Wednesday 5 June 2019

Using sensors to improve the interaction between humans and robots walking together

Researchers at the BioRobotics Institute of Scuola Superiore Sant"Anna, Co-Robotics srl and Sheffield Hallam University have recently proposed a new approach to improve interactions between humans and robots as they are walking together. Their paper, published in MDPI's Robotics journal, proposes the use of wearable sensors as a means to improve the collaboration between a human and a robot that are moving around in a shared environment.

* This article was originally published here

Glacial sediments greased the gears of plate tectonics

Earth's outer layer is composed of giant plates that grind together, sliding past or dipping beneath one another, giving rise to earthquakes and volcanoes. These plates also separate at undersea mountain ridges, where molten rock spreads from the centers of ocean basins.

* This article was originally published here

Safe consumption spaces would be welcomed by high-risk opioid users

A large majority of people who use heroin and fentanyl would be willing to use safe consumption spaces where they could obtain sterile syringes and have medical support in case of overdose, suggests a study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

* This article was originally published here

Apple's new Photos app for iOS 13 may just be the tool you've been waiting for

We take more and more photos every year on our new and improved smartphones, but finding them is probably the greatest pain point consumers face.

* This article was originally published here

Investigating the implications of social robots in religious contexts

Researchers at Siegen University and Würzberg University, in Germany, have recently carried out a study investigating the user experience and acceptability associated with the use of social robots in religious contexts. Their paper, published in Springer's International Journal of Social Robotics, offers interesting insight into how people perceive blessing robots compared to other robots for more conventional purposes.

* This article was originally published here

Cracking open the black box of automated machine learning

Researchers from MIT and elsewhere have developed an interactive tool that, for the first time, lets users see and control how automated machine-learning systems work. The aim is to build confidence in these systems and find ways to improve them.

* This article was originally published here

Brain changes may be linked to unexplained motor symptoms

A new study finds that people who have movement problems, symptoms that cannot be explained by an underlying disease, may have chemical changes in specific areas of the brain. The study is published in the June 5, 2019, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. These symptoms, which include tremors, muscle contractions or problems with walking, are called functional or psychogenic motor symptoms.

* This article was originally published here

Augmenting microgrid technology: A new way for reliable power

A group of American and Chinese researchers has designed and tested a microgrid system that is both robust and reliable—and therefore capable of delivering energy safely and without interruptions. This is particularly important during harsh weather conditions and times of peak consumption and is critical for economic growth.

* This article was originally published here

Everything will connect to the internet someday, and this biobattery could help

In the future, small paper and plastic devices will be able to connect to the internet for a short duration, providing information on everything from healthcare to consumer products, before they are thrown away. Researchers at Binghamton University, State University of New York have developed a micro biobattery that could power these disposable sensors.

* This article was originally published here

A 3-D printer powered by machine vision and artificial intelligence

Objects made with 3-D printing can be lighter, stronger, and more complex than those produced through traditional manufacturing methods. But several technical challenges must be overcome before 3-D printing transforms the production of most devices.

* This article was originally published here

Chimpanzees in the wild reduced to 'forest ghettos'

Urban expansion and hunting have pushed chimpanzees, humanity's closest relative in the animal kingdom, into shrinking islets of wildness, top experts said Tuesday after a three-day meeting in Germany.

* This article was originally published here

US antitrust hammer for Big Tech: what happens next?

Big Tech firms are facing an antitrust onslaught in Washington, including reported probes of monopoly abuse by regulators and at least one congressional investigation.

* This article was originally published here

Feds declare emergency as gray whale deaths reach highest level in nearly 20 years

Alarmed by the high number of gray whales that have been washing up dead on West Coast beaches this spring, the federal government on Friday declared the troubling trend a wildlife emergency.

* This article was originally published here

Study examines potential misuse of anti-anxiety medication

There is concern about the misuse of the sedative anti-anxiety medication alprazolam (Xanax) because of the "high" it can create. A new British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology study found that non-medical use of alprazolam in the United Kingdom is a significant issue, and it appears to be more prevalent in younger adults.

* This article was originally published here

Watchdog says FBI has access to about 640M photographs

A government watchdog says the FBI has access to about 640 million photographs—including from driver's licenses, passports and mugshots—that can be searched using facial recognition technology.

* This article was originally published here