Controversy over Lithium Extraction!

 Some alternatives to Lithium are being trialed?

But the mining of this dangerous material, which has much safety coverage in Europe has not in Africa and nothing is being done to improve the situation by governments, but rather counting the big bucks that they are pulling in for their own benefits!

For now this is the cheapest alternative for Electric powered vehicles, but nations in Europe are adopting Hydrogen and other wind sails to end the need for Lithium production and exploitation?

But Lithium and Cadium are still needed for Mobile Phones and computer chips and is extensive in the space industry, so what appears to be humanitarian may not be so much true as many want others to think!

What China has to offer in civil Aviation?

 MC-21/C919.

These two new types will start to take the market world wide this year, if Boeing cannot get is act together? 

Russia has already grounded many of its Boeing fleet for its own types, such a the TU-204/14 and Sukhoi SU-100/200, while considering these new Chinese types.

China is progressing with firm orders already in place and even Embraer is suffering because of its links with Boeing over poor build quality and other electrical computing failures?

China does not have those issues and it has a good aviation history of safety, as well as well built aircraft and their own computer systems, much of which they share with Russia! Sales may not exceed those of the U.S. but many aircraft meeting the needs of the Asian continent will be met, with India, Iran and others!

New Technology! Part-Two.

Visual Space and Computing!

Many advances are being made daily in 3D imaging and visualisation, while computing is getting faster? A revolution has began with cameras in mobile phones and computing through one spectacles or sunglasses was tried, but has not as yet been abandoned!

The world of medicine will be the main beneficiary of such technology, cancelling out the needs for screens and monitors and many other equipment being controlled over a distance! Airports and traffic control already use 3D visualisation!

Most aircraft, trains and shipping take full advantage of computer systems, but like many no driver trams and metro the days are approaching for many other areas of these applications! The Netherlands is trial of an automated container depot, with a limited use of humans! This again is a step up from the existing automated warehousing and luggage and postal sorting?

Modern Trams and Metros. Part-One.

Improved Technology.

Modern trams and the various other light rail systems today are a far cry from say seventy years ago. These newer systems and machines have better design and layout, but that is to be expected. We can only learn to improve by experience, trail and error in anything.

The computer, battery technology and design for capacity layout has been a great advantage. Speed and comfort are also improved considerations, employed in some countries with security measures.

The building of town extensions, new town has forced planners to improve the use of both the metro and tram to go to the best pic up and dropping points for both day and night use.

ROBOTS. Part-One.

For Warfare.

Science fiction and reality is now becoming part of everyday living, or dying in relation to warfare.The drone/UAV has been around for sometime, but since the 1970's and Israel's needs, many nations such as the US and Great Britain have followed with their own versions. Russia was actually the first to develop this type of platform.

But we have robotic aircraft, naval and army systems now controlling a whole host of devices, from artillery fire control and targetting to the bomb disposal robots. 

Remote controlled aircraft perhaps will eventuality lead to both tanks and ships, if they do not already exist in secret.

The Asimo robot and its counterparts may be the robotic soldiers of the future?  What will define robotics, will be the development of self thinking machines and that may be our downfall?

The Sci-Fi, Reality. Part-One.

How much?

Humanity has progressed at a very fast pace in the last 150 years, what was written as pulp fiction eighty years ago has now become a reality. Man has gone into space, to the Moon, has built a Space station and is sending robotic probes to more than just the planets in our solar system.

We have massive ships and fast trains, Levitation railways, and automobiles that are both fast and comfortable. The Cell or Mobile phone now dominates our lives, we cannot live without them. Microwave cooking, Solar panels, computers, inter-active TV.

What we have developed now is amazing, but what will we have achieved in the next 150 years?