Can Robots Care for Humans?

Katie Gatto — Mon, 20 May 2013 10:33:44 -0700

A look at new work that is being done by workers at the Carnegie Mellon Universityin hopes of helping older people to live at home longer and better, with the help of robots. The bot currently in development, but not in production, is designed to help clean up and bring objects. It won't replace humans, but it could help add to their efforts.

Space Driving Record Broken by Robot

Katie Gatto — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:09:22 -0700

A new record was broken recently by a robot. In addition to being able to beat the worlds champions in chess it turns out that robots may be better at distance driving, at least in the endless void of space. The 1972, human set, record for the most distance driven in space was broken by a 2004 launced rover.

7 Foot Tall DIY Robot from China

Katie Gatto — Thu, 16 May 2013 10:58:51 -0700

Tao Xiangli, an inventor of some note from China, has once again unveiled a new DIY creation. His newest work is a seven foot tall working robot. The bot, which is made from old parts, cost just under $25,000 and is teh second invention from this intredpid man. His first was a working submarine.

MIT Shows Off Robot Cheetah

Katie Gatto — Wed, 15 May 2013 09:35:07 -0700

A look at a new cheetah robot that came from the Biomimetic Robotics Lab at MIT. The researchers, who showed off the robot at the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation this year have managed to create the second fastest robot in the world. The bot tops speeds of about 14 MHP by using electric motors, instead of hydraulics.

BrickPi: Making Robots Out of Raspberry Pi

Katie Gatto — Tue, 14 May 2013 07:58:29 -0700

The Raspberry Pi project is getting a new twist. The newest add on, dubbed BrickPi, is a sensation of Kickstarter. The project, which has raised more than $20,000 offeres users the chance to use the setup to make and control robots. The only other thing neeeded is a Lego Mindstorm set. The project is set to ship to donators in August of this month. There is still time to get your's if you want one.

Drink Mixing Robots Shown Off

Katie Gatto — Mon, 13 May 2013 10:05:45 -0700

The folks over at Coke and Bacard have been working with researchers at the MIT Senseable City Lab to create a robot that is capabale of making you great drinks. The robot, which is currently in testing, is able to make 1000's of different types of drinks with the help of an app.

Nasa Tests New Rover

Katie Gatto — Thu, 09 May 2013 18:24:20 -0700

A new rover named GROVER, which stands for both Greenland Rover and Goddard Remotely Operated Vehicle for Exploration and Research, is being sent to test itself in the polar ice. The robot, which will be tested in May and June is also soon to get a companion made by Dartmouth University during the summe.

Gecko Robot Can Climb

Katie Gatto — Thu, 09 May 2013 08:22:31 -0700

New work from researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology had prouced a light weight robot that is modeled after the high climbing gecko robot. The mostly plastic robot is set up with a low melting goo on its feet that allows the robot to climb vertical surfaces.

Can Robots Help Aussie Manufacturing?

Katie Gatto — Tue, 07 May 2013 09:51:25 -0700

A white paper put out by CSIRO is positing the idea that robots will be good for the workers in the manufacturing sector in Australia, but the real question is, can it actually happen that way? This piece looks at the state of the industry and ponders how robots might help, without replacing, workers in a flagging field.

Sometimes Innovation Means Less Not More for Farms

Katie Gatto — Mon, 06 May 2013 09:35:52 -0700

A new conference, the Tanzania Agro-Business Expo 2013, hopes to get farmers to not till thier soli. The educational conference is touting the idea of a much less invasive method of sowing seeds. The only question is will the farmers take to the idea? We will find out this summer.

UN Reports on Killer Robots

Katie Gatto — Thu, 02 May 2013 21:17:26 -0700

It looks like experts are starting to take the threat of killer robots seriously. A recent report, released by the U.N. Human Rights Commission has come out with some serious concerns about the use of Lethal autonomous robotics, or LARs for short. The report, which is more than 20 pages, make a series of suggestions on how to deal with the threats faced by LARs.

Talking Tissue Boxes Coming Soon?

Katie Gatto — Wed, 01 May 2013 10:39:12 -0700

Are talking tissue boxes coming soon? Research being done by scholars over at Penn State shows that people who were confronted with a talking tissue box, one that made suggestions and blessed them, was a welcome thing by most people. The research is part of a larger project that shows how smart technology can be placed into our homes.

Dairy Farms Get A Carbon Grade

Katie Gatto — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:12:41 -0700

A look at how farmers and producers in the dairy industry are getting a new tool that is designed to help them to keep tabs on their carbon footprint. The databased, which is being let out by the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy under the 2008 initiative known as the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Commitment, is designed to help producers to act more green.

New Robot Can Feel Coins

Katie Gatto — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 10:09:32 -0700

A look at new robot sensores developed by the the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology that are advance enough to get the coins out of a pocket that is full of items. These new sensors can help to make the next generation of robots even more human like. The piece also examines other robots that use new touch abilities.

Look Whose Milking Cows: Robots!

Katie Gatto — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 06:43:02 -0700

When it comes to milking the cows humans may soon be a thing of the past. This piece looks at the use of a new set of robot cow caretakers. The robots, who can deal with the milking and the feeding of about 60 cows each, are designed to work wih the farmer and his or her new smart phone app. This gives farmers some degree of daily freedom from their chores .

