The Technology Flow

Stopping Killer Robots at the Source (Code) By Glenn McDonald, Seeker | November 23, 2016. Credit: Paramount Pictures Not too long ago, a powerful collection of scientists, industry leaders and NGOs launched the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, an activist group dedicated to preventing the development of lethal autonomous weapons systems. Among those that signed up for the cause: Stephen Hawking, Noam Chomsky, Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak. Those high-profile names earned the cause a lot of attention and lent legitimacy to the notion that killer robots, once considered a science fiction fantasy, are actually a fast-approaching reality. But are they, really? An intriguing study published in the International Journal of Cultural Studies takes a different approach to the idea of "killer robots" as a cultural concept. The researchers argue, in part, that even the most advanced robots are just machines, like anything else our species has ever made. If we're car

Article 1 :  Sweat Detectors? Tiny Sensors Use Perspiration to Track Health Imagine if taking a snapshot of your health were as easy as slapping a sticker on your skin. A new study finds that a tiny adhesive sensor can read what's going on in your body based on your sweat, and relay information about your well-being wirelessly to a smartphone. This type of wearable sensor could work as an alternative to blood tests to assess people's health one day, according to the researchers. Perspiration is a rich chemical full of molecules ranging from simple electrically charged ions to more complex proteins that can shed light on what is happening inside the human body. Doctors can use sweat to diagnose certain diseases, uncover drug use and reveal insight into athletic performance. Sweat also can be gathered far less invasively than blood, said study senior author John Rogers, a materials scientist and director of Northwestern University's Center for Bio-Integrated Electro

Toyota launches hydrogen cars in Australia BY FEANN TORR A trio of Mirai hydrogen cars are being trialled, complete with a high-tech mobile fuel station      Toyota has marked its commitment to Hydrogen-powered vehicles in Australia by commencing the first local trials of its Mirai, the world’s first mass-produced hydrogen fuel-cell car. Revealed back in 2014 and now on sale in Japan, Europe and the US, the small Mirai sedan features a single electric motor that produces and 113kW and 335Nm and operates just like a plug-in electric vehicle. However, unlike a conventional EV, it’s much quicker to fuel up – taking between three and five minutes to fill up a tank, which in this case means 5kg of compressed hydrogen that’s good for a 550km cruising range. It’s this drawcard — the rapid fuelling — that Toyota hopes will help foster new interest in hydrogen technology in Australia. An EV by comparison takes between 30 and 60 minutes to charge up with a fast-charg

Article 1: 5 futuristic camera technologies that will change how we take pics. By  Briley Kenney                         Technology is constantly changing. It seems like every day we hear about a new smartphone, tablet, or smartwatch outfitted with cutting edge features. The mobile  device market isn’t the only space seeing innovation, however. Other areas are also improving, including our cameras. Smartphones are being equipped with higher resolution camera sensors, and digital cameras are getting better color and low-light performance options, as well as better zoom capabilities with stronger lenses. That said, these features are pretty much expected at this point. No one is surprised when a  new camera  has advanced features such as these. Perhaps, what is interesting are the features that will define the future of camera technologies — those add-ons that will change the game. Yes, you can already capture photos and video in the dark but you need a specia

This temporary tattoo can listen to your heart This new wearable is a stick-on stethoscope that’s smaller than a penny by Rachel Becker  Nov 16, 2016  A new stick-on wearable sensor uses the symphony of internal rumblings, whooshing, gurglings, and cracklings to help doctors diagnose different conditions. And this souped-up, miniaturized stethoscope could one day be a way for clinicians to continuously monitor patients outside of the clinic. So far it’s been tested on chicken breasts and a very small group of people. IT STICKS TO THE SKIN LIKE A TEMPORARY TATTOO This wearable, smaller than a penny, can hear the beat of your heart, the sound of your voice, and even the whirr of an implantable heart pump, according to a paper published today in the journal Science Advances. It sticks to the skin like a temporary tattoo. Inside the device, there’s an extremely sensitive accelerometer that can pick up the motion of sound waves as they travel through the flesh