Dyson announces its new robot vacuum, the 360 Heurist

Dyson is back with some updates to its three-year-old robot vacuum, the 360 Eye. The 360 Heurist was announced in Beijing today, and it brings new features like a quad-core 1.4GHz processor and eight LEDs around the top camera to help guide it in dark rooms, according to Engadget.

The new processor is said to be 20 times faster than its predecessor, which helps the machine pick up 60 percent more details about its environment. This, in turn, is supposed to help the robot avoid bumping into furniture by 50 percent. In addition to a higher nylon bristle count, Dyson also claims the vacuum has 20 percent more suction power than the original 360 Eye, although both use the same 78,000 rpm Dyson V2 digital motor.

There are…

Continue reading…

Sensors that are literally ‘music to one’s ears’

Researchers have found a new use for a 3,000-year-old African musical instrument: detecting toxic substances and counterfeit medications. The sensor, based on the mbira (pronounced ’em-bir’-uh’) is inexpensive and easy to operate, allowing its use in developing regions, the researchers say.

A wearable device for regrowing hair

Although some people embrace the saying ‘bald is beautiful,’ for others, alopecia, or excessive hair loss, can cause stress and anxiety. Some studies have shown that stimulating the skin with lasers can help regrow hair, but the equipment is often large, consumes lots of energy and is difficult to use in daily life. Now, researchers have developed a flexible, wearable photostimulator that speeds up hair growth in mice.