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Understanding the Importance of Hands-On Learning in Science and Technology

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Memorizing theories is useful, but real learning happens through hands-on experience. From engineering to medicine, applying knowledge builds problem-solving skills and prepares students for real-world challenges.

As industries evolve with robotics, AI, and space exploration, the need for practical learning is greater than ever. But in an increasingly digital world, how do we ensure students get the experience they need?

In this blog, we will share why hands-on learning is crucial in science and technology, how online education integrates practical experience, and what the future holds for experiential learning. [Read more…] about Understanding the Importance of Hands-On Learning in Science and Technology

Spare humans: Top 10 humanoids and androids from sci-fi films

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Humanoid robots have been central characters in many movies from the very beginning of the film industry, and have regularly featured prominently throughout this time. And they have never – or at least rarely – failed to kindle a certain kind of feeling that combines fascination with a slightly unsettling sense of fear.

Now it seems there will be an increase in the number of films featuring human-like robots. Two major films in two years – Subservience, starring Megan Fox, last year, and Companion, starring Sophie Thatcher, this year – might not represent a deluge, but we think this is a sign of things to come.

What I mean is that I believe there will be many more films featuring humanoid robots and androids from now on, mainly because we as a society are increasingly having to deal with artificial intelligence which lives inside computers but communicates with us all the time, as well as actual AI machines in the our three-dimensional physical world that move and talk and walk and drive us around – often referred to as “embodied artificial intelligence”. [Read more…] about Spare humans: Top 10 humanoids and androids from sci-fi films

Humanoid robots: Stepping out of science fiction, into the real world

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For many decades, science fiction films and books have described and shown us a variety of humanoid robots that range from ones that look clearly mechanical and follow simple orders and have limited functionality to ones that are indistinguishable from human beings in appearance but are far stronger, faster and more capable in many ways.

And over those decades, audiences have been encouraged to imagine such robots as figments of the imagination, something for the future – a future after our own lifetimes.

Now, however, instead of waiting there for us to die and spare us from having to deal with it, that future is hurtling towards us with unsettling speed.

[Read more…] about Humanoid robots: Stepping out of science fiction, into the real world

Khalifa University showcases 23 robotics solutions at IROS

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Khalifa University of Science and Technology showcased 23 innovative robotics and AI solutions as well as drone technology during the 36th edition of the International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS 2024).

The university says the significantly number of solutions on show validate its status as an academic institution that “remains proactive in advancing automation and technology”.

With its theme “Robotics for Sustainable Development”, the event marks the Middle East and Africa (MENA) region’s first-ever IROS 2024 to be held in Abu Dhabi.

The Khalifa University stand at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC) is displaying projects encompassing all areas of robotics and AI solutions for sustainable development in the marine sector, as well as industries such as Space, Telecom, Computing, Transportation, Agriculture and wildlife conservation.

The projects include “TomFormer” for real-time disease detection in tomato leaves, “UTM: Unmanned Traffic Management”, “Lunar Rover” for lunar exploration, Exoskeleton wearable robot for enhancing human capabilities, “Smart Trash Bin” using computer vision for efficient waste separation, “Ocean Monitoring and Cleaning” for sustainable marine ecosystems, “Autonomous Port Inspection” for maritime security, “Houbara Robot” for behavioral studies of the Houbara bird in its natural habitat, “Coral Reef Inspection”, “Autonomous Driving Platform”, and various drone projects including firefighting drones and UAV swarms for inspection and tracking.

Also featured at the Khalifa University stand are the Droneleaf project which focuses on monitoring and analyzing agricultural field, ‘Spider Robot’ for various applications in climbing different terrains, “Soft Robotics at KU” feature flexible and adaptable applications of technology, a “Heterogeneous Swarm of Underwater Autonomous Vehicles” for underwater tasks, “Quadrotor Control Projects” enhancing quadrotor flight control, “Satellite Control Levitation Setup” demonstrates satellite control mechanisms, as well as the project on “Design and Performance Evaluation of a Marine-Compliant Gripper” for handling uneven large objects in marine environments.

“Autonomous Underwater Robotic System for Aquaculture”, “Autonomous Driving Platform” for developing and testing autonomous technologies, “Robotic Manipulator” for precise manipulation tasks and projects focused on innovative maritime solutions are part of the Maritime Grand Challenge.

