Bacterial spores – the hardy survival structures formed by certain bacterial species – are proving to be a game changer in the field of engineered living materials (ELMs). By embedding Bacillus spores within ELMs, researchers of the University of Technology Delft have created living materials that not only endure harsh environments but can also be programmed to perform specific tasks. In the future, these materials may be a sustainable replacement for fossil-based materials. Their findings were published in Science Advances.

From a study published in AgriEngineering, new methodologies to simulate and independently control vineyard operations for more efficient and sustainable agriculture

Motor imagery electroencephalography (MI-EEG) is crucial for brain-computer interfaces, serving as a valuable tool for motor function rehabilitation and fundamental neuroscience research. However, decoding MI-EEG signals is extremely challenging, and traditional methods overlook dependencies between spatiotemporal features and spectral-topological features. Now, researchers have developed a new topology-aware method that effectively captures the deep dependencies across different feature domains of EEG signals, ensuring accurate and robust decoding, paving the way for more brain-responsive technology.

Stroke is a major cause of non-traumatic disability worldwide. In a new IEEE/CAA Journal of Automatica Sinica breakthrough aimed at aiding patients with motor impairments, researchers demonstrated the development and control of CASIA-EXO upper-limb exoskeleton for motor learning in post-stroke rehabilitation. The proposed technology employs a novel control strategy to steadily individualize the training trajectory and intervention level as per the changing requirements and motor abilities of the patient.