In this episode, we discuss the accidental discovery of how amputees can sense temperature in their phantom limbs and how EPFL researchers have exploited this to develop the first generation of prosthetics that can feel.

Podcast: Amputees Feel Warmth In Their Missing Hand

In this episode, we discuss the accidental discovery of how amputees can sense temperature in their phantom limbs and how EPFL researchers have exploited this to develop the first generation of prosthetics that can feel.&nbsp;<iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/496d5536-5afc-4f71-9e3e-35191a8fffe4?dark=false" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe> <hr>(0:50) - <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/amputees-feel-warmth-in-their-missing-hand" id="isPasted" target="_blank">Amputees Feel Warmth In Their Missing Hand</a>&nbsp;<hr>As always, you can find these and other interesting &amp; impactful engineering articles on Wevolver.com.To learn more about this show, please visit our<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" target="_blank">&nbsp;shows page</a>. By following the page, you will get automatic updates by email when a new show is published. Be sure to give us a follow and review on<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/nl/podcast/the-next-byte/id1548255861?l=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">&nbsp;Apple</a> podcasts,<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6lPPsRtegnivsRUEsQ09R7?si=IPMiah7xT_apJtPjqvXMlA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">&nbsp;Spotify</a>, and most of your favorite podcast platforms!

The MiniTouch, a device that allows amputees to feel hot and cold in their phantom hand. 2023 EPFL / Alain Herzog.

