Robotics

If you are planning a jaunt to Sweden any time soon then you may want to think twice about how you are planning to document your trip - particularly if you intend to capture footage of a vista similar to the one pictured here.

Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) approved drone training is now available in Northern Ireland, with the announcement that UAVAir has added to its growing list of courses across the UK. UAVAir will be bringing its Unmanned Aerial Qualification (UAQ) course to the Clandeboye Estate, Belfast Road, Bangor on the 26-28th November.

Drone enthusiasts who want the extra bling factor can now take their hobby to new heights with the launch of a limited edition, made to order, luxury drone. Those with opulent taste can now add a customised DJI Phantom 4 adorned with 24-carat gold-plating to their inventory of gadgets. Complete with 24-carat gold-plated trimmings, the package costs £20,000 from DronesDirect.co.uk. 

Researchers at ETH Zurich’s Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering (D-BSSE) in Basel have created a cyborg – a hybrid creature that is part machine and part living organism. The organism in question is the E. coli bacterium, which is used frequently in biological research; the machine is a computer fitted with the most modern control technology that regulates the growth of the bacteria.

At the Commercial UAV Show (19th-20th October, stand 27) in London, UK, Analog Devices has introduced a tactical grade Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) featuring precision and stability in the smallest, lightest and lowest power solution available. The high-performance ADIS16490 IMU paves the way for high-accuracy navigation, guidance, and positioning. 

Expanding its preLink integrated Ethernet connection system, HARTING has launched new versions of the preLink termination block for interfacing with PROFINET, industrial Ethernet and ultra-flexible cables, typically used on robots. Delivering even more flexibility and ease of use for preLink connection technology, the preLink termination block is now available in a black PROFINET version.

The long-term partnership between Imagination Technologies and Actions Semiconductor around the MIPS architecture is to be strengthened. Actions, one of China’s leading fabless semiconductor companies that provides comprehensive portable multimedia and mobile internet System on a Chip (SoC) solutions for portable consumer electronics, recently renewed its license for a range of MIPS CPUs from entry-level to high-performance. 

The Unmanned Aerial Qualification (UAQ) course by UAVAir will be coming to to Newbury, adding to its growing list of locations throughout the UK. The recognised drone-training academy will be running at Newbury Race Course, with the first session taking place from 10th to 12th December.

Imagine being in an accident that leaves you unable to feel any sensation in your arms and fingers. Now imagine regaining that sensation, a decade later, through a mind-controlled robotic arm that is directly connected to your brain. That is what 28-year-old Nathan Copeland experienced after he came out of brain surgery and was connected to the Brain Computer Interface (BCI), developed by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC.

Unmanned aviation is an industry that is constantly developing, simultaneously allowing businesses to grow their services while creating a whole new career opening for specially trained pilots to enable these changes. ConsortiQ is heading to the Commercial UAV Show this month, a trade show that has been formed in light of the growing demand in the area.