University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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2017

Fizzy soda water could be key to clean manufacture of graphene

Whether you call it effervescent, fizzy, or sparkling, carbonated water is making a comeback as a beverage.

New 3D display takes the eye fatigue out of virtual reality

Although AR and VR devices are starting to hit the market, they remain mostly a novelty because eye fatigue makes them uncomfortable to use for extended periods.

A few self-driving cars can dramatically improve traffic flow

The presence of just a few autonomous vehicles can eliminate the stop-and-go driving of the human drivers in traffic, along with the accident risk and fuel inefficiency it causes, according to new research.

Nanotube structure strengthens thin films for flexible electronics

Reflecting the structure of composites found in nature and the ancient world, researchers have synthesized thin carbon nanotube textiles, that exhibit both high electrical conductivity and a level of toughness that is about fifty times higher than copper films, currently used in electronics.

Agricultural robot may be game changer for crop growers, breeders

A semiautonomous robot may soon be roaming agricultural fields gathering and transmitting real-time data about the growth and development of crops, information that crop breeders -- and eventually farmers -- can use to identify the genetic traits in plants likely to produce the greatest yields.

Dual-function nanorod LEDs could make multifunctional displays

Cellphones and other devices could soon be controlled with touchless gestures and charge themselves using ambient light, thanks to new LED arrays that can both emit and detect light.

Robot drone that mimics bat flight

Bats have long captured the imaginations of scientists and engineers with their unrivalled agility, but their complex wing motions pose significant technological challenges for those seeking to recreate their flight in a robot.

2016

Soft, microfluidic lab on the skin for sweat analysis

Aresearch team has developed a first-of-its-kind soft, flexible microfluidic device that easily adheres to the skin and measures the wearer's sweat to show how his or her body is responding to exercise.

Touch sensitive super stretchy skin shows promise for soft robots

A material that can emit different coloured light and sense touch - yet still stretch nearly five times its original length - has been invented by scientists in the US and Italy.

Unveiling the nanotube's quantum behavior

The discovery of an important method for measuring the properties of nanotube materials using a microwave probe.

2015

Bluetooth circuit on a skin patch

The debut of AppleWatch early this year has stimulated a new wave of interest in wearable electronics worldwide. Wearable devices include electronics on cloth, in wrist watches and ultimately on the human body.

Paper tubes make stiff origami structures

From shipping and construction to outer space, origami could put a folded twist on structural engineering.

Robust new process forms 3D shapes from flat sheets of graphene

Researchers have developed a new approach for forming 3D shapes from flat, 2D sheets of graphene, paving the way for future integrated systems of graphene-MEMS hybrid devices and flexible electronics.

New manufacturing approach slices lithium-ion battery cost in half

Reinventing how these batteries are made also improves their performance and recyclability.

2014

Dissolvable silicon circuits and sensors

Electronic devices that dissolve completely in water, leaving behind only harmless end products, are part of a rapidly emerging class of technology pioneered by researchers.

Skin-Like device monitors cardiovascular and skin health

A new wearable medical device can quickly alert a person if they are having cardiovascular trouble or if it's simply time to put on some skin moisturiser.

How to make a perfect solar absorber

The key to creating a material that would be ideal for converting solar energy to heat is tuning the material's spectrum of absorption just right.

Improving lithium-ion batteries

It is now clear that progress with batteries that are candidates to replace lithium-ion batteries is so slow that they will rule the roost for the coming decade.

Stick-on electronic patches for health monitoring

Engineers have demonstrated thin, soft stick-on patches that stretch and move with the skin and incorporate commercial, off-the-shelf chip-based electronics for sophisticated wireless health monitoring.

3-D printer creates fitted electronic glove to replace pacemakers

Using an inexpensive 3-D printer, biomedical engineers have developed a custom-fitted, implantable device with embedded sensors that could transform treatment and prediction of cardiac disorders.