UC San Diego

We recently heard how scientists from the University of Washington had developed a suction cup inspired by the clingfish. Well, researchers at UC San Diego have taken a different approach to create one of their own, and they've even used it on an underwater robot.

Because of infants' sensitive skin, it's not a good idea to rig them up with biosensors that are taped to their body. Scientists have developed what could be an alternative, in the form a pacifier that measures glucose levels within the saliva.

It takes something truly extraordinary to kill a tardigrade. Scientists have uncovered a neat trick they employ to endure inhospitable conditions.

A study reveals measuring the speed of pupil dilation while undertaking a cognitive test could help identify early, pre-symptomatic stages of Alzheimer’s.

The most advanced mini-brains yet created have begun producing brain waves resembling those of preterm babies.

Researchers have developed a new way to weld ceramics together at room temperature, using ultrafast laser pulses.

Cardiovascular diseases are the number one killer in the world – and we might have a two million year old ancestor to blame. A team pinpointed a single gene that ancient ancestors lost, which appears to have predisposed us as a species towards higher rates of atherosclerosis than other apes.

Engineers from the University of California San Diego have developed a proof-of-concept armband that can keep the wearer's skin at a constant temperature, even when the ambient temperature is raised or lowered. And the technology is being scaled up to vest size.​

​For decades, when people have wanted to stick two things together but later pull them back apart, Velcro has been the answer. In the future, however, the material may get some competition from bird feather-inspired technology.

Researchers from the University of California San Diego have created robotic gliders that literally fly like an eagle. They use reinforcement learning to determine how to exploit updrafts of warm air, soaring to altitudes of up to 2,300 ft.

​"Smart" internet-connected devices could indeed make life easier for us, but the things DO typically have to be equipped with battery-powered electronics. That may not necessarily be the case for much longer, however, if the Wi-Fi-based LiveTag system reaches fruition.

​​One particularly active area of robotics research involves the exploration of soft parts, which are opening up new possibilities and making machines safer for humans to work around. Now they are gaining a helping hand from the amazing adhesive properties of the gecko.