Tuesday, July 19, 2022

People Come to Grips with Having an Extra Pair of Arms—in VR

Trouble viewing? View in your browser.
View all Scientific American publications.
    
July 19, 2022

Dear Reader,

If you could strap an extra pair of robotic arms onto your body, what would it be like to use them? A new study looked at the problem by letting people experience this sensation—in virtual reality. The participants generally felt like they were manipulating their own body parts, not a high-tech tool, which opens up some interesting applications for robotic limbs in VR, and even in the physical world.

Sophie Bushwick, Associate Editor, Technology

Robotics

People Come to Grips with Having an Extra Pair of Arms--in VR

New experiments show simulated robotic limbs can feel like a part of our own body with a little practice

By Sasha Warren

Artificial Intelligence

Google Engineer Claims AI Chatbot Is Sentient: Why That Matters

Is it possible for an artificial intelligence to be sentient?

By Leonardo De Cosmo

Biotech

Cilia Are Minuscule Wonders, and Scientists Are Finally Figuring Out How to Mimic Them

A new cilia-covered chip could revolutionize portable medical diagnosis

By Saugat Bolakhe

Artificial Intelligence

AI Learns What an Infant Knows about the Physical World

A computer model simulating how objects react to physical forces approximates how babies understand their surroundings

By Dana G. Smith

Animals

The Quest for a 'Tick Map'

Scientists scramble to forecast where and when the disease-carrying arthropods pose the most danger

By Kat Eschner

Electronics

Should Machines Replace Mathematicians?

A "replication crisis" in mathematics raises questions about the purpose of knowledge

By John Horgan
FROM THE STORE

Revolutions in Science

Normally science proceeds in incremental steps, but sometimes a discovery is so profound that it causes a paradigm shift. This eBook is a collection of articles about those kinds of advances, including revolutionary discoveries about the origin of life, theories of learning, formation of the solar system and more.

*Editor's Note: Revolutions in Science was originally published as a Collector's Edition. The eBook adaptation contains all of the articles, but some of the artwork has been removed to optimize viewing on mobile devices.

Buy Now

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"To predict if a storm will intensify, you need to know what's going on in the ocean just below the surface, from about 25 to 200 meters depth. Sea turtles spend most of their time in exactly this layer, so their intel is perfect for tropical cyclone forecasting."

Kate Golden, Hakai Magazine

FROM THE ARCHIVE

A Robot Hand Helps Amputees "Feel" Again

With the new system, a prosthetic wearer can do delicate tasks, such as pluck grapes from the stem

LATEST ISSUES

Questions?   Comments?

Send Us Your Feedback
Download the Scientific American App
Download on the App Store
Download on Google Play

To view this email as a web page, go here.

You received this email because you opted-in to receive email from Scientific American.

To ensure delivery please add news@email.scientificamerican.com to your address book.

Unsubscribe     Manage Email Preferences     Privacy Policy     Contact Us

Scientist Pankaj

Today in Science: Humans think unbelievably slowly

...