20230814-Podcast: Amputees Feel Warmth In Their Missing Hand

<h2 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">Tried and tested (and free)</h2>Biomimetics is the method by which scientists borrow successful ideas from nature to use in their own inventions. The advantage of this approach is that the solutions found among animals and plants are not subject to any patent. And over countless millennia, there are certain structures and mechanisms in nature that have allowed all sorts of living things to survive in various conditions. Thus, developers can rely on nature&rsquo;s best ideas, modify them as needed, and create robots that resemble beings we&rsquo;re already familiar with.<blockquote>&ldquo;For instance, there&rsquo;s a German company named Festo that specializes in various biomimetic solutions. They have a kangaroo robot that, just like the real thing, conserves energy after a jump and uses it for the next one. There are other notable inventions: the well-known Spot robot-dogs, worm-like medical robots, or even drug delivery bots modeled after fish. Some specialists develop mechanisms based on plant life &ndash; plantoids. But that&rsquo;s still a work in progress and it&rsquo;ll be some time before you can buy one in a store,&rdquo; explains Pavel Kovalenko, an associate professor at the Faculty of Control Systems and Robotics.</blockquote><h2 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">More ground to cover</h2>Nevertheless, the biomimetic method suffers from several limitations. Firstly, scientists have not been successful in recreating the principles or developing materials that would allow them to fully replicate certain species. Take geckos: these lizards&rsquo; paws are covered with microscopic adhesive hairs that can stick to any smooth vertical surface and traverse it. But researchers are yet to create a similar technology that would be suitable for industrial production.<blockquote>&ldquo;When we try to create the same product using nanolithography, the hairs come out different: not splayed like they should be, but rather conical or simply crudely shaped. Because of this, the adhesion is not adequate. In addition, artificial materials cannot self-clean and, therefore, lose their stickiness. It&rsquo;s like a piece of duct tape that you apply and tear off again and again,&rdquo; says Pavel Kovalenko.</blockquote>The second limitation of biomimetics is the scalability of natural mechanisms: as a rule, the ideas used at nanoscale are not always reproducible in macroscale. This forces researchers to look for other solutions to applied problems. For instance, instead of a robotic gecko, they will also create a snail that can climb vertical surfaces.Last but not least, for robots to function as animals, researchers have to truly synchronize their control system, its components, and parts of the robot. According to Pavel Kovalenko, this can be achieved when both the software and the engineering aspects of the robot are developed by a single team with a clear view of their final outcome.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">A robotic zoo at ITMO</h2>Despite all these challenges, students and graduates of ITMO&rsquo;s Faculty of Control Systems and Robotics are actively engaged in biomimetics, having already completed several stages of their research. First, they analyzed the behavior, body structure and functions of living organisms, and then based on this step decided which body parts they should recreate in their work. They have also selected flexible materials resembling existing animals. At the next stage, the researchers performed calculations, chose the digital components and motors for the robot, and developed the necessary software. As a result, they have already created several model robotic animals.For instance, ITMO graduate Georgy Larionenko developed a waterproof robotic fish with a moving tail that works on two magnets. A servomotor inside the waterproof body activates the first magnet, which in its turn activates the second one that is connected to the fluke. This way, by moving its tail in the water, the robotic fish can swim &ndash; both in fresh and salty water, as experiments have shown. The robot can be useful for gauging the parameters of the water and the ocean floor in various conditions, including in the arctic region.&nbsp;<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fYqbsCFRuS0?&wmode=opaque&rel=0&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://www.wevolver.com" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" style="width: 768px; height: 429px;"></iframe>A team of three graduates, Oksana Shuraeva, Anastasia Yusupova, and Anton Kovalenko, has developed a robotic snail. It can crawl down inclined surfaces by intermittently extending and retracting its &ldquo;paws,&rdquo; two spirals with plates attached to them. In order to guide the robot in the necessary direction, a servomotor, located in its shell, positions the snail&rsquo;s head at the needed angle, so that the rest of its body can follow suit. One application of this invention is window cleaning &ndash; the snail will leave a trail of detergent behind.Elizaveta Shelukhina, another ITMO graduate, wanted to make a device that will be protected from its environment. She could take inspiration from several animals, including turtles, hedgehogs, and armadillos, but eventually decided to settle on the latter, creating the concept for robotic armadillo. When the robot senses that something is falling on it or if someone kicks it, it rolls into a ball to protect its silicon insides. When the external influence ends, the robot unrolls back into its full length. Such robotic armadillos can come in handy in rescue missions, when there is a high risk of buildings collapsing.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1665655602540-1282503.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Robotic snail. Image courtesy of the Faculty of Control Systems and Robotics&nbsp;<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1665655652013-1282504.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The snail&rsquo;s locomotion mechanism includes two spirals with plates attached to them. The spirals are activated by two D41AB12 DC motors and when climbing an inclined surface the snail&rsquo;s front part is controlled by an FS5106B servomotor. Image courtesy of the Faculty of Control Systems and Robotics&nbsp; &nbsp;<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1665655682130-1282501.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The concept of a protected armadillo robot developed by Elizaveta Shelukhina. When hit by something, the robot rolls into a ball to protect its insides. Photo by Dmitry Grigoryev, ITMO.NEWS&nbsp; &nbsp;<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1665655703530-1282502.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The robotic fish presented at the Robotex youth robotics contect. Image courtesy of the Faculty of Control Systems and Robotics&nbsp; &nbsp;These days, students at the faculty are also developing various robotic animals. For example, Maged Mohamed, a second-year student in the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Master&rsquo;s program, researches biomimetics to come up with his own prototype of a waterproof fish that will also resist the pressure deep underwater to collect samples of the bottom and water for analysis.&nbsp;<hr>Translated by&nbsp;<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://news.itmo.ru/en/profile/30/&source=gmail&ust=1665742142569000&usg=AOvVaw3TxK7CnbdCJBWzW22ae5a2" href="https://news.itmo.ru/en/profile/30/" id="isPasted" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Vadim Galimov</a> and <a href="https://news.itmo.ru/en/profile/51/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Catherine Zavodova</a>, and originally published by <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://news.itmo.ru/en/&source=gmail&ust=1665742142569000&usg=AOvVaw2LChR-pA6lYpYiNzCB_TIH" href="https://news.itmo.ru/en/" target="_blank">ITMO.NEWS</a>

Boston Dynamics’ Spot, bionic kangaroos and even ants – biomimetics allows us to replicate almost any living thing. But why do roboticists look to animals for inspiration, what do they do at ITMO, and how do you make a robot act “natural”?

