Important Innovations

  World's First Autonomous Snowblower                        Let the Robot Do the Shoveling A new, intelligent robot, developed by China's Hanyang Technology Company's robotics group Hanyang Robotics, could make snow shoveling obsolete.  Snowbot is an intelligent, autonomous, robotic snowblower that can clear 1500 square feet of snow on a single charge.  Snowbot can scoop up and blow away up to a foot of snow.  It is totally autonomous and powered by electric motors.  It can be controlled with an app on your phone or by remote control.  And, unlike current snowblowers powered by diesel, Snowbot is totally emissions free.  The company says it is the world's first autonomous snowblower.  It can clean 1.3 feet of snow per second. Very Advanced Technology Snowbot actually creates a map of the area to be cleared of snow.  It uses 4, ultra-wide band positioning terminals.  Three of the positioning terminals stake-out the area to be cleared of snow and serve as transmitters to

  Ultimate in High Tech and Luxury Travel                                        Source:  G Train                                        Source: G Train at Dusk                                             Source: G Train Balcony                                          Source: G Train Interior Creation of Famous Superyacht Designer Thierry Gaugain The G train is an all-glass, smart, technological wonder designed for one owner to travel the world's railways.  It is the creation of Paris-based designer Thierry Gaugain.  The 14 car train was invented by Gaugain as an alternative, more leisurely way to see the world as opposed to travel by yacht or jet.  The G train opens up a world of new travel possibilities. $350 Million Luxury Train Gaugain is famous for his superyacht designs, including a 262 foot yacht Venus, that he created for the late founder of Apple, Steve Jobs.  His G Train is a $350 million, radically unique form of transportation.  The train is 1300 feet long with an exte

   Small Electric Smart SUV                       Source:  Artist Rendering SMART Concept Car                                        Source:  Geeley SEA Platform Designed by Mercedes, Developed & Produced by Geely Mercedes Smart brand, through a joint venture between Mercedes-Benz AG and China's Geely AG, will launched a Smart, electric SUV in 2022.  This will be the first vehicle model from the new joint venture between the two global automakers.  Geely is the owner of Volvo and a top global manufacturer of electric cars.   Brand New Concept Mercedes says the new vehicle will be ultra modern, sophisticated, highly advanced in connectivity and the smartest feature of all - "it will be super compact on the outside and big on the inside."  The new e-SUV will be built on a new platform, Geely's SEA platform (scalable, electric architecture) which is flexible enough to handle many sizes of vehicles. Concept Debut in Fall 2021 The new concept car will debut in the fall

Mercedes-Benz & China's Geely Group Partner Source:  Mercedes-Benz Intelligent New Electric Vehicles Daimler's Mercedes-Benz just announced that it will build Smart branded cars with China's Zhejlang Geely Holding Group in the Chinese city of Ningbo.  The partners will operate from a facility with the capacity to build about 150,000 cars per year.  In 2019, Smart delivered 116,800 vehicles globally. $780 Million Investment Each company is investing $388.8 million into the Joint Venture. They'll build "premier and intelligent" electrified vehicles under the Smart brand name, which is a Mercedes-Benz brand.  They'll manufacture in China and have sales operations in both Germany and China. Mercedes Building Base in China China is the world's largest market for electric vehicles and the Chinese government is pushing and supporting EVs.  Like other global automakers such as Tesla, Stuttgart-based Mercedes is building a base in Chin

Next-G Refrigerator With Internal Cameras & AI Tracking Your Food Samsung's Highly Intelligent Refrigerator Samsung's Family Hub Fridge This is the next generation in highly intelligent, functional refrigerators.  And, it's nothing like your Mom's refrigerator.  Samsung Electronics has incorporated advanced AI and internal cameras, plus other advanced technology, into the new, Family Hub fridge that it's going to unveil at the CES in Las Vegas next week.  The array of advanced technology and functionality is very impressive.  It brings a whole new level of intelligence and meaning to a fridge. Monitors Food Inventory, Generates Meal Planning Using the cameras and advanced AI, the fridge monitors the food inventory, spots changes, updates you on what's been added and depleted and creates a shopping list of what's needed at the supermarket.  It has a Quick Plan function to recommend meals for the week to save money and cut food waste.  The meal

Alerts of Potential Collisions With Cars for Pedestrian Wearers Source:  Columbia University Columbia University Invention Designed to Prevent Accidents A breakthrough set of intelligent headphones is able to detect and analyze ambient sounds around the wearer and warn of an approaching vehicle that could pose a danger. The smart headphones send the wearer a sound alert to be aware and avoid what's coming at them. This is an invention from a team at Columbia University that could save many lives. Twalking Alerts Millions of pedestrians are using headphones and "twalking".  We see them every day with their faces glued to their phones, oblivious to their surroundings as they walk and talk along the streets.  It's very dangerous behavior.  The number of fatalities and injuries caused by "twalking" have tripled in the US in the past 7 years.  Last year, pedestrian deaths hit their highest level since 1990. New Audio-Alert System for Pe

Far Better Mapping of Wet Road Conditions Source:  Toyota Toyota's New Tech Innovation Toyota's connected windshield wipers are designed to create far more accurate weather maps when the wipers are operating.  They're part of a joint project between Toyota and Japan-based Weathernews, which offers app based weather reports.  The 2 companies are currently conducting what they call a "verification test" using wiper data to provide drivers with real-time information about road weather risks.  They say the tech is designed to increase driver safety by increasing the accuracy of available weather forecasts and data. Lots of Tech Involved The system uses the onboard loT communications in most new Toyota models, along with Big Data and artificial intelligence.  It can detect whether wipers are on or off in designated regions.  By using data on the operational status of wipers, Weathernews weather data and vehicle data

