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MIT develops self-transforming materials that behave 'like robots without robots'

A cross-disciplinary research lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has developed a suite of programmable materials, including carbon fiber, printed wood grain, textile composites, rubbers and plastics, that self-transform when exposed to an external stimulus. Director of the Self-Assembly Lab, Skylar Tibbits, presented a TED talk on 4D printing in 2013, where he demonstrated how a flat sheet of material could effectively build itself when exposed to water, like a robot without a robot. Following positive feedback from industries including aviation, automotive and manufacturing, his lab has been working on developing materials that change according to different activation sources, including heat, light, and air pressure, in addition to water – all of which have automotive relevance.

Final second-generation Mini leaves production line

THE FINAL Mini hatchback of the current generation has left the production line in Oxford, after more than a million were made for customers around the world. There’s no time for production staff to rest, though, with assembly of the new Mini hatchback already under way alongside the many other Mini model derivatives. In total, more than 1.8 million hatchback Minis have been built at the factory since 2001, of which 1,041,412 were the currently outgoing model.

Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe

By Ben Oliver Motor Shows 09 January 2007 05:53 Drophead Coupe makes waves in Detroit CAR Online brought you the first pictures of the new open-top Phantom and exclusive video footage last month, but this £260,000 monster still stole the Detroit show when Rolls-Royce chairman Ian Robertson officially unveiled it in what will be by far its biggest market. The 100EX concept on which the production car is based stole the 2004 Geneva show too, and features which we all thought would only be seen on the concept, such as the teak ‘decking’ on the hood cover and the rear-hinged suicide doors, have made it to the finished car. Production starts at Goodwood this summer.