Microbots individually controlled using 'mini force fields'

Researchers are using a technology likened to "mini force fields" to independently control individual microrobots operating within groups, an advance aimed at using the tiny machines in areas including manufacturing and medicine.

Research show mechanism behind wear at the atomic scale

(Phys.org)—Wear is a fact of life. As surfaces rub against one another, they break down and lose their original shape. With less material to start with and functionality that often depends critically on shape and surface ...

A molecular machine's secret weapon exposed

RNAs are having a moment. The foundation of COVID-19 vaccines, they've made their way from biochemistry textbooks into popular magazines and everyday discussions. Entire companies have been launched that are dedicated to ...

Study: Machine learning a useful tool for quantum control

In the everyday world, we can perform measurements with nearly unlimited precision. But in the quantum world—the realm of atoms, electrons, photons, and other tiny particles—this becomes much harder. Every measurement ...

Scientists lay out why some origami won't fold under pressure

Scientists and engineers are fascinated by self-folding structures. Imagine the possibilities: heart stents that unfold in the right location or pop-up tents that assemble at the press of a button, as well as nanoscale versions ...

Meet the tiny machines in cells that massacre viruses

When viruses infect the body's cells, those cells face a difficult problem. How can they destroy viruses without harming themselves? Scientists at University of Utah Health have found an answer by visualizing a tiny cellular ...

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