Turning Dragonflies Into Drones - Weekly Mash-Up 169

Scientists are turning dragonflies into tiny cyborg drones
Mashable

Draper, an independent biomedical solutions lab, has managed to create tiny drones using living insects, specifically the dragonfly. They’ve devised a tiny pack that is small and light enough to fit onto the insects’ midsection. The technology allows the Draper team to guide the insect through commanding the neurons inside the dragonfly’s navigational nerve cord. The implications? Researchers could gain insight into the lives of endangered species to help prevent extinction. Read more

What marketers need to know about video in 2017
Raconteur

The ubiquitous nature of smartphones has led to the growth of video as a marketing angle for many. This is especially due to the rising popularity and development of technology in innovations such as live-streaming, 360-degree video, virtual and augmented reality. Emotional reactions are key to connecting with consumers, and video is the most powerful tool available that embeds interactivity, rich data and high shareability. Read more

This sleek concept car will recognize your needs
Mashable

Toyota’s latest invention - Concept-i - is a vision of the future. The car provides a digital assistant “Yui” that uses artificial intelligence to recognise the driver’s needs and emotions. By monitoring the driver’s intentions and mood, settings, such as autonomous or manual driving, are decided by the car itself. Read more

These shoes will let your feet 'feel' in virtual reality
Wired

The standing qualms with virtual reality is the lack of 'feeling' and feedback from the immersive environment that an individual experiences. However, researchers have developed new shoes that will allow your feet to ‘feel’ in VR. Each shoe contains three tactile sensors that provide vibration feedback based on the surface you are standing on in VR, such as desert, grassland or water. Read more