5 New Applications for Drones

5 New Applications for Drones 5 New Applications for Drones Look, up in the sky Its neither a bird nor a plane, its a drone and its heading rapidly your way. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and their Earth-bound driverless counterparts are fast becoming ubiquitous as the technology gets smarter, safer, and less expensive. Early-adopting technology geeks are not the only driver of the global UAV markets rapid growth. According to research firm MarketsandMarkets, annual sale will soar by 32% over the next five years to $5.59 billion by 2020. Novel, high-end applications for drones and other driverless vehicles in law enforcement, the military, precision agriculture, and retail are flourishing in addition to an enthusiastic base of mainstream consumers eager for drones to do their bidding.As drone technology advances, engineers are pushing its boundaries to explore unconventional, even slightly weird, applications for drones. Below are five examples from the extreme edge of the drone zo ne.DRU, an autonomous pizza delivery vehicle. Image Dominos Robotic UnitPies in the SkyWhen youre expected to deliver a million pizzas a day in 30 minutes or less, youre always on the lookout for mora efficient ways to do it. Dominos, the nations largest dough-thrower, has been testing high-tech delivery systems for years, including driverless technologies that so far have delivered more publicity than pizza. But the global chains investment in automation is part of a long-term strategy for growth within the tight profit margins of the fast food industry. The chains United Kingdom operation has explored several creative approaches to delivery automation often taking playful license with the Dominos brand. The remote-controlled DomiCopter, for example, buzzes above congested city streets with a payload of thermally insulated pizzas dangling from a clawlike apparatus underneath. The British division has also rolled out a self-driving two-wheeler it calls the Domi-No-Driver as a deliv ery option for customers ordering through the companys website or mobile app. The LIDAR-guided cycle is equipped with an on-board warming oven which, according to Phil Zorra, director of the firms Redevelopment and New Knolwedge unit, can carry four times as many pizzas as the chains comparable people-powered vehicles. One of the companys latest delivery automation projects, the Dominos Robotic Unit (DRU), was developed in Australia in collaboration with Marathon Robotics, a maker of autonomous robotic targets for the defense industry. The 450-lb test vehicle reportedly tops out at about 12 miles per hour and has been approved for limited use on certain pathways and roads in the targeted test area.The FAROS can endure the heat of over 1,000 Celsius from butane gas and ethanol aerosol flames for over one minute. Image KAISTSuper ScoutEngineers at South Koreas Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology have endowed their newest search and rescue drone with a suite of super pow ers on par with any found in the mighty Marvel Universe. Designed to aid firefighters responding to emergencies in high-rise buildings, the versatile robot flies, sticks to walls, sees in the dark, and is impervious to fire. Codenamed FAROS (Fireproof Aerial Robot System), its a quadcopter with a 2-D laser scanner, altimeter, and Inertia Measurement Unit that allows it to land on, cling to, and crawl on the vertical surface of walls. A thermal imaging camera and image processing software on board equips FAROS to find people in need of rescue, locate the origin of the fire, inspect the building for structural damage, and send real-time data to firefighters below. The primary improvement over the kollektivs previous wall-climbing drone is heightened resistance to fire, heat, and smoke. Researchers said the body is clad in a layer of aramid fibers, which fends off the effects of flames and protects sensitive internal mechanical and electronic components in a buffer of thermoelectricall y cooled air.Drone WarsIn a breakthrough pitting one of the newest forms of mechanized combat against one of the oldest, a Russian arms maker recently unveiled a new arsenal of UAV-mounted anti-tank weaponry. At this years Russian Armed Forces Robotics conference, state-owned United Instrument Manufacturing Corporation (UIMC) introduced a multicopter UAV bedecked with cameras and a shoulder-launched rocket system of the caliber used against armored vehicles. UAV-launched rockets have many potential advantages over human-fired weapons they can get closer to a target and attack it from any direction. The announcement captured the attention of defense industry observers, who analyzed a brief Ministry of Defense video for clues to the systems capabilities. According to industry publication IHS Janes the drone is likely fitted with an RPG-26 Aglen anti-tank weapon, which in conventional use fires 72.5 mm rockets that can pierce 400-mm-thick armor from a distance of 250 m. The airborne b azooka is part of a new multicopter attack system for synchronized battlefield surveillance, artillery spotting, reconnaissance, cargo delivery, and assault.Skye, the aerial blimp-drone is lifted by helium and powered by electrical motors. Image AEROTAINSoft SellFew icons of advertising have reached the heights of the venerable Goodyear Blimp. As the go-to source for aerial broadcasting, the blimp silently touts the tire brand during Americas most-watched sporting events. Can drone technology be adapted to harness that same crowd-friendly star power and bring it within closer proximity to consumers? Thats what aerospace start-up Aerotain