Cockroaches Inspire Tiny Robots that Fly, Walk, Swim, Dive

Cockroaches Inspire Tiny Robots that Fly, Walk, Swim, Dive Cockroaches Inspire Tiny Robots that Fly, Walk, Swim, Dive Cockroaches Inspire Tiny Robots that Fly, Walk, Swim, DiveCockroaches always seem to find a way to survive, no matter the situation they face. Inspired by that perseverance and ingenuity, engineers at Harvard Universitys Wyss Institute decided to base an aquatic microrobot on the insects ability to overcome most odds.Many microrobots can either walk or fly, but this tiny bot can also land and walk on water, and even dive below its surface, much like a roachThe addition of aquatic features to Harvards Ambulatory Microrobotalso called HAMRadds a new dimension to how microrobots can be used in search-and-rescue operations and other dangerous or complex applications. The highly publicized rescue of a youth sports team in Thailand earlier this year is just one recent example of the difficulty of working in amphibious environments.Harvards cockroach-inspired microrobot is a n early prototype of bots that could help in such operations. In case of a storm or tsunami, we need robots to work both on the surface and underwater, said Kevin Chen, a fellow at Harvard and part of the team that developed the robot.Equipped with two actuators, HAMRs legs are designed mimicking the joints of real cockroaches.Read mora The Moral Beauty of a Disobedient RobotThe HAMR has been under development for close to a decade, but its ability to swim or dive is relatively new. The robot may be inspired by cockroaches, but its ability to walk on water welches patterned on the diving beetle, which has flaps and legs working in tandem to generate locomotion. The robotic motion resembles paddling, with the ability to move in any direction, sink, or walk on land.One of the teams major goals was to reduce the number of actuators used in the bots. Those parts are fine in large robots but present a major limitation in microrobots.In actual robots, actuators act like muscles but they a re denser, Chen said. Microrobots dont have the density or power capability. To replace the actuators, the team connected the flaps and legs with a passive joint, which helps define the motion of the leg.When moving across water, the microrobot slows down its leg movement to generate the best possible motion. The kinematic outcome is similar to that of a diving beetles active flaps, Chen said. When the microrobot gets on the ground, the flaps turn inactive and the leg movement intensifies.The microrobot weighs 1.6 g, a little less than a jelly bean, and can move across water at 8 cm per second and hit a top speed of about 50 cm per second on land. By comparison, a real cockroach can sprint at a top speed of about 80 cm per second or 1.7 miles per hour. For now, the robot has to be tethered to an amplifier for power.Another challenge the roboticists faced was finding the right water-resistant material for the bot. During their experiments, the researchers insulated components such as wires and the control board with a coat of Parylene, a polymer. They are now exploring other materials, like Teflon, to improve water resistance.The team still has to improve the roachbots power, control and sensing mechanisms before its ready for real-life rescue missions, which wont be for about five years, Chen said.In emergencies, hopefully we can send in a swarm of these and search for survivors, he said. We need microrobots to navigate complex environments.Listen to Episode 2 of ASME TechCast How Engineers Close Communication Gaps with Non-engineersIn emergencies, hopefully we can send in a swarm of these and search for survivors.Kevin Chen, Harvard University

The simplest yet most effective life hack Ive ever learned

The simplest yet most effective life hack Ive ever learnedThe simplest yet most effective life hack Ive ever learnedThere welches a man I knew once, much older, who welches a master of making people feel comfortable.He would show up anywhere, talk to anyone, and if you listened close enough you could hear him add a tiny laugh to the ends of certain phrases.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreInstead of saying, I know, thats just how the world works, he would laugh in this sincere way while saying the words, world works, as if of course The world Dont you agreeAnd the other person would subtly laugh back, as if they were reminiscing about times spent on the playground together during their childhood.This extremely tiny addition to every few of his phrases made people fall in love with him.He made everyone feel comfortable.He made everyone feel like his closest friend.Inherently, beca use I spent a lot of time listening to this man speak, I picked up a similar quality.I found myself adding the smallest little laugh to things I said, as if at ease with life.This at-ease was then encouraged by the other person.Within seconds, we felt like friends.This is the most clever life hack Ive ever learned.In any aspect of life, whether its business or even just showing up to a dinner where you meet your good friends significant other, adding a subtle laugh to some of the light-hearted things you say opens the door for comfort.It shows the other person that you are willing to be at ease with the moment, and in turn, they feel equally as comfortable.If you can make the other person laugh, they will feel like your closest friend.Thanks for reading ??This article first appeared on Medium.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins d aily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong peopleThe simplest yet most effective life hack Ive ever learnedThere was a man I knew once, much older, who was a master of making people feel comfortable.He would show up anywhere, talk to anyone, and if you listened close enough you could hear him add a tiny laugh to the ends of certain phrases.Instead of saying, I know, thats just how the world works, he would laugh in this sincere way while saying the words, world works, as if of course The world Dont you agreeAnd the other person would subtly laugh back, as if they were reminiscing about times spent on the playground together during their childhood.This extremely tiny addition to every few of his phrases made people fall in love with him.He made everyone feel comfortable.He made everyone feel like his closest friend.Inherently, because I spent a lot of time listening to this man spea k, I picked up a similar quality.I found myself adding the smallest little laugh to things I said, as if at ease with life.This at-ease was then encouraged by the other person.Within seconds, we felt like friends.This is the most clever life hack Ive ever learned.In any aspect of life, whether its business or even just showing up to a dinner where you meet your good friends significant other, adding a subtle laugh to some of the light-hearted things you say opens the door for comfort.It shows the other person that you are willing to be at ease with the moment, and in turn, they feel equally as comfortable.If you can make the other person laugh, they will feel like your closest friend.Thanks for reading ??This article first appeared on Medium.

