Optics, technologies that leverage the behavior and properties of light, are the basis of many existing technological tools, most notably fiber communication systems that enable long- and short-distance high-speed communication between devices. Optical signals have a...
Soft robots that can complete tasks with high efficiency, accuracy and precision could have numerous valuable applications. For instance, they could be introduced in medical settings, helping doctors to carry out complex surgical procedures or assisting elderly and...
In recent years, material scientists have designed a wide range of innovative materials that could be used to create new technologies, including soft robots, controllers and smart textiles. These materials include artificial muscles, structures that resemble...
A widely discussed application of social robots that has so far been rarely tested in real-world settings is their use as bartenders in cafés, cocktail bars and restaurants. While many roboticists have been trying to develop systems that can effectively prepare drinks...
To efficiently navigate real-world environments, robots typically analyze images collected by imaging devices that are integrated within their body. To enhance the performance of robots, engineers have thus been trying to develop different types of highly performing...
In recent years, engineers have been trying to devise new technologies to produce and store energy more sustainably, with the hope of overcoming the global reliance on fossil fuels and to fight climate change. A solution that has attracted much attention is the...
Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors are semiconducting materials with thicknesses on the atomic scale, which have exceptional electronic properties. In the future, these materials could have the potential to replace silicon in the development of numerous electronic...
In recent years, engineers have been trying to devise new computers and devices that could help to solve challenging real-world problems faster and more efficiently. Some of the most promising among these are Ising machines (IMs), physics-based systems designed to...
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, are already widely used in various real-world settings, including the film industry, the military, and the transport sector. In the future, they could also be used to assist human agents during search & rescue missions,...
Researchers at Politecnico di Torino, BRIN in Indonesia, the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) and University of Cagliari have recently introduced new composite hydrogel inks based on natural and environment friendly materials, which could be used to 3D print...