Engineering eye - December 2016

News, rumours and gossip from the world of engineering

A robot called Little Chubby caused mayhem at a Chinese technology fair. The droid, designed to look after and interact with children between the ages of four and 12, seemed to lose control after being asked questions. It smashed into a display booth before driving into a visitor’s leg. Once under human control the rogue robot apparently pulled an unhappy face. Little Chubby is to be switched off for good following its unruly behaviour.

In a step into the realm of science fiction, Honeywell Aerospace has developed technology that allows a King Air C90 plane to be piloted using a brain control interface. The pilot focuses on arrows in front of them to cause the plane to veer right, left, up or down. The signals are relayed by a sensor-laden helmet. A journalist from the publication Wired tested the system after only 15 minutes of practice in a simulator. Despite the system’s success, you’ll be pleased to hear it is unlikely it will be used on any commercial flights in the near future. Instead it is likely pilots will use it for non-critical tasks to keep their hands free for the important things.

A report by researchers at Imperial College London suggests that Internet of Things devices, from smart toasters and kettles to wearable technology, could transform the way people meet romantic partners. The prediction is that by 2026 information gathered from such devices could be used to match singletons to life partners and create 4 million relationships in the UK. Who knew a toaster could play such a pivotal role in romance?

If you have any rumours or gossip, email pe@caspianmedia.com