2011

From an autonomous car to a robot built to respond to disasters to a robot that can fold towels a la Rosie from "The Jetsons," these are just some of the amazing machines that caught the attention of SmartPlanet this year.

SmartPlanet correspondent Sumi Das takes a look back at the best robots of 2011.

This video originally appeared on SmartPlanet with the headline "SmartPlanet's best robots of 2011."

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Twitter's year in review series is back, and this time, the company has decided to examine the hot topics that bounced around the social network this year.

Twitter's top hashtags were a mix of news and memes. According to the company, "#egypt" was the top hashtag this year, reflecting the interest users had in that country's uprising. However, the next three hashtags--"#tigerblood," "#threewordstoliveby," and "#idontunderstandwhy"--were memes that, as most Twitter users know, were just about everywhere they turned during different parts of the year.

Twitter also divulged … Read more

With an exterior skin that doubles as a digital display, an augmented-reality cockpit, and Internet and inter-vehicular connectivity, the Toyota Fun-Vii concept is about as pie-in-the-sky as concept cars get.

However, explaining with words and photos hardly does this concept justice. I had to see it in motion to understand everything that Toyota expects the car of the future to do. In the video below, you'll see tight smartphone integration, augmented-reality gaming, a holographic digital concierge in a De Stijl-inspired tube top, and an amazing (if not tremendously improbably) implementation of vehicle-to-vehicle networking. The video also shows off the Fun-Vii's electrified power-train with wireless charging, its autonomous driving mode, and lots of people dressed in white. Check it out below. … Read more

This year's Tokyo Motor Show stood as an example of a resurgent automotive industry, with new concepts and technologies on display.

The Tokyo Motor Show is often host to some of the stranger concept cars around. In 2011, we saw some intriguing green concepts from Honda and Toyota, and even more outlandish vehicles from Daihatsu. Toyota and Yamaha also joined forces to show off electric vehicles with less than four wheels, and Honda announced a whole new set of efficient engines and power train components. Volkswagen was even on hand with some intriguing concepts. Here are our stories from the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show.… Read more

If you've had one too many flats, take a look at these small airless tires that Bridgestone is showing off at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show.

The Airfree concept tires have resin spokes that radiate from the rim to the tread, curving to the left and right to better support vehicle loads.

They're only 9 inches across, but have been successfully tested on single-seater electric carts in Japan that are often used by elderly people.

While the tire won't suffer punctures, it's also completely recyclable. The spokes are made of thermoplastic resin, which can be reused along with the tread rubber. … Read more

A new firmware update for Sony's Bravia TV series has arrived, enhancing the built-in YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter widgets.

The YouTube experience on Sony's TV sets now has the ability to play HD video. Previously, the output was mediocre at best, but it should now should offer a crisp, high-definition image for videos with that capability.

Those accessing their Facebook accounts can now look at photos and videos in full-screen resolution. Posted URLs on Facebook are now accessible in the built-in Web browser found in most current Sony televisions. Unfortunately, that browser is somewhat slow and due to the lack of processing power, operates worse than the one included with the PlayStation 3. … Read more

In classic Japanese style, Honda calls its new drivetrain effort Earth Dreams Technology.

Once upon a time, Honda engineers came up with VTEC, a valve control system that made its engines the most advanced in the industry. But that was years ago, and other companies, notably BMW, have pushed the envelope with new valve control, direct-injection, and turbocharging technologies. With each model update it releases, I've been waiting for a similar advance from Honda.

The wait appears to be, mostly, over, as Honda announced a new set of engines, transmissions, hybrid system, and electric drive at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show. Giving these new drive components the overall moniker of Earth Dreams Technology emphasizes the goal of greater efficiency and Honda's effort to reduce its vehicle's CO2 emissions 30 percent by 2020.… Read more

TOKYO--Japanese automakers are highlighting fuel efficiency and environmental technologies at the Tokyo Motor Show, the first one since the March quake and tsunamis led to power shortages in Japan.

Organizers are expecting some 800,000 visitors when the venue opens to the public on Saturday with 176 brands on display.

In addition to the Toyota Fun-Vii concept, a chameleon that can change its appearance at the touch of an app, the carmaker showed off the Aqua compact hybrid, which it says has the world's best fuel efficiency at 35 km per liter (82 mpg) of gas.

Nissan's Pivo 3, meanwhile, can be summoned by smartphone and can park itself automatically. Its Esflow sports concept, shown off earlier this year at the Geneva Auto Show, can do zero to 100 kph (62 mph) in less than five seconds. … Read more

Tesla may be dropping production of its Roadster, but Honda seems to have taken up the gauntlet with this new electric concept.

The EV-STER is a concept electric car unveiled at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show. Like the Tesla Roadster, it is a two-seater with a carbon fiber body to reduce weight, but that is where the similarities end.

Honda claims a range for the EV-STER of only 100 miles, with acceleration timed at 5 seconds to 60 km/h (37 mph).

Styling takes some cues from the CR-Z, with a big dose of futuristic design thrown in. The driver uses a yoke to steer rather than a wheel, and the cockpit has displays geared toward the electric power train.

The driver's seat is of a different color than the passenger seat, a choice we have seen in a few other concept cars recently, suggesting that in the future people will have trouble discerning right from left.

Although it represents no electric power train breakthroughs, the EV-STER concept is exciting in that it shows Honda is actively exploring new electric vehicle types. The company has already promised to put its Fit EV in production next year.

Click here to view more Honda EV-STER photos. … Read more