Recent Invention and Innovation News
Here is some of the latest news on inventions and innovation
as of December 2011.
Big Bus
A giant bus was in the news early in 2011. This idea comes
from China, and the bus, which designed to hold up to 1,200 passengers,
will straddle highway lanes in order to pass over cars and alleviate
traffic congestion. Work on the bus was expected to begin this
year. It will be powered by electricity from solar panels as
well as from the electrical grid.
New Jet Pack
Glenn Martin, of New Zealand’s Martin Aircraft Company,
has created a jet pack that allows people to fly up to 30 minutes
and as high as 8,000 feet up. The basic idea is not new, but
this one runs on premium gasoline, and is the first to be considered
practical. Their website says that the jet pack will be available
soon, and "Martin Aircraft Company is targeting an initial
sales price of US$100,000 for the recreational version of the
aircraft."
Google Innovation
Google X, a laboratory in an undisclosed location (somewhere
near Google headquarters), is a place where "out there"
ideas are explored and tested, and invention is the goal. Robots
walk freely through the facility, and a cable anchored to Earth
but going into space is under serious consideration, according
to a recent article in the New York Times;
Google may turn one of the ideas — the driverless
cars that it unleashed on California’s roads last year —
into a new business. Unimpressed by the innovative spirit of
Detroit automakers, Google now is considering manufacturing them
in the United States, said a person briefed on the effort...
Robots figure prominently in many of the ideas. They have
long captured the imagination of Google engineers, including
Mr. Brin, who has already attended a conference through robot
instead of in the flesh.
The logistics and software work is thought to be done at Google's
Mountain View campus. The work with robotics and artificial intelligence
is done at a secret location somewhere in the Bay Area. The various
roboticists and electrical engineers are said to have been hired
away from many top university facilities as well as from Microsoft
and Nokia Labs.
More Inventions and Innovations in the News
Watch for more on these recently released or soon-to-be-released
innovations and inventions:
The BodyGuard - This is a crime-fighting armored glove
that will do all sorts of things.
The Stark Hand - An artificial hand that can safely
catch a ball or pick up an egg.
Katal Landing Pad - This safety pad for ski jumpers
was already used at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
The PrintBrush - A handheld printer that recently made
it to market.
The Bed Bug Detective - This is just what it sounds
like; it is designed to work like a dog's nose.
Zero Liquid Discharge - We hope this works as well
as claimed, since it is supposed to oxidize and evaporate sewage
from boats, airplanes and RVs, discharging nothing more than
a harmless, odorless aerosol.
Medical Mirror - Look at it and it will tell you your
current heart rate.
Watch the homepage for the most recent news.
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