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Innovation

How to innovate, make things better - read news and articles about it here (soon).

Swiss powerhouse Rinspeed created mobility ecosystem Snap - the sum of its parts is greater than the whole

Self-driving cars, stuffed full of short-lived IT components, will help solve the transport problems in urban areas in the foreseeable future - and not just there. To this end, Swiss powerhouse of ideas Rinspeed has designed an elaborate and unparalleled mobility ecosystem in its latest concept car, the "Snap." Rinspeed boss Frank M. Rinderknecht makes the hardware and software, which is bound to be outdated quickly, part of the high-wear chassis ("skateboard") - and separates it from the durable passenger safety cell ("pod").

Andy Zbinden: Möbeldesigner in Tartu

Der Schweizer Andy Zbinden, 60, wohnhaft bisher in Zürich, aufgewachsen im Kanton Bern, Berufserfahrung als Elektroniker, Programmierer, Netzwerktechniker, Produktmanager und Unternehmensberater hat sich in Estland angesiedelt. Andy Zbindens Webseite unter www.azbi.ch befindet sich derzeit noch im Neuaufbau. Seit geraumer Zeit entwickelte er eine Passion für Möbel allgemein; besonders durch seine Erfahrung mit Informatikarbeitsplätzen für Büromöbel im digitalen Zeitalter. Das Thema führte ihn in diverse Städte Europas und in die USA.

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Telecoms Industry Obsesses with Millimeter Wave, But 3.5 GHz Will be the Killer 5G band

Will 5G mmWave Technology Be Up to Speed For 5G Mobile Broadband in 2019-2020? The industry has had to tap into a wide range of radio spectrum frequencies from sub-1GHz to 100GHz including licensed, unlicensed, and shared spectrum to address the potential of 5G. According to new findings from ABI Research, while the use of mmWave is one of the most distinguishing features of 5G, in the near term the C-Band is emerging with the most global consensus for the timely launch of commercial 5G network in 2019.

Many of the lab and field 5G trials conducted by industry participants have focused on higher frequencies, but based on the recent regulatory announcements by about 20 countries, the C-band is the most common spectrum range identified for 5G.

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Alongside Norway, Finland is home to the world’s first fully electrical car ferries

First full electric ferry Ampere was launched in Norway 2 years ago. Quiet, elegant and comfortable electric vessel which transports passengers and their cars safely between Parainen and Nauvo in the Finnish Archipelago started now in Finland.

Most people associate Finland with saunas, the midnight sun, coffee of a strength that would command the respect of even the most intrepid Italian, and a marked awareness of environmental issues among its population. Finland is among those countries of the world which have focused on and achieved the successful generation of clean, renewable energy. So it comes as no surprise that the land of the Northern Lights is also home to the first battery-propelled ferries – which are powered with the aid of Siemens technology.

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These "Smart Cars" Can Self-Heal, Won’t Let You Drink and Drive

The union of technology and automobiles is ushering in a new era of connected and intelligent cars. These super smart cars come equipped with extraordinary features that were until now only a figment of our imagination. 

At some point in life, many of us have wished that a crack in our car bonnet would simply disappear, but, of course, never thought it possible. Well, think again. Lamborghini’s Terzo Millennio has the ability to conduct its own health monitoring to detect cracks and damages in its substructure derived from accidents. If it suffers damage, a self-repairing process starts via micro-channels filled with healing chemistries, reducing to zero the risks of small cracks propagating further in the carbon fiber structure. 

Hardware is the key to winning the artificial intelligence race, says GlobalData

Major wireless tech companies are in a race to develop artificial intelligence (AI) to lock users into their respective ecosystems and many are discovering they can’t compete effectively in AI without investments in hardware, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

AI is where tomorrow’s tech money is. The technology learns our wants and how to anticipate our needs before we do, making useful suggestions and transactions on our behalf.

Uptime developers build a hat which helps blind people use traffic lights safely

In TechnoHack, a traditional format hackathon at Mectory technology centre in Tallinn, Uptime developers participated by building a hat for blind people which recognizes traffic lights.

Teams arrived on Friday and they had to be ready in Sunday evening to present a working prototype, as this format of event usually demands. From Uptime, Tanel Hiob, Liisi Mõtshärg, Carl-Martin Ivask and Siim Orasmäe hacked the software and hardware for 48 hours to be ready for a Sunday presentation.

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Entertainment Robot "aibo" Announced

Sony Corporation (Sony) is today proud to announce "aibo," the evolution of its autonomous entertainment robot that brings fun and joy to the entire family. aibo can form an emotional bond with members of the household while providing them with love, affection, and the joy of nurturing and raising a companion. It possesses a natural curiosity, and we hope it will bring joy into the everyday lives of our customers while growing alongside them as a partner.As the latest iteration of the beloved robotic companion, aibo features an adorable appearance, vibrant movements, and a responsiveness that is sure to delight. It will also develop its own unique personality through everyday interactions as it grows closer and closer to its owners.

Swedish smart fighter Gripen E goes supersonic

Defence and security company Saab announces that the Gripen E smart fighter flew supersonic for the first time. The aircraft broke the sound barrier over the Baltic Sea on the 18th November.

The Gripen E smart fighter flew at speeds greater than the speed of sound, at over Mach 1, as part of the ongoing flight trials programme. The purpose was to collect data from the aircraft as it achieved and sustained supersonic speed. The flight took place over the Baltic sea and the aircraft sustained supersonic speed for a number of minutes, whilst carrying out maneouvres, demonstrating the successful combination of the aicraft’s fighter design and its powerful engine.

Despite the hype, AI adoption still in early stages per SAS survey

The hype surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) is intense. But for most European businesses surveyed in a recent study by SAS, the leader in analytics, AI adoption is still in the early or even planning stages. The good news is, the vast majority of organizations have begun to talk about AI, and a few have even begun to implement suitable projects. There is much optimism about the potential of AI, although fewer were confident that their organization was ready to exploit that potential.