A recent breakthrough in engineering and robotics just might blur the line between man and machine. Researchers from Linköping University in Sweden have successfully developed and created artificial muscles that run on glucose and oxygen — just like their organic counterparts. According to the researchers, they wanted to develop artificial muscles, which, instead of using traditional actuators powered by … Continue reading Scientists develop artificial muscles powered by glucose: Findings will be used to develop a system that’s “even closer to a biological muscle”
Updating fluid-powered machines: Scientists design bizarre-looking lionfish powered by a blood-like compound
You’ve heard of robots that can run, lift, jump and crawl. Now, prepare to see one that can bleed. In a paper published in the scientific journal Nature, a joint team of researchers from Cornell University and the University of Pennsylvania detailed how they built a soft robotic lionfish, complete with a multi-functional circulatory system. At its core: a blood-like compound that not … Continue reading Updating fluid-powered machines: Scientists design bizarre-looking lionfish powered by a blood-like compound
Single-use no more: Plastic bottles can be upcycled to more durable materials
Single-use plastics cause plastic pollution, a problem that affects rivers, lakes, and oceans. To address this concern, researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) developed a recycling process that turns various materials made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into other useful products that will last longer. NREL’s research was published in the journal Joule. What is polyethylene terephthalate (PET)? Polyethylene terephthalate … Continue reading Single-use no more: Plastic bottles can be upcycled to more durable materials
Breakthrough device can easily and accurately measure fluoride concentrations in water
What if there were a quick, easy, and inexpensive way to test your drinking water at home or at work to determine just how much toxic fluoride it contains? Well, thanks to the dedicated work of researchers from Switzerland, now there is. A new study published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society highlights the amazing capabilities of … Continue reading Breakthrough device can easily and accurately measure fluoride concentrations in water
Neuroscientists look at brain stimulation as an alternative treatment for depression
In search of a way to treat depression, Philadelphia-based neuroscientists found a pathway in the brain circuitry of mice, and reported that stimulating this path causes animals to take up “anti-depressive” behavior. According to an article in Medical Xpress, this discovery could lead to brain stimulation as way to alter depression in humans. Dr. Amelia J. Eisch … Continue reading Neuroscientists look at brain stimulation as an alternative treatment for depression
Researchers have recycled clothing waste into an “aerogel” supermaterial that can help stop wound bleeding
Cotton-based fabric waste has a multitude of uses that range from being recycled into polishing and wiper clothes to automotive insulation. Though, as researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have discovered and demonstrated, this type of waste could be turned into cotton aerogels that have their own practical applications. The cotton aerogels, which are comprised of … Continue reading Researchers have recycled clothing waste into an “aerogel” supermaterial that can help stop wound bleeding
Dr. Eddy Bettermann MD 