News Mash-up: Recent Research

A robot’s gaze can affect the human brain It has long been known that making eye contact with a robot can be an unsettling experience. Scientists even have a name for the queasy feeling: the “uncanny valley.” Now, thanks to researchers, we also know it’s more than just a feeling. A team at the Istituto Italiano Di Tecnologia in Genoa has shown how a robot’s gaze can trick us into thinking we are socially interacting and slow our ability to make decisions. “Gaze is an extremely important social signal that we employ on a day-to-day basis when interacting with others,” said Agnieszka Wykowska, lead author of the research, published on Sept. 1 in the journal Science Robotics. (Reuters) Antibacterial bandages made from durian Scientists at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore are tackling food waste by turning discarded durian husks into antibacterial gel bandages. The process extracts cellulose powder from the husks of the fruits after they are sliced and freeze-dried, then mixes it with glycerol. This mixture becomes soft hydrogel, which is then cut into bandage strips. Compared to conventional bandages, the organo-hydrogel bandages are able to keep wound areas cooler and moist, which can help accelerate healing. The researchers say using waste materials and yeast for the antimicrobial bandages is more cost-effective than for the production of conventional bandages. (Reuters) These articles were provided by The Japan Times Alpha.