Illinois Featured Content

inner layers of the VR glove beside detail photo of haptic sensors in fingertips

Advanced VR glove brings high-res touch to the digital world

Jan 12, 2024 9:00 am

'There are existing systems that have shown off high-resolution virtual touch before, but they cost tens of thousands of dollars... We’ve prototyped a new system with 160 actuators per hand for around $200, and it fits entirely on the wrist.'

EarthSense TerraSentia robot developed at Illinois that phenotypes and collects data in crop plots.

A fruitful partnership in agricultural robotics

Jul 25, 2022 9:00 am

Being at the nexus of ag technology is great for startups and students. The ability to teach agricultural and robotics students a mere mile from campus at the Illinois Autonomous Farm testbed provides meaningful research experiences for all.

two rows of soybeans at the RIPE test plots at Illinois

A huge leap forward: Photosynthesis hack boosts soybean yield 20%

Aug 18, 2022 2:15 pm

U of I-led team of RIPE researchers prove bioengineering better photosynthesis increases yields in food crops for the first time ever.

University of Illinois chemistry professor Martin D. Burke, materials science and engineering professor Charles M. Schroeder, graduate student Nicholas Angello and postdoctoral researcher Vandana Rathore. Shown in a lab. hHoto by Fred Zwicky

Artificial intelligence and molecule machine join forces to generalize automated chemistry

Oct 28, 2022 12:45 pm

By combining powerful artificial intelligence and a molecule-making machine created at Illinois, researchers are finding the best conditions for automated complex chemistry.

AI-generated formulas undergo slump testing at the UIUC lab as part of their initial performance assessment and refinement. Credit: Meta.

Artificial intelligence produces a recipe for lower-carbon concrete

May 4, 2022 10:30 am

'We designed new formulations that nearly halve the carbon requirements of concrete yet are just as strong or stronger than traditional formulations. Given the popularity of concrete, there is a global scale of potential applications.'

nspired by the color-changing abilities of chameleons, researchers developed a dynamic and sustainable color-changing ink seen in this 3D printed chameleon illustration created by the research team. Credit: Sanghyun Jeon, Diao Lab.

A sustainable technique to 3D print multiple dynamic colors from a single ink

Feb 20, 2024 1:15 pm

Inspired by the color-changing ability of chameleons, U of I researchers developed a sustainable technique to 3D-print multiple, dynamic colors from a single ink.

an elderly couple works with a laptop computer and a microphone

Automatic speech recognition learning to understand people with Parkinson’s

Sep 27, 2024 10:30 am

Listening to people with Parkinson’s disease made an automatic speech recognizer 30% more accurate, according to initial findings from the U. of I.'s Speech Accessibility Project.

Bioengineering professors pioneer new methods in microscope technology

Nov 13, 2024 9:45 am

The Omni-Mesoscope has the ability to see many cells with clarity. 'The system captures a large number of images like Google Earth, examining the details of sub-cellular structure within each cell across large areas.'

Dr. Claudius Conrad. Still image taken from featured video. By University of Illinois Video Services

Bridging the gap: Bringing cancer solutions from lab to bedside

Apr 17, 2024 11:00 am

A world-renowned surgical oncologist has joined the Cancer Center at Illinois (CCIL) to develop patient-centered solutions through collaborative research.

Center based at U of I will develop distributed computing tech for 2030 and beyond

Jan 5, 2023 3:00 pm

Illinois will lead the ACE Center for Evolvable Computing, which will advance distributed computing technology, from cloud-based datacenters to edge nodes, so it operates with orders of magnitude more energy efficiency than today.

Kenneth Nixon, left, talks to police recruits about his own wrongful conviction at age 19 for a murder he did not commit. Photo by Fred Zwicky

Changing police culture with stories of wrongful convictions

Jun 8, 2023 9:15 am

The Wrongful Conviction Awareness and Avoidance course first introduced as an elective class at the Police Training Institute at U of I has been mandated for all Illinois police recruits as part of their standard training.

The microinvasive glaucoma surgery (MiGS) wet lab at CI MED provided students with early hands-on experience with devices used in less-invasive procedures to treat glaucoma, known as the 'silent thief of sight.' Photo Credit: Kaden Rawson

CI MED launches first-of-its-kind glaucoma surgery training for students

Oct 31, 2024 9:45 am

The new microinvasive glaucoma surgery (MiGS) lab is a first-of-its-kind wet lab learning opportunity for students, with hands-on training in less-invasive surgical options for preserving glaucoma patients’ sight.

images of Carle Illinois physician-innovator students Bara Saadah and Caywin Zhuang flank an image of their surgeon's vest

CI MED students' anti-fatigue vest helps surgeons operate at their best

Feb 23, 2023 10:45 am

Studies indicate that between 50 and 85% of surgeons regularly experience discomfort in the back, neck, and shoulders. The students' solution combines both monitoring functions and supportive features in one product.

