Collaborate Disseminate
The human eye is an incredibly complex piece of equipment, so it’s no wonder that we’ve had a hard time reverse engineering it. Now, researchers have unveiled the world’s first 3D artificial eye, which can not only outperform other devices but has the … Continue reading World-first 3D bionic eye could enable superhuman sight, night vision
Researchers have created synthetic red blood cells (RBCs) that have all of the useful properties of the real thing, plus a few new tricks. These new cells could be put to work carrying oxygen or drugs through the body, sensing toxins, and other tasks.C… Continue reading New synthetic red blood cells are even better than the real thing
Photosynthesis is one of nature’s most useful chemical reactions, so it’s not surprising that scientists often try to mimic it. Now, researchers from the Max Planck Institute have developed a new way to make hybrid synthetic living cells that can use p… Continue reading New technique makes thousands of semi-synthetic photosynthesis cells
Researchers from Rice University have built a simple new solar-powered device that can create hydrogen for fuel by splitting water. The system is very similar to other “artificial leaf” designs, but the team says it’s self-sufficient and relatively che… Continue reading “Artificial leaf” device turns water and sunlight into hydrogen fuel
The body does a pretty good job of protecting itself from invading viruses and bacteria. Antibodies are one of the main lines of defense, but when a new threat emerges it takes time for the body to produce new antibodies to fight it. A new study led by… Continue reading Loop-loaded nanosheets accelerate discovery of artificial antibodies
A small but compelling new study out of Yale University is suggesting low-calorie sweeteners can disrupt metabolic processes, but only when consumed with carbohydrates. The research presents a conclusion that aims to reconcile previously conflicting st… Continue reading Low-cal sweeteners combined with carbs may cause metabolic dysfunction
Researchers in Europe and the UK have managed to connect biological and artificial neurons together – and allow them to communicate long distances through the internet. The biological neurons were grown in one country, sent signals through an artificia… Continue reading Biological and artificial neurons connect and communicate online
Proteins are the workhorses of the cell, but nature sometimes has room for improvement. Now a team from the University of Washington’s Institute for Protein Design (IPD) and the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) has created a new … Continue reading Artificial protein can reprogram cells to become self-regulating "smart cells"
The human brain is still a far more powerful computer than anything it itself has created so far. It’s no wonder then that engineers have recently focused on trying to emulate the structure of the brain with artificial synapses. Now, a team o… Continue reading Brain-mimicking chip uses different-colored light to learn and forget
Prosthetic arms can range from inarticulate pirate-style hooks to motorized five-digit hands. Control of any of them is difficult and carries a steep learning curve, rarely does their operation measure up to a human arm. Enhancements such as freely rotating wrist might be convenient, but progress in the field has a long way to go. Prosthetics with machine learning hold the promise of a huge step to making them easier to use, and work from Imperial College London and the University of Göttingen has made great progress.
The video below explains itself with a time-trial where a man must move …read more