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103 Results for 'Adaptive Material Technologies'
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Technologies 6
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Nanoarchitectures for air purification
Illnesses caused by air pollution are the third-leading cause of death in developing nations, and over 5 million people worldwide die every year from air pollution exposure. Catalytic converters, the most widely used air purification devices, convert the toxic gases and pollutants produced by fuel combustion into benign chemicals before the exhaust is released into... -
Dynamic Daylight Control System
In the U.S. alone, commercial and residential buildings account for more than 40 percent of the total energy consumption – mostly for lighting. What’s more, the deep building layouts that are typical in the U.S. have led to a complete reliance on artificial lighting systems that are less desirable than natural daylight. Many of the... -
Shrilk Biodegradable Plastic
Wyss Institute researchers have developed a fully degradable bioplastic by isolating a material called chitosan found in shrimp shells and forming a laminate with silk fibroin protein that mimics the microarchitecture of natural insect cuticle. The new material, called “Shrilk”, can be used to manufacture objects without the environmental threat posed by conventional synthetic plastics,... -
Phase-Separating Liquid Gated Membranes
Just like pores in living organisms that control the absorption and excretion of fluids, gases and solids in response to their environments, flow-gating membranes have proved very useful for many mechanical systems, such as gas and liquid separators, dialysis machines, or open heart bypass pumps. But conventional approaches to create synthetic “gated pores” within those... -
SLIPS (Slippery Liquid-Infused Porous Surfaces)
The need for an inexpensive, super-repellent surface cuts across a vast swath of societal sectors—from refrigeration and architecture, to medical devices and consumer products. Most state-of-the-art liquid repellent surfaces designed in the last decade are modeled after lotus leaves, which are extremely hydrophobic due to their rough, waxy surface and the physics of their natural... -
4D Printing of Shapeshifting Devices
Organisms, such as flowers and plants, have tissue compositions and microstructures creating dynamic morphologies that can shapeshift in response to changes in their environments. Researchers at the Wyss Institute have mimicked a variety of such dynamic shape changes like those performed by tendrils, leaves, and flowers in response to changes in humidity or temperature with...
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Video/AnimationHow a Harvard Professor Makes Transforming Toys & DesignsHow a Harvard Professor Makes Transforming Toys and Designs was originally published by WIRED on November 29, 2018. This story features Associate Faculty member Chuck Hoberman. The original story can be found here. -
Video/AnimationFLIPS: Ferrofluid-Containing Liquid-Infused Porous SurfacesAs a magnetic field is applied and moved, the ferrofluid component of FLIPS responds dynamically, allowing the surface to be endlessly reconfigured. Credit: Harvard SEAS -
Video/AnimationHumans of the Wyss – Faculty Edition with Katia BertoldiOur new interview series, “Humans of the Wyss – Faculty Edition,” features Wyss Institute faculty members discussing how they think about their work, the influences that help shape them as scientists, and their collaborations at the Wyss Institute and beyond. In the first edition of the series, Lindsay Brownell, Wyss Institute Communications team member, talks... -
Video/AnimationCatalytic Nanoarchitectures for Clean AirThe Wyss Institute is developing a new type of coating for catalytic converters that, inspired by the nanoscale structure of a butterfly’s wing, can dramatically reduce the cost and improve the performance of air purification technologies, making them more accessible to all. Credit: Wyss Institute at Harvard University -
Video/AnimationFouling Marine FoulingMarine fouling occurs when organisms attach themselves to underwater objects like boats, rope, pipes and building structures. Mussels are one of the biggest culprits. Once attached, they are difficult to remove, leading to operational downtime, increased energy use and damage. Paints and coatings are currently used to prevent marine fouling, but are frequently toxin-based and not... -
Video/AnimationHow plant stems grow into different shapesIt is well known that as plants grow, their stems and shoots respond to outside signals like light and gravity. But if plants all have similar stimuli, why are there so many different plant shapes? Using simple mathematical ideas, Harvard University researchers constructed a framework that explains and quantifies the different shapes of plant stems....