MIT researchers have developed a deep learning neural network to aid the design of soft-bodied robots. There are some tasks that traditional robots — the rigid and metallic kind — simply aren’t…
Self-folding nanotech creates world’s smallest origami bird
If we want to build a fully functional nanosized robot, we need to incorporate a host of capabilities, from complicated electronic circuits and photovoltaics to sensors and antennas. But just as importantly,…
Voltage from the parquet
Researchers have made wood compressible and turned it into a micro-generator. When it is loaded, an electrical voltage is generated. In this way, the wood can serve as a bio-sensor – or…
Engineers Propose Solar-Powered Lunar Ark as ‘Modern Global Insurance Policy’
University of Arizona researcher Jekan Thanga is taking scientific inspiration from an unlikely source: the biblical tale of Noah’s Ark. Rather than two of every animal, however, his solar-powered ark on the…
Using artificial intelligence to generate 3D holograms in real-time
MIT researchers have developed a way to produce holograms almost instantly. They say the deep learning-based method is so efficient that it could run on a smartphone. The new method called tensor…