Important Innovations

Lovot - Fun Robotic Innovation with a Trust Building Mission Source:  Groove X's Lovot Adorable Competitor for Sony's Aibo Japanese robotic inventors are calling it an affectionate companion robot.  It's named Lovot, an amalgam for love and robot.  It just was launched today in Tokyo.  Japanese startup Groove X created the little robot.  Founder and CEO Kaname Hayashi is a former roboticist with Softbank Robotics of Japan.  The little robot is as cute and AI-smart as it gets. It also has a big purpose:  to build trust between humans and machines. Incredible Robotic Tech Lovot has a thermographic camera on its head to track motion around it.  It pays close attention to detailed facial expressions, hand gestures and posture.  It contains a high powered computer system. And besides it role as a pet/companion, it can also serve as a surveillance camera or baby monitor.  A pair of 2 are priced at 598,000 yen or $5212 with delivery in fall or winter of 2019. New Pet

Wednesday Series: Robotic Innovation Addressing the World's Most Pressing Needs Flying service Bat Bots. Tiny aerial robots are being developed for multiple uses such as first responders at disaster scenes and to fetch objects for the elderly and hospital patients.  It's another example of life saving and life enhancing innovation addressing some of the world's pressing needs. Bat Bots Take Off The concept is elegantly simple.  Bats are marvelous flying machines.  Their agility and dexterity are unique.  For years, roboticists have tried and failed to create bat bots.  Until now.  Two separate research teams, the industrial automation company Festo and a combined group from NASA and California Institute of Technology, have launched bat bots. NASA-Caltech High Fliers Bat-like flight is the Holy Grail of robotics.  That's because of the wing/body complexity and the aerodynamic performance.  Bats have the most sophisticated wings in the animal kingdom.