Cool Car projects (contd....)

It’s a week since the last article on Kit Creatives was published. In the previous article, we had discussed about some cool new gadgets that could adorn your family car and make it quite savvy for the tech fuelled 21st Century. 

Today we pick up from where we left the other day and explore a few more projects in the same vehicle segment. 

We are going to see a few more projects that can ease your dad’s life while he uses the car and will also help induce some swagger to your car. 

Sit back and enjoy reading through a few new projects. Explore the world of technology through Kit Creatives. Also, don’t forget to try them out on your own Kidobotikz Kits.

1) Secure Garage Parking System - F+B

 If you are a owner of a car, then you can always relate to this issue. The blind spot behind the trunk of a car is one that we all dread of. It is always a tricky challenge of parking one’s car close to wall without accidentally bumping into it. Equally dreadful is the fear of sideway parking when you could ding your side mirror into the wall. The satisfaction of being able to park a car in a foolproof manner is one that we all dream of. If only we could have a secure Garage parking system that could warn us of the wall limit on all 4 sides. Made of a buzzer and limit switch, such a system would come to good use while parking the car in malls, theatres and public parking areas. To assemble one such system, all you would need is a few components from your Foundation Kit and Beginners Kit.

Learn step by step as to how this can be done here.

2) Bluetooth Controlled Light Dimmer- F+B

How often do you feel the urge to be able to change the brightness of the lights in your rooms, cars and elsewhere. Especially when you are trying to make the surroundings ambient, a bright light is the last thing you want as it can just bleach the surroundings with brightness and make the glare test our senses. You can always address this problem with a light dimmer. And if the dimmer can be controlled via a mobile phone, that’s just icing on the cake. To make such a project all you would need is a few components from your Foundation Kit and Beginners Kit.

Learn step by step as to how this can be done here.

3) Traffic Light System-F

OK, we know that this cannot be used onboard your car or anywhere in your house. But frankly, it is always fun to watch how Traffic Light Systems operate at all major roads without erring even a single time. Infact, traffic lights are one of the first few technologies that were automated by humans. Douse yourself with a bit of history and curiosity while you discover how to make a working model of a Traffic Light System. You can assemble such a system using nothing but your foundation level kit.

Learn step by step as to how this can be done here.

For more such cool projects visit robotictutorials.com

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Drone-delivered blood takes flight in Rwanda

What is claimed to be the world's first national drone delivery service has launched in Rwanda. Operated by US robotics firm Zipline in partnership with the Rwandan government, the service makes emergency deliveries of blood from a distribution hub to transfusion facilities up to 75 km (47 mi) away.

Plans for the service were first announced early this year, with details about how it was to operate subsequently released in May. In a country where postpartum hemorrhaging is the leading cause of death for pregnant women and it is difficult for clinics to keep different blood types on hand and stored safely, drones are seen as tools that can deliver blood to remote areas quickly without needing to navigate hilly landscapes and difficult roads.

A fleet of 15 autonomous drones known as "Zips" is used to make the deliveries, each capable of traveling 150 km (93 mi) and carrying 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) of blood per trip. Emergency orders for blood are placed via text message and the required product is loaded into a drone at the distribution center in the country's Muhanga region. 

When the drone reaches its destination, its payload is released over a predetermined area, or "mailbox," and is parachuted down to the ground. A text message is sent to the intended recipient shortly before the drone reaches the destination so that they can be ready to collect the blood when it lands. Delivery complete, the drone then returns to the distribution center.

The drones, which can fly in both wind and rain, are able to make up to 150 deliveries a day to 21 transfusion facilities in the western half of Rwanda and can fulfil orders within about 30 minutes. The team says it expects the drones to save thousands of lives over the next three years.

Although the service is initially only delivering blood, other payloads such as medicine and vaccines are expected to be added by way of a partnership with UPS, Gavi and the Vaccine Alliance. Zipline also plans to expand the service to the eastern half of Rwanda next year, putting almost the entire population of the country within range, and to eventually to roll out similar services to other places around the world. The service was launched yesterday by Rwandan President Paul Kagame.

Source: New Atlas, Zipline, UPS

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Will robots eventually eat into the Quintessential White Collar?

If there’s a major fad amongst the industrial community today, it has to be the fact that the majority of the workforce of today will be replaced by robots in the future. While this prediction is a no-brainer, whether such a transformation will happen in the near future or in the slightly distant one could be anybody’s guess.

While the general opinion is this, there is also a sense of denial among a section of the professionals who feel that the claims of takeover by AI and robotics are thin on the ground and their professions- likely Medicine practice, Law, Accountancy- will remain unscathed.