hopes to learn from Skye, a novel UAV that integrates quadcopter-like maneuverability into an energy efficient structure that brings the blimp concept down to human eye level. Conventional UAVs with exposed rotating blades create a safety hazard in the event of an unexpected loss of altitude over a crowd. Skye, however, is a helium-filled sphere 10 ft in diameter not exactly dainty but soft and benign enough to pose no threat to spectators below should its electronics systems fail, developers said. The blimp can be configured to haul heavy objects like cameras about a sporting event, or be customized to carry advertising messages. The control and navigation system can be programmed to spin, roll, or pull off other aerial stunts requiring a full range of motion.StarChip TroopersBeyond doubt, the farthest-out drone concept yet is inspired by the mind of Stephen Hawking, the celebrity cosmologist, who says its time for Earthlings to reach for the stars in the search for alien life. The star in question is Alpha Centauri our nearest neighboring star system and Hawkings interstellar transit plan calls for a light-propelled nanoprobe that flies 1,000 faster than todays rockets. Dubbed Breakthrough Starshot, its part of the privately funded Breakthrough Initiatives program established by Russian Internet investor Yuri Milner to ac celerate the exploration of the known universe. He hopes to focus the planets sharpest minds and deepest pockets on the effort, with guidance from Hawking and facebook inc CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Ultimately reaching the star system could take tens of billions of dollars and multiple generations, but Milner said the initial $100 million phase could would probably trigger the development of a feasible craft launched during his lifetime. With todays technology, the 25 trillion-mile trip to Alpha Centauri would take 30,000 years. The initiative seeks to reduce the one-way trip to about 20 years. To get there, the team has proposed to design a full array of space probe equipment that fits on a gram-scale wafer about the size of a postage stamp. This so-called StarChip would soar on a set of sails made of an ultra-lightweight metamaterial merely a few hundred atoms thick. A kilowatt-scale light beaming system based at high altitude on the Earths surface would focus lasers on the light-sensit ive sails to push the craft rapidly to its optimum speed. Ultimately the team would like to deploy a fleet of several thousand nanocraft to capture images and data and quite possibly confirming the existence of Earth-like planets that could harbor intelligent life. Earth is a wonderful place, but it might not last forever,Hawking said. Sooner or later, we must look to the stars.Michael MacRae is an independent writer. For Further Discussion As drone technology advances, engineers are pushing its boundaries to explore unconventional, even slightly weird, applications for drones.

The eight things the happiest people do every day

The eight things the happiest people do every dayThe eight things the happiest people do every dayUniversity of California professorSonja Lyubomirskydetails the things research shows the happiest people have in common.ViaThe How of HappinessThey devote a great amount of time to their family and friends, nurturing and enjoying those relationships.They are comfortable expressing gratitude for all they have.They are often the first to offer helping hands to coworkers and passersby.They practice optimism when imagining their futures.They savor lifes pleasures and try to live in the present moment.They make physical exercise a weekly and even daily habit.They are deeply committed to lifelong goals and ambitions (e.g., fighting fraud, building cabinets, or teaching their children their deeply held values).Last but not least, the happiest people do have their share of stresses, crises, and even tragedies. They may become just as distressed and emotional in such circumstances as you or I, bu ttheir secret weapon is the poise and strength they show in coping in the face of challenge.I guess the blog post could end here. Youve got yuranswer. But did you just want trivia? Or do you actuallywant to get happier?The internet has become a firehose of ideas we never implement, tricks we forget to use.Reading a list of things is easy. Implementing them in your life can be hard.But it doesnt have to be. Lets get down to business.Happiness SubscriptionsHeres an interesting fact about happiness frequency beats intensity. Whats that mean?Lots of little good thingsmake you happier than a handful of big things.Research showsthat going to church and exercising both bring people a disproportionate amount of happiness. Why?They give us frequent, regular boosts.Stanford professor Jennifer Aaker says its really that simple the things that make you happy,do them mora often.We have designated work hours. We schedule doctor appointments. Heck, we even schedule hair appointments.We say happine ss is the most important thing but fail to consistentlyinclude it in our calendars.Researchshows 40% of happiness is due to intentional activity.You can change your happiness by up to 40% by what you choose to do every day.And muchof what you do, you do on autopilot. 