News of the week selected by Impactscool – July 29th
29 July 2019 | Written by La redazione
The most important news about future and technology selected by Impactscool team
Research by the Technical University of Munich has developed a way to make tattoos of glucose, albumin and pH biomarkers. The idea is to merge the millenary tradition of tattooing with the utility of having always under control certain biological parameters whose monitoring is essential for some diseases. Researchers have developed a particular ink that reacts with changes in the extracellular fluid that carries different molecules from the capillaries. These inks change colour depending on the concentrations of the values of different parameters. For now, the system has been tested on pigskin, the next step will be to experiment on live animals to see how the continuous physiological changes affect the tattoos.
We often look to robots with a hint of suspicion, perhaps thanks to Hollywood’s films. Being able to see them as potential friends is not immediate. For this reason, a research by the University of Trento has tried, through a virtual reality system, to simulate the experience of being a robot. Put yourself in the role of a robot who looks at himself in the mirror and imitates our every movement of the head. The participants stated that they felt closer to the robot once the test was completed. “These aspects are very important – commented Francesco Pavani, author of the study – because one of the problems of robotics today is how to make robots more acceptable to humans. I am thinking of automated assistance devices, in particular, that will always come more used to help people in their daily lives, for example in the case of people with reduced mobility. In our study, we show that experimenting how you feel inside a robot makes it easier to accept and communicate with them “.
The subcutaneous implant that prevents HIV infection
During the tenth conference of the International AIDS Society, the first results of a new device were released that, once implanted under the skin, a bit like some contraceptives, can protect against possible infections for a year. The device is very small, like a match and, once inserted under the skin, it is able to administer a drug, Islatravir, continuously for a year. Clinical tests on mice have shown the efficacy of the drug and that on humans has allowed us to discover that the implant itself is safe for humans and does not seem to cause side effects. The road is still long and the device needs many tests and checks.
The first small leap of the Starhopper
It looks like an over-grown boiler but actually hides the latest news in the aerospace field. It’s the Starhopper, the prototype of the Starship that SpaceX intends to use to revolutionize, once again, the world of space travel. The squat rocket during the night between the 25th and 26th of this month made its first short flight: it rose, between a tide of smoke and flames, of about fifteen meters, remaining suspended in the air for a few seconds and then landing gently. The next test is expected in the coming weeks and the aim is to reach 200 meters in height.
