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Category: transportation – Page 121

MilliMobile is a tiny, self-driving robot powered only by light and radio waves

Small mobile robots carrying sensors could perform tasks like catching gas leaks or tracking warehouse inventory. But moving robots demands a lot of energy, and batteries, the typical power source, limit lifetime and raise environmental concerns. Researchers have explored various alternatives: affixing sensors to insects, keeping charging mats nearby, or powering the robots with lasers. Each has drawbacks: Insects roam, chargers limit range, and lasers can burn people’s eyes.

Researchers at the University of Washington have now created MilliMobile, a tiny, self-driving robot powered only by surrounding light or radio waves. Equipped with a solar panel-like energy harvester and four wheels, MilliMobile is about the size of a penny, weighs as much as a raisin and can move about the length of a bus (30 feet, or 10 meters) in an hour even on a cloudy day. The robot can drive on surfaces such as concrete or packed soil and carry three times its own weight in equipment like a camera or sensors. It uses a to move automatically toward light sources so it can run indefinitely on harvested power.

The team will present its research Oct. 2 at the ACM MobiCom 2023 conference in Madrid, Spain.

AI co-pilot enhances human precision for safer aviation

Imagine you’re in an airplane with two pilots, one human and one computer. Both have their “hands” on the controllers, but they’re always looking out for different things. If they’re both paying attention to the same thing, the human gets to steer. But if the human gets distracted or misses something, the computer quickly takes over.

Meet the Air-Guardian, a system developed by researchers at the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL). As modern pilots grapple with an onslaught of information from multiple monitors, especially during critical moments, Air-Guardian acts as a proactive co-pilot; a partnership between and machine, rooted in understanding .

But how does it determine attention, exactly? For humans, it uses eye-tracking, and for the , it relies on something called “saliency maps,” which pinpoint where attention is directed. The maps serve as visual guides highlighting key regions within an image, aiding in grasping and deciphering the behavior of intricate algorithms. Air-Guardian identifies early signs of potential risks through these attention markers, instead of only intervening during safety breaches like traditional autopilot systems.

World-first Dutch program will use ride-share cars as a grid battery

Renewable energy grids need lots of energy storage – and EVs plugged into charging stations represent a huge, city-wide battery just waiting to help out. The Dutch city of Utrecht is about to pioneer a clever way to kickstart two-way charging.

The idea has been done plenty at the domestic level – where devices like Toyota’s V2H (vehicle-to-home) charging system can turn an electric car into a high-powered backup power supply capable of running your whole home for days at a time.

And people have been talking about it on a broader, city-wide scale since the dawn of the EV revolution; the same high power density batteries that makes EVs so quick to accelerate make them perfect for quickly sending power back into the grid to smooth out demand spikes.

Cruise’s autonomous cars to start trials in Dubai this month

A fleet of five AVs will operate on a 5-mile stretch in the upend Jumeirah neighborhood.

Dubai is set to be the first city in the Middle East to start the trial of fully autonomous vehicles (AVs). On an experimental basis, the service will be carried by US-firm Cruise, which plans to initiate the services next month, according to.

Cruise and the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority signed a contract that designated Cruise as the only supplier of self-driving taxis and ride-hailing services back in 2021.

Around the world with no emissions with Solar Airship One

Solar Airship One embarks on a 24,854-mile zero-emissions world tour powered by the Sun and hydrogen. A game-changer in sustainable aviation.

Euro Airship unveiled its groundbreaking project, Solar Airship One, in a historic move towards sustainable aviation in a press release. This innovative venture promises to revolutionize long-distance aviation by completing a non-stop world tour spanning over 24,854 miles (40,000 kilometers), all while producing zero emissions. Set to take flight in 2026, Solar Airship One represents a significant leap forward in the quest for environmentally friendly transportation.

A massive ship in the sky

Solar Airship One, a massive 495 feet (151 meters) in length, is a rigid airship boasting a helium expansion volume of 53,000 cubic meters. The key to its sustainability lies in its envelope, with an impressive 4,800 square meters of solar film. These solar panels harness sunlight during the day to power the airship’s electric propulsion systems while storing excess energy in fuel cells. By night, the stored energy is utilized as the fuel cells convert hydrogen produced through water electrolysis into electricity.

Austin Energy program revs up electric vehicle tech in 150+ Central Texas schools

For nearly five years, Austin Energy’s EVs for Schools program has provided access to electric vehicle charging infrastructure and related technology curriculum to more than 150 schools across Central Texas. Now, AE is gearing up for the rollout of its upgraded program, adapted to meet the changing landscape of EV technology.

Tesla Launches Non-Tesla Supercharger Pilot Program In New Zealand

New Zealand is the latest market where Tesla launched its Non-Tesla Supercharger Pilot program, which allows for the recharging of other electric vehicles at Superchargers.

According to the company, six Supercharging sites are now available for all EVs (compatible with the locally used CCS2 charging connector, natively used also by Tesla). That’s about a third of all Supercharging stations in New Zealand.

Australia was included in the program in early 2023, and currently, it seems that more than half (roughly 30 locations) were opened to all EVs.

How Austin Energy is expanding electric vehicle access

AUSTIN (KXAN) — As the City of Austin works toward reducing its carbon footprint, city officials are working to expand programs and infrastructure to help make electric vehicle technology more accessible citywide.

Amy Atchley, senior lead with Austin Energy’s EV equity program, spoke Tuesday at MOVE America 2023, a mobility conference held in downtown Austin. Atchley’s presentation centered around providing EV access to underserved community members, particularly as the city moves toward a 2040 goal of net zero carbon emissions.

With that goal in mind, she noted transportation is the leading emitter of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. In order to achieve that benchmark, she said the city must have at least 40% of its vehicle miles traveled done via electric vehicle technology by 2030.