Department of Engineering

Scientists have developed a low-cost, durable, highly-sensitive robotic ‘skin’ that can be added to robotic hands like a glove, enabling robots to detect information about their surroundings in a way that’s similar to humans.

Professor Máté Lengyel will join leading scientists across neuroscience and machine learning as part of a 10-year programme set up to advance our understanding of how the brain processes information while interacting with the environment.

The 2025 Manufacturing Engineering Tripos (MET) Design Show showcased an impressive array of creative and innovative student inventions. Over the last year, teams of third-year MET students have completed a major design project to develop a new product with real business potential.

Professor Julian Allwood has been appointed to the Science and Technology Advisory Council to provide expert advice on putting science and tech at the forefront of the UK’s clean‑power mission.

A multinational research team, including engineers from the University of Cambridge and Zhejiang University, has developed a breakthrough in miniaturised spectrometer technology that could dramatically expand the accessibility and functionality of spectral imaging in everyday devices.

Four alumni whose start-ups are applying University research and technology to solve some of the world’s greatest challenges have graduated from Founders at Cambridge – the flagship initiative supporting and empowering innovators to make an ever greater impact.

Professor Juniper is among 11 academics at the University of Cambridge to receive Advanced Grants from the European Research Council – the highest number of any institution in this funding round. Funding totalling €721 million will go to 281 researchers across Europe.

Dr Xinru Li shares his journey from Engineering PhD to Tech Entrepreneur. How he managed to bridge the gap between engineering and entrepreneurship to enable his research on innovative magnetic solutions to have real-world impact. He acknowledges the practical skills gained through his participation in the Judge Business School, EnterpriseTECH and EnterpriseTECHStar programmes but also reflects on the importance of his own personal development in the process. 

The Centre for Industrial Photonics (CIP) at the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) has developed a groundbreaking additive manufacturing technique, laser-assisted cold spray (LACS).

UK AI company Wayve – co-founded by alumnus Alex Kendall in 2017 while studying for his PhD at Cambridge – has announced a partnership with Uber to develop and launch public road trials of fully autonomous vehicles in the UK.

Dr Tore Butlin, Associate Professor in Dynamics and Vibration, has been awarded one of the University’s Pilkington Prizes for excellence in teaching.

An interdisciplinary research team have won funding for a project examining how local authorities in England can effectively govern the integration of ethical and safety principles into the deployment of AI systems, which are increasingly being used to inform urban-scale decisions.

University of Cambridge researcher Dr Poppy Oldroyd is among the thirty-two early career researchers, tackling issues from improving food security to developing better medical implants, who have been announced as the 2025 Schmidt Science Fellows.

US Scholar-Elect Abbie Schipper talks about her work to improve medical equipment and how she trained as an Emergency Medical Technician during Covid.

An innovative method for improving single photon collection – an essential step in advancing secure communications, high-precision imaging and quantum computing – has been developed by researchers at the University of Cambridge and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the United States.

The UK’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) has launched a £57 million initiative to revolutionise robotic capabilities and deliver a step change in human productivity. Cambridge researchers will lead three projects developing new forms of tactile perception, control strategies and co-evolving robot designs.

Global food challenges and real-life robotics applications were the topics of discussion at this year’s Agri-Food Robotics Online Conference.

The University’s debut exhibit at the 2025 RHS Chelsea Flower Show, which was built by the Department of Engineering’s Design and Technical Services team, has won a prestigious silver-gilt medal.

Professor Gábor Csányi has been elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society, the UK’s national academy of sciences and the oldest science academy in continuous existence.

Researchers from the University of Cambridge convened a workshop and produced a policy brief to identify opportunities to leverage AI to improve water quality.