New research shows that incorporating a sense of touch into robot arms controlled by the human brain vastly improves performance.
Why it matters: The work demonstrates the ability to transmit feeling is vital to making a better robotic prosthesis, providing hope to those who've lost the use of their limbs — and pointing the way to further progress on brain-computer interfaces (BCI).
The startup OVR Technology is incorporating smell into virtual reality and using it in a new program designed to allow people to experience the effects of climate change.
Why it matters: VR can already simulate sight, sound and a sense of movement, but adding smell can help stimulate memories and emotional experiences, making virtual reality all the more real.
The venture capital industry successfully adjusted to the new normal, and even thrived, after an initial period of pandemic paralysis.
Why it matters: Many feared the crisis would wreck large swaths of startups. Instead, 2020 birthed a new cohort of companies shaping how we live and work in entirely new ways — especially since they matured during a period of societal shifts.
