The Department of Homeland Security’s new attempt to build a mobile, virtual “fence” along the southern border is starting to show some of the same troubling characteristics of their last try. You know, the one that was canceled earlier this year after wasting a billion dollars.

According to a federal audit released last Friday, no one knows how much DHS’ new $1.5 billion fence plan, termed the Arizona Border Surveillance and Technology Plan, will eventually cost or whether it will even work at all. The report, produced by the Government Accountability Office, says DHS’ Customs and Border Pr...

The Telesar V Telexistance Robot Avatar delivers touch, audio and sight data to its operator. Image: Diginfo.TV

We’ve seen robotic stand-ins portrayed in movies like Avatar and Surrogates. Now, researchers are developing them in earnest. The Telesar V Robot Avatar is one such robot, potentially allowing you to experience a foreign or distant world without actually being there.

The Telesar V can deliver a remote experience straight to its operator, transmitting sight, sound and touch data using a series of sensors and a 3D head mounted display. The robot’s operator wears a 3D display helmet, w...