Spider webs and leaves serve as models for bendable electronics (Boston College) New Technologies Physics 

Electronics Inspired by Spider Webs and Leaves

By Kate Stone Have you ever wished your smartphone was shatter-proof, bendable, or even stretchy? If so, you might not have to wait too long for the phone of your dreams because two physicists at Boston College are working on building the next generation of flexible, durable electronics. They have modeled the next generation of electronics on strong, pliable structures found in nature. In particular, spider webs and leaves. Researchers believe this approach promises portable electronics that are not only hardier, but also low-cost and simple to manufacture. The researchers…

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Mind-controlled robot arm (Journal of Neural Engineering:IOP Publishing) Engineering Health New Technologies 

Mind-controlled Robotic Arm

A new prototype mind-controlled robotic arm is the latest example of brain-computer interface technology being developed with the ultimate aim of improving the quality of life of people unable to use their own arms. We recently reported on robotic prosthetic arms for amputees. Those prosthetic limbs can be controlled by the users and also deliver a sense of touch. Now, a woman with quadriplegia has been able to remotely move a robot arm with signals from her brain. She has even been able to use the mind-controlled robotic arm to pick up…

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With elastic joints and six legs that function like those of a stick insect, Hector is the only walking robot of its kind. (Bielefeld University) Engineering New Technologies 

World’s First Walking Robot Stick Insect

By Kate Stone A research team at Bielefeld University in Germany has taught the only robot of its kind in the world how to walk. Designed to be stick insect-like, the walking robot is called Hector has elastic joints and an ultralight exoskeleton. Hector is the result of an interdisciplinary project at the Center of Excellence Cognitive Interaction Technology (CITEC) involving researchers from the fields of computer science, biology, physics, and engineering. The walking robot is equipped with plenty of sensors, enabling it to learn to walk much like a…

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Harlequin filefish can disguise their smell to confuse predators (Tane Sinclair-Taylor) Biology Zoology 

Harlequin Filefish Uses Smell to Fool Predators

Harlequin filefish can disguise their smell to hide from predators. In fact, they can make themselves smell like coral instead of fish. By Kate Stone Researchers have found an ingenious coral-eating fish that can change its smell to hide from predators. It’s the harlequin filefish, and it camouflages its scent to smell like the coral it’s eating. In other words, it manages to smell like its own food, and not like something else’s. “By feeding on corals, the harlequin filefish ends up smelling enough like its food that predators have…

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Micro-robots (NSF) Engineering New Technologies 

Micro-robots for Search and Rescue Missions

Imagine an army of tiny robots no bigger than a penny scrambling through the rubble of a disaster site to search for victims and to assess the damage. That is the vision of engineer Sarah Bergbreiter and her research team at the University of Maryland, who are building micro-robots with support from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The researchers are currently testing a variety of different materials and designs on bigger robots before scaling them down to the final size. But even the larger prototypes of these robots are so…

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Earth-like planets: Artist’s impression of how an infant Earth-like planet might look (ESO) Astronomy and Astrophysics 

Finding Earth-like Planets Just Got Easier

Finding Earth-like planets that may someday support life just got easier. Among the billions and billions of stars in the sky, astronomers look for young planets (so-called infant Earths) where life might develop. New research from Cornell University shows where, and when, infant Earths are most likely to be found. The research was supported by the university’s brand new Institute for Pale Blue Dots, to be inaugurated in May 2015, which is dedicated to the discovery of Earth-like planets. “The search for new, habitable worlds is one of the most…

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The Willow Garage PR2 is a sophisticated research robot designed to work with people. (Claudia Perez D'Arpino, MIT) Engineering New Technologies 

Your Household Robot Is on the Way

A household robot to help with the daily chores is surely every busy person’s dream. But who would want a clumsy robot that’s always getting under your feet? That is the challenge being addressed by researchers at MIT. They have built a sophisticated robot and are teaching it to work together with people. In a recent article, we reported on the robots being put to work at the retail giant Amazon to serve our holiday shopping needs.  But the future may very well have interactive and collaborative robots in our…

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Citizen science creates conservationists Citizen Science Environment 

Citizen Science Inspires Conservation Efforts

By Kate Stone Citizens who get involved in science become more environmentally aware and willing to participate in advocacy than previously thought, according to a new study. Researchers at Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment have reported that citizen science projects can lead to broader public support for conservation efforts. The study included a survey of 115 people who had recently participated in citizen science projects in India with the Wildlife Conservation Society and the Centre for Wildlife Studies. The research indicates that, in addition to gaining environmental skills…

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Psychology STEM Education 

Family Support Needed for Future Scientists

Family support makes all the difference in bringing up the next generation of scientists, engineers, and mathematicians, according to researchers at George Mason University. The researchers say that support from family is the primary factor in encouraging children to consider a future a science, with formal education playing a secondary role.  The findings could shape public policy and encourage community-centered activities designed to foster a love of science. “We were surprised to learn that the family is more important than we ever thought in terms of igniting the passion of…

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