Robot Monkey Built for Space Missions Cyborg News Channel 2014-03-13 | According to the theory of evolution, humans evolved from apes. And it appears that robots must also do the same. At the university of Bremen, scientists have developed the first space robot monkey, modeled after chimpanzees.At the German Center for Artificial Intelligence, the iStruct Demonstrator, also known as Charlie, was exhibited in Hanover, Germany this week.The robot monkey can walk on two legs, or four legs. It was designed specifically for space missions and extreme environments. Its ability to stabilize itself as it moves makes the robot ideal for maneuvering on difficult terrain, and also make it possible for the monkey robot to climb up and down slopes, so it can investigate deep craters, and other difficult locations. The robot is also capable of getting up after a fall.Each foot is equipped with 60 sensors. 49 of these sensors are pressure sensors. Other foot sensors are a three axis acceleration sensor, a distance sensor, three absolute position sensors, one temperature sensor, and one six degrees of freedom force-torque sensor.The joins also contain relative and absolute position sensors, speed sensors, electrical sensors for current and voltage, a distance sensor, and a temperature sensor.The monkey robot weighs around 39 pounds, and stands about 6.6 feet tall.
Solar Energy From Space US Navy Plans on Building Space Power Sation that Can Power Entire Cities Cyborg News Channel 2014-03-24 | The US Navy is planning on deploying solar panels in space which would collect solar energy from the sun and transmit the power back to earth in the form of radio waves. Receivers on earth would then convert the radio waves back to electricity. The goal is to use the system to supply power to remote military operations. But this same system could provide power for civilian uses.
Meet REEM-C: The Humanoid Robot of the Future is Here Today Cyborg News Channel 2014-03-22 | REEM-C is the latest version of the humanoid robots produced by PAL-ROBOTICS in Spain. The biped, or two-footed robot, is an adult-sized robot standing at 5.48 feet tall, and weighing 176.37 pounds. Two Intel Core i7 CPUs power the brain of the robot.The robot is equipped with numerous sensors and devices to help it navigate and communicate. It has 4 omnidirectional microphones and two speakers, four sonar sensors. Each foot is equipped with lasers that help the robot scan the environment and create a navigation map. The robot has a total of 44 degrees of freedom, including 3 for each hip, one for each knee, and two for each ankle. Arms and shoulders contain 14 degrees of freedom allowing the robot to perform various motions. Hands have 14 degrees of freedom combined which allow the robot to perform various tasks with its hands such as grasping and holding objects.Each leg is also equipped with 6 axis force/torque sensors.The robot is capable of navigating through crowds and around obstacles. It can recognize objects as well as human speech. The software that runs the robot allows for additional programming so existing abilities can be modified and new abilities can be added to fit the needs of the end user.The robot can connect to wireless networks via Wi-Fi.
▶ Boeings Phantom Swift X Plane Vertical Takeoff and Landing Experimental Plane Cyborg News Channel 2014-03-20 | Boeing's Phantom Swift was selected by DARPA for as one of four VTOL experimental airplanes to compete in its Vertical Take Off and Landing Experimental Plane (VTOL-X-Plane) program.
▶ Lockheed Martin Skunk Works® The Aerial Reconfigurable Embedded Systems ARES VTOL HD YouTube 7 Cyborg News Channel 2014-03-11 | Cargo drone being developed by Lockheed Martin can be used to transport various vehicles and equipment.
Ping pong playing robot developed by Ulf Hoffmann is Better than Forrest Gump Cyborg News Channel 2014-03-09 | ...
Newly Invented Cardiac Device Can Predict and Prevent Heart Attacks Cyborg News Channel 2014-03-04 | Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Washington University in St. Louis have developed a new device that can help prevent heart attacks.The video you're seeing shows a rabbit's heart, continuing to beat normally and pump blood, long after being removed from the body.The membrane was produced using optical scanning techniques to capture the precise dimensions of the heart. After the precise measurements were taken, the membrane was printed using 3d printing technology. The electronic components are then attached to the membrane. The membrane is slightly smaller than the heart, but it is flexible and it stretches so it can fit securely around the heart. This ensures that the membrane stays on the heart and that the electronic sensors and actuators are making constant contact with the heart.The sensors monitor the activity and various conditions of the heart, including physical activity such as rhythm and rate, electrical, and chemical changes such as changes in pH. Changes in pH can indicate a reduced blood supply to the heart muscle, which is a common cause for heart attacks. By monitoring the pH, the device can detect oncoming heart attacks before they happen.The new device is far more sensitive than any implantable pacemakers and defibrillators currently in use by heart patients. Not only will the device be able to collect more information from the heart than existing technologies, it will also be able to respond to heart attacks better by delivering more targeted stimulation.University of Illinois materials scientist John Rogers co-led the team that invented the new device.
