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Neural networks -- collections of artificial neurons or nodes set up to behave like the neurons in the brain -- can be trained to carry out a variety of tasks, often having something to do with pattern or sequence recognition. As such, they have shown great promise in image recognition systems. Now, research coming out of the University of Hong Kong has shown that neural networks can hear as well as see. A neural network there has learned the features of sound, classifying songs into specific genres with 87 percent accuracy.

Similar networks based on auditory cortexes have been rewired for vision, so it would appear these kinds of neural networks are quite flexible in their functions. As such, it seems they could potentially be applied to all sorts of perceptual tasks in artificial intelligence systems, the possibilities of which have only begun to be explored.

'the simplistic approach outlined in this work brings us a step closer to the realization of biomimetic self-cleaning and structural colour material for both functional and aesthetic applications.' 

That is, using a small biopsy from a specific patient, they can generate almost the entire cutaneous surface of that individual in the lab.

that it is possible to isolate epidermic stem cells from patients with different genetic skin diseases, cultivate them and, using molecular engineering as a first step, incorporate the therapeutic genes into each patient's genome to take the place of the one that the patient does not have or that functions abnormally. Afterwards, in the second step, the stem cells would be assembled into patches ready to be transplanted onto the patients.

"What we did in this case -- explains Marcela del Río -- was to transfer a normal SPINK-5 gene to a patient's stem cells and later use these cells to generate skin that could be transplanted to experimental models, such as mice."

Actuator materials producing rotation are rare and demonstrated rotations are small, though rotary systems like electric motors, pumps, turbines and compressors are widely needed and utilized. Present motors can be rather complex and, therefore, difficult to miniaturize. We show that a short electrolyte-filled twist spun carbon nanotube yarn, which is much thinner than a human hair, functions as a torsional artificial muscle in a simple three-electrode electrochemical system, providing a reversible 15,000° rotation and 590 revolutions/minute. A hydrostatic actuation mechanism, like for nature’s muscular hydrostats, explains the simultaneous occurrence of lengthwise contraction and torsional rotation during the yarn volume increase caused by electrochemical double-layer charge injection. Use of a torsional yarn muscle as a mixer for a fluidic chip is demonstrated.