Gita: Designed to Carry Your Groceries, Gear, Equipment - All in Motion on Foot with You Source:  Piaggio Fast Forward Gita Your Personal Butler Jeeves on the Street with You This is very cool robotic innovation, a new "Follow Me" robot named Gita, invented by Piaggio Fast Forward, a Boston startup, backed by the company that licensed Vespa.  This personal cargo robot can carry up to 45 pounds of groceries, luggage or equipment and directly follow the owner in a type of  Jeeves-like butler fashion right on the street.  It's a wheeled based bot that is designed to move like humans move.  It follows the owner with visual sensors at speeds up to 6 mph.  The company calls this tech "sustainable, mobility ecology" that lets humans walk more and drive less. Cargo Following You Hands Free The inventors say Gita is designed to enable humans to do less driving and do more walking by hauling their groceries and other items with a robotic cargo system.  Gita can

One of a Kind New Gadget Source:  Coosno Smart Coffee Table that's an Entertainment Center You might call this new innovation, Coosno, party central in your living room.  It's a smart coffee table that contains a refrigerator, stereo sound system, charging stations and more.  It is futuristic, smart furniture that is intriguing.  For a great news blog on this, go to Important Innovations Collection: Very Smart Coffee Table : Entertainment Center in Your Living Room Refrigerator, Music, LED Light s The Coosno is called the world's first lifting coffee tab...

Smart International Pedestrian Traffic Lights Source:  Vienna's UT  Innovation from Vienna These may be the world's most intelligent traffic lights.  Created by a research team at TU Graz, they incorporate cameras, computers and algorithms to predict the intention of a pedestrian moving toward a road.  This is not just a smart traffic light.  It's very advanced technology to make roads safer for pedestrians and drivers.  Just invented in Vienna, Austria. For a great news blog, go to Important Innovations Collection: Vienna's Intelligent Traffic Lights : Making Streets Smarter and Safer for Pedestrians and Drivers Source:  TU Graz, Vienna Lots of Technology and Research Involved A tea...

World's Smartest Vacuum with AI The PURE ONE Tineco's Smart PURE ONE vacuum has a suite of artificial intelligence functions that, according to the company, allows for a smarter, deeper, quieter and longer, cordless cleaning.  It may very well be the world's smartest vacuum and is an example of how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing even common household products.  For a great news blog on this very smart gadget go to Important Innovations Collection: World's Smartest Vacuum With AI : Household Gadget with Lots of Artificial Intelligence Source:  Tineco's The PURE ONE  Tineco's The PURE ONE Tineco's Sma...

Smart Pill Bottle from Saudi Arabia Source:  KAUST Sends Alerts in the Event of Tampering, Overdose or Unsafe Storage This new medical gadget from KAUST in Saudi Arabia forwards patient safety.  The bottle sends a wireless alert in the event of any sign of tampering, overdose or unsafe storage.  The lid can count the number of pills.  There are also sensors to monitor temperature, humidity, moisture and if the bottle has been opened.  For a great news blog on this, go to  Important Innovations Collection: Very Smart Pill Bottle from Saudi Arabia : Sends Wireless Alerts if Tampered with or Unsafe Source:  KAUST Enhanced Patient Safety From Saudi Arabia A team of engineers at KAU...

Very Smart Health and Fitness Monitoring Northwestern University Bioengineers' Smart Patch This is very advanced bioengineering technology just reported from Northwestern University bioengineers. A small, wearable, flexible sensor patch that spots your underlying medical conditions in real-time. It's for fitness use and to be your first alert medical spotter for certain conditions. For example, dehydration, low oxygen or spotting you are diabetic.  For a great news blog on this amazing new innovation, go to my journalist colleague Ed Kane's blog at Important Innovations Collection: Smart Patch for Your Health : Tiny, Waterproof Patch with Sweat Based Sensors Source:  Northwestern University's Sweat-based Sensor Spots Health Conditions Re...

Tiny, Elastic Microrobots to Deliver Targeted Drug Therapies Source:  EPFL Breakthrough Robotic Innovation from Switzerland Scientists at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) and ETH Zurich have developed very smart, highly flexible microrobots.  They can change shape depending on their surroundings . For Targeted Drug Therapy Delivery The tiny robots are modeled on microorganisms like bacteria that change shape as their surrounding conditions change.  They are fully biocompatible.  The bots optimize their movements in order to get to hard to reach places in the human body.  They're thought to have the potential to revolutionize targeted drug delivery. Nanocomposites and Nanoparticles The bots are made of hydrogel nanocomposites.  They contain magnetic nanoparticles allowing them to be controlled by an electromagnetic field.  They are so tiny and flexible they're able to swim through narrow blood vessels, arrive at the target and deliver drug thera

Lenovo Smart Alarm Clock Control System Source:  Lenovo Google Assistant, Time and a Lot More of a House Smart Control Center This may be the world's smartest clock.  Lenovo's SmartClock.   All you need to do is say "OK, Google" to set alarms, get a weather update and see your schedule.  You can control 5,000 of the most common smart home devices directly from it.  You can even monitor other rooms in your home with it by using Nest smart cameras. Interesting Innovation There's a 4 display that's a touch screen.  There's a light sensor that dims the screen while you sleep and gradually starts lighting it up 30 minutes before your alarm goes off.  It also plays music.  The price is $80.00 and Lenovo says it will be available in spring 2019.  For more interesting news stories on new innovation, go to  amazon.com/author/ekane