The rise of soft robotics has drastically changed the perception of “robots” from hard metallic monoliths to flexible do-it-all devices with many shapes and form factors. But with that change has come a challenge: because soft robots sense the world differently than humans, they also must be controlled differently. Purdue University researchers are investigating how robots and humans can “share the load” of their operation, so that each can benefit from each other’s strengths.

To 3D-print complex high-resolution nanostructures, you usually need very expensive and powerful lasers. Purdue University researchers have developed a new technique that uses two lasers, reducing the cost and power needed, and helping nano-sized 3D printing find wider use in a variety of applications.

The U.S. housing market is in crisis, due to a lack of affordable housing and a shortage of labor and materials to build them. Purdue University has a solution: NextHouse, an initiative to develop the next generation of factory-built housing.

It’s an age-old dilemma: students afraid to raise their hand or participate in class. Studies show that when participation drops, so do learning outcomes. The solution? An AI student who senses the awkward silence, uses large language models to initiate a question, and helps to break the ice on behalf of human students.

Purdue University’s nationally renowned motorsports engineering program has a new home. Dallara, the largest multinational Italian race car manufacturer, will house Purdue's motorsports program at their U.S. headquarters in Speedway, Indiana, just down the street from the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Purdue University continues its persistent pursuit of semiconductor excellence, by hosting a November 2024 symposium on the reliability of semiconductor packaging.

James Gibert has developed an apparatus to generate and measure gas breakdown during contact electrification — the process responsible for static electricity. Their findings, published in Nature Communications, offer insight into the potential and limitations of this type of electricity when harvested as an energy source for a variety of devices, including e-textiles, wearables, and smart packaging.

As we plan for future interplanetary spaceflight, one major aspect remains untested: refueling in space. That’s because most rocket propellants are cryogenic liquids whose long-term behavior in space is still unknown. Purdue University researchers are collaborating with NASA to study cryogenic liquids in zero gravity, leading to the possibility of propellant depots and refueling spacecraft in orbit.

Kejie Zhao, professor of mechanical engineering, has been selected by Purdue University's Office of the Provost as a University Faculty Scholar.

David Cappelleri, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, has been elected a Fellow of ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers).