In recent years, roboticists have developed increasingly sophisticated robotic systems designed to mimic both the structure and function of the human body. This work includes robotic hands, grippers that allow robots to grasp objects and manipulate them like humans do...
Engineering
A strategy to fabricate highly performing tin perovskite-based transistors
Metal halide perovskites are semiconducting materials with advantageous optoelectronic properties, low defects and low costs of production. In contrast with other emerging semiconductors, these materials can be easily synthesized via affordable solution processing...
Scientists create soft and scalable robotic hand based on multiple materials
Robots based on soft materials are often better at replicating the appearance, movements and abilities of both humans and animals. While there are now countless soft robots, many of these are difficult to produce on a large-scale, due to the high cost of their...
Researchers fabricate phase-heterojunction all-inorganic perovskite solar cells with an efficiency above 21.5%
Solar technologies have become increasingly advanced over the years, with the discovery of new photovoltaic materials and designs. While solar cells based on a mixture of organic and inorganic halide perovskite materials have been the topic of numerous research...
An origami-inspired universally deformable module for robotics applications
Modular robots—robotic systems that can adapt their body configuration to change locomotion style or move on different terrains—can be highly advantageous for tackling missions in diverse environments. Over the past decade or so, engineers have developed a wide range...
A novel motion-capture system with robotic marker that could enhance human-robot interactions
Motion capture (mocap) systems, technologies that can detect and record the movements of humans, animals and objects, are widely used in various settings. For instance, they have been used to shoot movies, to create animations with realistic lip and body movements, in...
New transparent metadevices based on quasi-1D surface plasmon polariton structures
Transparent electronic devices could have numerous valuable real-world applications. Among other things, they could enable the creation of new optical devices, smart gear or wearables, invisible solar panels and integrated communication systems.
A polyamide-based soft jellyfish robot actuated by a shape memory alloy
In recent decades, roboticists have been developing increasingly sophisticated robots inspired by nature and living organisms. By realistically emulating biological processes and animal behaviors, these robots can often navigate different environments and tackle...
Grooved electrodes could improve the performance of proton-exchange membrane fuel cells
Proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are a promising energy solution for reducing carbon emissions in the transport sector. As suggested by their name, these cells contain a proton-conducting membrane based on polymer materials that serves as an electrolyte....
Evaluating the energy consumption of flapping-wing flying robots
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, have already proved to be highly promising for tackling numerous real-world problems, for instance allowing users to take aerial images, monitor remote or natural environments, deliver parcels, or assisting...