Background Under-actuated compliant systems have grown in prevalence in recent years in the soft robotics area. The coupled stiffness and damping characteristics of system structure and materials of these systems enable robotic systems for tasks including locomotion and gripping. Legged robots in particular exhibit superior maneuverability in intricate...

Background Understanding the mechanical properties of biologically relevant soft materials is increasingly important for developing a comprehensive knowledge of the underlying injury mechanism and emerging biomedical applications such as tissue regeneration, and shockwave lithotripsy. Soft materials, which are composed of a variety of substances such...

Background In laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) additive manufacturing, 20–30% of metal powder feedstock becomes unusable after multiple cycles of sieving and reclaiming. This is due to deviations in particle size and geometry, which can lead to build defects and failures. These out-of-spec powders are typically stored, creating logistical, cost,...

Background The construction industry is facing the dual challenges of enhancing sustainability while addressing environmental safety concerns. One promising approach to achieving both goals is the utilization of mine tailings as a raw material in construction. Mine tailings, the residual byproducts of mining operations, are abundant and pose significant...

Background Piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs) are technical drawings used to operate and maintain process systems. P&IDs are typically used to identify components and quantities needed for ongoing projects, and to understand the layout and operation of the process system with completed projects. The information provided from P&IDs...

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies have revolutionized genomics research because they enable faster, cheaper and accurate decoding of nucleotide sequences. This has resulted in breakthroughs in diagnostics, disease risk assessment, personalized medicines, screening and more. However, despite all the NGS-related advancements that have been...

Background Vat photopolymerization (VPP) is used often in 3D printing for its ability to achieve high precision, excellent surface finish, and its capability to create complex structures with minimal support needs. Applications requiring high fidelity are best suited with the VPP process. However, two main challenges persist in the current VPP process....

Supply chains provide a network describing how resources move from a source to delivery for consumption by the end user. Supply chains also involve the components involved in production and transportation of the commodities being moved in the supply chain. There is a need for modeling links in a supply chain to estimate supply and demand and to ensure...

Background Utility pipes are a crucial component of public health and safety infrastructure, and it is critical to conduct regular inspections to ensure functionality. Currently, most pipes are inspected by human operators, which can pose safety concerns as well as inaccuracy and limited accessibility. As an alternative, in-pipe robots are increasingly...

­Background Electrolytic reduction of metal carbonates in molten salts at elevated temperatures have attracted attention over the past decade as a new way of producing various materials such as carbon materials and metal oxides. These carbon materials can be in various forms including carbon nanotubes, nanofibers, aggregates, amorphous carbon,...