Biomimetics: The Science of Robo-Animals

People living with disabilities don't want special treatment; they want equal opportunity. The ability to act independently of, and at the same time connect with, others when moving, communicating, learning, working, and socializing.Technology is making this increasingly viable, as assistive and adaptive technologies create a more accessible world for people living with a range of disabilities, including limb differences, motor neuron disease, as well as the blind and deaf.Much of this development has focused on smartphones and computers, but wireless IoT technology also plays its role.<h2>The world around us</h2>Connected technologies such as environmental sensors, smart objects, and wearables are powerful tools. They can provide various inclusive and assistive information services in near real-time and connect people with disabilities with their work, home, and other environments:<ul><li>Indoor and outdoor wayfinding solutions employing computer vision, augmented reality, and wireless optical communications are assisting the visually impaired navigate their way from home to work and back again</li><li>Clothing embedding haptic stimulation sensors can enable the deaf to 'feel the beat' of a musical performance</li><li>Robotic limbs and bionic exoskeletons are giving the wearer control of their environment and the ability to stand and walk</li></ul><h2>Wearables for tackling MND</h2>Nordic Semiconductor has been working closely with customers who develop wireless solutions for those living with a disability. One such company is Control Bionics, whose wearable assistive technology offers people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)—also known as motor neuron disease (MND)—the ability to communicate despite paralysis or loss of speech. The small, non-invasive sensor is placed on the skin over the muscle chosen to be the switch. When the user attempts to move that muscle, the device interprets the signals sent from the brain to the muscle and uses those signals to control a paired computer, tablet, or smartphone wirelessly.<h2>Bluetooth LE bionic arms</h2>Another example is U.S. non-profit organization, Limbitless Solutions, which creates personalized bionic arms for children suffering from limb differences. The prosthetic limbs employ electromyographic (EMG) sensors to pick up signals generated by muscle movements in the wearer's upper arm. The forearm section of the bionic arm contains a battery pack that powers the motors controlling the different movements, while the hand unit includes the core electronics and motors for the fine control of the individual fingers. Bluetooth LE connectivity enables set-up, adjustment, and monitoring of the arm from a smartphone app, for example, to precisely determine the degree of muscle flexing required to generate a certain force in the fingers, and to help the child learn how to manipulate their new arm.<h2>Next-gen connectivity solutions</h2>Bluetooth LE wireless connectivity and next-generation SoCs play an essential role in ensuring the viability of these and other technologies for end-users living with disabilities. They provide a low latency wireless link to a smartphone or tablet for ease of control, and also low power consumption in an ultra-miniaturized form factor.Avoiding having to charge our devices frequently is a significant advantage to any user, and none of us want a clunky wearable that is uncomfortable to wear. Still, the benefits are more fundamental when that device is in near-constant use or is relied upon for daily life. For example, bionic arms must be comfortable, lightweight, and easy to use, particularly for children. Smartwatches for the blind, meanwhile, must be able to last at least a full day on a single charge.As these assistive technologies become more sophisticated and ambitious in their scope, wireless SoCs will need to keep pace. Nordic's new nRF53 Series has been designed to meet the likely requirements of developers in the future. It offers a new flexible, dual-processor hardware architecture, low power, and the ability to support miniaturized machine learning, edge processing, and LE Audio.<h2>The promise of LE Audio</h2>LE Audio, for instance, has the potential to significantly improve the experience of users of hearing aids and hearing implants by supporting a feature called Audio Sharing. Thanks to LE Audio, people with hearing loss will be able to realize the same benefits of Bluetooth audio enjoyed by users of standard Bluetooth headphones and earbuds, including wireless calling, listening, and watching. Audio Sharing will enable an advanced new type of Assistive Listening Systems with higher audio quality and greater privacy that avoids the challenges of sound quality, spill-over (magnetic interference created by multiple hearing loops in close proximity), and costs of current systems.Wireless technology exists now, and it can provide disabled users with the ability to participate in all aspects of life on more equal terms than previously possible.&nbsp;<hr>This article was first published on Nordic's&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" id="isPasted"></a><a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Get Connected Blog</a>.

People living with disabilities don't want special treatment; they want equal opportunity. The ability to act independently of, and at the same time connect with, others when moving, communicating, learning, working, and socializing.

