The American Solar Energy Association is forecasting an increase of jobs in the alternative energy and energy efficiency markets in the US. They expect to see an estimated 500,000 new jobs created in calendar year 2009 by the addition of solar manufacturing capacity in the US, increased activity in contracting and installing solar electric systems […]
Willow Garage’s Door Opening Robot Asks for Help
It was just 3 months ago that the NY Times featured Willow Garage’s door-opening and power socket-finding robot. Now that very same robot is asking for help to identify objects along its way an important step in enabling robotic autonomy. In a similar but separate development the EU-funded JAST project brings together a team to…
DARPA and DEKA’s Revolutionary Robotic Prosthetics in the News
60 Minutes featured DARPA and DEKA’s Revolutionary Prosthetics robotic arm and announced that they are in clinical trials.
Boston Dynamic’s military robot hops over walls
New Precision Urban Hopper can jump over a 25′ fence. Watch the video.
The Crisis of Leadership
I would like to take a slight detour from the generally technical and economic posts. The underlying issue to many of the challenges that we face in energy and technology has to do with how we make decisions as individuals, companies and as a culture. I submit that the current “energy crisis” is largely self […]
Eliminate 40% Costs when Applying Drive Architectures
The technology to network drives into a single, holistic plant or production line configuration has been available for several years, but adoption has not been universal, a fact that still surprises Greg Richards, an automation consultant with Siemens Energy and Automation. “I’ve gone out to plants and people don’t want to do it and I […]
Mechatronics + NASA = New Lunar Rover
Every year, for two weeks in the Arizona desert at Black Point Lava Flow, NASA’s Desert Research and Technology Studies group (Desert RATS) conducts technology development tests in anticipation of lunar exploration. Teams of engineers and geologists from several NASA laboratories as well as a variety of private and academic partners participated in this year’s […]
Canadian Robotic Stocks are Transitioning
Allen Vanguard, a penny stock that produces defense and security devices included remotely controlled robotic devices, is refinancing and going private. Victhom Human Bionics, another penny stock, completed it’s 10 for 1 stock consolidation and partnership/financing with Otto Bock Healthcare GmbH.
Batteries of the Future
Battery technology has been getting a lot of focus in the last couple of years. After all, you can’t have a decent electric car (or hybrid for that matter) without having the right kind of battery. And, just one more time, battery technology is what prevented the marketing of the electric car after the oil […]
The Future of R&D in America
BusinessWeek magazine’s Cover Story “The Radical Future of R&D” hits the nail on the head about the future of technology in America: we’ve failed for the last decade and without immediate public-private initiatives we’re on target to be the technology provider for off-shore manufacturers. Their story “How Science Can Create Millions of New Jobs” describes…
Military, Security, Productivity, Science and Fun
The Boston Globe once again presents a gallery of robots making news.
Mold Develops into Biological Robot
Researchers have received a Leverhulme Trust grant to develop the amorphous non-silicon biological robot, plasmobot, using plasmodium, the vegetative stage of the slime mould Physarum polycephalum, a commonly occurring mould which lives in forests, gardens and most damp places in the UK. The Leverhulme Trust funded research project aims to design the first every fully […]
The Future of Cars
More musings on everyone’s favorite subject. Cars. Cars are the second largest investment you will make. And since we use them every day, and they are somewhat integral to our lifestyle, they are on our minds. On a fundamental level, you have to be concerned when the combined auto makers have a production rate of […]
Robotic Technology Transforms the Operating Room
Locally, robotic technology is transforming the OR, with the help of the da Vinci Surgical System. This new surgical technology brings patients less pain, blood loss, scarring and recovery time. At Stamford Hospital, the public can see and touch the da Vinci at an upcoming seminar led by two robotic surgeons. “Advanced Robotic Techniques – […]
Microstepping Step Motor Driver from Lin Engineering
Santa Clara, CA— Lin Engineering announces the release of their new R525 microstepping step motor driver. The R525 is designed to help reduce overall design time and system cost for a wide array of step motor applications needing high torque, power, and smooth motion. The R525 measures just over 3.3” in length and 1.3” in […]
Good News for Service Robotics
iRobot gets single largest order from the military (486 PackBots). Husqvarna has reached 100,000 in sales of its Automower robotic lawn mowers.