Computerised voice synthesisers often have a tendency to sound rather, well, robotic. Even the most well-spoken computers tend to sound bored, and their endless droning can irritate human listeners.

Nasa, the US space agency, is building a robotic space explorer with artificial muscles capable of grabbing and lifting loads. The muscles-- also known as electroactive polymers -- are made from a

A report on the year 2000 computer problem prepared by a special Senate panel warns that a number of countries and U.S. economic sectors, especially the health-care industry, appear at significant

The United States has urged Russia to set up a joint missile warning center before the end of the year to reduce the risk that the year 2000 computer problem might trigger a false nuclear alert. The

Computer owners who smugly presume that the year-2000 bug is a headache only for the techies running corporate systems could be in for a surprise: Just about any software program that uses dates -

Small beads containing a fungus can help recover gold present in very low amounts in effluents of gold plating, jewellery and printed circuit board manufacturing units, report scientists. The fungus,

Although the chemical industry is in the forefront of corporate efforts to adopt industry-wide codes of practice on health, safety and environmental issues, the credibility of such initiatives

Toyota Motor Corp. and General Motors Corp. of the United States are set to start talks on a technology tie-up in developing so-called next-generation automobiles, such as hybrid vehicles and

Artificial muscles that should give space robots animal-like flexibility and manipulation ability will get their first test on a small NASA rover destined to explore an asteroid. Under development by

Hindustan Motors announced the sale of its 100th Ambassador 1800 ISZ model that uses the 'eco-friendly' compressed natural gas as fuel, with increase in levels of awareness among people regarding the