materials

FlexiQuad: the collision-resistant ring drone from ETH Zurich

Robotics researchers at ETH Zurich have designed a quadcopter without a rigid central body that absorbs collisions without crashing. Invented by Luca Girardi and Stefano Mintchev, the ring-shaped FlexiQuad drone uses an elastic frame that flexes laterally on impact while retaining the vertical stiffness required for flight. The inventors have filed a patent application for the device, which has also earned a nomination for the university's Spark Award.

7 November 2026

Fashion

VitrA Tiles Unveils Metacode: Concrete Aesthetic Meets Oxidised Metal

VitrA Tiles has introduced Metacode, a new series of wall and floor tiles that blend the raw appeal of concrete with the sophisticated look of oxidised metal. Showcased on Dezeen Showroom in September 2026, these tiles represent an advancement in surface design, offering a distinctive aesthetic for both residential and commercial spaces.

Giovanni Sapere15 October 2026

Construction

Reducing CO2 by working on cement production

Discovering the Cleanker experimental project to cut CO2 emissions by producing new energy in the process.

Giovanni Sapere24 July 2023

Chemistry

The super thin touchscreen printable like a newspaper

A group of Australian researchers invented a new method to produce thin, transparent and foldable layers of conductive materials that can be used as newspaper sheets Take an old material and radically transform it to obtain completely new properties. The way of reinventing is another path to make…

Mario Vincenzo La Rocca17 February 2020