Mechanical engineering

New tool for analyzing solar-cell materialsWebsite offers a way of optimizing solar cell materials and production.

How spider webs achieve their strengthIt’s not just the strength of the silk itself, a new study finds; the silk’s way of stretching and the structure of the whole web help it resist damage.

Here comes the sunA new sunflower-inspired pattern increases concentrated solar efficiency.

Up, down and all aroundOne MIT senior traveled the planet’s most remote areas before landing at the Institute, where he now works on engineering better thermoelectric devices.

Kaitlyn Nealon named to Capital One Academic All-America Women's Soccer TeamSophomore defender becomes fourth player in the history of the women's soccer program to earn honor.

The new NSE strategyStrengthens core, opens boundaries; seeks better integration of technical and societal issues.

Living cells say: Can you hear me now?Researchers find that cells’ chemical signaling includes a way to tell whether signals are being received or not.

Helping robots hold onMIT researchers design a ‘controllable adhesion system’ for underwater robots.

Going with the flowBiomimetic pressure sensors help guide oceangoing vessels.

Navigating blindfoldedAdvanced mathematical techniques enable AUVs to survey large, complex and cluttered seascapes.

AUVs: From idea to implementationOne day, researchers predict, these robots will be able to do tasks without a human in the loop.

Highly efficient oxygen catalyst foundNew catalyst, made of inexpensive and abundant materials, could prove useful in rechargeable batteries and hydrogen-fuel production.

Where the wind blowsHow far can wind power go toward reducing global carbon emissions from electricity production?

A new approach to solar powerHybrid solar-thermoelectric systems could provide advantages over conventional solar cells or solar thermal plants.

Tiny stamps for tiny sensorsNew glass stamp may make cheaper, more precise biosensors.

Bristly particles could be boon for powerplantsMulti-scale material may have applications in heat transfer, potentially helping powerplants be more efficient.

Smooth sailing for Alicia Lenis, LGO ’13A Q&A on how the shipping industry is timely and exciting.

American made?MIT forum examines the role of manufacturing in rebuilding the economy.

Printing off the paperMIT research continues to push the boundaries of the burgeoning technology of 3-D printing.

Shake, rattle and … power up?A new MEMS device generates energy from small vibrations.

‘I speak MISTI’MIT program sends students abroad for experiences tailor-made for their academic and professional interests.

Undergraduate energy research ‘fueled’ by team approach

Stopping arthritis before it startsA commonly used drug may prevent osteoarthritis in people who suffer severe joint injuries.

In the World: Design summit’s inventions find willing buyersDevices to improve lives in developing countries are so appealing that even the initial prototypes attract buyers.

Disease-causing tangle could spawn new materialsAmyloids, associated with Alzheimer’s and other diseases, could be inspiration for tough synthetic polymers.

How to make solar power 24/7MIT team designs concentrated solar thermal system that could store heat in vats of molten salts, supplying constant power.

Research update: Improving batteries’ energy storageNew method allows a dramatic boost in capacity for a given weight.

Inside the innards of a nuclear reactorTiny robots may monitor underground pipes for radioactive leaks.

Pedro Reis, of CEE and MechE, attends NAE's Japan-America Frontiers of Engineering Symposium