Technology Review

a-WaLTR - a robot with transforming wheels Researchers at the University of Texas have developed the a-WaLTR robot that can turn its legs into wheels depending on the road in front of it. They can be transformed into two shapes: round for smooth roads and two-section clawed legs for rough terrain. This increases the off-road capability and speed of the robot. The project is funded by the U.S. Defense Research Agency.

Civil helicopter with autonomous control system The American company Skyryse has successfully tested and already certified the Flight Stack autonomous helicopter control system. The peculiarity of the development is that it is not necessary to create a helicopter from scratch, it is enough to modernize one of the existing models. Flight Stack provides both fully autonomous flight and partially controlled flight, like cruise control in modern cars.

Rocket Lab is developing a reusable rocket The Rocket Lab company is making the Neutron rocket, which is expected to become a competitor to the SpaceX's Falcon 9. The 40-meter reusable rocket is posed as an ideal means of launching mega-satellites into orbit. According to the developers, their rocket will be able to cover 98% of satellite launch needs scheduled through 2029. The Neutron will be able to take on board 8 tons of cargo for carrying it within Earth orbit, 2 tons – to send to the Moon and 1.5 tons – to Mars.

Display Hands in VR Designers from Israel and Switzerland have presented a prototype of a game that is projected on a person's virtual palm. They used a VR helmet with cameras built to digitize the palm. The program itself overlays a dynamic image of the virtual hand. Thus the game can be controlled by both the display hand and the second hand as a controller.

Boeing autonomous aircraft learn in-flight coordination Boeing tested Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems technologies in Queensland. The AI algorithm developed by the company's specialists helped the drones to perform maneuvers in the air keeping a safe distance between them. According to the developers, in the future the AI will be able to facilitate the work of air traffic controllers and pilots in both civil and combat aviation.

Xcelsior AV Autonomous Electric Bus  American company New Flyer has created an unmanned electric bus for 80 passengers (32-52 seats). The Xcelsior AV electric bus does not emit any CO2 into the atmosphere and is able to run without a driver. For this purpose, it is equipped with the AutoDrive ByWire control system that includes a number of lidars, radars and cameras with a 360-degree view angle. Putting the electric buses into operation on public transport routes is scheduled for 2023.

Maximus Answer Dual Cam Video Doorbell This device has two HDR cameras with motion sensors. It's capable of simultaneously showing video from two points at once: the image is transmitted to your smartphone. When someone comes and rings the bell, the signal also goes to your smartphone. In other words, you can remotely answer questions from the person who came to your house.

Massive portable generator with Bluetti solar panels The device is expected to get a massive LiFePO4 battery with a capacity of 5100Wh, which is capable of providing capacity retention after 6,000 charging cycles. It will take 5 hours to fully charge with a solar panel, and it can also be plugged in wall outlets. The device itself is minimalistic, but quite massive. There are wheels for easy movement. If you want, you can take EP500 on a trip and not worry about running out of power. All you need to do is to press one button and select alternating or direct current (AC/DC), then plug in the device, and it charges. You can also monitor and control the device remotely from the app.

The first Mars video recordings by Perseverance rover On February 18, after nearly six months of travel, the Perseverance rover successfully landed on Mars. The process of landing was fully automated, since it is impossible to control the systems with a signal delay of 4 minutes. However, everything went well. The first video of the Red Planet was recorded by the spacecraft during the landing. You can watch it now.

Blue White Robotics equipment turns an ordinary tractor into a drone It includes a GPS module, lidar, optical cameras for obstacle detection, a collision-responsive front bumper, and also four emergency switches that can be used to stop the tractor without getting into the cab. As the tractor moves across the field, its AI system identifies rows of plants, ensures that it turns around at the end of each row, and guides the machine to the next row. However, the tractor can be put on manual control at any time by clicking a toggle switch.

