Real-life version of Star Trek’s ‘replicator’ 3D prints full objects in seconds
Researchers from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and University of California, Berkeley, have developed a new type of 3D printer that ditches layer-by-layer printing in favor of using projected light to print entire objects at once. Here's how the new approach works.
Little Sophia is the pint-sized robot buddy that promises to teach kids to code
Intended for kids aged 7 to 13, Little Sophia is a 14-inch robot, capable of walking, talking, recognizing faces, and pulling a variety of different facial expressions. Oh, and teaching kids the all-important skill of coding. Here's how you can get your hands on one as soon as possible.
Swarms of drones will soon keep tabs on our aging city infrastructure
Could drones one day be used to inspect aging infrastructure? Researchers from Sweden's Lulea University of Technology have been testing how teams of autonomous drones could be used to keep tabs on wind turbines, potentially alerting authorities of any impending problems.
San Francisco could be the first city in the U.S. to ban facial recognition
This week, a San Francisco lawmaker introduced new legislation which could see one of America's major tech cities become the first in the United States to officially ban the use of facial recognition technology by law enforcement. Here's why some people want it banned.
MIT’s new robot can play everyone’s favorite block-stacking game, Jenga
Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a robot which uses the latest machine learning computer vision to play everyone’s favorite tower-toppling game, Jenga. Here's how it works -- and why it could turn out to be surprisingly useful in the real world.
Drones dispense rat poison to help rid islands in Galapagos region of rodents
If you’re trying to get rats off an island without damaging the native animals or plants, what’s the best way to go about it? If you’re anything like the brains behind a recent initiative on Ecuador’s Galapagos archipelago, the answer is simple: Use rat poison-dispensing drones.
This self-healing coating erases scratches and cracks within seconds
Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a new novel coating material which can self-heal within seconds after being scratched, scraped, or cracked. Here's how it works -- and how it could be one day be used to protect valuable infrastructure from corrosion.
Insoles claim to fight Parkinson’s symptoms by stimulating nerves in your feet
A shoe insole maker called Naboso Technology claims it can help improve balance and stability for people with Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and other neurological disorders by stimulating the nervous system through the bottom of the feet. Here's how its approach works.
FoosFit foosball trainer gives you a robot opponent to hone your skills against
Created by a crack team of foosball enthusiasts, FoosFit is the robot foosball trainer thatpromises to give you an intelligent opponent to practice your moves against. Here's how it works, and how you'll soon be able to get your hands on one to start honing your skills.
Genetically modified chickens lay eggs containing cancer-fighting proteins
By splicing a human gene into chicken DNA, researchers from the U.K.’s University of Edinburgh have discovered that chickens can be made to lay eggs which contain an elevated level of proteins used to treat cancer. Best of all, it's much cheaper than current ways of making the proteins.
To help save the planet, big companies are testing a reusable packaging service
Working with some of the world's biggest brands, a new sustainable packaging delivery company called Loop wants to get us to reuse packaging rather than throw it away. Here's how they hope to do that -- and when you'll get to give its innovative, eco-friendly service a try.
Scientists use hot water to ‘drill’ a hole a mile deep in the Antarctic
A team of scientists and engineers from the British Antarctic Survey have successfully drilled a hole more than one mile deep in West Antarctic, hoping to uncover more information about the effect of climate change on the region. The deep hole was drilled using hot water.
Don’t worry about denting your yacht. Parking assist for boats is finally here
Docking a boat isn't easy. Flir Systems, a company specializes in imaging sensors, has developed an object-recognition tool which uses machine vision technology to help. If it senses an impending collision, it can leap into action to offer corrective steering capabilities.
MIT’s new laser audio system can deliver secret messages directly to your ears
Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed an invention that makes it possible to literally beam an audible message to a person across the room using a laser. Here's how it works -- and why it could one day potentially be a genuine life-saver.
Tentacle-like robotic vines exist. We’re not sure if we’re excited or terrified
Researchers from Italy’s Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia have developed the first tendril-like soft robot able to climb and curl like plants. The approach could one day be used to create futuristic wearable devices which can morph their shape depending on the situation.
IBM’s latest A.I. can help doctors detect how quickly a disease is progressing
IBM has developed an A.I. that can be used to predict how a range of diseases -- including diabetes, Huntington’s, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s -- are likely to develop. The tool could one day be used by physicians to make more accurate diagnoses and design more effective treatments.
Tiny medical microrobots can shape-shift to navigate through your insides
Researchers from Switzerland have developed tiny, adaptable microrobots capable of changing their shape to better navigate around the inside of the human body. The hope is that these origami-inspired robots could one day be used for performing surgery or delivering drugs where required.