Connected IoT tech promotes accessibility for all

This article is a part of our <a href="http://www.wevolver.com/student-program" target="_blank">University Technology Exposure Program</a>. The program aims to recognize and reward innovation from engineering students and researchers across the globe.This is a typical situation where the use of bio-location is used ineffectively. &nbsp;Dolphins are smart. They are clever enough to distinguish between useless tasks and really necessary ones. From the side of humans, it can be seen as unwillingness to perform learning tasks. Consider for example the Blue Game 2002 military training. The dolphins were airlifted to Denmark from San Diego in the US and housed in pairs in two large pools. During one of the training trips to the sea, the dolphin did not return to the support boat. The Navy decided to request help from a rescue helicopter to search for the dolphin from the air. After the helicopter took off from Slipshavn, a message came from the police that the dolphin was in Nyborg. As a result, a dolphin was quickly found frolicking in the inner harbor of the port [1,2]. This is approximately how freedom-loving animals react to the need for long-distance flights to search for dummies of mines.At the same time, when the dolphin himself decides to save a drowning person, then there are no problems. However, it is this skill of dolphins that is least often used. It&#39;s a matter of priorities. The technical possibilities of accommodation on rescue ships have existed for a long time. For instance, Dolphins are carried aboard Navy ships in large movable pools, about 20 feet in diameter &amp; traveled on the amphibious ship Gunston Hall in 2003 for the Iraq war [3].Below I will consider more complex examples of using another predator sensor apparatus for searching in the sea. Pattern recognition techniques can be complex, but they serve to make searching easier.<h2 id="isPasted">Signals processing from different sources to have a complete picture of the situation</h2>One of the important aspects is a separation of partial information useless for the primary user of the data, and useful for rescue services. &nbsp;The algorithms used by nature were tested for millions of years. There is a reason for people to use bionic principles to improve electronic surveillance technologies.<h2>The loss of signal</h2>The sunken ship disappears from radar screens and stops to transmit the signals. Data on the last radio contact give rapidly deteriorated information. In any case, it is used not only one point. The vectors are constructed as follows:&nbsp;<ul style="list-style-type: circle;"><li>Between the point of the last contact and the point, at which the ship would be located, if it moved at the same speed and in the same direction;&nbsp;</li><li>Vector to the point, at which the ship would be located with the power-on engine, if it drifted (towards the current);</li><li>Vector pointed to the opposite side of incoming waves (if necessary, the captain heads the ship to minimize side impacts of waves).&nbsp;</li></ul>All three vectors should be inside the initial spot of the search. They can considerably increase it, depending on the deterioration rate of information.<h3>Usage of data on the movement of marked sea predators</h3>A shark sensory apparatus has a high degree of perfection due to evolutionary processes. They recognize an odour very well, especially blood smell. The possibility of using this methodology means no good. If sharks smelled blood and changed their moving direction towards the accident site, it means that any of the survivors has open wounds. That direction can be well defined. The intersection of sharks&rsquo; moving directions is an area of the probable location of the survivors. For the success of a rescue operation, the survivors must be discovered before the sharks will find them. It should be noted that the moving directions of the sharks near the prey are less informative because predators prefer to unexpectedly attack and move in a composite path prior to the attack.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjI1NDkwMzM3ODUzLUZpZyAxLnBuZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Schematic single map with superimposition of data">Figure 1: Schematic single map with superimposition of data<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjI1NDkwMzkyODQzLUZpZyAyLnBuZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Schematic representation methodology based on codes that describe a separation by sequentially increasing resolution in selected range">Figure 2: Schematic representation methodology based on codes that describe a separation by sequentially increasing resolution in selected range.</div></div><h3>All methods mentioned above produce a pretty poor result in themselves</h3>Only superimposition of the data, for instance, information from different sources, on a single map can yield a result Figure 1. The formed sum of points on a map is processed by conventional mathematical methods for error estimation in order to define the search area.The methods for processing the images on the retina of different living beings and their applicability to change the operation algorithms of conventional equipment used for the same purpose have fundamentally been reviewed in detail by many scientists: Nobel Prize winners David H. Hubel and Torsten N Wiesel, and some others like Kaganitsky Grigory, Mary Carlson, Kevin R. Duffy, Rafael Gonzalez [7-9]. The selection of electromagnetic wavelength range is determined by the properties of the object to be found. Radio waves are best suited for search of the metal structure remains of the ship and infrared region &ndash; for the search of the survivors.The methodology is based on codes that describe a separation by sequentially increasing resolution in a selected