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New topological insulator can reroute photonic ‘traffic’ on the fly
Abstract background with circuit.

New topological insulator can reroute photonic ‘traffic’ on the fly

Penn researchers, who first discovered topological insulators in 2005, have shown, for the first time, a way for a topological insulator to make use of its entire footprint without wasted space throughout the material’s interior.

Penn Today Staff

Making waves with metamaterials
a round disk making a slow-motion wave over a field of small metal balls

A wave propagating across the researchers’ mechanical metamaterial at 6,000 frames per second. (Image: Penn Engineering)

Making waves with metamaterials

Penn engineers are using a custom mechanical metamaterial, an artificial structure with properties that are defined by its geometry instead of its composition, to study how non-linear waves move in a soft, 2D system to better understand how mechanical metamaterials could be used in the future.

Penn Today Staff

A new bone-like metal foam can ‘heal’ at room temperature
a microscopic view of bone metal

A new bone-like metal foam can ‘heal’ at room temperature

Penn Engineers have developed a way to repair metal at room temperature, rather than welding. They call their technique “healing” because of its similarity to the way bones heal, recruiting raw material and energy from an external source.

Penn Today Staff

Solving complex problems with purpose
angelica padilla working in a lab on a crowded optics table looking at a computer

Solving complex problems with purpose

Senior Angelica Padilla, who recently completed research through the Laboratory for Research on the Structure of Matter undergraduate summer program, shares her passion for fluid mechanics.

Erica K. Brockmeier

Blinking eye-on-a-chip used for disease modeling and drug testing
The Huh lab’s eye-on-a-chip attached to a motorized, gelatin-based eyelid.

The Huh lab’s eye-on-a-chip attached to a motorized, gelatin-based eyelid. (Image: Penn Engineering)

Blinking eye-on-a-chip used for disease modeling and drug testing

Penn Engineering’s Dan Huh and Jeongyun Seo built an eye model that could imitate a healthy eye and an eye with dry eye disease, allowing them to test an experimental drug without risk of human harm.

Penn Today Staff

Iron Man: The engineer who became a superhero
Film still of Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man character standing at a work table full of tools trying on a robotic-looking arm.
  • Q&A

    • Iron Man: The engineer who became a superhero

    A Q&A with Marc Miskin and James Pikul about the real-world tech and practical limitations that underly Tony Stark’s superpowered suit.

    Erica K. Brockmeier

    ‘Why not fly over it?’ Uber picks New Jersey firms in ambitious bid to beat traffic congestion

    ‘Why not fly over it?’ Uber picks New Jersey firms in ambitious bid to beat traffic congestion

    Rahul Mangharam of the School of Engineering and Applied Science commented on Uber’s new air taxi venture. “It’s going to be a very congested sky,” he said. “You want to make sure that each flight plan is safe by design, and that even if they do mess up for some reason, they have a fallback option.”

    Remembering the past while looking forward
    lunar landing boot print

    Buzz Aldrin’s boot print from the Apollo 11 mission, one of the first steps taken on the Moon. Neil Armstrong and Aldrin walked on the Moon on July 20, 1969. (Photo: NASA)

    Remembering the past while looking forward

    As the nation celebrates the Apollo 11 mission, a look at Penn’s connection to the historic event and how the Moon impacts science, politics, and culture.

    Erica K. Brockmeier

    ‘Robotic blood’ powers and propels synthetic lionfish
    A robotic lionfish in an aquarium

    The “blood” in the darker areas serves as both a battery and a hydraulic fluid that moves the robotic lionfish’s fins and tail. This kind of double-duty can make for more efficient robots. (Image: Penn Engineering)

    ‘Robotic blood’ powers and propels synthetic lionfish

    Combining different functional components that are normally compartmentalized can lead to both powerful and lightweight future robots. A new paper by James Pikul highlights the success of a robotic lionfish that combines energy storage and movement through the use of a hydraulic liquid referred to as “robotic blood.”

    Penn Today Staff

    This freaky robotic fish is powered by ‘blood’

    This freaky robotic fish is powered by ‘blood’

    James Pikul of the School of Engineering and Applied Science co-authored a study in which researchers developed a soft, robotic lionfish powered by a blood-like compound. “This robot blood is our first demonstration of storing energy in a fluid that is normally only used for actuation,” he said.