Important Innovations

New Tech from MIT Enables Self-Driving Cars to See Around Corners Early Warning System to Prevent Accidents MIT engineers and computer scientists have invented an advanced early warning system to make autonomous cars safer and prevent collisions.  The device is called ShadowCam and can read tiny changes in shadows on the ground to detect an oncoming car or pedestrian that isn't yet visible. This is an advanced early warning system that's been successfully tested on autonomous vehicles in enclosed parking garages.  It's capable of alerting an autonomous vehicle to slowdown or stop for oncoming vehicles and walking pedestrians in blind-spots.  For a great news blog on this, go to Important Innovations Collection: Making Autonomous Cars Safer : ShadowCam - New MIT Technology Source:  MIT Cars That See Around Corners MIT engineers and computer scientists have invented a new d...

"Important Innovation Collection" - Audiobook Series on Innovation Source:  Important Innovations Collection by Edward Kane/Maryanne Kane New Free Codes from ACX  National TV journalists Ed Kane and co-author/narrator Maryanne Kane have just received new free codes from ACX for listeners to enjoy for free our audiobooks on new innovations in travel modes, robotics and renewable energy.  Just email either Ed at ejkane2@gmail.com or me at mdkane26@gmail.com to get a great resource audiobook on the latest in global innovations. Important Innovations Collection: ACX Free Codes - My Audiobooks : Important Innovation Collection Audiobooks By Journalists Ed Kane, Maryanne Kane Robotics, Energy and Travel - Three New Audiobooks on t...

Takes off Like a Rocket Monday But Hits a Little Choppy Air Tuesday Source:  NYSE Listed on the NYSE Virgin Galactic is the first space tourism company to land on Wall Street.  It's listed on the NYSE as SPCE.  It began trading on Monday and right out of the launch pad it soared up 5% at its debut.  It has a market cap of $1 billion. This underscores the interest of investors and the public in space tourism.   On Tuesday, the stock hit a little choppy air and as of 3PM Eastern Time is trading in the day range of $12.51 - $10.50.  Founder Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Galactic CEO George Whiteside were on hand to ring the First Trade Bell on Monday to commemorate the occasion.  Sir Richard commented:  "Now anyone can invest in the future of space". Space Tourism Plans Virgin Galactic has intergalactic plans. It first wants to offer space flights to six passengers at a time for $250,000 each for trips to the weightless outskirts of space.  Trips begin in the sum

US Air Force's X-37B Spaceplane - Clouded in Mysteries & Missions Successfully Lands After Record Orbit The US Air Force announced that its top secret, experimental spaceplane - the X-37B - just successfully landed at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in FL after a record flight. The spaceplane has been more than two years - 780 days - in orbital flight.  This is its longest test mission for a group of military technologies.  The X-37B is an experimental, test spaceship.  It was built by Boeing, is operated by the US Air Force and was launched into its latest mission aboard a SpaceX rocket. Clandestine Missions This is the spaceplane's 5th mission.  What the missions have entailed are for the most part a mystery.  They are top secret missions.  But we do know the purpose is to demonstrate new technologies, such as propulsion systems, avionics and spacecraft reentry systems for what the Air Force hopes will be a "reliable, reusable, unmanned space test pl

New System to Fight Climate Change Source:  MIT image of the system New Carbon Capture Technology from MIT Engineers This new technology is from MIT engineers to clean the air of CO2 and fight climate change.  Their invention removes CO2 from air streams at almost any concentration levels from the open air to emissions from power plants.  MIT says it works like a large battery and it requires low energy and low money to operate when compared to other approaches. Like a Battery Like a very large battery, the MIT system absorbs CO2 from a gas stream that passes over its electrodes as it charges up.  While going through the process, the device alternates between charging and discharging.  During the charging cycle, fresh air blows through the system.  During discharging, concentrated carbon dioxide blows through.  As the process is done, pure carbon dioxide is discharged.  The MIT engineers say their carbon capture tech shows the power of electrochemical approaches

Mitsubishi MI-TECH Concept Source:  Mitsubishi Off-Road Vehicle That's Electric The Tokyo Auto Show is now underway and there's a very interesting new off-road vehicle we just came upon.  It's Mitsubishi's MI-TECH concept vehicle that's an off-roader to explore the environment that is eco-friendly. The vehicle has no doors, is primarily electric powered and looks like a great way to explore the great outdoors without significantly polluting it in comparison with other off-road vehicles.  What I love about this concept is exploring the environment without causing significant pollution while doing it.   Electric Off-Road Vehicle The vehicle concept is powered by a plug in electric powertrain with a four motor electric, all wheel drive system.  There's a gas turbine engine that can run on alcohol, kerosene or diesel to recharge the batteries.  It's a new concept vehicle worth taking a look at for a greener start to explore the enviro