range. Each scanning pass gives a more and more sophisticated picture. The analysis of intermediate results can be carried out in each phase, starting from the first scanning pass. If the boundary condition (object availability) is fulfilled, the codes responsible for the selected area become active, and the rest of the codes are blocked. At every next step with increasing resolution, the image details become more specific. In fact, a part of the analysis is performed outside the control centre, which receives code groups already prepared for identification Figure 2. &nbsp;A processing speed is assured due to information processing in parallel. The initial capturing of the group of objects occurs without contour extraction. Then, the division of identifiable objects and the construction of bundles between them based on the shortest distances take place. If there is a sector less in area than the spot of objects and bundles between them, which surrounds it, this sector is also captured for further analysis. With higher resolution in the selected areas based on previously given parameters, the sequence of the most significant targets is determined. The codes are compared in a sequence of targets, and in the absence of coincidence, the transfer to the next target of the group occurs. The continuously complicated group of codes arranged as linked lists is a result of such analysis constantly carried out.After the necessary and sufficient conditions are met for the identification of the objects, a full scanning is performed with the maximum resolution for the initial area, while prompt decisions are made regarding the identified objects. This means that utilizing these principles does not abolish a usual sequential scanning of the areas with maximum resolution, but gives an opportunity to promptly receive a discrete flow of the data (that becomes more and more detailed after every iteration) for potential quick reaction and problem-solving.The analysis can be simultaneously carried out with the use of several receivers that have different resolutions or types of signal injection (discrete and continuous). For example, the initial capture of the image can be performed with the help of video (low resolution), however, the identification of selected important areas is better performed using photo devices (high resolution). The range of lengths selected for infrared waves for the scan purpose should provide a maximum informational content for temperatures of about 36.6&deg; Celsius. No less important an opportunity to identify the object with the mentioned temperature that is located near a hotter object, i.e. if there is still a hot engine in the non-flooded compartment, and the survivor uses this fragment as a raft.<h2>Conclusion</h2>The critical situations caused by the accidents require a considerable quantity of online data for adequate reaction. Anyway, most part of the necessary information is gathered but used rarely and untimely. In any case, the sea predators also search for the survivors just like rescuers, but for another purpose. The data on the movement of marked sharks are very seldom used to advantage.A more complete understanding of how an eye scrutinizes the image can be applied to optical equipment used by rescuers. This article examined the bionic principles of processing the information for utilizing in future search operations.<h2>References</h2>1. Fladen i Korsor, Nr. 2 Juni 2002 <a data-lf-fd-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" href="http://www.marinehist.dk/FIKors/2002-2-FiKors.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.marinehist.dk/FIKors/2002-2-FiKors.pdf</a>2. S&oslash;v&aelig;rn&rsquo;s orientering, Nr. 2 Juni 2002 https://www.marinehist.dk/SVNORI/SVNORI-2002-02.pdf3. &quot;Navy dolphins, sea lions losing out to robots&quot; 2012 The San Diego Union-Tribune https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-navy-dolphins-sea-lions-losing-out-to-robots-2012nov30-story.html<a data-ved="2ahUKEwjRqZmD-PHyAhUDt4sKHfMKAm8QFnoECAMQAQ" href="https://ua.depositphotos.com/vector-images/s%C3%B8v%C3%A6rn.html?offset=100" ping="/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://ua.depositphotos.com/vector-images/s%25C3%25B8v%25C3%25A6rn.html%3Foffset%3D100&ved=2ahUKEwjRqZmD-PHyAhUDt4sKHfMKAm8QFnoECAMQAQ" target="_blank" id="isPasted"></a>4. David H. Hubel &amp; Wiesel, T N. (1979). Brain mechanisms of vision. Scientific American, 241, 150&mdash;162.5. David H. Hubel, David C. Freeman Brain Research V. 122, I. 2, 1977, PР 336&ndash;3436. David H. Hubel,Torsten N. Wiesel, Early Exploration of the Visual Cortex., Neuron V. 20, I. 3, 1998, PP. 401&ndash;4127. Rafael C. Gonzalez Richard E. Woods Digital Image Processing, Addison-Wesley Longman Publishing Co., Inc. Boston, MA, USA , 19928. Kevin R. Duffy, David H. Hubel, Vision Research V. 47, I. 19, 2007, PP. 2569&ndash;25749. Mary Carlson at al., Developmental Brain Research, V. 25, I. 1, 1986, PP. 71&ndash;81<h2 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">About the University Technology Exposure Program 2022</h2>Wevolver, in partnership with <a href="https://mouser.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mouser Electronics</a> and <a href="https://www.ansys.com/academic" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ansys</a>, is excited to announce the launch of the University Technology Exposure Program 2022. The program aims to recognize and reward innovation from engineering students and researchers across the globe. Learn more about the program <a href="http://www.wevolver.com/student-program" target="_blank">here</a>.<img alt="university-technology-exposure-program-mouser-ansys" src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjU3NDU2MDg2ODE2LTE2NTc0NTYwODY4MTYucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" class="fr-fic fr-dii">

