CNN
—  

It is a car kitted out with technology its developers boldly predict will transform our cities and change the way we live.

The autonomous “DevBot #1” took a giant leap forward in Morocco recently, making its debut on a street track at the Formula E Marrakech ePrix.

The battery-powered prototype is being tested for Roborace – a proposed race series where driverless cars will compete on temporary city circuits.

“It’s the first time we’ve run the Devbot in driverless mode on a Formula E track in the middle of a city street,” Roborace’s Justin Cooke told CNN.

“It’s so exciting for the team who put hours and hours of work in. These guys were up to 1-2 a.m. in the morning developing a technology that no one else in the world is able to do at this speed and in these complicated environments.”

Read: Electric race car showcases driverless future

Using a variety of sensors – including GPS, radar and ultrasonics – allied to sophisticated computer programs, the car learns how to navigate a track at speed avoiding all obstacles.

“What we are doing is at the forefront of technology right now,” says Cooke, who is also CMO of Kinetik – an investment company founded by Russian businessman Denis Sverdlov which is providing financial backing for the project.

“There are two or three kinds of space races, if you will – some people are going to Mars, we’re developing robotic cars and I think it’s probably one of the most, if not the most exciting space in the world right now.”

After the successful 30-minute test in Marrakech – this year’s host city for the United Nations climate change conference (COP22) – Cooke say the company will next try racing two cars together on track with the eventual aim of having up to 10 cars competing at every Formula E ePrix weekend.

Photos: Autonomous car revolution

Roborace Ltd.

A new robot race car series is set to get underway in 2017.

Formula E championship weekends. Organizers have commissioned Daniel Simon — famous for his work on movies like “Tron: Legacy” — to design the race car. ” class=”gallery-image__dam-img”/>

Photos: Autonomous car revolution

Daniel Simon

The planned “Roborace” series is scheduled to be contested during Formula E championship weekends. Organizers have commissioned Daniel Simon — famous for his work on movies like “Tron: Legacy” — to design the race car.

Watch a video of it in action here” class=”gallery-image__dam-img”/>

Photos: Autonomous car revolution

Photos: Autonomous car revolution

Matt Knight/CNN

The battery-powered prototype can reach speeds of 215 mph (350 kph), according to Roborace.

Photos: Autonomous car revolution

Roborace Ltd.

The “Roborace” series is scheduled to start in 2017 and will see 10 autonomous cars all competing on the same track.

Photos: Autonomous car revolution

Matt Knight/CNN

The car successfully navigated the track at Formula E’s Marrakech ePrix in November. The all-electric race series will host robot races during ePrix weekends.

Photos: Autonomous car revolution

Matt Knight/CNN

The car has been developed by a small team of engineers and computer scientists. “With this car we have several kinds of sensors,” Sergey Malygin, Roborace’s Artificial Intelligence developer, told CNN. “First of all there are lasers measurements — light-based, so we have information about the 3D objects around us.”

Photos: Autonomous car revolution

Matt Knight/CNN

“Also we have cameras, radars, ultrasonics to get the information about other vehicles and base stations,” Malygin continues. “We also have precise positioning systems and optical speed sensors.”

Photos: Autonomous car revolution

Matt Knight/CNN

“To get this information inside (the car), process it and get a valuable understanding of what is happening around us that’s something that needs a lot of computing power,” Malygin explains. The raw data is then deciphered by algorithms which tells the car where the walls are and where other cars are on the road.

Photos: Autonomous car revolution

Matt Knight/CNN

Roborace engineer, Matas Simonavicius, says each wheel is individually powered, providing more stability and safety.
“One motor drives one wheel,” Simonavicius told CNN. “This way you can do torque vectoring — you can control the power to wheels much better, how it drives and the performance it gives out. It’s more advanced than the conventional stability control ABS.”

Photos: Autonomous car revolution

Matt Knight/CNN

But are driverless cars a good idea?
“I think, yes,” Simonavicius says. “What’s the biggest cause of accidents at the moment? It’s human error.”

” class=”gallery-image__dam-img”/>

Photos: Autonomous car revolution

Matt Knight/CNN

“That’s why we want to bring this car into a controlled environment where you cannot hurt any people and you can prove that it works,” Simonavicius argues.

Photos: Autonomous car revolution

Roborace Ltd

“We’re trying to change people’s perspective of it. So they will see it at races and see it’s safe and does all these cool things.”

“To be here at COP22 when we are celebrating an electric future, a driverless future – it’s the perfect time for Roborace,” Cooke enthuses.

Visit cnn.com/motorsport for more Formula E news and features

“More than anything we want people to be excited about the technology because it’s going to change our lives, it’s going to transform our cities.”