The Most Common Six-Figure Careers

The Most Common Six-Figure Careers The Most Common Six-Figure Careers Whether you are trying to figure out what kind of a career you should get into or you are in the middle of a career transition, knowing what the most common six-figure careers are isn’t a bad idea. According to the US Census Bureau, the median earnings for an individual working full-time in the United States was $45,997 in 2015. Of course, this is just an average. Depending on your location, these averages could vary drastically. According to the Census Bureau, as of March 2013, only 6.03 percent of individuals over 18 bring in over $100,000 per year. Now, enough statistics, let’s get to what you came here for. For the sake of this article, we are going to separate these six-figure careers into three categories: medical related positions, non-medical, and jobs that do not require college degrees. The reason we are doing this is that so many of the six-figure careers are in the medical industry, but many people are not interested in advanced degrees or medicine. Here are the most common six-figure jobs according to Find My Profession: Medical Six-Figure Careers Some of the highest paying jobs in the world require medical degrees. While pursuing a medical degree will almost guarantee a high six-figure career, it is one of the least populated jobs around. In other words, for every surgeon making six-figures, there are ten finance managers also making six-figures. The average surgeon on average might make a higher salary than the finance manager, but it can be a very difficult and timely process to become a surgeon. See below for a list of the nine most common medical six-figure careers. Surgeons Experienced Salary: $194,323 Job Description: Operate on patients to treat injuries, broken bones, diseases, etc. Obstetricians Gynecologists Experienced Salary: $189,912 Job Description: Provide medical care during pregnancy and childbirth. Also, to diagnose and treat diseases in women. Anesthesiologists Experienced Salary: $187,301 Job Description: Responsible for administering anesthesia during surgical procedures. Responsible for managing serious life functions such as breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure during surgery. General Internists Experienced Salary: $185,446 Job Description: Physicians who diagnose and provide non-surgical care of diseases or injuries of the internal organ systems. Other Physicians Surgeons Experienced Salary: $184,799 Job Description: Various other medical tasks. These include allergists, dermatologists, neurologists, ophthalmologists, radiologists, etc. General Practitioners Experienced Salary: $182,413 Job Description: The jack of all trades when it comes to the medical world. Often works alongside other medical institutions including clinics to assist in patient care outside of their own practice. General Pediatricians Experienced Salary: $174,434 Job Description: Provide medical care to infants, children, and young adults. Diagnose and treat illnesses, injuries, and medical conditions. Nurse Anesthetists Experienced Salary: $160,112 Job Description: Furnish care related to anesthesia and management of pain for people undergoing surgery or other medical procedures. Optometrists Experienced Salary: $112,224 Job Description: Perform vision tests. Analyze results. Diagnose vision-related problems such as nearsightedness and eye diseases. Prescribes glasses, contacts, and other medications. Non-Medical Six-Figure Careers There are a variety of six-figure jobs that are not in the medical industry. In fact, there are millions of more jobs available in these categories than the categories listed above. Many of these positions do still require advanced degrees. If you are looking for a six-figure career that typically does not require a college degree, see the next section. See below for a list of the 14 most common non-medical six figure careers. Psychiatrists Experienced Salary: $176,775 Job Description: Diagnose and treat mental illness. Gain insight into the patient’s problems and find methods of coping to help their patients fix their problems. General Dentists Experienced Salary: $162,198 Job Description: Diagnose and fix problems with patients’ teeth, and other parts of the mouth. Provide instruction to take care of one’s teeth and gums. Chief Executives Experienced Salary: $155,404 Job Description: Provide strategic leadership for a company by working with a board of directors and the management team to build long-range goals, plans, and policies. Petroleum Engineers Experienced Salary: $132,717 Job Description: Analyze new reservoirs to determine profitability. Create drilling and extraction plans to pump oil or gas while reducing overall costs. Engineering Managers Experienced Salary: $122,121 Job Description: Supervise and lead a team of engineers, scientists, and technicians. Direct and coordinate production, quality