The Art and Science of Successful Leveraged Buyouts

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What transforms an ordinary financial maneuver into a masterstroke of business acumen?

The answer often lies in leveraged buyouts (LBOs), a domain where strategy intertwines with opportunity and where the insights of industry veterans such as investor Dale W. Wood can carve a path forward for venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, startups and business specialists.

LBOs are a game of potentially high rewards, numbers and strategies where the astute can thrive, but only if the correct steps are taken to leverage the equally high risk. Wood, chairman and founder of Dale Ventures Group of Companies, offers his seasoned perspective on the complex maze of LBOs. [Read more…] about The Art and Science of Successful Leveraged Buyouts

Authentic Laboratory Containment Hoods: Increasing Adoption in the Healthcare Sector

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In healthcare and biomedical research, safety and contamination control are paramount. The rise of infectious diseases, the need for precision in medical research, and the emphasis on workplace safety have led to a surge in the use of laboratory containment hoods.

These specialized devices are designed to protect both personnel and samples from contamination, ensuring a sterile and safe working environment.

Authentic laboratory hoods containment have become increasingly popular among healthcare professionals due to their reliability and effectiveness. This listicle explores the reasons behind the growing adoption of these essential tools in the healthcare sector. [Read more…] about Authentic Laboratory Containment Hoods: Increasing Adoption in the Healthcare Sector

Bio-inspired neuroprosthetics: Sending signals the brain can understand

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Prostheses that connect to the nervous system have been available for several years. Now, researchers at ETH Zurich have found evidence that neuroprosthetics work better when they use signals that are inspired by nature.

A few years ago, a team of researchers working under Professor Stanisa Raspopovic at the ETH Zurich Neuroengineering Lab gained worldwide attention when they announced that their prosthetic legs had enabled amputees to feel sensations from this artificial body part for the first time.

Unlike commercial leg prostheses, which simply provide amputees with stability and support, the ETH researchers’ prosthetic device was connected to the sciatic nerve in the test subjects’ thigh via implanted electrodes. [Read more…] about Bio-inspired neuroprosthetics: Sending signals the brain can understand

Industry Spotlight: AI Strategy Consulting in Healthcare

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In the always-developing scene of healthcare, the coordination of trend-setting innovations has become basic for conveying upgraded patient consideration, advancing tasks, and driving advancement.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has arisen as an extraordinary power in the healthcare area, reforming how data is dissected, analyzed, and treatment plans are figured out.

This article digs into the domain of AI strategy consulting in healthcare, investigating the pivotal job of data science and AI solutions, analyzing noticeable use cases, and revealing insight into the meaning of artificial intelligence consulting services. [Read more…] about Industry Spotlight: AI Strategy Consulting in Healthcare

6 Reasons Why Quantum Information Science Should Be Taught in Schools

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When I went to school, the IT class was new. Brand new. It was so new that once you moved beyond touch typing, which was what you learned in Year 7, there was not much else left for you to learn.

In every class after that, there were usually one or two students who knew more than the teachers did. This continued to be the case until the final years of high school, when suddenly we knew more than the assigned textbooks.

One year, when there were only a dozen of us in class, the teacher had us sit down and read through the textbook. Our job was to find every error contained within the standard issue textbook. [Read more…] about 6 Reasons Why Quantum Information Science Should Be Taught in Schools

3M highlights major global trends in materials science and charts its own way ahead

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3M Forward is a program that highlights how materials science-based innovation at scale can help society progress amid three unstoppable forces shaping our planet: climate change and resource scarcity, shifting demographics and social change and convergence of the physical and digital worlds. As part of 3M Forward, 3M scientists, engineers and experts share how their solutions are helping to build a brighter future.

Mark Copman, 3M senior vice president, new growth ventures, says: “The global forces highlighted within 3M Forward are disruptive in nature, but we see them as catalysts for new advances in science and positive societal impact.

“Science has the potential to solve the toughest global challenges, and 3M’s diverse global portfolio and vast expertise make us optimally positioned to imagine what’s possible and build what’s next.”  [Read more…] about 3M highlights major global trends in materials science and charts its own way ahead