Harvard University

3D printer inks from the woods

Researchers have succeeded in developing an environmentally friendly ink for 3D printing based on cellulose nanocrystals. This technology can be used to fabricate microstructures with outstanding mechanical properties, which have promising potential uses in implants and other biomedical applications.

C-Turtle robot teaches itself to get around

C-Turtle has to dig hard to propel itself across the sand, but not so hard it digs holes. Nature-inspired, the design succeeds.

Shedding light on how humans walk...with robots

With the recent boom of the robotic exoskeleton industry, more and more patients are being strapped into machines that apply forces to their legs as they walk, gently prodding them to modify their movements by lengthening their strides, straightening their hips, and bending their knees. But, are all patients benefiting from this kind of treatment?

Not stuck on silicon

A new technique developed by engineers may vastly reduce the overall cost of wafer technology and enable devices made from more exotic, higher-performing semiconductor materials than conventional silicon.

Bionic Eye Technologies

In this profile, Alexis Karandrea reports on correspondence with Richard Birney, the CEO of Bionic Eye Technologies, Inc., and the retinal implant technology they are developing.

Solar fuels: an industry in infancy

IDTechEx analyst Dr Laura Baers gives an overview of solar fuels and explains why artificial photosynthesis is still difficult to bring to market.

A 'bionic leaf' could help feed the world

The artificial leaf is a device that, when exposed to sunlight, mimics a natural leaf by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen.

Looking beyond the debate of who 'owns' CRISPR gene editing technology

If you are hip to current events that impact the biotech world, then you have surely heard about the patent controversy over CRISPR gene editing technology.

Printable solar cells just got a little closer

This alternative solar technology could lead to low-cost, printable solar panels capable of turning nearly any surface into a power generator.

Long-lasting flow battery could run for more than a decade

Researchers have developed a new flow battery that stores energy in organic molecules dissolved in neutral pH water. This new chemistry allows for a non-toxic, non-corrosive battery with an exceptionally long lifetime and offers the potential to significantly decrease the costs of production.

New level of control over the structure of 3D-printed materials

Researchers have developed a new method to 3D print materials with independently tunable macro-and microscale porosity using a ceramic foam ink.

Smart city fixtures

The benches contain an embedded charging station powered by a mini solar panel, with two USB ports for plugging in mobile devices. They also connect to wireless networks.

Metallic hydrogen realised

Nearly a century after it was theorized, Harvard scientists report they have succeeded in creating the rarest material on the planet, which could eventually develop into one of its most valuable.

Metabolic energy savings from wearable gait-improving robot

By removing the actuation, electronics and battery units, leaving only the exosuit's light wearable textiles and pulling cables, the researchers were able to calculate the impact on the wearers' joints.

Soft robot helps the heart beat

Researchers have developed a customizable soft robot that fits around a heart and helps it beat, potentially opening new treatment options for people suffering from heart failure.

Mimicking biological movements with soft robots

Designing a soft robot to move organically — to bend like a finger or twist like a wrist — has always been a process of trial and error.

Taking a leap in bioinspired robotics

n the not so distant future, first responders to a disaster zone may include four-legged, dog-like robots that can bound through a fire or pick their way through a minefield, rising up on their hind legs to turn a hot door handle or punch through a wall.

A tiny squeeze gives a big boost in performance

A nanosize squeeze can significantly boost the performance of platinum catalysts that help generate energy in fuel cells, according to a new study.

A new standard in robotics

Known as the Yale-CMU-Berkeley (YCB) Object and Model Set, the intent is to provide universal benchmarks for labs specializing in robotic manipulation and prosthetics around the world.