Detroit Star
DetroitStar.com Tuesday 9th February 2010 Edition 40/2010
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bullet Quotable Quotes corner
"It is unfair you enjoy a safe life while our brothers in Gaza suffer greatly. Our attacks will continue as long as you support Israel. "
Osama bin Laden
The al-Qaeda leader was addressing U.S. President Barack Obama in a recently-released videotape.

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$£€ United States, Dollar Euro Canada, Dollar United Kingdom, Pound Japan, Yen
United States, Dollar - 0.729 1.070 0.640 89.39
Euro 1.370 - 1.467 0.877 122.5
Canada, Dollar 0.934 0.681 - 0.597 83.49
United Kingdom, Pound 1.562 1.139 1.672 - 139.6
Japan, Yen 0.011 0.008 0.011 0.007 -

bullet More Detroit News corner
Alleged road rage shooter freed
Jury begins deliberations in Riddle corruption trial
Laura Berman: Fighting the college that pizza bought
Sisters killed in snowmobile accident
Ohioan shot with Taser at Metro Airport after running past checkpoint

bullet National News corner
Hillary Clinton still trying to decide what to wear to daughter's wedding
Anti-Valentine's events in NYC to cheer up lonely hearts, love haters
Ex-madam Kristin Davis to run for New York Governor
Mum of Vladimir Putin's love child 'vanishes'

bullet Travel corner
JAL to stay with American Airlines, spurn Delta: reports
TUI Travel Posts First-Quarter Loss of 107 Million Pounds
Cuba travel bill buried in political agenda
Gadsden City cruises past Hewitt-Trussville, 53-42

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Breaking News
Gov. Granholm calls Obama's Asian carp plan too weak
Washington -- The Obama administration proposed Monday a $78.5 million plan to try to prevent the voracious Asian carp from getting into the Great Lakes, but Gov. Jennifer Granholm said it falls...

Oakwood Hospital sued over brain surgery
Dearborn -- The family of a Flat Rock woman has sued Oakwood Hospital and two of its doctors for allegedly making the mistake of performing brain surgery on the wrong side of her head. Deborah...
Ship keeps St. Clair River flowing
Ice clogging the St. Clair River is threatening to flood areas along the coast and halt the ferry that takes Harsens Island residents to and from their homes. Massive floes of ice that rise over the...
More breaking stories
World News
US warned to beware terror incidents overseasUS warned to beware terror incidents overseas
Al-Qaeda has made another threat toward the...

Mogadishu residents flee impending fightMogadishu residents flee impending fight
There have been more terror attacks linked to rebel and government forces in Mogadishu,...
Terror attack averted in Pakistan
Pakistani police claim to have prevented an attack on a five-star hotel in Lahore, the country's second largest...
More international stories
Business News
Toyota receives summons from Japanese government over problemsToyota receives summons from Japanese government over problems
Toyota's president is due to brief the Japanese government on the Prius...

More nuclear power for ArgentinaMore nuclear power for Argentina
Argentina has decided to build a third nuclear plant by end of the...
Greece to boost government revenues with taxGreece to boost government revenues with tax
Greece will institute tax reforms to urgently boost government...
More business stories

bullet Now a friendly neighbourhood 'Robonaut 2' that works alongside humans corner

Washington, Feb 5 : NASA and General Motors have unveiled robots that may soon work alongside humans in space and on earth.

The robots have been invented with the intention of lending a hand to spacewalking astronauts, as well as factory workers, with safety being the main concern.A giant robot swinging around that doesn't know whether a person is there or not is a bad thing," Discovery News quoted Marty Linn, GM's principal engineer of robotics, as saying.You can end up with all kinds of accidents. Robots can be very dangerous pieces of equipment," he said.

General Motors' factories currently cage their large robots to protect workers.

For the past three years, engineers from NASA and GM have been working on the prototypes, called Robonauts, at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

GM's droid likely will end up at the firm's technology development centre in Michigan, where engineers will use it as a test bed for sensors, software and other products that could be incorporated into future cars.

It could also improve manufacturing processes.

"We envision this kind of technology to be able to be used right around humans. Both NASA and GM share this vision of humans and robots working together," Linn said.

NASA would like to see a robot in space, with enough dexterity to handle pliable insulation and other materials too tricky for the cranes and robotic arms available on the space station today.

"This is a human-scale robot. It works at human speeds. We're working closer and closer to the human form, and that's a difficult challenge," Ron Diftler, who oversees the Robonaut project for NASA, said.

"We are foreseeing this as an EVA (extravehicular activity, or spacewalk) assistant," Diftler said.

For example, the droid could save time and reduce risks to spacewalking astronauts by going outside first to prepare work sites.

The Robonauts, which were unveiled on February 4, are based on work NASA and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency did a decade ago.


bullet Detroit Star corner
The Detroit Star is essentially a local Detroit newspaper, but with a national and international perspective, designed to provide readers with a one-stop shop for Detroit, national US, regional, and world news coverage, weather and sports information, with live updates on breaking business stories, and what's happening in the financial markets.

The biggest advantage we have is that we are an online newspaper, which means we are constantly refreshing our stories as more and more information comes to hand. Often when a story breaks the initial details are sketchy.

We and our sources around the world work hard to gather more information, verify facts, and provide a perspective of the major stories. Expert opinion often accompanies our articles to better inform readers, and provide a more complete understanding
of the news we deliver.

Financial markets and business reports are regular features as we pin down what's happening, and constantly refresh stock market indice readings, dollar currency rates, and breaking business news reports. Our world sports coverage is a priority, as is our regional news.

We like to think if you're looking for breaking news out of Detroit, Michigan, the United States, or the world, you'll look for it first at the Detroit Star.

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    bullet Detroit Weather corner
    Detroit, Michigan
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    Tuesday 27°F/-3°C Snow
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    Saturday 31°F/-1°C Chance of Snow

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    bullet Movie Review corner

    bullet Music corner
    Gabriella Cilmi to cheer for 'hottie' Lewis Hamilton
    Cher says it's rough acting with younger co-stars
    Hugh Hefner 'sued for not selling sinking Playboy'
    In glare of media, Jackson's doctor faces the music

    bullet Entertainment corner
    Drew Barrymore's car hit by paparazzo's car
    'Valentine's Day' sequel already in the works

    bullet Have Your Say corner
    Stock markets around the world are falling again. How do you think they will fare by the end of the year?


    bullet Hotel Review corner
    Swiss-Grand Resort & Spa, Bondi Beach, Australia
    Swiss-Grand Resort & Spa, Bondi Beach, Australia

    Perfectly positioned alongside Sydney's World famous Bondi Beach, the Swiss-Grand is a great hotel, packed with uniqueness and...


    bullet State News corner
    Ford to unveil new Transit Connect vans today
    Drivers, cars are ill-equipped when panic sets in
    Dem job push crucial to Michigan
    Experts evaluate details President Obama's jobs plan
    Gov. candidate's 'nerd' ad creating chatter