40% of what you do every day isnt the result ofdecisions, its due tohabits.ViaThe Power of Habit Why We Do What We Do in Life and BusinessOne paper published by a Duke University researcher in 2006 found thatmora than 40 percent of the actions people performed each day werent actual decisions, but habits.See where Im going with this?Happy thingsneed to be a habit. Part of your routine. Part of your schedule.Stop waiting forrandom happy events, you need a happiness subscription.So how do we take that list and make them thingswe actually do every day instead of more forgotten trivia?Lets get departureed.1) Wake Up And Say ARGEven scientific happiness advice is often corny. Ill say that now so we can get it off the table But it works.And this is why you might want to say ARG when you wake up. Its an acronym that stands forAnticipationRecollectionGratitudeIve written about the importance of amorning ritualand how research shows yourmood in the morningaffects your entire day. So start right.Anticipation is apowerful happiness booster.Its 2for the price of 1 You get the good thing and you get happy in anticipation of the good thing.So think about what youre looking forward to. Got nothing youre looking forward to? Schedule something.Recollectinggreat momentshas a relatedeffect.Memories allow us to relive the good times and kill stress.ViaThe How of HappinessPeople prone to joyful anticipation, skilled at obtaining pleasure from looking forward and imagining future happy events, are especially likely to be optimistic and to experience intense emotions. In contrast, those proficient at reminiscing about the past- looking back on happy times, rekindling joy from happy memories- are best able to buffer str ess.Andgratitudeis arguably the king of happiness. Whats the research say? Cant be more clearthan this the more a person is inclined to gratitude, the less likely he or she is to be depressed, anxious, lonely, envious, or neurotic.And the combo often leads tooptimism. Another powerful predictor of happiness.So, corny as it may be, wake up and say ARG And then do a quick bit of anticipation, recollection and gratitude.(For more on optimism clickhere.)All thats fine and dandy.But what do you do once youre out of bed?2) Savor Your Morning CoffeeTake a moment and really enjoy it. Smell it. Taste it. Appreciate it. Corny? Maybe.Butother researchshowssavoring - appreciating the goodmoments - iswhat separates the happiest people from the average Joe.I imagine some of you are saying, Well, I dont drink coffee. And please imagine me saying, Thats not the point.It can beanythingyou do every morning.Andembedding savoring in our little daily rituals is powerful becausestudies show rituals matt er.Heres Harvard professorFrancesca GinoYou can think about rituals that you yourself might engage in prior to consumption experiences. What they do,they make us a little bit more mindful about the consumption experience that we are about to have. Because of that, we end up savoring the food or whatever we are drinking more, we enjoy the experience more, and in fact, were also more willing to pay higher prices for whatever it is that we just consumed. Once again,rituals are beneficial in the sense that they create higher levels of enjoymentin the experience that we just had.(For more on how savoring can make you happier clickhere.)So what other habit can we build into our schedule that boosts joy? How about one that can make you as happy as sex does?3) Sweat Your Way To JoyWhen you study people to see what makes them happiest you get three answers sex, socializing and exercise.ViaEngineering Happiness A New Approach for Building a Joyful LifeTheir findings confirm what had been foun d previouslyhappiness is high during sex, exercise, or socializing, or while the mind is focused on the here and now, and low during commuting or while the mind is wandering.People who exercise are, across the board, mentally healthier less depression, anger, stress, and distrust.ViaSpark The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the BrainA massive Dutch study of 19,288 twins and their families published in2006 showed that exercisers are less anxious, less depressed, less neurotic, and also more socially outgoing. A Finnish study of 3,403 people in 1999 showed that those who exercise at least two to three times a week experience significantly less depression, anger, stress, and cynical distrust than those who exercise less or not at all.Dont like exercise?Then youre doing the wrong kind.Running, lifting weights, playing any sport Find something you enjoy that gets you moving.(For more on how sweating can increase smiling - and make you smarter too - clickhere.)Okay, time to he ad to work. Whats the best thing to do when you start the day? Its not about you - but it will make you happier.4) The Five Minute FavorWho lives to a ripe old age? Not those who get the most help, ironically itsthose who give the most help.ViaThe Longevity Project Surprising Discoveries for Health and Long Life from the Landmark Eight-Decade StudyWe figured that if a Terman participant sincerely felt that he or she had friends and relatives to count on when having a hard time then that person would be healthier. Those who felt very loved and cared for, we predicted, would live the longest. Surprise our prediction welches wrongBeyond social network size, the clearest benefit of social relationships came from helping others. Those who helped their friends and neighbors, advising and caring for others, tended to live to old age.And a great way to do that without taking up too much time isAdam Rifkins 5 Minute FavorEvery day, do something selfless for someone else that takes under fiv e minutes. The essence of this thing you do should be that it makes a big difference to the person receiving the gift.Usually these favors take the form of an introduction, reference, feedback, or broadcast on social media.So take five minutes to do something that is minor for you but would provide a big benefit to someone else.Its good karma - and science shows that, in some ways,karma is quite real.Yes, some who do a lot for others get taken advantage of. But as Adam Grant of Wharton has shown,givers also succeed moreThen I looked at the other end of the spectrum and said if Givers are at the bottom,whos at the top? Actually, I was really surprised to discover, its the Givers again.The people who consistently are looking for ways to help others are over-represented not only at the bottom, but also at the top of most success metrics.