Can Humans Care for Robots?

Katie Gatto — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 14:29:44 -0700

A new look at research being put out by the University of Duisburg-Essen, that shows how humans respond to videos of robots in happy situations, and videos of robots being tortured. They stack up against humans and cardboard boxes being abused as well. The results are suprising.

Industrial Technology Highlighted at HANNOVER MESSE

Katie Gatto — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 19:44:37 -0700

Industrial Technology was highlighted at HANNOVER MESSE 2013. The conference, which came to an end on the Friday of last week, highlighted techology that can be used is a variety of different industries to create a more seamless business experience. The conference had thousands of exhibitions from more than 50 nations of the world.

Harvard Lab Shows off New Robot Touch Sensors

Katie Gatto — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 11:09:47 -0700

A research team working at Harvard University's Biorobotics Laboratory , a part of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, has developed a new and less expensive tactile sensor for robots. This sensor, which is in the cost range for people without a research budget, may open up robotics research. The sensor is sensitive enough to allow a robot hand to pick up a baloon.

Inventing For Android? Keep Security in Mind

Katie Gatto — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 10:20:10 -0700

The growing number of Android OS based devices that are currently in the hands of consumers, and the security of their personal data, is a growing issue. This piece examines the compliant that was recently filed by the ACLU against major wireless carriers for not updating their security for Android devices, and give inventors advice on adding device level security to apps.

Are Netbooks Dying?

Katie Gatto — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 07:28:22 -0700

Is the end of the netbook era coming in the very near future? At least one research company is willing to bet that it is. One research firm of note is betting that the netbook is going to be a dead production line to be gone by the end of 2015, with no new units shipping.

Robots: How Close is Too Close?

Katie Gatto — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 10:41:16 -0700

It looks like some people are willing to get really, really close to their robots. A new survey that was out by Huffington Post and YouGov, shows that a number of people who are going to have a robot would be wlling to have sex with it. The number is not that high yet, but the feelings on cheating are mixed.

What's The Least Expensive Way to Get A Smart Home?

Katie Gatto — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 06:47:48 -0700

A look at the least expensive way, for now, to start on your path to smart home. We will take a look both at the least expensive of the custom system options that are out there and how you might want to hookup with your wi-fi carrier in your area to get the best deal on the start to a smart house. Just be ready for some DIY steps if you do.

Syrup Becomes More Profitable Thanks to Tech

Katie Gatto — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 19:05:38 -0700

This piece looks at home the innovations in a field that is less than in the front of our minds when it comes to technoogy leaders. We are talking of course about the people who make maple syrup for a living and how systems of vaccum sealing have helped to make the industry more profitable for the farmers and the state.

Beetle Robot Kit: A Great Way to Encourage Young Scientists

Katie Gatto — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 14:30:45 -0700

If you are looking for a great piece that you can give to your kids, or as a gift to the kids of others, and you want to encourage a love of science and invention, then there is one great option that you can use for the job. Consider picking up one of the Beetle Robot Kits that you can get for less than fifty dollars. Check it out!

3D Printing Under $2000 by 2016?

Katie Gatto — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 11:22:49 -0700

The potential of 3D printing is, for the time being, very limited. This is mostly because of the cost of the printer and the materials. New research, put out by the noted firm Gartner is showing that trend may be changing in the near future. They have made the prediction that the technology is going to drop down to about $2,000, a price that some consumers could make work, by the year 2016.

Drone Technology To Be Used By Farmers

Katie Gatto — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 09:31:55 -0700

A look at the soon to be coming testing of new drones for use, not in the military, but in the farming industry. The testing, which will take place in the state of California, may just help to usher in a new generation of sensor drones that will help farmers to do their jobs more easily, manage large crops more simply and reduce the risks associated with chemical exposure.

South Dakota School Adopts Worlds First Biometric Payment System That Requires A Pulse

Katie Gatto — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 08:37:04 -0700

The School of Mines and Technology in the western part of the state of South Dakota has adopted a new biometric payment system. The system uses both the fingerprint of the student and a system that verifies that they have a pulse before it allow the transaction to go through. A pin is also required.

Aussie Businesses Up Tablet Use

Katie Gatto — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 20:12:21 -0700

According to a forecast recently put out by Roy Morgan Research the use of tablets in business in the nation of Australia is going to go up over the next 12 months, both in the number of businesses using the tablets and the actual number of tablets being used. Gains as large as 50% are being estimated in some cases, though data varies by industry.

Robot Wheelchair Makes Walking Look Bad!

Katie Gatto — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 15:40:55 -0700

Robot for Personal Intelligent Transport System or ROPITS for short, a new robot wheelchair designed by the people have at Hitachi the system, which can be used in conjunction with a tablet or a smart phone, will enable users to get from point a to point b without having to plan every inch of the path manually.

Resveratrol Drugs Could Prevent Aging and Fight Diseases Like Diabetes

Katie Gatto — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 11:02:43 -0700

GlaxoSmithKline is getting ready to use drugs that contain resveratrol, the compound that gives red wine its health benefits, in a number of drugs. The company currently has about 117 drugs in trials that are designed to help fight conditions such as Diabetes and Cancer. There may also, in the future, be anti-aging drugs as well.