News of the week selected by Impactscool – Novembre 30th

3D printed algae for the future of medicine

3-D bio-molded algae can be exploited as a sustainable source of oxygen for human cells within vascularized tissues. These are the results of a research published in the magazine Matter. Harvard Medical School researchers incorporated photosynthetic algae, along with cells derived from the human liver, into a 3-D hydrogel matrix to create honeycomb-shaped tissues, similar to the human liver. In the future, the researchers say, the eco-friendly and cost-effective 3-D bioprinting approach could have potential for applications such as disease modeling, drug development, regenerative and personalized medicine, and even food engineering.

Hyundai will be able to circulate its self-driving cars in Las Vegas

The state of Nevada has given permission to Motional, a self-driving car company funded by Hyundai and Aptiv, to take its unmanned vehicles to the streets of Las Vegas. Autonomous driving is a technology still being perfected, and many of the companies that claim to have unmanned vehicles actually still require a human behind the wheel. Motional’s vehicles have a level 4 of autonomy, that is, they are able to manage traffic and some critical situations, but they still cannot do without a driver who guarantees safety in the event of extreme situations. The permit given to the company does not mean that from tomorrow we will see taxis with empty front seats whizzing between the casinos in Las Vegas, but that when Motional is able to guarantee the necessary safety standards it will be able to walk the streets of the gambling capital.

The US military wants to create “telepathic” soldiers

The US military is funding more and more research related to the world of neuroscience with the aim of decoding the electrical signals generated by brain activity to make them intelligible messages. In this way, they hope to develop a system that allows soldiers to communicate with thought. For now, researchers seem to have been able to distinguish brain signals that are related to behavior from the rest of the brain’s activity. It is not mind reading yet but it is an important step forward in trying to understand what the different electric waves mean. In the decoding process, the army would like to include an artificial intelligence that interprets the signals and transforms them into messages for other soldiers.

Google provides digital tools to Italian merchants for free

Google adheres to the “Close and Connected” initiative promoted by the Ministry of Innovation to allow merchants to promote their businesses through digital platforms and services. The Californian company has announced that it will make available to traders throughout Italy free tools to be found online and courses dedicated to digital skills. Among the tools offered, a digital showcase to be found on Google Search and Google Maps, then free product cards on the Google Shopping card, with which to show the availability of a product to those who are looking for it online nearby, as well as tools to create its own online store and training courses to manage them.