Even in the scorching heat, people are still striving towards innovation and bringing the future to today. The Port of Amsterdam has decided to move a step closer towards the elimination of fossil fuels, robotic hands are becoming more and more lifelike, and of course, MIT has come up with something great again. Let’s find out what that is!

Aerosol spray no longer a thing of the past

MIT researchers have found a way to bring new life in a type of spray that was sworn off in the nineties when it was deemed unsafe for the environment. They’ve invented an aerosol spray with nanobots; tiny multi-purpose sensors. These nanobots could be a great diagnostic tool for pipelines, detecting chemicals like ammonia. Having the spray execute such diagnostics saves a lot of time, and ensures an accurate analysis. Eventually, MIT wants to use similar technology for detecting problems in the human body. Kristin Houser on Futurism shows us how MIT knows no bounds.

A more and more lifelike robot hand

Mae Ryan, Cade Metz, and Rumsey Taylor give us an exhaustive overview of The New York Times of what robot hands have evolved to do, and where it’s going. They describe robots developed to perform specific tasks that human hands are capable of, such as gripping and picking up things, and how more and more progress is being made towards a robot hand capable of fine motor skills just like human hands, using minute gestures and completing tasks that require several of those simple ‘functions’ that previous robots could do. The robot hands already far in development are learning by trial and error, and the results are fascinating. Take a look here.

Pilot your drone by moving your own body

Joysticks are not always the easiest to manipulate, and it takes some time to learn, which is a deterrent for drone operators. Jeff Reinke on Thomasnet describes a solution in development by the organization EPFL, that will allow users to control drones by moving their torsos, and to follow along with a VR headset for optimal control (and a little bit for experiencing what it’s like to be a bird). The next step is taking all that complex tech and turning it into a comfortable wearable so drone operators can work freely. Check it out here!

An intermediary step towards the end of fossil fuels at the Port of Amsterdam

The company Bin2Barrel is working with the Port of Amsterdam to move away from fossil fuels, and even though it’s not a permanent solution, it’s one that will already help the environment. Bin2Barrel’s plant will turn unrecyclable plastic into diesel fuel for cargo ships. Waste disposal is the biggest advantage of this plant, and while it will still produce fuel that creates harmful emissions, it’s coming from a source that would otherwise not be used at all. And this fuel production method emits 80% less carbon dioxide compared to traditional diesel production. Why wait for the perfect solution to take some much-needed measures when you can already make a difference now? Shefali Kapadia on WasteDive shows us how The Netherlands is at the forefront of environmental efforts.

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Photo by Thomas Hafeneth on Unsplash