How do you code something as abstract as moral logic into a bunch of transistors?
Are robots capable of moral or ethical reasoning, knowing right from wrong? Not yet. But the U.S. government is spending millions on developing machines that understand moral consequence.
Continue reading… “U.S. military wants to teach robots how to make moral and ethical decisions”
An offshore wind turbine near Rostock. Germany.
Germany’s impressive streak of renewable energy milestones continues, with renewable energy generation surging to a record portion — nearly 75 percent — of the country’s overall electricity demand by midday last Sunday. With wind and solar in particular filling such a huge portion of the country’s power demand, electricity prices actually dipped into the negative for much of the afternoon, according to Renewables International.
Continue reading… “Germany generates 74% of power needs from renewable energy”
Futurist Thomas Frey: Some of us get bitten by the genealogical bug early in life, others a bit later. But there are few of us who haven’t been haunted by the question – where did I come from?
Continue reading… “Launching the Whole Earth Genealogy Project”
Color-changing fabric
We haven’t quite figured out how to make a real invisibility cloak yet, we are coming up with better ways to camouflage ourselves. And what better way to do that than taking a cue from nature? Wouldn’t it be cool if we could change the color of our clothes like the chameleon changes the color of its skin? Textile designer Judit Eszter Karpati may have found a way to do that, thanks to the use of an experimental fabric she created that changes color on the fly. (Video)
Continue reading… “Chromosonic color-changing fabric could turn you into a chameleon”
Google’s self-driving car
Within about six years, Google’s self-driving car technology may appear in Toyotas, Fords, and other widely available vehicles. It all depends on how the latest rounds of talks between Google and the automakers play out.
Boeing CST-100 space capsule
When private space is an established industry in the not-so-distant future, different carriers will provide distinctive customer experiences for space tourists—just as Jet Blue and Delta airlines provide different inflight amenities. At least that’s what Boeing is banking on with its recently unveiled interior designs for the CST-100 space capsule.
Continue reading… “Boeing’s futuristic CST-100 space capsule tourists won’t hate”
Bebop drone
Camera drones and their accompanying photographic capabilities are consistently getting upgrades in hopes of pushing aerial photography and videography to, quite literally, new heights. The newest company seeking to introduce us to these heights is Parrot, who just yesterday announced their AR Drone 3.0, affectionately called Bebop.
The Lumafit brings interactive fitness to your smartphone. Lumalift can precisely identify and rate cardio workouts by tracking motion at the head. Lumalift has apps for both fitness and relaxation. (Video)
Kickstarter startup SCiO has developed a tiny spectrometer that reveals the molecular make-up of materials, both organic and not that is sure to be a standard in all CSI kits in the future. (Video)
Continue reading… “SCiO: A pocket-sized molecular scanner tells you what things are made of”
OMsignal smartwear
Apple is set to mark it’s debut into health and fitness tracking with the iWatch, but one company is taking the concept of wearables a step further with the OMsignal shirt. (Video)
Continue reading… “OMsignal shirt can tell your iPhone how fit you are”
Firefly
Remember warm summer evenings as a child, seeing flashes of light flutter around you, illuminating the night sky and capturing your attention and imagination? Recapture those magical moments with the Firefly social illuminated band. Firefly allows you to start conversations and keeps the social atmosphere interesting. (Video)
A dual-carbon battery from a brand new startup out of Japan.
A young Japanese startup called Power Japan Plus, or PJP, has a new type of battery under development that lasts longer, is safer, charges faster and is less expensive than a standard lithium ion battery. The year-old company uses carbon for both the anode and the cathode portion of the battery and hopes to start producing it later this year.
Continue reading… “Japanese startup unveils a long-lasting and safer dual-carbon battery”
By delving into the futuring techniques of Futurist Thomas Frey, you’ll embark on an enlightening journey.
Learn More about this exciting program.