Research & Development World

Designing irregular structures often means wrestling with huge systems of equations. Princeton engineers have found a shortcut, using a mathematical bridge between origami and tensegrity to preserve known mechanical properties as a structure shifts into a more complex shape. Tensegrity is a structural principle where a continuous network of tension (cables or strings) and a…

Automated liquid dispensing machines must deliver high precision, repeatable performance, and compact design to function effectively in laboratory environments. A crucial factor in meeting these requirements is the electric drive system that powers the movement of the pipetting head. Sandro Walter, maxon’s Business Development Manager for Laboratory Automation, outlines the essential engineering considerations behind these…

Since AlphaFold 2 cracked protein-structure prediction in 2020 and 2021, a growing ecosystem of biomolecular models has followed, including Boltz, Chai, OpenFold and Protenix. Yet commercial access remains uneven. AlphaFold 3, launched in 2024, broadened the field from protein folding to biomolecular interactions, while its public server remains off-limits for commercial use. DeepMind’s commercial engine…

Researchers have developed molecular quantum nanosensors (MoQNs) designed to operate in the cytoplasm and nuclei of living cancer cells to map radical-generation processes and thermal dynamics that are linked to cancer-associated cellular physiology.  The sensors use molecular-level uniformity to achieve a threefold enhancement in spectral resolution and superior thermometric specificity. The platform enables absolute temperature…

The Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy and the National Reactor Innovation Center have announced the first selections for the Nuclear Energy Launch Pad. Deployable Energy, General Matter, NuCube Energy and Radiant Industries were selected from an initial pool of Reactor Pilot Program and Fuel Line Pilot Program applicants, the two precursor programs to…

The specialty materials maker Elkem Silicones has rebranded as Bluestar Silicones, reviving a name the business used from 2007 to 2017. The change follows the April 30 close of Bluestar’s acquisition of the majority of Elkem’s silicones division. The company says manufacturing sites, production processes, raw materials, product names and commercial trademarks all stay the same,…

The specialty materials maker Elkem Silicones has rebranded as Bluestar Silicones, reviving a name the business used from 2007 to 2017. The change follows the April 30 close of Bluestar’s acquisition of the majority of Elkem’s silicones division. The company says manufacturing sites, production processes, raw materials, product names and commercial trademarks all stay the same,…

SK Telecom said on June 1 that it has put SK hynix’s semiconductor fabs into a digital twin built on NVIDIA Omniverse libraries, with commercialization to follow in stages under SK hynix’s “Autonomous Fab 2030” roadmap. SK hynix’s news is part of a trend involving Omniverse-based fab twins. SK hynix and SKT first surfaced the…

Axiom Space and Prada unveiled the Liquid Cooling and Ventilation Garment (LCVG), the inner layer of the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU), this week. The garment was designed for NASA’s Artemis IV, which is scheduled to land on the moon in 2028.  “By bringing together the best in both aerospace engineering as well as luxury…