AQUASUN system puts floating solar panels on bodies of water

AQUASUN system puts floating solar panels on bodies of water

Despite all the breakthroughs in the world of robotics, we still seem to be some way off the kind of advanced robots that can autonomously carry out a variety of tasks in unstructured and cluttered environments. One of the key bottlenecks holding back the development of such next-generation robots is how robots perceive the data gathered from their various sensors. Willow Garage, the Californian robotics company behind the PR2 open platform robot, has teamed up with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to launch an international "perception challenge" with the goal of encouraging improvements to sensing and perception technologies for next-generation robots.

Perception Challenge has next-generation robots in its sights

Perception Challenge has next-generation robots in its sights

Despite all the breakthroughs in the world of robotics, we still seem to be some way off the kind of advanced robots that can autonomously carry out a variety of tasks in unstructured and cluttered environments. One of the key bottlenecks holding back the development of such next-generation robots is how robots perceive the data gathered from their various sensors. Willow Garage, the Californian robotics company behind the PR2 open platform robot, has teamed up with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to launch an international "perception challenge" with the goal of encouraging improvements to sensing and perception technologies for next-generation robots.

New material combines the strength of steel and the moldability of plastic

New material combines the strength of steel and the moldability of plastic

Scientists at Yale University have done what materials scientists have been trying to do for decades – create a material that boasts the look, strength and durability of metal that can be molded into complex shapes as simply and cheaply as plastic.

HP breaks new battery life ground with EliteBook notebook

HP breaks new battery life ground with EliteBook notebook

Apple's new MacBook Pro line-up might be grabbing all the headlines with its new Thunderbolt port, but the claimed battery life pales into insignificance when compared to that offered by HP. When running on the company's new Ultra-Capacity Notebook battery, the HP EliteBook 8460p is said to be capable of running for up to 32 hours between charges.

Infinyte Marine hopes its electric i4 will be a quiet success

Infinyte Marine hopes its electric i4 will be a quiet success

For many people who own lakefront property, noisy combustion-engined motorboats that leave clouds of exhaust and oil slicks in their wakes have pretty much become a given. Hopefully, however, quiet and clean-running electric watercraft may soon take over a significant portion of the pleasure-boating market.