Science, Space, & Robotics - Page 457

The latest and most important Science, Space, & Robotics news - Page 457.

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NASA drops robot into volcano to help study fissure

Michael Hatamoto | Jan 12, 2015 11:47 PM CST

The NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has started testing its VolcanoBot 1 robot in Hawaii, sending it into inactive fissures located inside the active Kilauea volcano. The small two-wheeled robot is less than seven inches tall and around one foot long, with the ability to help researchers create 3D fissure maps.

"We don't know exactly how volcanoes erupt. We have models but they are all very, very simplified. This project aims to help make those models more realistic," said Carolyn Parcheta, JPL postdoctoral fellow.

NASA hopes to refine the VolcanoBot 1's abilities, which could be rolled out for future missions on planets and moons besides Earth. There is specific interest in exploring craters on the moon and Mars, with Earth-based experiments helping perfect hardware before sending them into space.

Continue reading: NASA drops robot into volcano to help study fissure (full post)

AI researchers called upon to sign open letter for safe development

Michael Hatamoto | Jan 12, 2015 1:42 AM CST

Research into artificial intelligence (AI) continues to evolve, and there is growing concern that uncontrolled AI could have a significant impact on mankind. To prevent this from happening, the Future of Life Institute (FLI) wants AI researchers to sign an open letter to protect humans from intelligent machines.

"We recommend expanded research aimed at ensuring that increasingly capable AI systems are robost and beneficial: our AI systems must do what we want them to do," the letter reads. "The attached research priorities document gives many examples of such research directions that can help maximize the societal benefit of AI. This research is by necessity interdisciplinary, because it involves both society and AI. It ranges from economics, law and philosophy to computer security, formal methods and, of course, various branches of AI itself."

AI is being used in autonomous weapons systems, robots and humanoids, and in autonomous vehicles - raising serious ethical questions that must be answered.

Continue reading: AI researchers called upon to sign open letter for safe development (full post)

Study: Apple iPhone separation really does cause anxiety to users

Michael Hatamoto | Jan 10, 2015 2:32 PM CST

Apple iPhone users separated from their smartphone can suffer from "physiological anxiety" and "poor cognitive performance," according to "The Extended iSelf: The Impact of iPhone Separation on Cognition, Emotion, and Physiology" study, published by the University of Missouri.

The researchers first tasked survey participants to sit down and complete a puzzle while near their smartphone, and then had to take a second survey with their phone in a different part of the room. However, researchers called the phone, with participants able to see their iPhone and could hear it ring - but couldn't answer the phone.

Participants had increased heart rate and blood pressure while trying to complete the puzzle in the second scenario. Researchers recommend iPhone users keep their smartphones nearby when completely tasks that involve significant attention, so no anxiety occurs.

Continue reading: Study: Apple iPhone separation really does cause anxiety to users (full post)

Defector: North Korea's Bureau 121 actually located in Shenyang, China

Michael Hatamoto | Jan 7, 2015 11:15 AM CST

The city of Shenyang, the largest city in Northeast China with more than 6 million residents, could have been home base for the North Korean government's secretive Bureau 121 hacker group, according to defector Kim Heung-Kwang.

Kim left North Korea in 2004 and previously served as a computer science professor in Pyongyang, saying some of his students graduated and began hacking for the North Korean government.

"Bureau 121 began its large-scale operation in China in 2005," Kim recently said in an interview published by CNN. It was established in the late 90s. Team members entered China separately - in smaller groups - 20 members at a time. When they entered China, they came under different titles. For example an office worker, an official with a trade company or even as a diplomatic staffer."

Continue reading: Defector: North Korea's Bureau 121 actually located in Shenyang, China (full post)

Escort Radar shows off Bluetooth-equipped radar detectors

Michael Hatamoto | Jan 3, 2015 2:11 PM CST

CES 2015-Escort Radar plans to show off its Passport and Passport Max2 radar detectors during the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), featuring Bluetooth-equipped products tied to the Escort Live ticket protection app.

As more devices, especially inside of vehicles, continue to include Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and mobile apps, Escort wants to make sure its products provide the same connectivity. The company will unveil its Air Patrol and Intelligent Speed Traps social app, able to alert drivers to aircraft and "intelligent speed traps" that are located in the area.

If you're attending CES, Escort will first demo the solution tomorrow during the CES Unveiled Show in the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino.

Continue reading: Escort Radar shows off Bluetooth-equipped radar detectors (full post)

New NASA scientific balloon fails after only a short period

Chris Smith | Jan 2, 2015 12:59 AM CST

The freshly designed balloon, said to carry a telescope that detects gamma rays unseen by human eyes, was set off with the task of floating over Antarctica for 100 days - marking it as NASA's longest scientific balloon mission ever.