Much focus has been concentrated on intervertebral discs, the spongy shock absorbers that sit in between our vertebrae, as the offender for the again concerns that astronauts experience. But the new research runs counter to that considering. In this investigate, funded by NASA, Chang’s workforce observed minimal to no changes in the discs, their height or swelling.

What they did notice in 6 astronauts who put in 4 to seven months on the ISS was a incredible degeneration and atrophying of the supporting musculature in the lumbar (lower) spine, Chang claimed. These muscles are the types that enable us remain upright, walk and transfer our higher extremities in an ecosystem like Earth, whilst protecting discs and ligaments from pressure or damage.

In microgravity, the torso lengthens, most probably thanks to spinal unloading, in which the spinal curvature flattens. Astronauts also usually are not making use of the muscle mass tone in their lower backs for the reason that they usually are not bending over or applying their reduce backs to move, like on Earth, Chang claimed. This is exactly where the agony and stiffening occurs, a lot like if the astronauts had been in a human body cast for six months.

MRI scans in advance of and following the missions unveiled that the astronauts experienced a 19% lower in these muscle tissue for the duration of their flight. “Even following six months of teaching and reconditioning in this article one Earth, they are only finding about 68% of their losses restored,” Chang spelled out.

Chang and his group take into consideration this a major concern for prolonged-expression manned missions, specifically when contemplating a vacation to Mars that could just take eight or nine months just to get to the Pink Planet. That trip, and the astronauts’ prospective time expended in Martian gravity — 38% of the surface gravity on Earth — results in the prospective for muscle atrophy and deconditioning.

The team’s long run investigate will also glance at claimed neck issues, exactly where there can be even more occurrences of muscle mass atrophy and a slower restoration interval. They are also hoping to lover with another college on inflight ultrasounds of the spine, to seem at what happens to astronauts although they are on the area station.

Yoga in area?

Simply because no person likes back again ache and muscle mass loss, Chang instructed countermeasures that really should be extra to the presently two- to a few-hour exercise routine astronauts have on the space station each individual day. However their physical exercise machines concentration on a range of concerns such as cardiovascular and skeletal overall health, the team believes that area tourists also need to have to contain a main-strenghtening plan targeted on the spine.

In addition to the “fetal tuck” posture astronauts use in microgravity to extend their lower again or relieve again pain, Chang advised yoga. But he is aware of that is easier stated than accomplished.

“A lot of yoga is dependent on the results of gravity, like downward dog, in which a stretch through the hamstring, calf muscles, back again of the neck and shoulders are feasible mainly because of gravity. When you clear away that, you may possibly not have the identical benefit.”

Any devices on the house station also have to be developed with regards to fat, sizing and even the reverberations they could produce on the station.

Chang and the other researchers brainstormed with a virtual actuality crew about unique workout programs that would help astronauts to invite buddies, spouse and children or even Twitter followers to be a part of them in a digital exercise routine, building the day by day repetition of their exercise sessions a lot more exciting and aggressive.

Keeping the astronauts healthier and in shape is the minimum they can do, Chang stated.

“When a crew will come again, they say on a single facet of the room station, they see this wonderful blue earth,” he explained. “Every thing they hold pricey to them is on this fragile very little earth. And they glance out the other window and just see infinity stretching off into the blackness, and they appear again with a unique feeling of them selves and their spot in the universe.

“All of them are committed to furthering room awareness and producing incremental methods ahead in any way they can for the following crew.”

Surprisingly, though, Carter and his group found that small children who did not use their products in their bedrooms continue to had their slumber interrupted and have been possible to undergo the exact difficulties. The lights and sounds emitted by the know-how, as properly as the information by itself, might be much too stimulating.

However Carter admits that a weak point of the evaluation was “how the facts was gathered in the major scientific tests: self-noted by dad and mom and little ones,” quite a few of us will in all probability recognize our possess families’ habits reflected in the statistics.

Electronic bedroom

In accordance to Carter and his co-authors, this omnipresent engineering negatively influences children’s sleep by delaying their rest time, as they finish watching a movie or enjoy a person extra sport.

Gentle emitted from these devices may possibly also have an impact on the circadian rhythm, the inner clock timing organic processes, which include system temperature and hormone release, the researchers describe. A person particular hormone, melatonin, induces tiredness and contributes to the timing of our sleep-wake cycles. Electronic lights can delay the release of melatonin, disrupting this cycle and generating it more difficult to slide asleep.

Carter and his co-authors also recommend that on the internet content may perhaps be psychologically stimulating and maintain young children and teenagers awake much previous the hour when they change off their products and test to sleep.

“Snooze is essential for young children,” said Dr. Sujay Kansagra, director of the pediatric neurology rest medicine software at Duke College Clinical Centre, who was not included in the new investigation. “We know that slumber performs a critical job in brain development, memory, self-regulation, interest, immune operate, cardiovascular health and fitness and considerably additional.”

