Today’s Solutions: December 12, 2024

Revolutionary window film redu

Revolutionary window film reduces heat and energy consumption

What's a room without windows? Windows are undoubtedly an important feature in our homes, offices, cars, and public spaces. They provide views and natural light, but they also contribute to heat input, which increases energy usage for cooling, a problem in an era of rising temperatures.  When Read More...

AI Brain

Listening AI could diagnose Alzheimer’s early

Diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease can be a tricky and lengthy process, with multiple in-person neuropsychological exams followed by even more tests. Diagnosis could very well cost a patient valuable treatment time, so speed is of the utmost importance.  Researchers from Boston University have Read More...

Cute baby boy with laptop on white carpet.

Babies may be the key for the next generation of AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) is extremely valuable for basically all parts of society, allowing more efficient, accurate, and speedy decisions. For example, this AI algorithm that assesses and prioritizes patients to either the ICU or a general hospital bed, or this AI-powered robot that can sort Read More...

Traffic reduction

MIT system uses machine-learning to reduce traffic and car emissions

As if idling in a line of cars at a red light forever wasn’t bothersome enough, vehicles emit greenhouse gasses while they’re stopped in traffic. Not only that, exposure to excess vehicle emissions while idling in traffic can be a major health risk.  What if drivers could time their trips Read More...

MIT scientists develop accurate behavior-predicting model for autonomous cars

How autonomous cars may predict road behavior in the future

To safely deploy autonomous vehicles on our roads, we first must ensure that they can accurately predict the movement of pedestrians, cyclists, and other fellow drivers. With so many people and vehicles on the roads today, though, behavior prediction can be a really daunting task. MIT researchers Read More...

Volcanic Eruption

New Zealand system helps to predict volcanic eruptions

When it comes to science and dealing with disasters, sometimes it’s not about preventing the disaster but making sure that everyone is safe after. We don’t even need to make predictions about natural disasters with 100 percent certainty. Sometimes all you need is a little warning that something Read More...

Communication interface

Locked-in individuals type quicker with this new system

For those living with locked-in syndrome, cerebral palsy, and other conditions that cause motor impairment, technology and software that enable communication have come a long way. Empowering those who can’t talk to communicate with computer interfaces has changed lives for the better, but some of Read More...

The Smart Tissue Autonomous Robot can perform laparoscopic surgery on the soft tissue of a pig without human help.

The robot that can independently perform keyhole surgery

Believe it or not, robots can now perform surgery with no human assistance! The Smart Tissue Autonomous Robot (STAR), was designed by a team from Johns Hopkins University. The laparoscopic procedure was carried out on the intestine of a pig, as reported this week in Science Robotics. "Our Read More...

The legged robot ANYmal on the rocky path to the summit of Mount Etzel, which stands 1,098 metres above sea level.

The hiking robots of the future

Here at The Optimist Daily, we think it’s important to keep our readers up to date with the latest news on robot progress. These incredible machines may be the key to help carry our future society. Recently, we reported on how scientists taught robots the complicated task of how to open doors, Read More...

Woman speech therapist doing speech exercises with with stuttering boy

Novel research could help improve the quality of life of people who stutter

According to the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, there are about three million people in the US who stutter. Since stuttering can make it difficult to communicate with other people, it can also take a toll on a person’s quality of life by negatively impacting job Read More...