Important Innovations

  Shape Shifting Robotic Hoop to Help Improve Your Game                                                  Source:  MIT CSAIL Smart Basketball Hoop MIT researchers have invented a robotic basketball hoop that changes size and raises and lowers the hoop to help people improve their game.  The robotic basketball training machine was invented by researchers at MIT's world famous CSAIL - the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab.  The shape-shifting hoop is designed to help people improve various aspects of their game as they shoot balls. Highly Advanced Robotic Technology The hoop works autonomously and in conjunction with the player's improving basketball shots.  It has a special pieze sensor on the backboard and a switch sensor on the rim to detect when the ball goes into the hoop.  An algorithm shrinks the hoop and raises it as the player improves their shots.  The hoop makes the shooting more difficult as the player consistently gets better at shooting the ball. Comme

  Starship Performs Well, Then Explodes on Landing                                                                                Source:  SpaceX CEO Elon Musk Learns and Moves Forward SpaceX's Starship launch vehicle is the centerpiece of CEO Elon Musk's dreams to take humanity on affordable trips to the Moon and Mars.  On December 9, 2020, the Starship prototype launched for a test flight.  The vehicle performed well and reached an altitude of  41,000 feet - it's highest as of that date.  And it performed record setting, acrobatic flips in the air before landing.  The test flight went perfectly until the landing, when the test vehicle blew up in a fiery explosion.  No one was hurt.  Entrepreneur/inventor/CEO Elon Musk had a uniquely scientific take on the episode.  He learned from the fiery landing, made conclusions based on data the test provided and found ample reasons to move forward.  His reactions provide insights into the way one of America's most successful inn

  Revamped & Upgraded Mirai                                                                      Source:  Toyota Mirai Zero Emissions Driving Toyota has introduced a revamped version of the Mirai hydrogen fuel cell car with 30% greater range.  The move is designed to jumpstart the use of hydrogen powered vehicles particularly in Japan.  It is also aimed at capitalizing on the rising demand for electric vehicles. Hydrogen Driving Demand To date, drivers in Japan have not embraced fuel cell vehicles (FCVs).  Consumers are concerned about a number of issues, including the resale value of the cars, the availability of hydrogen fueling stations and the risk of explosion.  But Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced a goal to make Japan carbon neutral with zero carbon emissions by 2050.  Toyota believes hydrogen is a critical factor in achieving that goal. Departure Point Toyota says the new Mirai is a "departure point" for broad use of hydrogen fuel, even beyond cars.

  Golf Course with Drones Delivering Beverages and Snacks  Source: Golf Digest, TMX, Michael Jordan, The Grove Tech-Savvy, Sophisticated, Elite Golfing Michael Jordan is considered by many as one of, if not the greatest, basketball player of all time.  Now, the former NBA superstar, businessman, billionaire and entrepreneur has opened one of the world's most tech savvy, exclusive and elite golf courses in South Florida.  It's called The Grove XXIII, representing the #23 he wore when he played for the Chicago Bulls.  What differentiates the course is the technology.  Jordan is deploying flying drones to deliver, on order, snacks and drinks including cold beer, to golfers as they play their rounds.   Snack & Drink Serving Flying Drones  The course is located in Hobe Sound, Florida and opened in 2019.  It is state of the art with very sleek holes, a 15,000 foot clubhouse and snack serving, flying drones.  The drones are remotely controlled by  pilots who gently lower the food

  CEO Elon Musk's Starship to Mars Source:  SpaceX Flight Test to 40,000 Feet Starship is Space X CEO Elon Musk's space vehicle designed to carry humans to the Moon and Mars.  The prototype has been tested twice before in so-called "hop" tests to 500 feet.  This week, Musk has been cleared by the FAA to test the vehicle at 40,000 feet, an altitude higher than most planes climb.   Musk Downplaying the Critical Test Interestingly, Musk is downplaying the critical test of the vehicle's aerodynamic design and flight capabilities.  He's calling it a learning experience. On the SpaceX website, Musk said "With a test like this, success is not measured by reaching specific objectives but by how much we can learn."  He predicts a 30% chance of its reaching 40,000 feet. Starship is SpaceX's Centerpiece to Travel to Mars & the Moon Starship is Musk's next generation, reusable launch vehicle.  It is the centerpiece of Musk's plans to make space t

  Successful Japanese Mission in Space                                                  Source:  JAXA Japanese Spacecraft Retrieves Asteroid Dust The Japanese space agency JAXA has announced that its spacecraft Hayabusa2 has successfully retrieved asteroid dust from the asteroid Ryugu in space.  The scientific hope is that the asteroid dust will contain clues to the origin of the Earth and the solar system.  Japanese scientists also hope to learn "how water was brought to Earth".  The asteroid dust dates back 4.6 billion years. Arduous Mission The asteroid mission was a long and arduous one.  It underscores the innovative leadership role that Asian nations are taking in space.  Last week, a Chinese robotic spacecraft collected samples of the Moon's surface.  That is the first time since 1972 that lunar soil has been retrieved from space.  Now, the Japanese have captured asteroid dust in space.  The Japanese probe landed twice on the asteroid Ryugu, used explosives to crea

  Goldman Sachs Forecasts Tesla Sales Could Double GMs                                  Source:  Tesla CEO Elon Musk 15 Million Car Sales a Year by 2040 Goldman Sachs is forecasting that Tesla will sell 15 million cars per year by 2040.  That would be double the size of GM sales.  Last year, Tesla sold 368,000 cars.   Not only did Goldman increase the sales forecast.  It upped its forecast for Tesla financials and its share price target for Tesla to $780/per share.  That would be the highest share price on Wall Street and Tesla is already the most valuable automaker. Innovation Pays Goldman says if Tesla maintains its 15 to high 20s% market share range in the electric vehicle market, it could be selling 15 million cars a year by 2040.  Goldman is forecasting that Tesla will maintain its leadership in the EV market because of two key reasons: Tesla offers a full ecosystem of products to consumers including solar roofing systems for homes that also provide energy to charge your car, fast