Robot companions are coming into our homes – so how human should they be?

Adeline Chanseau, University of Hertfordshire What would your ideal robot be like? One that can change nappies and tell bedtime stories to your child? Perhaps you’d prefer a butler that can polish silver and mix the perfect cocktail? Or maybe you’d prefer a companion that just happened to be a robot? Certainly, some see robots…

Australia’s car industry needs cybersecurity rules to deal with the hacking threat

It’s common to hear modern cars referred to as computers on wheels. They boast sensors that measure fuel and braking, along with built-in navigation and infotainment systems. These digital systems could be hacked and Australia needs to preemptively tackle this threat. Compromised vehicles present unique issues. Besides putting people at serious risk, these smart cars…

Is digital connectivity threatening your privacy?

Dr Rachelle Bosua It is 11.15am and you are in the middle of a doctor’s appointment when a reminder message for your Melbourne to Sydney flight that departs in two hours, pops up on your mobile phone. It warns you that with the current traffic conditions you will need to leave your location in the…

How IoT and Connected Devices are driving the revolution in Healthcare Industry

Over the past few years, we have observed an exponential progress in the capacity and capability of new healthcare technologies representing the vision of a very different model of healthcare. Technology is redefining the future of healthcare industry. The sync up between vast amounts of available data with the help of cloud computing and machine…

Helping autonomous vehicles and humans share the road

Jeffrey C. Peters, Stanford University A common fantasy for transportation enthusiasts and technology optimists is for self-driving cars and trucks to form the basis of a safe, streamlined, almost choreographed dance. In this dream, every vehicle – and cyclist and pedestrian – proceeds unimpeded on any route, as the rest of the traffic skillfully avoids…

Driverless cars will change the way we think of car ownership

Driverless cars will change the way we think of car ownership This is her first car, and it may be the last one she owns. Shutterstock Hussein Dia, Swinburne University of Technology The transition to fully driverless cars is still several years away, but vehicle automation has already started to change the way we are…

Five reasons why you might be driving electric sooner than you think

The 155mph BMW i8 HYBRID might be beyond most of us, but it shows how far the electric drive sector has come. Motor Blog, Author provided Stephen Hall, University of Leeds There is huge potential for using electric vehicles to tackle climate change, give us cleaner air and grow the green economy. The question is,…