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Robotic artificial muscles based on novel material combinations reduce energy consumption: Study

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California [US], November 10 (ANI): Actuators, which transform electrical energy into motion or force, serve an important role in everyday life that is often overlooked.

Soft material-based actuators, in particular, have gotten a lot of attention in the scientific community in recent years because of their lightweight, quiet operation, and biodegradability.

A simple method for developing soft actuators is to use multi-material structures, such as “pockets” formed of flexible plastic films filled with oils and covered with conductive plastics. When electrically activated, the film displaces the fluid and contracts the pocket, much like a biological muscle.

This technique can be used to create robot muscles, changeable optics, and tactile surfaces. However, until today, continual electrical stimulation only allowed for short-term muscular contractions, posing a considerable practical barrier.

The study was published research in Nature Electronics.

Researcher Ion-Dan Sirbu from Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, formerly a doctoral student at the University of Trento under the supervision of Giacomo Moretti and Marco Fontana, began investigating this phenomenon during a research period at Johannes Kepler University in Linz.

Together with the Austrian research group, Ion-Dan Sirbu developed a system that enables accurate force measurement in these actuators.

“During my research on common material combinations,” Ion-Dan Sirbu explained, “I also experimented with a plastic film that a fellow doctoral student, David Preninger, used for his work on biodegradable artificial muscles. As soon as we noticed that this material can sustain a constant force for arbitrarily long periods, we realized we had made a significant discovery.”Since then, the team has worked on a theoretical model and conducted in-depth material characterizations. It became apparent that the key experimental results could be accurately described using simple models.

“The beauty of our model is its simplicity and that it is not limited to existing actuators. We believe our results will provide the scientific community with a simple yet powerful tool for designing and investigating new systems,” said David Preninger, co-first author of the paper and PhD-student at the Soft Matter Physics department at Johannes Kepler University.

“What’s interesting is that not only have we made this technology more functional, but our study enables the identification of material combinations that bring up to thousandfold energy consumption reductions” adds Prof Kaltenbrunner.

Utilizing the identified material combinations, scientists have successfully developed and operated various types of artificial muscles, variable gradient optics, and tactile displays.

Prof Fontana emphasized, “Understanding the fundamental mechanisms underlying soft actuators as established by this study has the potential to make a significant leap in the field of assistive devices, automatic machines, and mobile robots for terrestrial, marine, and space exploration. All these sectors are in search of low-cost, high-performance solutions, which shall also be capable of ensuring low consumption and environmental impacts for sustainability.” (ANI)

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OSCAR SHOCKS AND SURPRISES: WHO IS LIKELY TO WIN BIG ON HOLLYWOOD’S BIGGEST NIGHT

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On the big screen, Deadpool clashed with Wolverine in a spectacle that set social media abuzz, while animated darling Inside Out 2 stormed the box office — leaving Joker’s sequel in its shadow. Off-camera, there was more drama as Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni found themselves locked in a bitter legal feud.

The off-screen action, however, didn’t stop there. There were debates over The Brutalist’s daring use of AI and Anora’s controversial decision to forgo an intimacy coordinator sparked plenty of heated exchanges on social media.

As the Academy Awards draw near on Sunday, March 2,  2025, the anticipation is palpable. We look at some of the possible winners on Hollywood’s biggest night.

Best Picture: Anora leads, but there others 

Anora is just barely ahead—but only by a hair. Why? A string of major wins, including the Critics Choice, Producers Guild, and Directors Guild Awards, put it in prime position. But rivals like Conclave and The Brutalist are lurking. We could see a historic upset here.

Best Director: Close fight between Sean Baker and Brady Corbet

Two directors, one golden statuette. Sean Baker (Anora) and Brady Corbet (The Brutalist) are neck and neck. But history favours Baker, thanks to the Directors Guild Awards’ near-flawless Oscar track record. Still, nothing is certain.