Toyota's Level 2 Self-Driving Lexus for 2020 Source:  Lexus Automated Highway Teammate The roads are about to become more crowded with autonomous cars.  Hyundai is starting autonomous ride sharing in California next month to test market demand.  And Toyota will debut an autonomous Lexus in 2020.  The vehicle will be equipped with what Toyota is calling its Level 2 Automated Highway Teammate - its new autonomous driving technology. Level 2 Lexus is going to start going autonomous at Level 2.  That means no-hands cruise control, under certain conditions, with the driver behind the wheel and their eyes on the road.  The new Teammate system goes beyond standard Level 2 functions like keeping the car within the lane and working the accelerator and breaks while following the leader car.  The Toyota system can handle lane changes and merging.  It can also learn and receive updates to increase its functionality on a continuing basis.

Children's Fiction Audiobook Version Headed to Retail ACX, Audible, iTunes The audiobook version for kids of Ed's fiction "How Dare You" is being readied for retail on ACX, Audible, iTunes and Amazon within the next few days.  This is an adventure story for children with important life lessons. The leading character is Cordy, a spunky 10 year old who finds herself at a new school, in a new place and has no friends.  There's a notable exception: her dog Bash.  The narrator is me, national TV anchor and show host Maryanne Kane. Running Adventure Through a Magical Forest of Fireflies Cordy remedies her lonely situation by helping to organize her new school's girls cross country team.  And that's where the running adventure takes off into a magical forest of fireflies, talking animals and a lot more. Bio-Inspired For Ed, nothing is more inspirational than nature, like a forest that lights-up with the magic of fireflies.  And the importan

Northwestern's HARP: Full Size Structures in Two Hours Source:  Northwestern University Future of Manufacturing On-Demand A team at Northwestern University have invented a 3D printer that provides rapid, on-demand manufacturing of large objects in a few hours.  It can be used to make parts for planes, cars, medical devices and more.  The HARP (high area rapid printing) device prints 100 times faster than other 3D printers.  It can create an object the size of a human in 2 hours. Record Breaking Throughput Northwestern University says this type of rapid manufacturing on-demand is the future of manufacturing that could put an end to molds and warehouses. The new printer will be commercially available within a year and a half.  It prints both hard, durable parts and elastic objects.  The throughput is record breaking and enables it to manufacture parts on demand. Non-sticky Liquid & Ultraviolet Light The printer itself is large:  13 feet tall with a 2.5 sq. foot prin

Gulfstream G700 Source:  Gulfstream Next G of Business Jets Gulfstream Aerospace, a unit of General Dynamics, has unveiled its long anticipated G700 business jet at the world's largest corporate jet airshow in Las Vegas this week.  Gulfstream says the G700 is a long range, enhanced speed and performance aircraft that is meant to set a new standard in long range business jets. According to Gulfstream President Mark Burns, it's an all new, advanced technology aircraft that "redefines safety, comfort and range at speed". Delivered to Buyers in 2022 The G700 is priced at $75 million, powered by Rolls-Royce engines and has the tallest, longest and widest cabin in the business jet industry.  It seats 19 passengers. This plane is built for distance, speed and comfort.  It can fly 7500 nautical miles at Mach 0.85.  It has five living areas, a 6-place dining or conference room, an extra large, ultra-galley with passenger lounge or crew compartments and a master suit

Protecting Connected Vehicles from Hackers Source:  Upstream Israel's Upstream Security Secures Millions in Funding Israel's Upstream Security has secured $30 million in funding to develop software to protect connected and autonomous vehicles from cyberattacks by hackers.  The funding is coming from automakers like Renault, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Hyundai and Volvo Truck, Nationwide Mutual Insurance and venture capital firms. Upstream takes a cloud based automotive cybersecurity approach using data analytics and machine learning algorithms.  The company was established in 2017 and has received a total of $41 million in funding. New Software Market with Exponential Growth The market demand for software to protect against automotive cyberattacks is expected to reach $2.3 billion by 2025. The exponential growth is being driven by the fact that the more connectivity included in vehicles, the more vulnerable they are to hackers.  Cyber carjacking has been an issue since 2015

