Future

Tiny Ultrasound-Powered Robots Remove Harmful Bacteria From Blood

Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed microscopic robots that can swim through blood and remove harmful bacteria and toxins. These nanorobots are about 25 times smaller than the width of a human hair, and could lead to an efficient and safe way to decontaminate biological fluids in the body. The research… Read More
No More Chores: Robot ‘Agents’ Will Do Them All

Have you ever fantasized about having a robot sidekick? How about a machine for all your daily, time-consuming household chores, so you can sit back and relax? That could well be in our future if a team of researchers headed by MIT and the University of Toronto has anything to do with it. The researchers… Read More
Robotic Glider Flies Like an Albatross and Sails Like a Boat

A team of engineers at MIT has developed a robotic glider capable of both soaring through the air in high winds and riding rapidly along the water’s surface. In drafting the unique design of their robot, which they call the “wind-powered Unmanned Nautical Air-water vehicle,” or UNAv, the researchers drew inspiration from both biological and… Read More
A Human-Like 3D-Printed Smart Gel That Can Operate Underwater

A team of engineers from Rutgers University–New Brunswick has created a human-like 3D-printed smart gel that can walk underwater as well as grab and move objects. This new technology could lead to the development of soft robots that can mimic an octopus’s ability to walk underwater and bump into things without causing damage. In addition,… Read More
3D Printing Bionic Limbs Allows Kids to Be Kids Again

Every year, thousands of children in the U.S. are born without arms, limiting their development and affecting their quality of life. But now, there is hope that they can receive affordable and customizable prosthetics, capable of boosting their growth and potential. Their savior is a team of researchers from Limbitless Solutions, a non-profit group at… Read More
Robots: Counselors That Truly Listen

Researchers at the University of Plymouth have proven, for the first time, that robots can conduct a helpful, enjoyable motivational interview (MI). MI is a technique used in psychiatry that involves a counselor asking questions and encouraging someone to explain their need and reasons for wanting change in their lives. The use of robots allows… Read More
AI Predicts Risk of School Violence

In a recent pilot study, researchers from the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) have demonstrated artificial intelligence as a useful tool in predicting which students are more likely to perpetrate school violence. The researchers determined that machine learning is as accurate as a team of child, adolescent and forensic psychiatrists in determining a young… Read More
AI Can Now Decode Animal Behavior. What Does It Mean for Our Future?

Up until now, biologists studying animal behavior have been restricted to human observation. But scientists at Columbia University have now come up with an easier method. They have developed an innovative algorithm that can be used to study animal behaviors. Led by Rafael Yuste, a neuroscientist at Columbia and a member of Columbia’s Data Science… Read More
Envisioning On-Skin 3D Printing Tool As ‘Swiss Army Knife’ of the Future

A team of researchers from the University of Minnesota has developed a technology to print custom electronics and cells directly onto the skin using a portable and lightweight 3D printer that costs less than $400. The new technology is a potential breakthrough in both 3D printing and wearable electronics, and could be applied in a… Read More
Student Adapts Gaming Technology to Simulate ‘Violent Fluid Flows’

A student at the University of Manchester has used computer gaming technology to develop software capable of generating large-scale engineering simulations. These simulations could help the world meet its growing need for renewable energy. “The original motivations for this project come from the fact that with the renewable energy demands over recent years, a proportion… Read More
Innovative Water-Splitting Technique Boosts Solar Fuel

A team of researchers from the University of Exeter has developed a method to produce hydrogen, which can be used as a fuel, by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen, using just sunlight. Hydrogen fuel produced in this manner has many advantages. It is pure and inexpensive. It is also renewable with zero carbon emissions,… Read More
Howard West Expands to Further Advance Tech Diversity

In the summer of 2017 Howard University and Google launched a partnership, dubbed Howard West, to identify, attract, support and immerse African American coders in Silicon Valley. Due to the success of last year’s three-month pilot, the partners have decided to expand the program. Starting in the fall of 2018, Howard and Google will broaden… Read More
Can Walls Be Smart, Really?

The walls around us everywhere don’t merit much thought, usually. But our run-of-the-mill walls will no longer serve merely as a room divider, not if a team of researchers from Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) and Disney Research has anything to do with it. The researchers have figured out a way to convert ordinary walls into… Read More
New Algorithm Leads Tt Breakdancing, Acrobatic Simulated Characters

A team of researchers from the University of California, Berkeley and the University of British Columbia in Canada has developed an algorithm to re-create natural motions in computer animation. Traditional computer-simulated motions are seen as clumsy and rhythmless, often failing at mimicking a human’s natural motions. Disappointed by old techniques, the team was inspired to… Read More
What if Smartphone Charge Can Last 3-5 Times Longer?

A team of researchers from the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Texas, Dallas (UTD) and the University of North Texas has developed an environmentally safe, higher-power battery substitute that could lengthen battery life up to five times longer. Most smartphones and electronics use lithium-ion batteries, a type of… Read More