National University of Singapore

Tiny drops of water might not seem like powerhouse energy producers, but a new method shows how simple tubes might be able to turn falling rain into an energy source. In tests, the method was able to power up 12 LED lights.

Scientists have devised a method of using fish scales to convey encrypted messages. Not only would the technology divert seafood industry waste from landfills, it should also be less costly than existing options such as special inks.

There are many situations in which blind people don't necessarily have to see what they're holding, they just need it described to them. An experimental new wearable device, known as AiSee, is designed to do that very thing.

In recent years, we've seen wood used in the construction of traditionally non-wooden things like transistors, bicycles and drones. Now, scientists have used the stuff to create a robotic gripper … which definitely has its selling points.

If slips, trips and falls tend to occur in one area of an outdoor workplace, employers ought to know about it, so they can address the problem. A new "smart" insole is designed to provide that information, in case workers forget or don't bother.

Ordinarily, we associate mouthguards with sports such as boxing and football. An experimental new one, however, could allow people who lack the use of their hands to control electronic devices – and it would do so by tracking their bite patterns.

There are now a number of materials designed to give robots or prostheses a sense of touch. And while most of them are thin and skin-like, a new alternative takes the form of a spongey foam – and it combines several desirable qualities.

Researchers at the National University of Singapore have put forward a new formula for stronger concrete that not only removes a large amount of damaging materials from the equation, but makes use of upcycled waste clay at the same time.

Previously, scientists at the National University of Singapore have produced aerogels made from scrapped car tires and pineapple leaves, and now they're showing off a new version that is produced from upcycled metal waste.

In many parts of the world there may not be much precipitation, but there is a fair amount of water vapor in the air – particularly at night. An experimental new device draws in that vapor, then uses it to irrigate edible plants.

Opening a window may help ventilate a room, but it also lets in a lot of outdoor noise such as that of traffic. A new window could help, as it's said to bring in more fresh air than a conventional open window, while still keeping out unwanted sounds.

While there are now many appliances that can be controlled via the internet, each one of those has to incorporate Internet of Things (IoT) electronics. Engineers have now created a system that moves those electronics to the home's wall outlets.