Netherlands trials driverless buses

Green IT takes the stage in this week's worldwide wrap, as the Netherlands rolls out self-driving buses, Tesla unveils its first home battery, and a creative way of reducing clothing waste crops up in Sweden.

An electric shuttle bus in the Netherlands on Thursday became the world's first driverless vehicle to take to public roads.

Dubbed the WePod, the vehicle took a small group of people on a short journey along the side of a lake in the Dutch farming town of Wageningen.
Via: The Guardian

Australian users can now cut down on their grid reliance with the Tesla Powerwall home storage battery.

The battery stores energy from solar panels for residents to use at night, and is being introduced in Australia due to the country's high number of solar energy users.
Via: Mashable

Sweden's initiative Sharewear aims to discourage the overuse and overdisposal of clothing by helping users share and swap their clothes via Instagram.

The initiative "aims to inspire a sustainable way to be fashionable", it says.
Via: Inhabitat

Researchers and non-profit organisations alike are using 3D imaging technologies, some controlled by drones, to preserve likenesses of heritage sites around the world through 3D scans, architectural plans, and detailed photographic reconstructions.

The preservation attempts are an effort to reduce the devastating effects of cultural artefacts being completely destroyed by war or natural disasters.
Via: Mashable

Gaming company Nintendo is celebrating the 20^th birthday of Pokémon, its blockbuster Game Boy game with the release of its first ever smartphone app.

In addition, the iconic video game is making a comeback, with a new, Sherlock Holmes-style crime-solving storyline.
Via: BBC News

Google has improved its voice search features on desktop and smartphone applications to help it understand Australian accents and slang terms.

Poor voice recognition has been a persistent complaint about Google from people with Australian accents.

Via: The Guardian