Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Stuttgart, Germany developed a single-cell green microalgae coated with magnetic material. This miniature robot was put to the test: would the microalgae with its magnetic coating be able to swim through narrow spaces and, additionally, in a viscous fluid that mimics those found in the human body? Would the tiny robot be able to fight its way through these difficult conditions? The team's research has now been published in the journal Matter.

MIT engineers developed a method to grow artificial muscle tissue that twitches and flexes in multiple, coordinated directions. These tissues could be useful for building “biohybrid” robots powered by soft, artificially grown muscle fibers.

In the fields of optoelectronic technology and optical information processing, light modulation and control constitute pivotal technologies for achieving efficient optical communication, optical imaging, and sensing systems. Particularly in the terahertz (THz) frequency regime, THz technology has demonstrated broad application prospects in security screening, biomedical imaging, and communication systems due to its unique penetration capabilities and low photon energy. With advancements in micro-nano optics, metasurfaces have garnered significant attention for their ability to manipulate light properties—including phase, amplitude, polarization, and frequency—at subwavelength scales.

A novel type of air conditioning technology that can cool and heat more sustainably and more economically than current commercial systems is being developed in Saarland, Germany. The technology, which makes use of the elastocaloric effect, works without volatile refrigerants, oil or gas. In elastocaloric systems, heat transfer is achieved simply by mechanically deforming thin wires and sheets of nickel-titanium alloy. The research team led by Professors Stefan Seelecke and Paul Motzki from Saarland University is now developing prototype systems for use in vehicles. The aim is to have achieved commercialization within five years. The team will be at the international trade fair Hannover Messe from 31 March to 4 April in Hall 2 (Saarland Innovation Stand B10), where they will be showcasing their prototype elastocaloric refrigerator.