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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.

Peugeot 508 RXH (2011) first official pictures

Peugeot isn’t going to replace the 607, its big French attempt at taking on the hegemony of Audi, BMW and Mercedes. Instead the plan is to offer its Mondeo-sized 508 in posh, premium specs, and to tempt buyers with this, the 508 RXH. And the Peugeot 508 RXH is…?

Pagani Huayra in Purple with Tricolour Calipers (video)

We have video of what looks like a new build Pagani Huayra, still plastic wrapped, in purple with Italian Tricolour brake calipers. That’s because the Pagani Huayra has not, as far as we can tell, managed to get a European Certificate of Conformity or managed to be Federalised for the US, so sales are impossible. But Pagani are still producing a few cars – although they’ve probably built more Zondas in the last two years than Huayras – but it looks like this Huayra – caught on video outside Pagaini’s premises in Modena – is a new build.