Show Notes 5 April 2024
Story 1: Eco-friendly breakthrough extracts gold out of e-waste — and it’s all thanks to cheese.
Source: ZME Science Story by Tibi Puiu
See also: Gold Recovery from E-Waste by Food-Waste Amyloid Aerogels
- First, a bit of background before the news – I got this from a Microsoft Copilot AI search: Gold plays a crucial role in the manufacturing of personal computers due to its exceptional properties. Let’s explore how it is utilized:
- Central Processing Unit (CPU):
- Gold is primarily found in the CPU.
- It is used for its excellent electrical conductivity.
- The CPU contains gold-plated pins and connectors.
- Memory Chips (RAM):
- Gold is also present in memory chips.
- These chips enhance the operational memory of your computer.
- They feature gold-plated pins and a thin layer of gold on their surfaces.
- Connectors and Ports:
- Gold is used in various connectors, such as USB ports.
- It ensures reliable electrical connections and prevents corrosion.
- Other Components:
- Gold can be found in other computer components like motherboards, internal modems, PCI boards, and graphics processing units (GPUs).
- These components often have gold on connection pins and surface layers.
Remember, while gold is essential for electronics, other precious metals like silver, palladium, and platinum are also used in various computer parts. So, your computer might be hiding a little treasure!
Okay, now for the news:
- Researchers from the laboratories of ETH Zurich in Switzerland have found a way to extract gold from the discarded circuits of our digital lives, employing nothing more than a byproduct of cheese production — a bodybuilder’s favorite supplement: whey [that’s the watery part of milk that remains after the formation of curds].
- At the heart of this process is a simple yet highly effective material: a protein fibril sponge derived from whey.
- Side note, what are fibrils? Fibrils are structural components found in nearly all living organisms. They are not to be confused with fibers or filaments. Unlike larger fibers or filaments, fibrils tend to have diameters ranging from 10 to 100 nanometers. Examples include cellulose fibrils in plant cell walls and protein fibrils involved in various biological processes.
- A team from the Department of Health Sciences and Technology at ETH Zurich claims that their e-waste-to-precious-metal conversion is highly efficient, cost-effective, and, last but not least, environmentally friendly. That’s in contrast to traditional e-waste recycling which is energy-intensive and more often than not involves highly toxic chemicals to extract the precious metals.
- The protein fibril sponges are made by denaturing whey proteins under specific conditions, leading them to form a gel of protein nanofibrils. This gel, once dried, transforms into a sponge capable of selectively absorbing gold ions from a solution of dissolved electronic components. The beauty of this method lies in its selectivity; while other metals can adhere to the sponge, gold does so more efficiently, making the recovery process both precise and effective.
- Upon absorbing the gold ions, the researchers apply heat to the sponge, initiating a reduction process that converts these ions into metallic flakes. These flakes are then melted down to form a gold nugget.
- Remarkably, from the components of 20 old computer motherboards, the team successfully extracted a 450-milligram nugget of 22-carat gold, demonstrating the method’s efficiency and potential for scalability.
- Side note: 450 milligrams is approximately equal to 0.0159 ounces.
- Looking ahead, the ETH Zurich researchers aim to refine and scale this technology for commercial use. Their vision includes exploring other sources of waste, such as industrial byproducts from microchip manufacturing or gold-plating processes.
- Furthermore, they are investigating the potential of using other protein-rich waste materials to create fibril sponges, broadening the scope of this sustainable technology. Perhaps they can tune other sponges to extract other useful metals besides gold, including copper and cobalt.
Story 2: New soft humanoid robot by Toyota can pick things up with its whole body.
Source: Wonderfulengineering.com Story by Jannat Un Nisa
See video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY-MD4gteeE
- While most humanoid robots rely on hand-based manipulation, Toyota introduced Punyo, a soft robot designed to mimic human movements, particularly when lifting and carrying bulky items.
- With a cuddly appearance and a focus on hugging, Punyo boasts an endearing design reminiscent of Disney’s Baymax, with a friendly face and a cozy sweater-like exterior. This soft outer layer, made of grippy materials and equipped with tactile sensors, enables Punyo to feel and interact with objects in a huggable manner.
Disney’s Baymax
- Unlike traditional humanoid robots with dexterous hands, Punyo features deformable, inflatable pads resembling hooves, which Toyota refers to as “paws.” These paws, monitored by cameras, allow Punyo to sense and interact with its surroundings.
- Punyo’s arms are also equipped with air-filled bladders, providing added softness and flexibility during object manipulation tasks.
- Toyota researchers are training Punyo to handle various large objects using teleoperation techniques [meaning the control of a device or machine remotely]. From hugging items to its chest and lifting them to more complex maneuvers like slinging a water jug onto its shoulder, Punyo demonstrates a more natural approach to object manipulation than other robots.
- Punyo’s learning process utilizes AI algorithms…. Through a diffusion policy learning system, Punyo learns from examples and adjusts variables such as motion imitation and task priority to perform tasks autonomously and efficiently.
- Side note – Diffusion Policy models the robot’s behavior as a diffusion process. In this context, “diffusion” refers to the gradual spread or propagation of information or uncertainty. The robot’s action distribution is treated as a score function, and the goal is to learn this function.
- While Punyo’s hug-focused approach may not be suitable for all scenarios, it presents a promising solution for tasks requiring gentle handling and close interaction, especially in domestic settings.
- As humanoid robots like Punyo evolve, their ability to assist with various tasks, including caregiving, opens up new possibilities for human-robot interaction in everyday life.
Story 3: Scientists discover key to making plant-based protein with good texture.
