Distorted GPS signals reveal hurricane wind speeds
By pinpointing locations on Earth from space, GPS systems have long shown drivers the shortest route home and guided airline pilots across oceans. Now, by figuring out how messed up GPS satellite signals get when bouncing around in a storm, researchers have found a way to do something completely different with GPS: measure and map the wind speeds of hurricanes.
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Sound waves can be used to levitate and move small objects
It seems that levitation without contact is no longer just a cool illusion trick performed by magicians. Scientists at the Laboratory of Thermodynamics in Emerging Technologies in Zurich, Switzerland, have successfully levitated small objects using only sound waves.
Acoustic levitation is better than magnetic levitation in that it can be used on any object, not just materials that … Read More → "Sound waves can be used to levitate and move small objects"
Naro-nanin educational robot fish takes a dip (video)
A new breed of robot fish that is both relatively inexpensive and highly customizable is teaching students between the ages of 10 and 18 about technology and biology. It’s the latest in a line of biologically-inspired underwater robots developed within the naro (nautical robots) project at ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology), which has previously developed robots based on tuna fish and sea turtles.
Stefan Bertschi, who leads a school outreach … Read More → "Naro-nanin educational robot fish takes a dip (video)"
Students go head to head in human-powered submarine race
The 12th annual International Submarine Races (ISR) took place the last week of June at the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Carderock Division. Students were given two years to build a one- or two-person human-powered submarine, which they would race along a 100 meter course in a model basin at the NSWC. Because the subs aren’t waterproof, the teams compete while wearing full scuba gear.
Contestants must follow a 44-page manual, and … Read More → "Students go head to head in human-powered submarine race"
A robotic tattoo artist
Here’s something we thought we’d never see: a robot that turns a computer drawing into a tattoo on the user’s arm.
The basic design of the robot is a frame that moves linearly along two axes, and rotates around a third. The tattoo … Read More → "A robotic tattoo artist"
High-fiving robot calms kids while they get shots
The robot, named MEDi, is programmed to greet a child with a high-five, collect toys from a tray and ask questions like “Do you like movies?” Children who engaged with the robot while receiving a flu shot had much less pain and distress than children who got a shot the usual way, according to a study published in the June issue of Vaccine.
It’s the first robot to help children manage … Read More → "High-fiving robot calms kids while they get shots"
One of the latest artificial intelligence systems from MIT is as smart as a 4-year-old
When kids eat glue, they’re exhibiting a lack of common sense. Computers equipped with artificial intelligence, it turns out, suffer from a similar problem.
While computers can tell you the chemical composition of glue, most can’t tell you if it is a gross choice for a snack. They lack the common sense that is ingrained in adult humans.
For the last decade, MIT researchers … Read More → "One of the latest artificial intelligence systems from MIT is as smart as a 4-year-old"
