In recent years, teams of engineers worldwide have been trying to develop acoustic devices based on piezoelectrics (i.e., materials that can produce electricity when mechanical stress is applied to them) integrated with conventional semiconductors. These devices could...
Bats have the innate ability to move around in the dark, even when they cannot visually perceive their surroundings. This fascinating ability is grounded in their emission of ultrasonic chirps, which produce unique patterns of echoes that offer information about the...
Conventional robots based on separate joints do not always perform well in complex real-world tasks, particularly those that involve the dexterous manipulation of objects. Some roboticists have thus been trying to devise continuum robots, robotic platforms...
Electronics engineers are continuously trying to develop thinner, more efficient and better performing transistors, the semiconductor devices at the core of most modern electronics. To do this, they have been evaluating the potential of a broad range of materials.
Magnetic random access memories (MRAMs), are among the most promising next-generation memory technologies. Their primary advantages over conventional computer memories and other emerging memory designs include their potential to achieve remarkably high speeds and...
Light-weight and flying robots the size of small insects could have highly valuable real-world applications, for instance supporting search & rescue missions, inspections of hazardous sites, and even space exploration.
Researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute recently created OmniWheg, a robotic system that can adapt its configuration while navigating its surrounding environment, seamlessly changing from a wheeled to a legged robot. This robot, introduced in an IEEE IROS 2022...
A key objective of electronics engineering studies focusing on radio communication is the development of increasingly smaller, lighter, and low-power radio components. This could be achieved by integrating all radio components into a single chip, for instance by...
Organic photovoltaics, solar energy devices based on organic semiconductors, have so far achieved very promising results in experimental settings, both in terms of efficiency and stability. However, engineers have not yet devised reliable strategies to fabricate these...
Researchers at Tokyo Metropolitan University have created a robotic system that could automate the cleaning of restrooms in convenience stores and other public spaces. This system, introduced in a paper published in Advanced Robotics, will be competing in the...