Impact Lab – Page 322 – A Laboratory of the Future Human Experience

Driverless vehicles, Science & Technology News

DARPA’s RACER Program Sends High-Speed Autonomous Vehicles Off-Road

February 5, 2022

For the next three years, robotic vehicles will be pushing the limits of all-terrain racing

DARPA DARPA has announced the first phase of a shiny new program called RACER, which stands for Robotic Autonomy in Complex Environments with Resiliency.

I’m not sure why they couldn’t have just left it at RACE, but that’s government backronyms for you. Anyway, the RACER program is all about high-speed driving in unstructured environments, which is a problem that has not been addressed by the commercial-vehicle-autonomy industry, because we have, you know, roads.

But where DARPA is going there are no roads, and the agency wants autonomous vehicles to be able to explore on their own as well as keep up with vehicles driven by humans. DARPA has announced three teams that will each get funding and vehicles: Carnegie Mellon University, NASA JPL, and the University of Washington.

And if everything goes well, we’ll be seeing some absolutely bonkers off-road autonomous racing over the next three years.The goal of the Robotic Autonomy in Complex Environments with Resiliency (RACER) program is to develop and demonstrate new autonomy technologies that enable ground combat vehicles to maneuver in unstructured, off-road terrain at speeds that are no longer limited by the autonomy software or processing time, but only by considerations of sensor limitations, vehicle mechanical limits, and safety.

Medical Breakthrough, Science & Technology News

Scientists regrow frogs’ amputated limbs in massive leap for regenerative medicine

February 5, 2022

By Ian Smith

Scientists in the US have successfully regrown the lost legs of a group of frogs in a significant advance for regenerative medicine.

The research is an important step to one day helping people who have experienced the loss of a limb and opens the door to the potential use of a similar treatment on humans in the future.

The African clawed frog used in the research does not have the ability to naturally regenerate a limb and was treated with a five-drug cocktail over 24 hours. That brief treatment set in motion an 18-month period of regrowth that restored a functional leg.

“It’s exciting to see that the drugs we selected were helping to create an almost complete limb,” said Nirosha Murugan, research affiliate at the Allen Discovery Centre at Tufts and first author of the paper outlining the experiment.

“The fact that it required only a brief exposure to the drugs to set in motion a months-long regeneration process suggests that frogs and perhaps other animals may have dormant regenerative capabilities that can be triggered into action”.

Space

Space Power to revolutionize satellite power using laser beaming

February 4, 2022

Wireless power beaming will provide auxiliary power to increase the baseline efficiency of small satellites in lower Earth orbit

The University of Surrey and Space Power are tackling the problem of powering satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) during their eclipse period when they cannot see the sun. By collaborating on a space infrastructure project, the joint team will develop new technology which uses lasers to beam solar power from satellites under solar illumination to small satellites orbiting closer to Earth during eclipse. The wireless, laser-based power beaming prototype will be the first developed outside of governmental organisations and is aiming for commercialisation by 2025.

Wireless power beaming is a critical and disruptive technology for space infrastructure and will provide auxiliary power to increase the baseline efficiency of small satellites in LEO. The technical side of the project will use the highly specialised laser laboratories and optical systems developed at the University of Surrey’s Department of Physics and Advanced Technology Institute, which are world leaders in the development and implementation of laser and photovoltaic-based technologies. The first Space Power product will be designed as a plug-and-play system for satellite manufacturers to include in their offering to their LEO constellation customers.

Without new power technologies like this, which will enable small satellites to function all the time, more satellites are needed, with the resultant costs, launch emissions and contribution to space debris. As humanity finds more ambitious and useful tasks for small satellites, the problem grows.

Metaverse

Virtual communication without sniper rifles: How the 2D metaverse is changing virtual spaces

February 4, 2022

By Jen Larsen

An accessible, easy-to-use metaverse doesn’t require VR. We already have the technology to build virtual spaces in which people coexist, collaborate, and create together, said Kumail Jaffer, co-founder and CTO of Gather.Town during the GamesBeat ‘Into the Metaverse’ Summit.

Dean Takahashi, lead writer at GamesBeat, was able to tour through the Subpace’s virtual office, led by Jaffer and William King, co-founder and CTO of Subspace, a global network platform that allows real-time applications to route traffic on the fastest paths.

There are already so many practical, real-life applications for these virtual gathering spaces, Jaffer said — everything from remote work to hosting conferences, trade shows, or even weddings.ADVERTISEMENT

“Anything that benefits from having a space for people to naturally interact, that’s what we’re trying to create here at Gather,” he explained. “That’s what we think the power of the metaverse is, creating natural spaces for people to connect in.”

