Scientists have helped three amputees merge with their bionic prosthetic legs as they climb over various obstacles without having to look. The amputees report using and feeling their bionic leg as part of their own body, thanks to sensory feedback from the prosthetic leg that is delivered to nerves in the leg's stump.
Bioengineer's smart surgical microscope shows promise for more accurately and quickly identifying cancer cells in the operating room.
Read more'Keep your eyes on the road.' With the recent advances in vehicle-assisted safety technology and in-car displays, this old adage has a new meaning, thanks to two new applications of eye-tracking technology.
Read moreA research team is developing a smart skin inspired by the cephalopod which can be used in 3D displays, as interfaces for the visually impaired, and to help reduce drag on marine vehicles.
Read moreWhat does it take for a human to trust a robot? That is what researchers are uncovering in a new study into how humans and robots work together. Research into human-agent teaming, or HAT, has examined how the transparency of agents — such as robots, unmanned vehicles or software agents — influences human trust, task performance, workload and perceptions of the agent.
Read moreMechanical engineers have created the first robotic fish proven to mimic the speed and movements of live yellowfin tuna.
Read moreBuilding conventional robots typically requires carefully combining components like motors, batteries, actuators, body segments, legs and wheels. Now, researchers have taken a new approach, building a robot entirely from smaller robots known as 'smarticles' to unlock the principles of a potentially new locomotion technique.
Read moreA Research group reports a way of constructing DNA-based microcapsules that hold great promise for the development of new functional materials and devices. They showed that tiny pores on the surface of these capsules can act as ion channels. Their study will accelerate advances in artificial cell engineering and molecular robotics, as well as nanotechnology itself.
Read more
Researchers have developed soft robotic devices driven by neuromuscular tissue that triggers when stimulated by light — bringing mechanical engineering one step closer to developing autonomous biobots.
Researchers published the first experiments to gauge whether biomimetic robotic fish can induce fear-related changes in mosquitofish, aiming to discover whether the highly invasive species might be controlled without toxicants or trapping methods harmful to wildlife. Their findings indicate that even brief exposure to a robotic replica of the mosquitofish's primary predator can provoke meaningful avoidance behaviors and physiological changes associated with the loss of energy reserves, potentially translating into lower rates of reproduction.
Read more