The New Hybrid Aircraft Airlander A Cruise Ship for the Sky Cyborg News Channel 2014-03-03 | World's longest hybrid aircraft, Airlander, was unveiled in Britain's biggest aircraft hangar in Cardington, central England on 28 February 2014. The helium-filled hybrid aircraft, could be used for surveillance and carrying aid to disaster-hit zones. It has been developed by Hybrid Air Vehicles, (HAV), a Cranfield-based company in Britain. The aircraft gets 60 percent of its lift from helium and is able to fly for days without refueling. It can land on water or land.
Robotic 3d printer produces objects into thin air Cyborg News Channel 2014-03-02 | A robotic arm has been combined with welding equipment to print 3d metal objects.The MX3D Metal printer can print objects on any surface without the need for any structural support. The system combines a robotic arm typically found in various industrial facilities, and a welding machine which is used to melt and then deposit metal as it moves along a predetermined path. The lines are drawn in such a way as to cancel the effects of gravity and eliminate the need for structural support for the object being printed. The software used by the system was developed in collaboration with Auto Desk, the creators of AutoCAD and other widely-used computer aided design and manufacturing applications. A previous version of the robotic printer was used to print 3d objects using resin material. The printer can be used by artists to build fascinating sculptures. The MX3D was developed by Laarman Studios in the Netherlands. The MX3D metal printer will be on display at the Friedman Benda gallery in New York from May 1st, to June 7th of this year.
Paralyzed For Over 20 Years, Woman Walks Again Using Robotic Exoskeleton Suit Cyborg News Channel 2014-03-02 | 3D Systems (DDD), a company based in Rock Hill South Carolina, has developed the first ever 3d-printed exoskeleton robotic suit to help paralyzed people walk.The exoskeleton robotic suit was recently worn by Amanda Boxtel, a woman who has been paralyzed from the waist down since 1992 when she was injured in a skiing accident in Aspen Colorado. Her doctor had told Amanda that she would never again be able to walk. But at a recent event held at the Singularity University in Budapest Hungary, Amanda was able to stand and also walk. The exoskeleton allowed Amanda to walk around the podium and around the city. The designers used 3d scanning to digitize the contours of Amanda's thighs, shins, and spine. Using the dimensions, the team used 3d printing to produce a personalized exoskeleton robotic suit for Amanda. EksoBionics, a company based in Richmond California, manufactured and provided the complex mechanical controls and actuators used with the 3d printed components that make up the suit.Exoskeleton suits for paralyzed patients are difficult to make because besides making it possible for the patient to move, the suit will need to support the weight of the patient while avoiding undue pressure on various body parts. 3-d scanning and printing methods used by 3D Systems makes it possible to build the suit to fit the patient with precision. This is extremely important for paralyzed patients who cannot feel their limbs rubbing up against a suit, and causing bruising and infections.The exoskeleton suit took three months to complete, and the companies are working on building more custom-fit suits for other paralyzed patients.
Nuclear Radiation from Fukushima Disaster Reaches West Coast Cyborg News Channel 2014-02-27 | It is being reported that radiation from the Fukushima Power Plant has reached the west coast of the Pacific.At the annual Ocean Sciences meeting of the American Geophysical Union in Honolulu, researchers have said that waters off the Canadian coast have shown traces of Cesium-134. The isotope has been detected off the shore of Vancouver, British Columbia. Cesium-134 has a half-life of two years, and it can only be found in the North Pacific as a result of the reactor meltdown at Fukushima nuclear power plant. It is the detection of this isotope that indicates the arrival of the Fukushima radiation.US beaches have also been tested for signs of the Fukushima radiation, but official test results have shown that the radiation has yet to reach the US coast. On March 11 of 2011, nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant underwent a meltdown, releasing harmful radiation into the atmosphere, and into the ocean waters. An earthquake unleashed a massive tsunami, which caused a catastrophic failure of the cooling systems at the nuclear power plants, leading to a full reactor meltdown, the worst possible disaster for a nuclear power plant.Among the isotopes released during the meltdown were cesium-134, Cesium-137, and Iodine-131. Cesium-137 has a half-life of 30 years, and it is already found in the environment as a result of nuclear weapons tests conducted in past decades. Researchers are monitoring a large plume of radioactive water which has been making its way across the pacific ocean since the meltdown. The radioactive plume is expected to reach the US coast sometime in April.The radiation is mostly concentrated within 300 ft. below the ocean's surface water. Due to unpredictable ocean currents and other factors, it is not possible to predict with precision how high the levels of radiation will reach. However, researchers agree that the levels are expected to be far lower than the safety limits established by the United States.
