Worldwide wrap

In this week's wrap, a 3D-printed plane takes to the skies; scientists produce petrol from air and water; Microsoft's Digits could mean the death of the trusty mouse; a programmer hires a woman to slap him every time he accesses Facebook in a bid to increase his productivity; Intuitive Automata unveils a personal trainer in robot form; and NASA's new XI suit has applications both in space and on the ground.

Student engineers at the University of Virginia have built an unmanned aerial vehicle, using 3D printing technology as part of a Department of the Army project to study the feasibility of using such planes. The finished product achieved a cruising speed of 45mph and is only the third 3D printed plane known to have been built and flown.

Via Science Daily.

UK-based Air Fuel Synthesis has produced the first "petrol from air" using a revolutionary technology that promises to solve the energy crisis as well as helping to curb global warming by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. "We've taken carbon dioxide from air and hydrogen from water and turned these elements into petrol," says Peter Harrison, the company's CE. Air Fuel Synthesis has produced about five litres of petrol since August and hopes to expand production to a tonne a day within two years.

Via The Independent.

The long-lived and usually reliable mouse could soon be put out to pasture, as Microsoft unveiled this week a new hand-gesture sensor that could allow users to point with their fingers rather than a cursor. The new Digits prototype is part of an effort to create a mobile device that could transform interaction with a computer interface. This wrist-worn sensor would allow the wearer to control a range of equipment via hand gestures. Digits could possibly open the door for virtual controllers.

Via Tech News World.

A computer programmer from San Francisco has hired a woman to slap him every time he accesses Facebook in a bid to increase his productivity. Maneesh Sethi placed an advert on the classified Web site Craigslist to recruit someone willing to monitor what he was looking at on his laptop. Sethi pays now pays a female employee $8 an hour to strike him in the face if she spots him wasting time on social media. He claims his productivity has increased from 35% to 98%.

Via The Telegraph.

Those wanting to lose weight but who cannot afford a personal trainer can enlist the services of Autom, a robot with human-like expressions that helps dieters track weight loss. Developed by Intuitive Automata, Autom tracks calories, says motivational things, tells you about the latest weight loss trends and gives you personalised suggestions. She asks questions and you answer by selecting the most relevant answers on the touch-screen. By developing an emotional bond with the robot, users are more likely to stick with healthy eating plans, the company states.

Via Yahoo.

NASA and the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC) have jointly developed a new robotic exoskeleton, dubbed the "XI", that could help astronauts in space stay in better physical shape, while also helping humans on Earth walk. The wearable device is, in essence, a robot that fits over a human body to either assist or inhibit movement in leg joints. For astronauts, the inhibit mode would be used in space as an exercise machine to supply resistance against leg movement and help combat muscle atrophy. On Earth, the very same technology could be used in reverse as an assistive walking device for rehabilitation, gait modification, and even for offloading large amounts of weight from the user. Most impressive of all, it could allow people who have suffered spinal injuries to walk again.

Via Tech News World.