Monday, August 24, 2015

Robopocalypse Report #15: 3d Printing the drones to scout for the self driving cars

Welcome to the latest Robopocalypse Report!  News has been light this past week and change, so this report has been compiled over time and once it reaches a threshold, will get published.  As with most times, we lead with the drones!  

Duke Energy has started using drones for power line and other inspections.  Elsewhere drones are being used to inspect oil rigs.

Scientific American discusses the problems with rogue drones.  The incidences of drones getting in the way of important operations or in restricted airspace has increased 3 fold in the past year.  This is a growing problem.  What is to be done?  E Fencing?  GPS delineated no fly zones?  Or...?  And this is NOT just an American problem!

An American small arms ammo maker has started advertising anti drone shotgun rounds. That's one way to deal with the problem drones.

The FAA prefers to ban their flight if necessary, like say the Pope's visit to Philadelphia

Apple has stolen Telsa's lead for self driving car tech.  Project Titan is the rumored name for Apple's car.

Consumer WatchDog is calling for amending the DMV regulations for self driving car accidents.  Currently, they must be reported to the DMV, but not investigated by the police.  the consumer group wants them all investigated.

Some are wondering if the self driving car will be the doom of the insurance companies.

Some are stating self driving cars will save you money.

3d Printing is a topic I only rarely touch on here for the Robopocalypse Reports.  This is mainly because while it is a disruptive technology, its so full of niche spaces its hard to discern what is really being that impactful.  When its about 3d printing houses, definitely.  A new material...not so sure.  That said!

CNET looks at the 3d Printing startup culture in Chattanooga, Tennessee.


MIT has figured out how to 3d print glass.  Here is a pop sci write up and here in the paper.



China confirms a torpedo-like UUV caught in a fisherman's net a few years ago off of Hainan is an intelligence device.



In more general robotics, we have the return of the Makr Shakr robobar.

The review of Buddy the robot from Blue Frog Robotics is pretty down.

Popular Science profiles the delivery bots for hotels of Savioke.  I wonder if the PopMech aerospace curse will hold true for PopSci and robotics.

Fanuc, a major industrial robotics company in Japan, has taken a stake in Preferred Networks as a follow-up to its earlier cooperation agreement.  The intent is to make more flexible, even self repairing robots.

Robohub takes a look at the robotics market in China.  China seems to be embracing the robopocalypse in manufacturing at least, being the largest market for robotics in the world now.

Financial Times claims the problems of robotics and their impact on jobs is a myth.

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