The Gather meeting space is a virtual map you can navigate in your old-school JRPG style videogame avatar. Proximity chat gives you the feeling that you’re running into coworkers in the hall — when you’re close to someone, you can see and hear their audio and video feed; the video disappears and sound drops and mutes as you move away, letting you move fluidly between conversations. You can tap co-workers on the shoulder to chat over text or video, set up meetings, collaborate, and more.

It’s designed to bridge the gap between real-life interactions and virtual interactions in a way that most video meeting technology can’t, Jaffer says. For instance, on a Zoom call, you’re in a single conversation; at a party or any event or conference in the real world, you move fluidly between conversation groups.ADVERTISEMENT

“When COVID started we realized that things like this were missing, these natural interactions you get from a physical space,” he said. “That’s where we saw that we could provide some value. We could create a tool for creating these spaces, in which you could have more natural interactions.”

Space Flight

CHINA’S NEW WINGED ROCKET CAN SOAR FROM NEW YORK TO BEIJING IN 1 HOUR

February 4, 2022

Flying 2,600 miles per hour.

By Chris Young

In the future, a trip from Beijing to New York could take you via suborbital space.

That’s because Chinese aerospace firm Space Transportation is developing a “rocket with wings” designed for space tourism as well as incredibly fast passenger transport similar to that of a famous concept shown off by SpaceX in 2017.

According to a report from Space.com, the fully reusable space plane would provide rapid point-to-point travel between any two locations on Earth via suborbital flight, and a crewed test flight could take place as early as 2025.

Space Flight

New tech spurs spaceplane vision: halfway around world in 40 minutes

February 3, 2022

by Paul Brinkmann

Seattle-area company Radian Aerospace plans to build and commercialize a true spaceplane that could take off from a commercial runway, fly to space and return under its own power — a feat never achieved in aerospace history.

The company emerged from secrecy in an announcement last week that said a former Boeing official who oversaw that company’s X-33 spaceplane program, Livingston Holder, is now its chief technology officer.

The company plans a “single-stage-to-orbit” plane, meaning it would not use expendable rocket boosters or stages, which all orbital rockets have used throughout history, including the partially reusable space shuttle system. Shuttles themselves were reusable, but liftoff required the use of giant fuel tanks that fell into remote ocean locations after launch.

Virgin Galactic’s Spaceship Two is a kind of spaceplane that launches with a rocket engine from a plane, which also is a staged deployment.

Holder acknowledged in an email to UPI that flying a true spaceplane “is very difficult” but said some “technologies that we are using were not available during earlier programs.”

He said Radian plans to “take advantage of years of advancements in materials science, reduction in component size, weight and power, as well as manufacturing technologies.”

3D Printer

RESEARCHERS DEVELOP NEW OKARA 3D PRINTING METHOD; NOVAMEAT 3D PRINTS BLUE ALGAE-BASED STEAK

February 3, 2022

Insiders and analysts predict the 3D printing trends to watch in our latest series of articles focused on the future of 3D printing.

By KUBI SERTOGLU

Researchers from the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) have developed a new method of 3D printing with okara, a byproduct of soybeans created during the production of soy milk and bean curd. The approach is based on the direct ink writing process and is novel in that it requires no thickening agents whatsoever.

Elsewhere, Barcelona-based food tech startup Novameat has developed a new blue 3D printed steak. According to the firm, the vibrant product is the first meat alternative to combine all five kingdoms of classification, with a novel hybrid recipe containing animal cells, plant-based derivatives, fungi, algae, and spirulina.

“We chose the color with the purpose to create a futuristic-looking prototype,” said Guiseppe Scionti, CEO of Novameat. “We wanted to show that there are no limits. With our technology, we are able to create whole cuts and hybrid alternative meat products with a variety of ingredients.”

2022 predictions, Science & Technology News

ARK Invest’s Big Ideas 2022: The 14 transformative technologies to watch this year

February 3, 2022

ARK Invest’s Big Ideas 2022 annual research report identifies five innovation platforms that are evolving and converging and 14 transformative technologies that are approaching tipping points as costs drop.

Written by Vala Afshar

ARK Invest solely invests in disruptive innovations. ARK’s thematic investment strategies span market capitalizations, sectors, and geographies to focus on public companies that we expect to be the leaders, enablers, and beneficiaries of disruptive innovation. ARK’s strategies aim to deliver long-term growth with low correlation to traditional investment strategies.

ARK Invest defines “disruptive innovation” as the introduction of a technologically enabled new product or service that potentially changes the way the world works. ARK focuses solely on offering investment solutions to capture disruptive innovation in the public equity markets.

