Water-skimming Ocean-of-Things bugbots run on bacteria-powered fuel cells

Researchers have prototyped sensor-packed robot bugs that mimic biological digestive systems to meet energy needs, employ a Janus interface for a steady supply of nutrients and move on the water’s surface like a water strider.Continue ReadingCategory: … Continue reading Water-skimming Ocean-of-Things bugbots run on bacteria-powered fuel cells

Clever gadget makes it (near) impossible to kill your houseplants

‘Pandemic gardens’ were almost as popular as new pets and sourdough starters during 2020, but many of us learnt the hard way that indoor greenery is not always the easiest thing to keep healthy (or alive). This little gadget is out to change all of tha… Continue reading Clever gadget makes it (near) impossible to kill your houseplants

Fuxnet malware: Growing threat to industrial sensors

In this Help Net Security video, Sonu Shankar, Chief Strategy Officer at Phosphorus, discusses how Blackjack’s Fuxnet malware should be a wakeup call to industrial operators about the vulnerability of sensor networks and the outsized impact these attac… Continue reading Fuxnet malware: Growing threat to industrial sensors

Hypersensitive touch sensor ‘feels’ things from 4 inches away

Using a 3D-printed material sensitive to electric fields, researchers have created a novel sensor that can accurately recognize and distinguish objects up to 10 centimeters – about four inches – away without needing to touch them physically. The touchl… Continue reading Hypersensitive touch sensor ‘feels’ things from 4 inches away

Side Channels Are Common

Really interesting research: “Lend Me Your Ear: Passive Remote Physical Side Channels on PCs.”

Abstract:

We show that built-in sensors in commodity PCs, such as microphones, inadvertently capture electromagnetic side-channel leakage from ongoing computation. Moreover, this information is often conveyed by supposedly-benign channels such as audio recordings and common Voice-over-IP applications, even after lossy compression.

Thus, we show, it is possible to conduct physical side-channel attacks on computation by remote and purely passive analysis of commonly-shared channels. These attacks require neither physical proximity (which could be mitigated by distance and shielding), nor the ability to run code on the target or configure its hardware. Consequently, we argue, physical side channels on PCs can no longer be excluded from remote-attack threat models…

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New contact lenses monitor changes in eye pressure to diagnose glaucoma

Researchers have developed contact lenses with embedded sensors that measure the pressure inside the eye and send the information to an ophthalmologist for evaluation. It’s hoped that the lens will lead to the early diagnosis of glaucoma, which can lea… Continue reading New contact lenses monitor changes in eye pressure to diagnose glaucoma

Smart sensor uses color to monitor deformation and temperature

Soft robotic devices often need to sense both mechanical deformation and changes in temperature, requiring multiple integrated sensors. ChromoSense technology, however, combines both functions in one simple, robust, color-changing device.Continue Readi… Continue reading Smart sensor uses color to monitor deformation and temperature