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NASA OSIRIS-REx flexes its "arm" before arriving at Asteroid Bennu![]() Denver CO (SPX) Nov 19, 2018 TAGSAM, or Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism, completed a successful practice deployment in space on Nov. 14-an important milestone in the OSIRIS-REx mission to the asteroid Bennu. TAGSAM is the first-of-its-kind robotic arm and sampling head invented by Lockheed Martin. Lockheed Martin engineers on the Mission Support Area (MSA) team moved TAGSAM's arm through the full range of motion of all its "joints"-shoulder, elbow and wrist. The maneuver demonstrates that TAGSAM is ready to collect ... read more |
How NASA will know when InSight touches down on MarsPasadena CA (JPL) Nov 19, 2018 What's the sound of a touchdown on Mars? If you're at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, it sounds like winning the Super Bowl: cheers, laughter and lots of hollering. But in the minutes before ... more
TAGSAM testing complete: OSIRIS-REx prepared to TAG an asteroidTucson AZ (SPX) Nov 17, 2018 On Nov. 14, NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft stretched out its robotic sampling arm for the first time in space. The arm, more formally known as the Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM), i ... more
Space Tango unveils ST-42 for scalable manufacturing in space for Earth-based applicationsLexington KY (SPX) Nov 16, 2018 Space Tango has announced ST-42, a fully autonomous robotic orbital platform designed specifically for scalable manufacturing in space. Launching in the mid 2020's, ST-42 aims to harness the u ... more
How to make AI less biasedBoston MA (SPX) Nov 19, 2018 With machine learning systems now being used to determine everything from stock prices to medical diagnoses, it's never been more important to look at how they arrive at decisions. A new appro ... more |
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| Previous Issues | Nov 16 | Nov 15 | Nov 14 | Nov 13 | Nov 12 |
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Chinese state media debuts 'AI' news anchorsShanghai (AFP) Nov 9, 2018 China's state-controlled news broadcasters have long been considered somewhat robotic in their daily recitation of pro-government propaganda and a pair of new presenters will do little to dispel that view. ... more
Berlin to press China on 'space, robotic weapons' rulesBerlin (Sputnik) Nov 09, 2018 While China is not a signatory to the INF treaty, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas certainly hopes he will be able to drag Beijing into new agreements that will curb military development. Ge ... more
Artificial sensor mimics human sense of touchDaegu, South Korea (SPX) Nov 08, 2018 A team of researchers have developed an artificial tactile sensor that mimics the ability of human skin to detect surface information, such as shapes, patterns and structures. This may be one step c ... more
Pitt researcher uses video games to unlock new levels of AIPittsburgh PA (SPX) Nov 06, 2018 Expectations for artificial intelligences are very real and very high. An analysis in Forbes projects revenues from A.I. will skyrocket from $1.62 billion in 2018 to $31.2 billion in 2025. The repor ... more
Fire ant colonies could inspire molecular machines, swarming robotsBoulder CO (SPX) Nov 06, 2018 Think of it as mathematics with a bite: Researchers at CU Boulder have uncovered the statistical rules that govern how gigantic colonies of fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) form bridges, ladders and f ... more |
![]() Russia to hold 2 new space launches in wake of Soyuz failure
Shape-shifting robots perceive surroundings, make decisions for first timeIthaca NY (SPX) Nov 01, 2018 General-purpose robots have plenty of limitations. They can be expensive and cumbersome. They often accomplish only a single type of task. But modular robots - composed of several interchangea ... more |
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Maxar Technologies' MDA to design lunar rover concept for Canadian Space AgencyBrampton, Canada (SPX) Oct 31, 2018 MDA has been selected by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to provide a conceptual design of a lunar rover for science exploration and to prepare for human missions on the lunar surface. As part ... more
NASA will keep trying to contact stalled Mars rover OpportunityWashington (AFP) Oct 30, 2018 NASA has changed its mind about how long it will continue to seek contact with an aging robotic vehicle that was blanketed in a dust storm on Mars back in June and has been stalled ever since. ... more
NASA researchers teach machines to "see"Greenbelt MD (SPX) Oct 31, 2018 Your credit card company contacts you asking if you've purchased something from a retailer you don't normally patronize or spent more than usual. A human didn't identify the atypical transaction. A ... more
Humans help robots learn tasksStanford CA (SPX) Oct 29, 2018 In the basement of the Gates Computer Science Building at Stanford University, a screen attached to a red robotic arm lights up. A pair of cartoon eyes blinks. "Meet Bender," says Ajay Mandlekar, Ph ... more
Desert test drive for Mars rover controlled from 1,000 miles awayLondon, UK (SPX) Oct 29, 2018 A UK-built Mars rover was taken for a test drive in Spain's Tabernas Desert this week, under remote control from the Harwell Space Cluster in Oxfordshire - 1,000 miles away. The ExoFiT Mars ro ... more |
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Northrop Grumman tapped for South Korean drone support Washington (UPI) Nov 15, 2018
Northrop Grumman signed a contract with the Republic of Korea to provide logistical support to ROK's high-altitude RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle fleet.
The contract includes site activation for launching and ground control, training, and support personnel for four RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles set for delivery over the next year, the company announced on Wednesday ... more |
New space industry emerges: on-orbit servicing Washington (AFP) Nov 17, 2018
Imagine an airport where thousands of planes, empty of fuel, are left abandoned on the tarmac. That is what has been happening for decades with satellites that circle the Earth.
When satellites run out of fuel, they can no longer maintain their precise orbit, rendering them useless even if their hardware is still intact.
