3D-printed gun advocate extradited to Texas to face sex-assault charges
The founder of Defense Distributed, Cody Wilson, has been arrested in Taiwan. Current reports indicate that Wilson will be extradited to the United States where he faces charges of sexual assault involving a minor. Wilson was arrested on Friday after being spotted at a Taipei hotel.
A Japanese spacecraft just landed two rovers on an asteroid
Japan's space agency has succeeded in landing two rovers on the surface of an asteroid around 200 million miles from Earth. The deployment is part of the ambitious Hayabusa 2 mission aimed at unlocking some of the enduring mysteries of our solar system, and involves getting samples from the space rock back to Earth.
Roll over, SpotMini — here comes the ALMA robo-dog
If two robo-dogs met on the street, would one attempt to sniff the mechanical components located at the rear of the other? We have no idea, but with Robotic Systems Lab's robo-dog recently showing off its improved skills, and SpotMini hitting the market in the coming months, we may soon find out.
New mask-mounted head-up display gives Navy combat divers tactical advantage
The Navy has developed a new head-up display (HUD), called Shadow Nav, that will make it easier for divers to navigate low-light conditions. The Shadow Nav will provide a diver's depth, compass directions, and other information in an HUD display that can last more than 20 hours between charges.
NASA’s planet hunter satellite gets first hit in its search for another Earth
Scanning its first sector on a two-year mission, NASA's planet hunter satellite TESS discovered a new Earth-like planet. At only 62 light-years distant, the new find is much closer than the Kepler Mission's 2015 exoplanet discovery -- that one was 155 light-years distant.
Removing ‘zombie cells’ in the brain could help battle the effects of dementia
Researchers at the Mayo Clinic have demonstrated how the removal of so-called 'zombie cells' could potentially help stave off or reduce the effects of cognitive decline in the brain, including types of dementia. So far, they have demonstrated the effect in mouse models.
New sustainable plan to mitigate climate change involves… a hot dog cooker?
Chemists at the Department of Energy have demonstrated a new, energy-efficient method of pulling carbon dioxide directly from the air. The secret ingredients? An air humidifier and a solar-powered hot dog cooker. The resulting tech could help fight climate change.
JackRabbot 2 is Stanford’s friendly new campus-roaming social robot
No, it's not some concept design from an as-yet-unnanounced sequel to Pixar’s 'WALL-E'. In fact, JackRabbot 2 is a real robot created by researchers at Stanford University -- designed to navigate around the campus, while interacting in a friendly way with the humans around it.
Versatile robotic skin gives stuffed horse, other inanimate objects some giddyup
Researchers at Yale University have developed a new sensor-packed robot skin that can be wrapped around inanimate objects, such as toys, to transform them into functioning robots. Here's why that's so exciting -- and which robots the team has created with the new tech.
Robot jellyfish could be used to patrol fragile coral reefs
Could schools of robotic jellyfish soon be patrolling the world’s oceans, monitoring fragile environments, such as coral reefs? A team of U.S. researchers, comprising scientists from Florida Atlantic University and the U.S. Office of Naval Research, certainly thinks so.
Tap Strap wearable keyboard gains support for VR applications
TAP System's wearable Bluetooth keyboard and mouse system gains support for virtual reality, now compatible with Windows Mixed Reality, Oculus Rift, and HTV headsets. Type and tap for up to eight hours in VR, sitting or standing, without needing to look at a physical keyboard to accomplish your tasks.
Harvard’s soft robotic exosuit adapts itself to the needs of every wearer
Researchers at Harvard have developed a new multi-joint, textile-based soft robotic exosuit, designed to help soldiers, firefighters, and other rescue workers. Its smartest trick? Being able to personalize the support that it gives, based on the unique needs of the wearer.
Wormlike motion sculptures show how athletes move in 3D
Dynamic 3D-printed “motion sculptures” created by researchers at MIT offer athletes a unique way to visualize their bodies in motion. The system they’ve developed uses an algorithm that scans 2D videos of a person in motion and generates data points that can be printed into sculptures.
Amazon might open 3,000 cashier-free Amazon Go stores by 2021
A new report by Bloomberg indicates that Amazon's head honcho Jeff Bezos is considering upending the convenience store and quick service restaurant market by opening up 3,000 of his experimental, cashier-less Amazon Go stores by 2021, a move that could reinvent the shopping experience in urban centers.
An A.I. is designing retro video games — and they’re surprisingly good
Researchers from Georgia Tech have demonstrated how A.I. can be used to create brand-new video games after being shown hours of classic 8-bit gaming action for inspiration. The best part? The games are good. Check them out in all their retro-inspired glory.
Robots are going to steal 75 million jobs by 2025 — but there’s no need to panic
The robot job takeover may happen a bit sooner than you think. According to a new paper published by the World Economic Forum, half of all work tasks will be capable of being carried out by machines by 2025. That is about 75 million jobs in total. But they'll create far, far more.
Giant wind farm in Morocco will help mine cryptocurrency, conserve energy
One of the windiest parts of Morocco is set to get a $2 billion, 900MW wind farm power plant, which could help power eco-friendly cryptocurrency mining in a more environmentally friendly way. Here's what is being planned -- and why this is an important step for the future.
