To help bolster science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) abilities, Sphero has developed an all-terrain, high-torque, programmable robot named RVR (pronounced “rover”). Right out of the box, the sensor-packed RVR is ready to start driving. The platform offers more than that, though, as it’s highly customizable, designed to be hacked from users of all […]
Robots Will Help Build Seoul’s New Robotics Museum
An international architecture competition, hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, set to find the best design for Seoul’s Robot Science Museum (RSM), a building that will help spur public interest in robotics. And the competition has found its winner—Turkey’s Melike Altinisik Architects (MAA) will build the RSM. In its completed form, the building will have robot […]
Snake Robots Will Slither Their Way into the Norwegian Deep Seas
Snake-like robots are gearing up to monitor the Åsgard oil and gas field off the Norwegian coast, which extends between 240 m and 310 m (787 ft and 1,017 ft) into the sea. But before the expedition begins, the robots will spend a few weeks of final preparations in the Trondheim Fjord, an inlet of the Norwegian Sea, […]
A Spherical Virtual Reality Display
University of British Columbia (UBC) and University of Saskatchewan researchers pooled their expertise to create a ball-shaped virtual reality (VR) display. While most spherical VR displays circulating the market show a complete picture from a single view, the new design harnesses graphics rendering and calibration techniques to create a distortion-free 3D image when seen from […]
Tesla Launches “Dog Mode” To Keep Your Pets Safe and Cool While in the Car
Tesla’s new feature will keep pets safe and comfortable in the car while their owners run quick errands. Dubbed “Dog Mode,” the over-the-air update was announced on Twitter by Tesla CEO Elon Musk. As mentioned in the tweet, drivers will be able to set a cabin temperature, and the system will even let passersby know […]
Powering Homes with Wave Energy
A new wave energy device is currently under development by University of Edinburgh and Italian researchers, with the potential to power homes through clean energy. The device, known as a Dielectric Elastomer Generator (DEG), lists a number of advancements over existing technologies: it is lower cost, has fewer moving parts, and uses more durable materials. […]
Robot Braves Fukushima Nuclear Plant to Examine Radioactive Fuel
March 11, 2011, an infamous day that rattled Japan after the country was struck by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and powerful tsunami. Among the casualties was the Fukushima nuclear plant, which suffered radiation leaks and permanent damage to a number of its reactors. A massive evacuation effort followed in fear of a radiation exposure, and […]
Energizer Announces Massive 18,000-mAh Smartphone Battery
Energizer is planning to unveil “the largest ever battery for a smartphone” at this year’s Mobile World Congress (MWC), according to GSMarena. From the company’s Power Max line, the phone will feature a battery charge of 18,000 mAh. At last year’s event, Energizer announced the Energizer Power Max P16K Pro with a 16,000-mAh battery, but it […]
Increasing Autonomous Car Trust Through 360-Degree Light Signals
Mercedes-Benz is currently conducting research with an S-Class-based cooperative car that adorns a 360-degree light signaling system. Located on the roof, the turquoise lights inform pedestrians that the vehicle’s operating in autonomous driving mode, and also indicates the car’s next move. Akin to Jaguar Land Rover’s self-driving cars with virtual eyes, and automated pods that […]
2020 Olympic Athletes Will Compete for Medals Made From E-Waste
As they say, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. When athletes at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games vie for the top three spots, their hard-earned medals will have a unique origin—electronic waste. In April 2017, the Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games launched a nationwide collection of discarded and […]