Girls start believing they aren’t good at math, science and even computers at a young age — but providing fun STEM activities at school and home may spark interest and inspire confidence. A study from the University of Washington’s Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences (I-LABS) finds that, when exposed to a computer-programming activity, six […]
Can Early Experiences With Computers, Robots Increase STEM Interest Among Young Girls?
Girls start believing they aren’t good at math, science and even computers at a young age — but providing fun STEM activities at school and home may spark interest and inspire confidence. A study from the University of Washington’s Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences (I-LABS) finds that, when exposed to a computer-programming activity, 6-year-old […]
For The First Time, Brain Surface Stimulation Provides ‘Touch’ Feedback To Direct Movement
In the quest to restore movement to people with spinal cord injuries, researchers have focused on getting brain signals to disconnected nerves and muscles that no longer receive messages that would spur them to move. But grasping a cup or brushing hair or cooking a meal requires other feedback that has been lost in amputees […]
Computer Scientists Reveal History of Third-Party Web Tracking
For over two decades, consumers have used the internet to research, shop, make friends, find dates and learn about the world with the click of a mouse or a few keystrokes. But as we’ve surfed and tweeted, third-party watchers have also been watching — and learning — about us. When you open a website, your […]
Imaging Software Predicts How You Look With Different Hair Styles
When we go to the hair stylist, we can browse magazines with pictures of models and point to a photo we’d like to try. Actors change appearances all the time to fit a role. Missing people are often disguised by changing their hair color and style. But how can we predict if an appearance change […]
This Five-Fingered Robot Hand Learns to Get a Grip on Its Own
Robots today can perform space missions, solve a Rubik’s cube, sort hospital medication and even make pancakes. But most can’t manage the simple act of grasping a pencil and spinning it around to get a solid grip. Intricate tasks that require dexterous in-hand manipulation—rolling, pivoting, bending, sensing friction and other things humans do effortlessly with our […]
‘On-Ramping’ Paves Way For Women Scientists, Engineers to Return to Academia
Pursuing scientific or engineering careers in industry, government or private research after getting a Ph.D. used to be considered a one-way ticket out of academia. But new University of Washington research finds numerous benefits—to students, researchers and academic institutions looking to diversify their faculty—in making that return trip easier. Authors of a paper recently published […]
Bluetooth And Wi-Fi Sensing From Mobile Devices May Help Improve Bus Service
On any given bus ride, a good share of passengers are reading, texting or rocking out to music on their phones or tablets. In the future, though, those mobile devices may add more value to our transit commutes than simply filling time. University of Washington researchers have developed an inexpensive system that uses Wi-Fi and […]
Fuel Economy Improvements In US Climate Commitment On Par With 1970s Gains
To hold up its end of the landmark climate deal signed in Paris last week, the U.S. will need to make cars and trucks of the future far more fuel efficient. Its commitment to reduce carbon pollution relies — in part — on fuel economy standards enacted by the Obama administration that aim to increase […]
Powering The Next Billion Devices With Wi-Fi
University of Washington engineers have developed a novel technology that uses a Wi-Fi router — a source of ubiquitous but untapped energy in indoor environments — to power devices. The Power Over Wi-Fi (PoWiFi) system is one of the most innovative and game-changing technologies of the year, according to Popular Science, which included it in […]