Google DeepMind's table tennis robot takes on a human competitor in a trial of the systemAtil IscenGoogle used extensive data to train a table-tennis-playing robot to compete against humans and improve over time. The results are impressive, showcasing significant advancements in robotic speed and dexterity, and the robot's performance looks quite entertaining."Reaching human-level speed...
Credit: PixabayNeuroscientists believe they have pinpointed the extensive neural network that fuels the brain's creativity. Unlike specific movements or sensory responses, creative thinking is not limited to a single area of the brain's outer cortex. However, researchers from Baylor College of Medicine have identified the brain circuits crucial to certain types of creative thought.When...
Selective serotonin releasing agent is not negated by 5-HT1A supersensitivity, resulting in a rapid onset of pro-serotonergic activity. Credit: Nature Communications (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50394-xAccording to a new study in Nature Communications, increasing serotonin can alter how people learn from negative information and enhance their response to it.Researchers from the University of Oxford's Department of Psychiatry and...
A new molecule that switched memory and cognition back on in mice with Alzheimer's could one day do the same for humans, as illustrated in this generative imageInstead of focusing on fighting the plaques associated with Alzheimer's, researchers decided to explore the possibility of increasing electrical oscillations in the brain. They created a molecule...
Figure boasts that its second-generation robot is the "highest performing humanoid robot to market"FigureCalifornia-based robotics company Figure has announced its second-generation humanoid robot. Initially targeting commercial production lines, the company promises that a bipedal butler for home use will be available soon.Figure was established in 2022 by entrepreneur Brett Adcock, known for Vettery and...
The self-powered aquatic robot skims on the water's surface like a water striderBinghamton UniversityResearchers have created prototype robot bugs equipped with sensors that replicate biological digestive systems to generate energy, use a Janus interface for a continuous nutrient supply, and glide across water like water striders.In 2017, DARPA introduced a program to develop and...
The Go2-W quadruped robot is designed to roll over challenging terrain, while boasting similar agility to non-wheeled robodogsUnitreeAround this time last year, the Chinese robotics company Unitree impressed us with the circus tricks and GPT chat capabilities of its $1,600 second-generation robot dog. Now, the company has introduced an all-terrain upgrade.While robot quadrupeds can...
Earth has sweltered through its hottest day on record this weekDepositphotosEarth experienced its hottest day on record twice this week. According to data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), Sunday initially set the record for the highest global average temperature since records began in 1940, only for Monday to surpass it.On Sunday, July...
Disney's bipedal Star Wars robots move with personality at the core of their beingDisney ResearchDisney Research Hub has different priorities compared to other robot developers; its robots must move efficiently and effectively, but also with a lot of style and personality. This adorable biped, inspired by the BD-1 droid, exemplifies this approach.For those unfamiliar, BD-1 first...
The Hadrian X can grip construction blocks weighing up to 99 pounds (45 kg)FBRA robotic truck with a 105-ft (32-m) telescopic boom arm has recently traveled from Australia to Florida. Now, this construction robot is set to begin constructing up to 10 houses, aiming to establish itself as the preferred choice for building entire...
