universityofbath
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Researchers produce healthy mice without using fertilized eggs
A mammal needs fertilized egg cells to have children, right? Not so fast. University of Bath scientists report that they're the first to successfully breed healthy mice without any fertilized eggs, instead relying on inactive embryos. The team first doused eggs in strontium chloride, which prevents them from going into a state of arrest while they're turned into embryos -- previous attempts to fool the eggs saw them die within a few days. Researchers then inserted sperm nuclei that reprogrammed the embryos, readying them for the wombs of their surrogate mothers.
University of Bath develops efficient vector-based video, says pixels are old hat
The pixel does the job for most digital imagery -- it sure makes for a fine shirt -- but it's not so hot for video, where growing resolutions chew up gobs of bandwidth. There may be a wiser strategy coming from the University of Bath, whose researchers have developed a more efficient approach to movie codecs. Their new format uses vectors to render footage with colored contours that demand fewer resources than a dot-by-dot approach. While vector-based rendering isn't original in itself, the researchers' method is supposedly unique in filling the gaps between the contours with the kind of visual quality a pro videographer would crave. The university team is confident enough that it's talking to major companies about using the codec for post-production tools, and sees it spreading to mobile devices where connection speeds and storage are at a premium. It could take years for vector-based video to catch on; if the technology ever upsets the pixel's reign, though, more than a few Vectrex owners may see it as poetic justice.
Gymnobot looks to fish for inspiration, a little companionship
Alright, so it may not be quite as terrifying as something like Carnegie Mellon's robotic snake or NC State's remote-control bats, but this so-called Gymnobot from the University of Bath does boast some animal-mimicking abilities of its own and, if all goes as planned, it could eventually grow a whole lot bigger. Its secret is a single fin underneath its body that mimics the way a knifefish swims, which just so happens to also be an extremely efficient way for a robot to propel itself through the water. That, the researchers say, could eventually be adapted for larger autonomous or remotely operated vehicles, would be able to maneuver in shallow water and other areas that are problematic for propeller-driven craft. Head on past the break to check it out in action.
Grasshopper-inspired Jollbot rolls, collapses, jumps, won't mutate and attack Chicago
You know how the saying goes: "You've seen one grasshopper robot, you've seen 'em all." Well, actually, the one pictured above, called the Jollbot, is something kind of off the beaten path, even for grasshopper bots. The creation of PhD student Rhodri Armour at the University of Bath (yeah, the resort town with the natural hot springs), this robot is pretty multi-talented. Designed to be adept at handling multiple types of terrain, the Jollbot can jump up to a half meter in the air to avoid obstacles, but its spherical "cage" shape also allows it to roll in any direction. The robot uses electrical motors and stores energy in its skeleton. Just before a jump, the Jollbot collapses in on itself, then releases its energy in the jump. Armour theorizes that future versions of the machine could be solar powered. To see the robot in all of its glory, you'll probably want to check out the video after the break.[Via TFOT]
Robot crab prototype boasts Technics today, terror tomorrow
It may look like something that emerged from a DIY enthusiast's basement, but a post-graduate student at the University of Bath says the robot crab pictured above could one day change the way underwater exploration is conducted. As with so many other robots, that feat is done in no small part by mimicking the behavior of an animal, in this case a crab, which obviously lends itself particularly well to traveling both on land and underwater. Of course, it is just a Lego Technic-built prototype at the moment, so that latter bit is a tad lacking, but the man behind the bot says that a future model will boast full amphibious capabilities, along with better stability under a variety of different conditions.[Via Daily Mail]
Leaping robots could embark on interplanetary exploration
Just as ASTRO and NextSat get ready for decommissioning, a duo of lightweight leapers are getting geared up to take the proverbial next step from testing to interplanetary exploration. Jollbot and Glumper, crafted by a group of mechanical engineers from the University of Bath, could provide solutions to "traveling across rough terrain, such as climbing stairs and jumping fences, that normally create obstacles for wheeled and walking robots." The machines utilize biologically inspired mechanisms that enable them to clear heights of up to 1.17-meters and capriole forward about two-meters at a time. Researchers are hoping to equip the devices with solar panels in order to keep them juiced up and ready to pounce at a moment's notice (you know, in case a stray asteroid comes zipping in), but there's been no plans made yet to get devices such as these launched into orbit.
Empathic Paintings paint your mood
We knew our obscure collection of facial contortion capabilities would pay off sooner or later. A new project from the University of Bath called "Empathic Painting" reads the mood on your face and paints accordingly, sending you into a spiral of despair with the skill only a machine could manage. The researchers involved have cooked up some nifty algorithms to decide if you're angry, despairing, cheerful or just plain crazy based on your facial expressions. These emotional stats are then sent to the imaging program where the painting style and colors are switched out on the fly -- well, at 4 frames per second -- to match your feelings. For some reason we can imagine having a lot of dumb fun with this one.[Via MetaFilter]