Meet the Worlds Fastest Car: Hennessey Venom GT Reaches 270 mph, Beating the Bugatti Veyron Record Cyborg News Channel 2014-02-26 | The fastest car in the world is now the Hennessey Venom GT.Earlier this month, the Hennessey Venom GT was driven at 270.49 miles per hour. The car is manufactured by Hennessey Performance Engineering, which is based in Texas. The speed test was conducted on the 3.2-mile Space Shuttle runway at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.The Venom GT has a twin turbo-charged 7.0-liter, V-8 engine, which produces up to 1,244 horse power at 6,500 rpm. Besides claiming the world's speed record of 270.49 miles per hour, the Hennessey Venom GT has also been able to accelerate from zero to 200 miles per hour in 14.51 seconds, setting another world record for acceleration. A representative from Racelogic, world-renowned maker of GPS data-acquisition systems, was on hand to independently verify and document the Venom GT's speed record.The world record for fastest car, was previously held by Bugatti Veyron Super Sport at 269 miles per hour.The Venom GT, uses a highly modified Lotus Exige chassis. The manufacturer, Hennessey Performance Engineering, claims the modified chassis utilizes components from the Lotus Exige. Hennessey Performance and the Venom GT are not associated with Lotus Cars. For road use, the car is registered as a Lotus Elise ExigeIn order for the Hennessey Venom GT to be classified as a production model, at least 30 of this model would need to be built. The company has stated that it intends to only build 29 Venom GT's. Because the car is not a series production car, and the test run was in a single direction, the speed record will not be certified by the Guinness Book of World-Records. The car's record breaking acceleration, has been certified by the Guinness Book of World Records on January 10, 2013.
Sniping Made Easy: US Army Testing New Precision Guided Shooting System Cyborg News Channel 2014-02-19 | The US Army has begun testing a new firing system developed by Tracking Point, a Texas based applied technologies company. The technology, which consists of computerized scopes powered by Linnux, can calculate numerous environmental variables once the target is tagged. When aiming down range, the shooter first will tag the target using a laser range finder. Once tagged, a red dot will appear on the target. The shooter can press the trigger while aiming, but the weapon will not fire until the red dot is aligned properly with the crosshairs. At this point, the round will be released and it will find its target at distances of up to 1,200 yards.Besides allowing non-expert marksmen to hit targets accurately at great distances, the other advantage of this system is that it does not allow the shooter to waste a round by accidentally pulling the trigger or by miscalculating the distance and other variables.The precision-guided shooting system was inspired by technology used by larger weapons systems such as aircraft. It allows for hitting targets in complex situations such as when the target is hiding among civilians. The scope also acts as a camera that can capture and transmit the view of the scope to someone else. This can be effective in cases where permission to shoot a target has to come from another person. The person issuing the command would have a clear view of what the shooter is looking at. The video can even be recorded for later analysis.The US Army is said to have purchased several of the firing systems which are now priced at between $10,000 and $27,000 each. The components purchased by the army, consist of the scopes and trigger network, which will be mounted on existing sniper rifles.
Nasa Solves Mystery of Martian Doughnut Rock Cyborg News Channel 2014-02-17 | New photographs taken by the Opportunity Mars Rover have solved the mystery of the doughnut rock which seemed to have appeared from nowhere.
Battle of the Robot Music Bands: Z Machines vs Compressorhead Cyborg News Channel 2014-02-15 | In 2013, the Japanese robot band Z-Machines and the German Compressorhead robot band began performing in front of live audiences. This video shows clips of Compressorhead and Z-Machines playing music.
Roboter bauen wie Termiten Cyborg News Channel 2014-02-14 | Roboter können wie Termiten mit einfachen Mitteln komplexe Gebilde bauen. Sie seien durch diese Insekten bei ihren Forschungen inspiriert worden, berichten Justin Werfel und Kollegen von der Harvard-Universität in Cambridge (US-Staat Massachusetts).
Termite-like Small Robots Developed to Build Structures Cyborg News Channel 2014-02-14 | Autonomous robots have been developed at Harvard University and designed to build structures in the way termites build their massive soil mounds.
