#innovation

#innovation

TickleFoot is a Foot-Tickling Machine That Discovered the Most Ticklish Spot on the Human FootScience and technology allow the innovation of the most useful, and also the oddest gadgets. One such machine is called the “TickleFoot”, and is a foot-tickling machine.With the use of magnet-driven brushes, researchers found the most ticklish locations of the feet of 13 participants. The data that was gathered was used to create an insole with tickling actuators that hit the average highest-scoring spots on their feet. This machine could serve as a stress reliever by inducing uncontrollable laughter. Science has shown that laughter decreases stress hormones and also triggers endorphins. These chemicals are known as "feel-good hormones."Video credit: New Scientist [YouTube]#TickleFoot #Science #Innovation #Tickle

White Castle to Get "Flippy 2" Robot Fry Cooks to Serve Food FasterAbout two years ago, the American burger chain White Castle decided to deploy a robot from Miso Robotics. Aptly named Flippy, this robot can flip burgers — a huge help for human cooks in fast food restaurants. After getting satisfactory results from a test run of the autonomous robot, White Castle decided to deploy more Flippy robots to more locations. Miso Robotics unveiled Flippy 2 in November 2021. Of course, White Castle availed of their partner's new robot. The restaurant chain has recently announced that it will be installing Flippy 2 in 100 of its locations. Compared to the previous model, this version takes 56% less aisle space and is 13% shorter. The main difference between Flippy and Flippy 2 is that the former model is a burger-flipping robot, while this one takes over a whole frying station. While it seems that this version no longer cooks burgers, it can fry chicken tenders, onion rings, and french fries. With a Flippy robot by their side, cooks at White Castle will have a less stressful environment. (Image Credit: Miso Robotics) #Innovation #Robots #Burgers #Fastfood #Cooking #WhiteCastle #MisoRobotics

Researchers at Toyota Have Successfully Taught a Car to Autonomously DriftProfessional drivers could probably handle extreme road conditions and come out unscathed in the end. For non-professional drivers, however, that statement probably won't be true. They don't have the skills of a pro, after all. It is no secret that numerous car accidents happen every year, and this makes us ask: how do we prevent car accidents even in extreme situations? The Toyota Research Institute is currently looking for answers to this question, and they have already developed a system that could be a potential solution to preventing said accidents.In this video, the Toyota Research Institute showcases a prototype vehicle equipped with a new active safety system that enables the car to drift around obstacles autonomously — a technology that temporarily amplifies the skills of a regular driver. The system also can calculate a whole new trajectory every twentieth of a second to maintain the car's balance as it navigates.We need this technology installed in every car!Image Credit: Toyota Research Institute/ YouTube#Car #Innovation #Safety #Drifting #Toyota #ToyotaResearchInstitute

Oregon State University Researchers are Working on a Way to Keep Wildfire Smoke Out of GrapesResearchers at Oregon State University started developing innovative ways in protecting the USA's multi-billion dollar wine industry from wildfire smoke after receiving a grant. Wildfires emit smoke that affects the taste and quality of grapes used in making wine, and such wildfires are expected to be more frequent and bigger as global warming continues, according to scientists."Certainly things are changing with the climate crisis," said Christine Clair, winery director at Willamette Valley Vineyards. She added, "If there is smoke in the valley for a prolonged period of time during the growing season, it can impart compounds into the skins of the grapes which can contribute to off flavors and aromas in the wines."The grape and wine industry contributes more than 200 billion dollars to the economy of the USA, so Oregon State University Enologist Elizabeth Tomasino obtained a federal grant to find methods in safeguarding the industry.Some of these ways are application of coats acting like smoke shields and introduction of enzymes that remove the smoke taste and smell. "We're looking at creating a food grade coating that can be applied to the grapes in the field that is a barrier so the smoke isn't taken up into the grapes, [and] we're working with some people to see if there are enzymes that could degrade those compounds into something again food grade but doesn't have smell or taste to it,” Tomasino said.She added,”Everything the industry is looking for is achievable. It's just going to take a little bit of time."Image: Regenerative Medicine Center

Inspired by How Iguanas Swim, Engineer Creates Amphibious Boat That Can Move on LandThe troubles of operating and maintaining boats are apparent to most boat owners and enthusiasts alike. One must consider the weather, the tide, and the conditions of the boat, among others. This is done in order to ensure that voyages by sea go smoothly. But what if you wanted to travel on land?Surely, this would seem impossible for regular boats, but French engineer Antoine Brugidou has managed to design a system that enables boats to cross land and essentially become amphibious. He was inspired by an iguana, which tucks in its front legs close to its body while swimming. This led Brugidou to design a boat with a retractable tread system - on the water, the treads are tucked into the bottom of the boat to allow it to go as fast as 52 knots. The treads would deploy in 8 seconds to allow the boat to transition onto land. The tread system allows the boat to traverse various terrains - from sandy beaches to rocky coastlines. This allows the boat to reach previously inaccessible areas, allowing for wider delivery service coverage and more extensive rescue operations as Brugidou's company, aptly named 'Iguana' points out. This innovation not only piqued the interest of boat enthusiasts and operators but has also grabbed the attention of the US Army which has already secured two boats in 2020. Image: Interesting Engineering | Ameya Paleja#boats #boating #innovation #amphibious #landandsea 