Important Innovations Collection

  MIT Zero Emissions Water Taxis to Be Deployed in Amsterdam Source:  MIT C-SAIL Innovative Water Shuttles for Amsterdam Canals From the world famous MIT C-SAIL a team of engineers and roboticists have created the Roboat, a robotic boat that uses the same autonomous, electric self-driving technology for cars but adapted for the water. Their adaptation is extremely innovative and it is soon to be launched as a water taxi service for Amsterdam commuters, pending governmental approvals. Small autonomous electric boat shuttles, spun off from a larger scale version of this innovative technology, are about to cruise on Amsterdam's famous canals to transport people and goods.  This will be the world's first fleet of autonomous water vessels to service a city.  It is a collaboration between MIT and the Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions that is paving the way for new travel solutions - water transit solutions in congested cities.  MIT Innovation Thi...

Global Automaker to Build Autonomous, Green City in Japan Source:  Toyota's Woven City New Test Ground for Latest Technology This is another breakthrough global innovation development for investors to explore. Toyota is building what it calls "Woven City".  It's a futuristic city powered by the latest technologies to be built at the base of Mt. Fuji in Japan.  Ground is going to be broken in 2021.  Toyota has selected renowned Danish architect Bjarke Ingels, who designed 2 World Trade Center and the new Google headquarters, to design the new city. Toyota Cityscapes Woven City will serve as a test ground for Toyota's emerging tech lab, the Toyota Research Institute to help shape the future of cities.  The city will be powered by solar panels and hydrogen fuel cells.  Driving will be autonomous.  Homes will be equipped with robots.  Underground robots will provide package delivery services. Self-driving electric vehicles will...

Four Second AI Diagnosis of Heart Disease Source:  AI stock image Faster and As Good As Doctors Scientists at the University College London have invented an AI program that can read a cardiac MRI scan in fractions of the time it takes doctors and the artificial intelligence system has equal accuracy.  The AI program reaches a diagnosis in just four seconds.  The doctors take an average of thirteen minutes to analyze the patient's heart function.  The results are equally accurate. When Seconds Mean Saving a Life Fractions of seconds and a few minutes of time for cardiac patients can be life saving.  This new AI program is significant and it's being deployed in robotic machines at the University College London in a series of trials.  This may be a great example of artificial intelligence and robotics greatly aiding medical specialists in more quickly analyzing and treating dangerous cardiac emergencies and saving lives. UK Analysis In the UK al...

700 Days into a Secret Mission Source:  US Air Force X-37B Military Space Plane The US Air Force's X-37B space plane has been orbiting the Earth for the past 700 days.  No one, except top military and Trump Administration officials, knows exactly what the mission and the payload are.  We do know that the vehicle is robotic, solar-powered and reusable.  It launched on its fifth mission on September 7, 2017 and has been orbiting the Earth ever since. Mystery Missions What the X-37B is doing is the subject of speculation.  The mission is called Orbital Test Vehicle 5.  The Air Force will only say that the X-37B tests technologies for future reusable spacecraft and also has scientific experiments on board.  For the most part the payloads are classified.  But the Air Force did disclose that there is an experiment to see how oscillating heat pipes and certain electronics perform in space. Boeing Built The Air Force has two X-37Bs, built by...

IKEA and Ori Developing Robotic Furniture Source:  IKEA Rognan Making the Most of Small Living Spaces The world's biggest furniture brand, Sweden's IKEA is teaming up with a US startup Ori that began at MIT, to launch shape changing, multifunctional robotic furniture.  They've just unveiled one of the top new innovations of the year - a moving, robotic room divider that makes the most of small living spaces, creating a living room, sleeping area, walk-in closet and more. Ikea Rognan This is the next generation of furniture where robotics, technology and design come together to address small living spaces.  The Ikea Rognan is an L shaped storage unit that moves with motors and a switch.  The functionality is impressive innovation.  Rognan serves as a movable room divider.  On one side there's a full bed that can be pulled out and secured back into the unit.  On the other side, there's a sofa to create a living room.  And on both sides o...

Physicists Train Autonomous Gliders to Soar Like Eagles Source:  Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Photo Montage New Navigational Strategies for UAV's Physicists at the University of California San Diego are using reinforcement learning, a type of machine learning,  to train gliders to autonomously fly like birds.  Some birds like eagles and hawks soar rapidly to great heights with ease.  The gliders are being trained to do the same.  The scientists expect this approach of reinforcement learning - learning from performance and results - will lead to new artificial intelligence for UAV navigation. Riding the Wind Upward currents of warm air assist the birds' rapid, high ascents.  The scientists use reinforcement learning to train the gliders to autonomously ride "atmospheric thermals" or currents of warm air to soar as high as 2,300 feet.  The results provide a new navigational strategy for the development of UAV's, or unmanned aerial veh...