MechSense 3D-prints wireless rotational sensors right into moving parts

It’s certainly handy to know how fast gears or wheels are spinning, but equipping them with external sensors can be awkward and may affect their performance. That’s why scientists have devised a method of 3D-printing wireless sensors right into the thi… Continue reading MechSense 3D-prints wireless rotational sensors right into moving parts

Clever MIT modular robotics system could give astronauts WORMS

No single robot can perform all tasks, yet bringing a bunch of different robots along on Moon missions would be quite inefficient. The WORMS setup offers an alternative, in the form of components that can be mixed and matched to make whatever robot is … Continue reading Clever MIT modular robotics system could give astronauts WORMS

New kit beams images straight onto the retina from Sony camera

In an effort to help vision-impaired people enjoy taking photographs, Sony has paired with QD Laser to create a retinal projection camera kit. By bypassing the outer layers of the eyes, the kit allows those who would otherwise have difficulty doing so … Continue reading New kit beams images straight onto the retina from Sony camera

Tractor-towed Vulcan automatically spots and pulls weeds

Nobody likes the idea of herbicides in their veggies, yet hiring workers to pick weeds by hand can be prohibitively expensive for farmers. The Vulcan farm implement offers an alternative, as it automatically spots and yanks out weeds while leaving crop… Continue reading Tractor-towed Vulcan automatically spots and pulls weeds

MIT’s X-AR system guides users to RFID-tagged hidden items

It can be frustrating when you’re searching for an object, knowing that you may have looked right where it is without realizing you’ve done so. A new augmented reality system could help, by showing users where specific items are … even if they’re hidde… Continue reading MIT’s X-AR system guides users to RFID-tagged hidden items

Liquid-pumping heart replicas could lead to better cardiac treatments

Before operating on someone, it would be very helpful if cardiac surgeons could examine a physical model of that specific individual’s heart. Well, they should soon be able to do so – and the model will actually pump liquid, just like the patient’s rea… Continue reading Liquid-pumping heart replicas could lead to better cardiac treatments

MIT team makes a case for direct carbon capture from seawater, not air

Pulling greenhouse gases out of water is an odd-sounding idea, but the oceans are the planet’s number one carbon sink, and direct air carbon capture has pretty serious problems: it costs a lot, and uses a lot of energy. According to IEA figures from 20… Continue reading MIT team makes a case for direct carbon capture from seawater, not air

Modular voxel tech could bring swimming robots into the mainstream

Bioinspired underwater robots that swim by undulating their bodies may be more energy-efficient than their rigid counterparts, but they’re also quite difficult to build. That could soon change however, thanks to a new modular robotics system.Continue R… Continue reading Modular voxel tech could bring swimming robots into the mainstream