(For more on the best way to get happier by being a giver, clickhere.)Alright, you have to start work for the day. Ugh. But there are ways that work c an make you happier too.5) Life Is A Game, And So Is WorkLike the research shows,the happiest people have goals.ViaEngineering Happiness A New Approach for Building a Joyful LifeIn his studies, the psychologist Jonathan Freedman claimed thatpeople with the ability to set objectives for themselves- both short-term and long-term- are happier. The University of Wisconsin neuroscientist Richard Davidson has found that working hard toward a goal and making progress to the point of expecting a goal to be realized dont just activate positive feelings- they also suppress negative emotions such as fear and depression.Many of us feel like work can be boring or annoying but the research shows many of us are actuallyhappier at work than at home. Why?Challenges. And we reach that state of flow only when a challenge presents itself. So how can work make us happier?Three research-backed things to tryTo the degree you can,do things youregood at. Were happier when we exercise our strengths.Make note of your progress.Nothing is more motivating than progress.Make sure to see the results of your work. Thisgives meaningto most any activity.(For more on getting happier by setting goals clickhere.)Enough work. Youve got some free time. But whats thehappiestway to use your free time?6) Friends Get Appointments TooYou havemandatory meetingsin your schedulebut not mandatory time with friends? Absurd.One study says that as much as70% of happiness comes from your relationships with other people.ViaThe 100 Simple Secrets of Happy PeopleContrary to the belief that happiness is hard to explain, or that it depends on having great wealth, researchers have identified the core factors in a happy life. The primary components are number of friends, closeness of friends, closeness of family, and relationships with co-workers and neighbors. Togetherthese features explain about 70 percent of personal happiness. Murray and Peacock 1996Why does church make people so happy? Studies show ithas nothing to do with religion - its about the socializing. Its scheduled friend time.ViaThe Secrets of Happy Families Improve Your Mornings, Rethink Family Dinner, Fight Smarter, Go Out and Play, and Much MoreAfter examining studies of more than three thousand adults, Chaeyoon Lin and Robert Putnam found that what religion you practice or however close you feel to God makes no difference in your overall life satisfaction.What matters is the number of friends you have in your religious community. Ten is the magic number if you have that many, youll behappier. Religious people, in other words, are happier because they feel connected to a community of like-minded people.And if you have the cash, pay for dinner with a friend.Money definitely can make you happier - when youspend it on other people.ViaHappy Money The Science of Smarter SpendingBy the end of the day, individuals who spent money on others were measurably happier than those who spent money on themselves - even though there were no di fferences between the groups at the beginning of the day. And it turns out that the amount of money people found in their envelopes - $5 or $20 - had no effect on their happiness at the end of the day. How people spent the money mattered much more than how much of it they got.Harvard professor and author ofHappy Money The Science of Smarter Spending,Michael Nortonexplains in his TED talk.Dont have the cashfor that? No problem.Take turns paying.Duke professorDan Arielysays this brings more happiness than always paying half.(For more on how to have happy friendships clickhere.)Whats the final thing happy people have in common? They cope with adversity. So what should we do when lifegets tough?7) Find Meaning In Hard TimesResearch shows that a happy life and a meaningful life arenot necessarily the same thing.Its hard to be happy when tragedy strikes. Butwho lives longer and fares better after problems? Those who find benefitin their struggles.ViaThe How of HappinessFor example, in o ne study researchers interviewed men who had had heart attacks between the ages of thirty and sixty. Those who perceived benefits in the event seven weeks after it happened- for example, believing that they had grown and matured as a result, or revalued home life, or resolved to create less hectic schedules for themselves- were less likely to have recurrences and more likely to be healthy eight years later. In contrast, those who blamed their heart attacks on other people or on their own emotions (e.g., having been too stressed) were now in poorer health.In many cases, Nietzsche was rightwhat does not kill uscanmakeus stronger.ViaFlourish A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-beingA substantial number of people also show intense depression and anxiety after extreme adversity, often to the level of PTSD, but then they grow. In the long run, they arrive at a higher level of psychological functioning than before In a month, 1,700 people reported at least one of these awfu l events, and they took our well-being tests as well. To our surprise,individuals whod experienced one awful event had more intense strengths (and therefore higher well-being) than individuals who had none. Individuals whod been through two awful events were stronger than individuals who had one, and individuals who had three- raped, tortured, and held captive for example- were stronger than those who had two.So when you face adversity, always ask what you can learn from it.