Metabolic robustness, the ability of a metabolic system to buffer changes in its environment, is not always a welcome feature for microbiologists: it interferes with metabolic engineering or prevents that antibiotics kill bacteria....
A research team has developed a multimodal ion-electronic skin that distinguishes temperature from mechanical stimuli. This skin can detect various movements and is applicable in fields including humanoid skin and temperature sensors.
When the words 'artificial intelligence' (AI) come to mind, your first thoughts may be of super-smart computers, or robots that perform tasks without needing any help from humans. Now, a multi-institutional team has accomplished...
Engineering a spaceship is as difficult as it sounds. Modeling plays a large role in the time and effort it takes to create spaceships and other complex engineering systems. It requires extensive physics calculations, sifting through a...
Aleph Farms has claimed it has created steaks just like real meat, with the same aroma, flavour and texture. The company is using a process of tissue regeneration similar to that which occurs in the animal's body, but outside of it...
The UK government has announced ambitious plans to electrify and get fossil fuels out of the transport system by 2030. As the new 70-plate cars roll off British garage forecourts, 2020 is predicted to be another record-breaking year for...
Researchers have designed a system that lets robots autonomously learn complicated tasks from a very small number of demonstrations -- even imperfect ones. While current state-of-art methods need at least 100 demonstrations to nail a...
Forensic science experts are refining an innovative counter-terrorism technique that checks for environmental DNA in the dust on clothing, baggage, shoes or even a passport.
Bearings for conveyor belt rollers in adverse operating conditions: support and tensioning rollers are critically important Roller bearings are some of the most important components of support and tensioning rollers in conveyor belts. To...
3D bioprinted algae can be harnessed as a sustainable source of oxygen for human cells in engineered vascularized tissues, researchers report. They embedded the bioprinted photosynthetic algae, along with human liver-derived cells, in a...
An easy way to make millirobots by coating objects with a glue-like magnetic spray has been developed. Driven by the magnetic field, the coated objects can crawl, walk, or roll on different surfaces. As the magnetic coating is...
Researchers have created new artificial intelligence software that gives robots the speed and skill to grasp and smoothly move objects, making it feasible for them to soon assist humans in warehouse environments.
Researchers have analyzed the causes of many cost overruns on new nuclear power plants in the US, which have soared in the past 50 years. The findings may help designers of new plants build in resilience to prevent such added costs.
Researchers have created tiny building blocks that exhibit unique mechanical properties, such as the ability to produce a twisting motion when squeezed. These subunits could potentially be assembled by robots into a nearly limitless...
Scientists have devised a system that combines robotics and artificial intelligence to fully automate the routine aspects of synthesizing, testing, and optimizing new materials according to fabrication conditions. Their approach can...
When rescue crews practice and test new cutting kit they usually do it on older scrapped cars either donated by the public or taken from salvage yards. While useful, this does not give the rescuers an insight into brand new...
Belt conveyors instead of trucks: an efficient alternative? It's a question of costs... Recovered raw materials must be transported from the mine to the factory or port, often over uneven ground and across populated areas....
According to an EDF study , methane is more than 100 times more potent at trapping energy than carbon dioxide, the principal contributor to man-made climate change. This is a problem as the colourless gas is given off by rotting...
Andrea Bartoli says mining safety systems need to talk to each other so they can deliver the best possible performance Few would question whether mining operators today are committed to developing processes for a cleaner and safer...
Innovative electric-powered units offer high-pressure, high flow rates along with advanced capabilities beyond traditional pneumatic and hydraulic units In the underground mining industry, gas boosters are ubiquitous products working...
Cornell University researchers have created a fiber-optic sensor that combines low-cost LEDs and dyes, resulting in a stretchable ''skin'' that detects deformations such as pressure, bending and strain. This sensor could give soft...
A new device can overcome challenges like bad weather to deliver more secure, reliable communications. This could aid military communications in challenging areas, improve the ability of self-driving cars to see the environment around...
Researchers have used a state-of-the-art atomic clock to narrow the search for elusive dark matter, an example of how continual improvements in clocks have value beyond timekeeping.
If the smart textiles of the future are going to survive all that we throw at them, their components are going to need to be resilient. Now, researchers have developed an ultra-sensitive, seriously resilient strain sensor that can be...
An implantable smart wrap that fits safely and securely around the bladder may one day help people who have under-active bladders, a condition that hinders patients from urinating regularly and comfortably, according to an international...
Autonomous functions for robots, such as spontaneity, are highly sought after. Many control mechanisms for autonomous robots are inspired by the functions of animals, including humans. Roboticists often design robot behaviors using...
Researchers say that cascaded organic Rankine cycle systems could improve the way in which environmentally-friendly power is generated from waste heat.
Researchers have been working to design a better, reusable respirator that could serve as an alternative to an N95 respirator. In the latest iteration of their work, they have introduced sensors to inform the user if the respirator is on...
An artificial intelligence technique -- machine learning -- is helping accelerate the development of highly tunable materials known as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) that have important applications in chemical separations, adsorption,...
Researchers have found that offline consolidation of a motor task was enhanced by praise delivered by robots, whether they were presented on a screen or were physically present. Further, simultaneous praise from two agents had a stronger...
The UK has achieved the world’s first blade walk by a robot on an offshore wind turbine, thanks to BladeBUG and the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult. Over two days in mid-October, the six-legged inspect-and-repair robot...
Though we may not always realize it, photodetectors contribute greatly to the convenience of modern life. Also known as photosensors, photodetectors convert light energy into electrical signals to complete tasks such as opening automatic...
A thin coating of the 2D nanomaterial hexagonal boron nitride is the key ingredient in a cost-effective technology developed by engineers for desalinating industrial-strength brine.
Squids use a form of jet propulsion that is not well understood, especially when it comes to their hydrodynamics under turbulent flow conditions. Discovering their secrets can help create new designs for bioinspired underwater robots, so...
A new high-speed amphibious robot inspired by the movements of cockroaches and lizards swims and runs on top of water at high speeds and crawls on difficult terrain.
A novel sensor material is five times better than conventional soft materials and could be used in wearable health technology devices, or in robotics to perceive surface texture.
Juan Carlos Ballesta reveals the advantages of Bluetooth communication with Coriolis mass flowmeters Coriolis mass flowmeters are available with many communication protocols. In addition to traditional comms such as Modbus, HART and...
Claire Lloyd introduces a rupture disc for applications with strict hygiene requirements There are two main challenges for aseptic processes: firstly, sterility is not guaranteed with DIN or EN flanges, and secondly, existing system...
Angelo Giambrone presents a guide to safe and effective double isolation of plant and equipment Being able to safely and effectively isolate, whether for planned maintenance tasks or unforeseen critical repair jobs, is of prime...
Sustainable optimisation boosts energy savings by 30% for Turkish dairy products manufacturer Turkish milk and dairy products manufacturer Yörükoğlu Süt relies on process optimisation to deliver measurable sustainability gains that help...
What you need to know about product-to-product heat recovery Wastewater, sewage, effluents and sludge are useful sources of energy with the potential to heat (or in some circumstances cool) other products or materials in industrial...
New possibilities for future developments in electronic and optical devices have been unlocked by recent advancements in two-dimensional (2D) materials.