'Morphing' wheel from South Korea may transform lives - and robots
Voice of America
A Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials researcher controls a wheelchair with stiffness-variable "morphing" wheels in Daejeon, South Korea, Nov. 5, 2024. The "morphing" wheel can roll over obstacles up to 1.3 times the height of its radius. Inspired by the surface tension of water droplets, it goes from solid to fluid when it encounters impediments.
Imagine a wheelchair equipped with wheels flexible enough to navigate all manner of obstacles from curbs to humps and even staircases.
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A person films Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te as he holds a news conference in Taipei, Taiwan, Feb. 14, 2025.
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A view of part of the wall of the Roman London Basilica, which has been recently unearthed by a redevelopment of a building in London, is seen in this photo provided by the Museum of London Archaeology taken in summer 2024. A drawing of a representation of the Roman London Basilica, which has been recently unearthed by a redevelopment of a building in London, is seen in this photo provided by Peter Marsden. A view of part of the wall of the Roman London Basilica, which has been recently unearthed by a redevelopment of a building in London, is seen in this photo provided by the Museum of London Archaeology taken in summer 2024.
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This photo provided by the European Space Agency shows a close-up view of the center of the NGC 6505 galaxy, with the bright Einstein ring aligned with it, captured by European Space Agency's Euclid space telescope.
Participants attend the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris, France, Feb. 10, 2025.