Boeing enters the autonomous flying taxi race with first successful test flight
Boeing has completed the first test flight for its very own vertical takeoff and landing electric air taxi. The test took place this week at an airport outside of Washington. No one was aboard for the flight, which involved hovering above the runway for less than a minute.
Amazon is building a fleet of autonomous robots to deliver packages to your door
Amazon has announced the launch of a new delivery robot service called Amazon Scout. To start with, a fleet of six of these robots will be deployed on a trial basis in a neighborhood in Snohomish County, Washington. Should all go well, other locations will presumably follow suit before too long.
Battery-free biosensor patch measures your health by drinking your sweat
Researchers from Northwestern University have developed a soft skin patch that’s able to wirelessly gather data about the body by testing sweat components. It could be useful for everything from tracking sport performance to carrying out clinical work such as disease diagnosis.
Researchers find a way to create a renewable supply of cancer-fighting T cells
Researchers at UCLA have made a major advance in the battle against cancer by showing that it’s possible to create mature T cells with important cancer-killing receptors from pluripotent stem cells. The results could be off-the-shelf T cell cancer therapies for people who need them.
Elon Musk offers to help dig CERN’s new particle collider tunnel
The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) plans to put the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) to shame with its proposed, significantly larger Future Circular Collider -- and Elon Musk wants to help make it a reality. Because, you know, he's not busy enough these days.
The CRISPR baby saga continues as China confirms second gene-edited pregnancy
China’s official Xinhua news agency has confirmed that a second woman has become pregnant as part of a controversial experiment to create the world’s first genetically edited babies. The scientist responsible for the work has since been fired by the university he was working for.
World’s biggest fleet of campus delivery robots now transporting student meals
The world’s largest fleet of delivery robots on a university campus is coming to Virginia’s George Mason University. Starting today, Mason’s 40,000 students, faculty, and staff can get everything from pizza to Starbucks coffee delivered directly to them by one of 25 robots.
Coinstar machines will let you swap cash for Bitcoin at your local grocery store
Coinstar, the company which owns the cash exchange machines found at grocery stores and elsewhere, will soon let you easily buy Bitcoin with your money. Here's what the company recently announced -- and why this is potentially big news for the 10-year-old cryptocurrency.
A.I. finds non-infringing ways to copy drugs pharma spends billions developing
Drug companies spend billions developing and protecting their trademark pharmaceuticals. In a breakthrough, researchers have demonstrated an A.I. which can find new methods for producing existing drugs in a way that doesn’t infringe on existing patents. Here's how it works.
ANYmal dog robot can get back on its feet when someone pushes it over
Roboticists at ETH Zurich have demonstrated how their ANYmal four-legged robot is capable of taking a kicking and keeping on ticking -- or keeping on walking at least. If it does get pushed over, it's also capable of figuring out how to climb back to its feet. Check it out.
Google’s radar-sensing tech could make any object smart
From counting cards to recognizing Lego models, computer scientists from the University of St Andrews in Scotland recently demonstrated how Google’s Soli sensor can be used to make dumb objects smart. Here's why radar could help finally make the dream of smart homes a reality.
Scientists successfully grow human blood vessels in a Petri dish
A team of researchers has managed to grow picture-perfect human blood vessels in a Petri dish for the first time, and even to successfully implant them into live mice models. The results could be a game-changer for treating diabetes. Here's why it's such an exciting advance.
Too buzzed to drive? Don’t worry — this autonomous car-bar will drive to you
It might just be the best or the worst idea that we've ever heard: A self-driving robot bartender users can summon with a mobile app, which promises to mix you the perfect drink wherever you happen to be. Coming soon to a block party near you? Hey, we can dream, can't we?
Hexbot is a modular robot arm that does everything from drawing to playing chess
Who wouldn’t want their own personal desktop robot arm to do everything from laser engraving to competing against you in a game of chess? That’s what Hexbot promises to deliver with its modular attachments, which include a pen holder, soft gripper, suction cup, and more.
Fears about kids’ screen use may have been overblown, Oxford researchers find
Many people take it as gospel that digital technologies are harmful to young people’s mental health. But is this actually the case? A recent study from the University of Oxford, which analyzed data from 350,000 subjects in the U.K and United States, thinks we're overstating things.
New brainwave reader tells teachers if students are concentrating
Massachusetts-based startup BrainCo has developed brainwave-reading headbands which can reportedly help reveal if students are concentrating in class. They'll even publicly rat you out if you stop paying attention. Here's how they're being used in the classroom.