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Robotics

·May 25, 2023·3 min read

Rights or Rites? Reimagining Robots’ Moral Status through Confucian Lens

As robots become more pervasive in our society, the question of whether they should be granted rights is a subject of increasing debate. A new analysis challenges this view. Instead of rights, researchers propose we view robots as 'rites bearers', drawing on principles from Confucianism that emphasize social harmony and role obligations.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·May 22, 2023·5 min read

Charismatic Robot Voices: A Boost for Team Creativity?

Robotic voices with a charismatic tone can positively influence the creative performance of teams. Researchers designed a social robot's speech to sound charismatic, employing a confident, passionate tone and tested its effects on students during a creativity task.

This shows the researchers in the snow with the EELS robot.

Featured Neuroscience

·May 10, 2023·6 min read

JPL’s Serpentine EELS Maneuvers Through Uncharted Robotics Terrain

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is developing an autonomous, snake-like robot named EELS (Exobiology Extant Life Surveyor) that can explore previously inaccessible terrains. Initially inspired by the objective of exploring oceans below the icy crust of Saturn's moon, Enceladus, EELS has evolved into a highly adaptable robot capable of traversing a wide variety of terrains on Earth, the Moon, and beyond. The robot uses screw threads for propulsion, traction, and grip, and employs an array of sensors and navigation algorithms to autonomously sense its environment, calculate risk, and determine the safest path forward. The team behind EELS emphasizes rapid iteration—build quickly, test often, learn, adjust, repeat—to continuously refine both the hardware and software, allowing the robot to tackle unprecedented challenges in robotic exploration.

Featured Neuroscience

·April 29, 2023·5 min read

New Pill Regulates Appetite by Modulating Ghrelin Release

A new pill, called FLASH, has been developed to regulate appetite without drugs or invasive procedures. Researchers designed the pill to deliver electrical impulses to the stomach lining, modulating hunger-related gut hormones. The pill has been shown to affect the release of appetite hormone ghrelin in pig trials. FLASH could potentially treat various disorders related to metabolism and eating without pharmaceuticals or surgery. The researchers are now conducting additional preclinical testing and aim to start human trials within five years.

This shows a little boy and an alexa echo dot

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 10, 2023·5 min read

Kids Judge Alexa Smarter Than Roomba, but Say Both Deserve Kindness

Children aged between 4-11 judge Alexa to have more human-like thoughts and emotions than other AI robotics like the Roomba vacuum cleaner, but believe neither device should be yelled at or harmed. These feelings dwindle as children reach their teenage years.

This shows a person playing table tennis against a robot

Featured Neuroscience

·April 10, 2023·5 min read

Table Tennis Brain Teaser: Playing Against Robots Makes Our Brains Work Harder

When playing against another human opponent, neurons in the brain work in unison. However, when playing against a robotic server, neural activity desynchronizes a new study reports.

This shows a man in a headsest and a robot

Featured Neuroscience

·April 3, 2023·3 min read

A Sensor That Might Someday Enable Mind-Controlled Robots

A newly designed dry sensor that can measure brain activity may someday enable mind control of robotic systems.

Featured Neuroscience

·March 10, 2023·6 min read

An Overview of in Vitro Biological Neural Networks for Robot Intelligence

In vitro biological neural networks (BNNs) embodied in robots exhibit a wide range of complex behaviors, including supervised and unsupervised learning, memory, object tracking, obstacle avoidance, and the ability to play simple games.

Featured Neuroscience

·February 21, 2023·2 min read

Robot Helps Students With Learning Disabilities Stay Focused

QT, a newly developed social robot, is successful at helping children with learning disabilities stay focused on their school work. Researchers say the robot makes positive contributions to the classroom and learning environment for those with learning disabilities.