(For more on how tomake your life more meaningful - without terrible tragedy - clickhere.)See that? I took the eight things happy people do and squeezed them into just seven habits. You can thank me later.Now how do we tieall of these happiness boosters together?Sum upIf you want every day to be happier try including these seven things in your scheduleWake Up And Say ARGSavor Your Morning CoffeeSweat Your Way To JoyDo A Five Minute FavorMake Work A GameFriends Get Appointments TooFind Meaning In Hard TimesWer e allquick to say happiness is the most important thing and then weschedule everything but the things that make ushappiest.Huh?So whats going to make you happy today? Have you thought about it? Is it on yourcalendar?Reading happiness information is useless trivia unless you use it and you wont use it unless its part of your routine.If happiness is the most important thing then make it the most important thing.Join over 330,000 readers.Get a free weekly update via emailhere.This article first appeared on Barking Up The Wrong Tree.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

Tory Burch on female ambition and motherhood in the age of #MeToo

Tory Burch on female ambition and motherhood in the age of MeTooTory Burch on female ambition and motherhood in the age of MeTooTheres no denying thatTory Burch, Designer and CEO of the Tory Burchempireand Founder of theTory Burch Foundation, is a woman with fiery ambition. Last week, her Foundation hosted its first ever Embrace Ambition Summit, where female (and a couple of brave male) entrepreneurs, entertainers, and thought leaders spoke about how they embrace ambition and thrive in a world where stereotypes regarding race, gender,and sexuality all too often plague the trajectory of a womans career. Burchspokewith Thrive Global about ambition, motherhood, and self-care.1. Youre known for championing women to embrace their ambition. While the message of follow your dreams is important, whats a piece of advice you wish someone had given you as a young woman starting her career?When I started a company, one of the first things that my parents said to me was thicken your skin, and als o to think of negativity as noise. That idea has really kept me in a frame of mind where Ive been focused on the task at greifhand and not necessarily on the naysayers. I let my work speak for itself. So, thats the advice Id give to a young woman Let your work speak for itself.2. Youve spoken a time in your past when a journalist asked if you were ambitious, and how that question represented a pivotal moment in your career. Today, what does ambition mean to you?Oh, when that journalist asked me if I was ambitious - I thought it was a very rude question. Ambition had, and still does, have negative connotations when associated with a woman. After the journalists article came out, my friend Jane Rosenthal called and said, nice article, but you shied away from the word ambition. She was right, and it struck me as unfair in many ways. Since then, I knew that I wanted to change the conversation around the word. For me, equal rights for women should not be a favor, it should be a given. Its an issue of humanity.3. In the context of the Tory Burch Foundations mission and as a mother of three young men, what does motherhood mean to you?I mean, its been the joy of my life having three children. I have a lot of children, actually. I have three stepdaughters, three boys, and then my fianc has three boys. I always wanted to have a lot of children, though I dont know if I knew Id have this many Its so important to expose children to different ways of thinking and enlighten them to different cultures and to show them the beauty of diversity and show them that thats what make our country beautiful and its what makes my company beautiful. I also show them that of course, diversity is whats right for humanity, but its also whats right for business. Different perspectives is additive and its just like how we needed men at this conference You can be at a womens conference, in a room full of women, and we all agree. So, I think you have to have those difficult conversations, and certainly Ive tried to teach my boys how to respect women. My dad used to say, being a gentleman is not a part-time job, and I think authenticity is at the core of everything.4. What advice do you have for a young woman who wants to embrace her ambition, but doesnt have access to capital?Be resourceful. Im a big fan of cold calls. Have your thoughts together, keep it short, have a unique idea and then learn how to present yourself. We work with our entrepreneurs very closely on confidence and how to sell their concept, but theres many places that you can look to for capital. For example, at our Foundation, we are giving women access to low-cost capital, affordable loans, mentorship through education, and of course our fellowship program. There are definitely ways to get that access that you need.5. Finally, whats one well-being habit you wont sacrifice?It has to be sports. I love playing tennis and being active - thats why I started our sport line because it was such a natural for me. I grew up outside basically so living in the city is a new experience for me. Im definitely a country girl.This article first appeared on Thrive Global.