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+--- Thread: Research VR game uses smell to fight mental decline + Rare earth element extraction bolstered (/thread-17902.html)
VR game uses smell to fight mental decline + Rare earth element extraction bolstered - C C - Apr 30, 2025
Rare earth element extraction bolstered by new research
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1082342
INTRO: A more efficient and environmentally friendly approach to extracting rare earth elements that power everything from electric vehicle batteries to smartphones could increase domestic supply and decrease reliance on costly imports.
This new method, developed by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin, allows for separating and extracting these in-demand elements where it's not possible today, opening up new avenues for gathering rare earth elements amid global trade tensions.
“Rare earth elements are the backbone of advanced technologies, but their extraction and purification are energy intensive and extremely difficult to implement at the scales required," said Manish Kumar, professor in the Cockrell School of Engineering's Fariborz Maseeh Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering and the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering. "Our work aims to change that, inspired by the natural world."
The research was recently published in ACS Nano... (MORE - details, no ads)
A virtual reality game integrating smell to fight cognitive decline
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1082245
INTRO: As the global population ages, supporting older adults in maintaining their cognitive and memory functions has become a pressing concern. The United Nations estimates that by the 2070s, there will be over 2.2 billion people aged 65 or older, surpassing the global number of children under 18. This demographic shift is especially pronounced in Japan, the fastest-aging country, where 28.7% of the population is 65 or older.
One promising strategy to counter cognitive decline is through olfactory stimulation—engaging the sense of smell. Smell signals travel directly to brain regions involved in memory and emotion. Building on this knowledge, a joint research team from Institute of Science Tokyo (Science Tokyo), University of the Arts London, Bunkyo Gakuin University, and Hosei University, Japan, has developed the world’s first cognitive training method for older adults by combining olfactory stimulation with virtual reality (VR). The study was published in Volume 15 of the journal Scientific Reports on March 28, 2025.
“VR provides a promising platform to simulate sensory conditions in a controlled yet engaging manner. By combining goal-oriented tasks with real-time feedback, our VR-based olfactory training approach can increase cognitive engagement and maximize its therapeutic impact,” says Professor Takamichi Nakamoto from Science Tokyo.
The method involves an olfactory display that emits specific scents during immersive VR gameplay, activating memory- and emotion-related brain regions... (MORE - details, no ads)