
Tesla Crash In Utah
Last weekend, the driver of a Tesla electric car had the vehicle’s semi-autonomous Autopilot mode on when the vehicle slammed into the back of a firetruck in Salt Lake City, Utah. The 28-year old told police that while the vehicle’s autopilot system was active, and she had been looking at her phone when the crash occurred.
Tesla’s autopilot system utilizes a variety of technologies like radar, 360-degree cameras, and sensors for detecting nearby cars and objects. The system is primarily designed to help the car automatically change lanes, steer, park, and brake to avoid collision. Tesla markets this system as the “future” of driving, but warns drivers to keep diligent, even with the autopilot mode on and to not rely on the system completely for avoiding accidents.

Researchers at the University of Bordeaux found that tiny mindless robots can work collaboratively to move a corral. Prior studies showed that small, self-powered robots without computer control can behave like gas molecules, wandering aimlessly when confined to a given space.
In this new study, the researchers added more robots, which were tiny battery-powered and rod-shaped bits of colored plastic, and were each about four centimeters in length. When placed on a surface, the robots vibrated, propelling them forward at about 30 centimeters per second. When a bunch were confined in a ring, their reactions to this environment closely resembled how gas molecules acted when placed in a confined space.

A new device developed by researchers from ETH Zurich, combines components from previously developed sensors for detecting acetone, ammonia, and isoprene. These sensors, integrated in single units, have formed two commercial sensors for identifying traces of carbon dioxide and moisture. This combination can be resourceful while searching for victims entrapped in avalanches or earthquakes.
Researchers conducted tests at the University of Innsbruck’s Institute for Breath Research in Dornbirn in an entrapment simulator, where volunteers remained for two hours. Combining sensors searching for various chemical compounds is important because individual substances could come from sources other than humans. In addition, the scientists also pointed out there are differences between compounds emitted via a person’s breath and skin that these sensors can help distinguish.

Engineers at the University of Washington have for the first time, developed a wireless insect-sized model robot known as RoboFly, which is taking its first independent flight by adding a “brain” to this robotic device. Insect-sized flying robots could be beneficial with tedious tasks like surveying crop growth on large farms or detecting gas leaks.
These small robots soar by fluttering their tiny wings because they’re too small for propellers. This is process consumes a lot of energy, so both power source and controller directing the wings are too big and bulky to ride on a tiny robot. RoboFly is slightly heavier than a toothpick, and powered by a laser beam, using a tiny onboard circuit that converts its laser energy into enough electricity for operating its wings.