May 4, 2013

This Crafty Robotic Hand is Remarkably Adaptable and Affordable

The video below demonstrates the handiwork of DARPA-funded dexterous robotic hand hardware. The adaptable, adaptable, low-cost robots that can use a wide range of human tools to assist in dangerous defense missions.

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The hand in this video was developed by iRobot of Bedford, Mass., with support from Harvard University and Yale University.

Apologies for the porn soundtrack. We obviously didn’t choose it. But you might what to hit mute and watch here:

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

A digital visualization displays particle collision results with colored tracks and trails diverging from a central point against a black background, hinting at how B-mesons might break the standard model.

Starts With A Bang

How B-mesons are threatening to break the Standard Model

We have very specific predictions for how particles ought to decay. When we look at B-mesons all together, something vital doesn’t add up.

A smartphone with a red case displays a world map on the screen, set against a vibrant orange background.

Health

Dr. AI will see you now

The integration of artificial intelligence into public health could have revolutionary implications for the global south—if only it can get online.

Map displaying a rail route from Helsinki to Bruxelles, passing through cities like Tallinn, Riga, Warsaw, Berlin, and Hamburg. Northern and Central Europe countries are labeled.

Strange Maps

In the Baltics, 85 millimeters separate East from West

A new railway will switch the Baltic region’s train gauge from Soviet to standard European — a megaproject with political, economic, and military dimensions.

Poster for the 1939 New York World's Fair, featuring a stylized skyline, ocean liner, and the slogan "The World of Tomorrow," encapsulating future visions that captivate imaginations and inspire exploration.

The Future

The future in 1939: Microfilm and Elektro the Moto-Man

By looking back at future dreams we can see our current hopes and visions in a whole new light.

einstein general relativity curved spacetime

Starts With A Bang

The fabric of space is a Cheshire Cat

Most waves need a medium to travel through. But the way that light and gravitational waves travel shows that space can’t be a medium at all.

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Surprising Science

Injectable Nanotech Manages Diabetes for Days at a Time

A new solution of particles at the nano scale has been developed by a consortium of American universities that, in mice, has proven effective at controlling type 1 diabetes for days on end.