ENGGtalks Newsroom

17 Mar 23

3D Bioprinter Prints Tissue in Situ

Biotechnology & Biomedical

Bioprinting is the use of 3D printing techniques to fabricate tissues out of biomaterials. It is mainly used to create human tissue for research and for drug testing in vitro. When used to create a body part intended for implantation in a patient, the part must first be printed with…

17 Mar 23

What Is Tesla’s Mystery Magnet?

Civil, Structural & Architecture

Tesla’s investor day on 1 March began with a rambling, detailed discourse on energy and the environment before transitioning into a series of mostly predictable announcements and boasts. And then, out of nowhere, came an absolute bombshell: “We have designed our next drive unit, which uses a permanent-magnet motor, to…

17 Mar 23

The Gallery: Rome’s World Expo bid aims for solar utopia

Geotechnical & Environmental

Expo 2030 Roma would take place in Tor Vergata, a vast area in the Italian capital that, although being home to one of the country’s leading academic hubs as well as residential buildings, has experienced neglect in recent decades. The plan aims to reverse that decline through sustainable, long-term development…

16 Mar 23

Humans (Mostly) Love Trash Robots

Electrical, Electronics & Instrumentation, Mechanical, Production & Manufacturing

My favorite approach to human-robot interaction is minimalism. I’ve met a lot of robots, and some of the ones that have most effectively captured my heart are those that express themselves through their fundamental simplicity and purity of purpose. What’s great about simple, purpose-driven robots is that they encourage humans…

16 Mar 23

‘Cosmic concrete’ developed, twice as strong as regular concrete

Geotechnical & Environmental

The scientists behind the invention used simulated Martian soil mixed with potato starch and a pinch of salt to create the material, which is twice as strong as ordinary concrete and is perfectly suited for construction work in extra-terrestrial environments. Building infrastructure in space is currently prohibitively expensive and difficult…

16 Mar 23

Small Modular Reactors: Capital Funding, Financing & Economic Viability

Electrical, Electronics & Instrumentation

New nuclear looks different, which requires new types of financing. New investment and partnerships are seemingly occurring every day across the industry, including SK Group’s $250million investment into Terrapower, and X-energy’s partnership with Dow Chemical.What can be done to encourage financial investment and improve the economic viability and the ROI…

16 Mar 23

Zipline Adds Rappelling Droid to Delivery Drones

Electrical, Electronics & Instrumentation, Mechanical, Production & Manufacturing

This morning, drone-delivery company Zipline announced a new drone-delivery system offering nearly silent, precise delivery that’s intended to expand the company’s capabilities into home delivery. This requires a much different approach from what Zipline has been doing for the past eight years. In order to make home deliveries that are…

15 Mar 23

Placement of electric vehicle chargers could minimise energy grid stress

Electrical, Electronics & Instrumentation, Mechanical, Production & Manufacturing

Most national plans to combat climate change include increasing the electrification of vehicles and the percentage of electricity generated from renewable sources. But some projections show that these trends might require costly new power plants to meet peak loads in the evening when cars are plugged in after the workday.…

15 Mar 23

Artificial Leaf Draws Power From Wind and Raindrops

Electrical, Electronics & Instrumentation

This article is part of our exclusive IEEE Journal Watch series in partnership with IEEE Xplore.When it comes to harvesting energy from water or wind, the first thought that comes to mind is likely a massive hydro dam or wind farm. But think smaller. Researchers in Italy have developed an…

15 Mar 23

UK will avoid a ‘technical recession’ in 2023, chancellor says

Electrical, Electronics & Instrumentation, Mechanical, Production & Manufacturing

In his first full speech to Parliament, chancellor Jeremy Hunt said that the UK has "proved the doubters wrong" and confirmed that the country will not enter a technical recession in 2023. Announcing the Spring Budget, Hunt stressed predictions that inflation rates will fall from their 10.7 per cent high,…