New Automotive Frontier that's Looking for New Partners Source:  BMW Blog - Car2Go Car2Go Driving FAS Two global luxury brands are leading the way on new, automotive mobility for drivers.  BMW and Daimler have just announced FAS. It's a 50-50 collaboration of Daimler's Car2Go car sharing business with BMW's DriveNow, ParkNow and e-ChargeNow.  This is a burgeoning space for the automotive industry, a menu of new car sharing, parking and electric car recharging services. These mobility services could prove to be the ultimate and most important on the ground driving services for consumers before the era of flying vehicles takes-off by the mid 2020's. FAS Forward FAS is designed to give customers a wide choice across brands for the new menu of services.  Daimler and BMW are looking for collaborators as well as financial investments in the new venture.  The personal mobility space is just starting to accelerate.  These ventures are more traditional, drive on th

Adhesive With Stickiness of Gecko Legs Source:  North Carolina State University New Liquid Manufacturing Process This is a new and very novel approach to manufacturing.  A new adhesive has been created by harvesting liquid driven chaos.  It's the invention of scientists at North Caroline State University.  It's said to pave the way for a new generation of soft  nanomaterials including for gels, food, pastes, nonwovens and coatings. Stickiness of Gecko Legs The adhesive created by the process can adhere to virtually any surface.  The team employed liquid manufacturing which involves dissolving a polymer and rapidly mixing it with another liquid.  The chaotic turbulence results in branched particles.  The thinnest particles create a corona of nanofibers that result in adhesive.  The material, according to the team, has the stickiness of Gecko legs. New, Scalable, Inexpensive Manufacturing This new invention is a unique manufacturing process that works with many poly

New Portable, Air Quality Monitor from Singapore Source:  NTU Singapore Real-Time Detection of Toxic Gases & Chemicals in the Air Researchers at Nanyang Technological University - NTU Singapore - have invented a sensor that can identify a wide range of airborne gases and chemicals instantly.  This includes gas leaks and pollution toxins both indoors and outside.  The prototype device is portable and made for rapid deployment by agencies to identify airborne hazards immediately. Seconds Fast Results Current technology can require up to a few days to identify specific toxins in the air.  This new sensor is made for emergency situations that require quick and ongoing analysis.  The device is composed of a chip made from a porous nanomaterial that traps gas particles.  A laser beamed on the chip interacts with the gas molecules to produce a lower energy light.  That light is analyzed by a camera to see if its spectroscopic signature matches known toxic gases.  It provides a

One of Nature's Most Beautiful, Unsolved Mysteries Source:  Great Smoky Mountains National Park.org Natural Wonder Light Shows They are called Synchronous fireflies.  Thousands of them blink their lights in unison for ten seconds, go dark for a minute and then light up the forest again.  These fireflies are extremely rare and are found in only a few places around the world, including the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee where they put on a magnificent light show from mid May to mid June every year. The Synchronous fireflies are a natural mystery that still baffle scientists.  For a great news blog with more details, go to Important Innovations Collection: Synchronous Fireflies Rare & Mysterious : A Light Show That Baffles Scientists Source:  Great Smoky Mountains National Park.org Inspiration from Nature It's one of the m...

Amphibious Pelican Drone from The Netherlands Source:  TU Delft, Pelican Drone in Action This Week Water Testing in Minutes The Pelican amphibious drone is able to deliver water tests in minutes.  This new technology is gamechanging because current water quality testing is time and labor intensive, requires on site visits by humans and then the water samples have to be transported to a lab. The traditional process is expensive and many times the water samples no longer accurately reflect current water conditions, which dynamically change. The Pelican drone provides water quality testing results in real-time. Autonomous and Real Time Water Monitoring A team at Delft University of Technology in The Netherlands has invented the Pelican drone that flies over the water surface and scans it for problem areas with its onboard hyperspectral cameras.  If there's a potential problem, the drone swoops down and takes a water sample.  The sample is transferred to a porta

Gita: Designed to Carry Your Groceries, Gear, Equipment - All in Motion on Foot with You Source:  Piaggio Fast Forward Gita Your Personal Butler Jeeves on the Street with You This is very cool robotic innovation, a new "Follow Me" robot named Gita, invented by Piaggio Fast Forward, a Boston startup, backed by the company that licensed Vespa.  This personal cargo robot can carry up to 45 pounds of groceries, luggage or equipment and directly follow the owner in a type of  Jeeves-like butler fashion right on the street.  It's a wheeled based bot that is designed to move like humans move.  It follows the owner with visual sensors at speeds up to 6 mph.  The company calls this tech "sustainable, mobility ecology" that lets humans walk more and drive less. Cargo Following You Hands Free The inventors say Gita is designed to enable humans to do less driving and do more walking by hauling their groceries and other items with a robotic cargo system.  Gita can

Important Innovations Collection: Free ACX Codes for My Latest Audiobooks : Important Innovations Collection:  Robotics Important Innovations Collection:  Energy I have a number of free ACX promo codes for the...

