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Latest by Luke Dormehl

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This turtle-inspired soft robot can crawl over terrain like pebbles, sand

Engineers at University of California San Diego have developed a 3D-printed, four-legged soft robot that’s able to crawl over rough terrain.
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Smog-Free Bicycle’s pedal power could scrub pollutants from Beijing’s air

The Netherlands’ Studio Roosegaarde is working on a Smog-Free Bicycle that will suck in pollution and pump out clean air as you cycle.
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A small number of self-driving cars on the road could solve some traffic woes

According to a recent study, just five percent of cars on the road being autonomous could eliminate stop-and-go waves of traffic.
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This autonomous cooler will follow behind you as you walk to the beach

Carrying a heavy cooler to the beach isn't exactly fun. This autonomous cooler will trundle along behind its owner wherever they go.
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What’s the future of air travel? Watch this robot learn to fly and land a 737

DARPA and aeronautics research company Aurora Flight Science have developed a robot co-pilot capable of flying and landing a Boeing 737.
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If flippers aren’t enough for you, check out this handheld underwater jetpack

Want to channel your inner Aquaman? Then may may want to pick Sublue’s new Whiteshark MIX underwater booster.
sherlock

Like a cyborg Sherlock Holmes, this AI detective finds clues humans might miss

VALCRI is a crime-solving computer system able to scan through police records, interviews, photos, videos, and more, and discover the links.
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No cell signal? No sweat. Send files via high-frequency sound waves with app

Could we replace NFC and QR codes with ultrasonic tech that allows users to send data via high-pitched audio? This startup thinks so.
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This swarm of drones uses virtual force fields to avoid crashing into each other

Researchers at Georgia Tech have come up with a method for allowing swarms of quadcopters to fly without crashing into one another.
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This robotic fish patrols the ocean, gathering water quality info as it swims

Researchers have developed a robotic fish, designed to check the water quality of its surroundings as it swims.
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This smart shirt is able to warn you when you need to sit up straighter

Ever wanted a shirt that will tell you to sit up straighter? It's your lucky day! Thanks to this Kickstarter smart shirt, you're in luck.
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Charge as you drive on Electroad, coming soon to 11 miles of asphalt in Israel

Israel is beginning work on a pilot scheme to install new smart roads that will allow electric buses to charge while driving.
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Ultrasonic tech allows users to whisper in someone’s ear from 100 feet away

Researchers at the U.K.'s University of Bristol have been working on technology to allow people to whisper to one another from 100 feet away.
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With 500,000 viewers per day, VR is the fastest-growing category on Pornhub

Virtual reality porn is the hottest thing to hit Pornhub since... well, pick the name of your favorite actor or actress.
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Robotic pool shark wants to school you at billiards — and you can build one

Judith is a work-in-progress pool-playing robot being developed by a high school engineering teacher. Check it out!
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MIT is building a cheap handheld device for translating Braille instantly

A team of six MIT researchers are developing a handheld device, capable of carrying out real-time translation of text to Braille.
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Got an F in art class? This 3D clay printer is for you

From vases and bowls to masks and models, this 3D clay printer could be the missing piece your maker-space needs.
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Check out the lifelike robotic falcon scaring birds off an airport runway

Edmonton International Airport is using robotic birds of prey to stop real birds from dangerously flying or nesting near flight paths.
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Elon Musk’s ‘boring’ video of a Hyperloop sled is anything but

Elon Musk's dream of underground tunnels being used to hurtle cars at 125 miles per hour isn't a dream any more.
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Man builds a homemade hologram generator to bring Microsoft’s Cortana to life

Florida-based developer Jared Archer has created an awesome holographic avatar of Microsoft's Cortana AI to answer his queries.
Drones

Watch these A.I. drones teach themselves how to fly through trial and error

Roboticists from Carnegie Mellon trained drones to fly better by feeding a neural network with crash data from 11,500 drone collisions.
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Be the Bane of eavesdroppers with Hushme, a mask that muffles private calls

It may look faintly ridiculous, but this acoustic-muffling device lets you take private phone calls in complete confidence.
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Underwater robots are live-streaming from the bottom of the ocean right now

Two projects are currently underway, letting users watch HD footage streamed live from remotely operated robotic vehicles deep in the ocean.
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Here's what the TRAPPIST-1 system sounds like as a space symphony

Want to know what the TRAPPIST-1 system, NASA's discovery of seven Earth-sized exoplanets, would sound like as a symphony? Of course you do.
renewable energy

In record-breaking weekend, Germany got 85% of its electricity from renewables

On the last weekend of April, 85 percent of all electricity consumed in Germany was produced using renewable energy sources.
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Robot eye surgeon is 10x more precise than the most steady-handed human

A robot in the U.K. has just performed the first ever robot surgery inside the human eye. The results are amazingly precise.
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Scientists predict AI will allow us to translate dolphin language by 2021

Swedish-based language startup Gavagai AB is using cutting edge AI to understand what dolphins are chatting about.
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Cryonic freezing is the coolest employee perk in Silicon Valley — literally

Silicon Valley-based AI-driven hedge fund Numerai is offering cryonic freezing as an employee benefit in order to attract new recruits.
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Shape-shifting fog display ushers in a whole new world of holograms

Researchers have developed a shape-changing fog display that projects 3D-looking images directly onto a thin wall of mist floating in midair.
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No ramp? No problem, for this stair-climbing electric wheelchair

A group of five masters students from Switzerland has developed the Scewo wheelchair that is capable of climbing a flight of stairs.
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3D-printed fingertip sensors take us one step closer to bionic humans

Researchers at the University of Minnesota have developed a silicone pressure sensor able to be 3D-printed directly onto a person’s hand.
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Carnegie Mellon have developed a spray paint for turning any surface into a touchpad

Engineers at Carnegie Mellon have developed a system for turning any object or surface into a touchpad. Here's how it works.
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Leave your life jacket on shore and swim safely with this inflatable collar

Ploota is neck-worn device that deploys airbags, designed to keep a person’s head upright, if they’re under water for more than 30 seconds.
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Robot bridge inspector uses sensors and machine learning to hunt for defects

Autonomous robot is designed to inspect bridges and detect any structural damage before it can cause potential injury.