Tufts University

It’s straight out of a comic book: a shot of liquid silk quickly hardens into a sticky, strong fiber that can lift objects. Sound familiar? Researchers have described their Spider-Man-inspired tech in a new study.

As useful a material as leather is, it isn’t too environmentally friendly. Now, engineers at Tufts University have created a new leather-like material out of silk, which can be 3D printed into shape and easily recycled into new products as needed.

Spider silk is among the strongest known materials. While some researchers are pursuing synthetic spider silk, scientists at MIT have taken another approach … they've devised a method of using silkworm silk to produce fibers that are almost as stiff as spider silk.

Scientists say they've devised a way to create "programmable" silk-based forms that have a variety of optical, chemical or biological functions. Imagine pins or other mechanical components that change color when they near a breaking point, or solids that can deliver drugs, among other possible uses.

A group of researchers from Tufts University, Brown University and the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are collaborating with the US Navy in a multi-year effort to explore how they might create robots endowed with their own sense of morality.

There are few things that most of us like better than a long, hot shower, but they sure use up a lot of water and power. That’s why the Uji illuminated shower head was created. It gradually changes from green to red while in use, letting users know when it’s time to get out.

Scientists have created "transient electronics," that dissolve once they're no longer needed.

A team of researchers has discovered that caterpillars' guts move forward before their legs do, which could have implications for the design of soft-bodied robots.

Which of today's fledgling technologies will have a fundamental impact on the way we live our lives in the future?

Recent developments in regeneration technology are almost ready for prime time. Both Hydraulic Hybrid Vehicles and Power Generating Shock Absorbers are both being field tested and may be soon headed for mass production.