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Jul 17, 2018
Developing Microrobotics for Disaster Recovery and High-Risk Environments
Posted by Klaus Baldauf in category: robotics/AI
Imagine a natural disaster scenario, such as an earthquake, that inflicts widespread damage to buildings and structures, critical utilities and infrastructure, and threatens human safety. Having the ability to navigate the rubble and enter highly unstable areas could prove invaluable to saving lives or detecting additional hazards among the wreckage. Partnering rescue personnel with robots to evaluate high-risk scenarios and environments can help increase the likelihood of successful search and recovery efforts, or other critical tasks while minimizing the threat to human teams.
“Whether in a natural disaster scenario, a search and rescue mission, a hazardous environment, or other critical relief situation, robots have the potential to provide much needed aide and support,” said Dr. Ronald Polcawich, a DARPA program manager in the Microsystems Technology Office (MTO). “However, there are a number of environments that are inaccessible for larger robotic platforms. Smaller robotics systems could provide significant aide, but shrinking down these platforms requires significant advancement of the underlying technology.”
Technological advances in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), additive manufacturing, piezoelectric actuators, and low-power sensors have allowed researchers to expand into the realm of micro-to-milli robotics. However, due to the technical obstacles experienced as the technology shrinks, these platforms lack the power, navigation, and control to accomplish complex tasks proficiently.
Jul 17, 2018
A Novel Gene Therapy To Treat One Of The World’s Biggest Growing Chronic Disease: Dementia and Alzhiemer’s
Posted by Manuel Canovas Lechuga in categories: biotech/medical, life extension, robotics/AI
The brain is about 10% neurons and 90% neural network support cells, called neuroglia, or glial cells, which surround and insulate neurons, protect them from damage, and supply them with nutrients and oxygen. Neuroglia are often found to malfunction in neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s Disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Research studies indicate that telomerase gene therapy may not only reverse Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias, but it may even protect people from developing such diseases.
This is indeed hopeful news for the nearly 50 million victims of Alzheimer’s or related dementia worldwide as well as for the millions of aging people with Parkinson’s and aging-related mental decline.
Jul 17, 2018
Genetically modified babies given go ahead
Posted by Genevieve Klien in categories: biotech/medical, genetics
The Nuffield Council on Bioethics says changing the DNA of a human embryo could be ‘morally permissable’ if it is in the child’s best interests.
Ian Sample Science editor.
Excuses for age-related death are just that: excuses.
The knowledge that every ambition is doomed to frustration at the hands of a skeleton has never prevented the majority of human beings from behaving as though death were no more than an unfounded rumor.
The quote above is by Aldous Huxley. It sums up very well humanity’s attitude towards death, and interestingly, it can be interpreted in two opposite ways: praise for the human ability to soldier on, even in the face of inevitable demise, or a short, withering remark on how delusional we can be that, if we just ignore it really hard, maybe we don’t need to worry about death.
Jul 17, 2018
What happens when stars wander around black holes?
Posted by Alberto Lao in category: cosmology
Jul 17, 2018
Transhumanism Trouble? Could Happen. Here’s How To Save The World
Posted by Derick Lee in categories: economics, robotics/AI, transhumanism
What we need to do, to prevent global wealth inequality and advanced technology from adding up to produce global catastrophe, is increase equitability of opportunity. We need to enable everyone in the world to have the opportunity to really play the modern global economic-social game.
AI scientist BEN GOERTZEL believes that advanced technologies will change the world and transform our species in the process — unless tragedy strikes. Here’s how we ought to save the world if it does …
Jul 16, 2018
Pentagon sees quantum computing as key weapon for war in space
Posted by Klaus Baldauf in categories: computing, military, quantum physics, space
The military wants to apply quantum computing to secure communications and inertial navigation in GPS denied environments.
Jul 16, 2018
First driverless, electric, off-road logging truck rolls into Goodwood
Posted by Dan Kummer in categories: employment, robotics/AI, transportation
https://youtube.com/watch?v=m5HGUY3xxf8
Full automation of things like Logging, and Mining is not that far off. A humanoid robot that can do all the tasks of those sorts of jobs is already really close, the main issue right now is copying Human Hands, and it is almost there. Then, having vehicles like this to haul the stuff out of there. And, then those jobs are gone for good.
It might not be the quickest vehicle at the event, but Swedish transport company Einride has chosen the Goodwood Festival of Speed to reveal the T-log, an autonomous, electric logging truck. Incorporating some unusual purpose-built design for the niche logging market, the vehicle is designed to go off-road and to navigate forest roads with and without loads.