Rice engineering students convert old truck into an electrical vehicle
Four teams of Rice engineering students converted a 1997 Chevy P30 delivery van into a fully electric vehicle in less than a year, using a combination of parts scavenged from out-of-use vehicles, custom-built elements and off-the-shelf items.
Rice team brings home top prize in 2024 Ethics in Engineering Case Competition
A team of Rice engineering students have won this year’s national Ethics in Engineering Case Competition hosted by Lockheed Martin.
Rice research could advance soft robotics manufacturing, design
Rice engineers propose a new quantitative framework to account for and predict the impact of temperature on the curing speed of platinum-catalyzed silicone elastomers. The findings could maximize throughput and minimize waste in the manufacturing of components for soft robotics and wearables.
Faster and simpler point-of-care malaria test developed by Rice researchers
Rice University researchers have developed a rapid, accurate test for diagnosing malaria that is significantly faster and easier to use than traditional tests. The advancement has the potential to improve patient outcomes, especially in rural regions with limited health care resources.
Houston Methodist, Rice launch Center for Neural Systems Restoration
Houston Methodist and Rice recently launched the Center for Neural Systems Restoration, a joint interdisciplinary center for neuroscience research and treatment innovation that aims to advance care for neurological conditions by bringing together scientists, clinicians, engineers and surgeons to tackle medical challenges like stroke recovery and spinal cord injury.
Rice study shows coal-based product could replace sand in concrete
A new study by Rice researchers found that graphene derived from metallurgical coke, a coal-based product, through flash Joule heating could serve not only as a reinforcing additive in cement but also as a replacement for sand in concrete.
Rice announces partnership with Tecnológico de Monterrey
Rice University has announced an agreement with Tecnológico de Monterrey, which will include concurrent doctoral degrees, dual master’s programs and a partnership to expand access to continuing and professional education.
Rice expert available to comment on FDA decision on sickle cell disease therapy
Rice University’s Gang Bao is available to comment on today’s decision by the FDA on whether or not to approve a CRISPR-based therapy for sickle cell disease.
Robotic cup helps wheelchair users stay hydrated
Rice undergraduate engineering students Thomas Kutcher and Rafe Neathery designed a robotic device that enables people with limited mobility to stay hydrated without caretaker help.
Preston, four others win Ig Nobel Prize for ‘necrobotic’ spider study
Mechanical Engineering’s Daniel Preston, three graduate students and a postdoctoral fellow have won a 2023 Ig Nobel Prize for their “necrobotic” robot arm that incorporated a dead spider.
You can leave your gloves on: Rice-developed material burns viruses, safe for skin
A new material that packs deadly heat for viruses on its outer surface while staying cool on the reverse side could be used to make sustainable, multiuse personal protective equipment. Marquise Bell, a Rice graduate student who is the lead author of the research, was also part of this year’s NextProf Nexus workshop, a national, competitive faculty development program for engineering students from underrepresented groups.
Smart fabrics’ informed touch can tell you where to go
Rice U. engineers developed a lightweight, wearable textile-based device that can deliver complex haptic cues, enabling a user to perform open-world navigation tasks. The device is resilient to regular daily use, withstanding multiple cycles of washing and other damage and repair without loss of function.
New software designs optimized, personalized treatments for movement impairments
A team of Rice University engineers has launched open-source software that constructs and uses personalized computer models of how individual patients move to optimize treatments for neurologic and orthopedic mobility impairments.
NIH grant backs Rice lab’s sickle cell disease research
Rice University bioengineer Gang Bao and his team have won a grant from the National Institutes of Health to address critical questions surrounding the safety and efficacy of using gene editing to treat sickle cell disease.
Rice engineers’ storage technology keeps nanosurfaces clean
Rice mechanical engineers improved on a 50-year-old idea to create container technology that keeps volatile organic compounds from accumulating on the surfaces of stored nanomaterials.
