Chemistry: Biochemistry Computer Science: Virtual Reality (VR) Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

Simulated terrible drivers cut the time and cost of AV testing by a factor of one thousand      (via sciencedaily.com) 

The push toward truly autonomous vehicles has been hindered by the cost and time associated with safety testing, but a new system shows that artificial intelligence can reduce the testing miles required by 99.99%.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

Head-worn device can control mobile manipulators      (via sciencedaily.com) 

New research aims to increase autonomy for individuals with such motor impairments by introducing a head-worn device that will help them control a mobile manipulator. Teleoperated mobile manipulators can aid individuals in completing daily activities, but many existing technologies like hand-operated joysticks or web interfaces require a user to have substantial fine motor skills to effectively control them. Research led by robotics Ph.D. student Akhil Padmanabha offers a new device equipped with a hands-free microphone and head-worn sensor that allows users to control a mobile robot via head motion and speech recognition.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: General Engineering: Graphene Engineering: Nanotechnology Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

Mind-control robots a reality?      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have developed biosensor technology that will allow you to operate devices, such as robots and machines, solely through thought control.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engineering: Robotics Research Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

A sowing, pruning, and harvesting robot for SynecocultureTM farming      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Synecoculture, a new farming method, involves growing mixed plant species together in high density. However, it requires complex operation since varying species with different growing seasons and growing speeds are planted on the same land. To address this need, researchers have developed a robot that can sow, prune, and harvest plants in dense vegetation growth. Its small, flexible body will help large-scale Synecoculture. This is an important step towards achieving sustainable farming and carbon neutrality.

Computer Science: General Engineering: Robotics Research Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

3D-printed revolving devices can sense how they are moving      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers created a system that enables makers to incorporate sensors directly into rotational mechanisms with only one pass in a 3D printer. This gives rotational mechanisms like gearboxes the ability to sense their angular position, rotation speed, and direction of rotation.

Chemistry: General Engineering: Robotics Research Environmental: Water Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Electronic skin as flexible as crocodile skin      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A research team has developed a crocodile-skin-inspired omnidirectionally stretchable pressure sensor.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Mathematics: Modeling Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Modelling superfast processes in organic solar cell material      (via sciencedaily.com) 

In organic solar cells, carbon-based polymers convert light into charges that are passed to an acceptor. Scientists have now calculated how this happens by combining molecular dynamics simulations with quantum calculations and have provided theoretical insights to interpret experimental data.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engineering: Robotics Research Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

Resilient bug-sized robots keep flying even after wing damage      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have developed resilient artificial muscles that can enable insect-scale aerial robots to effectively recover flight performance after suffering severe damage.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology Engineering: Robotics Research Physics: Optics
Published

Researchers control the degree of twist in nanostructured particles      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Micron-sized 'bow ties,' self-assembled from nanoparticles, form a variety of different curling shapes that can be precisely controlled, a research team has shown.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engineering: Robotics Research Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General Offbeat: Space Space: Exploration Space: General
Published

Mix-and-match kit could enable astronauts to build a menagerie of lunar exploration bots      (via sciencedaily.com) 

The Walking Oligomeric Robotic Mobility System, or WORMS, is a reconfigurable, modular, multiagent robotics architecture for extreme lunar terrain mobility. The system could be used to assemble autonomous worm-like parts into larger biomimetic robots that could explore lava tubes, steep slopes, and the moon's permanently shadowed regions.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

Robots can help improve mental wellbeing at work -- as long as they look right      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Robots can be useful as mental wellbeing coaches in the workplace -- but perception of their effectiveness depends in large part on what the robot looks like.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: General Mathematics: General Mathematics: Modeling
Published

Researcher solves nearly 60-year-old game theory dilemma      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A researcher has solved a nearly 60-year-old game theory dilemma called the wall pursuit game, with implications for better reasoning about autonomous systems such as driver-less vehicles.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Mathematics: Modeling
Published

Fighting intolerance with physics      (via sciencedaily.com) 

In a world experiencing growing inequality and intolerance, tools borrowed from science and mathematics could be the key to understanding and preventing prejudice. Experts apply evolutionary game theory, which combines techniques from economics and biology, and complex system analysis to investigate the relationship between inequality and intolerance. They found that inequality boosts intolerance and that redistribution of wealth can prevent its infectious spread.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: General Energy: Technology Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

Researchers develop soft robot that shifts from land to sea with ease      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Most animals can quickly transition from walking to jumping to crawling to swimming if needed without reconfiguring or making major adjustments. Most robots cannot. But researchers have now created soft robots that can seamlessly shift from walking to swimming, for example, or crawling to rolling using a bistable actuator made of 3D-printed soft rubber containing shape-memory alloy springs that react to electrical currents by contracting, which causes the actuator to bend. The team used this bistable motion to change the actuator or robot's shape. Once the robot changes shape, it is stable until another electrical charge morphs it back to its previous configuration.

Mathematics: Modeling
Published

What if California didn't close down during the pandemic?      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Using a novel economic-epidemiological model, researchers examine the health and economic impacts that could have occurred if California took a 'business-as-usual' approach to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

Ultra-soft and highly stretchable hydrogel-based sensor for monitoring overactive bladder      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have developed an ultra-soft and highly stretchable tissue-adhesive hydrogel-based multifunctional implantable sensor for monitoring of overactive bladder.

Mathematics: Modeling
Published

News you can use -- to better predict food crisis outbreaks      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A team of researchers has developed a machine learning model that draws from the contents of news articles to effectively predict locations that face risks of food insecurity. The model, which could be used to help prioritize the allocation of emergency food assistance across vulnerable regions, marks an improvement over existing measurements.

Mathematics: General Mathematics: Modeling
Published

Stick to your lane: Hidden order in chaotic crowds      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Mathematical research brings new understanding of crowd formation and behavior.

Mathematics: General Mathematics: Modeling
Published

Think you're good at math? Study shows it may be because you had equitable math teachers      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A new study finds that high school students identify more with math if they see their math teacher treating everyone in the class equitably, especially in racially diverse schools. While the relationship between teacher equity and math identity was evident across races, there was an interesting exception. Black students, in general, had strong math identities, regardless of their teacher's actions.  Learning about the factors that affect student math identity is important because a student's attitude towards the subject influences the courses that they take as well as their future career selections. This study suggests that teachers may have a larger role to play in helping students develop a positive math identity than previously recognized.

Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

Fighting friction to protect machinery      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Moving parts in mechanical come into regular contact, leading to wear and tear. Now, researchers have developed a contact control system, driven by artificial intelligence, to greatly reduce contact between damaged parts.