New Atlas

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Rolls-Royce welcomes Intel aboard its pursuit of self-navigating ships

Nick Lavars October 15, 2018

Rolls-Royce has made some pretty solid steps toward an autonomous shipping future since first unveiling its vision of a robotic cargo ship in 2014. Now it is teaming up with Intel to accelerate the development of autonomous shipping systems to make operations safer and more efficient.

Rolls-Royce imagines using satellite systems as part of ship-to-ship communication networks

Aircraft

Autonomous high-altitude aircraft nails new flight tests

Michael Irving October 14, 2018

We’re a step closer to having high-altitude, long-endurance, autonomous aircraft soaring through the skies. UAVOS has now announced that a prototype of the company’s High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (HAPS) ApusDuo aircraft has completed the first stage of flight tests.

$This version of the ApusDuo is just a fraction of the planned final craft, which will ...$

Robotics

Alibaba's service robot will work the hotels

Ben Coxworth September 27, 2018

When we last heard about Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba, it was making deliveries-by-drone and developing a vending machine for cars. Now, Alibaba A.I. Labs has announced an artificially-intelligent wheeled robot that will be tending to the needs of hotel guests.

A side view of the Alibaba robot, which is slated to enter service in October

Robotics

New-and-improved agri-robot hits the vineyards

Ben Coxworth September 21, 2018

Back in 2015, we heard about a prototype vineyard-monitoring robot known appropriately enough as VineRobot. Now, its successor has been unveiled in Portugal. Developed via a European Union research consortium, it's called VineScout.

VineScout is capable of checking crops both day and night

Automotive

Volvo's self-driving Vera concept keeps on truckin' without a cabin

Nick Lavars September 12, 2018

Volvo has just announced a new electric vehicle concept built to tow loads around ports and factories all on its lonesome, so much so they it hasn't even bothered with a cabin.

Volvo has just announced a new electric vehicle concept built to tow loads around ports all ...

Drones

Self-piloting drone ambulance concept nets $20,000 FAI prize

Darren Quick September 3, 2018

Vincenzo Navanteri has been awarded the US$20,000 Prince Alvaro de Orleans-Borbon Grant at the 2nd annual FAI International Drone Conference and Expo in Lausanne, Switzerland over the weekend for his idea of a self-piloting drone ambulance.

The drone ambulance concept designed to autonomously carry a single injured passenger

Marine

Underwater drone watches over reefs – and kills coral-destroying starfish

Ben Coxworth September 1, 2018

It's no secret that the world's coral reefs are in trouble, and unfortunately scuba divers can only do so much in the way of monitoring or protecting them. Scientists in Australia, however, have developed an autonomous underwater drone that could be of great help.

The RangerBot can monitor and protect reefs for up to eight hours at atime

Automotive

Waymo and Walmart team up to take you shopping

Michael Irving July 25, 2018

As Waymo’s self-driving vehicles continue to clock up the miles, the company is focusing its trips based on feedback from the first year of its early riders program in Phoenix, Arizona. As well as expanding existing partnerships, Waymo has now teamed up with Walmart and DDR to streamline shopping.

Waymo has teamed up with Walmart and other companies to streamline shopping and other daily activities ...

Robotics

AI big guns pledge not to develop autonomous "killer robots"

Michael Irving July 25, 2018

After years of petitioning the UN to take action against weaponized AI, the Future of Life Institute has now taken matters into its own hands, with thousands of AI researchers, engineers and companies pledging not to develop or support the development of autonomous killing machines in any way.

Hundreds of companies and thousands of people from the AI industry have pledged not to develop ...

Drones

Quicker, lighter, and even smarter – Fast Lightweight Autonomy program completes Phase 2 flight tests

Matt Kennedy July 19, 2018

DARPA’s Fast Lightweight Autonomy (FLA) program has successfully wound up its Phase 2 flight tests, putting its drones and algorithms to the test in three primary scenarios – all without human assistance or control.

A DARPA FLA UAV negotiates an indoor course at high speed