Spareone's designed a mobile phone with a battery life of 15 years

How long your mobile's Battery wll work for May be maximum of three days or a week. But Spareone's has designed the Mobile phone with battery Life of 15 Years. SpareOne's mobile phone comes with a battery life of 15 years, whether you charge it or not and is designed for emergencies. It runs on one AA battery, and claims to keep its charge for up to 15 years, something unthinkable for feature-laden phones with batteries that last only a few days. The SpareOne can be programmed for instant access to phone numbers of key contacts, including emergency services in any location. As the phone's developer, XPAL Power, says: "It's essentially designed to make and receive the most important calls, no matter what." The SpareOne's is also able to automatically transmit its location via its mobile ID, plus has a built-in torch -- and unlike so many of today's gadgets, it even comes with the AA battery included. The new phone, unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, is designed as a 'backup' phone you can keep in the glove compartment for emergencies. Source: Ananta-Tec

Read More........→November 30, 2013

Curiosity Rover Celebrates 1 Year on Mars with Dramatic Discoveries

This scene combines seven images from the telephoto-lens camera on the right side of the Mast Camera (Mastcam) instrument on NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity on Sol 343 of the rover’s work on Mars (July 24, 2013). The center of the scene is toward the southwest. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Malin Space Science Systems Story updated with further details: 

By Ken Kremer: NASA’s mega Mars rover Curiosity is celebrating 1 Year on the Red Planet since the dramatic landing on Aug. 6, 2012 by reveling in a string of groundbreaking science discoveries demonstrating that Mars could once have supported past life – thereby accomplishing her primary science goal – and with a promise that the best is yet to come! “We now know Mars offered favorable conditions for microbial life billions of years ago,” said the mission’s project scientist, John Grotzinger of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. “Curiosity has landed in an ancient river or lake bed on Mars,” Jim Green, Director of NASA’s Planetary Science Division, told Universe Today. Curiosity is now speeding onwards towards Mount Sharp, the huge 3.4 mile (5. 5 km) mountain dominating the center of her Gale Crater landing site – and which is the primary destination of the mission. During Year 1, Curiosity has transmitted over 190 gigabits of data, captured more than 71,000 images, fired over 75,000 laser shots to investigate the composition of rocks and soil and drilled into two rocks for sample analysis by the pair of state-of-the-art miniaturized chemistry labs housed in her belly – SAM & CheMin. “From the sophisticated instruments on Curiosity the data tells us that this region could have been habitable in Mars’ distant past,” Green told me. “This is a major step forward in understanding the history and evolution of Mars.” And just in the nick of time for her 1 year anniversary, the car sized robot just passed the 1 mile (1.6 kilometer) driving mark on Aug. 1, or Sol 351. Mount Sharp still lies roughly 5 miles (8 kilometers) distant – as the Martian crow flies. “We will be on a general heading of southwest to

The total distance driven by NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity passed the one-mile mark a few days before the first anniversary of the rover’s landing on Mars. This map traces where Curiosity drove between landing at “Bradbury Landing” on Aug. 5, 2012, PDT, (Aug. 6, 2012 (Universal Time and EDT) and the position reached during the mission’s 351st Martian day, or sol, (Aug. 1, 2013). The Sol 351 leg added 279 feet (85.1 meters) and brought the odometry since landing to about 1.05 miles (1,686 meters). Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona

Mount Sharp,” Jim Erickson, Curiosity Project Manager of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), told Universe Today in an exclusive interview. See the NASA JPL route maps below. “We have been going through various options of different planned routes.” How long will the journey to Mount Sharp take? “Perhaps about a year,” Erickson told me. “We have put some new software – called autonav, or autonomous navigation – on the vehicle right after the conjunction period back in March 2013. This will increase our ability to drive.” “We are trying to make that significantly faster by bringing the new autonav online. That will help. But how much it helps really depends on the terrain.” So far the terrain has not been problematical. “Things are going very well and we have a couple of drives under our belt,” said Erickson, since starting the long trek to Mount Sharp about a month ago. The lower reaches of Mount Sharp are comprised of exposed geological layers of sedimentary materials that formed eons ago when Mars was warmer and wetter, and much more hospitable to microscopic life. “It has been gratifying to succeed, but that has also whetted our appetites to learn more,” says Grotzinger. “We hope those enticing layers at Mount Sharp will preserve a broad diversity of other environmental conditions that could have affected habitability.” Indeed, Curiosity’s breakthrough discovery that the surface of Mars possesses the key chemical ingredients required to sustain microbial life in a habitable zone, has emboldened NASA to start mapping out the future of Mars exploration. NASA announced plans to start work on a follow on robotic explorer launching in 2020and develop strategies for returning Martian samples to Earth and dispatching eventual human missions to Mars in the 2030’s using the new Orion capsule and SLS Heavy lift rocket. “NASA’s Mars program is back on track with the 2016 InSight lander and the 2020 rover,” Jim Green, Director of NASA’s Planetary Science Division, told Universe Today in an interview. “Successes of our Curiosity — that dramatic touchdown a year ago and the science findings since then — advance us toward further exploration, including sending humans to an asteroid and Mars,” said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden in a statement. “Wheel tracks now, will lead to boot prints later.” Following the hair-raising touchdown using with the never before used sky-crane descent thrusters, the science team directed the 1 ton robot to drive to a nearby area of interesting outcrops on the Gale crater floor – at a place called Glenelg and Yellowknife Bay. Along the way, barely 5 weeks after landing, Curiosity found a spot laden with rounded pebbles at the Hottah outcrop of concretions that formed in an ancient stream bed where hip deep liquid water once flowed rather vigorously. In February 2013, Curiosity conducted the historic first ever interplanetary drilling into Red Planet rocks at the ‘John Klein’ outcrop inside Yellowknife Bay that was shot through with hydrated mineral veins of gypsum. The Yellowknife Bay basin looks like a dried up 

