Tag Archives: duke university

Strobe lighting goggles shown to improve short-term memory, all-night ravers feel validated

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Strobe lighting goggles shown to improve shortterm memory, allnight ravers feel validated

Those goggles you see above aren't for stylish looks while playing dodgeball -- they're the keys to a potentially important discovery about short-term memory. Duke University's Institute for Brain Sciences found that subjects playing catch with goggles simulating strobe lights were noticeably better at memorizing information during tests, even a full day after playtime was over. It's not hard to see why: with a limited amount of time to see that incoming ball, participants had to more vividly remember brief scenes to stay on top of the game. We don't yet know if there's any kind of long-term boost, so don't get your hopes up that strobe lights are the shortcuts to permanent photographic memory. Still, the findings suggest that frequent nightclubbers might be on to something... or, at least, have a better idea of where they left their keys the morning after.

[Image credit: Les Todd, Duke Institute for Brain Sciences]

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Strobe lighting goggles shown to improve short-term memory, all-night ravers feel validated originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Jul 2012 19:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Copper-nickel nanowires from Duke University could make ubiquitous printable circuits

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Nanowires

Nanowires, although they're building steam, still have to overcome the not-so-small problem of cost -- they often have to use indium tin oxide that's not just expensive, but fragile. Duke University has developed copper-nanowire films that could remedy this in style. The choice of material is both a hundred times less expensive to make than indium and is much more durable. It's flexible, too: if layered on as a coating, the nanowires would make for considerably more viable wearable electronics that won't snap under heavy stress. The catch, as you might suspect, stems from the copper itself, which doesn't conduct as much electricity as indium. The nickel will keep your copper electronics from oxidizing faster than the Statue of Liberty, however. Any practical use could be years away, but further successes from Duke could quickly see printable electronics hit the mainstream power and power our dreams of flexible displays.

Copper-nickel nanowires from Duke University could make ubiquitous printable circuits originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 04:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink PhysOrg  |  sourceACS Publications  | Email this | Comments