Reducing pesticide use while increasing effectiveness
In field tests, MIT spinoff AgZen demonstrated that its feedback-optimized spraying system could halve the pesticide needs of farms and improve crop yields.
Power when the sun doesn’t shine
With batteries based on iron and air, Form Energy leverages MIT research to incorporate renewables into the grid.
Study unlocks nanoscale secrets for designing next-generation solar cells
The work will help researchers tune surface properties of perovskites, a promising alternative and supplement to silicon, for more efficient photovoltaics.
MIT engineers 3D print the electromagnets at the heart of many electronics
The printed solenoids could enable electronics that cost less and are easier to manufacture — on Earth or in space.
Nourishing the mind, hand, and stomach
A love of food and cooking unlocked senior Branden Spitzer’s interest in materials science and engineering.
Researchers harness 2D magnetic materials for energy-efficient computing
An MIT team precisely controlled an ultrathin magnet at room temperature, which could enable faster, more efficient processors and computer memories.
Electrons become fractions of themselves in graphene, study finds
An exotic electronic state observed by MIT physicists could enable more robust forms of quantum computing.
Using AI to discover stiff and tough microstructures
Innovative AI system from MIT CSAIL melds simulations and physical testing to forge materials with newfound durability and flexibility for diverse engineering uses.
This ultrasound sticker senses changing stiffness of deep internal organs
The sticky, wearable sensor could help identify early signs of acute liver failure.
MIT students win national materials design competition
At the ASM Materials Education Foundation’s 2023 Undergraduate Design Competition, seniors Louise Anderfaas and Darsh Grewal design a super-strong aluminum plate for applications such as planes and cars.
Technique could improve the sensitivity of quantum sensing devices
The method lets researchers identify and control larger numbers of atomic-scale defects, to build a bigger system of qubits.
MADMEC winner creates “temporary tattoos” for T-shirts
Me-Shirts, winner of the annual MIT materials science competition, has developed a biodegradable material than can be easily added and removed from shirts.
Benchtop test quickly identifies extremely impact-resistant materials
High-speed experiments can help identify lightweight, protective “metamaterials” for spacecraft, vehicles, helmets, or other objects.
Researchers demonstrate rapid 3D printing with liquid metal
Their new technique can produce furniture-sized aluminum parts in only minutes.
Stripes in a flowing liquid crystal suggest a route to “chiral” fluids
Study finds chiral structures, with mirror-image configurations, can emerge from nonchiral systems, suggesting new ways to engineer these materials.