Research & Development World

Designing irregular structures often means wrestling with huge systems of equations. Princeton engineers have found a shortcut, using a mathematical bridge between origami and tensegrity to preserve known mechanical properties as a structure shifts into a more complex shape. Tensegrity is a structural principle where a continuous network of tension (cables or strings) and a…

Automated liquid dispensing machines must deliver high precision, repeatable performance, and compact design to function effectively in laboratory environments. A crucial factor in meeting these requirements is the electric drive system that powers the movement of the pipetting head. Sandro Walter, maxon’s Business Development Manager for Laboratory Automation, outlines the essential engineering considerations behind these…

Since AlphaFold 2 cracked protein-structure prediction in 2020 and 2021, a growing ecosystem of biomolecular models has followed, including Boltz, Chai, OpenFold and Protenix. Yet commercial access remains uneven. AlphaFold 3, launched in 2024, broadened the field from protein folding to biomolecular interactions, while its public server remains off-limits for commercial use. DeepMind’s commercial engine…

Researchers have developed molecular quantum nanosensors (MoQNs) designed to operate in the cytoplasm and nuclei of living cancer cells to map radical-generation processes and thermal dynamics that are linked to cancer-associated cellular physiology.  The sensors use molecular-level uniformity to achieve a threefold enhancement in spectral resolution and superior thermometric specificity. The platform enables absolute temperature…

The Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy and the National Reactor Innovation Center have announced the first selections for the Nuclear Energy Launch Pad. Deployable Energy, General Matter, NuCube Energy and Radiant Industries were selected from an initial pool of Reactor Pilot Program and Fuel Line Pilot Program applicants, the two precursor programs to…

NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover found organic molecules that have never been seen before on Mars. A rock that the rover drilled and analyzed in 2020 includes the most diverse collection of organic molecules ever found on Mars, NASA announced last week. Of the 21 carbon-containing molecules identified in the sample, seven of them had never…

How facility design, containment, and cleaning validation decisions determine commercial yield and time-to-market. Scaling spray drying from lab success to commercial production is one of the most complex transitions in pharmaceutical manufacturing. While early-stage results may appear promising, many organizations underestimate how facility design, safety systems, and day-to-day operations affect performance at scale. These oversights…

SK Telecom said on June 1 that it has put SK hynix’s semiconductor fabs into a digital twin built on NVIDIA Omniverse libraries, with commercialization to follow in stages under SK hynix’s “Autonomous Fab 2030” roadmap. SK hynix’s news is part of a trend involving Omniverse-based fab twins. SK hynix and SKT first surfaced the…

Axiom Space and Prada unveiled the Liquid Cooling and Ventilation Garment (LCVG), the inner layer of the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU), this week. The garment was designed for NASA’s Artemis IV, which is scheduled to land on the moon in 2028.  “By bringing together the best in both aerospace engineering as well as luxury…