Coach robot | Trains going electric | An autonomous vehicle corridor
“In 30 years, a robot will likely be on the cover of Time magazine as the best CEO." — Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba
Today’s itinerary:
September 3, 2020
TAKEOFFS
Courtesy YouTube We’ve known for a long time now that our robot overlords are coming after our jobs. But you might not have guessed that one of those jobs was shot-blocker. A Minneapolis hardware startup called JockLab has created a basketball-training robot that plays tenacious D. The robot, called D-Up, looks sort of like someone affixed a cardboard cutout atop a Roomba. D-Up follows a shooter around a basketball court with its "hands" up, trying to keep a human player from scoring.
The startup is also working closely with the athletes that will eventually use its end product. JockLab Founder and CEO Alijah Nelson says, "When I put videos up, a lot of coaches reach out asking to know more. We've had a lot of good conversations."
We tip our hat to the students from Gustavus Adolphus College who created the robot and the company. Share this story!
GROUND TRANSIT
Trains getting in on the electric vehicle revolution Car and truck manufacturers are quickly moving to produce electric vehicles, but electric trains? Can those heavy-haulers schlep their massive cargo on batteries? Turns out, yes, they can. And an early leader is Wabtec, a Pittsburgh-based manufacturer of locomotives, freight cars, and passenger cars. The company’s history goes all the way back to 1869 but it got a big boost last year when it merged with GE Transportation.
The barrier to electric trains isn’t so much the weight they’re hauling as the software required to regulate energy transfer. Wabtec thinks it’s got that mastered and is touting the lower carbon emissions and environmental benefits, as well as a commitment to sustainability and safety. Share this story!
Building an autonomous vehicle corridor What might once have sounded like a futuristic vision appears to be closer to reality, as Michigan officials, Ford Motor Company, and infrastructure developer Cavnue recently revealed plans to build an autonomous vehicle corridor connecting downtown Detroit and Ann Arbor.
Although the route hasn’t been nailed down, the idea is to have the roadway connect to the American Center for Mobility in Ypsilanti and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, paralleling parts of I-94 to Detroit Metropolitan Airport.
It’s not happening tomorrow, though—a feasibility study could take up to two years. Share this story!
FUELING THE FUTURE
NC's Altis completes $3.1M seed round
Altis Biosystems, located in Chapel Hill, has completed a $3.1 million seed round that was oversubscribed by almost 50%. The biotech research tools company has developed an in vitro platform for drug testing.
M25 invests in Ann Arbor cybersecurity startup
Ann Arbor-based cybersecurity startup Blumira has landed $2.6 million in funding. The round was led by Chicago’s M25, a Midwest-focused VC firm, with additional investment from San Francisco’s Array Ventures.
New fund launched by Betsy Brandt
St. Louis entrepreneur Betsy Brandt has launched a search fund with the goal of acquiring and operating a business in the Midwest. (The search fund model, aka “entrepreneurship through acquisition,” gives young founders a chance to fast-track their careers and become CEOs.) The fund, called Forest Park Capital, brought in 10 investors. Although the amount of capital is undisclosed, Brandt says it will fund a two-year search.
Purdue startup receives investment
Amplified Sciences, a diagnostics startup headquartered in Purdue Research Park, has received a $25,000 investment from the IU Angel Network. The funding comes on the heels of a nearly $1 million seed round in April. Amplified Sciences is focused on “detecting and pre-empting the risks of debilitating diseases.” Share this story!
FINAL APPROACH
WashU scientists use bricks to store energy What if ordinary red house bricks could store the energy we need to power our homes? As crazy as that sounds, it’s a serious question that scientists at Washington University in St. Louis are looking into. The key to this potential energy breakthrough is lowly rust, or iron oxide. It turns out that rust is what makes red bricks red, and it works sort of like an “ion sponge” to store and conduct electricity.
NAME THAT Fast Future CITY!
It's time for our favorite trivia game!
Test your Fast Future geographic knowledge with these three "stumpers." There are no prizes (except for bragging rights).
Click here for today's answers.
REACH OUT Share stories, offer suggestions, or send comments!
|