US Navy's Mine-Hunting Dolphin Returning From Mission

Let's take the well-known sea-rescuer, the dolphin, for example.
Dolphin’s sensorium is more intended for the search of biological objects under water by use echolocation. At the same time, the military prefer to use dolphins to find metal objects (mines) rather than search & rescue drowning people

Fundamental Methodology Of Signals Processing During The Rescue Operations At Sea

This article was discussed in our <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte&source=gmail&ust=1640817319915000&usg=AOvVaw2nPRdRwJrXSYYeM9RCFu5x" href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" id="isPasted" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Next Byte podcast</a>.&nbsp;<iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/816a5019-8dcc-44f6-87cf-e4a0b1f91ce6?dark=false" class="fr-draggable"></iframe>The full article will continue below.<hr><h2>The Elevator Pitch</h2>Neuralink wants to solve brain and spine related illnesses via the seamless integration of a coin-sized device with your brain. In summer 2020, the company held a live product demo hosted by CEO Elon Musk to display what they have been working on.<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CLUWDLKAF1M?&amp;t=581s&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" style="width: 788px; height: 438px;"></iframe><h2>The Device</h2>Neural interfacing technology capable of reading and stimulating neuron activity is not necessarily new, but Neuralink's device known as the Link boasts certain features that make it stand out, such as 1024 channels (reportedly 100x more than current competitors), wireless inductive charging, a small form factor (allowing seamless integration with the skull), and utilization of readily available, mass-produced parts making the device as affordable as a new smartphone.&nbsp;<h2><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjE2ODEyNDgyNDE2LXRoZS1saW5rLnBuZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="">Image 1. The Link Device (CNET) The Procedure</h2>A robot will remove a portion of your skull the same size as the device and thread the electrodes to a segment of your brain where small electric charges will stimulate the neurons. &nbsp;Safety and accessibility are some of the primary objectives with this implant.&nbsp;Here is how the team plans on hitting those marks:- Anesthesia is not required- The entire surgery can be done under an hour- Patients can be released from hospital the same day as the procedure- A robot can do the entire procedure to guarantee accuracy- It will automatically inspect and insert electrodes where there are no veins or arteries- It is completely reversible; if you decide you don't want it, take it out without any damages<h2 class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjE2ODEyNjM5NDcwLW5ldXJhbGluay1pbnN0YWxsYXRpb24uanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Image 2. Link procedure process (CNET) The Motivation</h2>A key driving force behind this project is providing an inexpensive, safe, convenient, and reversible neural interfacing solution that could potentially eliminate neural illnesses while offering those suffering from spinal injuries the chance to regain their mobility. Still, that's not the most ambitious part of this project.Musk has repeatedly expressed his concern about the rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and what it could mean for the future of humanity; therefore, he sees the Link as a viable life raft where the human mind could integrate with AI. In fact, the Neuralink team already demonstrated an elementary version of this long-term goal by having a monkey control a computer using their device to play video games.<h2>The Functionality</h2>Usually at this point everyone has the same big question: does it work? Well, the proof is in the pigs.The stars of the 2020 product demo were three little pigs that helped demonstrate the safety of the Link. The first pig had never had an implant, the second had an implant at some point but it had been removed, and the third was the one currently with an implant; the major takeaway was that you will not experience any noticeable negative changes to your behavior with or without the implant (even if you've removed it).Gertrude, the third pig, was proudly showing off her implant to the audience by having the neuron impulses connected to her snout visualized while being fed. Every time her snout touched food, the audience saw a spike.More impressively, the demo contained a video of a pig on a treadmill whose joint movements were being almost perfectly predicted using the information from the implant. This could theoretically help those with spinal injuries by relaying the movement information that they are thinking to a secondary implant located at the base of the spinal cord thereby enabling movement.&nbsp;<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjE2ODEyODIwMzg5LVBpZyB3YWxrLnBuZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Image 3. Predicted vs. actual joint movements (CNET)&nbsp;During the Q&amp;A, Elon mentioned that it is possible to have a feature for the Link where the user will be able to upload their memories to the cloud and replay them at will.&nbsp;</div></div><h2>The When</h2>Neuralink received a breakthrough designation from the FDA in July 2020 and it looks like they are on track to start human trials by the end of 2021.&nbsp;

