Robots

The world is becoming more and more robotic. Expensive they may be, robots are being created left and right to do simple tasks. The technology and material is improving so that robots will come in all shapes and sizes, allowing them to do things that humans never could.
Inventors will oftentimes use Bio-mimicry (copying nature) to create more efficient robots. As I list the robots below you will notice that many of them are knock-offs of something nature does.

• Jumping Robots: Inspired by small monkeys known as bush babies, these robots can rapidly bounce off walls giving them jumping ability that no previous robot has ever had. In the future these could help scan disaster areas.
• Improved Flying Robots: Scientists are testing parrots as they fly through laser-lit airborne particles so they can completely understand how animals fly. This shows that current flying-robots can be improved.
• Artificial Intelligence: No, these robots don't actually think, but they can observe current strategies in one area and be able to help researchers with tasks that they already do. 
• Deep Diving Killer-Robots: Years ago the Lionfish was introduced to the Atlantic Ocean and has been preying on the natural fish that keep the reef clean and healthy. So how do we deal with these threatening (and quite ugly) predators? We send in killer-robots that remotely zap the lionfish to control the population.
• Soft Robots: Most robots are made from "nuts and bolts" and are almost completely metal. Researchers have started to try and make soft robots. As a result they are developing air muscles on robots to make them safer to interact with people.
• Biobots: What if there was such thing as a cyborg? Well, actually there kind of is. Researchers have taken living cells from animals and put them inside of man-made devices. When electricity is applied to the cells to make them move, they usually just fire at random rates and directions. Recently they have lined up the cells in patterns so when electricity is added they all work together and can move the device.

More and more robots are coming and I will probably look more into this subject, considering all of the information it's providing. Most inventions are a robot of some kind. We can create robots that can do nearly everything a person can. Lets just hope that they don't go crazy and enslave the humans.

2016 Edison Award Winners

One of the world's highest scientific achievements would be an Edison Award. No, it's not a science fair project, this is a global contest for new scientific inventions. As the website says "Being recognized with an Edison Award™ is one of the highest accolades a company can receive in the name of innovation and business success."

There are tons of different categories, each with Gold, Silver and Bronze awards. Here are some of the Gold winners.

• Cyber Safety: Project Ares gives online security teams an opportunity to test out what they can do in a realistic gaming platform that gives them real-world problems. 
• Financial Solutions: A handheld device called Clover Mobile won this award. It can securely do any method of payment anywhere with a mobile device.
• Food Manufacturing: 3M™ Condensation Management Film can be applied to any surface to help speed up the evaporation process with its microscopic capillary channels. Therefore making the sanitation much easier.
• Agriculture: The Vegetable Factory is the worlds very first indoor garden environment that can be built basically anywhere. Producing nearly 30,000 heads of lettuce a day this factory could help feed future generations.
• Space Exploration: Given to NASA for their space probe New Horizons  that traveled 3 billion miles and reached Pluto on July 14, 2015. This provided super cool information that was previously unavailable. 
• Athletics: The worlds smallest flotation aid, Kingii, can keep swimmers safe and comfortable with its emergency wristband that shoots out a balloon and pulls you to the water surface.
• Entertainment: Sphero's BB-8 app-enabled Droid won this award. This star wars toy will respond differently to your commands and is controlled through a smartphone app.
• Personal Technology: A small device called goTenna can pair to your smartphone and allow you to send and receive text messages even when you don't have service.
• Food and Beverage: The Farmers Fridge is a vending machine that provides handmade salads and snacks at an automated vending kiosk.
• Sustainable Solutions: Every year there is a massive waste in seafood production. To prevent this SmartCatch has created a monitor that helps fishermen catch the fish they want and avoid the fish they don't want.

The list goes on and on. As you can see, there are many incredible new innovations out there as the world becomes increasingly more mechanical. Soon the world will be operated by machines that will benefit mankind.