Google unveils its Chrome OS .... We've got the latest prototype Flexible displays and
it's robots galore in Tokyo. All that news and more in this week's World Tech Update.
Thanks for joining us on World Tech Update, I'm Martyn Williams in Tokyo. We start this
week with Google's promised Chrome operating system. Google has released it to developers
and given us a first look at what we can expect next year when it launches.
The OS is targeted at netbooks and will be faster, simpler and more secure than existing
operating systems, according to Google, but it won't be for everyone. It will only run
Web-hosted applications so will be restricted to a narrower set of applications than current
operating systems.
Programs appear as application tabs in the top left corner on this demo and a menu allows
access to other apps. The software isn't installed on the computer but resides on Google servers
and that means a good network connection will be vital if things are to run smoothly. It
also means users aren't hassled with upgrades or patches.
Look for it in about 12 months.
The next version of Internet Explorer, Microsoft's popular Web browser, is already under development
and we've got an update on progress. Microsoft is promising to do a better job on supporting
Web standards in the new browser.
"There's a particular test, Acid 3 that we haven't done very well on and we need to do
better there. There are new and emerging standards that are still in committees, still in draft,
still very early like HTML5 and we want to be responsible about how we support those
and how we communicate what we're doing so we don't generate a hype cycle so we don't
generate a hype cycle for things that aren't there yet."
And now the robots. The International Robot Exhibition is a biennial showcase for Japan's
industrial and service robot sector and as usual the expo didn't dissapoint.
Among the attractions, a robot that builds Lego models. The RV-2SQ from Mitsubishi isn't
designed for this task but it's a demonstration of how it can work with precision in close
promixity to another robot. The RV-2SQ is designed for small workshops and in small
size electric and electronic assembly operations where space is sometimes limited.
This robotic arm from Denso has a realistic human hand and can pick up pieces of cake
without crushing them. The secret to its gentle touch is these small actuators that are built
into the hand to allow for precision control of the grip. And this one from Toyota Industries
can grab and place items on a tray including hard products like cans and soft packages
like this onigiri rice ball.
Robots from universities and research labs were also on display like this prototype robotic
wheelchair from the University of Tokyo. Sensor pads in the seat, seatback and footrest allow
the user to control movement of the chair by shifting their bodyweight. No joystick
is required.
And students from Tokyo's University of Science have developed a new version of their muscle
suit, a wearable robotic suit that assists the muscles when carrying out strenuous tasks.
The suit provides assistance to the back and makes it possible to lift 15 kilograms of
weights with your back -- something that would be difficult or dangerous for some people.
We weren't the only ones checking out robots this week.
US President Barack Obama had a chance to see a robot in action earlier this week when
he announced an initiative to to strengthen education of maths, science and technology
in American classrooms. The president also announced plans to hold an annual science
fair at The White House as part of a push to make science more appealing to students.
Barack Obama "If you win the NCAA championship, you come
to the White House. Well, if you're a young person and you've produced the best experiment
or design, the best hardware or software, you ought to be recognized for that achievement,
too."
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation also said this week it plans to invest $335 million
to promote effective teaching and raise student achievement in the US.
News in brief this week and after two years of often bitter debate, the European Parliament
approved a raft of new telecom laws. The laws are designed to give European citizens cheaper
telecom services, more privacy and a faster Internet. With regard to file sharing, those
suspected of illegally sharing copyright-protected content over the Internet will be assured
the right of defense and the assumption of innocence rather than being cut off from Internet
access.
It's no secret that Rupert Murdoch wants to start making money from news online and now
he may have found a partner. Reports earlier this week said News Corp. is in the early
stages of a possible deal that could see Microsoft pay it to keep its Web sites from Google.
The deal would give Bing the exclusive rights to deliver search results and news pages from
sites such as The New York Times, The Sun, Sky News and Fox News Channel.
The world's biggest machine, the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, the European Organization
for Nuclear Research, is back in business. Operations were restarted over the weekend
aimed at full operation early next year, the LHC is hoping to reproduce conditions that
existed just after the formation of the universe.
Researchers in Taiwan on Thursday unveiled their latest prototype flexible display
The screen, a 4.1-inch flexible OLED, is being developed for next-generation devices by Taiwan's
Industrial Technology Research Institute. The screen beats a 2.5-inch flexible OLED
that's been demonstrated by Sony but is smaller than a 5.8-inch model from the labs of Japanese
public broadcaster NHK.
ITRI also showed a color e-reader touchscreen display with software to allow people to draw
pictures and take notes in addition to reading. It's based on a technology called cholesteric
LCD and is thin, light and consumes less power than competing technologies.
A sheet of cholesteric LCD e-paper and an e-paper writing device that looks like a large
scanner and writes patterns onto the Ch-LCD e-paper were also unveiled. The writing takes
about 40 seconds and researchers envision uses for the e-paper including in posters,
documents and maps.
Back here in Japan and a unique parking lot has won an environmental prize. Sanyo's Solar
Parking Lot is, as its name suggests, a solar-powered bike rack and recharging station for electric
bicycles. It's currently being tested at the Prefectural Government Office in Tokushima
in western Japan.
A battery collects power from the solar panels and dispenses it to bicycles that are hooked
up to recharge. The combination of panels and a battery means it's possible to recharge
bicycles without using any commercial power even at night or on a rainy day.
The lithium-ion battery system also features AC power outlets that can be used to power
external equipment during an emergency or electrical power outage.
And that's it for this week's World Tech Update. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter and Facebook
for news of each week's show and more. We're going to leave you this week with more robots
- some of the previous winners of Japan's Robot Awards. Thanks for watching and we'll
see you next week.