[ad_1] The system’s “catalytic artificial micro-muscle” is made with a nickel-titanium (NiTi) shape-memory alloy (SMA), a wire that shrinks and expands with temperature changes. That wire is coated with platinum, and when the platinum interacts with RoBeetle’s methanol fuel, a combustion reaction generates heat. The temperature changes cause a tiny vent to slide back and […]
Category: autonomous
Baidu completes its computer for self-driving cars
[ad_1] You’ll see the ACU in use quickly. It will power Apollo Valet Parking, a team-up with WM Motor that will automatically pick you up and otherwise streamline valet service without requiring drivers. It’s due to launch in the second half of 2020 and could be helpful during a pandemic, when you probably don’t want […]
Sony plans to test its prototype Vision-S electric car on public roads
[ad_1] Sony said it created the prototype to showcase its technology to auto manufacturers. However, it seems the company is interested in actually doing something more with the car. The Vision-S has dual 200kW engines, one in the front and the other in the rear. It can go from 0-62 MPH in 4.8 seconds and […]
Waymo and FCA’s expanded deal includes self-driving Ram vans
[ad_1] FCA CEO Mike Manley said in a statement announcing the deal that “we’re turning to the needs of our commercial customers by jointly enabling self-driving for light commercial vehicles, starting with the Ram ProMaster. Adding Waymo’s commitment to partner with us to deploy its L4 fully autonomous technology across our entire product portfolio, our […]
Amazon is testing its Scout delivery robots in Georgia and Tennessee
[ad_1] If you live in Atlanta, Georgia or Franklin, Tennessee, your next Amazon order might arrive in one of the company’s Scout delivery robots. Amazon began testing its cooler-sized delivery bots in Snohomish County, Washington last year. They’ve been making deliveries in the Irvine area of California, and this week they popped up in Atlanta […]
AI helps drone swarms navigate through crowded, unfamiliar spaces
[ad_1] An additional tracking controller, Neural-Swarm, helps the drones compensate for aerodynamic interactions, such as the downwash from a robot flying overhead. It’s already more reliable than a “commercial” controller that doesn’t account for aerodynamics, with far smaller tracking errors. This could be useful for drone light shows, of course, but it could also help […]
Autonomous robot uses UVC light to disinfect warehouses
[ad_1] The researchers believe the approach could be used to autonomously disinfect other environments, like factories, restaurants, supermarkets and schools. The system is capable of mapping a given space, and it can navigate between waypoints and other specified areas. “As we drive the robot around the food bank, we are also researching new control policies […]
Volvo will use Waymo technology to power its self-driving cars
[ad_1] Volvo’s self-driving car efforts have been most closely associated with Uber, but it’s about to make you rethink that connection. The automaker has formed an alliance that will see Waymo be the exclusive partner for Level 4 self-driving (that is, full autonomy in certain conditions) for its vehicles, including affiliates like Polestar and Lynk […]
Two Las Vegas casinos want to join the Boring Company’s tube system
[ad_1] Resorts World has been under construction for years, and it makes sense that the new resort, located nearby the Convention Center, would want to connect to the transit system. Until that project is complete, Wynn/Encore is the closest hotel on the strip to the Convention Center. Its proximity makes it ideal for a loop […]
IIHS study finds self-driving cars may only avoid a third of crashes
[ad_1] The crash rate would only drop further if cars prioritized safety over rider preference, the IIHS said, and that could frustrate people used to weaving around cars during their daily commute. They might drive more slowly than humans would when there’s low visibility or an abundance of foot traffic, for example. It’s still early […]