Curiosity accomplished Historic 1st drilling into Martian rock at John Klein outcrop on Feb 8, 2013 (Sol 182), shown in this context mosaic view of the Yellowknife Bay basin taken on Jan. 26 (Sol 169). The robotic arm is pressing down on the surface at John Klein outcrop of veined hydrated minerals – dramatically back dropped with her ultimate destination; Mount Sharp. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Ken Kremer/Marco Di Lorenzo

river bed. Analysis of pulverized portions of the gray colored rocky powder cored from the interior of ‘John Klein’ revealed evidence for phyllosilicates clay minerals that typically form in pH neutral water. These starting findings on the crater floor were unexpected and revealed habitable environmental conditions on Mars – thus fulfilling the primary science goal of the mission. See herein our context panoramic mosaic from Sol 169 showing the robotic arm touching and investigating the Martian soil and rocks at ‘John Klein’. And if you take a visit to Washington, DC, you can see our panorama (assembled by Ken Kremer and Marco Di Lorenzo) on permanent display at a newly installed Solar System exhibit at the US National Mall in front of the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum- details here.

A mosaic by the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover, assembled by Ken Kremer and Marco Di Lorenzo is now part of the permanent Solar System Exhibit outside the National Air and Space Museum on the US National Mall in Washington, D.C. Image courtesy NCESSE.

“We have found a habitable environment [at John Klein] which is so benign and supportive of life that probably if this water was around, and you had been on the planet, you would have been able to drink it,” says Grotzinger, summing up the mission. This past week she captured rare sky watching images of the diminutive Martian moons – Phobos and Deimos – together! Meanwhile, Curiosity’s 10 year old sister rover Opportunity Is trundling merrily along and will arrive shortly at her own mountain climbing goal on the opposite of Mars. And NASA’s next Mars orbiter called MAVEN (for Mars Atmosphere and 

Curiosity captured unique and rare view of tiny Martian moons Phobos & Deimos together on Sol 351 (Aug 1, 2013). Look close and see craters on pockmarked Phobos. Credit: NASA/JPL/MSSS, contrast enhanced by Marco Di Lorenzo and Ken KremerOn the long road to Mount Sharp, Curiosity will make occasional stops for science.

Volatile Evolution), has just arrived intact at the Kennedy Space Center after a cross country trip aboard a USAF C-17. Technicians at Kennedy will complete final preparations for MAVEN’s blastoff to the Red Planet on Nov. 18 from the Florida Space Coast atop an Atlas V rocket. On Tuesday, Aug 6, NASA will broadcast a half day of new programming on NASA TV commemorating the landing and discussing the science accomplished so far and what’s coming next. And stay tuned for more astonishing discoveries during ‘Year 2′ on the Red Planet from our intrepid rover Curiosity – Starting Right Now ! Ken Kremer

Curiosity Route Map From ‘Glenelg’ to Mount Sharp: This map shows where NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity landed in August 2012 at “Bradbury Landing”; the area where the rover worked from November 2012 through May 2013 at and near the “John Klein” target rock in the “Glenelg” area; and the mission’s next major destination, the entry point to the base of Mount Sharp. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona. Source: Universetoday

Read More........→August 06, 2013

New Society With Humanoid Robots Says EU Robotics Expert: Replicants Soon A Reality?

