Daily Archives: February 8, 2023

Sunlight-activated “loofah hydrogel” excels at purifying water

Although we've seen a number of systems that use sunlight to purify tainted water, their output is often quite limited. A new loofah-inspired hydrogel, however, uses sunlight to treat much more water in one go … enough to meet a person's daily needs.

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Modular voxel tech could bring swimming robots into the mainstream

Bioinspired underwater robots that swim by undulating their bodies may be more energy-efficient than their rigid counterparts, but they're also quite difficult to build. That could soon change however, thanks to a new modular robotics system.

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Bats rely on whiskers for super-fast feeding sessions

Using high-speed infrared cameras, researchers have discovered that the whiskers on long-tongued bats help them expertly extract nectar from flowers, sometimes as quickly as a half-second. The finding could help inform conservation efforts.

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Smart fall-detecting insole keeps tabs on worker safety

If slips, trips and falls tend to occur in one area of an outdoor workplace, employers ought to know about it, so they can address the problem. A new "smart" insole is designed to provide that information, in case workers forget or don't bother.

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Venture folding seated e-scoot rolls with ebike looks

Many commuters are now looking at ways to do so without having to drive the gas-guzzling car. Electrified scoots and bikes are proving very popular, but the UK's Zinc Sports has merged the two for a folding sit-down scooter called the Venture.

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Airport terminal’s feather-like form designed to sooth weary travelers

China already boasts its fair share of incredible airports, but is set to receive another. MAD Architects has revealed plans for a large new terminal in the northeast city of Changchun that's conceived as a floating feather.

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