Tech Headlines: 29th November 2019

Cybertruck Unveil

Elon Musk announced Tesla’s new electric pickup truck - Cybertruck. The physical appearance of the truck sure caught everyone off guard. With a low-poly inspired futuristic aesthetic, this truck challenges the conventional design of modern vehicles in general, let alone pickup trucks. While some may regard it as ‘ugly’, others view it as a fresh approach and ultimately a brave move by the company to signal a new design trend throughout the industry, just like Apple did in 2016 by ditching the headphone jack.

The reason for the vehicle’s appearance is because the body panels are made of Ultra-Hard 30X Cold Rolled stainless-steel, which cannot be stamped. Tesla claims that the body is “made for ultimate durability and passenger protection.” Tesla’s design chief demonstrated its impact resistance by swinging at it with a sledgehammer, which did not leave a mark on the panel. The windows on the vehicle, according to Tesla, are made of Ultra-strong glass, dubbed “Tesla Armour Glass.” However, the first few layers of the glass shattered when thrown at with heavy metal balls during the presentation.

The higher-end model, with a triple motor setup, has a 0-60 MPH time of under 2.9 seconds, which is absolutely ridiculous for such a heavy pickup truck, rather cybertruck! More than improving performance, the cybertruck aims to be the most practical Tesla. Already in high demand with more than 200,000 reservations, this vehicle is expected to reach markets by the end of 2022.

VR Headsets On Cows

Our recent past expected a near future of flying cars and personal robot assistants, yet here we are, sticking virtual reality headsets on cows. Fun aside, the headsets are being used on cows in the Moscow region of Russia to simulate a “calming summer environment.” This reportedly has resulted in decreased anxiety levels and increased the overall emotional mood. Interestingly, this experiment was not conducted by a university, but rather by a news site for the Russian diary industry. Overall, their aim is to test whether this method contributes positively to the yield.

Facebook Acquires Beat Games

The developer behind the highly popular game Beat Saber, was acquired by Facebook and eventually grouped under Facebook’s Oculus Studios as an independently operating developer, similar to WhatsApp. With more than one million copies sold worldwide, the rhythm game provides an incredibly satisfying experience as you smash through blocks in tune with the music. Following the acquisition, the developer reported that the game will continue to be supported on all platforms and that their 360 degree levels are still on track for a December release.

Android’s Ambient Mode

Google is set to launch Ambient Mode, which effectively converts your android smartphone into a smart display when it’s charging. The ambient screen displays a set of quick actions that help you accomplish most daily tasks through a single tap. Alternatively, the screen can be used as a digital photo frame as well as a control panel for your smart-home devices. Google assistant’s product manager stated that “It’s fundamentally about moving from an app-based way of doing things to an intent-based way of doing things.” This represents a new shift in how general, everyday tasks are tacked through your android smartphones. He also stated that since it’s closely integrated with the android operating system, it’s not a standalone feature. This “proactive experience” is one of many that are expected to roll out in the future.

NASA’s ISS Robot Trio: “Bumble”, “Honey”, & “Queen”

The International Space Station receives a new crew member - Honey, a free-floating autonomous robot. Honey and its slightly older companion Bumble are “Astrobee robots”, which are aimed at helping ISS astronauts manage daily life tasks and activities. If this sounds similar, you’re not wrong. The movie “Interstellar” depicts robots helping astronauts as well, albeit in a highly futuristic and advanced way. Another Astrobee robot, named “Queen,” is set to be activated soon. Apart from helping astronauts, these robots are tasked with the immense responsibility of maintaining the station. The robots truly mark an interesting step towards human-robot collaboration.