An army of airborne drones and helium balloons will soon be used to bring mobile phone signal to remote parts of the UK. The UK's largest mobile phone group EE said their airborne devices will be able to deliver 4G data on demand to fix so-called mobile'notspots'. Customers will be able to request a balloon that would provide them with mobile signal for major events or help connect them in the wake of natural disasters. EE are also deploying a fleet of Rapid Response Vehicles (RRV) with antenna that will help emergency services when the power goes down. EE will be using drones and helium balloons to deliver 4G to the remotest parts of the UK.

What's bright silver, weighs next to nothing, and can reach up to the fifth floor? While most robot arms are trying to develop brains, this one's gone on a strict diet. Unlike the robotic arms you might find in a factory, this device, developed by the Suzumori Endo Laboratory at the Tokyo institute of Technology and discovered by IEEE Spectrum, uses a series of helium-filled balloons to form its arm. The use of balloons means that the entire 20-meter-long structure weighs just 1.2 kg--light enough for simple pneumatic artificial muscles to be used to articulate its joints from the ground. There are some very evident drawbacks to the so-called Giacometti Arm--presumably named after artist Alberto Giacometti, who is famous for his slender, spindly sculptures depicting the human form.