Tag: #146

Mini-robots could rid the ocean of microplastics. In Switzerland, a research team is turning to similar technology to analyse water quality, though the outer shell of its mini-robots is made from protein-rich, low-fat fish food. For movement, inspiration came from the so-called Marangoni effect: the robots move across the surface of the water by expelling gas. It is created internally...

A digital pen can convert braille into text, while a glove does the same for sign language. A London-based startup, in turn, has developed a cloud-based platform to translate text, voice and video into British Sign Language. An AI-powered avatar does the signing. Training with data sets incorporated different dialects, contextual language and emotional tone. Comprising deaf members who use...

The search for new ways to recycle plastic is gathering pace. An English startup is taking the reverse approach and using multilayered neural networks to create new proteins for sustainable textiles. Focusing only on biodegradable fibres free of fossil fuels. The team, formed during a university research project, has developed a deep-learning AI which bases its search on criteria...

A drop of blood can help detect pancreatic cancer. Though prostate cancer is also identified through blood tests, a high PSA (prostata protein) value doesn’t always denote the disease. Enter a London-based research team and its new test which uses the DNA in saliva to predict patients’ prostate cancer risk. The test is based on a study which relied...

Light can provide an energy-saving training method for smart IT systems. Now, a Minneapolis-based startup has shown how it can also cool high-performance data centres and AI systems. The team’s cold plate for processors contains layers of gallium arsenide. In pure and crystalline form, this semiconductor material cools down when stimulated by a laser-light pulse. More than that, the...

Sustainable shops and restaurants can be found online. People on the autism spectrum, with ADHD or learning difficulties have their own specific needs. Now a non-profit organisation from Alabama has created an online map tool for New York to drive inclusion of the neurodivergent community in public life. Users can add their favourite spots to the map assuming they...