Martha Gillette (left), a professor of cell and developmental biology, and Hyunjoon Kong, a professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering

Circadian rhythm and the blood-brain barrier

Feb 24, 2022 3:15 pm

What is the best time to take your medications? How much does time of day affect the blood-brain barrier's permeability to hormones, drugs? U of I researchers will design a chip from human stem cells to model the blood-brain interface.

Graphic by Michael Vincent showing click beetles beside a similarly sized robot

Click beetle-inspired robots jump using elastic energy

Jan 23, 2023 3:30 pm

U of I professor Sameh Tawfick led a new study introducing click beetle-sized robots small enough to fit into tight spaces, powerful enough to maneuver over obstacles and fast enough to match an insect’s rapid escape time.

Herd of quarter-Holstein, three-quarter-Gyr cattle. Photo by Matt Wheeler

Climate-smart cows could deliver 10-20x more milk in Global South

Oct 31, 2023 11:00 am

U of I animal scientists are set to deliver a potential game changer for subsistence farmers in Tanzania: cows that produce up to 20 times the milk of indigenous breeds.

stock image of students working on laptops

Designing AI software to improve student learning

Mar 17, 2023 1:30 pm

Can artificial intelligence be used to improve students’ learning—while keeping their data private and being fair and effective for students from all demographic backgrounds? Nigel Bosch and Dong Wang aim to find out.

Digital twin of patient's heart could lead to targeted treatment

Mar 26, 2024 9:00 am

A digital model that uses machine learning could simulate various patient-related factors, heart function, and treatments 'to identify the risk of developing heart failure and novel treatment options,' says MD/PhD student Pranav Dorbala.

Professor Damien Guironnet leads a new effort to create plastic packaging material that could be recycled or biodegrade.

DOE funds project to create bioplastic packaging that's infinitely recyclable

Mar 11, 2022 9:15 am

The Department of Energy has granted $2 million over three years to the U of I, Braskem America, and Princeton University to develop plastic that can be recycled perpetually, reducing waste and pollution from single-use plastics.

researcher holds a vial of precious metals eed xtractfrom discarded electronics. Photo by Fred Zwicky

Electrochemistry helps clean up electronic waste recycling, precious metal recovery

Mar 25, 2024 11:15 am

A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign shows how electrochemistry can be used to extract precious metals from discarded electronics in an efficient and environmentally friendly manner.

A new enzyme-inspired, small-molecule catalyst developed at the University of Illinois holds alcohols and alkenes in just the right proximity and position to join into ethers, key functional components of many consumer goods and pharmaceuticals. Graphic by Jose Vazquez

Enzyme-inspired catalyst puts chemicals in right position to make ethers

Sep 12, 2024 2:45 pm

An enzyme-inspired, small-molecule catalyst developed at the U. of I. holds alcohols and alkenes in just the right proximity and position to join into ethers, key functional components of many consumer goods, pharmaceuticals.

David Rosenboom, a pioneer in experimental music. Photo by Maximo Parpagnoli

Experimental composer headlines events examining art-science connections

Sep 27, 2022 11:45 am

David Rosenboom, a pioneer in experimental music, will lecture, perform and conduct workshops with students during a two-week series of events, 'Experimental Arts & Sciences at UIUC,' beginning Oct. 3.

student wearing a VR headset with a display screen in the background. No photo credit available

Extended reality applications for primary care: The future of medical care

Jan 19, 2024 12:30 pm

'Unfortunately...it is often difficult to discern which XR clinical applications have scientifically tested benefits. Our systematic review examined which applications of (extended reality) technology have been shown to be clinically beneficial.'

Professor Nishant Garg, standing, and graduate student Hossein Kabir used computer vision to develop a fast and convenient method for testing cement durability that can be used in the field or laboratory. Photo by Michelle Hassel

Fast, automated, affordable test for cement durability

Jul 5, 2023 12:45 pm

Engineers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a new test that can predict the durability of cement in seconds to minutes – rather than the hours it takes using current methods.

Automated synthesis platform in the Molecule Maker Lab. Photo credit: L. Brian Stauffer.

First major breakthrough for U of I's Molecule Maker Lab

May 3, 2022 2:00 pm

It would have been a tedious process using conventional methods. The Molecule Maker Lab made it easier because it’s designed to facilitate molecular discovery research that requires testing of large numbers of molecules.

