Cyborgs – Lifeboat News: The Blog

Oct 11
2019

Biologically-inspired skin improves robots’ sensory abilities

Sensitive synthetic skin enables robots to sense their own bodies and surroundings—a crucial capability if they are to be in close contact with people. Inspired by human skin, a team at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has developed a system combining artificial skin with control algorithms and used it to create the first autonomous humanoid robot with full-body artificial skin.

The artificial skin developed by Prof. Gordon Cheng and his team consists of hexagonal cells about the size of a two-euro coin (i.e. about one inch in diameter). Each is equipped with a microprocessor and sensors to detect contact, acceleration, proximity and temperature. Such artificial skin enables robots to perceive their surroundings in much greater detail and with more sensitivity. This not only helps them to move safely. It also makes them safer when operating near people and gives them the ability to anticipate and actively avoid accidents.

The skin cells themselves were developed around 10 years ago by Gordon Cheng, Professor of Cognitive Systems at TUM. But this invention only revealed its full potential when integrated into a sophisticated system as described in the latest issue of the journal Proceedings of the IEEE.

Oct 10
2019

Accidental Discovery of an Unbreakable “Molecular Pinball Machine”

An organic material that can repeatedly change shape without breaking would have many useful applications, such as artificial muscles, pumps or as a switch. Physicists at Radboud University accidentally discovered a material with that property. Their findings were published in the scientific journal Nature Communications today October 8, 2019.

“I tend to call it the ‘molecular pinball machine,’” says Theo Rasing, professor of Spectroscopy of Solids and Interfaces at Radboud University. Together with colleagues from Nijmegen and China, he demonstrates the shape-changing abilities of the material by having it fling a glass bead at high speed. In that process, the organic crystal material called 4-DBpFO delivers a force corresponding to ten thousand times its own weight.

The crystals have the unique property of significantly changing shape at small temperature variations around 180 degrees Celsius and doing so without breaking, which allows for that change to be repeated hundreds of times.

Oct 7
2019

Japan Pledges $900 Million to Cyborg, Human Hibernation Research

It’s happening, folks.

Oct 6
2019

Meet the cyborg artists who have merged themselves with technology

Neil Harbisson has an antenna implanted in his skull that allows him to feel colour, while Moon Ribas has sensors in her feet that allow her to feel earthquakes.

Oct 5
2019

Paralyzed man able to walk with mind-controlled exoskeleton suit

He said it felt like being the first man to walk on the moon.

Oct 4
2019

Paralysed man walks using mind-controlled exoskeleton

A first: paralyzed man uses brain signals to control a robot exoskeleton.

Doctors who conducted the trial said though the device was years away from being publicly available, it had the potential to improve patients’ quality of life and autonomy.

The patient, identified only as Thibault, 28, from Lyon, said the technology had given him a new lease of life. Four years ago his life was permanently changed when he fell 40ft (12 metres) from a balcony, severing his spinal cord and leaving him paralysed from the shoulders down.

“When you are in my position, when you can’t do anything with your body … I wanted to do something with my brain,” Thibault said.

Oct 4
2019

Paralysed man moves in mind-reading exoskeleton

A man who had not walked for two years was able to move all his limbs thanks to new technology.

Oct 3
2019

A cyborg magician implanted 26 microchips and magnets in her body

L AS VEGAS — At a biohacker conference convened here the other day, panelists took to the stage, settled into their chairs, and launched into their slide decks. Not Anastasia Synn.

With Frank Sinatra crooning “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” over the loudspeakers, Synn pulled out a giant needle and twisted it deeper and deeper into her left forearm as the music played on. It was only after finishing her routine, capped off by loud applause from the crowd of biohackers, that Synn sat down for a fireside chat about her work as a “cyborg magician.”

Synn has 26 microchips and magnets implanted throughout her body. Unlike many biohackers who experiment purely out of personal interest, Synn does it for her magic career. These days, she’s doing less performing on stage and spending more time designing bodily implants for other magicians.

Oct 3
2019

Secret Life of a Full-Time Cyborg

Steve Mann invented a precursor to Google Glass in the 1990s—which he now uses almost 24/7. But “the father of wearable computing” has an ominous warning about where technology is taking us next.

Oct 2
2019

Ancient Aliens: Human-Alien Hybrids (Season 11) | History

People who claim to have been abducted by aliens also say their DNA was manipulated and that human-alien hybrids live among us in this clip from Season 11’s episode, “The Returned”. #AncientAliens
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“Ancient Aliens” explores the controversial theory that extraterrestrials have visited Earth for millions of years.

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