Boasting the first overnight establishment operated entirely by machines, the so-called Strange Hotel (Henn-na Hotel) in Sasebo, Japan, is using robotics to increase efficiency and reduce costs.

Guests are greeted by a creepy but helpfully multilingual dinosaur with a bow tie, the first hint that these are not normal accommodations, but their luggage is carried and rooms are cleaned by robots as well.

The expressions of robotics vary according to function and need, with human-looking helpers in some front-facing capacities but also more built-to-use ones to pick up baggage, show you to your room or check your coat.

Facial recognition technology allows visitors to both be identified by helpful robots but also to enter their private rooms without keys or cards. Inside, cute robot interfaces help you turn on the light, adjust the temperature or call for room service. And while this may sound like a gimmicky setup, it is part of the operating company’s goal to cut down on labor costs and provide travelers a cheap but unforgettable stay.

The post Hello Humanoid: Japanese Hotel Run Entirely by Robots first appeared on Gajitz.

Critics scoffed at the buzz around Amazon’s drone deliveries, but in Switzerland a company called Matternet is going live with actual everyday robotic deliveries, working with Swiss Post in both urban and rural areas.

The Matternet ONE can carry a few points up to around a dozen miles on a single charge, perfect for small but speedy delivery needs. Going live in a test period this summer, this proof of concept is designed to “to clarify the legal framework, consider local conditions and explore the technical and business capabilities of the drones.”

While this will be the first large-scale, developed-world deployment, Matternet already has extensive experience in developing nations, delivering emergency and medical supplies in Haiti, for instance.

The company is ambitious, aiming to supply drones, batteries, software, charging stations and landing pads to help unmanned flying vehicles reach remote places – and they have already flown more drone hours than any other company in the world. They are working on improvements on various fronts, including better awareness systems (detect-and-avoid) as well as more efficient models of drone able to carry more and fly further.

The post Swiss Postal Service Deploying First Real Drone Deliveries first appeared on Gajitz.

Each year, over 25 billion trees are logged or burned, but only 15 billion are planted – addressing this unsustainable shortfall, a drone startup is working toward an initial goal of aerially planting 1 billion seeds per year.

Biocarbon Engineering‘s approach involves mapping the geography of target areas, assessing their needs and conditions, then shooting soil-penetrating seed pods directly into the ground below from around 5 to 10 feet above. Already germinated and encased in a nutrient-rich gel, the seeds can be shot at a rate of 10 per second and, with multiple drones, could put 36,000 trees in the ground each day for about 15% of the cost of conventional planting methods.

One of the group’s founders is a 20-year NASA veteran who knows the stakes and understands the technological needs of this ambitious plan. The group aims to work with global non-profits and forestry services to deploy their solution around the world, mapping, planting and monitoring the results for further interventions.

From the company: “Destruction of global forests from lumber, mining, agriculture, and urban expansion destroys 26 billion trees each year. We believe that this industrial scale deforestation is best combated using the latest automation technologies. We use emerging technologies to deliver precision planting and mapping to increase the uptake rates and the likelihood of healthy forest development.”

“There are a variety of tree-planting techniques, including planting by hand and delivering dry seeds by air. However, hand-planting is slow and expensive, and spreading dry seeds results in low uptake rates. Our solution balances these two methods. First, by planting germinated seeds using precision agriculture techniques, we increase uptake rates. Second, our scalable, automated technology significantly reduces the manpower requirements and costs. Finally, our mapping UAVs will also provide invaluable intelligence on planting patterns, landscape design and appropriate timing.”

The post Seed Startup Aims to Plant 1 Billion Trees a Year by Drone first appeared on Gajitz.