Robot mass production by Toyota

Japanese concern Toyota announced plans of development for next 12 years. Company President Kazuaki Vatanabi says that in next 2 years robotics will be basic priority in development of concern. In 2010 Toyota will release wide range of robots-assistants dedicated to help humanity in most spheres - in production, at home, in hospital etc.

Company also presented 2 models of robots. One is a mobile assistant capable of free moving indoors, other is robot-musician capable to play music on violin and violoncello.

Vatanabi said:

"Our goal is to create robots highly helpful for many people in their everyday lives. Next 2-3 years we will test our robots in multiple uses. Those models, which passed tests successfully and acquire good reputation will be mass produced.

Researches render that robots will be of most use to elderly people.

Toyota hopes to draw specialists from universities to speed-up research&development.

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Japanese Media Still Unhappy with YouTube

 by Geoff Duncan

Japanese media groups have called YouTube's response to copyright violations "unsatisfactory," but are still hopeful things can be worked out.

Just after its acquisition by Internet titan Google, popular video sharing Web site YouTube pulled down nearly 30,000 Japanese video files from its service in response to complaints from JASRAC, the Japan Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers. However, Japanese publishers are far from happy with YouTube's efforts to remove copyright violations from its service, characterizing the company's response as "unsatisfactory." However, publishers are still hopeful a solution can be reached without litigation.

On December 4, JASRAC outlined a series of of preventive measures it would like to see taken to deter copyright infringements on YouTube until a comprehensive system can be put into place. JASRAC asked for Japanese-language notices on the YouTube site warning that copyright violations are illegal, that YouTube collect names and addresses of users uploading video material to the site, and that YouTube terminate accounts of users who post copyrighted material. JASRAC sets a deadline of December 15, 2006…which came want went with only a brief reply from YouTube's Chad Hurley and Steve Chen.

In their response, YouTube said they're working on Japanese-language versions of their copyright warnings, and has been terminating accounts of users who repeatedly violate their terms of service. YouTube also offered a simplified version of tool enabling publishers to request take-down of infringing material. However, YouTube noted that it does not currently require any sort of user authentication but would "strive for improvement"—but offered no concrete information or timetable. YouTube also indicated it wanted its senior staff to meet with Japanese publishers in regard to business development in Japan.

(c) www.digitaltrends.com

Nichia develops high-efficiency white LED

TOKYO — Nichia Corp. said Thursday (Dec. 21) it has developed a white LED delivering 150 lumens/W efficiency.

The prototype is packaged in the same lamp-type package used for Nichia's high-flux lamp type LED. The reported efficiency is about 11.5 times higher than conventional incandescent lamps that deliver 13 lumens/W and 1.7 times higher than widely used fluorescent lamps, Nichia said.

Even compared to high pressure sodium lamps, considered the most efficient light source, the prototype has better performance, Nichia claimed.

Powered by 20 mA current, the LED delivered a light flux of 9.4 lumens at 4,600 Kelvin color temperature. The new light source combines a blue LED chip and yellow fluorescent material.

Nichia demonstrated a 100 lumens/W LED in March, but said he has increased efficiency 1.5 times in its latest prototype. "The efficiency was achieved through accumulated fundamental research and by optimizing the package structure," a Nichia spokeswoman said.

Availability of the LED lamp was not disclosed.

(c) www.automotivedesignline.com

Panasonic Says It Has Made A Safer Lithium-Ion Battery

By Antone Gonsalves

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., better known as Panasonic, says it has made a safer lithium-ion battery that won't overheat within a notebook computer or other electronic device, preventing the potential fire hazard that led to the recall earlier this year of millions of batteries.

Matsushita on Monday said it has developed a heat-resistant layer made of insulating metal oxide that would replace the polyolefin lining often used to separate cells within the battery pack. If a short circuit were to occur, the protective layer would prevent the battery from overheating and possibly bursting into flames.

Dell this year recalled 4.1 million Sony-manufactured batteries after several fires were reported as a result of the devices overheating. There were no serious injuries. The recall was the largest ever in the consumer electronics industry. Other companies also have recalled Sony batteries, including Hewlett-Packard and Apple Computer.

The battery problems stem from microscopic metal particles that float within the battery pack. The particles can't be avoided in the manufacturing process, but battery makers try to minimize the number and size. A fire hazard can result when conditions in a laptop, such as rising temperatures or the recharging process, cause the particles to move aggressively in the battery cavity. If a particle pierces the lining protecting the battery cell, a spark can result and ignite the highly flammable lithium salt electrolyte inside.

Matsushita, based in Osaka, Japan, said in a statement that even if such a spark, or short circuit, was to occur in one of its new batteries, "it will cease without causing the battery to overheat."

Matsushita's subsidiary Matsushita Battery Industrial Co. developed the patent-pending safety feature. Matsushita says it's ready to mass-produce the safer batteries.

(c) www.techweb.com