Kansagra explained it is really attainable that mom and dad underreported youngsters using gadgets at evening, but far more probably, the technology is just interfering with sleep hygiene. “For case in point, kids who are authorized to preserve products in their area may perhaps be much more most likely to stay clear of a superior rest routine, which we know is valuable for sleep,” he explained.

Working towards excellent sleep hygiene

Dr. Neil Kline, a consultant of the American Rest Association, agrees that rest plays an integral function in a kid’s wholesome development, even nevertheless “we will not know all of the science behind it. There is even some analysis which demonstrates an association concerning ADHD and some slumber problems.”

In many respects, the findings of the new study are no shock. “Snooze cleanliness is staying substantially impacted by technologies, primarily in the teen many years,” reported Kline, who bases his feeling not only on investigation but on his own “personal encounter and also the anecdotes of quite a few other rest industry experts.”

Other tips for fantastic sleep cleanliness include things like not performing exercises (bodily or mentally) too close to bedtime creating a standard sleep agenda limiting exposure to light prior to slumber staying away from stimulants these as liquor, caffeine and nicotine in the hours ahead of bedtime and producing a darkish, comfortable and peaceful sleep surroundings.

The moon rises over Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong on November 14. A supermoon occurs when the moon becomes full on the same days as its perigee, which is the point in the moon’s orbit when it is closest to Earth. Supermoons generally appear to be 14% bigger and 30% brighter than other full moons. Kin Cheung/AP

The moon appears over the Binhe Yellow River Bridge in Yinchuan, China, on November 14. Qi yingtao/Imaginechina/AP Images

Evergreen trees are silhouetted on the mountain top as a supermoon rises over a ranch in Silverthorne, Colorado, on November 14. Jack Dempsey/AP

The supermoon is seen behind the Soyuz spacecraft at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on November 14. KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP/Getty Images

The supermoon is seen in Beijing on November 14. Imaginechina/Stringer/Ap Images

A man rides a horse past people watching the supermoon in Chennai, India, on November 14. ARUN SANKAR/AFP/Getty Images

The supermoon rises behind the Propylaea above the Ancient Acropolis hill in Athens, Greece, on November 14. ARIS MESSINIS/AFP/Getty Images

The supermoon is seen above a statue in Vienna, Austria, on November 14. JOE KLAMAR/AFP/Getty Images

The moon rises behind the Almodovar castle in Cordoba, Spain, on Sunday, November 13. Miguel Morenatti/AP

The supermoon appears behind the MesseTurm tower in Frankfurt, Germany, on November 13. FRANK RUMPENHORST/DPA/AFP/Getty Images

A passenger plane passes in front of the moon, as seen from Whittier, California, on November 13. Nick Ut/AP

People stroll along the Tagus riverside as the moon rises in Lisbon, Portugal, on November 13. Armando Franca/AP

Information acquired twice a day will go towards catastrophe prevention.

It really is section of a challenge by South Africa’s Meta Economic Development Firm (MEDO) functioning with Morehead State College in the US.

Bold 1st

The women (14 in complete) are remaining skilled by satellite engineers from Cape Peninsula University of Technological know-how, in a bid to motivate far more African ladies into STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics).

If the start is effective, it will make MEDO the initially non-public enterprise in Africa to build a satellite and deliver it into orbit.

“We assume to obtain a superior sign, which will permit us to get responsible facts,” declares an enthusiastic Mngqengqiswa, of Philippi Superior Faculty. “In South Africa we have expert some of the worst floods and droughts and it has genuinely afflicted the farmers extremely terribly.”

“It has brought on our financial system to fall … This is a way of looking at how we can enhance our economic climate,” says the youthful Mngqengqiswa.

Inspiring girls

First trials associated the girls programming and launching compact CricketSat satellites employing higher-altitude weather conditions balloons, right before ultimately supporting to configure the satellite payloads.

Modest format satellites are very low price approaches of collecting facts on the earth swiftly. Tests so much have included accumulating thermal imaging information which is then interpreted for early flood or drought detection.

“It is a new area for us [in Africa] but I assume with it we would be able to make good adjustments to our economic system,” suggests Mngqengqiswa.

Ultimately, it is hoped the challenge will involve girls from Namibia, Malawi, Kenya, and Rwanda.

Mngqengqiswa comes from a solitary guardian residence. Her mom is a domestic employee. By getting to be a space engineer or astronaut, the teenager hopes to make her mom very pleased.

“Getting room and looking at the Earth’s environment, it is not anything numerous black Africans have been able to do, or do not get the option to seem at,” suggests Mngqengqiswa.

The schoolgirl is right in fifty percent a century of place vacation, no black African has journeyed to outer house. “I want to see these items for myself,” says Mngqengqiswa, “I want to be capable to knowledge these matters.”

