Researchers working on the COSPAL project have developed a new robotic AI that they claim is the most advanced of its kind.

They have created a robot that, using both learning neural AI techniques and traditional rules-based AI, can be trained like a small child or puppy.

The robot has already been able to figure out simple sorting tasks on its own. COSPAL aims to transform this AI into something that can be integrated with a car to adjust to unforeseen driving conditions.

Don’t worry though, robots are not quite ready to take over just yet. Michael Felsberg, a researcher at COSPAL, says that we probably won’t see adult-level AI based on this system in our lifetimes. It will be interesting to see if Felsberg is right, or if the recent prediction by Ray Kurzweil holds up. [via Engadget]

Designers Shane Ellis and Terry Brown have come up with an interesting way to remind us when we’re not being green - a power outlet that glows red when plugged-in appliances are consuming power.

Many appliances and electronics continue to use power even when they are off, and this power outlet would be a great way of reminding us of that. The higher the power usage is, the brighter the built-in LED will glow, reminding you to unplug that toaster you won’t be using for another week.

Of course, if you get tired of the nagging simply press a little button on the outlet and it’ll stay white until you turn it back on.

This is a great idea that could help us all save a little power here and there. It would be interesting to see if this product would take off if someone began mass-manufacturing it. Another picture after the jump. Read more »

Sorry about the downtime yesterday night and this morning. Our lovely host decided to relocate their servers over a 12 hour period with absolutely no warning. Yes, we will be switching hosts soon to ensure this doesn’t happen again. Everything is back up and running smoothly now. Thank you for your patience.

Finally! The world’s first permitted cell phone call has been made on an Emirates flight between Dubai and Casablanca.

In order to allow calls, the airline fitted a plane with a system designed by AeroMobile that prevents mobile phones from interfering with the aircraft’s electronics. Emirates also had to obtain approval from international air safety organizations.

The company said that it decided to introduce the ability to use cell phones after seeing high demand for the phones installed in seats.

Of course, this might not be such good news for those who like to sleep on flights. However, Emirates is letting the cabin crew have the final say over cell phone usage, and the system will prevent calls at night to keep disturbances to a minimum.

Emirates plans to extend the system to more planes and add BlackBerry and other data services. Hopefully this is the beginning of a trend, as being able to use a cell phone (in moderation) would be very convenient during flights. [via BBC]

A team of Canadian and German scientists have found a way to fabricate a superconducting material, made of a silicon-hydrogen compound, that does not require cooling. They say that the breakthrough means we will be able to cut the power usage of all sorts of devices from refrigerators to cell phones.

This new material is super-compressed instead of being super-cooled like conventional superconductors, allowing scientists to create superconducting wires that work at room temperature.

Superconductors offer no electrical resistance, meaning that energy will not be lost while a current is traveling along a superconducting wire.

If the scientists can find a way to mass-produce this material, we could see a new age in electronics. Battery life would improve dramatically for all sorts of gadgets, and power usage would go down for anything that stays plugged in. Hopefully they can figure out the magic formula soon.

Today’s heads-up displays worn by soldiers are bulky and probably quite uncomfortable. DARPA is seeking to solve all that with contact lenses that sport a display to overlay graphics and information on top of the soldiers’ vision.

Specifically, the agency is looking for “information on technology areas for the creation of micro- and nano-scale display technologies for the purpose of creating displays that could be worn as transparent contact lenses”, and they want that information within three to five years.

This sounds like a very ambitious project, but with DARPA behind it maybe, just maybe, we’ll actually see it come to life. Perhaps this is a job for UW scientists and their contact lenses with circuits?

[via Gizmodo]

WiFi is commonplace in today’s large, booming cities. You can probably find a few hotspots walking around on any street. However, for rural areas, especially in undeveloped nations, WiFi and any other kinds of internet access are hard to come by.

Intel is trying to solve the problem with its Rural Connectivity Program (RCP). The company is utilizing a new technology consisting of a processor, software radios, and an antenna to enable wireless signals to travel up to 60 miles.

Wireless access is the way to go in these countries, as there are several problems with putting in wires. They are too expensive, too long for a good signal, and would often get dug up and sold.

So far, the RCP has been tested in India, Panama, Vietnam, and South Africa with successful results. “We’re seeing a lot of interest in the industry,” said Jeff Galinovsky, a senior platform manager at Intel. “Every time we talk about this, they say, ‘We need this yesterday’.”

This is a great program, and combined with efforts to make cheap laptops targeted at these countries will help them catch up to the information age. It will be great to see what the internet is like with so many more people with such different perspectives on board.

A Dutch design student has dreamed up a simple remote that can control a TV without being touched at all - perfect for sitting in a kitchen where the cook’s hands may be covered with food.

The remote adjusts volume when you move your hand over or under it, tilting itself at the same time. It changes channels when you flick a finger through the cavity in the middle of the remote. Finally, it turns the TV off when two fingers meet in the middle of the cavity, and turns it back on when two fingers spread apart from the middle.

Of course, we’re years away from such a remote. Nevertheless, it looks like a great idea for the time when we can finally create such a gadget. Check out a video of the concept remote in action after the jump. Read more »