Lightweight, responsive exoskeleton is designed for use by seniors

Plans now call for the prototype to be tested on seniors who have gait or stride difficulties. It is hoped that the final version of the device could be worn under the user’s clothing.

“Despite the advancement of exoskeletons, state-of-the-art exoskeletons are not suitable to promote independence and community living,” says McGovern Medical School’s Asst. Prof. Shuo-Hsiu (James) Chang. “There is a pressing need for wearable robots that can improve the quality of life for broader populations in community settings.”

via Lightweight, responsive exoskeleton is designed for use by seniors

Modified commercial helicopter makes world-first autonomous flight

Skyryse has been around since 2016 and its grand ambitions aren’t unlike others in the space; to make self-flying air taxis in urban areas a reality. Whereas Volocopter, Uber and a host of others are developing purpose-built VTOL aircraft that take off, fly and land themselves, Skyryse is focusing on tech that can give today’s standard aircraft these same capabilities.

via Modified commercial helicopter makes world-first autonomous flight

Rimac and Lotus release electric hypercar test footage

Rimac, for its part, is building 17 prototypes of its 1,914-horsepower, 2,300-Nm (1,696-lb-ft) C_Two, each with its own development and testing goals, to evaluate everything from chassis rigidity, to driving dynamics, to driver feel and handling – not to mention “high-performance autonomous driving,” a concept that makes me want to nope my way back into the 1990s when nobody expected 200-mph (322-km/h) supercars to drive themselves.

via Rimac and Lotus release electric hypercar test footage

Hyundai, Nikola and Toyota Start to Build Hydrogen Highway | Trucks.com

Nikola Motor Co., a Phoenix startup, plans highway testing of its hydrogen fuel cell semi-tractor next year. Budweiser brewer Anheuser-Busch will test Nikola trucks in its fleet. The beer company said it plans to buy up to 800 of the hydrogen fuel cell models for its fleet of long-haul delivery vehicles

via Hyundai, Nikola and Toyota Start to Build Hydrogen Highway | Trucks.com

Charged EVs | Tesla to build European Gigafactory near Berlin

Now that Gigafactory 3 near Shanghai is almost ready to begin production, it’s time to start work on the next one. Speaking at a recent event in Germany, where he received a Golden Steering Wheel award from the German tabloid Bild, Elon Musk announced that Tesla has chosen the Berlin area as the location of Gigafactory 4.

via Charged EVs | Tesla to build European Gigafactory near Berlin

More EV chargers at estate carparks in govt’s green push | Hong Kong | China Daily

According to Wong, HK$2 billion (US$255 million) will be appropriated in the next three years to install EV chargers at about 60,000 parking spaces in existing private residential buildings.

via More EV chargers at estate carparks in govt’s green push | Hong Kong | China Daily

It’s a crate motor, only electric, for EV conversions from Electric GT | Autoblog

Three years ago, an outfit called Electric GT (EGT), led by Eric Hutchison, hit the green tech radar by converting a 1978 Ferrari 308 GTS to an electric car. Out went the mid-mounted 2.9-liter V8 making 280 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, in went 48 lithium-ion batteries powering three AC51 HPEVS electric motors that cumulatively produced 465 hp and 330 lb-ft. The company’s relocated from San Diego to Chatsworth, California, and is back on the scopes at Green Car Reports with what it calls an Electric Crate Motor. The innovation repackages the ICE crate motor methodology into a system making EV conversions easier for the weekend enthusiast. EGT promises a plug-and-play system with “high performance and near zero maintenance,” having packaged its one- and two-motor systems into a “motor block” and peripherals that look just like an internal combustion engine.

via It’s a crate motor, only electric, for EV conversions from Electric GT | Autoblog

Electric Vehicle Charging Management – Battery Charging vs. Swapping in Densely Populated Environments – IEEE Smart Grid

Even though battery swapping brings forth concerns of the quality of the swapped battery, overall, while comparing EVCS and BSS, we find that BSS offer more flexibility and convenience for all involved entities, especially when considering densely populated area

via Electric Vehicle Charging Management – Battery Charging vs. Swapping in Densely Populated Environments – IEEE Smart Grid

Volvo creates a dedicated business for autonomous industrial and commercial transport | TechCrunch

Volvo Group has established a new dedicated business group focused on autonomous transportation, with a mandate that covers industry segments like mining, ports and moving goods between logistics hubs of all kinds. The vehicle maker has already been active in putting autonomous technology to work in these industries, with self-driving projects — including at a few quarries and mines, and in the busy port located at Gothenburg, Sweden.

via Volvo creates a dedicated business for autonomous industrial and commercial transport | TechCrunch

Hyundai to invest $35 billion in South Korea for autonomous cars – Roadshow

Hyundai Motor Group, which oversees Hyundai and Kia, is slapping down a fat stack of cash in the name of self-driving and autonomous car technology. The automaker said at a news conference at the automaker’s research center in Hwaseong on Tuesday that it will invest $35 billion in the field to help make South Korea a leader in the segment, Reuters reports.

South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in, also speaking at the event, made the bold statement that South Korea will be the first country to put totally autonomous cars on the road and laid out a goal date of 2027, the Korea Times reported.

via Hyundai to invest $35 billion in South Korea for autonomous cars – Roadshow

Volvo Autonomous Solutions unit created to address transport demands

In particular, Volvo said it sees an opportunity for autonomous systems that repetitively moving large volumes of materials and goods in pre-defined routes. “In such situations, autonomous transport solutions can create value for customers by contributing to improved flexibility, delivery precision, and productivity,” the company said.

“We have experienced a significant increase in inquiries from customers,” stated Martin Lundstedt, Volvo Group president and CEO. “With the Volvo Group’s wide range of offerings and broad experience of different applications, we have a unique opportunity to offer solutions that meet their specific needs. It is a logical next step for us to gather expertise and resources in a new business area with profit and loss responsibility to take autonomous transport solutions to the next level.”

via Volvo Autonomous Solutions unit created to address transport demands

How Google Is Stealing The Show On Volvo’s New EV

This EV will be the first vehicle of any type to hit the market with Google’s all-new Android operating system. Though the interface will look similar to anyone who’s sat in a new Volvo in recent years, the system promises new levels of processing speed, capability, and customization.

The system integrates Google Maps, Google Assistant, and the Google Play store as well as a host of other Android-supported apps.

via How Google Is Stealing The Show On Volvo’s New EV

Renault Loses Its Marbles, Dissolved In Hydrogen | CleanTechnica

Renault is going with a hybrid strategy of both hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and 100% battery electric vehicles.

via Renault Loses Its Marbles, Dissolved In Hydrogen | CleanTechnica

Scientists Taught Rats How to Drive Tiny Cars

A team of scientists at the University of Richmond, Virginia have taught rats how to drive tiny cars around a track, New Scientist reports — a bold step in the study of animal cognition.

via Scientists Taught Rats How to Drive Tiny Cars

Motiv Electric Truck Specialist Raises $60 Million in New Funding

The new funding leaves Motiv “debt-free with a strong balance sheet,” Matt O’Leary, chief executive of the Foster City, Calif., company, told Trucks.com.

Previously, Motiv had raised about $7 million in investment funding and $20 million in various electric truck development grants, mainly from California air quality regulators.

Winnebago and GMAG, a privately held investment firm, invested in Motiv’s initial financing efforts as well.

via Motiv Electric Truck Specialist Raises $60 Million in New Funding