Important Innovations

D A ILY INNOVATION BRIEF   By Journalists Edward  Kane & Marya nne Kane SCIENCE:  YOU CAN TEACH AN OLD DOG NEW TRICKS & SAVE THEM FROM DEMENTIA                                                                      Source: Stock & Brewster Kane Scientists at the University of California and University of Kentucky are saying it's a good idea to teach old dog new things.  It brings benefits for aging dogs' brains.  Here's what we know: The study involved 43 middle aged beagles over a 3-year period They engaged the dogs in free play and exercise daily The regime resulted in a 1.74% gain in cognition every year instead of yearly declines They used an MRI scan to measure brain structure changes When dogs were allowed to play with a variety of toys, exercise and free play with other dogs, their cognition steadily increased The MRIs showed the hippocampus area of the brain (associated with cognition) increased in size This area usually decreases with age The scientists a

  D AILY INNOVATION BRIEF                                                                                                          By Journalists Edward Kane & Maryanne Kane NEW AIRCRAFT LOOKS LIKE A FLYING SAUCER                                            Source:  Shenzhen UFO Science & Technology China has created a first-of-its-kind aircraft that is as close as you can get to a UFO-flying saucer Key details: eVTOL - takes-off and lands vertically Developed by researchers at Beihang University and Northwestern Polytechnical University Built by Shenzhen UFO Science & Technology Company Powered by ducted fan structure with 12 propellers that surround the pilot in the aircraft Design said to maximize stability and  safety with equally distributed propulsion Top speed: 31 mph Altitude:  200 meters or 656 feet Flight time/range:  15 minutes Autopilot can be used to take you where you want to go Amphibious - lands on water or on land Has obtained global invention patents Primar

The Flyer Takes-Off Flying cars are part of our transportation future.  A number of companies are working on prototype models globally.  But Google co-founder Larry Page and his company Kitty Hawk Corporation have just taken off with their Flyer, a sleek, good looking, one seat, flying car.  It's a pleasure craft that doesn't require a pilot license. Wow Technology The Flyer is engineered quite differently than other flying car prototypes like Terrafugea's Transition, which is a small plane-car hybrid that runs on gas.  The Flyer is powered by ten electric fans along the sides of the craft.  On the underside are slim pontoon-like "wheels" for landing.  It's designed to fly over water and can stay aloft for 20 minutes.  Flyer cruises up to 20 mph and hovers over the water at 3 to 10 feet.  It's categorized by the FAA as an ultra-lite craft and consequently doesn't require a pilot's license.  It's restricted right now to uncontrolled, r

My Attorney The Robot The robotic workforce is on the rise.  Oxford University estimates that 47% of all US jobs will be held by robots within the next twenty years.  The most vulnerable jobs are repetitive tasks such as assembly line work and restaurant wait and kitchen staff.  But more intellectual, creative positions are also being claimed by robots.  Case in point: robot attorneys. Scales of Justice Tilt Robotic Instead of an army of lawyers and paralegals reviewing reams of documents and billing on an hourly basis, robots can do it efficiently and at a fraction of the cost.  A Palo Alto, California company has developed software that can analyze 1.5 million documents for under $100,000.  That means law firm staffs billed out to do document reviews are becoming passe, thanks to artificial intelligence and robotics.  As one law firm managing partner put it, robots don't get bored, don't get headaches and don't make mistakes.  They also don't bill at astronom

Wednesday Series:  Innovation Addressing Pressing Global Needs - Hybrid Electric Planes Cutting CO2 Emissions The signs of climate change are all around us.  Extreme weather, rising sea levels, melting polar icecaps, deadly disease outbreaks, severe environmental stress on animals.  The Union of Concerned Scientists says the cause is too much heat trapping carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide in the atmosphere. A major contributor is global aircraft exhaust.  Enter a solution - the dawn of electric powered planes.  The biggest player:  hybrid electric planes Take-Offs Current aircraft spew 500 million tons of CO2 into the atmosphere every year.  Scientists warn if the amount of CO2 isn't cut 80% by 2050, it will be disastrous.  As it stands right now, the amount of CO2 is expected to triple by mid-century.  By contrast, electric planes spew no CO2.  They are clean, green technology and can be cheap to operate.  An example is the 2-seat e-Genius.  It successfully f

Sherlock Holmes with AI Israel is a global center of innovation in a number of sectors, including 3D Printing, cancer research and Artificial Intelligence.  Researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev are putting AI to work to predict, deter and fight crime.  It's fascinating research developing AI innovation that could be highly beneficial to fight crime globally.  You might call the program "Sherlock Holmes empowered by artificial intelligence." Ben-Gurion University of the Negev- Israeli Police AI Program Israeli researchers are using AI tools, incorporating advanced cyber and big data, to predict and prevent crime.  They believe they're on the threshold of the next big crime-fighting breakthrough.  Specifically, analyzing big data to uncover patterns that result in crime prediction and prevention.  It's an AI pre-emptive strike on crime. University Center for Computational Criminology The University just launched the Center for Com

MIT's Groundbreaking Robot Fish for Marine Exploration It's called SoFi, the robo fish.  SoFi is a soft robot developed by a research team at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL). True to MIT's robotic legacy, SoFi is highly advanced and has achieved underwater firsts.  In fact, it's considered the most advanced robot of its kind. Swim with the Fish - SoFi the Explorer The little robot recently swam untethered alongside of unsuspecting fish off Fiji's Rainbow Reef.  It reached depths of 50 feet for as long as 40 minutes at a time.  That's a first.  What makes this important innovation is that it's a groundbreaking new way to study marine life, up close and personal.  Equipped with cameras, Sofi can shoot footage safely in places, at close range, that humans can't get to. The swimming robot explorer opens up underwater worlds not seen.   Fish Tale SoFi is a biomimetic bot that closely resembles a f

Electric Cars  Wirelessly Powered by Charged Roads It's an environmental dream come true.  Battery charging highways that wirelessly power electric cars as they drive along.  Imagine the additional mileage that would provide electric vehicles. Imagine how widespread use of electric cars would cut carbon foot prints globally.  Bottom-line:  electric cars would be a long distance practicality. Game Changing Innovation Research Stanford University has the project on the road.  Researchers are working on a new wireless power system embedded right beneath the surface of the road.  The wirelessly charged roads would power the electric car while it moves along the highway to its destination.  This important concept could result in widespread use of electric cars. New Wireless Charger Stanford researchers have produced a wireless charger that does something other wireless chargers don't.  The charger automatically calibrates the radio wave frequency.  That's t

Robot Workforce By 2030, the robot workforce could replace nearly one-third of US workers.  That's 70 million Americans out of their jobs in thirteen years.  Clearly, automation is disruptive innovation, dramatically changing the American workplace.  And, the US isn't alone. Global Robot Workforces McKinsey Global Institute forecasts the automation labor revolution.  They predict virtually every American worker will need retraining overtime.  Furthermore the robot workforce will replace some humans at every stage in their careers.  McKinsey forecasts technology could replace 375 million employees worldwide by 2030.  Like the US, Germany and Japan will see at least one third of their workforces disrupted.  Interestingly, the disruption is less for China.  12% of their jobs will go robotic.  The reason is Chinese wages are comparatively less. More Key Findings by McKinsey for the Robotic Workforce by 2030 Jobs most at risk are repetitive tasks, such as assembly l