University of California

New laws of attraction: Scientists print magnetic liquid droplets

Scientists have made a new material that is both liquid and magnetic, opening the door to a new area of science in magnetic soft matter. Their findings could lead to a revolutionary class of printable liquid devices for a variety of applications from artificial cells that deliver targeted cancer therapies to flexible liquid robots that can change their shape to adapt to their surroundings.

3D printed get up and go bots getting closer, study says

Robotics researchers have for the first time used a commercial 3D printer to embed complex sensors inside robotic limbs and grippers. But they found that materials commercially available for 3D printing still need to be improved before the robots can be fully functional.

Robot arm tastes with engineered bacteria

A robotic gripping arm that uses engineered bacteria to "taste" for a specific chemical has been developed by engineers. The gripper is a proof-of-concept for biologically-based soft robotics.

Deep submersible dives shed light on rarely explored coral reefs

Just beyond where conventional scuba divers can go is an area of the ocean that still is largely unexplored. In waters this deep — about 100 to at least 500 feet below the surface — little to no light breaks through.

Teaching AI to connect senses like vision and touch

While our sense of touch gives us a channel to feel the physical world, our eyes help us immediately understand the full picture of these tactile signals. Robots that have been programmed to see or feel can't use these signals quite as interchangeably.

Plant wearable patches detect diseases

Researchers have developed a new technique that uses microneedle patches to collect DNA from plant tissues in one minute, rather than the hours needed for conventional techniques. DNA extraction is the first step in identifying plant diseases, and the new method holds promise for the development of on-site plant disease detection tools.

New mechanism allows lower energy requirement for OLED displays

Scientists have found a way to significantly reduce the amount of energy required by organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). OLEDs have attracted attention as potential replacements for liquid crystal diodes, since they offer advantages such as being flexible, thin, and not requiring backlighting.

Technique unlocks graphene for semiconductors

To truly be useful, graphene would need to carry an electric current that switches on and off, as silicon does in the form of billions of transistors on a computer chip.

Machine learning could make antibiotics more effective

Most antibiotics work by interfering with critical functions such as DNA replication or construction of the bacterial cell wall. However, these mechanisms represent only part of the full picture of how antibiotics act.

Army project develops agile scouting robots

Researchers have developed an agile robot that may be able to aid in scouting and search-and-rescue operations.

New AI sees like a human, filling in the blanks

Computer scientists have taught an artificial intelligence agent how to do something that usually only humans can do--take a few quick glimpses around and infer its whole environment, a skill necessary for the development of effective search-and-rescue robots that one day can improve the effectiveness of dangerous missions.

BeBop Sensors wins Red Herring's Top 100 North America 2019 Award

BeBop Sensors has won Red Herring's Top 100 North America 2019 Award. BeBop Sensors uses smart fabrics to create elegant sensor solutions for OEMs. BeBop's sensors comprehend force, location, size, weight, bend, twist, and presence across any size, resolution, and geometry.

Cooling and heating patch serves as personal thermostat

Engineers have developed a wearable patch that could provide personalized cooling and heating at home, work, or on the go.

Artificial intelligence tool vastly scales up Alzheimer's research

Researchers have found a way to teach a computer to precisely detect one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease in human brain tissue, delivering a proof of concept for a machine-learning approach to distinguishing critical markers of the disease.

OLED materials innovator CYNORA secures US$25M in first closing

Marking the initial closing of its Series C funding round, CYNORA has secured US$25M in financing from investors in Asia, Europe and the US. Germany-based CYNORA is an emerging materials leader with a novel technology to produce ultra-high-efficiency emitter systems required for next-generation Organic Light Emitting Diode displays.

Robots to the rhino rescue

With just two northern white rhinos remaining in the world, both of whom are female, scientists are racing against the clock to rescue the species from the brink of extinction. Decades of poaching and habitat loss have led to their dramatic decline. Hope for their survival now rests on scientists' ability to develop innovative methods for repopulating the species.

Solar cells (like people!) work better with caffeine

Scientists have found that caffeine improves the stability of materials under heat - a property known as thermal stability — of perovskite solar cells, which could someday replace traditional silicon-based solar cells.

Squid skin inspires creation of next-gen material

Drawing design inspiration from the skin of stealthy sea creatures, engineers have developed a next-generation, adaptive space blanket that gives users the ability to control their temperature.

Squishy robots can drop from a helicopter and land safely

New soccer-ball-shaped robots have the remarkable ability to fall from a height of more than 600 feet and be no worse for wear. Built of a network of rods linked by contracting cables, they can also shapeshift in order to crawl from one point to another.

Synthetic speech generated from brain recordings

A state-of-the-art brain-machine interface can generate natural-sounding synthetic speech by using brain activity to control a virtual vocal tract - an anatomically detailed computer simulation including the lips, jaw, tongue and larynx.