Inspired by networks found in nature, engineers design stronger, more resilient “metamaterials”
The new design approach could improve impact absorption for helmets, packaging, and armor.
Department
Mechanical Engineering
School of Engineering welcomes new faculty in 2026
The newest MIT engineering faculty are conducting research across a diverse range of subject areas.
Streamlining metal parts production to revitalize American industry
Founded by MIT alumni, Fabri uses 3D printing and software to eliminate many of the steps that slow down traditional metal casting.
Dream, build, destroy, repeat
Members of the student-run MIT Combat Robotics Club learn through destruction.
Powering up for a pivotal moment
From a nuclear revival to qubits, the MIT Energy Initiative’s annual research conference tracked deployment of today’s technologies to discovery of tomorrow’s breakthroughs.
A soft robot could help doctors diagnose and treat disorders of the small intestine
MIT engineers designed a robotic enteroscope that can inch through the hard-to-reach small intestine, making biopsies and drug delivery easier.
At New York Climate Week 2026, MIT connects with a global network
A cross-section of the MIT community convened discussions on topics ranging from data centers and super pollutants to agriculture and education.
MIT student team CERBERUZ wins NASA LunaRecycle Centennial Challenge, turning lunar trash into tools
The team took first prize in both the Prototype and Digital Twin tracks for its lunar waste recycling system.
MIT spinout makes surgical stitching more like applying a sticky note
SanaHeal has developed a biologically compatible adhesive that sticks to wet tissues to simplify a variety of surgeries.
Symposium highlights MIT’s wide range of innovations for aging brain health
In six talks, researchers from across MIT described projects aimed at advancing the understanding of and interventions against neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and ALS.
Shape-sensing sheet digitally tracks its movement as it bends and twists
Developed by MIT engineers, this flexible material could be used as a wearable, motion-monitoring “skin” in physical therapy, virtual reality, and gaming.
Turning the tide on Massachusetts shellfishing data
MIT researchers built a cloud-based platform to help Massachusetts coastal towns and the state manage shellfishing closures, giving thousands of permit holders a clearer view of where they can fish.
MIT class project turns into an FDA-cleared treatment for tremors
Wristband device from Encora Therapeutics started as a project in 2.009, MIT’s iconic product-design class.
Powered by muscle cells, a paper-thin robot swims through watery maze
MIT engineers’ new aquabot offers a way to design small, efficient “biohybrid” robots.
New cell-collection device could improve early cancer detection
MIT researchers developed a handheld system that gently collects living cells from patient samples to aid cancer testing and development of personalized medicines.