Battery-free folding robots

 The traditional Japanese art of origami transforms a simple sheet of paper into complex, three-dimensional shapes through a very specific pattern of folds, creases, and crimps. Folding robots based on that principle have emerged as an exciting new frontier of robotic design, but generally require onboard batteries or a wired connection to a power source, making them Read more about Battery-free folding robots[…]

Ultralight web of silk nano fibers withstands load 4,000 times its weight

Researchers at Tufts University’s School of Engineering have developed a new bioinspired technique that transforms silk protein into complex materials that are easily programmable at the nano-, micro- and macro-scales as well as ultralight and robust. Among the varied structures generated was a web of silk nano fibers  able to withstand a load 4,000 times Read more about Ultralight web of silk nano fibers withstands load 4,000 times its weight[…]