[From CrunchGear] Video: Creepily Realistic Robot Hand by Serkan Toto on August 11, 2010 Kyoto-based Squse has developed the so-called Robot Hand H-Type [JP], a creepily realistic (but very cool) robotic hand. The hand’s “bones” are made of polycarbonate, while the skin is silicon rubber. It weighs 340g and can lift up and move objects weighing up to 1.5kg. The secret lies in its 16 joints and 22 actuators. Needless to say, the Robot Hand H-Type will be used mainly for industrial applications (for “pick and place” actions). Squse says that two auto makers and another two companies from the…

[From CANOE] [Image: Ashley Brown works on her science project Tuesday at the University of Alberta. (Perry Mah, QMI Agency)] Computer program makes scents By LINDA HOANG, QMI Agency EDMONTON – Ashley Brown is hoping to change the world — one smell at a time. Born and raised in Elnora, a village about 70 km southeast of Red Deer, Brown, 17, never thought she’d be part of a team working on a project that could help improve rehabilitation, education, research and even gaming. It’s called Smell-O-Vision, and it’s a virtual reality computer program — which Brown built herself — that…

[From The Radioactive Yak, a technology blog by Reto Meier, an Android Developer Advocate for Google in London and author of Professional Android 2 Application Development; an evaluation of some of these predictions can be found here] [Image: From “Introducing the “iThink” by Paul Mic on his The Monkey Buddha blog] The Future of Mobile: Invisible, connected devices with infinite screens Monday, August 09, 2010 by Reto Meier The history of smartphones looks something like this: At the end of 2008 the very first Android handset was available on T-Mobile in the US. The iPhone has existed for 3 years.…

[From The Daily Mail (UK); the original story contains additional images] The real A.I.: Childless millionaire builds ‘intelligent robot’ that sings Karaoke, laughs and tells jokes By Mail Online Reporter Last updated on 13th August 2010 Tony Ellis and his wife, Judie, do not have any children or animals at home – but with chatterbox robot Aimec following them around, there is never a dull moment. The couple effectively have a robotic child, just like in the 2001 futuristic fairy tale Artificial Intelligence starring Haley Joel Osment. Their creation is so advanced it can tell jokes and keep its human parents…

[From CNN GO Asia; the original version includes several additional images] [Image: Inside the State Grid Pavilion] Shanghai Expo 2010 pavilions: The best of the Puxi site With less than three months left of the Shanghai Expo, head to these Puxi pavilions for some of the Expo’s best entertainment By Christine Tan 17 August, 2010 One-time visitors to the World Expo tend to stampede toward the Pudong site’s national pavilions, leaving Puxi’s dazzlingly garish pavilions for last — or never. It’s time to change people’s 2010 Expo strategy. Here are the best corporate pavilions that may entice new visitors into…

[From The National (UAE); the original story includes a photo gallery] [Image: Jonas Samson’s light emitting wallpaper. Photos by Roel Determeijer] The plugged-in home of tomorrow Yvonne Courtney Last Updated: August 14. 2010 Technology and home furnishing have never been the easiest of partners – yet they are starting to converge in all kinds of exciting ways as digital technology starts to revolutionise design thinking. Cue window blinds that glow or darken in response to light levels, tiles that light up your path as you touch them or wallpaper that changes colour according to how much energy your home is consuming.…