Disruptive “everything-by-wire” vehicle gets world-first certification

This humble-looking, street-certified electric truck represents a huge milestone in a radical effort to transform the automotive industry. It’s the first vehicle ever certified with no mechanical connection between the controls and the chassis.Continue… Continue reading Disruptive “everything-by-wire” vehicle gets world-first certification

World’s first liquid-hydrogen eVTOL aircraft promises 1,150-mile range

The Sirius Jet will fly up to 1,150 miles (1,851 km) at speeds up to 323 mph (520 km/h) on a clean liquid-hydrogen powertrain. It’ll rise vertically off a pad thanks to a deflected vectored thrust system using 20 smallish electric ducted fans.Continue … Continue reading World’s first liquid-hydrogen eVTOL aircraft promises 1,150-mile range

AI robot buddy aims to teach gamers social skills

This charmingly Japanese robot acts as a gaming buddy, taking the other controller and playing against you while chatting about what’s happening on screen. It’s designed to stave off loneliness, and teach increasingly isolated gamers to be social.Conti… Continue reading AI robot buddy aims to teach gamers social skills

Supernal unveils its second-gen eVTOL air taxi at CES

Hyundai’s electric aircraft spinout has presented the eVTOL air taxi design it believes will “set the gold standard for Advanced Air Mobility.” Supernal pulled the covers off its handsome S-A2 prototype at CES, built on a new airframe architecture.Cont… Continue reading Supernal unveils its second-gen eVTOL air taxi at CES

Coal-to-protein livestock feed uses 1/1000th as much land as farming

Chinese scientists have developed a cost-effective method of converting coal into protein, which they say could feed livestock much more efficiently than natural plants, while using a tiny fraction of the land.Continue ReadingCategory: ScienceTags: Agr… Continue reading Coal-to-protein livestock feed uses 1/1000th as much land as farming

Housekeeping robot quickly learns a range of autonomous chores

Stanford and Google DeepMind researchers have presented an open-source housekeeping robot, and trained it relatively quickly to sauté shrimp, rinse out pans, put pots away in a kitchen cabinet, and clean up wine spills – but it has greater ambitions.Co… Continue reading Housekeeping robot quickly learns a range of autonomous chores

Vixion’s autofocus eyeglasses: Relax your eye muscles all day

The lenses in our eyes stiffen as we age, making it harder to switch focus between different distances. But autofocus systems are now getting so compact and efficient that they fit in a set of glasses – provided you don’t mind looking a bit dorky.Conti… Continue reading Vixion’s autofocus eyeglasses: Relax your eye muscles all day

Figure’s humanoid can now watch, learn and perform tasks autonomously

Figure’s Brett Adcock claimed a “ChatGPT moment” for humanoid robotics on the weekend. Now, we know what he means: the robot can now watch humans doing tasks, build its own understanding of how to do them, and start doing them entirely autonomously.Con… Continue reading Figure’s humanoid can now watch, learn and perform tasks autonomously

There’s hope yet: Clean energy advances that inspired us in 2023

The world needs gargantuan amounts of clean energy moving forward, making this an area of colossal and growing opportunity for disruptive innovations. Here are some of the fascinating energy ideas and technologies that made us most hopeful in 2023.Cont… Continue reading There’s hope yet: Clean energy advances that inspired us in 2023

“Flying dragon” robot harnesses the “crazy hose” effect to fight fires

Japanese researchers have created and open-sourced a flying firefighting hose that levitates and steers itself to fight fires using its own water pressure as a two-part propulsion system, spraying water down onto fires and keeping operators safe.Contin… Continue reading “Flying dragon” robot harnesses the “crazy hose” effect to fight fires