Robot

Robot boat mapping giant opening of underwater volcanic bigger than Tongatapu

The January eruption of Hunga-Tonga Hunga-Ha’apai and the subsequent tidal wave caused devastation in Tonga and killed people as far away as South America. The atmospheric shockwave caused by the eruption was felt as far away as the UK.

Kaniva News reports the robot boat, the Maxlimer, is based in Tonga, but will return to the site of the volcano to complete the survey of the opening, known as a caldera.

Amazon announces Astro the home robot

The company said it can be remote-controlled when not at home, to check on pets, people, or home security.

It can also patrol a home automatically and send owners a notification if it detects something unusual.

Amazon said it was more than "Alexa with wheels" and had been programmed with a range of movements and expressions to give it personality.

It demonstrated asking Astro to "beatbox" - and the robot bopped its head and made expressions while playing hip-hop beats.

Amazon was also keen to pre-empt privacy concerns.

Nasa's Perseverance rover lands on Mars

The American space agency has successfully landed its Perseverance rover in a deep crater near the planet's equator called Jezero.

Engineers at Nasa's mission control in California erupted with joy when confirmation of touchdown came through.

The six-wheeled vehicle will now spend at least the next two years drilling into the local rocks, looking for evidence of past life.

Jezero is thought to have held a giant lake billions of years ago. And where there's been water, there's the possibility there might also have been life.

Experts warn Europe: Don't grant robots rights

The European Parliament passed a resolution last year that envisions a special legal status of "electronic persons" for the most sophisticated autonomous robots.

The proposal is being considered by the European Commission, Europe's top regulator.

More than 150 experts in robotics, artificial intelligence, law, medical science and ethics weighed into the debate on Thursday, with a clear warning against such a move.

In an open letter to the European Commission, they said the proposals appear to be influenced more by science fiction than the real world.

Can this radio detect your mood and play songs to match?

Many roboticists and computer engineers seem to think so, because they're always trying to make their creations more human.

Take Solo, the "emotional radio", for example. A wall-mounted device that resembles a large clock, it features a liquid crystal display at its centre. When you approach it, the pictogram face shows a neutral expression.

But it then takes a photo of your face, a rod or antenna on the side cranks into life, and the LCD display indicates that it's thinking.

Interest in Use of Drones Growing

A flying robot is basically a drone, as commonly known, and has been spotted in many recent big events in the country, particularly in Port Moresby.

However, seen from a larger scale, the market in PNG is still small even though the interest is high.  

Drones have been available in PNG in more recent years, mostly in the form of expensive type toys for consumers, according to Aaron Chin, who is in the technology business.

Aaron is the group manager – retail division for Chin H Min, one of PNG’s leading supplier in technology for more than a decade.

Death robots: Where next after Dallas?

While robots and unmanned systems have been used by the military before, this is the first time the police within the US have used such a technique with lethal intent

"Other options would have exposed our officers to greater danger," the Dallas police chief said.

Robots are spreading fast. What might that mean?

 

Killer drones

Japanese Robot Annoys People Until They Talk To It

The robot’s small body looks a bit like a stylized version of the Pixar lamp, a pedestal with a bendy column and an oblong face. In the middle of the face sits a single unblinking eye, so that Talking Ally can maintain eye contact with its person. A second, tucked-away camera tracks the human’s face. Servomotors and springs give the robot a surprising range of movement.

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