Automation is happening right now: how to avoid getting left behind

 Automation is a hot topic right now — and not just because the technology is amazing. It also has the potential to make business processes considerably more efficient, raising standards of living for everyone. However, as always in business, companies are at risk of getting left behind. AI, robots and

Putting the “Science” in “Science Fiction” – Robotic Muscles

 Earlier this year I talked about giant robots, and the many technical challenges that have prevented them from being put into production. Although there are many reasons why creating a giant robot is difficult, the major one has always been how to make it move. Robots tend to rely on

Putting the “Science” in “Science Fiction” – Robotic Drones 4

 In my previous three blogs, I have discussed the many military applications of remotely controlled robotic drones. However, drones of this type have many potential uses outside of combat. Some drones are available in military and civilian versions, like the robots used by soldiers and police officers to disarm explosive

Putting the “Science” in “Science Fiction”: Robotic Drones 2

 One of the most exciting scenes from Iron Man 2 (2010) is the climactic battle, where Iron Man and Warmachine take on a legion of robotic drone soldiers. From the Trade Federation's battle droids in the Star Wars prequel trilogy to the robotic terminators that Skynet sends to wipe out

Putting the “Science” in “Science Fiction” – Robotic Drones 1

 Besides the terminators that are the series' namesake, the most well-known robots in the Terminator series are the Aerial Hunter Killers. These flying robots are objects of terror to the human resistance, being able to rain down fire from above. Although these robots are far more advanced than anything currently

Putting the “Science” in “Science Fiction” – Giant Robots

 One of the most pervasive figures in technology throughout the history of science-fiction is the giant robot. Although they may be impractical in the real world, there is something about giant walking machines that captures the awe and imagination of people around the world. From H.G. Wells’ Martian tripods to

Putting the “Science” into “Science Fiction” – Virtual Reality

 Virtual reality is a common fact of life in many works of science-fiction, allowing people to enter into a computer-generated world and interact with it as if the virtual world was just as authentic as the real one. The simulated worlds these virtual reality (or VR) systems create are often