Hard Tech

Collage of a close-up human eye and abstract digital graphics symbolizing artificial vision with lines and light effects on a vibrant orange and black background.

Brain

Brain implant for “artificial vision” is still working after 2 years

A new type of brain implant technology has given a man with total blindness a kind of “artificial vision.”

Kristin Houser

Two men standing near a computer monitor, with one man wearing an EEG cap and pointing at the screen and the other looking at him

Brain

“Universal” BCI lets anyone play games with their minds

A specially trained “decoder” slashes the time it takes a brain-computer interface (BCI) to read a user’s mind.

Kristin Houser

A person holding a complex, 3d-printed metamaterial with a lattice structure

Engineering

3D-printed “metamaterial” is stronger than anything in nature

Australian scientists used an advanced 3D printing technique to create a super strong, super lightweight new “metamaterial.”

Kristin Houser

Series| Superhuman

Can virtual reality help fight the opioid crisis?

5:54

VR has long been seen as an escape from the real world. But recently researchers have been putting an unexpected twist on that. They’re now exploring how VR could provide an escape from an unfortunate reality many face everyday: chronic pain.

Series| Superhuman

These gloves can teach you to play the piano. And maybe heal your brain.

7:03

Through "passive haptic learning", these gloves can teach you how to play the piano in an hour. Braille in four hours. Now researchers want to see if victims of traumatic brain injuries can use these gloves to re-learn critical skills.