AI helps chemists develop tougher plastics

August 22, 2025  |  What's New?

A new strategy for strengthening polymer materials could lead to more durable plastics and cut down on plastic waste, according to researchers at MIT and Duke University. Using machine learning, the researchers identified crosslinker molecules that can be added to polymer materials, allowing them to…
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Seatbelt sensor system adjusts to each wearer

July 28, 2025  |  What's New?

In 1959, Volvo engineer Nils Bohlin created the three-point seatbelt and offered the design plans for free to automakers around the world. Since its introduction, the relatively simple, but game-changing, design has been credited with saving more than a million lives worldwide. Now the car brand is …
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MIT engineers print strong and stretchy “metamaterials”

July 14, 2025  |  What's New?

In metamaterials design, the name of the game has long been “stronger is better.” Metamaterials are synthetic materials with microscopic structures that give the overall material exceptional properties. A huge focus has been in designing metamaterials that are stronger and stiffer than their con…
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Smart bandage could speed up warfighter recovery

June 23, 2025  |  What's New?

Leonard Tender, Ph.D., a researcher in the Biological Technologies Office (BTO) at DARPA (the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), is working on groundbreaking advancements in wound care technology. Building on the success of the Bioelectronics for Tissue Regeneration (BETR) program, which …
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DNA-inspired fiber enhances sensors for wearables

June 23, 2025  |  What's New?

Researchers at Shinshu University, Nagano Prefecture, Japan, have developed a new design for a fiber sensor inspired by the shape of DNA, which the researchers have found to be more durable and flexible. 
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Knitted microtissue can accelerate healing

June 23, 2025  |  What's New?

Treating severe or chronically injured soft tissues, such as skin and muscle, is a challenge in health care. Current treatment methods can be costly and ineffective, and the frequency of chronic wounds in general from conditions such as diabetes and vascular disease, as well as an increasingly aging…
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3-D printed smart fabrics: comfortable and washable

June 4, 2025  |  What's New?

New research from Washington State University has demonstrated a particular 3D ink printing method for smart fabrics that performs well after repeated washing and abrasion tests. The research, published in the journal ACS Omega, represents a breakthrough in smart fabric comfort and durability, as…
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New e-textile helps deafblind people understand live conversations 

May 22, 2025  |  What's New?

Thousands of people who are born deafblind will understand live conversations for the first time thanks to new research into smart textiles being developed by Nottingham Trent University (NTU). This first-of-its-kind study will eventually allow the spoken word to be translated into a form of braille…
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