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sponsored by The University of Texas at Dallas Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
DARPA
Dr. Walter Voit and the Polycraft World cleanroom instruments. [Images: UT Dallas]
Beyond Gaming: How Minecraft Became a Platform for Scientific Learning and AI Research
by UT Dallas | Mar 3, 2025
UT Dallas researcher Dr. Walter Voit transformed Minecraft’s 170-million-player universe into an advanced virtual training ground—for students and for AI agents tested by DARPA. His team’s Polycraft World uses gameplay to turn classroom theory into real-world expertise, covering topics from synthetic organic chemistry to nuclear plants to semiconductor facilities.
Their new startup company, Pedegree Studios, has licensed the core technologies from the university to create a scalable digital pipeline for education and workforce development.
by David Seeley |
Oct 23, 2024
Ashraf was quoted in a recent New York Times article, "Reinventing Concrete, the Ancient Roman Way," about using 2,000-year-old Roman secrets to create concrete for underwater use in bridges, breakwaters, and artificial reefs. But unlike the volcanic ash used by Roman engineers as a key concrete ingredient, Ashraf and her team are using clay mixed with the mineral kaolinite. The recipe required heating to about 1,300 degrees Fahrenheit—only half the temperature needed to produce modern Portland cement.
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by Lance Murray |
May 29, 2024
UTD's Dr. Ifana Mahbub is leading a research team that's developing wireless technology to transfer electromagnetic waves to and from far distances. Beyond drones, the research could also impact EVs, mobile phones, and wearable devices.
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by Lance Murray |
Oct 26, 2023
A civil engineering researcher at UT Arlington and her team are hoping to restore damaged or dying coral reefs—inspired by the remarkable durability of ancient Roman construction materials in seawater.
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The Frisco-based Dude Perfect team will be at Dickie's Arena. [Photos: Dude Perfect/Facebook]
The Last Word: Frisco’s Dude Perfect on a Ticket to Space Thursday
by Dallas Innovates | Staff Report | Aug 1, 2022
Dude Perfect, the sports and comedy group that's been doing stunts, trick shots, and viral videos since 2009, is about to really take off. Or at least one of them is: Co-founder Coby Cotton has a seat on Thursday's scheduled Blue Origin space flight.
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by Quincy Preston |
Dec 2, 2021
Southern Methodist University and Northwestern researchers are working on technology that lets cameras record holograms of objects beyond the line of sight. The technology has defense, hazard identification, and medical applications.
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