Hi Tech & Innovation news

Robotics

Extra robotic thumb lets wearers complete two-handed tasks with one hand

To complete many everyday tasks and chores, humans typically use both of their hands. For instance, when opening a bottle, they use one hand to hold the bottle and the other to twist its cap. Researchers at the University ...

Consumer & Gadgets

Radar wristband turns your arm into a smartwatch trackpad

Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed technology that turns a smartwatch user's forearm into a trackpad, allowing the user to scroll, zoom, click on icons and so on. The system relies on a radar system ...

Hi Tech & Innovation

Directional VR passwords improve recall with a sense of place

Researchers have demonstrated a new password authentication technique for use in virtual reality (VR) settings, which allows users to choose directions rather than numbers. The approach supports the same number of possible ...

Engineering

Architected fillers: Shape becomes a design variable for composites

In a recent study, researchers in materials science at Tampere University challenged conventional composite filler shapes by introducing a different approach in which each particle's 3D geometry is designed first, then printed ...

Robotics

Advanced coating can alter a drone's radar signature

Drones have become a crucial element in modern security and defense. The ability to manipulate the signals reflected from drones—so that, for example, it is possible to fly close to a radar without being detected—is therefore ...

Energy & Green Tech

Engineers adapt laser physics trick to deliver heat on demand

When a process needs a burst of heat, a steady supply may not be enough. Storing thermal energy and delivering it quickly are challenges for applications such as sterilization, cleaning or starting up distillation systems. ...

Hi Tech & Innovation

AI helps find better recipes for 3D-printing titanium parts

Engineers can 3D-print high-performance titanium parts for aircraft, medical implants and advanced machinery, but finding the right printing settings can still require costly and time-consuming trial and error. A new study ...

Energy & Green Tech

Rechargeable battery prototype runs on vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is essential for the body's proper functioning and is found in foods of animal origin. It is produced by certain bacteria that, in addition to being found in nature, are cultivated at industrial facilities for ...

Hi Tech & Innovation

Researchers teach football to AI models

The NFL has given Carnegie Mellon University researchers access to official film and on-field data to develop new technologies that can enhance the way coaches, players and fans annotate, analyze and understand games.

Robotics

PhoneBot gives old smartphones a new job on two legs

Smartphones combine cameras, motion sensors and powerful processors in devices that fit inside a pocket. These features could also make them useful components for robots, reducing the need to buy and connect separate sensors, ...

Engineering

How to head into VR without wearing a headset

A person wearing bulky goggles, turning awkwardly in circles and reaching out to grab something that isn't there—that is the image many of us have of virtual reality, and one that researchers at Kyushu University want to ...

Engineering

Brain-inspired imaging system can 'see' through fog

Researchers from the Brown University School of Engineering have developed a new imaging system that can see and track moving objects in partially opaque environments like dense fog or muddy water.

Energy & Green Tech

Solar-powered trashcan lid insert gets rid of garbage stink

Garbage left outside starts smelling unpleasant very quickly, especially in warm, humid climates that accelerate food decay. In ACS' Environmental Science & Technology, researchers report a solar-powered lid insert that fits ...

Engineering

'PIX' process refines alloys for fusion and aerospace applications

University of Birmingham scientists have discovered a new materials and processing approach that could help engineers develop stronger, more reliable materials for two different technologies: future fusion reactors and next-generation ...