Technology Review

VisionCheck Pocket Optometrist The VisionCheck device is a product of a small but very promising EyeQue startup. You don't even need to leave the house. VisionCheck is attached directly to the smartphone screen. And a special application conducts eye examination in 9 stages, the results of which are evaluated by the program itself. As a result, you get a complete analysis of your vision, plus recommendations for the selection of glasses, if they are needed. If necessary, all data can be forwarded to the attending physician.

Thor is a speaker system that will make your car sound like a legendary sports car. One or two heavy-duty speakers are installed on any modern car and are synchronized with the engine operation. You choose the sound itself and its volume in a specialized application from 20 suggested options.

Orion Span Orbital Hotel Orion Span intends to launch its own tourist hotel into Earth orbit (370 km) in 2024. The hotel will be small, designed for only 5 guests who will spend there up to 12 days. The proposed program is supposed to be intense, and it will begin on earth with the preparatory stage. Guests will not just admire the cosmic landscapes, but also help astronauts in conducting scientific research.

AFIRE WATER ORIGINAL - realistic and safe fireplace This beautiful electric fireplace has been created by the specialists of AFIRE. A safe fireplace flames, which you can touch with your hands, are made up of very fine plumes of water vapor lit by LEDs. Therefore there is no need for a gas duct. The color, height and speed of the cold flames can be easily adjusted with a remote control or through a mobile app.

A robot building walls out of gravel and rope The Rock Print Pavilion made of gravel and rope without using cement, nails, or screws was built in 2018 in Winterthur, Switzerland. The building was made by the Gramazio Kohler Research's robot. The bot used computer vision algorithms to calculate the safest way to lay down each column one layer at a time, creating a stable, highly durable structure capable of supporting the heavy steel roof.

Augmented reality sandbox A team of geologists and visualization specialists have created a real sandbox for creative children, designed to teach them the basics of geology. The system is based on a Microsoft Kinect camera, a data projector, and a program of their own design. The Kinect monitors the varying heights and depths of the area and relays the information through a program to a projector. Little demiurges can now create infographic gorges, rivers, mountains and even volcanoes. Our NFT channel

xDrill - smart electric drill Canadian company Robbox Inc. has launched the smart drill xDrill, which is equipped with useful "gadgets" that can facilitate your work. xDrill comes with two laser rangefinders, which allow not only to accurately adhere to the drilling depth (the drill stops rotating on its own), but also drill holes at the desired height and range with the help of an upper rotating rangefinder. The touch screen on the drill handle and the smartphone application will help navigate through the displayed indicators. Our NFT channel

PowerWalk - soldiers generating electricity BionicPower has developed PowerWalk for the military. The device generates electric current in response to the soldier’s movements. PowerWalk is capable of generating up to 10-12 watts, which can significantly reduce the weight load on a soldier from now unnecessary batteries (up to 7-9 kg) and make him non-volatile in combat conditions or long hikes. Our NFT channel

Sea Wasp - underwater antimine robot The Swedish company Saab, in collaboration with US security officials, has developed and successfully tested an underwater sapper robot. The 1.7 m long bot is capable of diving to a depth of up to 60 m in search of explosive devices. He cannot neutralize the device on his own, but he has no problems delivering a detonator to the explosive for remote detonation. The bot is controlled via a 160-meter cable. Our NFT channel

Kubi - telepresence robot Revolve Robotics has developed a robot that allows you to attend events, lessons and meetings, all the while being at a great distance from the venue itself It’s simple, attach an iPad or any other tablet on Kubi and connect via Bluetooth – now you can easily turn the camera around the room and address the person you are talking to directly. The bot is perfect for business trips, for people with disabilities and for distance learning. Our NFT channel

Future military off-road vehicles GXV-Turtle The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency of the US Department of Defense is working on the project GXV-Turtle - a mobile armored all-terrain vehicle. According to the experts, it will be a vehicle with a high level and capability of survival and protection without much emphasis on armor. The survival of the crew is ensured by intelligent hazard avoidance systems (calculation and deviation from the trajectory of enemy shots), stealth technology and excellent cross-country capability. Our NFT channel

Robot performs tooth implantation This is a real tooth operation, carried out by a robot dentist in China. After a full cycle of preparation and programming, he was able to install implants with an error of 0.2-0.3 mm, which fully complies with the established standards for such operations. Our NFT channel

Robots designed for resource gathering on Mars RASSOR is a creation of the designers of the NASA laboratory in Florida. The task of this robot is to extract useful resources on other planets by digging trenches in local bedrock at low gravity. The two counter-rotating drums allows the bot to easily dig into solid rocks, extracting the necessary minerals. In the near future, RASSOR is going to the moon for more experiments. Our NFT channel

DragonflEye: a cyborg dragonfly This is a real cyborg insect modified by scientists at the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory. The dragonfly is fitted with a fingernail-sized backpack with a flight control system that issues commands in the form of measured light pulses through fiber-optic light guides directly to the neurons controlling the insect's flight. The researchers have genetically modified dragonfly neurons to make them more light-sensitive. The system is powered with a small solar battery. Our NFT channel

MantaDroid - drone in the shape of a stingray Singapore researchers have created a robot MantaDroid, which is very similar to the tail-shaped stingray (manta ray), to explore the depths of the sea without spooking the local inhabitants. The robot is 35 cm long and 36 cm wide. Thanks to its fins, it is able to move in the water at a speed of 0.7 m/sec for 10 hours on a single charge. Our NFT channel

A French startup MACA is developing a racing flying car Carcopter is a human piloted hydrogen-powered flying electric vehicle capable of reaching airspeeds up to 240 km/h and more. It is powered with six 35 kW electric motors that lift the light aircraft off the ground. Using plenty of carbon fiber, MACA intends to keep weight below 600 kg. A semi-autonomous pilot assist helps maintain the flight safely toward the destination. The MACA developers opt for a hydrogen fuel system instead of a pure battery-electric drive. Our NFT channel

Meibao security robots in Chinese residential communities Researchers at the Beijing Aerospace Automatic Control Institute have created the Meibao robotic guards as part of a major smart home project. The 1.7 meter-tall bots are equipped with several cameras, a large screen, and a face recognition system. The Meibao will patrol the streets of residential communities and raise the alarm if a suspicious person is detected. Our NFT channel

IronVision - a system that makes tanks transparent This is an invention of the Israeli company Elbit Systems, which provides seamless 360⁰ line-of-sight of a battlefield without the need to use observation slits. In fact, it's a video monitoring system that transmits real-time picture to the helmet screens of the driver and crew commander. Furthermore, the IronVision is equipped with infrared sensors to avoid collisions in the event of poor visible conditions. Similar technology is already being applied in the aviation industry. Our NFT channel

Minicar-security guard Robot K7 is one of the developments of Knightscope, which specializes in creation of robotic security systems. The bot resembles a small car. Despite its low speed, up to 5 km/h, it features excellent cross-country abilities and unique maneuvering capabilities. The K7 is provided with an impressive set of sensors, including a metal detector, as well as a camera and microphone. Our NFT channel

Wingcopter 178 Courier Tiltrotors German startup Wingcopter is successfully releasing a developed model of a drone of the same name with a vertical takeoff feature. The Wingcopter 178 is capable of reaching speeds of up to 160 km/h, traveling up to 190 km on a single battery charge, while carrying up to 6 kg of payload. The design of the tiltrotor makes it more stable during flight in strong winds and bad weather. This model has already been used for delivery of insulin in Ireland and vaccines in Tanzania. Our NFT channel