No, the Dyson Lightcycle Morph isn’t the name of a future TRON vehicle, but rather an innovative lamp with unique local daylight tracking that delivers light throughout a room in four different formats – as an indirect, task, feature or ambient light. Users can personalize it using the Dyson Link App, which intelligently adjusts the light it emits depending on the user’s task, age, mood and local daylight. Read more for a video and additional information.
Launched in 2017 on the Cadillac CT6, Super Cruise uses high-definition lidar-created maps to navigate and is currently the only high-speed driver assist system available that’s designed for hands-free driving. The automaker is updating it for 2021 with an added lane-change feature, and while doing so, may have leaked the first digital image of the 2021 Escalade. Read more for a video and additional information.
At first glance, the Kubota X appears to be some type of military robot equipped for battle, but in reality, it’s just a fully autonomous tractor. It uses artificial intelligence to drive itself and then choose the appropriate action — tilling, seeding, etc. — based on weather data and growth rates in real-time. Lithium-ion cells and a solar array power four motors attached to track-like crawlers that can be independently controlled for extreme precision. Read more for a video and additional information.
Going to the dry cleaners is a must if you have fragile pieces of clothing that can’t be thrown in the machine, but sometimes, that could be a hassle if you don’t have a shop nearby or just don’t want to pay the high prices. Introducing the Samsung AirDresser. Put simply, this internet-connected smart closet of sorts uses air and steam to automatically sanitize as well as freshen clothes placed inside. Read more for two videos and additional information.
Photo credit: Joe Doucet
Unlike current commercial aircraft, the Hero Zero by JDXP is powered by electric motors with batteries to drive propellers, complete with an on-board electric generator. Its wings are set high and to the back of the plane so they sit over the bulk of the plane’s weight, batteries and motors to improve the overall efficiency of the aircraft. Read more for additional pictures and information.
Matt Denton (UK) of Wickham, Hampshire, UK has built the largest rideable hexapod robot that measures 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in) tall and 5 m (16 ft 4 in) in diameter. This six-legged vehicle is officially called Mantis and can be driven from inside its cockpit or operated remotely by WiFi. The beast weighs in at 1.9 tonnes (4,188 lb) and is powered by a 2.2-litre Perkins turbo diesel engine. Read more for a video and additional information.
Photo credit: ETH Zürich | Stefan Weiss
Researchers at ETH Zürich have developed an ultrasonic gripper that can pick up and manipulate small objects without even touching them, thanks to acoustic levitation. In other words, it uses ultrasonic waves to enable robots to handle fragile items, like precision watch parts. Currently, the prototype consists of a lab-bench robotic arm and a pair of 3D-printed semi-spheres. Read more for two videos and additional information.
Adam Savage’s Tested introduces new member to the family: Boston Dynamics’ Spot robot. In addition to this outdoor adventure, he’ll be conducting builds and projects with Spot, integrating it into the workshop as well as taking it in the field to see exactly what it’s capable of. The first thing he did is test Spot’s capabilities at an outdoor training course. Read more for the video and additional information.
Amazon’s Eero Mesh WiFi System delivers world-class, whole-home connectivity for everybody, and this 3-pack covers homes up to 5,000 sq. ft. in fast, reliable internet from the basement to the backyard, all for $174 shipped, today only, originally $249. When combined with an Alexa-enabled device, you can easily manage WiFi access for devices and individuals in the home, taking focus away from screens and back to what’s important. Product page. Read more for a video review and additional information.
Japanese startup SkyDrive Inc., led by former Toyota engineers, have begun test flights of their prototype flying car with a human pilot. They are planning a public demonstration with a human pilot this summer. It’s touted as the world’s smallest flying car and features a slim cabin with four horizontal drone-style propellers at each corner. Read more for a video and additional information.