They’ve created a proof of concepts for robots that transform, sound familiar? At Harvard a team of scientists put together a robot that is made cut out’s utilizing the concept of oragami. The cut outs are made in molds that bend and shape in accordance with the robots movements.

Here is the link to the page: Robot folds up, walks away

Here is a link to the video: Self-folding robots

Why it’s hot?

Aside from getting one step closer to transformers, these little robots can have a bunch of nifty purposes. They are currently being orientated towards household tasks. But they have military applications as well, machines than self deploy(operate) need no one to babysit them. They can activate and operate on their own.Additionally, these robots are tiny right now, but if they use oragami like feature they have the potential to remain nimble, storage friendly and functional.

Google has previously met with car corporations in regards to working together to create a self-driving car. This  happened as early as 2012. However google and car companies in detroit could not come to an agreement thus they embarked on this endeavor on their own. Google has made prototypes of self driving cars. They do not intend to wait on gradually adding self driving features. This has caused quite a commotion in the automotive industry as google becomes a potential threat to business.

The article can be found here: Google, Detroit diverge on road map for self-driving cars.

The slide show here: Self Driving Car

Why it’s Hot?

Google is prototyping a vehicle that requires no wheel, gas pedal or break pedal. Everything that it means to drive a car is rapidly changing. They are marketing the idea as wheels when you want them. Instead of individually owning a car, it could be a shared service. Which may also take cuts at UBER and other on the go transit.

The need to drive may becoming obsolete. you could essential plan car rides where you watch a movie, spend time together with someone or reinvent any car ride experience where everyone be a passenger without paying for a bus or greyhound service.

DARPA or the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (same people who brought you the internet) are developing moving and thinking machines. These machines serve mostly military applications as of right now. Their most recent project is a robot called ATLAS.  Currently atlas walks and stands on its own and resembles a figure of a human. It can also tackle obstacle courses and respond (balance itself) to being struck  by weights or objects. Atlas is able to receive input and move based on its own interpretation.

Catch the DARPA Atlas robot here

Why This is hot

The robot indicates the ability to create human like robots in shape and motor functions. The robot is moving toward autonomous and wire-free energy input. Meaning that it will be able to perform manual functions soon, erasing jobs for some and opening opportunity for more streamlined workplaces.

Nuero-Scientists in Ohio have found a way to bypass the synapses within your nervous system. With their new set of technology they can allow your brain to send signals to parts of your body that the spinal cord does not reach.

The technology uses a chip installed in specific parts of your brain (for a specific motor function), then uses a software to analyze and decode the signals you intend to do. This is then sent to a electrode stimulation sleeve that provide the electric signal to that body part,creating the motion.

Check it out here at: http://neurosciencenews.com/paralysis-neurobridge-neural-bypass-movement-1131/

Man Moves Paralyzed hand with his own thoughts

Why it’s Hot?

Aside from moving limbs that were paralyzed or useable there are plenty of future technological applications. Since the technology knows decode movement signals and then stimulate the electricity to perform it in limbs, the movements could be sent elsewhere. People who might be paralyzed could get brain controlled robot assistance. They could just think what they want to do and then the robot would function as if they were the human. This could have medical and recreational features. People could live vicariously through their machine!