Click to read about SpaceX’s sleek space suit, a walking robot, online TV, and more. Spectators observed Mercury’s path across the sun, shown above, today. Creative commons image from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
By Lauren Yang
Video from Michigan Robotics: Dynamic Legged Locomotion Lab.
1. Robot traverses uneven ground
Researchers from University of Michigan recently developed a bipedal (two footed) robot that can traverse uneven and unstable ground. The robot, called MARLO, is equipped with 15 different walking styles to combat different types of terrain. By taking into consideration the ground height and incoming obstacles, MARLO is able to adapt different walking styles to cross different surfaces. Read more here.
2. SpaceX flies in style
SpaceX, a reusable rocket company founded by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, recently hired Jose Fernandez, a renowned superhero costume designer, to create its space suits. Fernandez is the designer who created the Iron Man and Superman suits. The suits, which are going to be revealed in the next few months, are designed to look sleek and modern while still having the same functionality as normal space suits. Read more here.
Mercury’s predicted path is shown in the video above. Video from NASA.gov video.
3. Mercury and the sun throw shade at telescopes on Earth
Mercury, the smallest planet in the solar system, passed in front of the sun today, allowing people on Earth to observe the journey. Not only is Mercury’s orbit a spectacle for stargazers, it allows scientists to examine Mercury’s atmosphere. Only occurring around 13 times a century, this event is predicted to happen again in Nov of 2019 according to NASA. Read more here.
4. Viv: the world’s latest virtual assistant
Dag Kittlaus and Adam Cheyer, the creators of Siri, recently built a revolutionary new virtual assistant named Viv. Able to answer complicated questions and to execute tasks via a single voice command, Viv takes the role of a virtual assistant to the next level. Viv is equipped with dynamic program generation, meaning it is able to write its own custom code for each specific request. To be released in the next year, its creators hope Viv trumps Siri and provides stiff competition for all the existing virtual assistants out there, like Amazon’s Alexa and Facebook’s messenger bots. Read more here.
5. Internet + live TV = a whole new experience
Numerous tech companies, like Hulu, are looking to introduce a new program that will allow users to stream live TV via the internet. Hulu’s package will include popular channels, like ESPN, ABC, and Fox. Other prominent companies, like Apple and YouTube, are rumored to do the same. With a whole new way to watch TV, companies hope that they will provide an alternative to the traditional experience. Read more here.