assurance, testing, operations, and maintenance in industrial plants. Pharmacists Experienced Salary: $119,499 Job Description: Prepare medications after reviewing physician orders. Dispense medications by compounding and packaging pharmaceuticals. Marketing Managers Experienced Salary: $113,593 Job Description: Develop and implement strategic marketing plans for the organization. Develop a plan to attract potential customers and retain existing customers. Natural Sciences Managers Experienced Salary: $109,783 Job Description: Supervision of scientists, including chemists, biologists, and physicists. Direct activities related to research and development. Coordinate testing, quality control, and production activities. Computer and Information Systems Managers Experienced Salary: $109,110 Job Description: Oversee IT professionals such as systems analysts, software developers, support specialists, and more. Work closely with technology vendors. Sales Managers Experienced Salary: $107,633 Job Description: Lead sales representatives through the improvement of sales performance. Assign territories, set goals, and train sales reps. Information Research Scientists Experienced Salary: $105,554 Job Description: Explores fundamental problems in computation and develop theories to address such issues. Study solve complex problems related to computing for business, science, and other fields. Financial Managers Experienced Salary: $105,513 Job Description: Review financial reports, monitor accounts, and financial forecasting. Additionally, they find ways to improve profitability within the company. Lawyers Experienced Salary: $102,223 Job Description: Represent clients in civil and criminal litigation. Draw up legal documents, manage client’s legal transactions, and various other legal duties. No College Degree Required Despite what people will tell you, a college degree is not the only way to make six-figures in your career. There are a ton of jobs available that do not require degrees but have the potential to make over $100,000 per year. If you are set on not earning a college degree but want to find a six-figure career, at least be open-minded about receiving some certifications if needed. Here are 11 positions that you could obtain that do not require a college degree. Construction Manager Experienced Salary: $132,451 Job Description: Oversee specialist contractors and other personnel. Work with building specialists, architects, civil engineers, and other trade workers. Network/IT Manager Experienced Salary: $125,202 Job Description: Responsible for the installation and maintenance of the company’s computer networks. Train staff to provide technical support. Work with project managers, engineers, and support staff. Air Traffic Controller Experienced Salary: $122,166 Job Description: To control air traffic including landing and takeoff instructions to pilots. Monitor and direct aircraft movement on the ground and in the air. Utilize radar, computers, and visual references. Fire Chief Experienced Salary: $119,950 Job Description: The head firefighter in the department. Responsible for overseeing and managing the firefighter team. Radiation Therapist Experienced Salary: $117,715 Job Description: Responsible for calculating the appropriate dose of radiation used in the treatment of cancer patients. Airline Pilots Experienced Salary: $109,750 Job Description: Fly cargo or passengers on short or long-haul flights for business, leisure, or commercial purposes. Hotel Executive Chef Experienced Salary: $103,512 Job Description: Develops new recipes, plans menus, hires and trains food prep workers, maintains inventory, adheres to a strict food budget, handles purchase orders, and other administrative tasks. Plumber Experienced Salary: $103,351 Job Description: Installs, repairs, and maintains pipes, fixtures, and various other plumbing used for the distribution of water, waste disposal, and more. Court Reporter Experienced Salary: $102,783 Job Description: Attend hearings, depositions, proceedings, and other events that require written transcripts. Utilize special equipment to capture spoken dialogue. Real Estate Broker Experienced Salary: $101,000 Job Description: Solicit new clients to buy, sell, and rent certain properties. Help advise clients on pricing, mortgages, market conditions, and other information. Small Business Owner Experienced Salary: variable Job Description: Various tasks depending on the business. These tasks can range from hiring staff to arrangingfinancing. Responsible for the development, stability, and direction of day to day business operations. No matter what kind of a job you are looking for, six-figure careers are everywhere. If making six figures is the goal, then this list is a great list to start researching careers that might be a good fit for you. For more career guidance and advice check out the ten best career sites to land your dream job.