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virginia tech

Virginia Tech opens new center to ‘shape the future of advanced manufacturing’

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For years, Virginia Tech has forged its place as a powerhouse in advanced manufacturing research. With the launch of Virginia Tech Made: The Center for Advanced Manufacturing, the university welds its mission to shape the future of the field with its commitment to train the workforce to lead it.

Housed within the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science, Virginia Tech Made will cultivate cross-campus collaborations, expand partnerships with industry and government, and train manufacturing professionals based on the university’s expertise in advanced materials, manufacturing technologies, computational design, data analytics, and digital infrastructure.

As faculty affiliated with the center advance state-of-the-art technology, they’ll focus on workforce development and outreach as key components of the center’s mission. [Read more…] about Virginia Tech opens new center to ‘shape the future of advanced manufacturing’

Virginia Tech researchers demonstrate how to use robots to improve the construction inspection process

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A world where robotic dogs and humans work side-by-side on construction jobsites sounds like a plot from a sci-fi movie, but it’s a reality Kereshmeh Afsari, assistant professor in the Myers-Lawson School of Construction and ARCADE Lab director, is working toward.

While she explores a more automated side of construction, the undergraduate students on her team are at the heart of her research.

“Each of these students brings a unique skill set to the table. We need different minds and ways of thinking on this project. By blending students across the engineering spectrum, everyone is walking away with greater knowledge,” said Afsari. [Read more…] about Virginia Tech researchers demonstrate how to use robots to improve the construction inspection process

Virginia Tech physicists propose path to faster, more flexible robots

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In a recent paper released in the journal Physical Review Letters, Virginia Tech physicists revealed a microscopic phenomenon that could greatly improve the performance of soft devices, such as agile flexible robots or microscopic capsules for drug delivery.

Virginia Tech physicist C. Nadir Kaplan (main image, left) and doctoral candidate Chinmay Katke (main image, right) discovered a microscopic phenomenon that could greatly improve the performance of soft devices, such as agile flexible robots or microscopic capsules for drug delivery.

The paper, written by doctoral candidate Chinmay Katke, assistant professor C. Nadir Kaplan, and co-author Peter A. Korevaar from Radboud University in the Netherlands, proposes a new physical mechanism that could speed up the expansion and contraction of hydrogels. [Read more…] about Virginia Tech physicists propose path to faster, more flexible robots

What do drones, quidditch, and augmented reality all have in common?

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Today, drones dominate the news, from making speedy burrito deliveries, transporting orders to your doorstep, or aiding in natural disasters.

Now, Virginia Tech researchers are exploring applications for unmanned aircraft systems to assist in safer and more effective inspection of civil infrastructure.

The use of drones for this type of assessment has the potential to make the inspection process quicker and more efficient, thus enhancing public safety in the US and around the world.  [Read more…] about What do drones, quidditch, and augmented reality all have in common?