New Innovation from Technical University of Munich Source:  Technical University of Munich Touch Sensitive Artificial Skin Makes for Safer, Accident Avoiding Robots This is new innovation from the Technical University of Munich.  Their H-1 autonomous, humanoid robot is covered with touch sensitive, synthetic artificial skin.  The skin is composed of 13,000 separate sensors.  The sensors enable the robot to feel the touch of humans.  New algorithms made it possible to apply artificial skin to a human sized robot. Safer Working Robots This is an important development because of concerns about humans getting hurt working side by side with robots.  Biologically-inspired artificial skin improves the robot's sensory ability, making it possible for the robot to sense its own body and surroundings. Senses Like the Human Brain The robot's artificial skin is able to measure temperature, pressure, proximity and acceleration.  The sensors are an event-based sys

Triple 3D Printing Record: Largest Object, Largest Boat, Largest Printer Source:  University of Maine University of Maine's Patrol Boat Dirigo This news story is an indication of the future of boat and other manufacturing.  A team at the University of Maine just used the world's largest 3D printer (their own) to print the world's largest 3D printed boat, which also happens to be the world's largest 3D printed object.  It's a triple winner of the Guinness Book of World Records for the University of Maine. Impressive Numbers It took the team and the UM's 3D printer just 72 hours to 3D print the 25 foot, 5000 pound patrol boat.  It's named Dirigo, which is Maine's moto in Latin for "I Lead".  They used plastic polymer pellets and printed it in one piece.  The cost is about $40,000 and it is seaworthy. Big Future Applications Dirigo was designed by UM's Advanced Structures and Composite Center as a demonstration of wha

Porsche & Boeing's Strategic Partnership to Develop Flying Cars Source:  Porsche AG 2020 Prototype:  Electric VTOL The decision by Boeing and Porsche to form a strategic partnership to jointly develop flying cars underscores the growing importance of the "personal mobility" market.  Flying cars/vehicles are expected to start creating crowded skies from 2025 and onward.  The Boeing Porsche team says they will present their developed prototype of an electric, vertical takeoff and landing vehicle in 2020.  For a great news blog on this by fellow journalist Ed Kane, go to Important Innovations Collection: Boeing & Porsche Flyng Car : New Partnership for 2020 Prototype Source:  Porsche AG Electric VTOL Vehicle US airplane manufacture Boeing and VW's luxury spor...

New Light Therapy "Highly Effective" for Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Source:  MGH Much More Effective Than Current Treatments Carbon monoxide (CO) is a toxic, colorless, odorless gas produced by cars, trucks, fires and explosions.  Every year in the US, more than 50,000 people with CO poisoning are admitted to emergency rooms.  Now researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital have invented a new light therapy that removes CO from the victim's blood.  It's proven to be much more effective than current oxygen therapy treatments. Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Carbon monoxide poisoning is frequently deadly.  It occurs when inhaled CO, for instance from a running car in a contained space, displaces oxygen from the blood's hemoglobin.  That compromises the body's ability to deliver oxygen. Light Therapy It's known that visible light can break the molecular bond between CO and hemoglobin.  Knowing that, the MGH team have combined phototherapy with an art

New Cottonseed Just Approved by FDA Regulators Source:  Texas A&M Cotton Plants Protein Packed & Hoped to Alleviate Global Malnutrition This is a remarkable, new, genetically altered cotton plant developed by scientists at Texas A&M University.  US regulators at the Food and Drug Administration have just approved the genetically modified cottonseed from the plant for human consumption and also for any type of animal consumption.  The new plant is being called a protein packed new food source.  It's said to taste like chickpeas. Helping to Feed the World Developers say it could help address global malnutrition.  The Texas A&M research team is talking with companies and expects to have the new plant commercialized and available within 5 years.  They are also working on regulatory approvals in other countries like Mexico. New Cotton Plant The key to the scientists' success is what's called RNA interference technology.  That silenced and eliminated

