lost in space

The Japanese have brilliantly developed, Kirobo, a talking robot that went into space on Aug 4, 2013.  I am hopeful it will be an asset to the astronauts and a big boost for space robotics in terms of communications, intel, and yup, entertainment and loneliness during space missions (for humans or robots, you ask?). Speaking of loneliness, I was thinking that Kirobo should also have a companion so he doesn’t get lonely.  This robot monkey could be on a planet working collaboratively with Kirobo and other robot monkeys to do our manufacturing: http://robotik.dfki-bremen.de/en/research/robot-systems/istruct-demonstrator-1.html
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engineering “Survivor”

If I had to choose a person to be with on the TV show ‘Survivor’, it would be an engineer.  I was hoping that after all these years, perhaps by hanging around them, I could learn to think like them.  In actuality, I do think in a similar process as they – logically and analytically – but I apply that to human behavior instead of machines/technology.  I am able to read the ‘Human Operating System’ of each individual fairly quickly, but when it comes to putting, say, a piece of equipment back together, I just don’t get it.  A part
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Farenheit 451

  19 Arizona firefighters, aged 21-43, have died trying to save others’ lives and property. Meanwhile, a robot being developed at Purdue University was used for the first time in a working fire.   The 400 pound, 2 foot tall bot was remotely controlled to successfully water down hot spots too dangerous for humans.  The robot can withstand temperatures up to 1400 degrees, and can operate continuously for up to an hour and a half.  Here is some video on it: http://www.publicsafetyreporter.com/tag/firefighting-robot/ This is the perfect application for a robot – so why isn’t there one in every U.S. fire department? 
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smart clothing

This article headlined NBC Technology News  – http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/internet-things-pits-george-jetson-vs-george-orwell-6C10462818 and what caught my attention was the LED dress, and for many reasons:  For decades, I have been thinking about ‘smart’ clothing: clothing with smart’ materials and sensors that adjusts to both our body temperature and the environmental temperature (especially beneficial for menopausal women with hot flashes); 3-D printers that print clothes for us that are recyclable with matching clothes for our robotic companions.
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