Harley-Davidson released the adventure touring Pan America motorcycle Harley-Davidson has equipped the new model with fully adjustable suspension built by the Japanese company Showa. Its stroke is 191 mm. Front and rear shock absorbers have three setups depending on the chosen riding mode. Besides, the PA Special is adjusted with an electric drive. The dashboard is a 6.8-inch color TFT screen with Bluetooth connection, which can be controlled using the buttons on the steering wheel. The rider can control traction, ABS, braking, slippage, and the HHC system right through this dashboard.

Blue White Robotics equipment turns an ordinary tractor into a drone It includes a GPS module, lidar, optical cameras for obstacle detection, a collision-responsive front bumper, and also four emergency switches that can be used to stop the tractor without getting into the cab. As the tractor moves across the field, its AI system identifies rows of plants, ensures that it turns around at the end of each row, and guides the machine to the next row. However, the tractor can be put on manual control at any time by clicking a toggle switch.

Framework Laptop - build your own laptop The American company Framework intends to start production of a modular laptop dubbed Framework Laptop. Its peculiarity is that any user can quickly replace the modules with other ones. So you can change the processor, graphics card, drives, RAM, Wi-Fi module, keyboard, display, USB-C, HDMI, USB-A, DisplayPort, and audio jack (this is not a complete list).

The reMarkable 2 tablet is capable of imitating ordinary paper The manufacturer stresses the "paper" design of the reMarkable 2. It is achieved not only due to its thickness of only 4.7 mm, but also due to its textured surface. With a special stylus, the tablet can be used as a notebook. An updated display with a delay (21 milliseconds) is also pointed out. The reMarkable 2 is charged via USB Type-C. The device allows you to convert handwritten notes into text.

Samsung Bot Handy - the robot butler The Samsung Bot Handy is equipped with the object recognition system and can interact with its owners. The company claims that the robot can become an "extension of you" and replace household chores.. For example, the bot can understand the difference between things made of different materials, clean the house or lay the table. The Bot Handy combines the capabilities of a cleaner and a butler - it can even pour wine for the user.

myQ Pet Portal: a fully-automated pet door This is a small door built into the front door equipped with twin 1080p cameras, microphones, speakers, and IR sensors to avoid pinched tails. You can open the door through a mobile app and check when it's been opened and closed. And if you use a special Bluetooth beacon, the door opens automatically when the pet is near it. Preorders for this advanced device start at $3,000.

The Albatross drone capable of carrying payloads up to 100 kg over 1,000 km. The company named the drone v400 Albatross, it has a 400 kg maximum takeoff weight, including a load of up to 100 kg. The maximum flight range of the fully loaded aircraft is 300 kilometers. And for the hybrid version the maximum range is 1000 kilometers. The V400 Albatross VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing)-equipped electric model is designed by Fengfei Aviation Technology.

Veelo - electric monowheel tractor for roller skaters The wheel consists of a 20 inch disc with a 4 inch wide tire and a brushless hub motor that allows you yo accelerate up to 32 km/h. According to the developers, its power capacity is enough to overcome a 32 km distance. Veelo is also equipped with front and rear LED lights with turn indicators and a spring suspension wheel. The control system allows you to set limits on torque and speed to make the device safe for beginners and children.

Intel - future transport drone. The drone is fitted with a chair and a tablet. It travels down a pre-laid route, thus canceling manual piloting. All the passenger must do is set the destination and press the "take-off" button. At the while the entire flight is remotely controlled by dispatchers. Currently, the flight speed is limited to 50 km/h, and the flight altitude to 3 meters. The stay time of the machine in the air is 27 minutes with a maximum take-off weight of 250kg.

EZ Funshell: backpack umbrella with cooling fan The major travelers' problems during summer travel are the scorching sun, rain, and heat, which, in contact with the backpack, makes the back sweat. The EZ Funshell backpack solves these problems. It is equipped with a foldable umbrella that protects against rain and UV rays. A built-in cooling fan provides ventilation during the heat for 2-6 hours (depending on the mode set).