Year: 2013

Impact Lab > 2013
Analysis, Robots, Science & Technology News

Are U.S. drone strikes creating more terrorists than they kill?

The use of drone strikes is a polarizing topic.

Recently, there has been a lot of talk about the new online infographic, “Out of Sight, Out of Mind,” which shows a chilling visualization of all estimated deaths in Pakistan caused by U.S. drone strikes, including children and civilians, based on estimates from the Bureau of Investigative Journalism and New America Foundation. Whether you agree with the numbers, or the politics, behind this particular project (put together by the data visualization firm Pitch Interactive), at least it’s sparking debate. And that’s got to be a good thing — there’s still so much we don’t know about this highly controversial issue.

 

 

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Great Videos, Robots, Science & Technology News

BionicOpter – a hyper-realistic dragonfly drone

BionicOpter

The BionicOpter was created by German automation company Festo. It was designed to mimic the look and flying dynamics of a dragonfly. The 1.5-foot-long ultra-light flying robot operates via remote control from a smartphone and can maneuver and hover in place just like a real dragonfly. Each of the robot’s four wings operate independently using servo motors, allowing each wing to be twisted by up to 90 degrees. (Video)

 

 

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Robots, Science & Technology News

Drones to deliver newspapers in France

A drone delivering a newspaper.

It looks like news delivery is another job being obviated by robots.  In Auvergne, France, residents get their daily news the old-fashioned way: through newspapers. But the delivery of said newspapers, apparently, will soon be executed with the help of high tech — because it’ll be done with the help of drones.

 

 

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Analysis, Business, Economy, Science & Technology News

Small business is big

Small business is an American cultural icon.  Companies with fewer than 500 employees account for almost two-thirds of net new jobs and generate 13 times more new patents per employee than large ones do. But optimism among these enterprises is at its lowest levels in almost 20 years. If the US economy had generated as many start-ups in the Great Recession’s aftermath as it did in 2007, the country would have almost 2.5 million more jobs.

 

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Robots, Science & Technology News

Swarms of small robots could be the servants of the future

A swarm of robots can carry out simple fetching and carrying tasks.

At the Sheffield Center for Robotics, jointly established by the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University, researchers have been working to program a group of 40 robots, and say the ability to control robot swarms could prove hugely beneficial in a range of contexts, from military to medical.

 

 

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Analysis, Breakthrough Thinking, Business, Education, Latest Trend, People Making a Difference, Science & Technology News

Credit Banks, Testing Centers, and Micro-Credits – Missing Elements of a Future Education System

Futurist Thomas Frey: A couple years ago I was on a weekend outing in Vail, Colorado and ended up attending a kayaking tournament taking place on the Gore Creek in the heart of town.

 

 

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Health & Fitness, Medical Breakthrough, New Inventions, Science & Technology News

Stanford engineers create biological computer

We’re going to be able to put computers inside any living cell you want,” said lead researcher Drew Endy.

A team of engineers at Stanford University have made a simple computer inside a living cell, where it could detect disease, warn of toxic threats and, where danger lurked, even self-destruct cells gone rogue.

 

 

 

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Analysis, Business, Internet, Latest News, Science & Technology News

Startups usher in retail revolution by clearing out cash registers

Business are replacing traditional cash registers with such products as Square’s Business in a Box.

The cash register has reigned as an icon of American commerce ever since the Civil War era. It’s an American ritual to pay for your purchases at the cash register. But, the average point-of-sale (POS) system is expensive, inconvenient to set up and manage and not connected to the internet. Despite all of this, these types of transactions occur a million times every day.  The last significant shift happened in the 1950’s when credit card terminals enter the scene.

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Analysis, Business, Internet, Latest Trend

Paywalls rise for online news readers

More newspapers adding paywalls to their online subscriptions.

Several newspapers have recently announced plans to erect paywalls to extract subscription revenues for their most loyal online readers. While the Washington Post, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Telegraph, and the Sun are adding paywalls other paywalls are being tweaked.  The NYT paywall is getting less porous, while Andrew Sullivan’s is being tightened up, with a new $2/month option to complement the existing $20/year price point.

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Discover the Hidden Patterns of Tomorrow with Futurist Thomas Frey
Unlock Your Potential, Ignite Your Success.

By delving into the futuring techniques of Futurist Thomas Frey, you’ll embark on an enlightening journey.

Learn More about this exciting program.