Researchers at Chiba Institute of Technology, lead by Shuro Nakajima, have unveiled an innovative robotic wheelchair capable of climbing stairs. Simply put, this robot uses its four-wheel drive design to make a variety of movements. That’s right, all the user needs to do is tell it which direction to go, using a joystick, and the robot automatically assesses the surrounding terrain and moves appropriately. Continue reading for a video and more information.
Not to be confused with The Hulk, Lockheed Martin’s HULC Exoskeleton is powered by a lithium-ion battery and enables soldiers to carry up to 200-pounds for extended periods. Best of all, it’s completely untethered and allows for free movement via hydraulics. Continue reading for a video, more pictures, and additional information.
Here’s a first: a multi-touch computer built directly into a desk. Introducing BendDesk. Yes, the horizontal and vertical surfaces are seamlessly connected, so you’re able to use the entire desk as a computing surface. Continue reading for a video and more information.
Photo credit: NPR
Getting your ATM card skimmed is the last thing you’d want after withdrawing some hard-earned money, but with the technology available to criminals these days, it’s not surprising. Fortunately, here are three easy ways to help you avoid these traps and skimmers. Click here to view the first image in this week’s funny work pictures gallery. Continue reading for an amazing video showing how monkeys reject unequal pay.
Devon Carrow-Sperduti, a 7-year-old boy from Buffalo, New York, suffers from potentially fatal allergies and is unable to attend school in-person. Thanks to technology, or more specifically the VGo Robot, he’s able to attend school virtually. From the comfort of his very own computer, “Devon is also able to see all that can be sighted from the Roboswot’s camera. Likewise, the Roboswot itself has a display so other students can see Devon.” Continue reading for a video on how the VGo works, more pictures, and additional information.
File this under: cool robots. Robots, more specifically, Swiss quadrotor robots, may soon rule the world, and this video shows why – “researchers at ETH Zurich are teaching them to play catch.” Let’s just say that they’re quickly become self-aware and able to learn on their own. Continue reading for the video and more information.
What sets the Smart Forstars apart from other cars is that it features a built-in movie projector on its bonnet that’s perfect for date nights, or at least when you don’t feel like shelling out $50+ for tickets and snacks. Continue reading for a video, more pictures, and additional information.
Don’t you just hate when your friends are texting away during a meal, rather than starting lively conversation? If so, try the “Phone Stacking Game”, an activity in which first person who even touches their phone foots the bill for everyone at the table. Click here to view the first image in today’s viral picture gallery. Continue reading for a video on why you should never hire a replacement weatherman.
We have seen the future of supercars, and the McLaren P1 is at the top of our list. This futuristic vehicle sports the “company’s 3.8-liter V8 producing 803 horsepower matched to a 160 horsepower KERS-like system for a total of 963 horsepower.” Continue reading for more pictures and information.
When is a LEGO creation, not just a bunch of bricks stacked atop each other? When these bricks are transformed into working machines, like a Rolls-Royce engine (above), a go-kart (bottom), or even a robotic arm. Continue reading to see five of the world’s most complex LEGO creations.