This robot arm for a wheelchair does everything from open doors to apply makeup
Canadian tech company Kinova Robotics has developed a lightweight, carbon fiber robotic arm which attaches to wheelchairs. Boasting three fingers and six degrees of freedom, it can be used for carrying out a wide range of everyday tasks that a lot of would take for granted.
How do you kill a jellyfish galaxy? With a supermassive black hole
Strange things lurk out in space, like jellyfish galaxies, which have tendrils of stars that stream away from the main body of the galaxy like the tentacles of a jellyfish. Now, an astronomer has investigated what happens to these galactic jellies when they interact with supermassive black holes.
A.I. can spot galaxy clusters millions of light-years away
Galaxy clusters are enormous structures of hundreds or even thousands of galaxies which move together. But despite their massive size, they can be hard to identify because they are so very far away from us. Now, a British Ph.D. student has created a deep learning A.I. which could help with this issue.
Cosmic dust feeds star formation in this week’s Hubble image
This week's Hubble image shows the beautiful rosy glow of a dusty spiral galaxy where stars are being born. The galaxy is called NGC 972, and it was discovered in 1784 by William Herschel. It is located in the constellation of Aries, 71 million light-years away from Earth.
Exploding star system revealed through ultraviolet Hubble image
A new Hubble image shows Eta Carinae, a double star system 7500 light-years away, which has been exploding in slow motion for more than a hundred years. The system contains at least two stars which glow five million times brighter than our Sun.
Installation of SuperCam Mast Unit on Mars 2020 rover is a towering success
The Mars 2020 rover reached another milestone this week, when technicians installed its mast, the SuperCam Mast Unit. The rover already has its wheels and a robotic arm, and the next step was to add the mast. The rover's camera, laser, and spectrometers installed as part of the mast unit.
Track Bill Nye’s LightSail 2 solar spaceship in real time as it makes history
The LightSail 2 has sent its first signals back to Earth, and The Planetary Society has made it possible for enthusiasts to track those signals from home through an online dashboard. The spacecraft is expected to remain in orbit for a year and demonstrate the viability of solar sailing.
What’s that liquid? IBM’s flavor-identifying ‘e-tongue’ will tell you
Computer scientists at IBM Research have developed an A.I.-assisted e-tongue. The sensor-filled portable device promises to identify different liquids based on their taste alone -- whether that's bottled water, raw materials or, err, bodily fluids. Here is how it works.
See last week’s SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch in gorgeous slow motion
SpaceX had success last week with their most difficult ever Falcon Heavy launch. Now a video shows the launch in unique slow motion. The video was recorded by cinematographer Ryan Chylinski, who spoke with Digital Trends about his project documenting rocket launches for his studio Cosmic Perspective.
Animal-A.I. Olympics will test bots against the latest animal intelligence tests
The Animal-A.I. Olympics is a competition open to everyone which aims to test top artificial intelligence agents by putting them through cognition tests designed for animals. Here's what you need to know about it -- including the all-important details about how to enter.
A learning bias found in kids could help make A.I. technology better
Computer science researchers at New York University think that a type of learning bias present in kids could help make A.I. better when it comes to learning tasks like understanding language. Here's what they showed in a recent piece of research -- and why it matters.
The founding fathers gave us more than just independence. They gave us tech too
The Founding Fathers may have lived hundreds of years ago, but they were all interested in science and technology to some degree or another. Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and George Washington all tinkered with new techniques and technologies.
SpaceX rocket fairing creates a spectacular light show on return to Earth
SpaceX has posted a video showing a beautiful light show created by its rocket fairing as it returned to Earth. The video was shot from the fairing itself during last month's Falcon Heavy mission, which also saw its marine vessel catch a section of the fairing for the first time.
MIT’s tiny walking robot could eventually build other, bigger robots
A mobile motor created by a team at MIT could change the way we view and build robots. The robot consists of five tiny fundamental parts that have the ability to assemble and disassemble into different functional devices -- with the end goal of having it build other, larger robots.
The Pentagon wants to build an itsy-bitsy outpost in space
The U.S. military’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) is asking for submissions for a small, free-flying Orbital Outpost that the Department of Defense will use in space. The outpost needs to be capable of space assembly, microgravity experimentation, manufacturing, training, tests, evaluations, and more
Digital Trends Live: Tesla sales records, fixing the Galaxy Fold, and more
On this episode of Digital Trends Live, we discuss the biggest tech stories of the day, including Tesla’s sales records, Samsung (reportedly) fixes the Galaxy Fold, smartglasses keep things in focus, NASA’s new asteroid mission, a thought-controlled robotic hand, and more.
Neuroscientists discover the part of the brain behind the uncanny valley effect
Neuroscientists and psychologists in the U.K. and Germany have identified the exact part of the brain in which the 'uncanny valley' phenomenon takes place. Here's how they demonstrated it -- and why the instinct to be creeped out by humanoid robots is an important part of our evolution.
