The Innovation Report
Robots Are Helping Restore Lost Seagrass Meadows
Found on seabeds from Alaska to Australia, seagrass meadows are one of the most widespread coastal habitats on Earth. While they cover just one thousandth of the ocean floor, these marine plants play an important role in aquatic ecosystems – from providing nursery...
MichAuto Panel Talks State Of Industry With Rise Of China, Electric Vehicles, Tariffs
The auto industry wants stability, but it needs to adapt to change. That was the message Glenn Stevens, executive director of MichAuto, delivered ahead of a panel discussion on the state of the auto industry Tuesday evening at the Detroit Regional Chamber downtown....
GM Ends Cruise Robotaxi Efforts; Focusing Self-Driving Tech To Passenger Cars
The field of companies competing to launch robotaxi services just got narrower, after General Motors announced a major pivot of its self-driving taxi company, Cruise, which instead will now develop autonomous driving tech for the...
Developing Power Architecture To Support Autonomous Transportation
Electrification in the automotive industry continues to generate headlines as consumers want to learn more about the features and benefits of electric passenger vehicles, predominantly cars. In the engineering community, the conversation often turns to power: the high...
Meet ‘Blackbird’: A Flying Taxi That Spins & Moves In Any Direction Thanks To New Propulsion System
A new type of flying car could soon be ferrying passengers through the skies using a novel propulsion technology, engineers say. On Nov. 5, CycloTech, an Austrian company that builds flying car components, unveiled blueprints for its new "BlackBird" demonstrator...
CLC, Mills Ford Partner For Automotive Tech Program
Kids at Brainerd High School got an inside look at everything electric in the automotive industry, as professionals in the field look to students to fill crucial technician roles. A collaborative effort among Central Lakes College, Mills Ford, Ford Motor Company and...
Virginia Tech Drone Sub Fleet Will Search For Microplastics In Chesapeake Bay
A small fleet of drone submarines sits in drydock at a Virginia Tech engineering building. They’re autonomous underwater vehicles, AUVs for short, and they come in multiple sizes. Among them are three bright yellow ones called 690 AUV. They’re as tall as an NBA...
Global Race To Unlock Subterranean Hydrogen
Hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe, is typically found bound with other elements—for instance, with oxygen in water or with carbon in methane. However, the discovery of naturally occurring underground pockets of pure hydrogen is challenging this...
Atlanta Creates AI Commission To Explore Tech’s Potential In City Government
The Atlanta City Council unanimously voted on Monday to establish an artificial intelligence commission to explore how the city can incorporate AI into its operations. The commission will convene at least once a month starting no later than February 2025 and will...
AI, Robotic Assistants Helping Firefighters Across The US
As firefighters from across the country gather for the International Fire Chief's Association's Technolgy Summit International in Oklahoma City, a highlight of the event is how fire departments are using new technology to fight fires. Fire chiefs from across the...
