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Scientists will use newly discovered ‘cyborg material’ to invade our brains, merge with our thoughts and turn us all into mindless zombie robots, says report

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Scientists will use newly discovered “cyborg material” to invade our brains, merge with our thoughts and turn us all into mindless zombie robots, according to a report on The Daily Star website.

The sinister “bio-synthetic material” that could end humanity as we know it was presented recently at the American Chemical Society Fall 2020 virtual expo.

Experts claim it will pave the way to integrating electronics with the body to create “cyborg” beings, reports The Star, which adds that the new breakthrough material will enable human brains to merge with artificial intelligence. [Read more…] about Scientists will use newly discovered ‘cyborg material’ to invade our brains, merge with our thoughts and turn us all into mindless zombie robots, says report

China overtakes US as world’s leading patent generator

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China has overtaken the US as the world’s leading researcher, generating 58,990 patents in 2019 compared with America’s 57,840. 

This is the first time since 1978 that the US has lost its position as the world’s leading producer of patent-winning inventions or innovations. (See animation below.)

The figures were published by the World Intellectual Property Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations. [Read more…] about China overtakes US as world’s leading patent generator

Pittsburgh looks to ‘infinity and beyond’ with $200 million NASA contract win

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Pittsburgh local authorities say they are looking to “infinity and beyond” after NASA awarded a local company, Astrobotic Technology, a $200 million contract to build and send the first-ever US rover to the Moon by 2023.

Specialising in the development of space robotics technology for lunar and planetary missions, Astrobotic was founded in 2007 by Carnegie Mellon University professor Red Whittaker and his associates.

Whittaker is considered the “father of field robotics” for his pioneering work and the company was designed with the specific goal of putting a rover on the Moon. [Read more…] about Pittsburgh looks to ‘infinity and beyond’ with $200 million NASA contract win

AOT robot ready to cut human bones after passing surgical tests

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Advanced Osteotomy Tools says its surgical robot has successfully completed all the surgeries required for the “first-in-man” clinical study of the Carlo device for laser-assisted cutting of human bone.

AOT, a Swiss medical technology company, says the tests were undertaken on June 19, 2020. The aim of the study was to demonstrate the performance and safety of the system.

CARLO, short for Cold Ablation Robot-guided Laser Osteotome, is a surgical robotic platform, which is used to cut bones through cold laser ablation – that is, without conventional surgical tools. [Read more…] about AOT robot ready to cut human bones after passing surgical tests

University students compete in SICK’s second annual TiM$10k Challenge

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For the second consecutive year, sensor manufacturer SICK invited students from universities around the country to participate in the company’s TiM$10K Challenge.

The challenge started in 2018 to support innovation and student achievement in automation and technology.

Teams were supplied with a 270° SICK LiDAR sensor (TiM) and accessories and challenged to solve a problem, create a solution, or bring a new application to any industry that utilizes the SICK LiDAR. [Read more…] about University students compete in SICK’s second annual TiM$10k Challenge

Students build robotic garbage-sorting system using B&R technology

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A group of students have built a robotic garbage-sorting system using B&R technology.

The 13 students were given three days to build a machine that uses robots to sort garbage at the international Smart Green Island Makeathon engineering competition.

Austrian automation specialist B&R supported an interdisciplinary team of students from Brno University of Technology, the Kempten University of Applied Sciences, the Technical University of Ostrava, the University of Applied Sciences in Bremerhaven and the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. [Read more…] about Students build robotic garbage-sorting system using B&R technology

ESMERA releases list of 20 new robotics projects in line to receive €75,000 each

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ESMERA, the EU-funded program to develop the European robotics sector, has released a list of 20 new “experiments” that will receive support from the organisation.

The 20 new experiments started within the ESMERA project as of May 1st, 2020. The word “ESMERA” is short for European SMEs Robotic Applications.

Within the project’s second Open Call, which ended in December 2019, 69 applications were registered, all proposing to solve either a pre-defined robotics challenge or bringing with them their own challenge provider and challenge. [Read more…] about ESMERA releases list of 20 new robotics projects in line to receive €75,000 each

Yanmar leads agricultural robotics project to develop ‘SMASH’ system

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Agriculture in the future will see increasing use of scientifically precise farming techniques, where automated “agro-bots” monitor, treat and work the land, using advanced technology designed to help maximise yields and minimise disease. 

With its extensive experience in automation and agricultural mechanisation, agritech specialist Yanmar is now showing the way in advanced field robotics research.

Time for change in our changing times?

It’s hard to think of a more important economic sector than agriculture. This is an industry that directly affects the lives of everyone the world over, despite being beset by challenges from all sides.

Changes in temperature and precipitation are influencing crop yields; farmers and agricultural workers are directly exposed to the effects of weather extremes, while millions more in food-related jobs are already feeling the impact of our changing climate. [Read more…] about Yanmar leads agricultural robotics project to develop ‘SMASH’ system

Math experts use drones to show it’s possible to ‘see’ perfectly using sound

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The discovery’s potential applications include self-driving cars, smartphones that can guide the visually impaired and drones that can help firefighters at night

As the industry for self-driving cars, robots and other unmanned vehicles quickly evolves – and engineers work to overcome the limitations of sensors that use visual, infrared or thermal information – math experts at Purdue University and the Technical University of Munich have proven there’s another, equally viable solution: using sound. 

Mireille “Mimi” Boutin, associate professor of mathematics at Purdue University, and Gregor Kemper, professor of algorithmic algebra at Technical University, found that a drone equipped with four microphones and a loudspeaker can precisely reconstruct the wall configuration of a room by listening to echoes, similar to how bats use echolocation to orient themselves.

Their work is significant because it demonstrates the feasibility of using sound for navigation in unmanned systems, leading to many potential applications such as cars, drones, underwater vehicles or even devices that people can carry, such as a smartphone.  [Read more…] about Math experts use drones to show it’s possible to ‘see’ perfectly using sound

Outrider launches with $53 million in funding to automate distribution yards

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Emerging from two years of stealth-mode operation, Outrider has announced it has raised $53 million in funding and deployed initial pilots of its Outrider System, the first-to-market solution focused on autonomous yard operations for logistics hubs.

The seed and series A funding rounds were led by NEA and 8VC, respectively.

The goal of distribution yards is to keep semi-trailers full of freight moving quickly in the space between the warehouse doors and public roads. [Read more…] about Outrider launches with $53 million in funding to automate distribution yards