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Researchers at the University of Hertfordshire have recently proposed an easy and configurable technique that enhances a robot's ability to perceive and interact with people in its surroundings. Their technique, presented in a paper pre-published on arXiv, utilizes affordable Bluetooth low energy (BLE) devices. Among its many possible applications, it could enhance therapy for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), allowing robots to act as mediators and monitor children in their surroundings.

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Chemical records in teeth confirm elusive Alaska lake seals are one of a kind

Hundreds of harbor seals live in Iliamna Lake, the largest body of freshwater in Alaska and one of the most productive systems for sockeye salmon in the Bristol Bay region.

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Researchers discover genetic defect causing intellectual disability

Researchers at the University of Sussex have discovered a new genetic defect which causes a form of intellectual disability; a finding that will improve screening programmes and help to end a 'diagnostic odyssey' for families across the globe.

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New scat study provides clues to puzzling existence of Humboldt martens in Oregon Dunes

With a new scat study, researchers are chipping away at solving a biological mystery on the central Oregon coast: the existence of an isolated population of a small but fierce forest predator that makes its home in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.

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Fast, efficient and durable artificial synapse developed

The brain's capacity for simultaneously learning and memorizing large amounts of information while requiring little energy has inspired an entire field to pursue brain-like – or neuromorphic – computers. Researchers at Stanford University and Sandia National Laboratories previously developed one portion of such a computer: a device that acts as an artificial synapse, mimicking the way neurons communicate in the brain.

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An army of microrobots can wipe out dental plaque

visit to the dentist typically involves time-consuming and sometimes unpleasant scraping with mechanical tools to remove plaque from teeth. What if, instead, a dentist could deploy a small army of tiny robots to precisely and non-invasively remove that buildup?

* This article was originally published here

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Peanut genome sequenced with unprecedented accuracy

Improved pest resistance and drought tolerance are among potential benefits of an international effort in which Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists and their collaborators have produced the clearest picture yet of the complex genomic history of the cultivated peanut.

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Key-guessing blockchain banditry is discovered in security research

A bandit story of the cryptocurrency kind was a popular item on tech sites this week, with staggering amounts of money scooped up by some blockchain bandit, and spotted by security consultants, Independent Security Evaluators.

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US wildlife officials propose downlisting endangered beetle

U.S. wildlife officials say an endangered carnivorous beetle is making a comeback and should be downlisted to threatened.

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Tourists and fishers key to future of rare manta nursery

Two manta ray hotspots in waters near Bali identified in new research as vital habitats for the threatened species, could be at risk from unregulated tourism and small scale/ artisanal fishing.

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Scientists identify genes tied to increased risk of ovarian cancer

A team of researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer, Cedars-Sinai Cancer and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have newly identified 34 genes that are associated with an increased risk for developing the earliest stages of ovarian cancer. The findings, published today in the journal Nature Genetics, will both help identify women who are at highest risk of developing ovarian cancer and pave the way for identifying new therapies that can target these specific genes.

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To solve the gender pay gap, we need to radically rethink what a job looks like

The introduction of gender pay gap reporting has highlighted the continued gap in pay between men and women. While it is by no means a perfect metric, the very exercise of collecting this data has focused minds in the boardroom like never before.

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Valve Index will be going high-end in the VR headset world

Pre-orders hovering in the wings will be the icing on the cake—the cake being a high-end VR headset called the Valve Index, from Valve. TechCrunch said pre-orders will kick in and the ship date is June 28. Preorders are for users in the contiguous US and most of Western Europe (the UK is left out for now), said Ars Technica.

* This article was originally published here