Meet the world’s largest electric vehicle.
Today on Up To Speed: College students get a digital assistant, and the U.S. Air Force puts 3D printing to the test.
Full Transparency
Our editorial transparency tool uses blockchain technology to permanently log all changes made to official releases after publication. However, this post is not an official release and therefore not tracked. Visit our learn more for more information.
More of our content is being permanently logged via blockchain technology starting [10.23.2020].
Back to school in St. Louis with the Amazon Echo Dot.
Students at Saint Louis University are getting used to living with a new roommate in their dorms: the Amazon Echo Dot. As part of the school’s Alexa at SLU initiative, every dorm room on the campus now has its own digital assistants for the students to interact with. With built-in skills specified for the school itself, the Echo Dots are able to answer over 135 questions pertaining to campus events, bus schedules, and building hours. Check CNET’s in depth article about the school’s program and how students are adapting right here.
The world’s largest electronic vehicle? It’s a dump truck.
Take a trip to a Biel, Switzerland and you’ll find the world’s largest electriconic vehicle climbing and descending the steep faces of a stone quarry. The 110-ton dump truck, known was the eDumper, has 6-foot high tires and a 600 kilowatt battery pack that charges itself. On the incredibly steep descents down the mountain, the eDumper’s regenerative braking system charges the battery. This incredible piece of machinery never has to be recharged. Get a look at the eDumper in action right here.
The Air Force begins 3D printing certified parts for its planes.
A maintenance squadron at the Travis Air Force base in California is beginning to 3D print parts for airplanes. The industrial-sized 3D printer has been authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration and the Air Force to create nonstructural replacement parts for certain aircrafts. The printer’s first mission was creating replacement latrine covers for a C-5M Galaxy aircraft. This technology will significantly cut down on the wait time for certain specific parts that can take over a year to order. You can read more on the story here.
