Infi-Zeal's Blog

The UK government will announce plans today to permit driver-less cars on public roads as early as January 2015. So far, worries about legal and insurance issues have restricted autonomous vehicles to private roads. Now, however, as part of its plan to signal that Britain can be a leader in such technology, the government wants to update the law to ensure that driver-less cars can take to the streets. The move will require a change in the Highway Code and brings the UK in line with countries such as Japan, Germany and Singapore. In the US, driver-less cars have been tested on public roads for months, with Google's fleet of autonomous vehicles racking up more than 300,000 miles in California alone. All of the major automotive manufacturers, including Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, General Motors, Ford and Toyota are also working towards their own production models.

Robots will be standing by to help paralyzed patients and the elderly walk. Toyota unveiled four such robots in Tokyo. The robots, designed to provide support in nursing and health care, are expected to be available for sale in 2013. They include sensors that detect the user's posture, grasp and holding strength, and high-precision motor control technology to facilitate the patient's desired motion. The first of the robots – the Independent Walk Assist – is a computerized leg brace that is mounted onto a paralyzed leg and helps the knee bend as the person walks. It can support the patient’s weight, and it adjusts as the patient develops more strength. The second robot uses similar technology but focuses on retraining those who are walking-impaired. The Walk Training Assist robot detects movements in the hips through sensors located at the foot and thigh of the computerized brace and supports the return to natural walking. The Balance Training Assist ...