Best Actor: Both Adrien Brody and Timothée Chalamet are in the race

Adrien Brody (The Brutalist) was cruising toward his second Oscar—until Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown) crashed the party with a major SAG win! Brody is still the favourite, but don’t be shocked if Chalamet pulls off a dramatic last-minute upset.

Best Actress: Demi Moore has a fair chance 

Demi Moore (The Substance) has swept the Golden Globes, Critics Choice, and SAG Awards. But with Anora’s Mikey Madison taking the BAFTA and I’m Still Here’s Fernanda Torres still in play, Moore’s victory lap could be premature.

Best Supporting Actor: Could Kieran Culkin lose?

Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain) has dominated awards season. Could someone else steal the statue? Sure. But at 87.7% likelihood, this one looks locked in.

Best Supporting Actress: This could be a clean sweep for Zoe Saldana 

Despite chatter that controversy around Emilia Pérez could hurt her chances, Zoe Saldaña is sweeping through the competition. The numbers say she’s almost certain to take home gold.

Best Animated flick: The Wild Robot could go for gold

Chris Sanders has been nominated four times — but never won. At 55 per cent, The Wild Robot is the favourite. But Flow and Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl are still in the game.

Best International movie: A twist in the tale

Emilia Pérez was expected to dominate — but controversy, critic-audience divides, and I’m Still Here gaining ground could mean a shocking upset.

Final Thoughts: Who will win, who’ll lose

There’s no such thing as a sure thing at the Oscars — but if the data is right, expect major moments, potential heartbreaks, and perhaps a few historic wins.

(Source: Hollywood Reporter, BBC)

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Bollywood power couple Govinda’s marriage on the rocks after 40 years

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Salman Khan’s ‘Nepotism’ Joke Steals the Show at Nephew Ayaan’s Song Launch in Dubai

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Salman Khan has never been one to hold back, and at a recent event in Dubai, he added his signature dose of humour to the oft-debated topic of nepotism in Bollywood. The superstar, fondly known as Sallubhai, was in town to launch his nephew Ayaan Agnihotri’s debut song, “Universal Laws”, and in true Salman style, he had the audience in splits with his witty remark.

As Dubai’s DJ Bliss – who hosted the event – praised the Khan family for their unwavering support for Ayaan, Salman quipped, “That’s what nepotism is!” His playful jab left everyone in the room in splits.

And as the crowd cheered, Salman officially launched the song, marking Ayaan’s much-anticipated entry into the music world.

A Star-Studded Affair

The event turned into a Bollywood reunion, with stars like Arbaaz Khan, Sohail Khan, Neha Dhupia, Angad Bedi, and other celebrities coming together to celebrate Ayaan’s big moment.

During his speech, Salman highlighted that Ayaan, the son of Atul Agnihotri and Alvira Khan Agnihotri (Salman’s sister), hails from a family of seasoned film producers. He also mentioned that Ayaan’s cousin, Alizeh Agnihotri, who recently made her Bollywood debut, shares the same film-driven lineage.

Ayaan and Salman’s Previous Collaboration

This isn’t the first time the uncle-nephew duo has joined forces. Salman and Ayaan previously worked together on the track, “You Are Mine”, where the young artist showcased his rap skills alongside the Bollywood megastar. The song, composed by Vishal Mishra, became a talking point among fans.

Salman & Sanjay Dutt Spotted in Saudi Arabia

Meanwhile, Salman is keeping busy with multiple projects. A recent video circulating on social media showed him and actor Sanjay Dutt filming on the streets of Saudi Arabia. The clip, shared by an X user, captured the two actors casually chatting with crew members.

The buzz is that Salman and Sanjay are working on a cameo appearance in the Bollywood remake of the 2021 Argentine film Seven Dogs. While details remain under wraps, fans are excited to see the duo share screen space again.

From family celebrations in Dubai to shooting in Saudi Arabia, Salman Khan is proving yet again that his star power knows no boundaries.

(Inputs from Hindustan Times, Zee News)

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