[Images above] Credit: NIST

Construction robots weld, bolt, lift to beat worker shortage

Robots that can weld, lift, and bolt are being developed to help bridge labor shortages at Japanese construction sites. Major Japanese construction company Shimizu Corp. recently showed off several robots, including one already in use at construction sites.

Cheap 3D printer can produce self-folding materials

Researchers have used an inexpensive 3-D printer to produce flat plastic items that, when heated, fold themselves into predetermined shapes. These self-folding plastic objects represent a first step toward products that assume their final shapes with the help of a heat gun.

Bhabha Atomic Research Centre produces bulletproof jackets

In a first, the Bhabha Atomic Research Center has developed bulletproof jackets that have been made from advanced ceramics and advanced nanocomposites and weigh less than the bulletproof vests currently used by the Indian Armed Forces.

Graphene origami as a mechanically tunable plasmonic structure for infrared detection

Researchers have successfully developed a tunable infrared filter made from graphene, which would allow a solider to change the frequency of a filter in infrared goggles simply by controlling mechanical deformation of the filter (i.e., graphene origami).

Research gives new ray of hope for solar fuel

A team from the University of Exeter has pioneered a new technique to produce hydrogen from sunlight to create a clean, cheap, and widely-available fuel. The research centers on the use of a revolutionary photo-electrode made from lanthanum, iron, and oxygen nanoparticles.

Materials science and engineering students hope to inspire future women in STEM

Imagine being surrounded by complex equations and diagrams in the dead of night, preparing for your thermodynamics exam tomorrow. Overwhelming, isn’t it? Not for this group of six female materials science and engineering students.

Nuclear radiation detecting device could lead to new homeland security tool

A Northwestern University and Argonne National Laboratory research team has developed an exceptional next-generation material for nuclear radiation detection that could provide a significantly less expensive alternative to the detectors now in commercial use.

Getting electrons to move in gallium oxide semiconductor

Researchers have shown that wide-bandgap semiconductor gallium oxide can be engineered into nanometer-scale structures that allow electrons to move much faster within the crystal structure, making the material promising for energy-efficient power electronics and more.

Author

April Gocha

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