"How Dare You" by Journalist Edward Kane A Spirited Running Adventure with Important Life Lessons for Girls.   This story is an enchanting work of fiction by my journalist colleague Ed Kane.  It contains the adventures of Cordy.   She’s a spunky, 10 year old girl who finds herself facing a new school in a new place, where she doesn’t know anyone and doesn’t have any friends.   With one notable exception – her dog Bash. Running Team To remedy her lonely situation, Cordy helps start her new school’s girls’ cross country team.   And, she embarks on an enchanting adventure where she happens upon a magical forest with a Firefly Highway and talking animals including an opossum, squirrel, owl and birds.   Life Lessons During her running adventures, Cordy learns the value of friendship, teamwork, always doing your best and finding the goodness in others.  It's a unique work of fiction that makes you feel better after reading it whether you are a young girl or a

Audiobooks on the Latest Global Innovations Written & Narrated by US Network TV Journalists Informative & Entertaining Listening I'd like to share some free audio samples of our three audiobooks on innovation on ACX, Audible and iTunes - "Important Innovations Collection" by Edward Kane  These audiobooks provide our news summaries on the latest innovations in robotics, energy and travel, like flying car technology, commercial kite energy and breakthrough robotics that serve your medical needs. Ed and I are US national television journalists and we've wrote and narrated these news summaries.  Here are links for a listen on Renewable Energy  https://www.amazon.com/Important-Innovations-Collection-Energy/dp/B07XTQK5M4/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= For Robotics  https://www.amazon.com/Important-Innovations-Collection-Innovation-Impressive/dp/B07XTQW4JJ/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= For Travel  https://www.a

Toyota Mirai Driving on Hydrogen Power Toyota is making a bet that the preferred fuel of the future is hydrogen.  They just unveiled their 2021 Toyota Mirai concept design.  The 4-door sedan is powered by hydrogen and has enough room inside to accommodate five people. Taking Its Own Road Toyota is going a different direction than its major global competitors which are placing their bets on electric battery powered big vehicles like SUVs and trucks.  Toyota will start selling the hydrogen powered vehicles in late 2020.  It adds that it will ramp up production ten fold for what it believes will be a very popular mass market, four door sedan. Not Putting All Its Eggs in One Technology Basket For Toyota, electric vehicles are also in its mix, although it does have some concerns about the electric vehicle market.  Namely, Toyota worries about the uncertainty of consumer demand and the technical challenges of extending battery range and cutting recharging time.  Nonetheless, Toyot

Nobel Prize for Chemistry - Lithium Ion Batteries Source:  Nobel Prize 3 Discoverers of Innovation, Creating a Rechargeable World The innovation discovery process spans two decades, the 1970's and 1980's and two worlds:  the US and Japan.  The end result of the cumulative achievements in developing the lithium-ion battery is a breathtaking Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 2 US scientists and a Japanese scientist.  What they have invented, the lithium-ion battery, has been termed by the Nobel Prize Committee as an invention that "recharges the world".  Their discovery enables our global communications over laptops and cellphones and the possibilities of renewable energy by catching and storing vast amounts of wind and solar power on their battery systems.  The inventors' battery even enables us to drive electric cars.  Congratulations to the visionary discoverers!  For more news on this, go to Important Innovations Collection: Innovation Rewarded : Nobel Prize i

Apple's Next Generation Health Tracking Smart Clothing Source:  Apple New Patented Health Sensors Apple has a new patented health sensor idea for very Smart Clothing.  It's a new elastic sensor band that can be sown into clothing fabric and provide real-time reads on our health.  Apple calls it the Next G on health monitoring and an addition to the Apple Watch to provide more accurate ECG results. Important Innovations Collection: Apple's New Patent: Health Sensors : Next G Health Tracking Smart Clothing Source:  Apple Apple's Health Sensor Band Apple has a new, patented idea.  Health track...

Trump Administration Promising More Biofuels Source:  US Department of Agriculture Ethanol Use Mandated To Rise President Donald Trump has never claimed to be a Green "What's good for the environment is good for the nation and the world" President.  In fact, he dismisses the very existence of Climate Change. But the Administration just made a slight move into a greener direction.  They've unveiled a plan to boost US biofuel consumption, specifically corn based, ethanol fuel, starting in 2020.  The purpose is to help struggling farmers in the Corn belt, which is a big voting constituency for Mr. Trump.  The plan is getting applause from the agricultural industry and big boos from big oil, another Republican voting base. EPA The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is revamping ethanol rules. The plan is in partnership with the US Department of Agriculture.  The plan requires an increase in the amount of ethanol that oil refineries must add to the