Sensors

A new type of ultrasound technology promises to make a touch-sensitive surface out of just about any common material – metal, glass, wood, plastic – which could open up a number of new ways to interact with our gadgets.

A human-sized robot has been equipped with 1,260 cells to create what is claimed to be the first autonomous humanoid robot with artificial skin covering its entire body.

A new MIT system is designed for charging batteries to power a network of sensors that would transmit data from the sea floor.

House plants can be a great way to add splashes of color to an otherwise drab interior, but they can also help to purify the air. But looking after them can be a guessing game. Lua is designed to help, turning plant care alerts into cute animated faces on the front of the pot.

The Memorial Bridge doesn't just allow folks to cross over the Piscataqua River, it also serves as a living laboratory. Now home to a host of sensors, it provides data on the day-to-day life and health of the bridge itself, as well as monitoring the surrounding environment.

Spider-Man's "spidey-sense" isn't purely fiction – spiders have tiny, sensitive hairs on their legs that help them avoid predators or hunt prey. And now, engineers at Purdue University have developed similar sensors for autonomous cars or drones.

Wearable health-monitors are everywhere, from Fitbits for the health conscious to continuous glucose monitors for diabetics, but most are limited in what they can tell us, and there are issues around accuracy, calibration and reliability. Researchers in Sweden are working to change that.

IBM’s annual 5 in 5 list is here. This time, all five technologies in this year’s list are designed to fix problems in every step of the food supply chain, from seed to your plate.

Two new products from Wynd are suggested to be the ultimate in home air purification – Halo, an app-controlled sensor that can monitor specific pollutants in the air, and the Home Purifier, a massive air cleaner that can quickly clear contaminants from large spaces.​

​Back in 2012, Bruno Zamborlin revealed a tiny device that could transform any surface into a musical instrument. Now he's unveiled HyperSurfaces, which taps into the power of AI and machine learning to turn "any object of any material, shape and size" into a user interface.​

MIT engineers recently managed to create cell-sized robots that could collect data about their environment, but were a little tricky to manufacture. Now, the team has found a way to mass produce these synthetic cells (syncells) through controlled fracturing of graphene.

​When someone is recovering from joint surgery, it's important for doctors to monitor factors such as their range of motion. A new self-powered sensor could make doing so easier than ever, by wirelessly transmitting movement data from an orthopedic brace on that joint.