analysis (PCA) decomposition of simulation and test data to measure uncertainty, which will ultimately determine the success in building such a plane.
A team of researchers has successfully integrated key components of a quantum computer onto a silicon microchip, paving the way for the development of a practical quantum computer. The breakthrough enables the creation of a photon-based device capable of performing complex calculations, potentially rivaling modern computing hardware.
Researchers at McGill University have developed a technique to increase the toughness of glass by creating patterns of micro-cracks, mimicking the structure of nacre. This process increases glass's resistance to shattering and can be easily scaled up for larger glass sheets.
A new approach combines evolutionary and engineering analyses to identify biom Mechanical functions favored by natural selection in diverse species, including New World leaf-nosed bats. The study reveals three optimal snout shapes favored by natural selection, with mechanical advantage being more important than structural strength.
Researchers fabricated microstructures including straight filaments, layer-by-layer scaffolds, and freeform helical spirals using a solvent-cast 3D printing technique. The technique demonstrates powerful fabrication capabilities, enabling the creation of three microsystems with diverse functionalities.
Engineers developed tiny self-propelled swimming bio-bots that can traverse viscous fluids and sense chemicals, opening up possibilities for medical and environmental applications. The bio-bots use heart cells to create movement through a wave-like motion, enabling unique navigation capabilities.
Dr. Walter Voit received a DARPA Young Faculty Award to develop medical devices with greater control of prosthetics for wounded soldiers. The goal is to create chronic microstimulation devices that can survive implantation in the body for over a year.
Researchers at the University of Missouri have developed a technique to form virtual walls for oily liquids, confining them to a certain area. This development has implications for guided delivery of oil and effective blockage of oil spreading.
Researchers created CNT structures with optimal blend of characteristics required in thermal stress junctures. Longer, less entangled CNTs showed best combination of flexibility, heat conductivity and strength.
The recipient of the grant proposes a new way to view and study human walking, attaching sensors to mathematically meaningful locations on prostheses and orthotics. This approach aims to create off-the-shelf robotic limbs that allow users to easily control and adjust their devices.
The Henry Samueli School of Engineering at UC Irvine has received a $100,000 grant to further develop its stored energy solar stove, which enables carbon emissions-free cooking. The technology uses a solar collector to concentrate sunlight on an energy storage device, storing heat that can be released as needed.
A team of Columbia researchers has developed a nano-mechanical system that can create FM signals, paving the way for more efficient cell phones and wireless communication. The device uses graphene's unique properties to tune frequency and overcome size limitations.
Researchers from University of Cincinnati develop a brain-computer interface to detect brain signals and interpret intent, paving the way for thought-controlled smart tech and robotic personal assistants. The university also announces its development of an interdisciplinary curriculum for human-centered robotics.
Researchers at the University of Cincinnati are working on an exoskeleton that could help geriatric patients regain independence in movement. The device is designed to supplement the user's natural movement, rather than forcing a predetermined motion, and has the potential to benefit patients affected by stroke and paraplegia.
A research team led by Johns Hopkins engineers discovered that animals use opposing forces in their movements to increase both stability and maneuverability. This biomimetic approach is found in fish, hummingbirds, and bees, and could simplify designs for small robots that fly, swim, or move on mechanical legs.
Researchers have verified the classical Landau-Squire theory in a nanoscale fluid jet, measuring flow rates of tens of pico liters per second. The findings suggest that the Navier-Stokes equations hold true at molecular scales, with potential applications in ultra-low-volume injectors and microfluidic logic circuits.
A study by Washington State University researchers found that two softballs with different properties can result in significantly different injury risks when hit at high speeds. The team developed a virtual head model using Thums, a computerized skeletal system, to simulate collisions and quantify the effects of ball-impact.
Researchers developed a new program to simulate protein movements by exploiting similarities with robot arms, enabling faster and cheaper analysis. The project combines mechanical engineering and biosciences, aiming to understand protein movement and its potential applications in diseases.
John Foster, a renowned peridynamics expert, will lead a $7.5 million Department of Defense project to advance peridynamic theory and improve material modeling. The five-year initiative aims to enhance the understanding of heterogeneous materials under stress.
Researchers studied the dynamics of squeezing fluids using a simple experiment of clapping with wet hands. The study sheds light on the behavior of fluids at the microscale level and has implications for fuel efficiency and pharmaceutical drug deliveries.