We introduce and analyze a model for self-reconfigurable robots made up of unit-cube modules. Compared to past models, our model aims to newly capture two important practical aspects of real-world robots. First, modules often do not occupy an exact unit cube, but rather have features like bumps extending outside the allotted space so that modules can interlock. Thus, for example, our model forbids modules from squeezing in between two other modules that are one unit distance apart. Second, our model captures the practical scenario of many passive modules assembled by a single robot, instead of requiring all modules to be able to move on their own. We prove two universality results. First, with a supply of auxiliary modules, we show that any connected polycube structure can be constructed by a carefully aligned plane sweep. Second, without additional modules, we show how to construct any structure for which a natural notion of external feature size is at least a constant; this property largely consolidates forbidden-pattern properties used in previous works on reconfigurable modular robots.

The researchers first scoured music streaming sites like Spotify for songs with very few plays, tagged either "happy" or "sad." Through a series of human testers, 60 pieces for each emotion were narrowed down to a final list of three: two that reliably induced sadness (Ólafur Arnalds's "Fyrsta" and Michael Kamen's "Discovery of the Camp") and one that reliably induced happiness (Lullatone's "Race Against the Sunset"). One hundred participants who hadn't heard the songs before split into two groups, listened to all three pieces, and either took an fMRI scan or wore pulse, heat, and electricity sensors on their skin and rated the intensity of their emotions on a scale of 0 to 10.

As an industry observer, I've watched the development of artificial intelligence (AI) with fascination. While the technology itself is developing at a breakneck pace and offers plenty of opportunity for analysis and prediction, it is the evolving industry reaction that I find most interesting. But until very recently it was primarily the purview of theoretical scientists and science fiction writers. It is only within the last few years that AI, in even modest forms, has encroached upon our everyday reality. As it has gone from fantasy to the first inklings of reality -- and that has begun to sink in -- the reaction has been instructive.

Apple introduced Liam, a new research and development project for older iPhones that deconstructs the device and separates all parts and materials so they can be used again. Are Liam and Siri a thing? That's what the Twitterverse wants to know. It took mere seconds after Apple announced Liam, the new machine that deconstructs the old iPhones, for people on social media to launch into conversation about what exaclty Liam's intentions are with Siri, Apple's voice-activated personal assistant. What is the meaning of this? BREAKING: Liam & Siri spotted together, probably dating.