Tag: Artificial Intelligence

Agricultural plants can be protected against fungal infestation with the help of smart microscope systems or UV light robots. Now, an Israeli startup has developed a smart and hollow robotic arm that can pick ripe fruits straight from the tree. The 5m long composite tube winds its way through branches and leaves to reach avocados, oranges and apples alike....

Banana paper can increase potato yield. Gorse is another good source of protein (21%). Globally there are as many as 30,000 edible species of wild plants. Now, in order to increase the variety of foodstuffs available, a Netherlands-based startup is getting them ready for commercial farming. Without any genetic engineering. Instead the physical constituents of a wild plant are...

The lamprey fish has already inspired gripping technology. Meanwhile a Japanese research team has taken its lead from the tip of an elephant’s trunk (similar to others before) and equipped its automatic gripping arm with an internal eye in the form of a fisheye camera, embedded directly into the gripper. Upon contact with sensitive objects, the camera not only...

Environmentally-friendly pesticides rely on plant scents or pheromones produced by female insects. With its automatic sensor solution, meanwhile, an Australian startup is focusing on fungal infestation so that agricultural firms can react to the issue in good time. The team's solar-powered system is installed in fields and operates autonomously for up to 2 years. A small fan directs ambient...

Internet browsing is possible without becoming an advertising target. But AI firms use any online content available to train their systems. Now, resourceful designers in Amsterdam and Denmark are aiming to curb this practice with their new smart typeface. Machines read websites’ programming code, and in order for humans to decipher the intended content, the code is converted into...

Nosy smart home devices can be controlled. Free browsers and search engines collect huge amounts of data and create detailed profiles in order to benefit from targeted advertising. Which is why a California-based startup has developed alternatives for protecting users’ private spheres. Their software neither saves search queries nor connects them to the user account. Search results are free...

In future, edible drones could be used to reach inaccessible locations. Now a Danish research team wants to equip large sea vessels with fully autonomous drones. If someone falls overboard, the drone is immediately dispatched complete with an inflatable life jacket that sends a GPS signal. This improves the person’s survival chances and enables lifeboats to locate them quickly....

A new shoe sole helps predict falls. Meanwhile the way in which people move may be an indicator of their mental health. That is, according to a recent study conducted by a Texas-based research team. 30 young adults first completed a questionnaire assessing their depression or anxiety levels. Next they were filmed by 16 cameras walking or standing up...