Robot With Glowing Baton

Three robotic arms stand on the podium, each with a glowing baton in their hand-like apparatuses. The creature has been tasked with conducting the world-renowned Dresden Symphony Orchestra in a concert this past weekend in Dresden. In total, 16 brass players and four percussionists from the Dresden Synfoniker followed the instructions of the robot.

The robot, a MAiRA Pro S nicknamed ‘Franka Emika’ has astonishing control over details. Each robotic arm has seven joints which allow it to conduct exactly as a human arm would. Humans also helped the robot perfect its movements. The movements were stored separately for each robot. Each one learned to keep the beat and indicate changes in dynamics.

More information:

https://www.dw.com/en/dresden-symphony-orchestra-puts-robotic-conductor-in-charge/a-70490890

Holographic Ultrasound Printing

Researchers at Concordia have developed a novel method of 3D printing that uses acoustic holograms. And they say it’s quicker than existing methods and capable of making more complex objects. The process, called holographic direct sound printing (HDSP).

Now, by embedding the technique in acoustic holograms that contain cross-sectional images of a particular design, polymerization occurs much more quickly. It can create objects simultaneously rather than voxel-by-voxel.

More information:

https://www.concordia.ca/news/stories/2024/10/08/holographic-3d-printing-has-the-potential-to-revolutionize-multiple-industries-say-concordia-researchers.html

Stretchable, Self-healing, and Biocompatible Sensors

Fortunately, an international team led by researchers at Korea University Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology (KU-KIST) developed conductor materials that it claims are stretchable, self-healing, and bio-compatible. The biodegradable conductor offers a new approach to patient monitoring and delivering treatments directly to the tissues and organs where they are needed.

For example, a smart patch made of these materials could measure motion, temperature, and other biological data. The material could also be used to create sensor patches that can be implanted inside the body, and even mounted on the surface of internal organs. The bio-compatible materials can be designed to degrade after a period, eliminating the need for an invasive procedure to remove the sensor later.

More information:

https://spectrum.ieee.org/biodegradable-electronics