innovation | TechieTonics

The Ear-EEG Measure How Astronauts Sleep: Sleep in Orbit

July 8, 2022July 8, 2022 Pooja Kashyap

Sleep is the most vital process for overall mental development. Irrespective of age, sleep deprivation leads not only to mood fluctuations the next day but it also affects the overall productivity including decision-making skills, creativity and judgment. Astronauts who spend quite some time in zero gravity face issues while maintaining normal sleep patterns. Even an artificial day-night cycle does not help them in keeping up with a natural circadian rhythm. Therefore, to get more understanding in the brain’s electrical activity and map sleep patterns, researchers at Aarhus University have developed…

Compact Cas7-11 Enzyme for RNA Editing: CRISPR-Cas System

June 1, 2022June 1, 2022 Pooja Kashyap

The CRISPR CAS9 system famously known as genetic scissors was discovered by Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna in 2012. And since then, the new tool has been studied extensively across global academia. Initial studies of the genome editing tool altered only the DNA. However, lately the CAS system is also studied for editing RNA. What is CRISPR-CAS system? CRISPR-CAS system is an adaptive immune system of bacteria, which protects it from invaders. Also, it defends the bacterial host from renewed infection as it memorizes previous infections. DNA has the fingerprint.…

Magnetic Tentacle Robot for Autonomous Endoscopy: Soft Catheters

April 5, 2022April 5, 2022 Pooja Kashyap

Magnetic tentacle robot, strange it may sound but researchers at STORM Lab at the University of Leeds have come up with a tiny canular form of robot that can explore the smallest bronchial tubes in the lungs. The nano tubiform bot measures around 2 millimetres in diameter. That happens to be two times the size of the tip of a ballpoint pen. The tentacle robot will be guided from the outside with the help of (external) magnets.

Insulation-free Magnet to Facilitate Development of Fusion Power Plant: Superconductors

March 7, 2022March 7, 2022 Pooja Kashyap

Replicating fusion on earth is one of the things that scientists globally look forward to. Once they are able to reach a state through which fusion could be created, we might get virtually inexhaustible supply of power to generate electricity.

Insect sized Flying Robot with Flapping Wings: Micro air Vehicle

February 4, 2022February 4, 2022 Pooja Kashyap

Researchers at the University of Bristol, U.K. have fabricated a flapping-wing microrobot that can produce more power than a similar-sized insect. The micro-air vehicle is a product of biomimicry, inspired from bees and other flying insects.

Skin-Integrated Electronics to Capture Haptic Feedback: Human-Machine Interfaces

January 19, 2022January 19, 2022 Pooja Kashyap

To control a remote robot via electromechanical devices, require the operator to wear huge and at times bulky gear. To make things easier, researchers from Hong Kong and China have fabricated a flexible skin patch, which has an ability to provide haptic feedback. Now not only the user can receive feedback from another (human) user but also from a robot to be more specific, haptic feedback from remotely controlled robot.

Interview: Takashi Ozaki, Research Scientist at Toyota Central R&D Labs, Japan

December 24, 2021December 24, 2021 Pooja Kashyap

Takashi Ozaki is the frontier research leader at Beyond-X Research Domain, Toyota Central R&D Labs. Inc. Japan. He completed his B.E. and M.E. from Kyoto University. His area of research fields includes – bioinspired actuators and robotics, micro electromechanical systems and microfabrication processes.

Perovskite Solar Cell Shows Long Stability: Photovoltaic Tech

December 20, 2021December 20, 2021 Pooja Kashyap

Perovskite is an emerging name in the new generation of solar modules. Due to its super power conversion efficiency, it is extensively studied by researchers in photovoltaic technologies.

Wireless RF Powered Insect Scale Aerial Vehicle: Miniature UAV

December 16, 2021December 16, 2021 Pooja Kashyap

Researchers at Toyota Central R&D Labs have developed a wireless radiofrequency power based tiny aerial robot.

Surface Optics & Neural Based Processing: MetaOptics

November 30, 2021November 30, 2021 Pooja Kashyap

An international team of researchers at Princeton University and the University of Washington has developed a micro-sized camera to the size of a salt grain.

Biofuel to Produce Locally on Mars: Martian Exploration

November 17, 2021November 17, 2021 Pooja Kashyap

What if we are able to produce fuel directly on Mars? Explorers would then be able to stay on the red planet a li’l longer and return journey will then be easier relatively. Shipping the propellant and oxygen for a return journey from Mars would cost billions of dollars. To make things easier, researchers have developed a concept for local rocket fuel production with algae and E.coli.

Magnetic Tunnel Surrounds Our Solar System: Galactic Bodies

October 19, 2021October 19, 2021 Pooja Kashyap

Radio astronomy is very fascinating since it shows the “other side” of reality which we do not witness in our everyday life. Of course, due to our own limitations. Dr. Jennifer West, an astrophysicist at the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics suggests that a gigantic magnetic tunnel surrounds our solar system. This magnetic flux can be observed in radio waves.

Interview: Dr Nadac Reales, a Biotechnology Research Scientist at University of Antofagasta, Chile

October 18, 2021November 22, 2021 Pooja Kashyap

Dr Nadac Reales is Deputy Director of Innovator Services at University of Antofagasta, Chile. Additionally, she is running her own firm, the Rudanac Biotec Lab. Aim of her lab is to provide biotechnological solutions to real world problems.

Interview: Dr Benjamin Pope, an Astrophysicist at The University of Queensland, Brisbane

October 14, 2021November 22, 2021 Pooja Kashyap

Dr Benjamin Pope is a physicist and data scientist at The University of Queensland, Brisbane. He is working to find planets around other stars using NASA space telescopes. With the help of leading-edge machine-learning algorithms, he is trying to dig up tiny signals out of the noise to expand our knowledge of the universe.

Formation of Single Unit by Collision of Multiple Grains: Resurrecting Quasicrystals

October 11, 2021October 11, 2021 Pooja Kashyap

Quasicrystal is a form of matter with an unusual arrangement of atoms. Although it’s called a “crystal” but it lacks symmetry. Unlike crystals, pattern within the quasicrystal does not repeat itself. They were first discovered in 1980s and since then the possible atomic arrangements violated the rules that fall under the category of crystals, that is, the materials could have only two-, three-, four- or six-fold symmetry.