Nanomites from GI Joe Become a Reality Cyborg News Channel 2014-02-14 | Researchers at Pennsylvania State University have inserted nanomotors inside living human cells, and manipulated them using ultrasound pulses. Advanced versions of these nanomotors could be used in the medical field for targeted therapy and other tasks. The video of the nanomotors inside the cell was taken under 1000x magnification. This is a truly remarkable achievement by PSU researchers.
Diseñan prótesis de brazo controlada a partir de la señal eléctrica del cerebro Cyborg News Channel 2014-02-12 | Científicos adscritos al Departamento de Ingeniería Eléctrica del Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (Cinvestav) desarrollan una prótesis de miembro superior que identifique los patrones de movimiento a partir de la señal eléctrica del cerebro.
High Speed Chase Ends in Crash in North Carolina Cyborg News Channel 2014-02-10 | A high speed police chase ended when the suspect crashed his vehicle at an intersection. He is quickly captured after attempting to run from police.
e-volo Volocopter - The Personal Electric Aircraft Cyborg News Channel 2014-02-10 | This electrically-powered flying machine, called the Volocopter, uses multiple rotors that operate independently. In normal helicopters, when the single rotor goes, the aircraft will crash, but this aircraft would continue to fly and land safely if one of the electric motors stopped working. The Volocopter is simple to fly. The Volocopter was developed in Germany and it is expected to go into production in the near future.
Target Hacking Update Cyborg News Channel 2014-02-09 | Fazio Mechanical of Sharpsburg Pennsylvania identified as the entry point for Target Hackers who stole nearly 40 million credit cards. Hackers first gained access to Target's HVAC contractor's credentials and used them to hack Target.
Bionic Hand Allows Amputee to Feel Cyborg News Channel 2014-02-09 | Past research has lead to the development of prosthetic hands that can be controlled, but now, a new prosthetic hand is able to transmit signals to the brain to help amputees feel the shape and size of objects and also to be able to tell how strongly they're gripping the object.
Taranis Stealth Drone Flight Test Cyborg News Channel 2014-02-08 | A new stealth drone has been successfully tested by the UK Ministry of Defense.
New Space Cameras to Provide Near Live Footage of Earth Cyborg News Channel 2014-02-07 | New high resolution space cameras have been installed on the space station and they will provide public access to near live footage of planet earth. The imagery resolution will be much higher than anything currently available to the general public. The 1 meter/pixel camera can be pointed to specific locations to record footage of th earth at 4k resolution. The cameras were mounted onto the space station which orbits the earth once every 90 minutes, and will be recording footage constantly. You can observe a battlefield or a natural disaster as it happens. UrtheCast, a Canadian company, will be providing access over the web starting this year. Access is expected to be free. Paying customers will have the option of pointing the camera to the location of their choice.
Fingerprint ID App Now Available for Android Devices Cyborg News Channel 2014-02-04 | A new app has been developed which allows Android users to access their devices using their fingerprints. The new app is called IceUnlock and is available for free from Google Play Store.
New Laser Weapon Developed Cyborg News Channel 2014-02-04 | Lockheed Martin has demonstrated a 30-kilowatt electric fiber laser, the highest power ever documented while retaining beam quality and electrical efficiency.
Government to Mandate Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communication Systems Cyborg News Channel 2014-02-04 | New cars to be required to have vehicle-to-vehicle communication systems to help prevent accidents. The new systems will alert drivers of potential accident situations before they happen.
FAA Has Grounded Beer Drones Cyborg News Channel 2014-02-04 | The FAA has ordered a Minnesota brewery to halt the use of beer drones to deliver beer to the folks who are ice fishing.
Risk of Fire in Toyota Seat Heaters (2-2-14) Cyborg News Channel 2014-02-03 | Toyota has halted the sale of certain vehicles, including popular Corolla models due to seats made with materials that don't meet flame resistance ratings. Many models with seat heaters are affected by this problem.
Apple faces lawsuit over use of touchscreen technology (2-2-14) Cyborg News Channel 2014-02-02 | Cyborg News Channel Update: Hilltop Technology is suing Apple, Inc. claiming that apple products infringe on its touchscreen patents.
Teenager Burned in iPhone Fire (1-31-14) Cyborg News Channel 2014-02-02 | Cyborg news report: A teenage girl suffers serious burns when her iPhone catches fire in her back pocket.
Google Glass Available with Prescriptions (2-1-14) Cyborg News Channel 2014-02-02 | Some private insurance may cover some costs for Google Glass when used with prescription glasses.
1-31-14 Cyborg News Update: Yahoo Hack Attempt Cyborg News Channel 2014-02-01 | This just in. Yahoo reports that email accounts have been targeted by hackers.Cyborg News Channel: 24/7 Technology and Entertainment News