Today’s white collar professionals very well know that automation has happened in a significant chunk of the industry and replaced jobs with bots. But yet, some practitioners routinely argue that the final say will always be placed at the hands of human experts who will be needed for the tricky stuff that calls for judgment, creativity, and empathy.

But ongoing trends and recent research publications by esteemed organizations seem to point in the opposite direction.

For example, a case study published by the Harvard Business Review challenges the idea that professionals who claim to be in a seat of niche will be spared. The article claims that within decades the traditional professions will be dismantled and most of today’s experts will be replaced by less-expert employees or new types of experts. These people will however be supplemented by high-performing systems.

The fallacy that the professions are immune to displacement by technology is ill-founded and is surmised on two assumptions: one being that computers are incapable of exercising judgment or being creative or empathetic; two being that these capabilities are indispensable in the delivery of professional service.

However, these assumptions fail to see the light of the current happenings where industry imbibes processes to get processes leaner and efficient. With the shift to systematization, the use of technology to automate or transform the way a professional work is done is only a logical step.

From workflow systems to AI-based problem solving, software has only aided in giving more tools to the human mind to make professional tasks easier. What is to step some creative humans from going forward and placing these tools at the hand of a robot that brings its own brute computing into the picture.

Not far away is the future where a humanoid toting a tie would enter the workspace and work with a few colleagues. Expect, the colleagues may themselves be humanoids all capable of using several impressive capabilities of brute processing power, big data, and remarkable algorithms.

The entire office could be manned by an entrepreneur who managed to develop these robots in the first place. The entrepreneur, essentially a graduate in robotics, would be heading a law firm where the law is actually practiced by self-aware robots.

Of course, this is all conjecture. The reality may pan out to be a lot more bizarre than the human mind of today can predict.

Happy Roboting!

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Simple gadget puts bikes on cars' radar

In the near future, we're going to see an increasing number of Collision Avoidance System-equipped cars on the roads. Stated simply, the technology uses an integrated forward-looking radar system to alert drivers when they're rapidly approaching obstacles such as other vehicles. If those other vehicles are bicycles, however, their rear profile can make them difficult for the radar to detect. That's where iLumaware's Shield TL comes in.

Inventors Chris Mogridge and Alexis Stobbe created the device by analyzing how stealth technology works, then essentially going in the opposite direction – whereas stealth vehicles are designed to evade radar signals, the Shield is made to catch those signals and reflect them back to the cars. It does this purely via its unique shape, not emitting any actual signal itself.

In field tests, it boosted bicycles' radar signature by up to 100 percent, and thus increased the distance at which they could be detected by Collision Avoidance Systems.

Of course, it's also important that drivers notice cyclists. With that in mind, the Shield additionally features an 80-lumen tail light. One 2-hour USB charge of its battery should be good for 25 hours of use in High mode, or 76 hours in Strobe.

iLumaware is currently running a Kickstarter campaign, to raise production funds for the Shield TL. Riders who want some added protection might also want to check out Garmin's Varia Radar device, which detects vehicles approaching from behind by emitting a rear-facing radar signal of its own.

Source: New Atlas, Kickstarter

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Smartwatch control may be all in the wrist

While smartwatches may indeed be designed for ease of use, utilizing their touchscreen controls does require the user to have the hand of their opposite arm free. What happens if that hand is otherwise occupied? Well, voice control is one option, but researchers from Dartmouth University are developing another. Their WristWhirl prototype can be controlled by making joystick motions with the hand of the arm that's wearing it.

Users start by making a pinching motion with the fingers of that hand. A piezo vibration sensor in the watch strap detects that movement and powers up 12 infrared proximity sensors, which are also built into the strap.

Commands are then made by moving the hand as if it were operating a joystick. The proximity sensors monitor those movements, with an onboard Arduino Due microcomputer recognizing gestures that are assigned to specific commands. Another finger-pinch turns the sensors back off again, when the session is over.

Test subjects have successfully used the prototype to perform actions such as accessing app shortcuts by drawing shapes, scrolling through songs on a music player app by swiping their hand left or right, panning and zooming on a map by swiping or rotating the wrist, and playing video games by tilting the wrist.

The technology is going to be presented at the ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology on October 19. On the off chance that you're not going to be there, you can see a demo of it in the video below.

Source: New Atlas, Dartmouth University

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Geek Speak: Jyotsna

For those of you keeping tabs on robotics events, here’s some interesting news! The annual edition of the First Tech Challenge has been announced and a contingent from kidobotikz is gearing up for participating in this event. Considered as the ultimate event in robotics for school students, it aims to promote STEM learning. With participation from across the globe, FTC attracts some of the best talents from schools and also boasts of support and sponsorship from some industry leaders such as NASA, Apple etc. 

