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Robot shoes can help you walk 3x faster; how do they work?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:32:19 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Named one of Time Magazine's "Best Inventions of 2023," Moonwalkers are one of the most interesting shoes you will likely see. Designed by Austin-based Shift Robotics, they initially look like roller skates, but motors and artificial intelligence allow users wearing these "robot shoes" to walk three times faster than they normally would. "I have always been excited and interested in personal mobility," said Xunjie Zhang, CEO of Shift Robotics.Zhang studied robotics and two-legged movement at Carnegie Mellon University. After a car accident involving a scooter, Zhang noticed that people walking on sidewalks were safer than scooters and bikes."I start asking myself why I never walked, even though walking is the safest way of getting around the cities."Walking with the robotsWe tested out the company's Moonwalkers to learn how they work. While they look like roller skates, motorized wheels propel you forward with each step. It feels like walking on one of those moving w...

Invasive zebra mussels found in Massachusetts lake

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:32:19 GMT

PITTSFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - The city of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, is informing residents of the recent discovery of an invasive species. The zebra mussel species has been spotted at Onota Lake. Only 64 people live in Massachusetts’ smallest town The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) detected eDNA of the invasive species inside the lake during routine monitoring. Environmental DNA, called eDNA, is cellular material that sheds from an organism and is used as an early detector of invasive or rare species.Zebra mussels are invasive freshwater mollusks that are the size of a fingernail. Their name comes from the zig-zagged stripes on their shells. This species has a negative impact on the local environment, as they can filter out algae that native species need for food in order to survive and can attach to native mussels.The detection of this species at this time only impacts boating operations at Onota Lake, and has no impact on other recreational uses of the lake. The c...

When do the Capital Region's ski resorts open?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:32:19 GMT

QUEENSBURY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- With the first measurable snowfall hitting the Capital Region, some are thinking about hitting the slopes. The ski resorts in the area are making snow and getting ready to open. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! While some ski resorts are already open or opening very soon, others have not announced an opening date yet. Make sure to check back for updates as more openings are announced.Killington ResortOpened for the season on November 3Open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday, Sunday and Peak Days from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.Address: 4763 Killington Road in Killington, VermontJiminy PeakPlanning to open on Friday, November 24Will be open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and SundayAddress: 37 Corey Road in Hancock, Massachusetts Report: What are the least liked Thanksgiving foods? Gore MountainOpening day is set for Saturday, November 25Will be open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.Add...

Opinion: The elephants at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo deserve more than an acre

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:32:19 GMT

As an elephant biologist, I have spent years observing elephants in the wild. I’ve gotten to know them as individuals and have been privileged to witness them play, mate, care for their young, and lead their families through episodes of drought and violence. I live in Colorado, and I recently visited the elephants at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs. The contrast to what I have seen in the wild was extreme.Jambo, Kimba, LouLou, Lucky, and Missy were all captured from the wild in the ‘70s and ‘80s. They now live on less than an acre, with limited access to a two-acre “vacation” yard. They can walk no more than 100 yards in any direction, and on cold days, they are restricted to a barn with even less space. Their wild counterparts walk several miles or more every day and roam over hundreds to thousands of square miles.The Nonhuman Rights Project has filed a lawsuit on behalf of these elephants, alleging that their captivity at the zoo amounts to unjust imprisonment, and d...

Passengers pack-out LAX before Thanksgiving; protest planned for Terminal 7

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:32:19 GMT

Thanksgiving is only a day away, and LAX is a hub of activity.Traffic at the airport is up about 91.5% as compared to pre-pandemic levels, according to the TSA, and as many as 2.5 million passengers are expected to come through between Nov. 16-27.On Tuesday, travel was impacted by 234 delays, most of which were weather-related, but there were no cancellations, according to airport spokesperson Heath Montgomery.At least one possible disruption looms Wednesday, however, as about 100 union workers are expected to rally to "demand that the City Council move forward a motion to raise airport and tourism workers’ wages to $25/hour immediately and progressively reach $30/hour by 2028," SEIU-USWW said in a news release.They are also seeking better health care coverage.The rally is expected to begin at 11 a.m. in the upper level of Terminal 7.