U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm, right, visits CABBI fields at the Illinois Energy Farm

Five more years of funding for U of I's Bioenergy Research Center

Mar 17, 2023 1:15 pm

'Continuing to fund the important scientific work conducted at our Bioenergy Research Centers is critical to ensuring these sustainable resources can be an efficient and affordable part of our clean energy future,' said Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm.

Flying taxi cabs in the near future? Researcher Naira Hovakimyan says, 'Heads up'

Apr 27, 2022 9:45 am

For years, Hovakimyan's L1 adaptive flight control system has provided maneuverability and safety in airplanes, vastly outperforming human pilots in challenging conditions. This technology is key to making trustworthy small autonomous aircraft.

From 'CyberSlug' to 'CyberOctopus': New AI explores, remembers, seeks novelty, overcomes obstacles

Jun 25, 2024 8:30 am

Rhanor Gillette and Ekaterina Gribkova developed an AI that can navigate new environments, seek novelty and rewards, and learn in real time. Their research into the neural pathways that drive behavior in sea slugs and octopuses guided the work.

Diver sets up a camera that will track the sun from the ocean floor.

Future of underwater geolocalization: Polarization patterns enable new technology

Jul 11, 2023 9:30 am

The search and rescue operation for the missing Titan submersible pointed to a significant problem: pinpointing a location underwater, where GPS doesn't work. U of I researchers have created a new promising new solution.

Conceptual configuration of hydrogen-electric transport aircraft.

Generating the disruptive ideas needed to achieve sustainable flight by 2050

Jun 1, 2022 1:00 pm

A U of I study considers the aircraft configuration needed to support a liquid hydrogen/fuel cell electric propulsion system in a single-aisle, transport-class aircraft having the consistent performance capability of a Boeing 737-800.

A rusting oil well sits at the edge of a corn field near the Asbury Methodist Chruch on October 4, 2008 near New Haven, Illinois. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Geothermal 'battery' repurposes abandoned oil and gas well in Illinois

Jan 25, 2023 2:00 pm

Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have successfully demonstrated efficient geothermal heat storage while simultaneously repurposing an abandoned oil and gas well.

Robotic arm equipped with 3D-printed robotic pads developed by Joohyung Kim and collaborators highlighted.

How 3D printers can give robots a soft touch

Apr 24, 2024 10:00 am

U of I researchers' 3D-printed pads function as both soft skin for a robotic arm and pressure-based mechanical sensors, and can be made inexpensively by reprogramming 3-D printers.

stock image of a laptop computer under graphic of equations

How AI can be used to aid learning and teaching

May 3, 2023 10:15 am

AI is rapidly advancing, with no signs of slowing down. It is impacting our lives in every facet—including education, where the field has evolved from the raw mining of mountains of data to pinpointing what is relevant and useful in that data.

illustration shows Kumar and his co-authors’ proposed approach for capturing moisture above ocean surfaces and transporting it to land for condensation. Graphic courtesy Praveen Kumar and Nature Scientific Reports

How to harvest an untapped source of fresh water

Dec 6, 2022 8:45 am

A new study from Illinois is the first to suggest an investment in new infrastructure capable of harvesting oceanic water vapor as a solution to limited supplies of fresh water

Illinois and U of I System commit $50 million to support NCSA services for campus researchers

Apr 5, 2023 11:45 am

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Illinois System have announced significant new investments in world-class computing and data resources for campus researchers and students.

Illinois lands finalist spot in U.S. DOE prize

Sep 2, 2022 1:45 pm

The Grainger College of Engineering and Xerion Battery Corps.' team, SelectPureLi, is a finalist in the U.S. DOE's American-Made Geothermal Lithium Extraction Prize.

Illinois music professor and composer Stephen Andrew Taylor, chemistry professor and biophysicist Martin Gruebele and Illinois alumna, composer and software designer Carla Scaletti are using sound to depict biochemical processes and better understand them. Photo by L. Brian Stauffer

Illinois musicians, chemists use sound to better understand science

Feb 17, 2022 11:00 am

Music and chemistry researchers at Illinois have teamed up to use sonification – the use of sound to convey information – to depict biochemical processes and better understand how they happen.

Illinois researchers develop a new framework for super-resolution ultrasound

May 25, 2023 10:45 am

Researchers at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology hope that speeding up the higher-resolution technology will make it a useful option for clinicians.