Moxi the ‘friendly’ hospital robot wants to help nurses, not replace them
Moxi is a "friendly" hospital robot from Texas-based Diligent Robotics. The wheel-based bot aims to free nurses from routine tasks so they can spend more time with patients. Trials at several medical facilities begin this week, giving its creators their first glimpse of Moxi in a real-world environment.
Don’t be fooled — this automated system sneakily manipulates video content
In the vein of “deep fakes,” the A.I.-augmented videos infamous for superimposing one person’s face onto another’s body, Recycle-GAN, a new system from Carnegie Mellon University, presents another case for how difficult it will be to distinguish fiction from reality in the future.
Facebook appears set on crafting custom silicon for augmented reality devices
Facebook is recruiting -- and it's seeking to hire engineers and designers to assist its Silicon team with the process of crafting custom chips for augmented reality (AR) devices and applications. This development seems to support speculation that the company is looking to produce AR glasses.
The Flamethrower Diet is better than keto and I burned all this food to prove it
When I first caught word that Elon Musk's Boring Company was selling a fully-functional flamethrower, I knew right away that I wanted to use it as a replacement for all of my modern cooking appliances. Why use a microwave when you can use a flamethrower instead?
Swiss researcher offers blueprints for animal-friendly autonomous machines
Oliver Bendel worries that our anthropocentric, high-tech future fails to consider the well-being of Earth’s other creatures: "Machine ethics has so far concentrated almost exclusively on automatic actions that affect people." Bendel has now proposed design ideas for animal-friendly autonomous machines.
Who needs Stitch Fix? Maison Me uses A.I. to custom design clothing just for you
A new Silicon Valley-based startup called Maison Me is deploying a new custom-designed clothing service that combines an A.I.-driven chatbot, hand-drawn sketches, video profiles, and smart manufacturing to produce design-to-order clothing that's cost competitive with standard retail outlets.
Japanese billionaire faces tricky task of choosing 8 artists for his moon trip
Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa has been named as SpaceX's first-ever paying passenger for a planned trip to the moon in 2023. The entrepreneur, who made his fortune in online fashion retail, says he wants to take eight artists with him. But how will he choose them? And will they accept his invitation?
No more scraping? Anti-frosting advance could mark end of frozen windshields
Hate frozen windshields in winter? Researchers at Virginia Tech may have found a way to banish them for good, thanks to the world’s first passive anti-frosting surface. It's capable of remaining 90 percent dry and frost free in frigid weather -- and all without the need for chemical or energy inputs.
Crazy vending machine swaps computer art for your permanent selfie
Coder artist Matthias Dörfelt has created a camera-equipped vending machine called Face Trade, which promises to swap unique prints of computer-generated faces for the rights to upload your selfie onto the main Ethereum blockchain. Here's what it says about privacy in 2018.
Smart sound system will give every car passenger their own wireless audio stream
Can't agree on what music to listen to in the car? Imagine if each passenger could get his or her own way, courtesy of a personal audio stream — no headphones required. It sounds impossible, but it’s apparently almost here, thanks to the world's first 'dynamic focused sound' system.
SpaceX to send Japanese billionaire on moon trip, but he won’t be going alone
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has named Japanese billionaire entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa as the first paying passenger for the company's ambitious 2023 moon mission aboard the Big Falcon Rocket. If all goes to plan, Maezawa will become the first person to make the lunar trip since the last Apollo mission in 1972.
CRISPR gene editing creates cocaine-proof mice, aims to crack addiction puzzle
Scientists from the University of Chicago have used CRISPR gene editing to create cocaine-resistant mice by modifying the DNA of skin cells. The breakthrough skin graft could help break addiction patterns, and even prevent cocaine overdoses. Here's how the technique works.
Who will be the first private passenger to the moon? SpaceX will tell us today
Later today, Elon Musk's SpaceX is set to announce the name of the mystery passenger who it will launch into orbit around the Moon. Provided all goes according to plan, this person will become the first lunar traveler since the last U.S. Apollo mission way back in 1972.
We get up close with the Vision iNext concept to learn about BMW’s future
Through a massive worldwide campaign that visits various major cities around the world, we gain an exclusive opportunity to get up close and personal with BMW’s Vision iNEXT Concept to see what’s in store for the company’s future, from electrification, to autonomous driving tech, and connectivity.
Forget hands — this 3D-printed clock keeps time using nothing but marbles
Based on the innovative rolling ball clock design created by Harley Mayenschein back in the 1970s, this awesome 3D-printed variation is yours to make at home, courtesy of free online instructions. Because who needs a super straightforward way of telling the time after all?
Cheesy Kickstarter campaign wants to bring solar energy to students in East Africa
A playful new Kickstarter campaign aims to supply remote communities with a steady source of renewable electricity while giving backers a handful of dairy-inspired tech devices. The campaign, SunMade Cheese, is the newest venture from Yolk.
Giant NASA space laser satellite to gauge impact of climate change on ice sheets
NASA has launched its most advanced space laser satellite ever as part of a $1 billion mission that will reveal the extent to which climate change has affected Earth’s ice sheet surface elevation. ICESat-2 will blast off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.