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Robotics Topic Video Type

DARPA Tests Battery-Powered Exoskeletons on Real Soldiers

Deep in the woods in Maryland, the U.S. Army is testing exoskeletons that can lighten the load that soldiers carry

Soldiers often have to hike extended distances while carrying heavy packs and equipment. This soft, lightweight exoskeleton takes on some of that weight, reducing the burden on a soldier’s body. It uses a system of powered cables to provide mechanical assistance, adding carefully timed pulling forces to natural movements so that the user’s own muscles expend less energy.

The exoskelton was developed by researchers from Harvard University’s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering under a contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

Harvard’s exoskeleton prototype is undergoing performance testing by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. Soldiers wear the prototype underneath a full set of battle gear and hike a three mile course, including roadways and moderately rugged, wooded terrain. ARL technicians monitor the soldiers’ stride lengths and frequency, muscle activity, and energy expenditure. The goal is to allow soldiers to walk longer distances carrying heavy loads with less effort, while also minimizing risk of injury.

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Robotics Topic Type Special Reports Video

360 Video: Zoom Over Zanzibar With Tanzania’s Drone Startups

Come along for the ride as drones soar over the farms and schools of Tanzania

6:56
Photo: IEEE Spectrum
drones gadgets type:video East Africa drones mapping Tanzania Africa delivery drones 360 video

With 360-degree video, IEEE Spectrum puts you aboard drones that are flying high above the Tanzanian landscape: You’ll ride along as drones soar above farms, towns, and the blue expanse of Lake Victoria. You’ll also meet the local entrepreneurs who are creating a new industry, finding applications for their drones in land surveying and delivery. And you’ll get a close-up view from a bamboo grove as a drone pilot named Bornlove builds a flying machine from bamboo and other materials.

You can follow the action in a 360-degree video in three ways: 1) Watch on your computer, using your mouse to click and drag on the video; 2) watch on your phone, moving the phone around to change your view; or 3) watch on a VR headset for the full immersive experience.

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Robotics Topic Type Special Reports Video

360 Video: Go on a Mission With Zipline’s Delivery Drones

Immerse yourself in the action as Zipline catapults its drones into the Rwandan sky

IEEE Spectrum
drones type:video East Africa drones Rwanda delivery drones Zipline 360 video

With 360 video, IEEE Spectrum takes you behind the scenes with one of the world’s first drone-delivery companies. Zipline, based in California, is using drones to deliver blood to hospitals throughout Rwanda. At an operations center in Muhanga, you’ll watch as Zipline technicians assemble the modular drones, fill their cargo holds, and launch them via catapult. You’ll see a package float down from the sky above a rural hospital, and you’ll get a closeup look at Zipline’s ingenious method for capturing returning drones.

You can follow the action in a 360-degree video in three ways: 1) Watch on your computer, using your mouse to click and drag on the video; 2) watch on your phone, moving the phone around to change your view; or 3) watch on a VR headset for the full immersive experience.

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DIY Topic Type Video

A Techie’s Tour of New York City

Here are some NYC attractions that you won’t find in the guidebooks

A Techie's Tour Of NYC
www.youtube.com
type:video New York City DIY tourism videos rockets Nikola Tesla history technology events hackerspace new york city nikola tesla nyc tourist video nyc tourist guide tech tour nyc video nyc tech tour

Do your travel plans include New York City? Are you a techie? If the answer to those questions is yes, let IEEE Spectrum be your guide! We've put together a list of some of our favorite places to visit, including important locations in the history of electrotechnology (New York was once the center of the electrical and electronic world) and places where fun and interesting things are happening today. See where Nikola Tesla lived, check out cutting-edge artists working with technology, or take the kids to see an Atlas and Titan rocket.

All the locations are accessible via the subway, and many are free to visit. If you do visit, take a selfie and post a link in the comments below.

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