Daily Innovation News

June 11^th 2024

💻 Technology

🇺🇸 🇰🇷 US and South Korean researchers create chip that gives smartphones X-ray vision capabilities

Researchers from the University of Texas at Dallas and Seoul National University have developed a miniature chip that can see through cardboard and fit inside a smartphone. This chip uses terahertz radiation, making it safe and capable of imaging objects without the need for harmful X-rays. The technology has potential applications in finding hidden objects, inspecting packages, and even medical diagnostics. The study is published in IEEE Transactions on Terahertz Science and Technology.

🇫🇮 Finnish Nokia CEO makes world’s 1st immersive audio phone call with 3D sound

Nokia's CEO Pekka Lundmark conducted the first-ever live immersive audio and video call using the new 3GPP IVAS codec standard. This technology, developed by a consortium of 13 companies, delivers 3D spatial sound, enhancing voice calls by making them more lifelike. The call was made over a 5G network and showcased the potential of this groundbreaking audio experience for personal, enterprise, and industrial applications.

🚀 Space

🇨🇦 Canadian researchers explore moon dust to aid lunar development and power generation

Scientists from the University of Waterloo are investigating the use of lunar regolith, a metallic dust containing oxygen, to support construction, energy generation, and life on the moon. By utilizing thermite reactions, they aim to produce thermal energy without atmospheric oxygen. This approach could significantly reduce the need for costly material transport from Earth. The team is also exploring the use of defunct satellites as a resource for lunar development. The study highlights the potential of in-situ resource utilization for sustainable lunar habitation.

🦾 Robotics

🇮🇳 Indian autonomous marine trash collector takes on invasive weeds

Clear Robotics has expanded its fleet of autonomous marine trash collectors with the new Class 3 Clearbot, designed to handle both floating debris and invasive weeds. The vessel features an 8-hour battery, extendable to 12 hours with solar panels, and 500 kg onboard trash storage, with the capacity to tow a barge for an additional 1.5 tonnes. Equipped with a 1080p camera, LiDAR, and optional anti-collision technology, the Clearbot can cover up to 10,000 sq m per day for trash collection and 2,500 sq m for weed removal.

🇺🇸 US scientists create skin-inspired sensory robots for advanced medical treatments

Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have developed soft robots equipped with electronic skins and artificial muscles, allowing them to sense and adapt to their surroundings in real-time. These innovative robots, detailed in Nature Communications, mimic the interaction of muscles and skin in animals, enabling safer and more effective use inside the body. The soft robots can perform various movements, attach gently to tissues, and transform shapes to fit organs, enhancing diagnostics and treatments such as continuous monitoring and electrical stimulation. Funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, the study shows promising results in live animal models.

🇨🇳 Chinese researchers develop robot dog to detect hazardous gases in dangerous areas

A team led by Bin Hu has created a quadruped robot equipped with a mechanized arm to collect air samples from hazardous environments such as abandoned buildings and fire sites. The robot dog transports the samples to a human operator for screening, enhancing safety by keeping people out of potentially dangerous situations. The system, still requiring further refinement, has demonstrated its capability in various inaccessible locations like garbage disposal plants and chemical warehouses. The study was published in ACS' Analytical Chemistry.

💊 Healthcare

🇺🇸 US scientists improve gene-editing technology to insert or substitute entire genes, leading to new gene therapies for diseases like cystic fibrosis

Researchers from the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard have enhanced a gene-editing technology, now capable of inserting or substituting entire genes in human cells with high efficiency. This advancement could lead to single gene therapies for diseases like cystic fibrosis, which are caused by numerous mutations in a gene. The new method, combining prime editing and evolved recombinase enzymes, allows for precise gene-sized edits, significantly outperforming previous techniques. These findings, published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, highlight the potential for widespread therapeutic applications.

🇺🇸 US researchers develop two-drug therapy to reduce methamphetamine use

A clinical trial led by UCLA shows that a combination of injectable naltrexone and extended-release oral bupropion (NTX+BUPN) significantly reduces methamphetamine use for up to 12 weeks. Participants in the ADAPT-2 trial had a 27% increase in methamphetamine-negative urine tests compared to 11% in the placebo group, highlighting the potential of this therapy in treating methamphetamine use disorder. The study, published in Addiction, is crucial as there are no FDA-approved medications for this condition.

🇬🇧 UK scientists develop lab-grown ‘mini guts’ for personalized Crohn’s disease treatment

Researchers from the University of Cambridge have created lab-grown 'mini guts' from patient cells, aiding in precise and personalized treatments for Crohn's disease. These organoids reveal the severity of the disease through epigenetic changes, specifically increased MHC class I activity, linked to inflammation. This breakthrough allows for drug testing on 'mini guts' before patient administration, potentially improving treatment efficacy. The study is published in Gut.

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