Researcher Indrajit Srivastava holds solutions of nanoparticles that can target two cancer biomarkers, giving off two distinct signals when lit by one fluorescent wavelength. This could give surgeons a more complete picture of a tumor and guide operating-room decisions. In the background is a microscopic scan of a tissue sample. Photo by Fred Zwicky

Imaging agents light up two cancer biomarkers to give more complete picture of tumor

Jun 5, 2023 12:45 pm

'If you want to find all the cancer, imaging one biomarker is not enough. It could miss some tumors. If you introduce a second or a third biomarker, the likelihood of removing all cancer cells increases,' says Professor Viktor Gruev.

Dr. Grace Park, the director of CI MED’s Health Systems Science thread. Park led an interdisciplinary team that developed and piloted a learning module focusing on climate change impacts with input from a community health partner.

Innovative teaching tackles climate change and health

Nov 1, 2023 11:00 am

Students in various health-related disciplines – from medicine to veterinary medicine to public health – work together to examine how climate change affects health across species and ecosystems and then offer possible solutions.

Snapshots of the implemented legged motions for Ringbot. Top: fall recovery motion; second row: standing-up motion

Inspired by science fiction: A monocycle robot with two legs

Mar 27, 2024 9:00 am

The hybrid leg-wheel mechanism enables the robot to tackle diverse terrains, and to maneuver through narrow spaces, which means this design can be adapted for last-mile deliveries in congested environments.

iVenture Accelerator welcomes eighth and largest cohort

Jun 8, 2022 1:30 pm

The university's iVenture Accelerator—powered by Gies College of Business—has admitted 16 startups into its eighth and largest cohort ever. This year’s group consists of 55 full-time students across 30 fields of study.

Computer Science professor Heng Ji, who is also an Amazon Scholar, will serve as AICE Director.

Launch of new Amazon-Illinois Center on AI for Interactive Conversational Experiences

Mar 27, 2023 11:15 am

'To begin AICE will focus on a multimodal form of knowledge acquisition. Some tools intake only textual data, but a multimodal interface can continually learn and update knowledge from users through voice, text, image and video interactions...'

Official ribbon-cutting attended by federal and state dignitaries, including Federal Railroad Administration Administrator Amit Bose, Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, Illinois Representative Nikki Budzinski, Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Omer Osman, and U of I Provost John Coleman. Photo Credit: Heather Coit

Launch of U of I's NURail Center celebrates 'the future of rail transport in this country'

May 31, 2024 10:00 am

The U of I opened the National University Rail Center of Excellence on Wednesday. It is the first-ever academic rail research and education center of excellence to be supported by the US DOT's Federal Railroad Administration.

close up of leaf shows its vein system. Public domain image via PIXNIO

Leaf-like veins provide structure, transport fluids in foamed polymers

Jan 13, 2022 9:30 am

Illinois researchers equip polymeric foam with a vascular system that mimicks the structure of trees. Organizing the channeled system in a parallel structure enables the transport of fluids in a single, predetermined direction.

Graduate student Teak-Jung Oh, foreground, applies focused light to a specific location in a cell culture. The light beam can be narrowed to even smaller than a single cell. Photo by Fred Zwicky

Light targets cells for death and triggers immune response with laser precision

Jul 2, 2024 11:30 am

U. of I. researchers developed a method to precisely target cells for inflammatory cell death using light. The ability to precisely initiate this process in a small area is important for cancer and other diseases.

Photograph of a microplasma lamp peaking at 222-nm ultraviolet light for disinfection applications. The weak purple–red glow is due to an impurity in the lamp.

Magic lamps: Microcavity plasma devices

Nov 10, 2022 11:15 am

The most prominent application of microcavity plasma devices to date has been producing ozone for drinking water disinfection. Microcavity plasmas developed in Eden’s lab overcome raditional barriers of cost and power consumption.

Image of painting, The Great Wave Off Kanagawa, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Mechanical engineers lend fresh insight into battery-based desalination technology

Jun 7, 2023 4:15 pm

Using fluid movement rather than new materials, mechanical engineers were able to increase the extent of seawater desalination five times over their non-channeled counterparts to reach salinity levels below the freshwater threshold.

Med students design bionic knee brace to empower cerebral palsy patients

Jan 12, 2022 3:30 pm

The bionic knee brace couples a power generator with built-in bio-feedback sensors. When the sensors detect muscle contraction, the system triggers the power generator to help move the stiffened/spastic muscles.

food science and human nutrition professor Yong-Su Jin co-led the research. Photo by Fred Zwicky

Microbial division of labor produces higher biofuel yields

Feb 5, 2024 2:15 pm

Researchers from the Departments of Food Science and Human Nutrition and Bioengineering found a way to increase ethanol production from a mixture of sugars using a microbial division-of-labor approach and mathematical modeling.

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