Jennifer Chu, MIT News Office

Robot designed for exploring hazardous, disaster zones

MIT researchers have improved the design of their Cheetah robot to be used for exploring disaster zones and other dangerous or inaccessible environments.

Researchers develop virtual-reality testing ground for drones

MIT engineers have developed a new virtual-reality training system for drones that enables a vehicle to “see” a rich, virtual environment while flying in an empty physical space.

Autonomous robot glider combines qualities of albatross and sailboat

MIT engineers have designed a robotic glider that can skim along the water’s surface, riding the wind like an albatross while also surfing the waves like a sailboat.

Robotic picking and cleaning system developed

Engineers from MIT and Princeton University have developed a robotic system designed to assist in picking and sorting tasks, from organizing products in a warehouse to clearing debris from a disaster zone.

Platform for microfluidic chips developed from LEGOs

MIT researchers have developed a platform for microfluidics using LEGO bricks to better perform operations such as mixing, sorting, pumping, and storing fluids.

Autonomous robot designed to keep pace with humans safely

Engineers at MIT have designed an autonomous robot with socially aware navigation that is designed to keep pace with foot traffic while observing these general codes of pedestrian conduct.

Graphene used to create cheaper semiconductor wafers

MIT engineers have developed a technique to reduce the overall cost of wafer technology by using graphene as a copy machine to transfer intricate crystalline patterns from an underlying semiconductor wafer to a top layer of identical material.

Researchers are ironing out graphene’s wrinkles

Engineers have developed a method to make graphene, touted as a potential successor to silicon, with fewer wrinkles and the ability to iron any that do appear.

3-D-printed structures shrink when heated

Engineers from MIT, the University of Southern California have manufactured 3-D printed structures that shrink when heated to an extreme temperature, which could lead to heat-resistant circuit boards.

Researchers learn that 3-D printed structures remember their shapes

Engineers from MIT and Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) learned that three-dimensional structures return to their original shapes even after being stretched, twisted, and bent at extreme angles.

Researchers use equation to predict force to push objects through granular, pasty materials

MIT engineers have reported that they have identified a mechanical explanation for why the resistive force theory (RFT) equation works so well for granular materials and that they can accurately predict estimates through sand as well as pastier materials like mud and gel.

Researchers develop cheaper nanoscrolls with graphene alternative

Researchers at MIT and Harvard have created perfect nanoscrolls from graphene’s imperfect form, graphene oxide, which is much cheaper, to develop water filter sensors that can also be used for chemical sensors and hydrogen storage platforms.

Atomic force microscopes being developed to scan chemical processes

Engineers at MIT have designed an atomic force microscope that are designed to scan chemical processes taking place at the nanoscale at a rate that is close to real-time video.

Giving robots a more nimble grasp

Engineers at MIT have developed a method using the environment to give simple robotic grippers more dexterity. See related video.

MIT cheetah robot lands the running jump

MIT researchers trained a robotic cheetah it to see and jump over hurdles as it runs in experiments on a treadmill and an indoor track and was able to clear obstacles up to 18 inches tall while maintaining an average running speed of 5 miles per hour.

The power of salt for renewable energy

MIT study investigates power generation from the meeting of river water and seawater.

Refrigerator magnets: wireless cooling

New theory predicts magnets may act as wireless cooling agents, according to MIT researchers.

High-efficiency steam production from the sun

New spongelike structure converts solar energy into steam, according to MIT researchers. The new material can convert 85% of incoming solar energy into steam, a significant improvement over recent approaches to solar-powered steam generation.

Getting a grip on robotic grasp

New wrist-mounted device augments the human hand with two robotic fingers.