Wave-powered desalination machine
From Superinnovators 06/02/24 Canada-based Oneka Technologies (f. 2015) has developed a wave-powered desalination machine, using wave-pressurised seawater for reverse osmosis filtration, eliminating the need for electrical input, chemicals, or greenhouse gas emissions. The units are anchored to the ocean floor and come in four sizes: IceCube-class (1m3 of fresh water per day), P-class (10m3 per […]
Lab-grown tumours predict treatment outcomes in landmark study
From Walter and Eliza Hall Institute 06/02/24 Researchers have grown tumours in the lab to accurately predict what drugs will work for people with bowel cancer – before they begin treatment. The world-first study led by WEHI (based in Melbourne, Australia) found drug testing on tumour organoids – 3D cancer models grown from a patient’s […]
3D-printed pneumatic modules replace electric controls in soft robots
From 06/02/24 In the future, soft robots will be able to perform tasks that cannot be done by conventional robots. These soft robots could be used in terrain that is difficult to access and in environments where they are exposed to chemicals or radiation that would harm electronically controlled robots made of metal. This requires […]
Study discovers neurons in the human brain that can predict what we are going to say before we say it
From 06/02/24 By using advanced brain recording techniques, a new study led by researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) demonstrates how neurons in the human brain work together to allow people to think about what words they want to say and then produce them aloud through speech. Together, these findings provide a detailed map of […]
Amphibious high-speed motorcycle
From Superinnovators 06/02/24 UK-based Gibbs Amphibians (f. 1998) unveiled the Biski on Oct 14, 2015, a single-seat, twin-jet HSA (Hill Start Assist) motorcycle capable of traversing both land and water. Measuring 2.3m in length and less than 1m in width, the Biski is the most compact and technically advanced model in Gibbs’ high-speed amphibious vehicle […]
‘Mom talk:’ Immigrant bilingual Latina mothers have dual-language personalities
From Florida Atlantic University 05/02/24 Children who hear a language other than English at home currently make up more than 25 percent of the school-aged population in the United States. A large majority of those children hear Spanish because that is the native language of their parents. When their parents came to the U.S., they […]
The 32-legged spherical bot named after Mochi sweets
From Superinnovators 05/02/24 Mochibot, a spherical robot equipped with 32 individually actuated telescoping legs, was unveiled by researchers from Keio University and the University of Tokyo in 2018. Named after round Japanese Mochi sweets, it utilises a rhombic triacontahedron shape for omnidirectional movement, achieving stability through deformability and ground contact adjustment. Each leg can extend […]
Intensifying the production of high-value compounds from industrial waste
From University of Liège 05/02/24 A study by the Center for Integrated Technology and Organic Synthesis (CiTOS, Univerisity of Liège) demonstrates how glycerol carbonate, a biosourced industrial additive, can be produced in record time using CO2 and a by-product of the cooking oil recycling industry. In collaboration with colleagues from the Center for Studies and […]
Chinese man builds wheelchair that climbs steps
From Superinnovators 05/02/24 A video has resurfaced on X today showing a 6-wheeler wheelchair designed by a disabled man that can climb steps. The video was originally shared by Franco Ronconi in July 2023. The language used in the video is Chinese (Mandarin) but We have been unable to find any further details on the […]
Researchers develop highly efficient heat engine
From Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry 05/02/24 The newly-developed heat engine is a thermophotovoltaic cell that captures high-energy photons from a white-hot heat source and converts them into electricity with over 40% efficiency — a performance better than that of traditional steam turbines. A thermophotovoltaic cell (size 1 x 1 cm) mounted on a […]