MIT engineers print synthetic “metamaterials” that are both strong and stretchy
A new method could enable stretchable ceramics, glass, and metals, for tear-proof textiles or stretchy semiconductors.
3D modeling you can feel
TactStyle, a system developed by CSAIL researchers, uses image prompts to replicate both the visual appearance and tactile properties of 3D models.
Bringing manufacturing back to America, one fab lab at a time
A collaborative network of makerspaces has spread from MIT across the country, helping communities make their own products.
A new way to bring personal items to mixed reality
“InteRecon” enables users to capture items in a mobile app and reconstruct their interactive features in mixed reality. The tool could assist in education, medical environments, museums, and more.
Tabletop factory-in-a-box makes hands-on manufacturing education more accessible
Inaugural cohort of Tecnológico de Monterrey undergraduates participate in immersive practicum at MIT featuring desktop fiber-extrusion devices, or FrEDs.
Preparing for a career at the forefront of the aerospace industry
In a new class, students design, build, and test an electric turbopump for a rocket engine, facing challenges they will experience as practicing engineers.
3D printing approach strings together dynamic objects for you
“Xstrings” method enables users to produce cable-driven objects, automatically assembling bionic robots, sculptures, and dynamic fashion designs.
Artificial muscle flexes in multiple directions, offering a path to soft, wiggly robots
MIT engineers developed a way to grow artificial tissues that look and act like their natural counterparts.
MIT engineers develop a fully 3D-printed electrospray engine
Ideal for propelling tiny satellites, the lightweight devices could be produced on board a spacecraft and cost much less than traditional thrusters.
Cleaning up critical minerals and materials production, using microwave plasma
With technology developed at MIT, 6K is helping to bring critical materials production back to the U.S. without toxic byproducts.
How good old mud can lower building costs
Builders pour concrete into temporary molds called formwork. MIT researchers invented a way to make these structures out of on-site soil.
To design better water filters, MIT engineers look to manta rays
New research shows the filter-feeders strike a natural balance between permeability and selectivity that could inform design of water treatment systems.
A portable light system that can digitize everyday objects
A new design tool uses UV and RGB lights to change the color and textures of everyday objects. The system could enable surfaces to display dynamic patterns, such as health data and fashion designs.
Finding a sweet spot between radical and relevant
As he invents programmable materials and self-organizing systems, Skylar Tibbits is pushing design boundaries while also solving real-world problems.
Interactive mouthpiece advances opportunities for health data, assistive technology, and hands-free interactions
“MouthIO” is an in-mouth device that users can digitally design and 3D print with integrated sensors and actuators to capture health data and interact with a computer or phone.