Islands of the Future - Samsø
A look at the Baltic island of Samso, which produces more energy than it can use from wind turbines and straw-fuelled thermal power stations.
A look at the Baltic island of Samso, which produces more energy than it can use from wind turbines and straw-fuelled thermal power stations.
The Orkney Islands, which is studying whether tides and waves can be turned into an energy source, are spotlighted.
On the Portuguese island of Madeira, the inhabitants are converting an irrigation system from the 15th century into a future-age energy storage facility.
Iceland's embrace of volcanic hydro power and geothermal energy, which provides almost all of its electricity, is detailed. Also: its effort to run all cars and its enormous fishing fleet on hydrogen.
The Canary island of El Hierro, which produces most of its electricity from wind, is the focus of the premiere episode of the series, which examines islands that have embraced sustainable energy.
The boundaries between man and machine, between technology and nature, are becoming increasingly blurred and might even disappear completely in the future. Information technology, genetic engineering and nanotechnology are not only making considerable inroads into society, but also more and more directly into human nature. The day when Homo sapiens is able to consciously design and radically change himself is not far away.
In the future will we spend our leisure time with smart and sophisticated machines designed for fun - Entertainment Robots? Marvel at Mantis, a two ton insect and Tradinno, a giant fire-spitting dragon. Then take a seat and watch a mechanical actor and a robotic pianist perform.
From brains to eyes, hands to legs, and deep down to the internal organs; implants, prosthesis and rehabilitation are entering a new era potentially creating a new type of human being - The Bionic Man- in reality, not on retro TV. But what ethical concerns arise as we mix technology with biology?
Inhospitable environments that would normally be unreachable become accessible thanks to a new class of robot - Robot Explorers. Robots can help us in difficult tasks like search and rescue operations. Is there any danger in letting machines handle so many tasks that used to belong to us?
They look like us. They move like us. And very soon they will live among us. They are humanoid robots. Meet an astonishing group of humanoids, among them: iCub, the world's first baby robot, and REEM, the Service Robot, ready to be launched as a guide in public spaces. Get to know humanoids!
By the year 2050, three quarters of the world’s population will live in urban areas. Looking at robotic systems being developed worldwide we can take a glimpse at the city life of the future. Private transportation with self-driving cars, our homes with automated systems - robots are in our future.
Mankind has always looked at nature to solve problems, taking a cue from the solutions that biological systems have refined through natural selection. In this episode we look at a robotic plant that mimics the mechanics of plant roots, and dive underwater to see robots inspired by fish.