We’re taking you back on this one… way back. Lego’s Robotics Invention System was released commercially in 1998 and was first utilized in educational settings thanks to a partnership with MIT’s Media Lab. So what did this “robotics” kit contain? Well, two motors, two touch sensors, and one light sensor. You used the included software to program the device, and it would perform completely on its own; acting according to the programmed instructions. Left, right, stop, star...

Yesterday, MIT showcased an oil-skimming, autonomous robot dubbed the Seaswarm. As the devices site explains, “Seaswarm uses a photovoltaic powered conveyor belt made of a thin nanowire mesh to propel itself and collect oil.” The robot, which is meant to hunt oil in packs (hence Seaswarm), costs around $20,000 and is powered by solar cells on the top of the device. Multiple robots can self-organize their swarm, without human support, using GPS and Wi-Fi. The device, which CNN describes as, ̶...

Woh there George Jetson… Did you take your flying car to a remote studio on Mars to record this interview? WiTricity Corp. CEO Eric Giler sat down with the BBC for a (very) quick chat about the future of power. His vision of the future is pretty intense — where you park your electric car above a mat in your garage that powers it up while you go inside and munch on some Soylent Green wafers. We need immediate gratification however, so we’re much more interested in his cell phone charging solu...