Industries
Tunnel for birds may be the future of robotic flight
When David Lentink watches a pigeon dart around a building and land perfectly in its roost, however, he sees the future of robotic flight. Lentink, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Stanford, has been studying birds in flight for years, with an eye toward applying the tricks birds use to navigate changing conditions in the real world to design better aerial robots.
A total solution for smart healthcare
With rising populations and life expectancy around the world, countries are all facing the issue of ageing. More and more people are becoming focused on preventive healthcare for disease prevention.
Switches certified for UC APL
The nGenius 3900 Series Packet Flow Switches (PFS) from NETSCOUT have been certified by the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) for the Department of Defense (DoD) Unified Capabilities Approved Products List (UC APL) and approved by the National Information Assurance Partner (NIAP) as Common Criteria certified against the requirements of Protection Profile for Network Devices v1.1. Last year, these products were certified - nGeniusONE Servi...
Wireless systems improve aircraft weighting
All aircraft gain weight over time and as such, it is vital to accurately weigh an aircraft. This is particularly the case in larger aeroplanes, with paint applied, painting and not stripping, configuration changes and cabin equipment modifications. On smaller crafts, such as lighter planes and helicopters, additional equipment such as cameras and communications apparatus will also add to the weight, as may certain repairs.
Alarm range increases residential safety
A connected home safety system has been launched by Honeywell which includes smoke and heat alarms and a wireless module. The X-Series combines a discreet design with a ten year lifetime and warranty, and easy installation.
Using plant tissue to combat cancer
A new partnership has been forged between the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and Phyton Biotech to help the treatment of cancer, Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease using substances produced by plants.
Cochlear implants will help deaf people hear again
Cochlear implants should be an alternative for patients with long-term deafness as well. This was found in a new study at Uppsala University. Previously, patients with an extended deafness duration were thought to derive limited benefit from cochlear implants. ‘We have looked at people who were deaf for at least 20 years before having cochlear implants. Previously, long-term deafness was considered a reason to forego cochlear implants, as t...
Algorithm helps robots avoid collisions with moving obstacles
Planning algorithms for teams of robots fall into two categories: centralised algorithms, in which a single computer makes decisions for the whole team, and decentralised algorithms, in which each robot makes its own decisions based on local observations. With centralised algorithms, if the central computer goes offline, the whole system falls apart. Decentralised algorithms handle erratic communication better, but they're harder to design, becau...
University of Florida hosts mind-controlled drone competition
"Three, two, one ... GO!" the announcer hollers, and as the racers fix their thoughts on pushing the cubes, the drones suddenly whir, rise and buzz through the air. Some struggle to move even a few feet, while others zip confidently across the finish line. The competition—billed as the world's first drone race involving a brain-controlled interface—involved 16 pilots who used their willpower to drive drones through a 10-yard dash...
NASA works to improve solar electric propulsion
NASA has selected Aerojet Rocketdyne of Redmond, Washington, to design and develop an advanced electric propulsion system that will significantly advance the nation's commercial space capabilities and enable deep space exploration missions, including the robotic portion of NASA’s Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) and its Journey to Mars.