Mechanical engineering

Wired reporter Katie Collins writes about how a team of MIT scientists has discovered that the electricity produced by bouncing water droplets could be used to charge smart phones. 

Kadhim Shubber reports on a new glove created by Professor Harry Asada with two extra fingers that responds intelligently to one’s movements. "You do not need to command the robot, but simply move your fingers naturally,” said Asada. “Then the robotic fingers react and assist your fingers."

“Researchers at MIT have created a robotic hand device that, rather than simply replacing one's grip, enhances its reach with two extra fingers,” reports NBC on a new device developed by Professor Harry Asada’s team.

The BBC reports on a new technology from Professor Harry Asada’s team that provides a robotic extension to the human hand responsive to movement. The extension—essentially two extra fingers—can be used to grasp, leaving the hand free for other tasks. 

"We wanted produce something that would produce significant volume change, but something that could still be useful, support payloads and enforce payloads on the environment," says Nadia Cheng of the phase-changing material developed by MIT researchers in an interview with Mashable’s Lance Ulanoff.  

Wired reporter Katie Collins writes that MIT researchers have developed a phase-changing material that could allow robots to shift from solid to squishy. Transformable robots, “would allow surgeons to carry out operations less invasively,” Collins writes. 

Hal Hodson writes for The New Scientist about the Smart Morphable Surface developed by Professor Pedro Reis. The surface dimples into different depths and patterns to create the best aerodynamics for the conditions.

David Snzondy writes for GizMag about new materials created by a team that included Professor Nick Fang. These “metamaterials,” which are lightweight and can withstand weights 160,000 times their own, could have applications for the construction of aircraft and other vehicles.

A Dustin comic that appeared in The Boston Globe features research by Professor Kripa Varanasi. Varanasi’s group developed LiquiGlide, a coating that can be applied to the inside of food and condiment packaging to prevent sticking.

Boston Magazine reporter Steve Annear writes about Prof. Harry Asada’s Supernumerary Robotic Limbs. When strapped to a person’s shoulder’s the device, “operates autonomously to help conquer things like securing a ceiling panel or holding open a door,” Annear explains. 

IEEE Spectrum reporter Evan Ackerman writes about the robotic limbs developed by the MIT d'Arbeloff Laboratory. The Supernumerary Robotic Limbs are designed to assist in tasks where an extra hand is needed and function like an extension of the wearer’s own body, Ackerman explains. 

"Now researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the University of Michigan have devised a way in which graphene can be grown directly onto an insulator like glass or silicon,” writes Dexter Johnson of IEEE Spectrum. The method could be used to manufacture interactive screens, said Professor A. John Hart.

In a piece for The Boston Globe, Kevin Hartnett writes that MIT researchers have developed a new technique for transforming fog into drinking water. 

In an article for El Mundo (written in Spanish), Carlos Betriu writes about the annual robotics competition that is the culmination of course 2.007. The goal of the course is to challenge students to solve problems with robots and to think creatively, Betriu reports.

Boston Globe reporter Carolyn Johnson writes about 2.007’s robotics competition. “Students competed at MITSKI, in which the robots they built from scratch had to climb ski slopes, descend them with grace, collect slalom flags, return flags to the ski chalet, and collect medals,” Johnson writes.