The liquid metal-powered wheel robot rests in a hand. (University of Science and Technology of China) Robots are not bound to the same familiar forms. Without needing to protect a soft, fleshy core, ...

Gallium, take the wheel. A small metal droplet can propel a wheeled robot forward with a simple electric current. The technique paves the way for larger robots that can trundle like tumbleweeds ...

GEARS ABRADE, pistons crack, pumps clog. If engineers had their way, machines would have no moving parts at all. Alas, a sedentary lump of metal would be a paperweight, rather than a useful machine.

Before Mercedes came knocking with their latest E63 S, Cadillac’s speedy CTS-V didn’t have much to fear from its rivals in terms of acceleration. So what do you when you have that fast of a family car ...