Neuralink is an ambitious startup backed by Elon Musk that hopes to rid the world of brain-related illnesses using a coin-sized chip

Neuralink: The Company That Wants To Put A Chip In Your Head

<a href="https://www.openbionics.com/" target="_blank">Open Bionics</a> is creating the next generation of prosthetic limbs. What sets these apart from traditional prosthetics is that all of the mechanical parts are 3D printed, bringing along considerable cost-savings. The models created by Open Bionics are both functional and aesthetically pleasing, making sure its wearer feels comfortable wearing them - both physically and socially.&nbsp;<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ipP-z_koTZs?&amp;wmode=opaque" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" style="width: 789px; height: 456px;"></iframe>Bionic hands can be very expensive. Starting at about $35,000, they can go up to even $120,000. Open Bionics is developing a bionic hand that offers the same functionality at under $1,200.<h2>The 3D printed prosthetic</h2>The Open Bionics hand is suited for trans-radial amputees: people that still have an elbow joint but miss anywhere from their hand upwards. The prosthetic works through sensors that are placed on the wearer's muscles. These send out an electric signal that allows the hand to move when specific muscles are flexed. Each finger can be moved independently and with varying speed, allowing for different gripping modes and movements to be made.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1602664181040-Bionic_hand_sensor_placement.webp">Sensors are placed on the wearer's muscles&nbsp;<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1602664198362-Open_Bionics_hand_movement.webp">Muscle movements allow the hand to move in various ways&nbsp;<section>3D printing plays a vital part in the development of the Open Bionics hand. After 3D scanning the wearer's residual limb, a prosthetic design is made in 3D modeling software, after which both the hand and its socket are 3D printed.As all the mechanical components of the hand can be 3D printed, it becomes a cost-effective alternative to the traditional, expensive prosthetic. As it's about 30 times cheaper than other available alternatives, it helps to make robotic hands accessible to a wider audience.<h2>Rigid and flexible materials</h2>The Open Bionics hands are created using both rigid and flexible materials to support the varying functionalities of different parts of the hand. The fingers are printed in one piece with <a href="https://ultimaker.com/materials/tpu-95a" target="_blank">flexible TPU</a> and have joints built-in that work directly after the printing has finished. Other parts, that need to be more rigid, are printed with <a href="https://ultimaker.com/materials/pla" target="_blank">PLA</a>. Since the fingers' joints are built-in, the number of different parts that need to be manufactured is greatly reduced, which simplifies the assembly process.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1602664225372-3D_printing_prosthetic_hand.webp">Different materials are used for different parts of the hand&nbsp;<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1602664249526-Flexible_prosthetic_finger_joints+%281%29.webp"><figure type="ArticleImage"><figcaption>The soft fingers are printed in one piece with flexible material</figcaption></figure>3D printing not only shrinks the development costs of these bionic hands - it also allows for tailor-made designs to be implemented that perfectly match the wearer's wants and needs. Check the <a href="https://www.openbionics.com/" target="_blank">Open Bionics website</a> to stay up-to-date on the progress made in this field.As this case illustrates, 3D printing can radically change the way in which medical applications are approached. For an overview of other 3D printing applications in the medical field, check out our explore pages: <a href="https://ultimaker.com/en/explore/where-is-3d-printing-used/medicine" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://ultimaker.com/en/explore/where-is-3d-printing-used/medicine</a><hr>Disclaimer:&nbsp;Ultimaker 3D printers are designed and built for Fused Filament Fabrication with Ultimaker engineering thermoplastics within a commercial/business environment. The mixture of precision and speed makes the Ultimaker 3D printers the perfect machine for concept models, functional prototypes and the production of small series. Although we achieved a very high standard in the reproduction of 3D models with the usage of Ultimaker Cura, the user remains responsible to qualify and validate the application of the printed object for its intended use, especially critical for applications in strictly regulated areas like medical devices and aeronautics.</section>

Open Bionics is creating the next generation of prosthetic limbs. What sets these apart from traditional prosthetics is that all of the mechanical parts are 3D printed, bringing along considerable cost-savings.

Open Bionics: 3D printed prosthetic limbs

Rear view of the ankle-assisting exosuits with its soft robotic elements and the cable that transfers mechanical power from actuators operated from the hip to the ankle join. (Image courtesy of the Rolex Awards/Fred Merz)

bionics

Profiles