Impact Lab – Page 265 – A Laboratory of the Future Human Experience

Robots

Switzerland Moves Ahead With Underground Robot Cargo Delivery

September 15, 2022

“Cargo sous terrain follows a similar principle to that of an automatic conveyor system.”

Photo shows underground autonomous cargo delivery in Switzerland in undated photo. The CST project commenced after the Swiss parliament passed the necessary legal framework on August 1, 2022. (Cargo sous terrain AG/Zenger)

Switzerland has moved further with the first part of an underground autonomous cargo delivery line worth between $30 and $35 billion which will open in 2031.

Cargo Sous Terrain – CST – Switzerland’s planned underground logistics system – started its first tunnel after half a decade of studies on Monday, August 1.

The system involves underground cargo tubes full of automated delivery carts carrying goods that travel back and forth between cities and across Switzerland at 18.6 miles per hour.

The Swiss parliament passed the necessary legal framework and thus greenlighted the project in December 2021.

3D Printer

This startup 3D prints tiny homes from recyclable plastics

September 15, 2022

And their method is faster, cheaper, and more sustainable.

By Nergis Firtina

Recently, many projects have been carried out using recyclable materials for sustainability. One of these projects was implemented by the Los Angeles-based architectural startup Azure.

Azure is using recycled plastic to 3D print prefab homes. The startup is now selling many house models ranging from a backyard studio to a two-bedroom ADU.

“The construction sector is the largest global consumer of raw materials, responsible for approximately 11 percent of the world’s total carbon emissions. Our responsibility to our customers and future generations is to use the most sustainable practices imaginable,” said Ross Maguire, the CEO of Azure, in April.

Azure also unveiled what it called the world’s first 3D printed “backyard studio” made with recycled plastic materials in the same month.

Housing

Why the rental housing market is so deeply broken

September 15, 2022

By Felix Salmon

Why it matters: The U.S. is in desperate need of more high-quality rental housing. Homeownership works for many — and doesn’t work at all for many others, who might not be ready to settle down or might not have the financial means.

The big picture: Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen has invested $350 million, his largest check ever, into Adam Neumann’s new company, Flow.

Andreessen’s blog post lays out his investment thesis, that renting a home is “a soulless experience.”
The details of how Flow will work are still vague, but they’re likely to include amenitization — bells and whistles for apartment renters — as well as some kind of financial upside.

What they’re saying: “Someone who is bought in to where he lives cares more about where he lives,” writes Andreessen. “Without this, apartments don’t generate any bond between person and place and without community, no bond between person to person.”

In New York, I’ve lived in both owned and rented apartments, and the community in my rental building was just as vibrant and tight-knit as anywhere I’ve owned.
Neighborhoods characterized by very low home-ownership rates — think Harlem, in New York, or Hialeah, in Miami — often boast deep and lasting communities stretching across generations and decades.

Crazy Stuff

Micro Jet Boat Is a Tiny Yet Exciting Contraption, Goes on Wild Joy Ride

September 14, 2022

I’ve just recently started discovering water sports, and some of them are downright addictive. Kayaking seems to be a great way to unwind and work out at the same time, but riding a jet ski is ten times as exhilarating. Of course, there are plenty of other options out there if you’re keen to cool down on the water.

by Dragos Chitulescu

You’ve probably seen at least one project developed by GrindHardPlumbing Cobefore. Over a year ago, we showed you one of their most ridiculous contraptions: a supercharged Barbie Jeep.

And their work proves that you don’t need tons of cash to have fun. You just have to come up with a cool idea and get to work. You can be creative on your own, or you can even draw inspiration from these guys.

Some of their most insane projects over the years include a 2JZ-powered Lawn Mower, several Power Wheels cars with crazy engine swaps, and a rotary drift trike.

But one of their most recent endeavors seems to have attracted a lot of attention from people across the world. Several months ago, the guys posted a video revealing a rather small package from Jetstream Adventure boats.

