On the afternoon of April 14, 1912, first-class Titanic passengers lunched on a sumptuous array of corned beef, Chicken à la Maryland, and fillet of brill. Approximately 12 hours later, the “unsinkable” ship collided with an iceberg; a mere three hours after that, it sank into the Atlantic.

Among the 705 survivors, a lifeboat filled with wealthy voyagers remained. One of its individuals had saved the menu from the previous day’s … Read More → "Here’s what Titanic passengers ate for lunch the day their ship hit the iceberg"

Working with a team of UCLA scientists, a man with protracted and complete paralysis has recovered sufficient voluntary control to take charge of a bionic exoskeleton and take many thousands of steps. Using a non-invasive spinal stimulation system that requires no surgery, this is claimed to be the first time that a person with such a comprehensive disability has been able to actively and voluntarily walk with such a device.
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It’s not just electronics and other product manufacturing that 3D printers promise to revolutionize. The machines might one day replace all the appliances in your kitchen when it comes to making dinner, or more importantly, making candy.

A German candy-maker called Katjes has created the world’s first 3D printer that extrudes soft gummy candy instead of … Read More → "Making custom gummy bears is a 3D printer’s true calling"

An autonomous starfish-killing robot is close to being ready for trials on the Great Barrier Reef, researchers say.

Crown-of-thorns starfish have have been described as a significant threat to coral.

The Cotsbot robot, which has a vision system, is designed to seek out starfish and give them a lethal injection.

After it eradicates the bulk of starfish in a … Read More → "Starfish-killing robot close to trials on Great Barrier Reef"

A PhD student at the Australian National University recently used a 3D printer to duplicate an Irish artifact previously known as the “Conical Spearbutt of Navan,” thought to be a tool and weapon. Billy Ó Foghlú’s replica was able to prove that the ancient spearbutt was, in fact, an ancient mouthpiece — likely to an iron-age horn.

While bronze-age and iron-age musical instruments, specifically horns, have been found throughout Europe and Scandinavia, the lack of mouthpieces had … Read More → "3D printing resurrects Iron-Age Irish musical instruments"

Cacao, the primary ingredient in chocolate bars, is a slow-growing plant: a cacao tree only produces enough pods to make about a pound of chocolate a year. In part because output is so low, and the process of growing the trees so slow, scientists knew that if the blight wasn’t stopped soon, there would be widespread ramifications. Not only would the price of chocolate shoot up, but the livelihoods of the 6.5 million farmers who tend the cacao … Read More → "How a gene sequencing machine saved the chocolate bar"

Designed to enhance future teaching environments, the Future Desk is easy to move and can be assembled in different group formations for discussion. The touch panel and interactive screen that forms the desk surface allows students to receive information from the teacher instantly.
via Yanko Design

Continue reading</ … Read More → "A smarter desk for tomorrow’s schools"

The “Human Library” originated in Denmark in the year 2000 as part of a youth organization called “Stop the Violence.” The idea is straightforward: library guests can choose which volunteer they’d like to “check out” based on titles the human books assign themselves. Past titles have included “Olympic Athlete,” “Biking Agoraphobic,” “Fat Woman,” and “A Questioning Christian.”< … Read More → "This library lets you check out people instead of books"

A robot-assisted system developed at the University of Twente promises to make medical procedures that use needles more precise. The system allows flexible needles to be steered in real time to their target, which negates issues with tissue and organs deforming from the contact pressure or from any unforeseen obstacles that lie between the needle and its target.
via Gizmag

< … Read More → "Robotic needle can be steered through tissue"

A group of German researchers have created an algorithm that basically amounts to the most amazing Instagram filter ever conceived: a convolutional neural network that can convert any photograph into a work of fine art. The process takes an hour (sorry, it’s notactually coming to a smartphone near you), and the math behind it is horrendously complicated, but the results speak for themselves.
via Read More → "Algorithm turns any picture into the work of a famous artist"