"Metallic wood" is as strong as titanium but five times lighter
University of Pennsylvania engineers have altered a sheet of nickel to produce a material they call "metallic wood", which is extremely strong and light. More
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Tessa Spierings' tactile sound system explores the acoustic properties of materials
Spierings' Echo combines bespoke speakers with removable tubes made of different materials that can be used to alter the properties of the music played by the system. More
Bastian Beyer uses bacteria to calcify knitting into construction materials
London-based architect and designer Bastian Beyer's project explores the potential of using knitted textile structures that have been biologically solidified as sustainable construction materials. More
BMW and North Face debut futuristic Futurelight camper concept at CES
BMW's creative division Designworks has teamed up with The North Face to design a futuristic camper concept, which utilises nanospinning technology to shelter its inhabitants from extreme weather conditions. More
Beer Holthuis designs 3D printer that uses recycled paper
Design Academy Eindhoven graduate Beer Holthuis created the Paper Pulp Printer in an effort to combat the amount of waste plastic being created through 3D-printing. More
Rowan Minkley and Robert Nicoll recycle potato peelings into MDF substitute
London-based designers Rowan Minkley and Robert Nicoll use waste potato peelings to create an eco-friendly alternative to single-use materials like MDF and chipboard, called Chip[s] Board. More
Algae curtain by EcoLogicStudio could make buildings more eco-friendly
London-based architecture office EcoLogicStudio harnesses photosynthesis in algae to remove air pollution with this living curtain, designed to rest over building facades. More
Novameat develops 3D-printed vegan steak from plant-based proteins
Italian bioengineer Giuseppe Scionti from Spanish startup Novameat has invented the "world's first" 3D-printed meat-free steak made from vegetable proteins, which mimics the texture of beef. More
Zaha Hadid Architects and ETH Zurich debut concrete pavilion with 3D-knitted formwork
A double-curved concrete shelled pavilion, constructed using a 3D-knitted formwork developed by Zaha Hadid Architects and ETH Zurich, has gone on display in Mexico City. More
Five materials that could help us design a more sustainable future
Designer Seetal Solanki has released a book exploring natural and manmade materials that could be used to reduce human impact on the planet. In a Dezeen exclusive, she picks out five of the most innovative examples. More
10 bioplastic projects made from algae, corn starch and other natural materials
Could biodegradable plastics made from natural substances such as algae replace fossil-fuel polymers? Here are 10 examples of designers that are experimenting with environmentally friendly alternatives.
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Halo smart collar designed to protect athletes from concussion
A compression top with an auto-tightening collar that promises to reduce whiplash and concussion is the first product from Canadian sports tech start-up Aexos. More
Reebok's gel-infused PureMove sports bra firms up in response to movement
Sportswear brand Reebok has applied a texture-changing gel used in NASA's spacesuits to make a bra that adapts to support different levels of movement. More
ETH Zurich makes lightweight concrete ceiling using 3D sand-printing
A lightweight concrete ceiling with formwork 3D-printed from sand is among the innovations to feature in an experimental robot-made house built by university ETH Zurich. More
Texture-changing skin lets robot express its feelings
Cornell University engineers have made a robot that gets goosebumps or becomes spiky to communicate its internal state. More
MIT engineers create 3D-printed magnetic shape-shifters
Engineers from MIT have designed soft, 3D-printed structures that can transform their shape "almost instantaneously" with the wave of a magnet. More
World's first graphene dress flashes in time with wearer's breathing
Miracle material graphene was used to create this dress by wearable tech company Cute Circuit, which changes colour with the wearer's breathing. More
MIT researchers develop material that tightens in cold weather to keep in warmth
A group of researchers at MIT has created a new material that expands and contracts when exposed to different temperatures. More