EPFL

Flapping-wing drones may be more agile and energy-efficient than their fixed-wing counterparts, but most of them still can't loiter in one spot. A new model addresses that limitation by using a claw mechanism to perch in a bird-like fashion.

Electrical spinal stimulation can help paralyzed people walk again. In a promising new clinical trial, scientists have identified the specific neurons being stimulated, and found that patients can still walk even after the implant was turned off.

Imagine if someone such as a stranded mountain climber needed food, but could initially only be reached by drone. Scientists have developed a proof-of-concept system of getting that food to them, in the form of a drone with edible wings.

Surgeons are increasingly turning to less-invasive techniques, such as utilizing long, thin needles – instead of scalpels – to access targets within the body. A new needle, with a steerable tip, could make such procedures faster and easier.

It's easy to think of shipping containers as simple metal boxes, that can't be improved. The Unit One container, however, is claimed to be lighter, stronger and more energy-efficient than others, plus it uses multiple sensors to monitor its cargo.

Scientists have demonstrated a technique to allow quantum computers to store more information in photons of light. The team encoded eight levels of data into photons and read it back easily, representing an exponential leap over previous systems.

Engineers at EPFL have inserted carbon nanotubes into photosynthetic bacteria, greatly improving their electrical output. They even pass these nanotubes down to their offspring when they divide, through what the team calls “inherited nanobionics.”

Researchers at EPFL have discovered a material that seems to be able to “remember” all of its past encounters with stimuli, such as electrical currents. The compound could come in handy for better data storage and processing.

It’s unsurprising but unfortunate that as we get older, our capacity to learn new skills diminishes. A new study by researchers at EPFL has found that non-invasive electrical brain stimulation can help older adults learn new motor skills much faster.

Plastics are tough, which is great when in use but not so good in the environment. Scientists have developed a new PET-like plastic derived from waste plant matter that can be chemically recycled or degrade into harmless sugars in the environment.

Researchers at EPFL have found that an existing drug used to treat cancer, among other things, also seems to improve memory. Intriguingly, tests in mice show that the drug works by switching on genes associated with brain plasticity.

Researchers at EPFL have demonstrated a light-based 3D-printing method that's about 30 times faster than conventional additive manufacturing, creating objects in 20 seconds that would normally take more like 10 minutes thanks to photocurable resins.