Slowing the spread of Covid-19
As cases increased worldwide this spring, mechanical engineers developed solutions to help slow and stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Center for Bits and Atoms
Six MIT faculty elected 2020 AAAS Fellows
Choucri, Drennan, Fisher, Gershenfeld, Li, and Rus are recognized for their efforts to advance science.
Versatile building blocks make structures with surprising mechanical properties
The subunits could be robotically assembled to produce large, complex objects, including cars, robots, or wind turbine blades.
Leveraging a 3D printer “defect” to create a new quasi-textile
Tulle-like DefeXtiles can be 3D printed with no custom software or hardware.
Nature-inspired CRISPR enzymes for expansive genome editing
Applied computational biology discoveries vastly expand the range of CRISPR’s access to DNA sequences.
MIT initiates mass manufacture of disposable face shields for Covid-19 response
A team from MIT has designed disposable face shields that can be mass produced quickly to address hospitals’ needs nationwide.
Transformation by design
Skylar Tibbits makes materials that water, heat, or mechanical forces can alter into new shapes.
Assembler robots make large structures from little pieces
Systems of tiny robots may someday build high-performance structures, from airplanes to space settlements.
MIT and NASA engineers demonstrate a new kind of airplane wing
Assembled from tiny identical pieces, the wing could enable lighter, more energy-efficient aircraft designs.
New 3-D printing approach makes cell-scale lattice structures
System could provide fine-scale meshes for growing highly uniform cultures of cells with desired properties.
New CRISPR tool opens up more of the genome for editing
Enzyme can target almost half of the genome’s “ZIP codes” and could enable editing of many more disease-specific mutations.
Scientists alter membrane proteins to make them easier to study
By making hydrophobic sections water-soluble, researchers hope to learn more about protein structures.
A new twist on airplane wing design
“Morphing” wing could enable more efficient plane manufacturing and flight.
3 Questions: Neil Gershenfeld and the spread of Fab Labs
Ten years after launching Fab Lab, the project’s founder describes the program’s research, global impact.
Making things for fun
From restoring a Volkswagen bus to designing collapsible bridges, Spencer Wilson finds fun in engineering.