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Categories: Engineering: Robotics Research, Environmental: Biodiversity
Published Care robots: Ethical perceptions and acceptance
(via sciencedaily.com) The global population of people older than 65 years of age is rapidly increasing the need for care. Although care robots are a promising solution to fill in for caregivers, their social implementation has been slow and unsatisfactory. A team of international researchers has now developed the first universal model that can be employed across cultural contexts to explain how ethical perceptions affect the willingness to use care robots.
Published Soils forming on the branches of trees are an overlooked forest habitat
(via sciencedaily.com) A study on 'canopy soils' on old trees in Costa Rica shows they are important habitats and carbon stores that cannot easily be replaced.
Published AI helps robots manipulate objects with their whole bodies
(via sciencedaily.com) A new AI technique enables a robot to develop complex plans for manipulating an object using its entire hand, not just fingertips. This model can generate effective plans in about a minute using a standard laptop.
Published New framework for oceanographic research provides potential for broader access to deep sea scientific exploration
(via sciencedaily.com) Scientific exploration of the deep ocean has largely remained inaccessible to most people because of barriers to access due to infrastructure, training, and physical ability requirements for at-sea oceanographic research.
Published New dual-arm robot achieves bimanual tasks by learning from simulation
(via sciencedaily.com) An innovative bimanual robot displays tactile sensitivity close to human-level dexterity using AI to inform its actions.
Published National parks support wildlife inside and outside their borders
(via sciencedaily.com) Fresh research suggests that national parks enhance bird diversity inside their borders. Large parks also support higher diversity of both birds and mammals in nearby unprotected areas.
Published Deforestation limits nesting habitat for cavity-nesting birds
(via sciencedaily.com) A new study of cavity-nesting birds in Ecuador shows the influence of deforestation on their habitat and reproductive success. Nest boxes could help.
Published Researchers unearth a new process by which algae pass on nurtrients to their coral host
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers have identified a new pathway by which sugar is released by symbiotic algae. This pathway involves the largely overlooked cell wall, showing that this structure not only protects the cell but plays an important role in symbiosis and carbon circulation in the ocean.
Published Biodiversity protects against invasions of non-native tree species
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers combined human and ecological factors to analyze the global scale of non-native tree species invasions. Human activity in hotspots of global trade, such as maritime ports, is linked to an increased likelihood of non-native tree species invasions. However, a high diversity of native tree species can help to curb the intensity of such invasions.
Published Small urban greening projects can dramatically increase number of insect species in cities
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source By increasing the diversity of indigenous plants in urban areas, researchers have seen a seven times increase in the number of insect species in just three years, confirming the ecological benefits of urban greening projects.
Published Fire, disease threatening sanctuary plants for Australian wildlife
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research has revealed Australia's iconic grasstrees -- known as 'yaccas' -- play a critical role in protecting wildlife from deadly weather extremes, thereby ensuring their survival. But the grasses themselves are under threat due to back burning, clearing and disease.
Published Hundreds of Andean bird species at risk due to deforestation: New research shows how to protect them
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Birds native to the tropical Andes are threatened by increasing agricultural development in the region. A new study combines a meta-analysis of papers on birds across the Andes with five years of fieldwork in Peru, revealing that open farmlands result in up to a 60% decline in the number of species in an area. The study documents how specific species are affected and provides tailored guidance for conservationists trying to protect them.
Published Detecting a vast diversity of rainforest animals by swabbing their DNA from leaves
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers demonstrate that a vast multitude of birds and mammals can be detected by simply swabbing the DNA left behind by animals from leaves. They showcased the power of this approach in an ecosystem that hosts a ton of wildlife and where detecting animals has historically proven extremely challenging -- the tropical rainforest.
Published Advancing trajectory tracking control of pneumatic artificial muscle-based systems
(via sciencedaily.com) Pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs) are artificial devices that can simulate the mechanics of human muscles, and have shown great promise in industries requiring human-robot interaction systems. Despite their potential, controlling the trajectory performance of PAM-based systems is challenging owing to their nonlinear characteristics. Now, researchers have developed a novel adaptive sliding mode controller that uses fuzzy logic to estimate PAM-based system's parameters, promising enhanced tracking accuracy and adaptability compared to traditional control methods.
Published Pollutants are important to biodiversity's role in spread of wildlife diseases
(via sciencedaily.com) Conventional wisdom among ecologists holds that the more species there are inhabiting an ecosystem, the less vulnerable any one species will be to a threat like a parasite. A new study of tadpoles illustrates how overlapping biological and environmental factors can complicate how we value protecting diverse animal communities. The researchers found that environmental pollutants like road salt influence whether increased biodiversity helps or hinders disease outbreaks in wildlife, which can complicate how we value protecting diverse animal communities.
Published Harnessing big data reveals birds' coexisting tactics
(via sciencedaily.com) Birds likely hold smart insights about coexisting in popular habitats -- especially as climate change looms. Scientists peel back layers of big data to tease out real-life answers.
Published Brain recordings capture musicality of speech -- with help from Pink Floyd
(via sciencedaily.com) For those with neurological or developmental disorders compromising speech, brain machine interfaces could help them communicate. But today's interfaces are slow and, from electrodes placed on the scalp, can detect letters only. The speech generated is robotic and affectless. Neuroscientists have now shown that they can reconstruct the song a person is hearing from brain recordings alone, holding out the possibility of reconstructing not only words but the musicality of speech, which also conveys meaning.
Published Robotic exoskeletons and neurorehabilitation for acquired brain injury: Determining the potential for recovery of overground walking
(via sciencedaily.com) Developing a framework for future research requires a comprehensive approach based on diagnosis, stage of recovery, and domain.
Published App-based tool quantifies pesticide toxicity in watersheds; identifies mitigation opportunities
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Pesticides are a leading source of chemical hazards in aquatic environments. Researchers have introduced a new tool to help evaluate toxicity at high resolution and suggests that targeting a small number of pesticides in a few watersheds could significantly reduce aquatic toxicity in California's agricultural centers.
Published Top fish predators could suffer wide loss of suitable habitat by 2100 due to climate change
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A study of 12 species of highly migratory fish predators -- including sharks, tuna, and billfish such as marlin and swordfish -- finds that most of them will encounter widespread losses of suitable habitat and redistribution from current habitats in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean (NWA) and the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) by 2100. These areas are among the fastest warming ocean regions and are projected to increase between 1-6°C (+1-10°F) by the end of the century, a sign of climate-driven changes in marine ecosystems.