Fruit Fly can sniff out Drugs and Bombs: Electronic Noses Technology

When it comes to detecting bomb or drugs, generally dog is the first animal that comes in our mind. But would you believe when I say that very soon fruit-fly might be taking over the job of detecting bombs and illicit drugs? Surprised! According to a research conducted by the University of Sussex, fruit fly’s sense of odor can be employed in an innovative technology to expose bombs and drugs. 

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Lighting Sheets to replace Bulbs: OLED, the Next Generation Lights

How about customizing light source in our rooms, something that resembles the photo frames. Sounds interesting, ain’t it? Researchers have already been working in the field of light and they have come up with an approach that targets the efficiency in half amount of energy being consumed by regular bulbs by developing ‘glowing sheets’. Technology used in these light sheets would resemble the mega thin TVs and smartphones as the sheets are expected to include organic LEDs or OLEDs.

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Electrical Pulses used to reinstate Movements in Paralyzed Rats: Epidural Stimulation

In Frankenstein effort, Gregoire Courtine, a researcher at the École Polytechnique Fédérale in Lausanne, Switzerland, has developed a process that has helped a paralyzed rat in walking with a precise cadence. The neuroscientist has employed electronics to reinstate realistic movements to the disabled animal. With an aim of resurrecting life in the paralyzed limbs of people, the researcher has zapped spinal cords with electrical pulses. These undulations will substitute the commands being sent by brain in normal condition however, the signals are disrupted with an injury in the spinal cord.

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On/off Switch for Aging Cells Discovered: Telomere Homeostasis

Newly divided cells of the human body have an ability of replenishing certain organs including lungs, skin and liver consistently. However, majority of these cells have an expiry date, which means, they cannot perform the function throughout, since each division also corresponds to shortening of chromosomes. Upon reaching a certain stage telomere, the area of repetitive nucleotide sequences situated at the peripheral of each chromatid, stops the dividing process. This leads to degeneration of organs and tissues and eventually aging. However, in the presence of telomerase, an enzyme that rebuilds…

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Microfluidic Device for self-monitoring of Intraocular Pressure: New Eye Sensor

In order to measure the intraocular pressure, eye surgeons use puff test, however, the non-contact tonometer does not always give accurate results, and this has always remain a major huddle in solving the real problem. Now, the time is not far when the eye doctors would be able to gauge the problem in real time and giving effective treatment for blindness-causing glaucoma. Researchers from the Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel and from Stanford University, US have developed an innovative lens- mounted microfluidic sensor.

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10 Autotech Bane or Boon Innovations: Living Next to Supertech Cars

Owning and driving a super tech car is what all autotech aficionados aspire for. Keeping in mind the tremendous development in the automobile technology, the driving experience has transformed significantly. But the question is that whether this development is towards a betterment or is there something else hidden beneath the thrill. In an attempt to answer this, we have compiled a list of ten such tech developments that we need to think whether they are bane or boon, so here we go,

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SaviOne the Butler Bot: Service Robot for Hospitality Industry

Last year we talked about James, the new Barman and now we would be witnessing a robot butler developed by Savioke (pronounced “savvy oak”) entering the hospitality industry to maximize customers’ experience. As of August 20, Savioke’s first delivery robot (Botlr) nicknamed as A.L.O by the hotel, will be seen operating in hotel Aloft in Cupertino, California. In its pilot program, ROS powered autonomous robot, Botlr will be assisting hotel staff in delivering amenities such as mobile charger, towels, brush or even snacks, to the guest’s room and thus saving…

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Bacteria-powered Sensor to detect Water Contamination: On-site Analysis

Impurity free water is of utmost importance for human survival. Unfortunately, millions of people still lack access to safe drinking water. Every year, people in huge numbers die suffering from water borne diseases. Recently, a low cost device has been developed by scientists that can be used in developing nations for monitoring water quality in real time, thus, skipping the requirement of any expensive lab equipments. The traditional processes of monitoring pollutants in drinking water were time taking, costly and involved specialist technical expertise.

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Contraceptive Implant with Remote Control: Women Conceiving with a Push of Button

Last month we witnessed MagnetoSperm microrobots for the nanoworld and now research scholars at MIT lab have devised a technology oriented birth control drug delivery system, which can be controlled from the outside. The 20 x 20 x 7 millimeters devise is supposed to be implanted inside the skin somewhere around buttocks, abdomen or upper arm. The mechanism Single implant will last for about 16 years with 30mg of levonorgestrel doling out per day. Levonorgestrel is the same hormone that is used in most of the over the counter contraceptives.…

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Self-folding Gripper for Capturing Single Cells: Wafer Fabricated for Cellular Analysis

Human body is composed of different biological cells. Each cell is unique. Research shows that a sample of biopsied tumor consists of various distinct cells. These cells differ in their rate of proliferation, responsiveness to drugs, potential metastasis and so on. Therefore, it is essential for researchers to understand the behavior of individual cells and then accordingly design therapy and treatments, for which seizing individual cell is very important.

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MindRider: Brain Monitoring Systems for Mapping Mental Experience

Researchers at the MIT Media Lab are working towards creating a novel helmet system that would reflect bike rider’s mind in the real time. It will be able to mind map rider’s engagement level from relaxed state to focused level while navigating through the routes. Mapping Mental Experience Sensors are embedded within the foam of the helmet that would act as a bridge between the brain waves and translating those ripples into the display of level of engagement. The technique is based on EEG (electroencephalography) where the embedded sensors act…

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Thermometer for Ultrasensitive Measurements: Temperature Control

Physics researchers at the University of Adelaide have successfully created a rare thermometer, efficiency of which is thrice the existing best thermometers so far. Reporting further, the experts expatiated that they were able to gauge temperature with the ‘nano-Kelvin thermometer’, through an accuracy of thirty billionths of a degree. Researchers asserted that they have reached the highest level of precision in terms of measuring temperature at room temperature. Talking about the innovation, Professor Luiten one of the lead researcher said that temperature at subatomic level is not static rather fluctuating.…

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