Category Archives: robots

fashion, manufacturing, robots

Slowly but surely, robots will wind up in our clothes

In June, researchers in Australia created robotic textile fibers, which can make fabric move automatically. Last year, scientists at MIT fabricated computer programmable threads and built fiber batteries using battery gels that could embed into clothes and power robotic textiles. In a sign that the technology is approaching maturity, the intelligence community announced in July it’s looking to develop smart clothes for soldiers and spies.

Researchers said their work is at a turning point, and could soon unlock an era where clothing will act more like a computer, sensing how your body feels and telling your clothes how to help. In the coming decade, scientists said, customers can expect a whole range of futuristic offerings: pants that can help lift elderly or disabled people up; athletic socks that can promote blood flow through automatic compression; maternity clothes that could passively track fetal heart rates to improve pregnancy outcomes.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/07/29/robot-clothes/
fashion, manufacturing, retail, robots

Nike debuts robot-powered system to extend life of sneakers

Nike has revealed a robot-augmented system in its Nike Town London store designed to clean and repair shoes with the goal of extending their lifecycle.

‘Bot Initiated Longevity Lab’ (BILL) is part of the retailer’s latest efforts in steering towards a circular future, with the robot’s primary purpose set out to be helping Nike reduce its impact on the planet.

https://fashionunited.uk/news/business/nike-debuts-robot-powered-system-to-extend-life-of-sneakers/2022091365124
artificial intelligence, robots, virtual reality, work

Chinese company appoints female robot as its CEO

NetDragon Websoft is a Chinese company that develops and operates multiplayer online games in addition to making mobile applications. Last week, NetDragon announced the appointment of its new CEO ‘Ms. Tang Yu’, making her the world’s first robot to hold an executive position. Tang Yu is an AI-powered virtual humanoid robot and has been appointed as the CEO of the company’s principal subsidiary, Fujian NetDragon Websoft.

https://metro.co.uk/2022/08/30/chinese-company-appoints-female-robot-as-its-ceo-17266313/
archetypes, artificial intelligence, beauty, dystopia, ethics, fashion, gender, generations, robots, social media

Forever young, beautiful and scandal-free: The rise of South Korea’s virtual influencers

Sometimes, Sidus Studio X creates an image of Rozy from head to toe using the technology, an approach that works well for her Instagram images. Other times it superimposes her head onto the body of a human model — when she models clothing, for instance.

https://www-cnn-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.cnn.com/style/amp/south-korea-virtual-influencers-beauty-social-media-intl-hnk-dst/index.html
artificial intelligence, living room, robots, surveillance, technology, the home

Amazon’s Roomba Deal Is Really About Mapping Your Home

A smart home, you see, isn’t actually terribly smart. It only knows that your Philips Hue lightbulbs and connected television are in your sitting room because you’ve told it as much. It certainly doesn’t know where exactly the devices are within that room. The more it knows about a given space, the more tightly it can choreograph the way they interact with you.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-08-05/amazon-s-irobot-deal-is-about-roomba-s-data-collection
apartment living, cities, health, living room, robots, surveillance, sustainability, the home

This bird-shaped monitor drops dead when your indoor air is bad

Americans spend about 90% of their time indoors, where the air can be 5 to 10 times more polluted than the worst outdoor air. Bad indoor air, including high levels of CO2, has been linked with fatigue, headaches, and even respiratory diseases, all of which could be alleviated by airing out your home. That’s why two designers created Canairi: a minimalist monitor that nudges you to open the window without using blinking lights, warning sounds, or phone notifications. And no, there’s no app; just simple, intuitive design.

https://www.fastcompany.com/90747448/this-bird-shaped-monitor-drops-dead-when-your-indoor-air-is-bad