Sensors

These microscopic robots are smaller than a grain of sand. At 200 micrometers wide, they're autonomous, programmable, and cheap enough that high school students are already learning to operate them in labs.

Researchers have prototyped sensor-packed robot bugs that mimic biological digestive systems to meet energy needs, employ a Janus interface for a steady supply of nutrients and move on the water's surface like a water strider.

'Pandemic gardens' were as popular as pets and sourdough starters in 2020, but many of us learnt the hard way that houseplants can be hard. Now, this device is out to "revolutionize" how you tend to your plants, ensuring they thrive rather than die.

A sensor that can accurately recognize and distinguish objects up to 10 centimeters – about four inches – away without needing to touch them physically has been developed. It could provide a new level of sensitivity to biorobotics.

Engineers at UC Davis have developed a new radar sensor that can pick up movements just 100th the width of a human hair. Better yet, the sensor itself is only the size of a sesame seed and is energy efficient.

Most of us don't need special pants that let us know we're exhausted, but for hardcore athletes, such an alert could help stave off injuries. To that end, researchers created an electronic yarn that could detect fatigue based on movement patterns.

It's certainly handy to know how fast gears or wheels are spinning, but equipping them with external sensors may affect their performance. That's why scientists have devised a method of 3D-printing wireless sensors right into the things.

The US Marine Corps has decided to purchase Northrop Grumman's all-in-one Next Generation Handheld Targeting System (NGHTS) that packs a suite of day/night targeting sensors in a 10-lb (4.5-kg) package and can operate in GPS-denied areas.

Last year, Samsung demonstrated the power of its monstrous 200-megapixel camera sensor by printing a billboard-sized cat photo taken on a phone. Now the company has started mass producing its successor, the Isocell HP2.

While some assistance is available to individuals who lack the power of speech, verbally communicating with other people can still be challenging. A new face-worn strain sensor could help, as it's able to "read" the wearer's silently mouthed words.

A team of engineers has developed a new type of camera that can detect radiation in terahertz wavelengths. This new imaging system can see through certain materials in high detail, which could make it useful for security scanners and other sensors.

Soccer's international governing body, FIFA, has developed semi-automated offside technology that uses AI, stadium cameras and a connected match ball to assist on-field referees with offside calls at 2022 World Cup matches in Qatar.