Tag: futuretech

Biomimicry: Mantis-Inspired Biomimetic Vision System

Pooja Kashyap

A self-driving car approaches a street with a parked car and a cyclist waiting to cross. The car detects the cyclist moving but has difficulty judging the distance and speed of both the stationary parked car and the slow-moving cyclist, leading it to miscalculate the necessary response and causing a collision. This is similar to how some insects see the world: their eyes are good at noticing movement and seeing a lot at once, but they struggle to tell how far away things are. However, this is not the case…

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Interview: Dr. Boris Goncharov, a Senior Scientist at the Albert Einstein Institute, Germany

Pooja Kashyap

I’m thrilled to introduce Dr. Boris Goncharov, a distinguished figure in the field of gravitational wave research. Currently, he is a Senior Scientist with the Pulsar Timing Array (PTA) group at the Albert Einstein Institute (AEI) in Hanover, Germany, where he is exploring the fascinating world of nanohertz-frequency gravitational waves.

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From Urine to Water: The Latest Breakthrough in Spacesuit Technology

Pooja Kashyap

Of all the things in movie, Dune, I particularly got fascinated with the idea how the people used those suits to recycle sweat and urine into drinkable water. It got me thinking: why can’t we make this tech a reality? Well, it turns out researchers at Cornell University are on it! They’ve developed a prototype for a new urine collection and filtration system for spacesuits. Isn’t that awesome?

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Gravitational Wave Memory: A Tool for Measuring Spacetime Symmetries

Pooja Kashyap

When we talk about the fabric of reality, in terms of physics, we deal with interesting abstractions and tonnes of complexities. One such intriguing concept of Einstein’s theory of general relativity is the existence of gravitational waves. As the name suggests, these ripples are generated in the spacetime by some of the universe’s most violent and energetic processes, such as mergers of cosmic stars or dent in the landscape due to black holes. Interestingly, whenever these waves pass through, they leave a measurable imprint on the relative positions of objects—a…

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Brain-like Artificial System: Dendristor to Mimic Brain’s Dendritic Computations

Pooja Kashyap

As artificial intelligence (AI) technology is expanding its tentacles rapidly across globe, engineers around the world are designing new types of computer architectures and hardware. One interesting aspect of most brain-inspired technologies developed so far is that researchers focus on mimicking how neurons fire (i.e., send electrical signals) rather than replicating the entire structure of the brain.

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UmboMic Revolutionizes Cochlear Implants with PVDF Technology

Pooja Kashyap

What if a microphone, which is fabricated from a flexible material can be placed inside our ear, to be more specific, directly on the eardrum? This biocompatible sensor will pick up sounds and sends them to a tiny amplifier, which makes the sounds loud enough to be processed by a cochlear implant. Doesn’t it sound like a boon for those who are deaf or hard of hearing?

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Interview: Dr. Artem Oganov, a Distinguished Professor at Skoltech, Russia

Pooja Kashyap

It is my honor to interview Dr. Artem R. Oganov, a world-renowned scientist whose expertise spans chemistry, crystallography, mineralogy, and materials science. He is the winner of many awards, including the prestigious European Mineralogical Union medal. And since 2017, he has been a proud member of the European Academy of Sciences.

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Interview: Dr. Andy Wang, a Bioelectronics Scientist at the University of Cambridge, England

Pooja Kashyap

Meet Dr. Andy Wang, PhD, a leading researcher in the Biointerface Group at the University of Cambridge, under the esteemed Prof. Shery Huang. Dr. Wang brings a wealth of expertise to the field, having earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the prestigious Tsinghua University in 2016, followed by a PhD in the same field from the world-renowned Cambridge University Engineering Department in 2021.

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Interview: Dr. Matthew Bergin, an Experimental Physicist at The University of Newcastle, Australia

Pooja Kashyap

I’m thrilled to introduce Dr. Matthew Bergin, a rising star in the world of Organic Electronics research. Armed with a Master of Science degree in Natural Sciences and a Ph.D. in Physics from the prestigious University of Cambridge, Dr. Bergin is making waves with his groundbreaking work at the Centre for Organic Electronics (COE). Dr. Bergin went deep into studying how things work in scanning helium microscopy. He was in charge of creating a better electron ionization mass spectrometer during his Ph.D. research. It’s like he’s breaking new ground in…

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Biohybrid Bipedal: Muscle-Powered Two-Legged Robot

Pooja Kashyap

Unlike robots, our bodies are super flexible and can make delicate moves effortlessly. Components like muscles, joints, and nerves work in tandem and allow us to make precise and delicate movements with ease. Robots, on the other hand, rely on rigid structures and predefined movements; in contrast, our bodies can adapt and respond dynamically to various situations.

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Cosmic Recycling: NASA’s Discards Turned into Futuristic Nanomaterials

Pooja Kashyap

Sussex researchers just unveiled the game-changing power of Martian nanomaterials! Dr. Conor Boland, the materials physics maestro at Sussex, along with his team investigated the potential of nanomaterials. These materials are smaller than a human hair for Mars’s sustainable future. The same tech rocking the International Space Station and NASA’s playbook might be Mars’s ticket to eco-friendly living.

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Robotic Needle Achieves Precision Navigation in Living Model

Pooja Kashyap

When it comes to cancer-related fatalities, lung cancer tops the list. One of the main reasons could be the presence of tiny tumors in deep within the lung tissue. This poses a major challenge for surgical accessibility. To address this challenge, researchers at UNC Chapel Hill and Vanderbilt University have been trying to fabricate an exceptionally flexible yet durable robot. The device will have the capability of maneuvering through the intricate terrain of the lungs.

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Book Review: Regenesis by George M. Church and Edward Regis

Pooja Kashyap

Regenesis: How Synthetic Biology Will Reinvent Nature and Ourselves is an exhilarating journey that re-shapes our understanding of life itself. The book is written by George M. Church and Edward Regis. It was first published in 2012. The renowned geneticist and science writer collaborated to present an all-encompassing exploration of synthetic biology. And highlighting its thrilling potentialities along with obvious challenges. In this remarkable masterpiece, they have woven following three distinct levels of exploration.

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Chip-scale Optical Quantum Simulation System: Quantum Computing Milestone

Pooja Kashyap

A team of researchers have successfully simulated complex natural phenomena at the quantum level. Scientists at the University of Rochester’s Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences have developed a chip-scale optical quantum simulation system. Conventionally, photonics-based computing involves controlling the paths of photons. This time, the team led by Qiang Lin has taken a different approach. According to which, they have simulated the phenomena in a synthetic space. And they have manipulated the frequency, or color, of quantum entangled photons as time progresses.

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Lithography-Free Photonic Chip: Redefining AI Architecture

Pooja Kashyap

When it comes to data-heavy applications and sustainable computing, photonic chips have emerged as a promising technology. The use of photonic circuits, powered by laser light, offers an edge over traditional electronic circuits. Some of its remarkable advantages over electronic circuits are: Speed of light: Photonic chips make use of light to transmit and process information, which of course happens at the “speed of light”. Thus, leveraging the feature of light makes them move faster than electrons in electronic circuits.

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