In The Matrix, robots are self-aware of their existence. This is a bad thing as it eventually leads to the enslavement of mankind. The idea of a human brain inside a robot is intriguing for anyone whose ever wanted to put their brain in a robot body to become an Adrian Barbobot. Scientists are getting closer to that vision, having equipped a small robot with rat neurons to control itself.

An interesting trait of the artificial brain is that it can get bored. If it doesn’t receive any information from the electrodes it’s connected to, the neurons will break the connections, likewise, when the neurons are stimulated, more connections are formed. The robot that was built runs on wheels with an ultrasound sensor enabling it to spot when it is approaching a wall and redirect itself accordingly. That’s great and all but could’t you just do that with an Arduino?

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Are you an impatient mother who can’t hold onto her diaphragm without worrying if the fetus in her womb will develop sickle-cell anemia? Well no worries, tubby, because Royal Philips Electronics wants to turn those awkward and impersonal ultrasounds into something “much more playful,” says Frank Rettenbacher, a product designer for Philips.

Now, that’s just fucking creepy.  Philips researchers were modeling ultrasound visits after a spa-like experiences.  These weirdos want to cut out the whole lab/doctor routine and outfit your ultrasound experience with ambient lighting and new technologies intended to reduce stress. The ultrasound itself is streamed onto a big, bubble-like screen. These larger, clearer images may help doctors diagnose aberrations early on in the baby’s development, ultimately resulting in earlier treatment. Looks a lot like a night club to me, though. I wonder if Red Bulls will still cost $5…

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We’ve seen how funky gadgets can produce a steam jet to clear up stains, or how a UV cleaner can clean a suit in one day, how about ultrasound? Bearmax has migrated the technology that you’ve seen in lens cleaning machines at sunglasses shops to this pocketable gun-shaped Ultrasound Cleaner. By vibrating 50000 times per second, the sound wave is supposed to shake off anything from lipstick mark, chololate, engine oil, tomato sauce, curry, mud and blood off your clothes, wall and carpet. Excellent for after-party. Impress Japan even took this thing for a test and managed to scrap some rust off a coin. Next time before you try using some toxic chemicals, try the ultrasound cleaner. Save the environment and save some babies (ultrasound is safe for babies in tummies, remember?). It’s all about cool physics. You can pick up one of these for $42 in Japan (of course). — Sam Chan

Bearmax Whitey Pika UW-800 Review [Impress]
Product page [Bearmax]