Tai chi master robots and hybrid buses

Robots will perform tai chi at the Shanghai 2010 World Expo:

"Our advanced robots will perform with Chinese characteristics," said Chen Jiaxiang, a senior engineer of the service robots project of the Shanghai Electric Group, at an Eastern Forum of Science and Technology. The Beijing-based Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering are also developing the robots.

Chen introduced two human-shaped robots -- they can play music and perform shadow boxing.

"We will present a band of robots," he said, noting that each band member will play different music and make gestures.

The robots will also understand various languages and have wireless internet connections.

A much more practical and but far less glamorous innovation has just made its debut in Shanghai -- hybrid buses. The 92B line's new hybrid buses will burn about 30 percent less gas and release about 70 percent less fumes than regular buses. If you've ever seen the black miasma of smoke that some the old buses can belch out, you know how welcome news like this is -- but when will this become the rule, rather than the exception? 2010, perhaps? Forget about the second coming, 2010 is going to be the best year of all time!

Photo from Tacoman's Flickr page.