These days scientists are getting a lot better at creating more humanoid-looking robots, but for the most part, this is mostly an aesthetics thing. However, it seems that in the future, machines could not just look more lifelike, but could also potentially start to exhibit lifelike tendencies as well.
Paris firefighters faced a mammoth task in trying to contain the Notre Dame fire which burned down the roof and destroyed the spire. The fire did destroy invaluable parts of the cathedral but the firefighters were able to save many of the treasures inside. They also prevented the fire from damaging the entire structure. For this purpose, they deployed a 1,100 pound remote controlled robot called Colossus.
If you’ve ever lived or been to Japan, then you might be aware of how particular the country’s recycling system is, but for the most part, people who are born and raised there or who have lived there long enough are familiar with the system and it is more or less second nature. For those who don’t come from countries that enforce recycling, getting into the habit can be confusing.
It’s hard to deny the impact that online retailers such as Amazon have had on your more traditional brick and mortar retailers. Companies such as Walmart have no doubt been affected, but the company has been working on ways to try and get around this. For example, they have been letting customers place orders and pay online while in their stores.
Could you see yourself cheering for a robot basketball player in the future? That could happen when they’re capable of hitting three-pointers with nearly 100 percent accuracy. CUE 3 is a 6’3″ humanoid robot from Toyota Engineering Society and it’s capable of hitting free throws with almost pinpoint accuracy.
For the most part, drones require pilots to help them find their way around. However, the need to have a pilot means that human error is a possibility with regards to certain drone operations. This is why it doesn’t come as a surprise to learn that the Air Force has announced that they will be looking into the possibility of AI-powered autonomous drones.
The idea of using drones for delivery isn’t new, but the US Marines are testing out the idea of using delivery drones that are also disposable, meaning that they can be thrown away after use. In fact more recently the US Marines have successfully tested the idea of using disposable drones which means that it could actually become a part of their operations.
People with motor impairment can sometimes find it hard to take care of themselves. This means that in some instances, they might need to hire a healthcare professional to take care of them. However it seems that researchers at Georgia Tech might have figured out a way that could allow those with motor impairment to take care of themselves, and that is through the use of robots.
Imagine not having to find a parking spot at the airport when you’re already running late for your flight. That’s something that robots could help you out with and if happen to fly out of France’s Lyon-Saint-Exupéry airport, robots will certainly help you out with this. Stanley Robots is going to put its fleet of robot valets to use at this airport.
The Cheetah team at MIT has already shown that they’re pretty good with making robots and their latest creation just might be their most impressive robot so far. Some of the robots that they have previously made are capable of jumping through hurdles and even navigating blindly. This new robot can do backflips.
A famed temple built in Japan’s cultural capital of Kyoto by the wife of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a warlord from the 16th century who unified Japan, to commemorate her husband will now have an Android deity preaching to the public. The Android Kannon, with its hands clasped together, adds a touch of modernity to the historical temple.
As humans, we tend to have greater flexibility and adaptiveness compared to robots. For example, if we dropped an orange, we would reach out and attempt to stop it from rolling to the ground. Robots, on the other hand, might not, depending on how they are programmed. However, researchers at MIT have developed a system that would make robots better at tracking objects.
These days we’re starting to see more companies launch smarter kitchen appliances and gadgets, such as microwave ovens with built-in digital assistants, or fridges that are smart enough to let us know when we need to make a trip to the grocery store. However Samsung thinks that they have a better idea: robotic arms.