https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9M8yht_ofHc Washington: An artist collaborating with a NASA scientist has unveiled new designs of a Star Trek-style 'faster-than-light' space ship that could make interstellar travel a reality. In 2012, NASA physicist Dr Harold White had announced that he was working on a faster-than-light ship at NASA's Johnson Space Center. White has now collaborated with artist... Continue Reading →
A Planetary System Around Our Nearest Star is Emerging
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1sZVInWJoA The Alpha Centauri stellar system, being our closest stars, has been a long-time destiny of science fiction stories and movies as the first future human venture into planets around other stars. Unfortunately, many previous scientific efforts to detect planets in these stars came up just plain empty handed. Science fiction has not been supported... Continue Reading →
A catalytic converter is the component in a vehicle’s exhaust system that eliminates some harmful emissions. Tests suggest that the new prototype could reduce fuel consumption in a standard vehicle by up to three per cent. It could also deliver environmental benefits by reducing the amount of CO that each vehicle emits. The new design... Continue Reading →
Could humidity power join the list of renewable energy sources?
http://vimeo.com/85151102 A new type of electrical generator uses bacterial spores to harness the untapped power of evaporating water, according to research conducted at the Wyss Institute of Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University. Its developers foresee electrical generators driven by changes in humidity from sun-warmed ponds and harbors. The prototype generators work by harnessing the... Continue Reading →
Andalay Solar has just announced that it is making its do-it-yourself solar power kits available for sale on Amazon. Now potential solar customers all over the US have an easy way to access the equipment necessary to get free electricity. Andalay’s AC (alternating current) solar system allows homeowners to install their own photovoltaic system, and... Continue Reading →
Stratasys, a 3D printer marker focused on manufacturing, on Monday launched a color system that can use multiple materials. The name of the printer---Objet500 Connex3 Color Multi-material 3D Printer---doesn't quite roll off the tongue, but could have implications for design, engineering and manufacturing. While 3D printing is capturing the imagination of consumers to some degree,... Continue Reading →
In a synthetic biology project dubbed HaemO2, researchers based at the University of Essex are developing a universal artificial blood substitute that, if successful, could potentially be given to any patient in need, regardless of blood type. Blood substitutes are desirable since the number of donors worldwide is steadily decreasing, meaning that hospitals are often... Continue Reading →
Chimps Outsmart Humans in Simple Strategy Game Don’t underestimate the brainpower of a chimp — new research suggests chimpanzees are better than humans at some simple strategy games.The researchers had chimps play a game in which the animals sat back to back facing computers and took turns selecting one of two blue boxes on the screen. The computer revealed each... Continue Reading →
Chimps Outsmart Humans in Simple Strategy Game
Spider-Man robot spins own web to abseil off a cliff
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGhxsAKgFQ4 Spider-Man can leap off tall buildings and swing through the New York skyline by shooting a dragline from his wrist. Now there is a spider-inspired robot that can perform the same trick. It could be used to explore rocky planets, spinning itself a line to abseil down when it comes to the edge of... Continue Reading →
WPI Researchers Tackle the Challenges of Putting Robots on the Shop Floor and in Our Homes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkczJGyc3uc Dmitry Berenson, assistant professor of computer science and robotics engineering, is the principal investigator of a three-year, $600,000 award for a project that will draw on the disparate fields of robot motion planning and human task planning. Berenson will develop algorithms that will permit robots to collaborate with people on manufacturing operations. Sonia Chernova,... Continue Reading →
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