This technology is perfectly suited to the spike plates in bobsleigh, which, until now, was essentially off-the-shelf. 3D printing opens up entirely new possibilities. Performance factors such as geometry – where exactly the spikes placed, the number of struts and teeth, and the weight can be efficiently varied. The spike plates can be printed quickly and inexpensively, tested by athletes until the optimal result is achieved. There is no longer a standard; the efficiency of the process allows for the production of individual plates for each athlete. The ongoing optimisations are expected to be completed by the 2026 Winter Olympics. The experts are also targeting the stiffness of the plates and, consequently, the shoes because not every athlete performs best with the same shoe stiffness.
Another milestone in this journey was reached this year. Various materials for 3D printing are now available for the spikes, tested by athletes. The use of special construction software is also new. It is utilised to optimise components for vehicles as well as equipment for BMW Group production systems in terms of weight and stiffness. This software also aids engineers at the BMW Group in designing the spike plates. It allows for the rapid, automated, and, above all, individually tailored creation of the respective 3D print data. The preferred parameters of each athlete – such as geometry, stiffness, number, and shape of spikes – are automatically incorporated into the design and adapted to the individual plates, based on 3D scans of the athletes’ shoes. This algorithmic design process results in significant time savings and maximum variability.
Engineers at MIT, Penn State University, and Carnegie Mellon University have devised a way to manipulate cells in three dimensions using sound waves. These “acoustic tweezers” could make possible 3D printing of cell structures for tissue engineering and other applications, the researchers say.
Designing tissue implants that can be used to treat human disease requires precisely recreating the natural tissue architecture, but so far it has proven difficult to develop a single method that can achieve that while keeping cells viable and functional.
“The results presented in this paper provide a unique pathway to manipulate biological cells accurately and in three dimensions, without the need for any invasive contact, tagging, or biochemical labeling,” says Subra Suresh, president of Carnegie Mellon and former dean of engineering at MIT. “This approach could lead to new possibilities for research and applications in such areas as regenerative medicine, neuroscience, tissue engineering, biomanufacturing, and cancer metastasis.”
Architecture practice Studio RAP has combined algorithmic design and 3D printing to create a pair of archways informed by Delft Blue porcelain at the PoortMeesters housing in the Netherlands.
Named New Delft Blue, the archways were designed to frame entrances to a courtyard garden at the centre of the housing development in Delft designed by The Hague-based VY Architects.
They were constructed using 3,000 unique tiles that were 3D-printed and arranged in a pattern determined by an algorithm created by Studio RAP.
NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has successfully bounced a laser off of India’s Vikram lander, which successfully touched down on the Moon’s surface in August.
The LRO’s laser altimeter aimed its sights at Vikram in December, shooting it with a series of laser pulses. Vikram’s 2-inch-wide retroreflector, which comes courtesy of NASA, bounced these signals right back, with scientists confirming the first-of-its-kind “ping” moments later.
The feat could revolutionize the way we locate objects and determine their exact locations on the Moon’s surface from vast distances using a surprisingly low-tech solution.
Booyah, fellow interneters. In this episode Tesla Optimus gets an upgrade to generation 2. Droids get used to voice commands, robot dogs go sprinting, and of course where would we be without the neuromorphic cyborg supercomputer with human brain cells. This and more right here, right now! I’m Nick, let’s kick it!\ \ It is with the warmest feeling in our hearts that we thank you for staying with us. Your support and loyalty light up our path like Christmas lights. We also wish you ringing laughter, sincere gettogethers, warm embraces, unexpected surprises and bright, unforgettable moments. And to kick off these moments we are announcing a contest which will be held on December 26\ 🎄✨ https://youtube.com/live/8rRhlyyfrSI?…\ \ 0:00 beginning\ 0:32 Merry Christmas\ 1:24 Tesla news: new robot and Cybertruck\ 4:09 The Digit robot understands humans\ 5:07 The H1 humanoid robot is already on sale\ 6:11 Robots work, not humans\ 6:38 Four-legged robot mule\ 7:39 The fastest four-legged robot\ 8:34 The world’s first neuromorphic supercomputer\ 9:51 Сyborg computer with a living organoid brain\ 11:20 3D printing organs inside the body\ 12:25 Robots conduct experiments and create medicines \ 13:11 OpenAI creates a defense against superintelligent AI\ 14:35 ESA’s mission to Mars\ \ 🚀 Dive into the latest Tesla breakthroughs as we explore the new Optimus robot’s unique features and the eagerly awaited Cybertruck updates. Discover what sets Optimus apart from its counterparts, and join us as we analyze Morgan Stanley’s market predictions. Is it all just media hype, or is Tesla truly reshaping the future of technology? Let’s find out!