Important Innovations

New Shape-Changing, Swimming Tiny Robot Source:  Dartmouth College Promises Targeted Drug Delivery in the Body to Fight Cancer Engineers at Dartmouth College and the City University of Hong Kong have invented a tiny, shape-changing, swimming microrobot that can instantly stop and go inside the human body.  Researchers believe this tiny, soft robot can deliver drugs much more accurately in the human body.  It is light- controlled, swims, changes shape and can instantly stop and go on command.  It is cutting edge medicine and robotics. Targeted Medical Therapies to Defeat Cancer The researchers combined cardiac tissue engineering, a 3D printed wing and a light-sensitive gel to produce the soft robot.  Near infra-red light causes it to change shape and stop and go in fluid like the bloodstream.  It is specifically designed to target and destroy cancer cells by accurately delivering medication. Tiny Whale-like Tail The robot is remotely controlled...

Hong Kong Research Has Big Applications - Telecom, Electronics, Aerospace 4D Printed Origami of The Sydney Opera House by CU of Hong Kong  Researchers at the City University of Hong Kong have just achieved a first. They're able to 4D print ceramics in large sizes with high strength and mechanical robustness.  This tech may have very significant use in telecom, electronics and aerospace. Ceramic Ink The scientists developed a unique "ceramic ink".  It's a mix of polymers and ceramic nanoparticles.  They 3D printed with it and the objects created -"ceramic precursors" - are soft and can be stretched 3 times their shape and size. 4D Reconfiguration Being flexible and stretchable allows for complex shapes such as origami folding. The structures are also mechanically robust and strong.  With heat treatment, they reconfigure into ceramics with complex shapes, making them 4D ceramics, like the (above) image of their Sydney Opera House. The rese...