Engineering, manufacturing and construction

Researchers have developed a new molecule magnet design that would bring high-density, nanoscale data storage into the realm of possibility.

Scientists have created high-performance membranes that separate gases efficiently, opening the door to lower energy consumption in the petrochemical industry.

Stephen Hawking, the most famous scientist in the world, had a lot to say during his life about topics other than the Big Bang and black holes. Here’s a roundup of the British physicist’s views on everything from aliens to the greatest mystery of all time.

Scientists show that tiny, nano-engineered capsules relieve pain up to 20 times longer than a standard injection, and with no side effects.

New research highlights the challenges faced by European capital goods manufacturers in their transition toward service-oriented business models.

A new mathematical framework taking into account ‘crosstalk’ and incorporating the impact of players’ interactions in simulations of repeated social dilemmas could help better analyse cooperation dynamics within a population.

Scientists report radiation reaction when an electron beam travelling close to the speed of light collides with a high-intensity laser

With the growing global demand for sustainable and energy-saving products and processes, biosurfactants have come under the spotlight in recent years. A new study reviews their use in biotechnology applications, focusing on microorganisms in cold habitats.

Artificial intelligence (AI) could be exploited by rogue states, terrorists and criminals, unless humanity is better prepared to defend itself against its potential malicious use, experts warn.

A team of researchers has developed the first-ever magnet-sensitive electronics that can track body movements, opening up exciting prospects for a wide range of industries.

An ERC Proof of Concept grant is enabling Aalto University to work on a novel concept for a tunnelling accelerometer using graphene’s unique properties. If successful, the project could appeal to industries producing high-precision applications.

Position sensors in the automotive sector represent a market of almost USD 4 billion. Graphene-enhanced ink formulations developed under the GRAPHENESENS project could soon cut their production cost by 45 % whilst increasing their lifetime.

Taking us another step closer to the computers of the future, scientists show that the transfer of quantum information from an electron spin to a photon is possible in a silicon quantum chip.

Due to its distinctive properties graphene has been held out as a game-changing material for a range of industries and applications. The Graphene Flagship initiative was set up as Europe’s biggest ever multi-stakeholder research initiative, to quite literally shape the future of the technology.

District heating based on renewable energy sources is becoming a preferred energy saving solution. One of the biggest challenges, however, is convincing property owners of the long-term value of retrofitting buildings to accommodate this smart solution.

The annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) has been taking place this week in Las Vegas, showcasing all kinds of weird and wonderful, conceptual and practical technology. Whilst much focus has been on new gadgets for consumer use, other, more far-reaching technological developments, such as advances in quantum computing, have also been trending.

Expanding the zeolite ‘window of flexibility’ offers materials science more control over the design and designation of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) for their catalytic properties, introducing new applications.

Perovskite solar cells are cheap to produce and simple to manufacture. Improving their efficiency, as one EU-backed project has just done, makes them an ever-more compelling alternative source of energy.

If wearable electronics are to become commonplace, a breakthrough is required which allows them to be washable, stretchable and breathable. Using conventional inkjet techniques which are cheap, safe and environmentally friendly, researchers recently reported the successful printing of 2D material, creating integrated electronic circuits, directly onto fabrics.

With the release of the next film in the epic ‘Star Wars’ series, one academic has shone a light on the research being undertaken by three EU-funded projects, taking inspiration from that Galaxy far, far away, beloved by millions.

New study shows nanostructures on the surface of flower petals cause light particles to scatter, giving the flower what researchers have called a ‘blue halo’.

An EU-funded project working with ultrafast optics, furthers control over the spatial-temporal quantum states of light, advancing quantum information science.

Before it can take over our streets and homes, OLED lighting needs to be made more accessible. The SOLEDLIGHT project has developed novel multilayer OLEDs thanks to a new process that promises to increase production efficiency by 20 %, thereby reducing its cost.

Turkey faces a wider range of temperatures from hot summer days to very cold nights, which means it has both substantial heating and cooling needs for its building stock. Energy efficiency measures need to be earthquake resistant as the country lies one of the world’s most seismic zones.

A consistent trend across the tech sector is the one-upmanship of increasingly high screen resolution and larger display size. Yet, the fact that the former increases faster than the latter means that manufacturers must achieve ever-higher pixel density. Large OLED microdisplays developed under the LOMID project could help solve that problem, thereby providing Europe with a competitive edge.