Live blog: Best deals of Black Friday 2023

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:32:19 GMT

BestReviews is reader-supported and may earn an affiliate commission.Black Friday is officially here, and with it comes the best deals of the year. Retailers revealed their best prices on popular items for the period that starts today and runs through Cyber Monday. The team at BestReviews, a sister-site of KTLA, will update this live blog throughout the event to make sure you're connected with the best products at the best prices. BestReviews does in-depth testing, based on expert recommendations and research, to determine what are your top options as you cross must-have items off your holiday shopping list.

Enrico Sangiuliano Sees a Glitch in Time

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:32:19 GMT

Enrico Sangiuliano Sees a Glitch in Time: Italian electronic artist Enrico Sangiuliano sees DJing and producing as two symbiotic things.“I started collecting music, recording it from FM radio straight on tape cassette and dividing it per genre (techno, trance, drum n bass, hardcore) in 1994 when I was 8,” he says. “At the same time I was developing a profound interest for percussion and I’d spend the days playing with my hands on school benches before switching to the drums. Once I discovered computers and the possibility of creating sounds non present in reality and playing with them, my faith was set. It got interesting when I started playing in the illegal rave scene in Italy around 16. My own (unreleased) productions were standing at the centre of my DJ sets. Sound Design studies helped to finetune my passion for tweaking knobs. A couple of years later my own (released) productions were climbing the international charts and being supported by global DJs. In 201...

CBD During Pregnancy — Is It Safe For Pregnant Women To Take CBD Oil?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:32:19 GMT

CBD seems like it would be a “savior supplement” for many pregnancy-related symptoms. For instance, people are hopeful CBD’s supposed anti-nausea properties could help reduce morning sickness. There are also reports of people using CBD oil for appetite regulation, achy joints, and migraines — all of which should benefit pregnant women.However, health officials have raised significant concerns over using CBD products while pregnant. Despite all of CBD’s potential benefits, pregnant women shouldn’t use this supplement until doctors are confident it won’t have adverse side effects.So, Is Hemp Extract Harmful For Pregnant Women?It’s too early to definitively say how CBD oil affects pregnant women and their children. However, a recent animal study by the University of Minnesota didn’t show promising results. For this trial, scientists examined CBD’s effect on pregnant rats and their babies. According to these results, the offspring of...

Bay Area News Group high school football predictions: Week 14, 2023

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:32:19 GMT

It’s section championship week across the Bay Area, with winners moving on to next week’s regionals and the runners-up calling it a season.Joseph Dycus, Mike Lefkow and I made 10 more picks, including the Division I final in the North Coast Section between Pittsburg and San Ramon Valley and the Central Coast Section between Los Gatos and Wilcox.Both of those and many others were tough calls, as they should be at this time of the season.Lefkow on Los Gatos-Wilcox: “It will go right down to the wire again. These are two good teams. They both have excellent coaches. They know each other real well. I wouldn’t be surprised if you get another three-point game that’s decided in the final seconds.”Dycus on Pittsburg-SRV, “I’ve got Pittsburg winning this game. I don’t think it will be super high-scoring. I think it will be 28-27.”In the video, we break down this week’s matchups and look back at last week’s Open Division championship victories by the Bay Area’s top two teams, Serra and ...

Death Valley visitors need helicopter rescue after ignoring warning signs

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:32:19 GMT

Two men had to be rescued after they went around a barrier onto a closed road in Death Valley and one crashed his motorcycle.They told rangers that they were using a map app that said Titus Canyon Road was open, though it was blocked by a locked gate, concrete barriers and two signs declaring it was closed, said a press release from the national park.The men, from California, were touring on motorcycles on the afternoon of Saturday, Nov. 18, when they decided to take the Titus Canyon turnoff from Highway 374 west of Beatty, Nev.Related ArticlesCrashes and Disasters | Disneyland lamppost falls and injures visitors during high winds Crashes and Disasters | The most powerful rocket ever built just went farther than it had ever gone, then was lost Crashes and Disasters | 2 bodies found along Marin County shores Crashes and Disasters | Dead body pulled from ocean near Pacifica Crashes and Disasters | Pilot dead af...