Important Innovations

Harvard's Robot Climber with Sticky Feet Source:  Wyss Institute's Microrobot HAMR-E HAMR-E on Duty for Jet Engine Safety Inspections It's a tiny but mighty micro-robot named HAMR-E (Harvard Ambulatory Micro-Robot Electroadhesion).  It's been developed by researchers at Harvard's Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering. They've created a micro-robot with incredible climbing ability.  It has electroadhesive foot pads, origami ankle joints and an optimized gait to explore spaces in 3-D, vertically and upside down. Gecko Inspired Rolls Royce challenged the Wyss Institute to develop an army of micro-robots to inspect their Rolls Royce engines for commercial aircraft.  Commercial jet engines have 25,000 parts, many of which aren't accessible until you pull fully dismantle the engine.  That is very expensive and time-consuming.  Enter HAMR-E from Harvard. Future for this Innovation The potential is that an army of HAMR-E micro-robots c

New Electric Bandage that Dramatically Accelerates Healing Source:  American Chemical Society Chinese & US Scientists Team Up and Deliver This is medical care innovation on the cutting edge.  Scientists and engineers from China's University of Electronic Science and Technology and the University of Wisconsin have developed a wearable, self-powered electric bandage that significantly cuts injury healing time.  Essentially down from 12 days to 3 days. Non-healing Wounds This is an important development. Non-healing wounds are a big global health problem.  They range from diabetic foot ulcers to non-healing surgical incisions.  Non-healing wounds put people at risk for infection, scarring and chronic pain.  For a news blog with details go to my journalist colleague Ed Kane's blog at Important Innovations Collection: eBandage Accelerates Healing : Innovation from a Global Team of Scientists   Source:  American Chemical Society New Electric Bandage Heals It&#

Robotic Hand with Rhythm Source:  University of Cambridge Piano:  Very Challenging & Complex Test for Robotic Passive Movement Systems Engineers at the University of Cambridge in the UK have developed a robotic hand that can play the piano by just moving its wrist.  This is a passive movement robotic system.  The fingers don't move independently.  Because of the complexity of playing the piano, the roboticists believe it was the ideal test for their new innovation system. PianoHand The hand is 3D printed.  It replicates all the bones and joints in a human hand.  It doesn't include replications of the tendons and muscles.  Because the fingers don't move independently of the wrist (passive movement), the robot is able to achieve different styles of piano playing without changing the material or mechanical properties of the hand.  That's important new robotics. More Natural Moving Robots Experts believe this passive movement concept may lead to the design

Big Step toward General Artificial Intelligence for Computers Photo Source:  MIT Important Invention by UCLA Engineer s UCLA scientists have significantly advanced what's called computer vision.  They have developed an AI computer system that can discover and identify real world objects in the same way that humans do. General AI Experts are hailing this as a step toward what's called General AI.  General AI enables computers to learn and make decisions on their own.  For a news blog on this fascinating innovation, check out my journalist colleague Ed Kane at  Important Innovations Collection: AI System Mimics Human Reasoning : Computers with Ability to Visualize and Identify Objects Source:  MIT Next Generation of Artificial  Intelligence Engineers at the ...

Important Innovations Collection: China's New Communications Sat Launch for Global B... : China Launches Space Based Communications Network China Satellite Launch Race to Space,  Broadband Space China's Hongyun  satell...

China's Space Based Communications Network Source:  China's  Satellite Launch  China Goes Broadband in Space It's called the Hongyun project.  It's space based, broadband communications innovation from China.  And, it's a first for them.  China's broadband delivering satellite is designed to provide broadband connectivity to users globally, especially in underserved regions. Bottom-line:  Global Competition on Breakthrough New Communications Innovation This is a concept of running a low-cost, high performance satellite network to provide space-based communications and internet services.  There are many innovation companies going for this opportunity including Google, SpaceX and Telesat. Space X CEO Elon Musk wants to put 12,000 satellites into orbit by 2020 to provide broadband and internet services globally.  It's his Starlink project. China's Launch China is a big competitor in this tech innovation race.  The Chinese Aerospace Science

The Plimp - Combo Plane, Blimp, Helicopter Source:  Egan Aircraft's Plimp May Be New Innovation Way to Fly New aviation innovation just arrived in the form of The Plimp.  It's a combo plane, blimp and helicopter technology that is fascinating and may be game-changing travel for people and goods.  My journalist colleague Ed Kane has just posted a news story on this  https://importantinnovationscollection.blogspot.com/2018/12/aviation-innovation-plimp.html  

Important Innovations Collection: Aviation Innovation - The Plimp : Engineers Combined Plane, Blimp, Helicopter Aircraft Source:  Egan Aircraft 5 Prototype Plimps Plimp Hybrid Airship This is a brand...