Alternative Transportation

Air Taxis Are About To Change The Future Of Travel

September 14, 2022

BY DAVE MCQUILLING
Have you ever been stuck in bad traffic and daydreaming about how easy life would be if your car could just fly over the half-mile of honking metal in front of you? Well, those dreams could soon come true, sort of. The solution could be air taxis, which are basically exactly what they sound like: flying vehicles that are capable of taking a small number of passengers on short-range trips. Although it may seem like one of those futuristic ideas that are perpetually five years away, air taxis are already here, and some major companies have bought into the idea.

One of the most recent air taxi acquisitions was by United Airlines. The airline has already put down a $10 million deposit as part of a staggering $1 billion partnership with air taxi manufacturer Archer Aviation. The down payment will go toward the initial 100 air taxis United has ordered. Production on those aircraft is expected to begin in 2023, and the $1 billion deal could see United acquire 200 air taxis in total. In a statement, Archer Aviation CEO celebrated what he called the industry’s “first real cash commitment,” according to Popular Science.

United isn’t the only airline interested in air taxis and the possibilities they might bring. American Airlines and Boeing are also investing heavily in the concept. According to The Wall Street Journal, Boeing is throwing $450 million into a joint venture with Google co-founder Larry Page. If the Boeing/Page effort bears fruit, you could be whizzing around a city in a self-flying air taxi within the next few years. American Airlines has chosen to back Vertical Aerospace, a similar company to Archer Aviation, to the tune of $25 million.

Blockchain

Decentralized Insurance Built on the Blockchain is a Game Changer

September 14, 2022

Decentralized insurance built on a transparent, blazingly fast, and efficient blockchain with the community in mind is something to think about, says Adam Hofmann, the CEO of Nimble.

Let’s face it – crypto, Web3, blockchain, whatever you want to call it – is growing fast. As a result, there are concerns and skepticism around the volatility and safety of digital assets, including investor funds. Would you put your hard-earned money into anything without some sense of safety and security?

If we are going to be honest with each other, and we certainly should be, it is absolutely logical that companies are skeptical to put big money into a decentralized system.

In both the fast-evolving DeFi space and the “Normalverse,” there is always the risk of hacks or exploits. Enter: decentralized insurance.

“There have been innumerable cases of smart-contracts hacking, cyber-attacks on exchange platforms etc. that have caused huge loss of investor funds,” Blockchain Simplified states on Medium. “Even the magnanimous DAO could not prevent a malware attack on its platform that resulted in loss of billions. Decentralized Insurance has plenty of use-cases that can help prevent such consequences from occurring.”

3D Printer

Montana becomes first state to OK 3D-printed house walls as replacements for concrete masonry units

September 13, 2022

An Apis Cor 3D printer for building houses and other structures. Apis Cor

Montana has become the first state to approve 3D-printed walls as an equivalent replacement for walls made from concrete masonry units (CMUs) or standard cored concrete blocks.

The approval was granted to Tim Stark, a contractor based in Billings, Mont., after filing documents, specifications, and testing reports developed by Apis Cor, a Melbourne, Fla., construction company that 3D-prints houses and buildings.

“In so many states, regulations are getting in the way of building more homes,” said Stark. “I’m proud of my home state of Montana for being so forward-thinking and leading the way with this approval of 3D printing as a modern construction method on par to CMU block construction, which opens the door instead of closing it.”

A finished home printed with an Apis Cor printer can cost up to 30% less than a traditionally built concrete block or wood-framed house.

The company has completed multiple pilot homes in the United States and in the United Arab Emirates.

Children

Where Will the World’s Next 1,000 Babies Be Born?

September 13, 2022

By Pratap Vardhan

Every four minutes, approximately 1,000 babies are born across the globe. But in which countries are these babies the most statistically likely to come from?

Using data from the CIA World Factbook, this graphic by Pratap Vardhan (Stats of India) paints a picture of the world’s demographics, showing which countries are most likely to welcome the next 1,000 babies based on population and birth rates as of 2022 estimates.

Electric Automobile

Portable hydrogen generators to charge electric cars in remote areas

September 13, 2022

General Motors is working on a radical plan to use portable hydrogen-powered generators to charge electric vehicles in remote areas.

