Tag: Science

Nano-Size Battery to be Implanted In Eyes

Micro Eye Battery

I’m sure that this is years away from being used in people but the idea is pretty neat. Nano sized electrical cells that could power things in a person like an artificial retina, replacement cochlea, maybe even pacemakers. Maybe this could also serve as a way to correct vision like LASIK or radial keratotomy by flexing a liquid lens implanted in the eye. Something like that could be a new lease on vision for cataract sufferers.

[via Medgadget] 

Sandia researchers to model nano-size battery to be implanted in eye to power artificial retina

Volcano Augustine Blows It’s Top

North America has another volcano that is spewing lava and ash, this time it’s in Alaska.

Current Level of Concern Color Code: RED The explosive eruption that began at 7:58 A.M. AST (16:58 UTC) ended at approximately 8:03 A.M. AST (17:03 UTC). We remain at level of concern color code RED. Based on seismicity, preliminary estimates indicate that this event is at least as energetic as the events of last week.

Alaska Volcano Observatory – Augustine – Eruption Page

Toy Ray Guns

Classic Raygun 

The 1950’s were a golden age of science fiction. Books, movies and most of all TV brought strange alien worlds, space ships and evil aliens to people everywhere. And what’s better to deal with an evil alien monster than a trusty ray gun? Over at the Patent Room, The Art of Industrial Design they have collected a bunch of patent drawings (yep, they were patented before being mass produced) of classic ray guns and a bunch of other thing (architecture, trains, cars just to name a few). As an added bonus you can buy prints of up to 24"x36" or each patent drawing.

PatentRoom.com: Early Design and Illustration | Toy ray guns

LEGO NXT

 

 

LEGO has announced the next generation of the Mindstorm robotics line of learning toys. The NXT will have more input and output ports (3 in and 4 out), a cleaner design (no bumps, just holes – I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not), and a simpler programming language. Where the old Mindstorms used an optical IR tower to communicate with a PC for programming , the new ones will use a USB 2 interface. The new kits also come with sonar sensors and servo motors with built in rotational sensors and Bluetooth radio. There is no word if any of the parts will be compatible with the old Mindstorm kits but it will be programmable from both PC and Mac platforms. From what was in the Wired article it looks as if the NXT OS may be open to hackers that will want to make their own firmware revisions but that yet to be confirmed. LEGO has had a tough year and I’m quite glad that they have not scrapped the robotics product line in favor of saving money.

[via Wired, Gizmodo, NXT Blog, and Robot Magazine] 

LEGO NXT

Insect Cyborgs

 

Researchers in Japan have been implanting microcomputers and electrode backpacks into the bodies of roaches in order to control them remotely. Their aim is to be able to give directional commands to them so he insects can search through small spaces like earthquake rubble or pipes. Using the electronics laden bugs as literal bugs for espionage work is also a possibility.

Another robot-roach