Metamaterials

Harvard researchers have come up with a toolkit for constructing metamaterials that flow from one shape and function into another, like very impressive origami.

Researchers at the University of California San Diego claim to have created the world's first microelectronic device that has no semiconductors, instead employing low-power laser optical control to increase its conductivity by more than 1,000 percent.

The tools to overcome problems with wireless charging already exist, according to a new paper that outlines how an LCD-like panel could be used to charge several devices simultaneously from a distance of up to 33 feet.

Engineers at Iowa State University may have gotten one step closer to the ability to make objects invisible with the development of what they are calling a flexible, stretchable and tunable meta-skin that can suppress radar detection.

Researchers in France have designed a low-frequency absorption system using metamaterials that is not only many hundreds of times smaller than standard systems, but is also claimed to totally absorb all incoming sound.

KIT scientists have created what they claim is the world's smallest lattice. Formed with struts and braces measuring less than 10 micrometers in length, the 3D lattice has a total size of less than 10 micrometers, but boasts a higher specific strength than most solids.

Researchers at Duke University have developed a prototype sensor that’s not only able to figure out the direction of a particular sound, but can also extract it from background noise. The disk-shaped device is made of plastic and doesn't have any electronic or moving parts.

BAE Systems and Queen Mary’s School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science in London have come up with a flat lens that works like a conventional curved lens, yet without any reduction in bandwidth performance.

Researchers have developed a device that can be tuned to capture microwave energy from various sources, including satellite, sound or Wi-Fi signals. The researchers say the device converts otherwise lost energy into DC voltage with efficiencies similar to that of current solar cells.

A team of South Korean researchers has developed new window designs containing internal structures that let air through, but keep most disruptive forms of city noise out.

With the calender having rolled over into another year, it's an ideal time to take a look back at some of the most significant and far-reaching breakthroughs that we saw during 2011.

A potentially game-changing property of the exotic man-made substances known as metamaterials could be a breakthrough for telecommunications.