Er, Houston - We have a problem. After only two days of soaring through the sky, the balloon has sprung a leak and plunged back to earth. As according to the COSI '14 Balloon Campaign and Shenanigans website: "I'm saddened to report that the COSI/SPB balloon flight was terminated much earlier than expected. The balloon developed a leak after the first day at float and we decided to increase the chances of instrument recovery this season instead of continuing operations for as long as the balloon maintained altitude."

Currently sitting at 350 miles from McMurdo at an elevation of 8000 ft, this unfortunate situation has seen a daring mission end extremely early. The previous balloon flight mission record sits at 55 days total, with this ambitious mission looking to almost-double this number. Judging by the wrap-up on this website, there are no repair and re-launch plans currently made - it seems like a completely dead project.

Continue reading: New NASA scientific balloon fails after only a short period (full post)

Robots could explore space station because of Wi-Fi access

Michael Hatamoto | Jan 1, 2015 5:28 PM CST

The Wi-Fi networks aboard the International Space Station (ISS) could allow robots to autonomously roam the orbiting research lab. The SPHERES robots have been aboard the ISS since 2006, mainly used in a small cube location that is marked by ultrasound beacon limiters.

This would be a unique opportunity to determine if robots would be able to carry out menial tasks board the ISS, so astronauts are able to handle more pressing activities. Operators from the NASA Ames Research Center want to discover if it'd be possible to direct SPHERES using the current ISS Wi-Fi infrastructure.

NASA and other participating space nations have shown increased interest in using robotics technology aboard the ISS - hoping to make the environmental safer to work in, while also helping astronauts with their workloads.

Continue reading: Robots could explore space station because of Wi-Fi access (full post)

NASA creates ape-like robot for enhanced disaster response

Michael Hatamoto | Dec 31, 2014 2:12 PM CST

The NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) recently showed off its RobotSimian, an ape-like robot with four limbs that act as arms and legs. The RobotSimian is able to move across rough terrain, pick up objects, and better interact with its environment.

Robot developers want to create new robotic designs that can be used following natural disasters and other potentially catastrophic events. The RobotSimian will compete against 18 other robotic finalists in a DARPA Robotics Challenge.

"We included industrial designers in the team in an effort to create a robot that looked professional rather than either threatening or overly cute," said Brett Kennedy, JPL Robotic Vehicles and Manipulators Group supervisor, in a media statement. "Basically, we wanted the perceptual equivalent of a St. Bernard."

Continue reading: NASA creates ape-like robot for enhanced disaster response (full post)

DARPA wants to develop agile UAV for use in urban environments

Michael Hatamoto | Dec 23, 2014 3:09 PM CST

DARPA wants companies to submit plans for military unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that can be used as part of the Fast Lightweight Autonomy (FLA) program. The FLA program wants to make it possible for small UAVs to be agile and navigate urban warfare environments, such as rooms, corridors, stairways, and other tight areas before ground troops begin their operation.

The drones should be able to travel up to 45 m.p.h., and be nimble enough to fit through an open window, without the need of GPS waypoints. DARPA hopes the algorithms will allow for UAV enhancements so troops can conduct unmanned surveillance to identify ambush points, traps, and other potential threats while out in the field.

"Birds of prey and flying insects exhibit the kinds of capabilities we want for small UAVs," said Mark Micire, DARPA program manager, in a statement published by Phys.org. "Goshawks, for example, can fly very fast through a dense forest without smacking into a tree. Many insects, too, can dart and hover with incredible speed and precision. The goal of the FLA program is to explore non-traditional perception and autonomy methods that would give small UAVs the capacity to perform in a similar way, including an ability to easily navigate tight spaces at high speed and quickly recognize if it had already been in a room before."

Continue reading: DARPA wants to develop agile UAV for use in urban environments (full post)

Christmas lights are so bright, NASA can see them from space

Michael Hatamoto | Dec 19, 2014 11:25 AM CST

There is such a drastic increase in lighting during the holidays that NASA has picked up on it, according to a press release published by the U.S. space agency. Specifically, the NOAA/NASA Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership satellite found that metropolitan areas increased 20 to 50 percent brighter during the Christmas holiday season and New Year's.

"It's a near ubiquitous signal. Despite being ethnically and religiously diverse, we found that the U.S. experiences a holiday increase that is present across most urban communities," noted Miguel Roman, NASA Goddard research physical scientist. "These lighting patterns are tracking a national shared tradition."

Continue reading: Christmas lights are so bright, NASA can see them from space (full post)

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