Danica Kragic: Credit: KTH Royal Institute of Technology

Is there a replicant in your future? Or at least a very humanoid robot? The 1982 film Blade Runner depicts a dystopian Los Angeles in November 2019 in which genetically engineered organic robots called replicants – visually indistinguishable from adult humans – are manufactured by the powerful Tyrell Corporation as well as by other "mega–manufacturers" around the world. Rutger Hauer as Roy Batty,leader of the renegade Nexus-6 replicants That vision of the future may not be that far off...or at least its beginning. Humanity came one step closer in January to being able to replicate itself, thanks to the EU’s approval of funding for the Human Brain Project. Danica Kragic, a robotics researcher and computer science professor at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, says that while the prospect of living among humanoid robots calls to mind terrifying scenarios from science fiction, the reality of how humans cope with advances in robotics will be more complex, and subtle. “Robots will challenge the way we feel about machines in general,” Kragic says. “A completely different kind of society is on the way.” http://crosstalks.tv/ The Human Brain Project will involve 87 universities in a simulation of the cells, chemistry and connectivity of the brain in a supercomputer, in order to understand the brain’s architecture, organisation, functions and development. The project will include testing brain-enabled robots. “Will we be able to – just by the fact that we can build a brain – build a human? Why not? What would stop you?” Kragic asks. Nevertheless, consumer-grade robots are a long way from reality, says Kragic, who in addition to serving as Director of KTH’s Centre for Autonomous Systems, is also head of the Computer Vision and Active Perception Lab. She says that in order for robots to offer some value to households, researchers and developers will have to overcome some daunting technological challenges. Robots will have to multitask and perhaps even be programmed to have emotional capacities programmed into their logical processes, she says. “Based on the state of the environment and what it is expected of the robot, we want the outcome action to be acceptable to humans,” she says. “Many things that we do are based not just on facts, so should machines somehow have simulated emotions, or not? Either way, it is difficult to predict how that will affect their interaction with humans.” Kragic sees robots making a largely positive contribution to society. But they will also present some novel problems for which humans have few reference points, such as what are the social norms for interacting with robots? “There is a discussion about robot ethics and how we should treat robots,” Kragic says. “It’s difficult to say what’s right and wrong until you are actually in the situation where you need to question yourself and your own feelings about a certain machine – and the big question is how your feelings are conditioned by the fact that you know it’s a machine, or don’t know whether it’s a machine.” Kragic predicts that one of the most popular consumer application of robots will be as housekeepers, performing the chores that free up time for their owners. They could also take over jobs that are repetitive, such as operating buses or working in restaurants. On the other hand, the robot industry will expand and create jobs, she predicts. As for the possibility that one day robots will turn on us – Kragic is skeptical. “A robot rebellion - that’s the ultimate science fiction scenario, right? It’s worth placing some constraints on robots, such as (author Isaac) Asimov’s Three Rules of Robotics. At the same time, we have rules as humans, which we break. No one is 100 percent safe, and the same can happen with machines.” Human rebellion against robots is far more likely, she says, pointing out that even as society’s attitudes toward automation evolve over generations, the debate over whether humans have the right to “play God” will likely continue. “There will be people for and against it,” she says. “But what is wrong with building a human? We have been raised in a society that thinks this is wrong, that this is playing God. “Subsequent generations could have a different view.” Blade Runner is a 1982 American dystopian science fiction action film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, and Sean Young. The screenplay, written by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples, is loosely based on the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick. In the Blade Runner film. Replicants use on Earth is banned and replicants are exclusively used for dangerous, menial or leisure work on off-world colonies. Replicants who defy the ban and return to Earth are hunted down and "retired" by police special operatives known as "Blade Runners". The plot focuses on a brutal and cunning group of recently escaped replicants hiding in Los Angeles and the burnt out expert Blade Runner, Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), who reluctantly agrees to take on one more assignment to hunt them down. Contacts and sources: Robotics researcher Danica Kragic, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Source: Nano Patents And Innovation