Source: SciTechDaily.com Story by University of Copenhagen
Link: https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-discover-key-to-making-plant-based-protein-with-good-texture/
- It’s widely recognized that reducing our consumption of meat and cheese in favor of plant-based foods is beneficial. However, when faced with the choice between traditional animal-based items and environmentally friendly alternative proteins in the supermarket’s refrigerated section, we don’t always make the eco-conscious choice.
- Despite the fact that many plant-based options now have good flavor, textures with the ‘right’ mouthfeel have often been lacking.
- Furthermore, some plant-based protein alternatives are not as sustainable anyway, due to the resources consumed by their processing.
- But what if it was possible to make sustainable, protein-rich foods that also have the right texture? New research from the University of Copenhagen is fueling that vision. The key? Blue-green algae. Not the infamous type known for being a poisonous broth in the sea come summertime, but non-toxic ones.
- Professor Poul Erik Jensen of the Department of Food Science at the University of Copenhagen, noted, “Cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, are living organisms that we have been able to get to produce a protein that they don’t naturally produce. The particularly exciting thing here is that the protein is formed in fibrous strands that somewhat resemble meat fibers. And it might be possible to use these fibers in plant-based meat, cheese, or some other new type of food for which we are after a particular texture”.
- In a new study, Jensen and fellow researchers from the University of Copenhagen, among other institutions, have shown that cyanobacteria can serve as host organisms for the new protein by inserting foreign genes into a cyanobacterium. Within the cyanobacterium, the protein organizes itself as tiny threads or nanofibers.
- Reality Check: The professor emphasizes that it will be quite some time before the production of protein strands from cyanobacteria begins. First, the researchers need to figure out how to optimize the cyanobacteria’s production of protein fibers. But Jensen is optimistic.
Story 4: Engineers develop a vibrating, ingestible capsule that might help treat obesity.
Source: MIT News Story by Anne Trafton
Link: https://news.mit.edu/2023/engineers-develop-vibrating-ingestible-capsule-1222
- When you eat a large meal, your stomach sends signals to your brain that create a feeling of fullness, which helps you realize it’s time to stop eating. A stomach full of liquid can also send these messages, which is why dieters are often advised to drink a glass of water before eating.
- MIT engineers have now come up with a new way to take advantage of that phenomenon, using an ingestible capsule that vibrates within the stomach. These vibrations activate the same stretch receptors that sense when the stomach is distended, creating an illusory sense of fullness.
- In animals who were given this pill 20 minutes before eating, the researchers found that this treatment not only stimulated the release of hormones that signal satiety [a feeling of fullness], but also reduced the animals’ food intake by about 40 percent.
- When the stomach becomes distended, specialized cells called mechanoreceptors sense that stretching and send signals to the brain via the vagus nerve. As a result, the brain stimulates production of insulin, as well as several hormones. All of these hormones work together to help people digest their food, feel full, and stop eating. At the same time, levels of ghrelin, a hunger-promoting hormone, go down.
- For this study a team of researchers designed a capsule about the size of a multivitamin, that includes a vibrating element. When the pill, which is powered by a small silver oxide battery, reaches the stomach, acidic gastric fluids dissolve a gelatinous membrane that covers the capsule, completing the electronic circuit that activates the vibrating motor.
- In a study in animals, the researchers showed that once the pill begins vibrating, it activates mechanoreceptors, which send signals to the brain through stimulation of the vagus nerve. The researchers tracked hormone levels during the periods when the device was vibrating and found that they mirrored the hormone release patterns seen following a meal, even when the test animals had fasted.
- Scientists have much more to learn about the mechanisms that influence human body weight, but if further research suggests this technology could be safely used in humans, such a pill might offer a minimally invasive way to treat obesity, the researchers say.
3 Honorable Mentions:
Story: This New Hybrid VTOL Aircraft Will Be Able to Fly Itself for Over 500 Miles
Source: The Robb Report Story by Rachel Cormack
- Sikorsky has already shown it can make a damn good chopper. Now it’s ready to prove it can make a fleet of futuristic hybrid rotorcraft, too.
- The American aircraft manufacturer, helmed by aviation giant Lockheed Martin, just announced it is working on a hybrid-electric vertical takeoff and landing (HEX/VTOL) demonstrator with a tilt-wing configuration (pictured top). The vessel is the first in a new series of large hybrid VTOL aircraft that will feature varying degrees of electrification and advanced autonomy systems.
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Story: Robotic hip exoskeleton shows promise for helping stroke patients regain their stride.
Source: Medical Xpress Story by Science X Staff
Link: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-03-robotic-hip-exoskeleton-patients-regain.html
- More than 80% of stroke survivors experience walking difficulty, significantly impacting their daily lives, independence, and overall quality of life. Now, new research from the University of Massachusetts Amherst pushes forward the bounds of stroke recovery with a unique robotic hip exoskeleton designed as a training tool to improve walking function.
- This invites the possibility of new therapies that are more accessible and easier to translate from practice to daily life compared to current rehabilitation methods.
- Following a stroke, people often experience walking asymmetry, where one step is shorter than the other. The study, published in IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, reveals that the robotic hip exoskeleton has the potential to effectively train individuals to modify their walking asymmetry, presenting a promising avenue for stroke rehabilitation.
- The approach employed by the robotic exoskeleton is inspired by split-belt treadmills, which are specialized machines with two side-by-side belts moving at different speeds. Prior research has shown that repeated training on a split-belt treadmill can reduce walking asymmetry in stroke patients.
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Story: Nikon and NASA are putting a mirrorless camera on the Moon.
Source: The Verge Story by Jess Weatherbed
- Nikon is working with NASA to make a mirrorless camera that astronauts will use during the agency’s incoming Artemis III mission to document their return to the Moon. On Thursday, NASA announced that it had entered a Space Act agreement with Nikon to develop the Handheld Universal Lunar Camera (HULC), a camera system designed to capture imagery in low light and survive the harsh lunar environment.