Optical technologies that can be used to modulate neuronal activity are opening up exciting possibilities for research in neuroscience and biology. Optical tools allow neuroscientists to excite and inhibit neurons or areas of the brain at will. They can thus be used...
TECHXPLORE
Highly sensitive pressure sensors for robotics and healthcare applications
Microscopic sensors that can detect small changes in pressure have numerous useful applications, particularly for the development of robots and health-monitoring wearable devices. Most existing capacitive and transistor-based pressure sensors, however, have a number...
A terahertz wave radar based on leaky-wave coherence tomography
Researchers at Keio University and the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) in Japan have recently introduced a new design for a terahertz wave radar based on a technique known as leaky-wave coherence tomography. Their paper,...
A framework to evaluate and compare self-reconfigurable robotic systems
Self-reconfigurable robots (SRRs) that can automatically change shape and adapt to their surrounding environment have recently attracted a lot of interest within the robotics research community. These robots could have several useful applications, as they can acquire...
Study unveils security vulnerabilities in EEG-based brain-computer interfaces
Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are tools that can connect the human brain with an electronic device, typically using electroencephalography (EEG). In recent years, advances in machine learning (ML) have enabled the development of more advanced BCI spellers, devices...
A simulation framework for recreating bat behavior in quad-rotor UAVs
In recent years, researchers worldwide have been trying to develop computational techniques that reproduce behaviors of humans or animals in robots and machines. This includes, for instance, the structure and functioning of the human brain, the swarm communication...
New organic-metal oxide transistors with high operational stability
Metal oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs), which are built by depositing thin films of an active metal oxide-based semiconducting material on a supporting substrate, have become widely used over the past few years, particularly in organic light-emitting diode displays....
RoboFly: An insect-sized robot that can fly, walk and drift on water surfaces
Insect-size robots could have numerous useful applications, for instance, aiding search and rescue (SAR) missions, simplifying the inspection of infrastructures and speeding up agricultural processes. Despite the advantages associated with their size, these robots can...
Talek: A private messaging system that hides message contents and user communication patterns
Encrypted messaging services, which prevent cyberattackers from reading the contents of messages exchanged by their users, have become increasingly popular over the past decade or so. While these services hide message content, malicious users can often use the network...
Thin-film identification tags for transferring data to touchscreen devices
Today, countless electronic devices have touchscreens, including smart phones, tablets and smart home appliances. Touchscreen interfaces have become some of the most common means for users to communicate with and browse through their devices.