Hi Tech & Innovation news

Robotics

Artificial touch: Brain-controlled bionic hand now senses edges and motion

A complex sense of touch for individuals living with spinal cord injuries is a step closer to reality. A study published in Science, paves the way for complex touch sensations through brain stimulation while using an extracorporeal ...

Engineering

Insect-eye-inspired camera captures 9,120 frames per second

The compound eyes of insects can detect fast-moving objects in parallel and, in low-light conditions, enhance sensitivity by integrating signals over time to determine motion. Inspired by these biological mechanisms, KAIST ...

Energy & Green Tech

Next-generation wearables: Compact cooling pump drops temperatures by 16°F

UCLA materials scientists have developed a compact cooling technology that can pump away heat continuously using layers of flexing thin films. The design is based on the electrocaloric effect, in which an electric field causes ...

Engineering

Nature-inspired design uses elastic pillars to eject freezing droplets, preventing ice buildup

Water droplets under freezing conditions do not spontaneously detach from surfaces as they do at room temperature due to stronger droplet-surface interaction and lack of an energy transformation pathway. Since accumulated ...

Electronics & Semiconductors

Novel OLED stacks enable exceptionally bright microdisplays

Users of augmented reality (AR) glasses require especially bright displays in daylight to clearly recognize content. High brightness and low power consumption are therefore crucial development goals, as optical systems—such ...

Hi Tech & Innovation

Invisible man: German startup bets on remote driver

With no one in the driver seat, the SUV pulling up resembles an autonomous robotaxi like those becoming increasingly present in some cities—but the car from German startup Vay is something else.

Engineering

Study tests firefighter turnout gear with and without PFAS

Transitioning away from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which offer water- and oil-repelling properties on the outer shells of firefighter turnout gear, could bring potential performance tradeoffs, according to ...

Electronics & Semiconductors

Researchers look to the human eye to boost computer vision efficiency

Conventional silicon architecture has taken computer vision a long way, but Purdue University researchers are developing an alternative path—taking a cue from nature—that they say is the foundation of an artificial retina. ...

Electronics & Semiconductors

An ultra-thin tattoo that gives a tactile sensation

An ultra-thin wearable device capable of reproducing the localized sensation of touch had been developed at the Center for Materials Interfaces of the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (Italian Institute of Technology, IIT), ...

Hi Tech & Innovation

Using virtual reality to research phantom sensations

Virtual reality (VR) is not only a technology for games and entertainment, but also has potential in science and medicine. Researchers at Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, have now gained new insights into human perception ...

Hi Tech & Innovation

Twisted magnets make brain-inspired computing more adaptable

A form of brain-inspired computing that exploits the intrinsic physical properties of a material to dramatically reduce energy use is now a step closer to reality, thanks to a new study led by UCL and Imperial College London ...

Consumer & Gadgets

Glasses use sonar, AI to interpret upper body poses in 3D

Throughout history, sonar's distinctive "ping" has been used to map oceans, spot enemy submarines, and find sunken ships. Today, a variation of that technology—in miniature form, developed by Cornell researchers—is proving ...

Engineering

Ultrafast lasers on ultra-tiny chips

Lasers have become relatively commonplace in everyday life, but they have many uses outside of providing light shows at raves and scanning barcodes on groceries. Lasers are also of great importance in telecommunications and ...