ARK released their annual BIG IDEAS 2022 research report centered around the belief that five innovation platforms are evolving and converging at the same time: Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Energy Storage, DNA Sequencing, and Blockchain Technology. ARK has identified 14 transformative technologies that are approaching tipping points as costs drop, unleashing demand across sectors and geographies, and spawning more innovation.

new technology

First Molecular Electronics Chip Developed – Realizes 50-Year-Old Goal

February 2, 2022

The Roswell Molecular Electronics Chip uses single molecules as universal sensor elements in a circuit to create a programmable biosensor with real-time, single-molecule sensitivity and unlimited scalability in sensor pixel density.

A platform for single-molecule measurement of binding kinetics & enzyme activity.

The first molecular electronics chip has been developed, realizing a 50-year-old goal of integrating single molecules into circuits to achieve the ultimate scaling limits of Moore’s Law. Developed by Roswell Biotechnologies and a multi-disciplinary team of leading academic scientists, the chip uses single molecules as universal sensor elements in a circuit to create a programmable biosensor with real-time, single-molecule sensitivity and unlimited scalability in sensor pixel density. This innovation, appearing this week in a peer-reviewed article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), will power advances in diverse fields that are fundamentally based on observing molecular interactions, including drug discovery, diagnostics, DNA sequencing, and proteomics.

“Biology works by single molecules talking to each other, but our existing measurement methods cannot detect this,” said co-author Jim Tour, PhD, a Rice University chemistry professor and a pioneer in the field of molecular electronics. “The sensors demonstrated in this paper for the first time let us listen in on these molecular communications, enabling a new and powerful view of biological information.”

Metaverse

President Erdoğan of Turkey Intends to Host Virtual Forum in the Metaverse

February 2, 2022

By Godfrey Benjamin

The whole excitement around the metaverse, a virtual world that is projected to be the centre of attraction for social interactions in the future, is arguably not dying down soon, as Turkey’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been declared as a fan.

Per the local media channel, the DailySabah, the President has instructed officials of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) to conduct work on new developments, including metaverse, cryptocurrencies, and social media, a move that mimics some of South Korea’s politician’s interest in crypto and the metaverse.

Per the reports, the President tasked the key people in the party to explore the listed industry offshoots and analyze their implications for the future. The president is particularly interested in the capabilities of the metaverse and he wants a forum to be organized in the virtual world where he will also be a guest.

Nations adopting innovations hinged on blockchain technology is always good for the industry, and while Turkey may not rank as one with a globally renowned economy, President Erdoğan is a respected leader around the world, and his potential endorsement of the metaverse as a technological revolution can lend a massive upliftment to the niche as a whole.

Aviation

Elroy Air unveils autonomous, hybrid-electric VTOL cargo aircraft – Chapparal

February 2, 2022

The craft’s USP is its end-to-end autonomous vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aerial cargo system.

San Francisco-based Elroy Air, on Wednesday, unveiled its pre-production aircraft model – the Chapparal – fitted with the autonomous aerial cargo system. The craft’s USP is its end-to-end autonomous vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aerial cargo system.

With this system in place, the Chaparral can autonomously pick up cargo in the weight range of 300-500 lbs and deliver it by air up to a distance of 300 miles. Also Read – Wingcopter and UAV LATAM team up for drone delivery operations in Peru David Merrill, Elroy Air co-founder and CEO, said, “The Chaparral is a first-of-kind autonomous air cargo system that builds on more than 100 years of American aviation and aircraft development history.”

Explaining how the Chaparral can transform the future of express logistics, Merril said, “It is built for full end-to-end automation, and will efficiently enable express shipping in thousands of new areas. Essentially, it is a delivery drone that’s faster than ground transport and lower cost than conventional aircraft.” Also Read – Volatus secures first production delivery slot for the Natilus Large Remotely Piloted Cargo Drone Clint Cope, co-founder and president of Elroy Air, said, “We have designed an aircraft that behaves like a hybrid between a rough-and-ready helicopter and a battle-hardened bush plane. It can pick up cargo anywhere with a 50 square foot landing area. The Chaparral will be a vital logistics link for people around the world with unreliable roadways and in remote and rural areas that take longer to reach today.”

Futurati Podcast, Science & Technology News

Futurati Podcast with Kerry Vaughn

February 1, 2022

Watch our interview with Kerry on Youtube.

Kerry Vaughan is the Program Manager for Early Stage Science at Leverage Research. He studies the history of successful attempts at generating scientific knowledge in nascent fields, the characteristics these attempts share, and the historical relationship between failures in scientific ethics and slowdowns in scientific advance.