Important Innovations Collection

LIDAR Standard Equipment in Electric XC90 SUV in 2022                             Source:  Volvo & Luminar Technologies                    Volvo's Long Standing Commitment to Life Saving Technologies Sweden based Volvo, now owned by China's Geeley, has a long history of being the first with life saving automotive technologies.  It was the first automaker to make side impact airbags standard equipment.  It was also the first to make 3 point seatbelts standard.  Now, it is the first to make LIDAR sensors standard, no extra cost equipment, starting with its next generation electric XC90 SUV in 2022.  This is a major commitment by Volvo to automated and autonomous driving.  LIDAR uses laser light pulses to provide precise images of the environment surrounding the car to avoid obstacles, pedestrians, other vehicles and p...

New Robotic Service Economy - The Czech Republic's Robotic MegaClubs Source:  Karlovy Lazne Music Club Two Robotic Bartender Megaclubs in Czech Republic It's called the Karlovy Lazne Music Club in the heart of Prague, Czech Republic.  Two years after introducing their first robotic DJ, the megaclub now has a robotic bartender to mix up cocktails for the clubbers. Robotic Drinks The cocktail menu is impressive.  16 different mixed drinks can be ordered by touchscreen terminals.  Everything is programmed so the drinks should be exactly to order.  The bartender is two robotic arms strategically situated below a mass of liquor bottles.  The robot can churn out 80 drinks an hour. Robot Saloon Elsewhere in Prague, there is The Cyberdog.  The big star there is the robotic bartender who mixes up drinks ordered through a phone app.  Not only does the robotic arm mix drinks.  It opens bottles of wine and pours four glasses...