Written by Oliver Bown, UNSW Sydney In March, we saw the launch of a “ChatGPT for music” called Suno, which uses generative AI to produce realistic songs on demand from short text prompts. A few weeks later, a similar competitor – Udio – arrived on the scene. I’ve been working with various creative computational tools for the past 15 years, ...

PRINCETON, N.J. — Scientists have taken a cue from nature’s fuzziest insects, creating a caterpillar-like robot that can bend and twist when navigating mazes. This new technology owes its flexibility to the art of origami, which influenced the design of this innovative soft robot. Soft robots are challenging models to move around because adding steering equipment makes them more rigid ...

BOULDER, Colo. — Physicists have discovered a new way to make atoms march in lockstep, bound together by the power of light. This research, conducted by a team led by James K. Thompson at JILA in Boulder, Colorado, could open the door to exciting advances in quantum technologies like ultra-precise sensors and powerful quantum computers. To understand the significance of ...

SAN FRANCISCO — Smartphones have become a part of nearly everything we do in the digital age. From ordering food to entertainment to finding someone to date, our phones are in our hands or somewhere nearby all the time. Unfortunately, there are plenty of bad seeds out there that know this and are looking to exploit this digital dependency. One ...

ESPOO, Finland — When you first unbox your shiny new iPhone or MacBook, you’re likely eager to dive in and start exploring all the exciting features. However, a startling new study by researchers Amel Bourdoucen and Janne Lindqvist from Aalto University in Finland uncovers some disturbing truths about the privacy implications of Apple’s pre-installed default apps. Their findings, based on a rigorous ...

Android battery charger cases are your pocket-sized power bank. They extend battery life for hours, letting users game all day, stream on the go, or scroll away without anxiety. They’re slim and sleek, protecting your phone from bumps and scrapes. Several of the best Android battery cases even offer Qi-compatible wireless charging, making juicing up a breeze. Whether you’re a ...

POHANG, South Korea — Studies have shown that maintaining strong muscles into old age could be the key to a longer life. Now, scientists are showing that in the sea could help keep our joints healthy enough for lifting weights well into old age. Running out to your favorite seafood restaurant and ordering the tasty shellfish won’t do the trick, ...

SINGAPORE — That shiny new smartphone in your pocket has become an integral part of modern life. We use our phones for everything from navigation to finance to entertainment. With the COVID-19 pandemic, they even became important contact tracing tools. However, some studies have suggested that the constant presence of smartphones in daily activities could actually impair our ability to ...

Origami traditionally involves the creation of extremely delicate paper structures, but the art form’s underlying principles could soon be adapted to help navigate tough construction situations. That’s the theory behind a new series of collapsible components designed by a team of University of Michigan engineering professors. When unfolded and assembled using hinges and locks, the researchers’ pieces combine to become ...

Four-legged, dog-inspired quadruped robots have already proven capable of a variety of tasks, from remotely monitoring sports stadiums and guiding blind persons to inspecting potentially hazardous research areas. These robots are generally more agile than their hulking bipedal counterparts, but they have mostly failed to match the fluid grace and athleticism of their furry canine inspirations. Now, a new wall-scaling ...