Applied Science

Research Identifies the Brain’s Source of Creativity

Electrodes in multiple brain regions monitor real-time brain activity. Colored dots on the images indicate electrode locations across all patients, color-coded by brain region, with red dots highlighting electrodes in the DMN. Credit: Brain (2024). DOI: 10.1093/brain/awae199Have you ever experienced a sudden breakthrough on a tough problem while thinking about something entirely different? This kind of...

Xiaomi’s Autonomous Factory Will Produces 10M+ Phones Annually

The new "dark factory" in Beijing has fully automated all key manufacturing processes.A fully automated "smart factory" in Changping, Beijing, manufactures Xiaomi's upcoming foldable phones, the MIX Fold 4 and MIX Flip, at a rate of about one every three seconds, 24/7.This 80,000-square-meter (860,000-sq-ft) facility, Xiaomi's new Changping production facility, operates without human intervention...

Six-Legged Robot Aims to Replace Guide Dogs for the Blind

The six-legged guide dog is aimed at addressing a shortfall of real service dogs in ChinaShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityIn China, there is approximately one guide dog for every 40,000 blind individuals. To address this shortage and ensure safe navigation for users, researchers are developing a six-legged, AI-enhanced robotic dog.According to a press release citing...

Brain-in-a-Jar Biocomputers can Now Learn to Operate Robots

Human brain organoids wired into computer chips can now learn to drive robots thanks to a new biocomputing interface. Note: the images above are purely for demonstration, but the technology is legitTianjin UniversityLiving brain cells integrated into organoid-on-a-chip biocomputers are now capable of learning to control robots through MetaBOC, an open-source intelligent interaction system....

Many of Us Are Dominantly Right-Handed but Left-Eyed. Here’s the Reason

Credit: FreepikThe study explores the complex interplay of handedness and visual biases in humans, drawing parallels with similar traits observed across the animal kingdom. While handedness is well-known as a defining characteristic, the study reveals lesser-known biases that impact social dynamics and cognitive functions.Human Biases and Brain LateralizationHumans exhibit a strong tendency towards right-handedness,...

Video: Figure 01 Robot Trains for First BMW Assembly Job

Laying pressed parts in a precision jigFigureAbout six months ago, Figure revealed that its shiny silver humanoid robot had secured its first role at a BMW manufacturing plant. It has been gearing up for this moment, and a new video highlights its progress as a versatile workerCurrently, numerous AI-driven humanoids are in development, featuring...

Agility’s Humanoid Robots have Begun Working with Spanx

Digit, by Agility Robotics, is the first humanoid bot to be deployed at a customer siteGXO/Agility RoboticsA fleet of Digits, the 5-ft 9-in bipedal robots developed by Agility Robotics, is now operational in a Connecticut Spanx factory, transporting totes. This marks the first Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS) deployment of humanoid robots.Following a successful proof-of-concept pilot...

China’s CATL to Unveil Revolutionary Long-Range Electric Aircraft by 2028

Credit: CATLChinese battery giant CATL reports that it has successfully flown a 4-ton plane using its ultra-high-density "condensed batteries." The company now anticipates having an 8-ton electric aircraft with a range of 2,000 to 3,000 km (1,240-1,865 miles) operational within the next 3-4 years.CATL's Market Dominance and Technological Advancements in Battery DensityCATL is currently...

Robotic Faces Covered with Living Human Skin

Smile, new robotics technology is on its way!©2024 Takeuchi et al. CC-BY-NDIn a groundbreaking and slightly unsettling development, scientists have created a technique to attach living human skin to robotic faces. Beyond its sci-fi implications, this technology has practical potential.Two years ago, Professor Shoji Takeuchi and his team at the University of Tokyo achieved...

AI Accurately Decodes Speech from Brain Activity

Credit: PixabayAn artificial intelligence can interpret words and sentences from brain activity with impressive, albeit constrained, accuracy.Based on brief recordings of brain activity, the AI can predict what a person has heard, accurately listing the correct answer within its top 10 choices up to 73% of the time, according to a preliminary study...