Her group mate, Bull agrees: “I want to show to fellow women that we never need to have to sit all around or restrict ourselves. Any vocation is feasible — even aerospace.”

Essential capabilities

• Economical

• Suitable with most smartphones and iOS or Android apps labeled “VR” (other than for the Watch-Master, which utilizes specially created applications)

• Additional like a 3D movie than true VR

• Greatest for academic information and game titles

Items in this category

This is a snug viewer with adjustable lenses, a head strap, and an quick-to-use set off input. Arrives with a cardboard, handheld motion-controller that provides some oomph to video games. Will work with most smartphones and any iOS or Android VR applications.

Geared for mastering fairly than gaming, the View-Master is accessible in a range of offers that allow you take a look at dinosaurs, place, wildlife, and more. Each individual pack involves insertable picture reels (your cell phone gives the horsepower). Functions with most smartphones and specifically designed See-Learn iOS or Android apps.

VR Headsets: Greatest for Huge Little ones and Tweens

Moving up in rate and characteristics are VR headsets. They are comparable to viewers in that you down load VR apps from the app retailer and insert your cellular phone in them. Headsets function with the correct same apps as the viewers (besides for the Samsung Gear VR and Google Daydream Viewbut give you a more immersive experience.

The advantages of headsets are that they are additional at ease to don for a extended time, they suit improved (preventing mild leaks), they have superior lenses, and they typically have earphone ports. Which is why some persons like to use them to view movies. They really don’t make the films three-dimensional, but they provide a particular-motion picture-theater-form encounter. They also usually have designed-in recreation controllers on the headset by itself or do the job with handheld controllers, providing you much more selections in apps than you would have with a basic viewer.

Important features

• Pricier than viewers

• Appropriate with most smartphones (other than the Samsung Gear VR and Google Daydream Watch) and iOS or Android apps labeled “VR”

• A lot more plausible, you-are-there practical experience, but constrained capacity to interact with your natural environment

• Fantastic for online games, educational content, and motion picture viewing

• Headsets have minimal age specifications set by the companies check the age before you obtain.

Solutions in this class

This huge purple headset is made of adaptable foam and has audio ports and dual enter buttons for effortless recreation handle. Functions with most iOS and Android VR apps.

Made solely for Samsung telephones, the Gear VR incorporates an input pad on the aspect of the headset and works with bluetooth controllers, the two of which enable you navigate games simply. Performs with Gear VR-suitable online games (which includes Minecraft Gear VR Version).

Separately adjustable lenses, a snug in good shape, and a smartphone tray you can customize to your telephone make the Kix a excellent choice for quality VR on any smartphone. Performs with most iOS and Android VR apps.

Consoles: Very best for 12 and Up

Suitable now, the only VR gaming console is made available by Sony. The company’s just-in-time-for-the-holiday seasons PlayStation VR headset is effective with the PlayStation 4. If you do not have a PS4 already, you could purchase the PlayStation 4 Trim or a PlayStation 4 Pro (also model-new for the holiday seasons) and the PSVR. The headset additionally the horsepower furnished by the console offers an immersive, interactive VR encounter.

Critical functions

• High priced

• Limited to Sony PlayStation

• Online games have a tendency to be mature but abundant, like Batman Arkham VR, 100ft Robot Golfing, Ultimate Fantasy XV VR, Battlezone, and Resident Evil 7.

Items in this class

Incorporates everything you want to transform your PS4 into a VR equipment, which include a headset, a camera, two movement controllers, a video game, and cables.

A newly redesigned, slimmer version of the PS4, this a person has improved graphics, a lighted controller, and runs quieter.

Much better graphics, a lot quicker action, and optimized to perform greater with distinct “Professional-Enhanced” game titles

Tremendous-strong headsets: Most effective for Teens

You may have heard of the ominous-sounding Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. These are the extremely-powerful VR headsets that supply a totally immersive experience some call it “the Holodeck” in reference to the alternate reality from Star Trek. Equally have to have substantial-stop, strong PCs (which price upwards of $500).

Essential characteristics

• Super expensive

• Whole interactivity with your environment

• Games are inclined to be mature, including The Assembly and Deus Ex Mankind Divided.

• Ideal for households with teenagers Oculus Rift’s maker age bare minimum is 13 Valve states the Vive is “not for children.”

Solutions in this group

Delivers a “area-scale practical experience.” If your little ones enjoy on the Steam gaming community, they have undoubtedly noticed adverts for the HTC Vive, as it truly is created by the same business, Valve, that owns Steam. Steam is supplying some Vive-only online games designed to choose edge of this headsets’ distinctive capabilities.

Will come with all the things to make VR a reality — besides the personal computer: a headset, a sensor, a remote, cables, an Xbox controller, and a match.