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In a remote part of Utah, a small team of engineers, designers, and enthusiasts are creating fun and innovative experiences that rival anything you’d see at Disney World or Universal Studios.

The Void is a new age playground that seamlessly blends virtual reality experiences with physical environments, using effects like wind and water to make those virtual worlds feel even more convincing — anything from jungles to caves to fantastic environments you couldn’t dream of.

Here’s an example of an experience at The Void where you explore a research facility and shoot your way through spiders, drones, and an alien.

Produced by Corey Protin. Report by Dave Smith.

“Full exploitation of this information is a major challenge,” officials with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) wrote in a 2009 brief on “deep learning.”

“Human observation and analysis of [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] assets is essential, but the training of humans is both expensive and time-consuming. Human performance also varies due to individuals’ capabilities and training, fatigue, boredom, and human attentional capacity.”

Working with a team of researchers at MIT, DARPA is hoping to take all of that human know-how and shrink it down into processing unit no bigger than your cellphone, using a microchip known as “Eyeriss.” The concept relies on “neural networks;” computerized memory networks based on the workings of the human brain.

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Google is working in secret at a spaceport in New Mexico to build and test solar-powered internet drones in a new initiative codenamed Project SkyBender, according to a report from The Guardian today. The company is reportedly renting 15,000 square feet of hangar space from Virgin Galactic — the commercial spaceflight outfit of business mogul Richard Branson — at the privately owned Spaceport America located near a town called Truth or Consequences. The lynchpin of Project SkyBender appears to be cutting-edge millimeter wave technology, which can transmit gigabits of data every second at speeds up to 40 times faster than modern 4G LTE.

Millimeter waves are thought to be the future of high-speed data transmission technology, and may form the backbone of 5G mobile networks. Aereo founder Chet Kanojia’s new startup Starry announced earlier this week it would use millimeter wave tech to bring gigabit internet speeds to people’s homes via Wi-Fi. Millimeter waves have much shorter range than current smartphone signals and are easily disrupted by weather conditions like rain, fog, and snow. Using what’s called a phased array, however, Google and others could potentially focus the transmissions over greater distances.

Google is currently testing the technique with a new solar-powered drone called Centaur and other units made by a division known as Google Titan, which the company formed after it acquired drone maker Titan Aerospace in 2014. The company has a deal with the FCC to continue testing until July, according to The Guardian. It’s also paying Virgin Galactic about $1,000 a day to use its hanger, as well as an additional $300,000 to Spaceport America to construct installations with servers, millimeter wave transceivers, and other tech onsite.

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The things we need to know for the 2016 robotic experience — robot clusters, manufacturing & logistics, food & healthcare, A3 Mexico Coming Soon and robotics integration.


Bold predictions for Collaboration, Connectivity and Convergence rang in 2015. One industry insider even called them prescient. Looking back a year later, we see the five-year forecast materializing faster than expected.

Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT) is more than a buzzword. With drones taking to the skies and autonomous robots navigating our warehouses, local eateries, hotels, hospitals, and stores, and soon our roadways – the differences between industrial, collaborative, and service robots continue to blur. No longer are robots reserved for multinational conglomerates or the rich eccentric with a sweet tooth for high-tech toys. SMEs and your average homeowner can now join the party. Sensors, software, and hardware are getting smarter and cheaper. We’re democratizing robotics for the masses.

It’s taken longer than some had hoped. But we’re approaching the tipping point for many automation technologies. We’re envisioning a world where robots will help the elderly and infirm with everyday tasks, so they can live independently longer. We’re moving closer to Asimov’s robots and to the “mobile, sensate robot” Engelberger anticipated. It’s the paradigm shift foretold by visionaries past and present.

Robotics store — could we eventually see a HomeDepot version of a Robotics Warehouse and More coming not too far in the future as a franchise across North America and Europe? Or, better yet, a Robotic Target for the latest clothing and accessories for your own personalized robot. In Japan, they actually have a fashion line for robots.


25 Jan, 2016 - The organization is led by President V. Scott Stoneburner. The mission of RobotStop is to create a more prosperous future through principled service and technological innovation. President V. Scott Stoneburner said, “We are extremely excited to launch RobotStop. We envision that robotics will soon be a booming market and our plan is to strategically position ourselves ahead of that exponential curve. As innovation and competition increases, prices have started to become more aligned to the consumer mass market.”

RobotStop, a global product retailer (www.robotstop.com), announced today that it has officially launched a new website and corporate identity. According to President V. Scott Stoneburner, RobotStop President and founder, the new website and brand are closely aligned with the company’s strategic vision for growth and expansion over the next decade, and beyond.

The RobotStop website offers a clean, modern design, easy-to-navigate functionality, and a content-rich site experience. The e-commerce function enables customers to quickly and easily order RobotStop LLC products from a broad range of categories, including Robots & Kits, UAVs & Drones, Wearable Technology, Virtual Reality, Hot New Robots, Miscellaneous Robot Products, Professional Robots etc.

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