Tag Archives: oceania

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World-first project bringing robo-warfare into next generation

Australian soldiers could soon be directing robots with hand gestures, doing away with clunky remote controls, in a high-tech world first.

Edith Cowan University in Western Australia is working with robotics company Chironix, augmented reality provider Agili8, and manufacturer Motium to bring Australia's defence technology into the next generation.

"Optimising the present-day utility of robotics technology in the Australian Defence Force requires integrating robots into the human operating environment where they can be at least partially controlled by a human operator," ECU's Dr Syed Gilani said.

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Australian Defence Force contingent at RAAF Base Townsville, Queensland, before departing for Solomon Islands

Instead of responding to remote control, robots will be taught to recognise hand gestures performed by the operator – but they don't have to be in sight of each other.

The operator will wear a pair of special augmented-reality glasses with a camera mounted in them, which will pick up and transmit the orders across "considerable" distances.

"This use of AI and AR in the battlefield will improve responsiveness and reduce the cognitive load on the soldier and is only the beginning of the applications of this technology," Agili8 chief technology officer Chris Markovic said.

According to developers, the technology is a natural progression in communication for soldiers on the frontline.

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"There is a long pedigree of Australian soldiers using hand gestures to communicate silently with one another," Chironix Robotics principal research fellow Dr Owen Carter said.

"The last thing your average digger wants to do is stuff around with a robot remote control while getting shot at. Signalling to a robot with one hand while keeping your other hand firmly on your weapon is much preferred."

The world-first project is expected to take a year and a half to develop, before being presented to the Defence Science Centre.

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Winter's gone but the rain is here to stay – here's why

As the prospect of a third consecutive La Nina firms further, all indicators are that it's going to be a wet and dreary spring for eastern Australia.

Although we're out of winter – by two days – the cool weather and overcast skies aren't going to be left behind.

Here's what you need to know.

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What's the forecast?

The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast above-average rainfall through the season, with all associated risks.

"Where soils and catchments are wet, and streamflows are high, further rainfall this spring will increase the risk of flooding for eastern Australia," Bureau of Meteorology senior climatologist Dr Lynette Bettio said.

"In northern Australia, the first rains of the wet season are likely be earlier than normal for much of Queensland and the Northern Territory."

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October is the official beginning of the wet season across northern Australia.

But, Bettio said, parts of Western Australia and western Tasmania are likely to experience below average rainfall this spring.

Almost all of Australia is likely to experience warmer than average nights, while cooler days are likely for large parts of the mainland except the tropical north.

Why are we getting more rain?

Weatherzone has analysed several key climatic factors that will bring the moisture to Australia's east.

A negative Indian Ocean Dipole was declared in August, meaning the sea surface temperatures in the tropical Indian Ocean will cause more wet air to flow towards Australia.

This happens, on average, about once every five years.

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This year's negative IOD is likely to continue through to early summer.

The Southern Annular Mode (SAM) – an index that measures the north-south displacement of the westerly winds that flow between Australia and Antarctica – is also favouring east coast rain.

A positive SAM, like the current one, usually causes reduced wind and rainfall in southern Australia during spring.

But in eastern Australia, it leads to typically above-average rain in spring and summer.

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And then, of course, there's La Nina.

The Bureau of Meteorology has predicted a 70 per cent chance of a third consecutive La Nina forming this year.

This would lead to – you guessed it – heavier rain for the east in spring, before it dwindled into summer.

What does this mean for bushfire season?

The wet weather is certainly set to reduce the risk of large bushfires in eastern NSW and Victoria.

This includes many areas still recovering from the devastating Black Summer blazes.

However, a higher risk is forecast for other parts of the country, including in Central Australia and northern Western Australia.

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Money Matters: The 'extended warranty' lie laid bare

Every week we will break down, debunk and demystify your rights as a shopper in Australia. This week we are looking at why, for the vast majority of customers, buying an extended warranty is probably not worth the money.

We all know life is getting more expensive than ever before, and how important it is to stretch every dollar you make.

That's why each week we'll answer a question surrounding what shoppers are – and aren't – entitled to when dealing with retailers and manufacturers.

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ARE MY PARENTS GETTING RIPPED OFF?

Hi Stu,

I was recently chatting with my parents, who are getting old now, and think they may have been ripped off. Their ancient TV recently died and they went to a big-brand shop where they were sold a new smart TV.

Now I don't think they need a smart TV but the salesman was very insistent. They paid about $1500 for a mid-range TV.

The salesman kept insisting that they should also purchase an extended warranty for $300, which will cover them if it breaks for a period of two years.

This sounds expensive to me, did they get ripped off?

Hi there,

I'm not sure if they were "ripped off" but it's unlikely that they'll see any real value in that $300.

In Australia, the crux of the matter is this: it doesn't matter what additional warranty is sold on a product, your automatic consumer guarantees still apply.

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So if you've been given a six-month warranty on a TV that fails after 10 months of normal use – a completely reasonable amount of time to use a TV – you're still eligible to a repair, a replacement or a refund.

Consumers should always ask shops what an extended warranty covers that is not normally covered under their automatic consumer guarantees.

Is it illegal to sell extended warranties?

No of course not – because some manufacturers may go well beyond what the law enshrines.

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But in many cases, particularly in electronics, there's a lot of grey area where a consumer may be paying for something they are already protected for.

There are even consumer laws that stop retailers from putting "undue pressure" on a customer to purchase an extended warranty, or mislead consumers into thinking they are not automatically already covered.

Did that happen in your parents' case? Possibly – but it's a good reminder to us all to read the fine print.

Do you have a consumer question you want answered? You can get in touch with reporter Stuart Marsh at sm****@******om.au.

The information provided on this website is general in nature only and does not constitute personal financial or legal advice. The information has been prepared without taking into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on any information on this website you should consider the appropriateness of the information having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs.

headline

Melbourne City Council likely to advocate Australia Day date change

Melbourne City Council will likely advocate for the federal government to change the date of Australia Day while still holding citizenship ceremonies and activities on January 26.

A statement released by the council said councillors would consider an options paper that showed strong support for the change of date at a meeting next week.

The move follows an independent survey of more than 1600 residents and businesses, which found nearly 60 per cent of respondents want to see Australia Day celebrated on a different date.

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"Council also consulted with the five traditional owner organisations that make up the Eastern Kulin, which unanimously support changing the date," the statement said.

Council said they would still issue permits for events delivered by the state government and other organisations on Australia Day.

Activities that acknowledge First Nations perspectives would also continue.

However, any decision to change the date must be made at federal government level.

Councillors will debate the motion and make further comments on the issue at Tuesday night's meeting.