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