A team of Kidobotikzians have decided to take part in this event and are gearing up for the same. With brainstorming sessions being held every weekend, the students are upping the game to make their presence felt at this high stakes event. We meet one of the enthusiastic participants of this team. Even as you ask her questions about their brainstorming sessions, plans and ideas, she jumps up in excitement to talk about the roles she has taken up and how she is looking forward to use this opportunity to connect with important people and gain exposure. Meet Jyotsna, the queen of the FTC contingent and our geek for the day.

Hey Jyotsna! Do you mind introducing yourself to our readers?

Hi everyone! I am Jyotsna. I study in class 9 of La Chatelaine Junior College. Since of yesterday, I am a graduate here at Kidobotikz.

Can you tell us how you became associated with Kidobotikz?

It’s a lucky twist of coincidence, I must say. I’ve always been interested in robotics. But never really had a clue as to where to start. Luckily my sister used to take her music lessons in this locality ands she happened to chance upon the banner of the Kidobotikz center. She was the one who suggested it to me and then I joined Kidobotikz.

That’s interesting. What was your outlook towards robotics before you joined Kidobotikz and how has it changed now? 

Before joining Kidobotikz, I was under the assumption that robotics was a highly complicated subject with some tough technical concepts. Much to my surprise, I realized that robotics wasn’t as complicated as being portrayed. On the contrary, it was a field that required us to know many other concepts before we could start pursuing. That is the significance of robotics. It is a subject which integrates other subjects.

That’s an interesting perspective.

How goes your preparation for FTC? And how do your parents feel about you participating in FTC?

Well, it wasn’t the smoothest of starts. Mom was completely sold on the idea of me going to FTC. Dad was initially sceptical but he too agreed after learning about the significance. So, I have the green signal.

As far as the preparation are concerned, the team has now been formed and is ironclad. We all meet on a weekly basis to discuss about our individual roles and responsibilities. I am currently in charge of understanding the complete set of rules that have been laid down for participating in the event. And as a member of the team, it is my responsibility to convey these rules to my team mates. Apart from these I am also tasked with readying the theme for our participation and the name of our team. 

What are your key plans for FTC? And what is the most important takeaway that you wish to bring back from FTC?

Well, our ultimate goal is to participate in the final to be held in the US. To get there, we need to win events at Coimbatore and New Delhi. So, all our plans and strategies are being planned accordingly. 

The key takeaway would be to feel satisfied with our performance and uphold the values that FTC promotes- gracious professionalism.

So, what are your plans for the future? Any field of interest that you are looking forward to work in?

My role model has always been Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam. So, I’ve always been impressed by the work of ISRO and DRDO. When I was a young girl, I wanted to become an Astronaut like alpana Chawla. But now my focus for the future has shifted. I intend to develop the Indian Space programme by joining as a scientist at ISRO. 

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Solar-powered smart pole keeps commuters powered-up and surfing

Smartphones have made it easier than ever to keep occupied while commuting, but all it takes is a dead battery to make for a tedious waiting game. A recently installed piece of street furniture in the Turkish city of Istanbul, however, lets commuters keep their devices charged while surfing the web with that extra jolt of juice.

The Mito was designed by Art Lebedev studio at the request of Verisun, a Turkish tech company that deals in smart city solutions, among other things. The two firms previously worked on a solar-powered smart pole back in 2013, but began work on a new design in September of last year.

There are eight USB charging ports mounted in the Mito, allowing for up to eight mobile devices to be charged at any one time. In addition, wireless internet access allows commuters to check their emails, read the news or browse social media while they wait.

Transport information is provided via a built-in 7-in outdoor LCD screen. This includes the station or stop and route name, the expected arrival time of the bus or tram and the current temperature. The system is powered by Android content management software.

In addition to these features, the Mito also has an eye-catching design, with graceful curves and patterned wood covering an internal metal frame. It has to be said that the Mito doesn't really fit in with with the typical perfunctory vernacular of city street design, but it's a good-looking installation nonetheless.

The name Mito derives from the energy-generating mitochondrion found in cells and refers to the 240-W top-mounted solar panel that powers the unit. Verisun tells New Atlas that, in winter, the Mito can produce up to 600 Wh of electricity a day, which rises to 1,920 Wh in summer.

Both those figures are ample for the 360 Wh of power that Verisun says is required to run the Mito every day, but, in the event that the amount of electricity generated falls short in real-time, there's also a 60-Ah battery from which power can be pulled.

The first Mito was installed near a tram stop at Taksim Square in downtown Istanbul in February. Verisun says it plans to roll more out in different cities in the future.

Sources: New Atlas, Art Lebedev, Verisun

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