Boeing 777X

777-8/9.

These are the next generations of the twenty four year-old design of the Boeing 777-100/200 long range aircraft, that is now to have a second life! It was hoped that the 777, would replace the 747 but it still had some life left in it yet?

Today the 747 is now in decline, but orders for the 747-8 is still continuing, the 777 on the other hand has faced stiff competition from the European Airbus and their A350-900/1000 Extra wide body! But what keeps the 777 is not capacity but range over the A350-900?

These next two new aircraft that will appear in service from next year into the 2020's will have the seating capacity and range to out do the Europeans and keep the type perhaps as the successor finally to the 747?

Asimo

The rise of the Robots.

We have had robotic automation now for some time in aircraft, train, metro piloting systems, examples being auto-pilot and the London Docklands light rail system (DLR). This could be described as the first generation, along with military drones etc. 

Now that the Honda Asimo and other similar humanoid robots have been created, we are perhaps moving into the second generation.  

Has sci-fi becoming a reality? 

These robots will help greatly in the care of older folks and the disabled in the ability to lift them. Currently the U.S. army has announced its first successful mechanical horse. This horse will move much faster than any natural animal, but also do the job of the mule or donkey in mountainous regions like Afghanistan/Pakistan. But what will the third generation of robots bring to humanity? Will there ever be a day when the machines take over, such as in the Terminator scenario of films?