new The effectiveness of hand and eye movement analysis in VR for early screening of MCI can be explained by the concept of embodied cognition [52-54]. Embodied cognition emphasizes that cognitive function is closely intertwined with action capacities and that assessing the relationship between cognition and action can provide additional insight into detecting early signs of neurodegenerative diseases. By analyzing hand and eye movements during the performance of a cognitively complex IADL task, such as ordering menu items using a kiosk, we could gain information about how cognition and action are tightly coupled. The complex hand movements and distracted eye movements exhibited by patients with MCI in this study can be viewed as digital markers that reflect the characteristics of embodied cognition. — Journal of Medical Internet Research, 20h ago

new As a culmination the team tested their soft robot’s reaching, grasping and object manipulation competency. With vision systems or human guidance directing its motion, the E-SOAM could traverse confined spaces, differentiate temperature gradients, and use coordinated bend propagation to retrieve items with its gripper. Haptic feedback from artificial skin to a wearable glove even allowed a blindfolded operator to remotely control these functions. Such nuanced bidirectional interaction between a human and soft robot in uncertain settings represents a feat. — nanowerk.com, 1d ago

new Ino technology, this week has given us Martian robo-chemists, exceptionally "human-like" hands, and a pair of smart glasses that use sound instead of cameras to track the wearer's body movements, making them more accurate and cheaper to produce and providing a significant boost to privacy. — livescience.com, 1d ago

new Likewise, in surgical domains, including the intricate field of spine surgery, a notable advancement is the introduction of robotic assistants, designed to work alongside surgeons in spine surgery, says Dr S. Vidyadhara, chairman and head, spine surgery, and consultant, robotic spine surgery, Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road. When combined with augmented reality, the CT/MRI images can be superimposed real time during the surgery, providing surgeons with an in-depth 3D view of the surgical site and thus enhancing their ability to make informed decisions. “This is being used in complex cancer surgeries, where the tumour is hidden inside the organ. With the help of AI, a surgeon can get the clear picture and feedback about the clear margins of the cancerous tumour to be removed,”says Dr Saurabh Patil, consultant urologist and robotic surgeon, Fortis Hospital, Mumbai. “AI also helps in the training of new surgeons by comparing the steps by expert surgeons and providing real-time feedback to a novice surgeon.”... — theweek.in, 1d ago

new Traditional loudspeakers with bulky vibrating diaphragms face limitations in integrating with wearable devices due to their bulky vibrating diaphragms. However, the team's ultra-thin thermoacoustic (TA) loudspeakers, which are free from such limitations, demonstrate remarkable potential in this domain. The challenge lies in configuring these speakers into arbitrary shapes due to their low sound pressure level (SPL) under mechanical deformations and limited conformability. — phys.org, 2d ago