Read More........→April 01, 2013

Apple “iWatch” Arriving In 2013

Apple’s stock has recently fallen by almost 30%, down from an all-time high of $703 in late 2012. Despite recording phenomenal earnings, Apple investors are becoming sceptical of Apple’s future plans. Apple is losing their gross margin on the products they sell as components become more expensive and competitors in the industry push Apple to lower their prices. A new report has outlined Apple’s plans to introduce a smart watch in 2013 which would help reintroduce high margins into Apple’s product categories, thus satisfying investors. Oliver Chen, an analyst for Citigroup, has told reuters that Apple has a “$6 billion opportunity” where they could recreate the success of the iPod; reinvent a market that already exists and make it desirable to the general public. In 2013, the entire watch industry is expected to generate $60 billion, which would enable Apple to catch 10%, equivalent to a gross profit of $3.6 billion. Margins on watches are also much higher, with some manufactures getting up to 60%; the iPhone currently nets Apple a 55% margin. Apple is reported to have a 100-person team working on their
“iWatch”, which may replace some of the tasks making currently carried out by the iPhone and iPad. Also Apple is considering the ability for the smart watch to place calls, identify the person an incoming call, check map coordinates as well as act as a pedometer and heart-rate monitor. As of right now, Apple has filed almost 80 patents which include the word “wrist”, one of which includes a flexible screen and a battery charged by kinetic energy. Google is currently developing Glass, which will features a small built-in screen which will be viewable in the right eye of the user. However, Glass does not include a 3G radio, effectively chaining it to a smartphone. If Apple included such a radio in their smart watch, they could open up a new brand of “smart” accessory. Jony Ive, Apple’s lead designer, has an interest in watch. Not only has he owned many high-end brands himself, he also took his team to a Nike factory for a tour. Google Glass will be unveiled at the end of 2013/early 2014, while Apple’s inside source is adamant that Apple’s smart watch will be available during 2013, possibly at Apple’s main WWDC event in June. Another problem Apple faces in regards to a watch is design. People are happy to carry around the same smartphone as everyone else, but a watch is even more of a fashion statement. Apple’s one-size-fits-all mentality may not work in the watch industry where consumers may want different types of straps or different materials. Apple may be forced to offer various models, something they do not like doing. Source: Know Your Destiny

Read More........→March 08, 2013

New Honda 'Asimo' Robot Now Smarter, Faster

    

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Honda's human - shaped  robot  can  now run  faster,  balance  itself  on  uneven surfaces, hop on one foot and pour a drink. Some of its technology may even be used to help out with clean-up operations at the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant. Honda's demonstration of the revamped "Asimo" on Tuesday at its Tokyo suburban research facility was not only to prove that the bubble-headed childlike machine was  more  limber and  a  bit  smarter. It was a way to try to answer some critics that Asimo, first shown in 2000, had been of little practical use so far, proving to be nothing more than a glorified toy and cute showcase for the Honda Motor Co. brand. Honda President Takanobu Ito told reporters some of Asimo's technology was used to develop a robotic arm in just six months with the intention of helping with the nuclear crisis in northeastern Japan. The mechanical arm can open and close valves  at  Fukushima Dai - ichi  nuclear  power  plant, which went  into meltdown after the March tsunami, according to Honda. The automaker is working with the utility behind the problem plant, Tokyo Electric Power Co., to try to meet demands to bring the plant under control. Ito acknowledged that the first idea was to send in Asimo to help out, but that was not possible because the robot cannot maneuver in rubble, and its delicate computer parts would malfunction in radiation. But in Tuesday's demonstration, Asimo was able to walk without falling over 2 centimeter (0.8 inch) padded bumps on the floor. It can also now jog faster than itdid in 2005, at 9 kilometers per hour (5.6 mph), instead of the earlier 6 kph (3.7 mph), pushing better with its toes so its run was smoother and not as jerky. Asimo was also able to distinguish the voices of three people spoken at once, using face recognition and analyzing sound, to figure out that one woman wanted hot coffee, another orange juice, and still another milk tea. The new Asimo got improved hands as well, allowing individual movement of each finger, so it could do sign language. "My name is Asimo," it said, making the signs of its words with stubby fingers. It also opened a thermos bottle and gracefully poured juice into a paper cup. Ito said Asimo had developed autonomous artificial intelligence so that it could potentially maneuver itself through crowds of people, without remote control or stopping each time to check on its programming. But he acknowledged that making robotics into a practical business will take more time, meaning Asimo wasn't about to show up in any home soon. "Maybe at the start this was a dream of engineers to make a machine that was close to a human being, like Astro Boy," he said. "We think Asimo is good." Other manufacturers are also developing robots, eager to cash in on the expected needs of Japan's rapidly aging population. Toyota Motor Corp., Japan's top automaker which makes the Prius hybrid and Lexus luxury models, is among those to have jumped on the robotics bandwagon. In the past, it has shown robots that can play the violin and talk like receptionists. Last week, it showed a computerized device that latches on to the body to help old or sick people walk and keep balance. Honda, which makes the Odyssey minivan and Accord sedan, has developed similar brace-like gadgets to help people get about. Neither the Toyota nor Honda product is on sale yet. Still, experts say such research is important to keep up. "Maybe it can't be put to use right away, but it is definitely a technology that we should keep working on to advance," Hiroshi Kobayashi, a mechanical engineering professor at Tokyo University of Science, said of the new Asimo. "It is common for what we achieve in research to turn out later to lead to many products," said Kobayashi, who has developed experimental robots. 

Read More........→February 11, 2013