Lifeboat Foundation

From mundane chores to complex interactions, RoboCasa trains robots to navigate the real world:

Researchers have developed a large-scale simulation framework for training general-purpose robots in diverse, everyday settings.

The framework, called RoboCasa, provides access to thousands of 3D assets over more than 150 object categories, as well as dozens of furniture and appliances that may be interacted with.

Continue reading “AI RoboCasa simulation developed to train robots for household chores” »

Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) discovered that adding a highly conductive substance called carbon black to a water and cement mixture created a construction material that could also serve as a supercapacitor.

Supercapacitors can charge and discharge extremely efficiently but are typically not capable of storing energy for long amounts of time. So while they lack the functionality of traditional lithium-ion batteries – which are found in everything from smartphones to electric cars – they are a useful method of storing excess electricity generated from renewable energy sources like solar and wind.

Since first unveiling the technology last year, the team has now built a working proof-of-concept concrete battery, the BBC reported. The MIT researchers are now hoping to build a 45-cubic-metre (1,590-cubic-feet) version capable of meeting the energy needs of a residential home.

A team of roboticists at the University of Tokyo has taken a new approach to autonomous driving—instead of automating the entire car, simply put a robot in the driver’s seat. The group built a robot capable of driving a car and tested it on a real-world track. They also published a paper describing their efforts on the arXiv preprint server.

An all-electric Jeep Renegade is finally confirmed. Even better, it will start at under $25,000 as Jeep expands into new markets. In the US, the Jeep Renegade EV will join two other all-electric Jeep vehicles, the Wagoneer S and Wangler-inspired Recon.

The news was confirmed during Stellantis 2024 Investor Day on Thursday. Jeep’s electric Renegade will be among three new EVs launching in North America.

Although Jeep was recently voted America’s most patriotic brand, sales have slipped over the past few years. After sales quadrupled in the US, reaching nearly 1 million in 2018, Jeep has struggled to gain momentum.

Hong Kong (CNN) — Tesla is one step closer to launching full-self driving (FSD) technology in China after it clinched an agreement with Baidu to upgrade its mapping software.

The Chinese tech giant said Saturday that it was providing lane-level navigation services for Tesla cars. Baidu (BIDU) says this level of navigation can provide drivers with detailed information, including making lane recommendations ahead of upcoming turns, to enhance safety.

So what else is faked material and what is structural integrity in the world of fakes?

“The planes that included components made with the material were built between 2019 and 2023, among them some Boeing 737 Max…”

The billionaire’s bank balance won’t necessarily be $56 billion bigger if the vote really does go his way, since it’s non-binding. Expect the saga to continue.

Officials of the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in Arlington, Va., has issued a solicitation (DARPA-PA-23–03-11) for the Defense Applications of Innovative Remote Sensing (DAIRS) project.

Primary emphasis will be in the high frequency (HF) band nominally at 4 to 15 MHz. Key applications in this frequency band are SWOTHR for aircraft, ship, and boat tracking, oceanographic SWOTHR, and sounding for ionospheric characterization.

Researchers have developed a technique that allows artificial intelligence (AI) programs to better map three-dimensional spaces using two-dimensional images captured by multiple cameras. Because the technique works effectively with limited computational resources, it holds promise for improving the navigation of autonomous vehicles.