Not only do we need to worry about pollution on Earth, but also in space. A team of six scientists in China are working on a very science-fiction-sounding solution: zapping that space trash with lasers. Could a space-based laser really help clean up the tens of thousands of pieces of junk orbiting our planet? From magnetic tugs to long tethers, the ideas of how to deal with our space mess have […]
Space Lasers To Remove Trash?
Making Deep Learning Accessible
Building Your Own AI System Google is one of the biggest tech companies paving the way for artificial intelligenceand machine learning, and a recent announcement from the company stands to bolster that reputation. This week, Google announced the launch of a new service that will enable both businesses and individuals to begin building their own AI systems. Officially called Google Cloud AutoML, the […]
Video Assistant Referee The Way Forward
Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology has been calling difficult decisions in U.S. sports for years, but now the global game of soccer is finally set to fully integrate the system with its first use at a World Cup. The International Football Association Board (IFAB) on Monday, January 22 gave the technology the nod for Russia 2018 following extensive testing over the last […]
Ensuring Sufficient Oxygen For The Brain During Emergencies
Decrease in perfusion, which happens during heart attacks and other critical conditions, can cause irreversible damage to the brain. Cooling the brain as soon as possible has been shown to reduce such damage, but doing so is often hindered by the cooling equipment itself. A new product is slated to soon come out that was designed to allow clinicians to […]
The New Robot Assistant
The CLOi line of robots from LG could soon be assisting humans at hotels, airports and shopping malls. Developed to coincide with the 2018 Winter Olympics, the LG CLOi robots each boast a barrel-shaped body and a circular interface display. The new line, with an eye towards high-end markets, includes the Serving Robot, which can deliver food autonomously 24 hours […]
The Future Smartphone
DOUBLE-SIDED SMARTPHONE When it comes to smartphone screen design, Samsung seems to be bending possibilities more than other mobile phone manufacturers. Or at least, they beat the others to it. The South Korean tech giant was the first to launch a phone with a screen that curves at the sides. The company also filed a patent in 2017 for bendable screens to […]
Houses To Float When Flooding Occurs
Architects, designers, and other climate change researchers are always exploring new ways to deal with coastal flooding, from retrofitting entire cities to be flood proof to changing domestic building plans to account for weather events like hurricanes. On both large and small scales, people are adjusting their way of living, especially with the unprecedented number of storms and foods in the last year. […]
A New Kind Of Satellite
CARBONITE-2 (which the Earth-i team calls VividX2) blasted off from the Indian Space Research Organization‘s Satash Dhawan Space Center aboard the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle late last week. Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL) manufactured the technology demonstration satellite. In their statement on the launch they said it “will demonstrate a low-cost video-from-orbit solution using Commercial-Off-The-Shelf technologies.” An Ultra High Definition camera on CARBONITE-2 can snap high-resolution images […]
Drone Delivery
Since there are still technical and legislative challenges to overcome regarding the widespread use of aerial delivery drones, ground-based models may actually end up beating them to entering frequent service. One of the latest to hit our radar is the two-wheeled self-balancing YAPE, from Italy’s e-novia. Similar in form and function to Piaggio Fast Forward’s Gita, YAPE uses GPS, video cameras and range-finding […]
Heatless Batteries
Scientists at MIT have created a new unconventional material that is highly effective at storing and releasing heat energy — and it could be used as a battery. Called AzoPMA, the new plastic-like polymer is capable of holding 100 times as much thermal energy as water. If further developed, a thermal battery which stores and releases heat could revolutionize solar energy, much […]