The Innovation Report
Autonomous Shuttles Are Popping Up Across America In Time For The World Cup
While the world waits for autonomous cars to become a reality, autonomous shuttles are popping up in towns across America, moving people around college campuses, downtowns and shopping locations. And soon, the crowds gathering to watch World Cup soccer will be able to...
Waymo Will Start Testing Its Autonomous Cars In New York Again
Waymo's autonomous cars are heading back to New York City in July, the company announced today. Cars will be manually driven for now, not unlike the mapping tests Waymo ran in 2021, but the company says it ultimately wants to bring the same autonomous ride-hailing...
Denmark Sends Robot Sailboats To Monitor Russia’s Shadow Fleet
Denmark's armed forces have deployed four uncrewed robotic sailboats, named "Voyagers," for a three-month operational trial in Danish and NATO waters. Built by Saildrone, a California-based company, these 10-meter-long vessels are designed for surveillance and can...
Boeing’s Air Taxi Developer Acquires Austin-Based Skygrid
An Austin-based tech company is joining forces with a California firm working to bring air taxis to Texas skies. SkyGrid, developed by Austin's SparkCognition and Boeing in 2018, has become a subsidiary of Wisk Aero. Both companies are owned by Boeing. SkyGrid...
Cephalopod-Inspired Synthetic Skins Could Enable Color Switching For Soft Robots And Wearables
Taking a cue from ocean-dwelling species, University of Nebraska–Lincoln researchers are developing synthetic skins that will support the emergence of next-generation "soft" machines, robots and other devices. The skins closely approximate the mechanical action of the...
Two Chinese Spacecraft Met 22,000 Miles Above Earth
China brought two spacecraft together high above Earth as part of a refueling demonstration mission, according to a space situational awareness company. China's Shijian-21 and Shijian-25 satellites had been moving toward each other in geosynchronous orbit, around...
Drones Could Be Dispatched As First Responders To Crime Scenes In Hawaiʻi
A crime reported on Hawaiian homelands may someday trigger police to dispatch a flying drone with the quick press of a button. That’s the pitch Hawaiʻi Department of Law Enforcement Director Mike Lambert made Tuesday to the Hawaiian Homes Commission as he underscored...
UK’s Pulsar Fusion Brings Nuclear Space Propulsion Research To Austin
Pulsar Fusion, a U.K.-based firm attempting to unlock nuclear fusion to power space travel, is opening its first U.S. location in the Austin area. The company announced Monday that it's searching for roughly 50,000 square feet to build a clean room and to conduct...
Walmart Expanding Drone Delivery To Five U.S. Cities
Walmart has announced it is significantly expanding its drone delivery service to five major U.S. cities, marking the retailer's largest roll-out of the technology since launching the program three years ago. The Bentonville, Arkansas-based retail giant will begin...
General Atomics Develops GHOST Drone For US Air Force
The United States Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (AFB), Ohio, has awarded a nearly $100 million contract to General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) to develop a hybrid-electric ducted fan-powered unmanned aerial...
