3-D Printer Brings Dexterity To Children With No Fingers
“Anyone can download the plans and — with a 3-D printer and about $150 in parts — make a hand.”
(via NPR)
Scientists Put Backpacks on Dragonflies to Track Their Brains in Flight
“The brain of a dragonfly has to do some serious calculations — and fast — if it hopes to nab a mosquito or midge in midair. It has to predict the trajectory of its prey, plot a course to intersect it, then make adjustments on the fly to counteract any evasive maneuvers. Neuroscientist Anthony Leonardo created the tiny dragonfly backpack above to study how circuits of neurons do these computations.”
The Green Side of Drones: Science and Environmental Apps Abound
It appears that drones are here to stay, and Silicon Valley drone makers are going beyond military and spy applications — creating new environmental uses for unmanned aerial vehicles.
Learn more in this new report from QUEST Science.
Penny-Sized Vacuum System Could Help Detect Chemical Weapons
“Five years ago, DARPA challenged researchers to create a vacuum system smaller than a cubic centimeter and powered by just a quarter Watt of energy. This week, DARPA announced the program’s success. Researchers at University of Michigan, MIT, and Honeywell International have each demonstrated penny-sized micromachines that pave the way for scaled-down chemical sensors.”
UN mulls ethics of ‘killer robots’
“So-called killer robots are due to be discussed at the UN Human Rights Council, meeting in Geneva.
A report presented to the meeting will call for a moratorium on their use while the ethical questions they raise are debated.
The robots are machines programmed in advance to take out people or targets, which - unlike drones - operate autonomously on the battlefield.
They are being developed by the US, UK and Israel, but have not yet been used.”
