research
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These Plastic Objects Can Talk to Computers Without Electronics or Batteries
The natural assumption is that for a device to wirelessly communicate with another, it needs some basic electronics inside and a source of power. But researchers from the University of Washington have seemingly done the impossible by creating simple plastic devices without batteries, chips, or even wires that can still interact with smartphones and computers.
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A Researcher Showed That Most People Angrily Tweeting About Dan Andrews Aren’t Bots
Since 2016, there’s been a big focus on the influence of bots (i.e. computer controlled accounts) on social media. Experts who’ve studied them say they’re influencing Australia’s elections by promoting topics and hashtags to drive debate. And recently, some have alleged that bots might be behind a anti-Dan Andrews hashtag — but it appears the…
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This Perfectly Flat Fisheye Lens Could Help Shave Down Camera Bumps
Fisheye lenses make for some cool photos, but their most distinctive feature is that the glass is curved. The need for multiple bits of curved glass makes fisheye lenses both bulky and expensive. However, engineers at MIT and the University of Massachusetts at Lowell have figured out a way to make a fisheye lens that’s…
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Researchers Find That Radar Can Be Used to Detect a Nail in a Tyre Long Before It Goes Flat
Your car’s dashboard is a smorgasbord of information when it comes to the health and performance of your vehicle. But the one thing it can’t warn drivers about is when the tread on their tyres has worn out. It’s a safety risk that researchers from Carnegie Mellon University are focusing on with a new real-time…