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Category: drones

Artificial Intelligence isn’t science fiction anymore—it’s a transformative force shaping the way we live, work, and innovate. In this groundbreaking documentary, explore the real-world applications of AI as it evolves from code into conscious collaboration. From autonomous flying drones to lifelike androids, we uncover how AI is pushing the boundaries of possibility.

The Revolution Of AI (2020)
✍️ Writers: Kyle McCabe, Christopher Webb Young.
⭐ Stars: Shivani Bigler, Jason Derenick, Barbara Grosz.
🎞️ Genre: Documentary.
🌍 Country: United States.
🗣️ Language: English.
🎭 Also Known As: Hyper Intelligence.
📅 Release Date: 2020 (United States)

Synopsis:
Join leading experts and visionary engineers as they guide us through the cutting edge of AI technology. Discover how robotic drones are learning to think for themselves, navigating unknown terrain during high-risk rescue missions. See how swarm technology is revolutionizing farming, and how robots are teaming up with humans to increase safety and productivity at work.

Watch as scientists work toward the next big leap—robots with self-awareness. These advanced machines are learning to understand themselves, make decisions, and adapt to the world around them. With androids now capable of human-like interaction, the line between machine and man continues to blur.

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Questions to inspire discussion.

🚕 Q: What’s the expected price range for Tesla’s upcoming Robo Taxi? A: Tesla’s Robo Taxi will enter a new price tier under $30,000, significantly increasing sales and profitability due to its lower hardware cost structure.

Tesla’s Expansion in China.

🇨🇳 Q: How is Tesla expanding its Full Self-Driving (FSD) in China? A: Tesla is offering a 30-day free trial of FSD in China, with new software version 13.2.8 for both Hardware 3 and 4, likely rolling out between end of April and early May.

🤝 Q: Why is Tesla’s relationship with China important? A: Tesla’s good relationship with China, established 5 years ago without a joint venture, is crucial for success as China benefits from learning Tesla’s FSD perspective and benchmarking against their own vehicles.

💰 Q: How will tariffs affect low-priced vehicles in the US? A: 25% tariffs on imported vehicles will apply to nearly 80% of vehicles priced under $30,000, impacting popular models like Civic and Corolla.

Continue reading “Tesla Major Announcements, Tariff War Draws Blood” | >

A race is on in solar engineering to create almost impossibly-thin, flexible solar panels. Engineers imagine them used in mobile applications, from self-powered wearable devices and sensors to lightweight aircraft and electric vehicles. Against that backdrop, researchers at Stanford University have achieved record efficiencies in a promising group of photovoltaic materials.

Chief among the benefits of these transition metal dichalcogenides – or TMDs – is that they absorb ultrahigh levels of the sunlight that strikes their surface compared to other solar materials.

“Imagine an autonomous drone that powers itself with a solar array atop its wing that is 15 times thinner than a piece of paper,” said Koosha Nassiri Nazif, a doctoral scholar in electrical engineering at Stanford and co-lead author of a study published in the Dec. 9 edition of Nature Communications. “That is the promise of TMDs.”

The search for new materials is necessary because the reigning king of solar materials, silicon, is much too heavy, bulky and rigid for applications where flexibility, lightweight and high power are preeminent, such as wearable devices and sensors or aerospace and electric vehicles.

New, ultrathin photovoltaic materials could eventually be used in mobile applications, from self-powered wearable devices and sensors to lightweight aircraft and electric vehicles.

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A smaller, lighter and more energy-efficient computer, demonstrated at the University of Michigan, could help save weight and power for autonomous drones and rovers, with implications for autonomous vehicles more broadly.

The autonomous controller has among the lowest power requirements reported, according to the study published in Science Advances. It operates at a mere 12.5 microwatts—in the ballpark of a pacemaker.

In testing, a rolling robot using the controller was able to pursue a target zig-zagging down a hallway with the same speed and accuracy as with a conventional digital controller. In a second trial, with a lever-arm that automatically repositioned itself, the new controller did just as well.

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WASHINGTON — Maxar Intelligence developed a visual-based navigation technology that enables aerial drones to operate without relying on GPS, the company announced March 25.

The software, called Raptor, provides a terrain-based positioning system for drones in GPS-denied environments by leveraging detailed 3D models created from Maxar’s satellite imagery. Instead of using satellite signals, a drone equipped with Raptor compares its real-time camera feed with a pre-existing 3D terrain model to determine its position and orientation.

Peter Wilczynski, chief product officer at Maxar Intelligence, explained that the Raptor software has three main components. One is installed directly on the drone, enabling real-time position determination. Another application georegisters the drone’s video feed with Maxar’s 3D terrain data. A separate laptop-based application works alongside drone controllers, allowing operators to extract precise ground coordinates from aerial video feeds.

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