The Innovation Report
Vineyards Turn to Robots in Face of Labor Shortage During Grape Harvest
A shortage of agriculture workers is forcing winemakers in the U.S. and Europe to turn to robots for their autumn grape harvest, reports the Wall Street Journal. Why it matters: Pandemic-related travel restrictions have cut down on the availability of migrant...
Flying High-speed Drones with AI
Researchers at the University of Zurich have developed a new approach to autonomously fly quadrotors through unknown, complex environments at high speeds using only on-board sensing and computation. The new approach could be useful in emergencies, on construction...
AI Advances Breast Cancer Detection
With artificial intelligence technology, medical professionals can quickly and accurately sort through breast MRIs in patients with dense breast tissue to eliminate those without cancer. Mammography has assisted in reducing breast cancer-related deaths by...
GM May Double Revenues with EV Pivot
General Motors secured its pivot to a high-tech future Wednesday by announcing plans to convert more assembly plants in North America to make electric vehicles by the end of the decade and to double company revenues by that time as it unveils more...
NASA Sends Robots to Study Climate Change in the Arctic
On July 7, 2021, NASA sent two robotic explorers to the Arctic to collect sea surface temperature data and improve estimates of ocean temperatures in that region. Pairing up with Saildrone, a designer and manufacturer of non-crewed surface vehicles or USVs,...
Electric Vehicles Projected to Play Big Role in Vermont Emission Reductions
Vermont’s road to reduced greenhouse gas emissions will likely require converting tens of thousands of drivers to electric vehicles this decade. That’s according to a recent report by Vermont’s Energy Action Network that modeled a technically feasible...
Jeep Releases EV Hybrid Grand Cherokee
Jeep officially released the newest addition to its EV collection on Wednesday. The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe plug-in hybrid is considered a bold move toward fuel-efficient vehicles. “The Jeep Grand Cherokee is our global flagship and will be leading the Jeep brand...
Why Climate Change Makes It Harder to Chase Fall Foliage
Droughts that cause leaves to turn brown and wither before they can reach peak color. Heat waves prompting leaves to fall before autumn even arrives. Extreme weather events like hurricanes that strip trees of their leaves altogether. For a cheery autumnal activity,...
Volvo Marks Sustainability Start with Fresh Vegan Commitments for Electrified Lineup
Volvo has committed to making their vehicles of 25 percent recycled and bio-based content by 2025. It's part of a larger push to be a fully circular business by 2040. BMW offered similar aspirations when it debuted its i Vision Circular concept car at IAA in Munich...
Drone Images Give Hope For Return Of Kelp On U.S. West Coast
Tranquil images of the Pacific Ocean taken by a drone show that California's kelp forests may be making a comeback after years of depletion, bringing good news in the fight against climate change. Kelp, which reduces global warming by soaking up carbon dioxide from...
