Important Innovations

Long Duration & Long Distance Sea Duty Source:  DARPA - The Angler Autonomous with No Need of GPS DARPA, the Pentagon's Advanced Research Projects Agency, is applying robotics developed for space and terrestrial exploring robots to a new undersea robotic system.  It's called The Angler. The Angler DARPA is developing an underwater robotic system that autonomously explores the sea floor.  It wants the robot to be capable of physically manipulating manmade objects that it encounters.  Put simply, it's developing highly advanced underwater robots. Robotic Innovation Some of the robotic innovations that will be incorporated into these sea exploring robots: Highly accurate navigations where's there is no GPS Perception and manipulation strategies to grasp objects Systems that allow the robot to know their location and the health of their own system. Current Limits Currently underwater operations are conducted by tethered, remotely controlled rob...

Thorium Based Nuclear Power - Greener Electricity Source:  Thorium Powered Nuclear Reactor Global Innovation Research Thorium based nuclear reactors.  Global scientists are working on this promising greener form of nuclear energy.  Thorium is a moderately radioactive chemical.  It can be used as "fuel salt" in molten salt reactors to produce electricity.  It can't be used to produce nuclear weapons and produces much less dangerous waste than current nuclear power plants. Advantages of Thorium and Who Is Working On It The Netherlands and China are investing in this technology.  It offers the advantages of traditional reactors.  It's reliable, efficient and low carbon emissions electricity.  And that is without the big problems of radioactive waste and nuclear proliferation.  It's a promising and greener form of renewable nuclear energy. CERN The European Center for Nuclear Research (CERN) believes thorium could be a radically di...

Breakthrough Research - Certain Genes Shrink Tumors Source:  Washington State University Photo of Tasmanian Devil Washington State University Innovative Cancer Research Scientists at Washington State University have discovered genes and genetic mutations that appear to shrink deadly cancer tumors in Tasmanian devils.  This finding could have important implications for treating cancer in humans and other mammals. Cancer Fighting Genes Leading to Drug Creation The WSU scientists say some of the genes that they believe trigger tumor regression in the devils are also in humans.  This could lead to the development of drugs that shrink and potentially decimate tumors in humans. A Species Plagued by Cancer The devils are the largest carnivorous marsupial and found only in Tasmania.  A deadly, facial tumor disease has pushed the devils to near extinction.  80% of the population is gone.  An international team of scientists, led by WSU, found some of t...

Communicative Cat Grooming Source:  Wataoka Industries Neko-jasuri Cat Groomer It's called a communications brush to help an owner and their pet cat better interact and communicate with each other.  It's a metal brush - a pet hair brush inspired by another industry and company focused on metal files.  This innovation comes from Japan, that is a nation of pet lovers. The company that innovated and is developing this product is Wataoka, with expertise in making metal files for 126 years. It's in the Grooves Here's how they've innovated their metal files into advanced pet grooming tools.  The pet groomer has varying grooves patterned by the grooves in a cat's tongue.  They say the grooves are great for brushing and grooming your cat.  And, the cats are so familiar with the sensation they love it because it simulates what they do for themselves. Japanese Innovation At a Global Pet Scale Nedo-jasuri means cat file.  The Japanese government is pr...

Earth to Mars Distance:  100 Million Mile Space Journey Source NASA: InSight Enters Mars Innovator Elon Musk 70% Sure He'll Move to Mars NASA's InSight spacecraft just landed successfully on Mars.  It took a six month journey across 300 million miles.  The lander carries breakthrough equipment that will burrow deep into the Red Planet's surface.  This has never been done before.  Space X's Elon Musk believes in upcoming years he will have a 70% chance of moving to Mars. Mars a Difficult Landing InSight's landing was perfect.  But Mars isn't the best place to land.  The 3-legged spacecraft had to decelerate from 12,300 mph to zero in 6 minutes as it pierced the Martian atmosphere.  The 600 pound stationary lander has a 6 foot robotic arm that will place a mechanical mole and seismometer on the ground.  The mole hammers down to 16 feet to measure the planet's heat and the seismometer listens for any quakes.  Nothing like this has...

Dogs Appear to Have Metacognitive Abilities Source:  Max Planck Institute Research from the Max Planck Institute Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History have performed some innovative research on dogs.  The scientists findings:  dogs know what they know and know what they don't know.  Dogs problem solve by actively seeking information. Canine Cunning Brains This new research strongly suggests that dogs have metacognitive abilities.  They're aware when they don't have enough information to solve a problem and actively search for what they need to know to get the desired results.  This is similar to how primates behave but it's the first time it has been documented in dogs. DogStudies Lab At the Institute's DogStudies Lab the scientists created a test in which the dogs had to find a reward - a toy or treat - behind one of two fences.  The scientists found that the dogs looked for significantly more informati...

Brain Uses Two Clocks to Anticipate Source:  University of California Innovative Research - University of California - Berkeley It's called anticipatory timing by the brain. And it's a 2 barreled system.  One type of timing relies on memories from past experience.  A second type is based on rhythm.  They work together.  An example is putting your foot on the car's gas pedal as the light starts turning from red to green.  Berkeley neuroscientists have discovered that in music, sports, speech and other activities we calculate movements in two parts of the brain. Brain Timekeepers The neural networks supporting these timekeepers are split between 2 different parts of the brain.  The scientists discovered that timing isn't a unified process.  Their research has documented that there are 2 different ways we make temporal decisions and they are dependent on different parts of the brain. Your  Brain Actively Anticipating the Future Be...