3D-printed wearable monitors gastrointestinal activity, if you can stomach it
Engineers at the University of California, San Diego have developed a stomach-based wearable that can monitor a patient’s GI activity from the comfort of their homes. The system records electrical activity in the stomach over a 24-hour period, using a 3D-printed portable box hooked up to ten electrodes.
Bots, not humans, tweet majority of links to popular websites, research says
Bots account for two-thirds of tweets that link to popular websites, according to the report, and have a tendency to share for adult content, sports, and news with particular vigor.
Meet the HoneyBot, a decoy robot designed to trick hackers
Developed by engineers at the Georgia Institute of Technology, the HoneyBot is a four-wheeled decoy robot designed to bait hackers, and then fool them into thinking they’ve successfully exploited a functional factory machine.
The ‘fog harp’ pulls water out of thin air, could help drought-prone communities
By taking advantage of parallel wire arrays that line up like the string of a harp, engineers have designed a device that may be able to extract three times as much water from fog as previous tools.
Will robots take your job? Website estimates which jobs will be automated
Willrobotstakemyjob.com was created by a developer and graphic designer to show which jobs were most likely to be automated in the future.
Scientists mimic odd leaf structure for potential use in cleaning up oil spills
To tackle some of today’s most pressing man-made tragedies, a team of researchers hasnow turned to the leaves of a floating fern, which have strange eggbeater-shaped protrusions.
Sketchfab challenged people to ‘remix’ ancient art, and the results are amazing
Given a treasure trove of downloadable cultural heritage models — from ancient castles to dinosaur skulls and hellenistic statues — digital artists were asked to reimagine these artifacts and remix them with contemporary aesthetics.
Beer made with gene-edited yeast provides hoppy taste without the hops
Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, have developed new strains of yeast that can instill a hoppy flavor without the need for hops.
MIT’s ocean-exploring robotic fish takes a test swim through a Fiji reef
Engineers at MIT have developed a soft robotic fish named SoFi, which they say can get closer to real fish by imitating their behavior.
Probiotics for plants? Here’s how AI-optimized bacteria could accelerate agriculture
Indigo Agriculture has a plan is to pump plants with a bunch of beneficial microbes to make the crops grow faster, stronger, and more productively. It’s a long shot, but it could give farmers access to crops that not only grow better in current climates, but are also better prepared for the impacts of climate change around the world.
Drug testing could get a boost from MIT’s ‘body on a chip’
The "body on a chip" is made up of a microfluid medium that connects tissues engineered from up to ten different organs, allowing it to mimic mechanisms of the human body for weeks on end.
Fold it, stretch it, grip it! An origami-inspired arm gives drones grip
Inspired by origami, the innovative robotic arm can be folded for transport and self-assemble into a rigid appendage when it’s needed for use.
The barbers of the future may offer a trim, shampoo, and graphene infusion
Scientists from Northwestern University have found yet another possible application for the atom-thick “wonder material” graphene — as a hair dye.
In new breakthrough, CRISPR tools target RNA to tackle dementia
Researchers have identified a new family of CRISPR enzymes that target RNA instead of DNA, and they used the tool to address protein imbalance in cells isolated from a person suffering from dementia.
New tariffs pushed on foreign washing machines and solar panels
New tariffs pushed by the Trump administration will be contested by Swedish washing machine maker Electrolux.
Cross a John Deere with a Roomba, and you get this crop-monitoring robot
TerraSentia is a four-wheeled farm robot that boasts a variety of sensors that can monitor and transmit crop data in real time.
Social media is flooded with illegal wildlife trade but A.I. can help
Researchers at the University of Helsinki’s Digital Geography Lab are using social media and A.I. to identify and stop illegal wildlife trade.
A coat of diamonds could make implants more biocompatible
Engineers have devised a way to better coerce the body into accept implants, with a strategy that includes 3D-printing diamond coated devices.
Scientists propose a counterintuitive way to avoid in-flight lightning strikes
A new strategy would see planes intentionally increase their electrical charge and fly right through the threatening storms to avoid lightning strikes.
From poop to power: How farms could double as energy production plants
The proposed a new technology can convert manure into natural gas with the potential to heat homes, power factories, and supplement diesel fuel.
Underwater swarms and sonar-bombing drones: Meet the deep-sea Xprize finalists
Nine finalists have been announced for the Shell Ocean Discovery Xprize, a three-year competition to map the deep seafloor using autonomous technology.
Superbugs may meet their match in this bacteria-busting molecule
Scientists have created a synthetic molecule capable of killing five types of superbugs with limited side effects. Their hope is that this molecule can be used to create antimicrobial drugs capable of treating antibiotic-resistant infections.
Meet the cannibalistic ‘cyberslug’ that just might make robots self-aware
In a recent study researchers have shown that a simulated sea slug, which they’ve taken to calling “Cyberslug,” can respond to environmental stimuli a lot like its real world counterparts.
Science of the Lambs: We can now grow human cells in sheep
N-Sky/Getty Images N-Sky/Getty Images Recommended Videos Strange creatures have emerged from Pablo Ross’s University of California, Davis lab. They’re neither strictly sheep nor fully human. Instead, they’re a bit of both. In a biotech breakthrough — the second of its kind in just over a year — Ross announced at the American Association for the […]
Wind and solar could supply 80 percent of U.S. energy needs
If the United States were to focus its energy on renewable sources, it could reliably supply 80 percent of its electricity demand through solar and wind power, according to a new study.
A.I. helps scientists inch closer to the ‘holy grail’ of computer graphics
Computer scientists devised a way to make some monster movies seem more realistic by improving the look of computer-generated fur.
Doomsday seed vault to get $13 million upgrade in face of climate change
The proposed plan includes construction of a new concrete access tunnel and a service building to protect emergency power and refrigeration units.
Want to do some science? Here’s a smartphone microscope you can 3D print
The 3D-printable microscope design can be attached to most smartphones to turn it into a fully functional microscope, strong enough to visualize specimens as small as a two-hundredth of a millimeter.
Robotic 3D printer uses augmented reality to fabricate designs as they’re created
The Robotic Modeling Assistant combines augmented reality (AR) with robotic modeling, allowing users to design primitive 3D models on one side of a platform while the robotic arm fabricates the object on the other.
Bizarre laser treatment promises to zap away acne and skin disease
The Fluxmedicare device is made up of optical fibers fabric knitted into fabric, and leverages photonics to eradicate undesirable skin conditions with no side effects.
Secrets behind cuttlefish’s camouflage could inspire shape-shifting structures
Researchers have begun to uncover the mysteries of the cuttlefish, having identified the neural circuits that give the creature its incredible shape-shifting abilities.
It doesn’t look like much, but this black box pulls energy out of thin air
Engineers from MIT have developed a small device that captures energy from fluctuations in air temperature.
Today, A.I. helps detect tiny earthquakes. Tomorrow, it might predict the big one
In a recent study, an A.I. system was shown to be more accurate than current methods at detecting earthquakes.