Tech Xplore news

Tech Xplore / Robot hand approaches human-like dexterity with new visual-tactile training

Human hands are a wonder of nature and unmatched in the animal kingdom. They can twist caps, flick switches, handle tiny objects with ease, and perform thousands of tasks every day. Robot hands struggle to keep up. They typically ...

Feb 17, 2026 in Robotics
Tech Xplore / Ultrafast 3D printing method creates complex objects in under a second

High-speed 3D printing has just gotten a lot faster. Researchers from Tsinghua University in China have developed a new high-speed printing technology capable of creating complex millimeter-scale objects in just 0.6 seconds. ...

Feb 17, 2026 in Engineering
Tech Xplore / The giant fire tornado that could save our oceans

In the frantic hours following an offshore oil spill, emergency responders face a destructive decision: let the oil spread or ignite it. Once ignited, it creates an "in-situ" fire pool that stops the oil from spreading and ...

Feb 17, 2026 in Engineering
Tech Xplore / Hydrogen-bond networks boost all-perovskite solar cell efficiency

The use of solar cells, devices that can convert sunlight into electricity, has grown exponentially over the past decades. These devices are enabling the production of clean and renewable energy, which could contribute to ...

Feb 17, 2026 in Engineering
Tech Xplore / New electrolyzer turns plastic-waste syngas into ethylene with less energy

For every ton of ethylene created, one ton of carbon dioxide is produced. With more than 300 million tons of ethylene produced each year, the production system has a huge carbon footprint that scientists and engineers are ...

Feb 17, 2026 in Engineering
Tech Xplore / Can AI build a machine that draws a heart? What automated mechanism design could mean for mechanical engineering

Can you design a mechanism that will trace out the shape of a heart? How about the shape of a moon, or a star? Mechanism design—the art of assembling linkages and joints to create machines with prescribed motion—is one ...

Feb 17, 2026 in Engineering
Tech Xplore / Converting human urine into clean energy: Researchers optimize the process

Researchers at McGill University have improved the efficiency of a method for converting human urine into clean energy. The method employs microbial fuel cells (MFCs), which use bacteria to turn organic waste into electricity, ...

Feb 17, 2026 in Energy & Green Tech
Tech Xplore / Compressorless hydrogen turbine runs 303 seconds, beating NASA's 250-second record

Researchers at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have set a record runtime with a new compressorless gas turbine. The burner, featuring a revolutionary pressure-gain combustion technology, operated for 303 seconds. ...

Feb 17, 2026 in Energy & Green Tech
Tech Xplore / Fiber batteries promise 'smart clothing,' but two obstacles stand in the way

Fiber batteries are an emerging technology which could one day be used to create smart clothing with a wide array of functions, from charging electronic devices to acting as wearable controllers. However, a new study finds ...

Tech Xplore / Cost of copper must rise substantially to meet basic copper needs

The price of copper must at least double in order to spur the development of new copper mines to meet the world's growing demand for the metal, according to a team led by a University of Michigan researcher. The team led ...

Feb 17, 2026 in Energy & Green Tech
Tech Xplore / Magnetic gear reconfigures the Yagi-Uda antenna for future 6G developments

As researchers around the world race toward the realization of 6G wireless communication systems, the need for antennas that can dynamically adapt to ever-changing signal environments has never been greater. A key requirement ...

Feb 17, 2026 in Telecom
Tech Xplore / AI 'arms race' risks human extinction, warns top computing expert

Tech CEOs are locked in an artificial intelligence "arms race" that risks wiping out humanity, top computer science researcher Stuart Russell told AFP on Tuesday, calling for governments to pull the brakes.

Feb 17, 2026 in Machine learning & AI