ROBOTS
What special name is given to robots that are built with a head, torso, arms, and legs to look and move like a human?
what are Humanoid robots
This clean energy source uses giant, spinning blades on land or at sea to catch moving air and turn it into electricity.
what is wind energy
Scientists are building futuristic batteries out of this cheap, common resource found in ocean water so we do not have to dig up rare metals from the ground.
what is salt (sodium)
Future driverless delivery trucks will use this aerodynamic tactic wirelessly syncing their braking to drive inches apart in a tight convoy to slash wind resistance.
What is platooning
What is the name of the futuristic, reusable vehicles that companies like SpaceX use to carry astronauts and satellites all the way into space?
what are rockets
This is the type of computer brain that lets a robot learn things on its own without a human typing in every instruction.
what is artificial intelligence (AI)
This is the most plentiful element in the universe, and scientists are using it to create a clean gas fuel that only releases water when burned.
what is hydrogen
Because the wind doesn't always blow and the sun doesn't shine at night, power companies must build these giant storage devices to save clean energy for later.
What are batteries (or energy storage systems)
Electreon and other startups are embedding these copper coils beneath highway asphalt, allowing EVs to power up dynamically via this type of cordless charging.
What is inductive charging (or wireless charging)
Scientists are using this incredibly strong, one-atom-thick layer of carbon to create ultra-fast charging "super capacitors" that could replace chemical batteries entirely.
What is graphene
What is the name for microscopic, futuristic robots that scientists hope will one day swim through human bloodstreams to repair damaged cells?
what are nanobots
This futuristic power idea mimics the way the Sun creates its own energy by smashing tiny atoms together, creating endless clean power with zero waste.
what is nuclear fusion
This futuristic idea connects the solar panels of hundreds of regular houses together using the internet to act like one giant, shared power plant for the neighborhood.
What is a virtual power plant (or VPP)
Instead of plug-in stations, companies like Ample use automated robotic bays to perform this 5-minute process, swapping a depleted EV pack for a fresh one.
What is battery swapping
Named for its glassy structure, this material class can be used to make ultra-efficient transformers that lose 70% less energy as heat than standard silicon steel.
What is amorphous metal (or metallic glass)
What do independent robots use on their bodies to "see" distances, detect walls, and avoid bumping into objects?
what are sensors and cameras
This type of energy uses the natural heat trapped deep underground inside the Earth to warm up water and power cities.
what is geothermal energy
These are miniature power grids built for small towns or schools that can keep their own lights on even if the main city power goes completely out.
What is a microgrid
This acronym describes the ultimate goal for self-driving vehicles: a car that can pilot itself under all conditions with zero human interaction or steering wheel.
what is L5A (Level 5 autonomy)
Tomorrow’s super-efficient solar panels will pair traditional silicon with this crystalline material, named after a Russian mineralogist, to capture different wavelengths of light.
What is perovskite
robot that walks on four legs like a dog so it can climb over rocky ground where wheels get stuck.
what is a quadruped robot
This futuristic energy tech places special floating machines or paddles in the ocean to capture the constant, heavy up-and-down movement of the sea to make electricity.
what is wave energy (or tidal power)
To make extra cash, future EV owners will use this three-letter acronym technology to sell power from their car's battery back to the electric grid when demand spikes.
What is V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid)
To handle the immense data from hundreds of cameras, autonomous grids use this type of computing, processing information directly on the vehicle rather than sending it to a distant cloud server.
What is edge computing
This sci-fi-sounding class of engineered materials possesses properties not found in nature, allowing engineers to bend light or manipulate sound waves to harvest ambient energy.
What are metamaterials