Our level of alertness rises and falls over the course of a workday, sometimes causing our energy to drop and our minds to wander just as we need to perform important tasks. To help understand these patterns and improve productivity, Cornell researchers have developed a tool that tracks alertness by measuring pupil size, captured through a burst of photographs […]
A Kernel Of Promise In Popcorn-Powered Robots
Cornell researchers have discovered how to power simple robots with a novel substance that, when heated, can expand more than 10 times in size, change its viscosity by a factor of 10 and transition from regular to highly irregular granules with surprising force. You can also eat it with a little butter and salt. “Popcorn-Driven Robotic Actuators,” […]