DAILY INNOVATION BRIEF by Maryanne Kane, Journalist
DAILY INNOVATION BRIEF
By Journalists Edward Kane & Maryanne Kane
A ROBOT THAT'S YOUR CHAFFEUR
- University of Tokyo roboticists are developing a robot to drive your car. They say forget about self-driving cars. A robot driver in a normal car is simpler, easier and cheaper than a fully automated car. Here are some key facts:
- The humanoid robot driver is named Musashi
- It's a musculoskeletal humanoid robot that closely mimics human muscles with its pneumatic actuators for driving
- Each moveable eye contains high resolution cameras that can pan and tilt and spot humans in the side mirrors
- Robot sits in the driver's seat, uses its 5-digit hands to steer & its feet to accelerate and brake
- Equipped with sensors for visual, sound and force information
- Sensors in hands and feet to apply the right amount of force to steering wheel, accelerator and brake
- The scientists say this is very promising technology that's being tested and further developed
- They say it's a new, simpler and less expensive alternative to fully automated cars.
NEW SCIENCE: BETTER GET YOUR SLEEP IF YOU WANT TO REMEMBER THINGS
Source: Stock
- Two new studies from the University of Michigan show how important sleep is to retain information. Here's what we know:
- Sleep deprivation makes it very difficult to retain information and actually harms the process of forming memories
- One study focused on rats in a maze
- Scientists looked at the neurons in the hippocampus, an area involved in memory formation
- During sleep, the hippocampus emanates sharp-wave ripples, which allow neurons to form and update memories
- Bottom line: sleep deprivation hampers this process in rats, which is very similar to the human process
- Remember those all-nighters that resulted in your being red-eyed, dazed and confused the morning of the exam? You should have had a good night's sleep and let your brain help you.
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