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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.

Lincoln holds steady on the base price of the MKT for 2012 model

Lincoln on Thursday said the base price of the 2012 MKT crossover will be unchanged from the 2011 model--$45,175, including the $875 shipping charge. The base MKT is powered by a 3.7-liter V6 and is front-wheel drive. The major change for the 2012 MKT is that all-wheel-drive versions will be powered by the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6.

Hooniverse explores BMW 5-series weight gain

Our friends at Hooniverse have put together an interesting and insightful perspective on the growth of the BMW 5-series from the E28 to the new F10. Despite putting on more than 1,000 pounds, the F10's performance and fuel economy is still respectable. Overall length is up, but the interior space remains largely unchanged.