Important Innovations

  D A ILY INNOVATION BRIEF   By Journalists Edward  Kane & Marya nne Kane   HUMANOID ROBOTS DESTINED FOR SPACE                                                             Source:  NASA NASA is developing a humanoid robot named Valkyrie designed for harsh, unstructured disaster areas but it is also destined for the unstructured, unpredictable world of space.  Here's what we know: Valkyrie is 6'2" and 300 pounds Being tested in Houston  Configured with arms, legs, torso like a human NASA says with the right software, it will be able to function like a human using tools and equipment NASA believes Valkyrie will be able to perform risky tasks in space like repairing equipment on the outside of the spacecraft or cleaning solar panels on the vehicle Bottomline:  NASA wants humanoid robots to replace humans for dangerous jobs in space, so that humans can be out of harms' way and be allowed to focus on exploration and discovery. LARGEST CLEAN ENERGY PROJECT IN US HISTORY  

  D AILY INNOVATION BRIEF                                                                                                          By Journalists Edward Kane & Maryanne Kane HONDA 75th ANNIVERSARY BRINGS NEW SPORTS CAR                                                 Source:  Honda Honda will mark its 75th anniversary in business this fall with a new sports car that is expected to be a very modern successor to its iconic S2000 that dates back to 1999 and went out of production 2009 It's expected to be a performance sports car, likely electric, very sporty and aerodynamic The next-G S2000 is something Honda has wanted to do for some time The original S2000 was a front-mid engine, open top, 237 hp crowd pleaser Honda has been teasing about 2, new electric sports cars recently -- a battery-powered S2000 and an all-electric NSX The 75th anniversary sports car would be a standout component of Honda's $40 billion EV push with 30 new electric models by 2030. ALL-PURPOSE ROBOT FOR T

Robotic Superstar The International Robot Exhibition just kicked off in Tokyo.  The exhibits are featuring robot farmers, entertainers, elderly helpers and disaster relief first responders.  But SoftBank's Pepper has stolen the show.  The latest version of the humanoid robot is getting rave press reviews. Personable Robot on the Job  It's an emotional humanoid that's 4'4" tall.  Pepper moves around on wheels and according to initial reviews, it's charming, chatty, considerate, reads human emotions, offers good advice and loves to make small talk. One Japanese journalist said it provides you "arduous attention". And, it's a hot seller.  In fact, out of the box it was a sell-out.  SoftBank continues to develop it including new jobs for it to do. Pepper's Job Resume Pepper's work experience starts with duty in homes.  But it's also successful in customer service at shopping malls, train stations and banks.  Pepper is conversant