Fazmina Imamudeen explores our wacky and wonderful world

WEARABLE TECH Researchers have unveiled an innovation in wearable technology, which is a fabric armband that functions as a touchpad. It allows users to engage effortlessly in activities such as playing video games, sketching cartoons and signing documents.

The silk armband, developed as a proof of concept, transforms the user’s forearm into a versatile keyboard or sketchpad. Consisting of a three layer touch responsive material, it seamlessly interprets and converts the user’s drawings or typed input into computer generated images.

Previous attempts to create flexible touch responsive panels using electrically conductive hydrogels fell short due to stickiness and skin irritation.

To overcome these challenges, researchers Xueji Zhang, Lijun Qu, Mingwei Tian and their team devised an ingenious solution. They incorporated a pressure sensitive hydrogel between layers of knit silk with the top layer coated in graphene nano sheets for electrical conductivity.

The result was a comfortable fabric sleeve that enabled writing and drawing on a touch responsive surface.

In experiments, users were able to control computer game blocks and create vibrant digital artwork directly from the armband. The researchers believe that this pioneering wearable touch panel could pave the way for flexible keyboards and wearable sketch pads in the future.

VIRTUAL REALITY A pioneering study conducted by researchers at the University of Edinburgh suggests that the enchanting power of music could alleviate the unpleasant side effects of virtual reality (VR) experiences.

Cyber sickness, which is a form of motion sickness associated with VR usage, was found to significantly reduce when joyful music accompanied the immersive environment. Moreover, both joyful and calming music were found to reduce the intensity of nausea related symptoms significantly.

The study involved 39 participants who underwent roller coaster rides in a virtual environment with different musical accompaniments.

This research sheds light on the impact of cyber sickness on cognitive abilities such as memory skills, reading speed and reaction times. Cyber sickness temporarily impairs verbal working memory, slows down reactions, affects reading ability and even changes the size of the pupils.

However, the study also reveals that individuals with higher levels of gaming experience exhibit lower cyber sickness symptoms. Importantly, the findings highlight the potential of music as an intervention to reduce cyber sickness and pave the way for broader utilisation of VR in educational and clinical settings.

ROBOT MOVEMENT Scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology have pioneered a novel theory for multi-legged locomotion. Their robotic models can now effortlessly traverse rough surfaces without the need for additional sensors or control technology.

This discovery opens up a world of possibilities for applications in agriculture, space exploration, and search and rescue missions.

The team found inspiration in American mathematician Claude Shannon’s communication theory, which suggests when transmitting a signal over a distance, it’s best to break it up into digital units and then repeat with an appropriate code – rather than sending it out as an analogue signal.

By incorporating this concept into robotics, the team discovered that equipping the robots with extra pairs of legs greatly enhances their ability to navigate challenging terrains.

This ingenious strategy ensures the robots keep moving even if one leg faces an obstacle. As a result, they can transport themselves and heavy loads across difficult and noisy landscapes while minimising their reliance on sensors.

Researchers plan to fine-tune the optimal number of legs for cost-effective and reliable locomotion without the need for extensive sensing.

MICROBES ASSIST Scientists from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the University of California in Berkeley have achieved a remarkable breakthrough in sustainable biochemical production by harnessing the power of bacteria.

Through a combination of enzymatic reactions and the innovative ‘carbene transfer reaction,’ engineered bacteria metabolise sugars to produce carbon-based chemicals without the need for toxic solvents or gases typically associated with chemical synthesis.

This breakthrough opens the door to transformative green bio-manufacturing, enabling scalable carbene chemistry for mass production. Carbenes, which are highly reactive carbon-based chemicals, were previously limited to small-scale experiments due to expensive reactants.

However, the use of naturally produced products from engineered bacteria replaces costly chemicals, making large-scale production economically viable.

As a substantial portion of greenhouse gas emissions stems from chemical, iron, steel and cement production, this innovative bio-manufacturing approach could contribute to ambitious emission reduction targets.

Commercialisation isn’t feasible yet, even though researchers are seeking sustainable solutions. This groundbreaking discovery paves the way for further exploration and advancements in green bio-manufacturing, showcasing the monumental benefits microbes can bring to environmentally-friendly production.