In addition to testing new high-tech materials and sensors for future spaceflight, why was this jump so important?

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They were built of substances meant to mimic biological materials and had radiation sensors embedded throughout the torso.

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Sensors can analyse the surface of materials and, using the amount of resistance they show, work out the force to apply to an object.

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The technologies that have unlocked this abundance are the familiar fruits of our era: better materials engineering, sensors, controls, and information-related systems that radically improve all operations.

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The ZenRobotics Recycler is made up of off the shelf robotics components and uses data from a combination of visual sensors, mental detectors, weight measurements and feedback from its robotic arm to identify items and raw materials from waste.

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Global revenues from clean tech businesses--including air and water purification, advanced materials, distributed power generation, renewable energy, and process controls, such as sensors to monitor air and water--now surpass 85 billion pounds, according to the Cleantech Venture Network, a for-profit membership group that connects venture and institutional investors with entrepreneurs.

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