By Trent Nikolic

US car giant General Motors is considering a radical plan to develop portable hydrogen generators to charge electric cars in remote areas.

It’s another technology option being considered as the world’s auto makers grapple with how low-emissions and zero-emissions cars could be used in remote areas.

Most electric cars on sale today have a driving range of between 200km and 400km, which is less than most petrol or diesel vehicles.

While hydrogen-powered vehicles are also in development – experimental fleets of Toyota Mirai (pictured below) and Hyundai Nexo hydrogen cars are already on Australian roads – they are reliant on limited refuelling points.

Space

Israeli space tech startup Helios partners with Eta Space to make oxygen on Moon

September 12, 2022

An illustration of an oxygen depot on the moon by Israeli startup Helios. (Helios)

By RICKY BEN-DAVID

COMPANIES WILL LEVERAGE EACH OTHER’S EXPERTISE TO DEVELOP LUNAR OXYGEN PRODUCTION AND LIQUEFACTION PLANT

Israeli space tech startup Helios announced a partnership this month with Florida’s Eta Space to create and store oxygen on the Moon in a bid to make space missions more cost-effective and offer a better solution for refueling while in orbit.

Helios was set up in 2018 in an innovation workshop held by the Israeli Space Agency during Israel’s Space Week that year. The company developed an electrochemical reactor that can extract oxygen from lunar regolith (a mixture of soil, powdery dust and broken rock on the surface of the moon), which it says will make multiple and long-term missions to the moon economically viable, as it will allow moon colonies to “live off the land” instead of having to carry all of their fuel and other resources from Earth.

Augmented Reality

3D Hologram Company Creates Life Size Fully Interactive Augmented Reality Holographic Displays With Real Time Motion Tracking

September 12, 2022

Life-sized interactive 3d holograms that you fully control using holographic technology, motion tracking, and augmented reality are changing the face of live events and corporate meetings.

Interactive, life-sized holograms are changing the face of augmented reality–and, just maybe, your next corporate event or convention. Chicagoland-based hologram company 3D Hologram Rentals is thrilled to unveil an entirely new and innovative hologram-based technology. These life size, augmented reality holograms provide users with the power to step into the shoes of and avatar, superhero, celebrity, iconic personality, corporate mascot, robot, cartoon character, custom designed holographic character, corporate CEO, and more! Imagine a corporate event, keynote speaker, live event, virtual event, brand launch, marketing activation where the user can take turns controlling a real life-size hologram, or a corporate event where CEOs can give in-person holographic presentations from anywhere in the world!

Here’s how this new holographic technology works. A hologram installation projects a life-size, three-dimensional image of your choice. Maybe it’s an image of your favorite superhero. Or maybe it’s the new product branding avatar for your company’s convention exhibit launch party. Anyone who stands in the designated control area can then turn this image into their own personal avatar. When you lift your right hand, the cartoon character or superhero raises their right hand. The technology is fully set up and installed by the experts at 3D Hologram Rentals. Some companies will want a short term installation for a show or weekend event, while others may have a long term project in mind. The full size holograms are built using real time augmented reality and a full body control system. And they bring the wow factor to any event.

Robots

China’s New Electric Quadruped Robot Could Be the Largest in the World

September 12, 2022

A screenshot of the robot, from China’s Central Television.

By Can Emir

And it looks like a big yak.

China’s state media, the Global Times, claims the country has developed the world’s largest electric-powered quadruped bionic robot. And to be honest, that thing looks just like a yak.

Bizarre appearances aside, this comes as the latest in China’s push to become a global leader in robotics by 2025. And also, of course, in military tech.

But, is it working?

Despite being very large and bulky, the robot can move forward and backward, and it can turn and even walk diagonally. It even sprints and dashes, and jumps high without losing its footing, thanks to an unconscionable 12 sets of joint modules. The mechanical yak is equipped with sensors to keep it in touch with the surrounding terrain and environment. It can also adapt to various types of terrains, including steps, trenches and cliffs, and even muddy roads, grasslands, deserts, and snowfields. And there’s more. Beyond its adaptive abilities, the robot could also be equipped with weapons.