"It's literally throwing away hundreds of millions of dollars," Al ... more |
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Study opens route to ultra-low-power microchips Boston MA (SPX) Nov 16, 2018
A new approach to controlling magnetism in a microchip could open the doors to memory, computing, and sensing devices that consume drastically less power than existing versions. The approach could also overcome some of the inherent physical limitations that have been slowing progress in this area until now.
Researchers at MIT and at Brookhaven National Laboratory have demonstrated that the ... more |
Japan faces difficult energy choices Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Nov 19, 2018
Japan's power sector is facing multiple challenges ranging from the reliability of nuclear power and boosting the share of non-hydro renewables. Against this backdrop, the success of the country's power sector will depend on regulatory reforms and the establishment of a centrally integrated grid, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
The company's latest report, 'Japan Pow ... more |
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Air Force taps METSS for chemical, biological weapons research Washington (UPI) Nov 8, 2018
Materials Engineering and Technical Support Services has received a $9.8 million contract for research on countermeasures against chemical and biological weapons and hazards.
The contract, announced Wednesday by the Department of Defense, provides for policy and technology analysis, laboratory work, field studies and modeling to better understand the impact of various chemical and biolo ... more |
EU court backs Dyson on vacuum cleaner energy tests Brussels (AFP) Nov 8, 2018
An EU court ruled Thursday that Brussels regulators are wrong to test the energy efficiency of vacuum cleaners using empty dust bags, in a victory for British manufacturer Dyson.
Household vacuums sold in Europe must carry energy labelling to allow consumers to judge which models are more efficient and thus cheaper to run and less damaging to the environment.
But Dyson, which makes clean ... more |
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Next-gen batteries possible with new engineering approach University Park PA (SPX) Nov 16, 2018
Dramatically longer-lasting, faster-charging and safer lithium metal batteries may be possible, according to Penn State research, recently published in Nature Energy.
The researchers developed a three-dimensional, cross-linked polymer sponge that attaches to the metal plating of a battery anode.
"This project aims to develop the next generation of metal batteries," said Donghai Wang, ... more |
China releases smart solution for verifying reliability of space equipment components Beijing (XNA) Nov 13, 2018
The Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization (CSU) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences released a smart solution for verifying the operational reliability of space equipment components on Friday.
The selection of space equipment components involves reliability verification, data collection, transmission and comparison.
The smart solution will help shorten the time to ... more |
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Poor weather delays US space cargo launch to Saturday Washington (AFP) Nov 15, 2018
Windy weather pushed back until Saturday the planned launch of a US cargo ship loaded with supplies for astronauts living at the International Space Station, NASA said Thursday.
The delay to 4:01 am (0901 GMT) on November 17 from Wallops Island, Virginia marks the second time launch managers have postponed the mission from its initial flight plan of Thursday.
"The teams decided to wait a ... more |
Overflowing crater lakes carved canyons across Mars Austin TX (SPX) Nov 17, 2018
Today, most of the water on Mars is locked away in frozen ice caps. But billions of years ago it flowed freely across the surface, forming rushing rivers that emptied into craters, forming lakes and seas. New research led by The University of Texas at Austin has found evidence that sometimes the lakes would take on so much water that they overflowed and burst from the sides of their basins, crea ... more |
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Rocket Lab announces $140 Million in new funding Huntington Beach CA (SPX) Nov 17, 2018
US orbital launch provider, Rocket Lab, has closed a Series E financing round of $140 million (USD). The funding round closed last month, prior to the launch of the successful mission 'It's Business Time,' and was led by existing investor Future Fund, with strong participation from current investors including Greenspring Associates, Khosla Ventures, Bessemer Venture Partners, DCVC (Data Collecti ... more |
Delhi 'lungs' turn sickly brown in days New Delhi (AFP) Nov 13, 2018
A pair of artificial lungs put up in New Delhi to demonstrate the lethal effects of smog have turned a sickly dark brown within 10 days of their installation, underscoring the city's pollution crisis.
Delhi, the world's most polluted major city, has been covered in a toxic grey haze since the onset of winter last month, with pollution levels several times higher than the World Health Organiz ... more |
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Germany tweaks law to limit diesel car bans Frankfurt Am Main (AFP) Nov 15, 2018
The German government will ease air pollution law so as to spare cities that only slightly exceed limits on harmful nitrogen dioxide (NO2) from diesel vehicle bans, ministers agreed Thursday, sparking sharp criticsm by environmentalists.
Major cities like Hamburg, Frankfurt and Stuttgart have put in place or are preparing exclusion zones for older diesel vehicles in order to bring NO2 levels ... more |
Stealth-cap technology for light-emitting nanoparticles Dresden, Germany (SPX) Nov 15, 2018
A team of scientists from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), in collaboration with researchers from Monash University Australia, has succeeded in significantly increasing the stability and biocompatibility of special light-transducing nanoparticles.
The team has developed the so-called "upconverting" nanoparticles that not only convert infrared light into UV-visible light, bu ... more |
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New space industry emerges: on-orbit servicing Washington (AFP) Nov 17, 2018
Imagine an airport where thousands of planes, empty of fuel, are left abandoned on the tarmac. That is what has been happening for decades with satellites that circle the Earth.
When satellites run out of fuel, they can no longer maintain their precise orbit, rendering them useless even if their hardware is still intact.
"It's literally throwing away hundreds of millions of dollars," Al ... more |
Greenpeace Poland files legal complaint against minister over pesticide use Warsaw (AFP) Nov 15, 2018
Environmental activist group Greenpeace lodged a legal complaint against Poland's agriculture minister Thursday, accusing him of wrongly allowing the use of neonicotinoid pesticides restricted by the EU over fears that they imperil bee populations.
Greenpeace has filed a complaint with the prosecutor general's office alleging that minister Jan Ardanowski "violated" procedures by twice allowi ... more |
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