Microsoft's Kinect has already proved its credentials in reading simple hand and body movements in the gaming world. But now a team of Chinese researchers have added sign language to its motion-sensing capabilities. Scientists at Microsoft Research Asia recently demonstrated software that allows Kinect to read sign language using hand tracking. What's impressive is that it can do this in real-time, translating sign language to spoken language and vice versa at conversational speeds. The system, dubbed the Kinect Sign Language Translator, is capable of capturing a conversation from both sides.

He might look like an extra member of Daft Punk, but Russia's robot humanoid is set to be joining astronauts aboard the International Space Station as early as next year. Scientists at the Gagarin Cosmonauts' Training Centre in Star City Centre, just outside Moscow, have shown off their creation, called SAR-401. Russia is working on its own version of Nasa's Robonaut, which is already lending a hand on the International Space Station – so the two robots might work together in the future. Russia's SAR-401robot humanoid could be joining astronauts aboard the International Space Station as early as next year A slightly earlier model called SAR-400 is scheduled to be blasted into space in 2014. Russia's robonaut is similar to Nasa's as it is not designed to be completely autonomous but is operated remotely from the ground, Spectrum reported.

A robot astronaut called Kirobo has made world history by becoming the first robot ever to speak in space. The 13-inch tall Japanese humanoid has been aboard the International Space Station since 10 August and made the broadcast via video link. It said: 'On August 21, 2013, a robot took one small step towards a brighter future for all. I am the world's first talking robot astronaut. A robot astronaut called Kirobo, pictured, has made world history by becoming the first robot ever to speak in space. It said: 'On August 21, 2013, a robot took one small step towards a brighter future for all.

It looks like Spock and Darth Vader may have some competition in the mind control stakes. Researchers in the U.S. claim to have discovered the secret to mind control by creating the world's first ever human-to-human brain interface. Using electrical brain recordings and a form of magnetic stimulation, Rajesh Rao sent a brain signal to Andrea Stocco on the other side of the Washington University campus, causing Stocco's finger to move on a keyboard. University of Washington researcher Rajesh Rao, left, plays a computer game with his mind. Across campus, researcher Andrea Stocco, right, wears a magnetic stimulation coil over the left motor cortex region of his brain.

China has built the world's fastest supercomputer - almost twice as fast as the previous U.S. record holder - with speeds equivalent to more than 338 million normal PCs. The Tianhe-2, which means Milky Way 2, was developed by the National University of Defense Technology in China's Changsha city and is capable of sustained computing of 33.86 petaflops per second. That's the equivalent of 33,860 trillion calculations per second, with the average everyday computer performing around 100 million per second (although some are faster and others may be slower). China's supercomputer Tianhe-2 has been declared the Top500 fastest supercomputer title. It was developed by the country's National University of Defense Technology and is capable of operating at the equivalent of 33,860 trillion calculations per second China's Tianhe-2 supercomputer, which means Milky Way 2, knocked the U.S. Department of Energy's Titan machine off the number one spot.

Scientists have created a revolutionary technology that could save countless lives by preventing car crashes, and it is inspired by locusts. The insects have an early warning system which helps them avoid colliding with each other when flying in swarms at high speed. Researchers have adopted key features of the locusts' system to develop a computer system which could become a blueprint for highly-accurate collision sensors in cars. Scientists at the University of Lincoln created a collision sensor for cars (pictured) after being inspired by locusts' anti-collision systems Professor Shigang Yue and Dr Claire Rind of the University of Lincoln were inspired by the unique way locusts process electrical and chemical signals in their brain. Professor Yue said: 'We created a system inspired by the locusts' motion sensitive interneuron - the lobula giant movement detector.

Could this mean an end to scrabbling down the back of the sofa looking for the remote control? Now you can simply use your finger instead to turn over the TV. EyeSight Technologies, an Israeli company, has announced the announces the world's first commercial gesture technology to allow users to control digital devices with a fingertip, even from across a room. Seizing control: while your partner's fingers are in the popcorn, you could quickly change the channel before he has a chance to react The company says its technology could could revolutionise an almost limitless range of devices, including TVs, computers, digital designs and window displays. CEO Gideon Shmuel said: 'EyeSight's unique Fingertip tracking technology has been in development for some time now, and now we are officially launching this as a product available for licensing together with our other solutions or as a standalone engine.

A two-foot high robot with flashing eyes could be the key to helping children cope with autism. Researchers at Vanderbilt University have tested their creation, called Nao, on Aiden, a three year old diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder - and say it could help treat thousands with the condition. The robot is able to speak, move and interact using a series on sensors - and can even tell where Aiden is looking that's to a specially developed cap. Aiden, three and a half, with Nao, his robotic'buddy' that is programmed to help him deal with some of the social problems associated with autism A team of mechanical engineers and autism experts at Vanderbilt University have developed the system and used it to demonstrate that robotic systems may be powerful tools for enhancing the basic social learning skills of children with ASD. Writing in the March issue of the IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, the researchers report that children with ASD paid more attention to the robot and followed its instructions almost as well as they did those of a human therapist in standard exercises used to develop joint attention skill.

For centuries, mankind had fantasised about the end of the world - when it would come and what form it would take. The Hindus and Buddhists took a decidedly sanguine, long-term view, assuming that the endless cycles of creation and reincarnation would persist for millennia, even aeons. Christians, however, had traditionally been more alarmist. Built into their religion was the concept of "end of days", a Biblical Armageddon which would see Satan's last stand on Earth defeated by the return of Christ in a blaze of glory. While the "elect" would enjoy eternity in the New Jerusalem, everyone else would go to the Other Place to spend the rest of time in torment.

A graphic designer has created a life-like replica of actress Scarlett Johansson - which winks and giggles when he tells her she's cute. Like many children with imaginations fired by animated films, Ricky Ma grew up watching cartoons featuring the adventures of robots, and dreamed of building his own one day. Unlike most of the others, however, he has realised his childhood dream at the age of 42, by successfully constructing a life-sized robot from scratch on the balcony of his home. The life-size robot was created by Hong Kong designer Ricky Ma, based on a famous Hollywood actress. Named Mark 1, Ma has programmed her to wink and say'thank you' when he tells her she is beautiful The fruit of his labours of a year-and-a-half, and a budget of more than $50,000, is a female robot prototype he calls the Mark 1.