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Categories: Engineering: Robotics Research, Paleontology: Early Mammals and Birds
Published Pacific kelp forests are far older that we thought
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Fossils of kelp along the Pacific Coast are rare. Until now, the oldest fossil dated from 14 million years ago, leading to the view that today's denizens of the kelp forest -- marine mammals, urchins, sea birds -- coevolved with kelp. A recent amateur discovery pushes back the origin of kelp to 32 million years ago, long before these creatures appeared. A new analysis suggests the first kelp grazers were extinct, hippo-like animals called desmostylians.
Published 'Smart glove' can boost hand mobility of stroke patients
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source This month, a group of stroke survivors in British Columbia will test a new technology designed to aid their recovery, and ultimately restore use of their limbs and hands. Participants will wear a new groundbreaking 'smart glove' capable of tracking their hand and finger movements during rehabilitation exercises.
Published Squishy, metal-free magnets to power robots and guide medical implants
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source 'Soft robots,' medical devices and implants, and next-generation drug delivery methods could soon be guided with magnetism -- thanks to a metal-free magnetic gel developed by researchers. Carbon-based, magnetic molecules are chemically bonded to the molecular network of a gel, creating a flexible, long-lived magnet for soft robotics.
Published Oldest known fossilized skin is 21 million years older than previous examples
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have identified a 3D fragment of fossilized skin that is at least 21 million years than previously described skin fossils. The skin, which belonged to an early species of Paleozoic reptile, has a pebbled surface and most closely resembles crocodile skin. It's the oldest example of preserved epidermis, the outermost layer of skin in terrestrial reptiles, birds, and mammals, which was an important evolutionary adaptation in the transition to life on land.
Published Artificial muscle device produces force 34 times its weight
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists developed a soft fluidic switch using an ionic polymer artificial muscle that runs with ultra-low power to lift objects 34 times greater than its weight. Its light weight and small size make it applicable to various industrial fields such as soft electronics, smart textiles, and biomedical devices by controlling fluid flow with high precision, even in narrow spaces.
Published Artificial intelligence helps unlock advances in wireless communications
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new wave of communication technology is quickly approaching and researchers are now investigating ways to configure next-generation mobile networks.
Published New research sheds light on an old fossil solving an evolutionary mystery
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Picrodontids -- an extinct family of placental mammals that lived several million years after the extinction of the dinosaurs -- are not primates as previously believed.
Published A beating biorobotic heart aims to better simulate valves
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Combining a biological heart and a silicone robotic pump, researchers created a biorobotic heart that beats like a real one, with a focus on a valve on the left side of the heart. The heart valve simulator can mimic the structure, function, and motion of a healthy or diseased heart, allowing surgeons and researchers to demonstrate various interventions while collecting real-time data.
Published Towards more accurate 3D object detection for robots and self-driving cars
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Robots and autonomous vehicles can use 3D point clouds from LiDAR sensors and camera images to perform 3D object detection. However, current techniques that combine both types of data struggle to accurately detect small objects. Now, researchers have developed DPPFA Net, an innovative network that overcomes challenges related to occlusion and noise introduced by adverse weather. Their findings will pave the way for more perceptive and capable autonomous systems.
Published New soft robots roll like tires, spin like tops and orbit like moons
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have developed a new soft robot design that engages in three simultaneous behaviors: rolling forward, spinning like a record, and following a path that orbits around a central point. The device, which operates without human or computer control, holds promise for developing soft robotic devices that can be used to navigate and map unknown environments.
Published Fastest swimming insect could inspire uncrewed boat designs
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Whirligig beetles, the world's fastest-swimming insect, achieve surprising speeds by employing a strategy shared by fast-swimming marine mammals and waterfowl, according to a new study that rewrites previous explanations of the physics involved.
Published Soft robotic, wearable device improves walking for individual with Parkinson's disease
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have used a soft, wearable robot to help a person living with Parkinson's walk without freezing. The robotic garment, worn around the hips and thighs, gives a gentle push to the hips as the leg swings, helping the patient achieve a longer stride. The device completely eliminated the participant's freezing while walking indoors, allowing them to walk faster and further than they could without the garment's help.
Published Could an electric nudge to the head help your doctor operate a surgical robot?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source People who received gentle electric currents on the back of their heads learned to maneuver a robotic surgery tool in virtual reality and then in a real setting much more easily than people who didn't receive those nudges, a new study shows.
Published AI's memory-forming mechanism found to be strikingly similar to that of the brain
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An interdisciplinary team consisting of researchers has revealed a striking similarity between the memory processing of artificial intelligence (AI) models and the hippocampus of the human brain. This new finding provides a novel perspective on memory consolidation, which is a process that transforms short-term memories into long-term ones, in AI systems.
Published AI provides more accurate analysis of prehistoric and modern animals, painting picture of ancient world
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study of the remains of prehistoric and modern African antelopes found that AI technology accurately identified animals more than 90% of the time compared to humans, who had much lower accuracy rates depending on the expert.
Published Cognitive strategies for augmenting the body with a wearable, robotic arm
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists show that breathing may be used to control a wearable extra robotic arm in healthy individuals, without hindering control of other parts of the body.
Published Why the long face? Scientists solve a major puzzle in mammal skull shape evolution
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Horses have developed long faces simply 'because they can,' a team of evolutionary biologists say. In a major review of how mammalian heads evolve, scientists found that adaptations to feeding explain why large species of mammals often have much longer faces compared to smaller closely related species -- a pattern referred to as Craniofacial Evolutionary Allometry (CREA).
Published Engineers design a robotic replica of the heart's right chamber
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Engineers developed a robotic replica of the heart's right ventricle, which mimics the beating and blood-pumping action of live hearts. The device could be used for studying right ventricle disorders and testing devices and therapies aimed at treating those disorders.
Published Artificial intelligence makes gripping more intuitive
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Artificial hands can be operated via app or with sensors placed in the muscles of the forearm. New research shows: a better understanding of muscle activity patterns in the forearm supports a more intuitive and natural control of artificial limbs. This requires a network of 128 sensors and artificial intelligence based techniques.
Published Exposure to soft robots decreases human fears about working with them
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Seeing robots made with soft, flexible parts in action appears to lower people's anxiety about working with them or even being replaced by them. A study found that watching videos of a soft robot working with a person at picking and placing tasks lowered the viewers' safety concerns and feelings of job insecurity. This was true even when the soft robot was shown working in close proximity to the person. This finding shows soft robots hold a potential psychological advantage over rigid robots made of metal or other hard materials.