Nuclear Powered Robots for the Moon Europa Source:  NASA photo of Europa Proposed to Explore One of Jupiter's Moons for Signs of Life A group of scientists who advise and solve problems for NASA have come up with a unique proposal.  They want to deploy a tunnelbot that would use nuclear power to melt a path through one of Jupiter's frozen moons.  The moon is called Europa and it's the 4th largest of Jupiter's 53 moons.  It's considered a great place in the solar system to host life. Powered by Nuclear Reactor or NASA's Radioactive Heat Bricks The scientists unveiled their proposal to the American Geophysical Union.  They said the tunnelbot could use an advanced nuclear reactor or some of NASA's radioactive heat bricks to generate heat and power.  The robot would carry a payload to search for evidence of life, extant or extinct.  The researchers believe Europa's ice hides open oceans and that life may exist there.  The robot would go down to

Great Environmental Science from the University of Washington Source:  Stock image of  Devil's Ivy Common Household Plant with Rabbit DNA to the Rescue on Indoor Air Pollution This is breakthrough scientific research from the University of Washington.  Cleaning up indoor household air pollution by common house plants - Devil's Ivy, embedded with a rabbit gene.  It works and their results are dramatic.  For a great news read on this, go to Important Innovations Collection: House Plant with Rabbit DNA Cuts Air Pollution : Common Devil's Ivy Household Plant, with a Dash of Rabbit DNA, Cleans Indoor Air Source:  Stock Image of Devil's Ivy Cuts Be...

Methane Hydrate in Ocean Floor Source:   US Dept. of Energy - Methane Hydrate Fuel  Ice Energy Innovation from Flammable Ice Japan has extracted an untapped fuel from the ocean floor.  It's methane hydrate.  It's called flammable ice.  Methane trapped in ice is buried in the waters around Japan.  In some cases, what looks like dirty ice leaks to the surface.  If you strike a match to it, it ignites.  It exists in many places including Alaska. Fiery Ice Big global research organizations, Japanese and global companies are racing to tap into this huge source of new energy - methane seabed ice for fuel.   They hope to start extracting it as a new energy source by the end of the next decade of 2020.  US and Japanese researchers are just starting new research on this. Big Challenge The challenge is to extract it from the seabed.  The methane incased in ice is so sensitive and delicate, it can't be dug and hauled up.  It breaks apart.  That's the challenge for in

Robot Gourmet Chefs Source:  Creator Robo Chef Robots are gaining importance across global industries.  An example is the restaurant business, where 2 robots, each the size of a car, are capable of churning out gourmet burgers every 30 seconds at a restaurant in San Francisco.  My journalist colleague Ed Kane has written a fascinating news blog on this latest robotic innovation.  I've provided the link Important Innovations Collection: Burger Robot : My Chef, The Robot Source:  Creator's Robo Chef Robo-Chef Makes Gourmet Burger Every 30 Seconds At Creator Restaurant in San Franc...

Musk's Test Tunnel to Move Cars Underground Source:  Boring Company's Loop Lift tunnel Plans for LA, Chicago, NYC and DC Elon Musk's Boring Company just opened his Loop Lift tunnel in Hawthorne, California.  It's 1.14 miles long.  This is his innovative loop lift system designed to bypass what he calls "soul destroying" traffic jams.  Cars are elevated down to the tunnel.  They're put on the tracks and glide along.  This is a prototype test tunnel on the grounds of his Boring Company.  Musk foresees loop lift, underground tunnel systems throughout the US. 150 MPH Speeds Musk says the vehicles can travel at speeds up to 150 miles per hour.  The system is designed to let people get off at various stops.  They and their cars are elevated back up to the ground.  Musk wants to dig a tunnel in Los Angeles to Dodgers Stadium; in Chicago to O'Hare Airport and from New York City to Washington, DC.  He says he'd like to charge $1 for shared ride