Amazon worker’s A.I.-powered cat flap stops his pet from bringing in dead animals
To stop his pet cat Metric bringing dead animals into the house, Amazon employee Ben Hamm rigged up an A.I.-powered cat flap, connected to a smart camera and locking system. Here's how it works -- and how you can go about building your own version if you're so inclined.
Digital Trends Live: iPhone 11 and Nintendo Switch leaks, insect meat, and more
On this episode of Digital Trends Live, we discuss the biggest trending stories in tech, including confirmation of the new iPhone 11 design, leaked images of Nintendo Switch mini console, Samsung’s roll-up display phone, a virtual reality massage center, insect meat, and more.
Stanford researchers create algorithm that makes wind turbines more efficient
Could an algorithm make wind turbines more productive? It may sound crazy, but the answer is a resounding yes. Researchers at Stanford University recently used a proprietary optimization algorithm to model the most efficient yaw angle for turbines. Here's what they found.
MIT and IBM’s new A.I. image-editing tool lets you paint with neurons
Imagine Photoshop for the deep fake generation. No, we're not quite there yet, but researchers at IBM and MIT have created an amazing demo showing how cutting-edge A.I. is going to power future image-editing tools. Check out their demonstration -- and have a go for yourself.
Smartglasses use eye-tracking to make sure whatever you look at is in focus
Researchers at Stanford have developed a pair of experimental smartglasses which could be used to treat a variety of vision defects -- using depth-sensing cameras and eye-tracking technology to make sure whatever you look at remains in perfect focus. Here's how they work.
Here’s how you can watch Tuesday’s total solar eclipse over South America
By all accounts, the 2017 total solar eclipse was spectacular. There’s another one on Tuesday, but this time it's not passing over the U.S.. Thankfully, NASA has stepped in to offer a live-stream of the celestial event so you can still enjoy it -- and from the comfort of your own armchair, too.
5G mobile phones: Expensive, exciting, and on the rise
As 5G tech continues to roll out in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, it promises performance improvements designed to take the smartphone and Internet of Things experience to the next level. For now, consumers appear to be waiting for better geographical and product availability before spending their cash.
Digital Trends Live: Partial lift of Huawei ban, Samsung foldable phone, more
On this episode of Digital Trends Live, we discuss the trending tech topics of the day, including a partial lift on the Huawei ban, Prime Day is coming, Samsung’s rumored vertically foldable phone, Starlink loses control of three satellites, Sony Walkman’s 40th anniversary, and more.
The best drones under $100
You don’t need to empty your wallet to get into flying drones. As the hobby has gotten more popular, manufacturers have started producing more budget-friendly models, and while they don’t always have the fanciest bells and whistles, they get the job done. Here are some of the best drones under $100.
Watch NASA test the Orion spacecraft’s emergency escape system live
NASA will test the emergency escape system for Orion, the next-generation spacecraft which will hopefully carry humans to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. You can watch the Ascent Abort-2 flight test live from Florida starting a 4 a.m. PT Tuesday morning.
Thought-controlled robotic hand can play games of rock-paper-scissors
Researchers at Japan’s Hiroshima University have developed a robotic prosthetic hand, controllable using only a wearer’s thoughts. The low-cost 3D-printed creation can perform a wide variety of hand gestures, and even engage in a game of rock-paper-scissors. Check it out.
U.S. Army takes its pocket-sized reconnaissance drone to Afghanistan
The Black Hornet drone from Oregon-based FLIR Systems is a pocket-sized flying machine with advanced features designed to assist soldiers' reconnaissance missions. Having already undergone extensive testing, the twin-rotor, camera-equipped device is about to make its debut in Afghanistan.
NASA’s restored Mission Control lets you relive the historic 1969 moon landing
After two years of painstaking work, the Johnson Space Center has finished work restoring its Apollo Mission Control Center to precisely how it looked when Neil Armstrong became the first human to set foot on the moon in 1969. Even better, it opens to the general public from July 1, 2019.
Research unearths clues about Tunguska event for International Asteroid Day
Today is International Asteroid Day, marking the 111th anniversary of the most destructive asteroid event in recorded history: The Tunguska event. But this isn't only a historical curiosity -- scientists are still researching the aftermath of the event and what it can tell us about asteroids.
Beresheet 2.0 won’t go to moon, will have another significant objective instead
SpaceIL hoped to be the company to put the first Israeli craft on the moon, but that hope was scuppered when the Beresheet craft crash landed. Now, the company has announced it will be not sending a second mission to the moon, but will be pursuing a different, currently unnamed objective instead.
Images of the Whirlpool galaxy show the value of infrared light observations
Have you ever wondered why sometimes telescopes capture light in the visible spectrum, and other times in infrared? NASA has released images of the Whirlpool galaxy, located in the constellation Canes Venatici, which demonstrate the value of collecting data at different wavelengths.
SpaceX hopes to blast off its Starship and Super Heavy Rocket project in 2021
SpaceX's inaugural missions for its next-generation Starship and Super Heavy Rocket project could take place as early as 2021, a company executive has said. Jonathan Hofeller, SpaceX’s vice president of commercial sales, discussed the company's plans for the Starship project at a conference in Jakarta.