\ \ Optimus Unleashed: Get the lowdown on how Tesla’s robot is becoming more human-like with improved agility, sensitivity, and design, mimicking the sleek style of a Model S.\ Cybertruck’s Debut: From its industrial aesthetics to Elon Musk’s quirky sense of humor, learn how the Cybertruck is more than just a vehicle—it’s a statement!\ Market Movements: Delve into Morgan Stanley’s explosive predictions for Tesla’s stock and discuss how AI and robotics could revolutionize the global labor market.\ Digit Speaks: Discover how the humanoid robot from Agility Robotics understands natural language, and ponder over the future of human-robot interaction.\ Unitree’s H1 Bot: A deep dive into the capabilities of this humanoid robot, set to revolutionize various industries with its advanced features and modularity.\ ANYmal in Action: Explore how this autonomous robot is taking over industrial inspections and what it means for the future of human labor.\ Barry the Robot Mule: Uncover the versatility of this pack robot and how it’s set to assist in construction, rescue missions, and more.\ Speedy HOUND: Meet the fastest four-legged robot that’s breaking records and setting new standards in robotics.\ DeepSouth — The Supercomputer: Learn about the world’s first neuromorphic supercomputer and its potential to unlock new horizons in AI.\ Ethical Tech Frontiers: From organ printing to cyborg computers, join us as we discuss the latest advancements and the ethical dilemmas they bring.\ Automating Science: Find out how XtalPi and ABB Robotics are transforming biochemistry labs with GoFa cobots.\ OpenAI’s Vigilance: Understand OpenAI’s strategy in defending against superintelligent AI threats and what it means for the future of technology.\ ESA’s Mars Mission: Gear up for the European Space Agency’s ambitious mission to Mars with the Rosalind Franklin rover and its quest to uncover signs of life.\ \ In this video, we’ll be discussing the evolution of ChatGPT to GPT5 | A new era of AI or the end of humanity? | Tech News | Pro Robots.\ \ chatGPT has long been a popular chatbot platform for businesses and organizations. Recently, the company has released a new platform called GPT5 which is claimed to be more advanced and robust than previous versions of the chatbot platform. In this video, we’ll be discussing the pros and cons of GPT5 and how it may change the future of AI. So whether you’re a robot lover or fearing for the future of humanity, be sure to check out this video and let us know what you think!\ \ #prorobots #ai #artificialintelligence #technology2021 #technologyfuture #Tesla, #OptimusRobot, #Cybertruck, #AI, #Robotics, #TechnologyUpdates
MIT researchers have used 3D printing to produce self-heating microfluidic devices, demonstrating a technique which could someday be used to rapidly create cheap, yet accurate, tools to detect a host of diseases.
Microfluidics, miniaturized machines that manipulate fluids and facilitate chemical reactions, can be used to detect disease in tiny samples of blood or fluids. At-home test kits for COVID-19, for example, incorporate a simple type of microfluidic.
But many microfluidic applications require chemical reactions that must be performed at specific temperatures. These more complex microfluidic devices, which are typically manufactured in a clean room, are outfitted with heating elements made from gold or platinum using a complicated and expensive fabrication process that is difficult to scale up.
Using 3D printing and porous silicon, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed compact, visible wavelength achromats that are essential for miniaturized and lightweight optics. These high-performance hybrid micro-optics achieve high focusing efficiencies, while minimizing volume and thickness. Further, these microlenses can be constructed into arrays to form larger area images for achromatic light-field imagers and displays.
This study was led by materials science and engineering professors Paul Braun and David Cahill, electrical and computer engineering professor Lynford Goddard and former graduate student Corey Richards. The results of this research were published in Nature Communications.
“We developed a way to create structures exhibiting the functionalities of classical compound optics but in highly miniaturized thin from, via non-traditional fabrication approaches,” says Braun.
Researchers from EPFL have resolved a long-standing debate surrounding laser additive manufacturing processes with a pioneering approach to defect detection.
The progression of laser additive manufacturing —which involves 3D printing of metallic objects using powders and lasers—has often been hindered by unexpected defects. Traditional monitoring methods, such as thermal imaging and machine learning algorithms, have shown significant limitations. They often either overlook defects or misinterpret them, making precision manufacturing elusive and barring the technique from essential industries like aeronautics and automotive manufacturing.
But what if it were possible to detect defects in real-time based on the differences in the sound the printer makes during a flawless print and one with irregularities? Up until now, the prospect of detecting these defects this way was deemed unreliable. However, researchers at the Laboratory of Thermomechanical Metallurgy (LMTM) at EPFL’s School of Engineering have successfully challenged this assumption.
