0:00:00 > 0:00:02Coming up next it's time for Click.
0:00:05 > 0:00:12This week, big sun, big rain - and massive robots!
0:00:38 > 0:00:43It's a huge ball of energy just waiting to be tapped.
0:00:43 > 0:00:48Banks of solar cells are springing up all over the place,
0:00:48 > 0:00:51absorbing the sunlight and turning it into electricity.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53I've come to Oxford University to meet Professor Henry Snaith,
0:00:53 > 0:00:59who's trying to squeeze more and more energy out of the sun.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02Current technology based on silicon is fundamentally limited in terms
0:01:02 > 0:01:03of the efficiency it can deliver.
0:01:03 > 0:01:08Silicon can only absorb a fixed band of light,
0:01:08 > 0:01:11a fixed spectrum of light - it absorbs all the visible
0:01:11 > 0:01:14and the infrared light and then converts that into electricity.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16They've been developed for about the last 60 years,
0:01:16 > 0:01:21and the maximum efficiency is about 25%.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24The trick is to use different materials, alongside silicon,
0:01:24 > 0:01:28to absorb more of the sun's energy.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31Henry's team are investing ways of coating the silicon cells
0:01:31 > 0:01:34with a crystalline structure called perovskite, which can convert more
0:01:34 > 0:01:36energy from different wavelengths of light and can generate
0:01:36 > 0:01:40electricity at a surprisingly high voltage.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43At the moment, we're right on the cusp in most places,
0:01:43 > 0:01:47or lots of places in the world, where we can produce electricity
0:01:47 > 0:01:49from solar cells as cheaply as we can from coal.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52So if we now increase the efficiency, it will become
0:01:52 > 0:01:54cheaper and cheaper and cheaper to produce electricity
0:01:54 > 0:01:55from solar cells.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58Solar energy could deliver the sort of transformative change in society
0:01:58 > 0:02:02as we saw at the turn of the 20th century with the discovery
0:02:02 > 0:02:04of liquid fuels.
0:02:04 > 0:02:08Henry and his team are still near the beginning of that journey.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11His perovskite-coated solar cells are still climbing
0:02:11 > 0:02:14towards an efficiency of 25%, which will match the current
0:02:14 > 0:02:18best silicon-only cells.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21It doesn't sound like much, but efficiency in the high 20%s is
0:02:21 > 0:02:23a big deal for the solar industry.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26And it doesn't end there.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29There is a group of young researchers in Switzerland
0:02:29 > 0:02:35who are pushing solar technology even further.
0:02:35 > 0:02:37And Dan Simmons has been to meet them.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40The modern-day magnificent seven.
0:02:40 > 0:02:41Maybe.
0:02:41 > 0:02:46These guys want to change the world by shaping light.
0:02:46 > 0:02:50You see, their plan is to make a solar panel that doesn't just
0:02:50 > 0:02:53offer a tiny bit more energy than the last one -
0:02:53 > 0:02:56that's been happening for decades - but one that can deliver a seismic
0:02:56 > 0:02:59leap and push out almost twice the energy of
0:02:59 > 0:03:04standard rooftop panels.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07The trick is not about coming up with better photovoltaic materials -
0:03:07 > 0:03:08they exist already.
0:03:08 > 0:03:13They're focusing on the light itself.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16So we are using a lens which is basically a magnifying
0:03:16 > 0:03:20glass, but with a very particular shape, so that we can track the sun
0:03:20 > 0:03:29throughout the day with minuscule displacements, so the stroke of it.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32We are just moving laterally by a couple of millimetres per day,
0:03:32 > 0:03:36so it's a very slow movement, and it doesn't consume any energy,
0:03:36 > 0:03:44or very little energy.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47Now, the guys have set this up moving a little bit quicker
0:03:47 > 0:03:48than it normally would.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52In fact, the whole panel would move about one centimetre in a day,
0:03:52 > 0:03:53tracking the sun across the sky.
0:03:53 > 0:03:57And to do that, it would use less than 1% of the actual
0:03:57 > 0:03:58energy it produces.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00The other advantage of this system is, because the movement
0:04:00 > 0:04:04is so small, it can be housed in a normal solar-panel frame,
0:04:04 > 0:04:07so you can put it up on rooftops with minimal maintenance.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09Which is kind of unusual for a tracking solar-panel system.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12The first independent lab test earlier this month measured
0:04:12 > 0:04:15an efficiency rating that would be off the charts for residential solar
0:04:15 > 0:04:17panels - over 36%.
0:04:17 > 0:04:22We realised that this might be the most efficient flat panel
0:04:22 > 0:04:26in the world, and we realised the importance of keeping,
0:04:26 > 0:04:30managing to reproduce these mini modules at wide scale.
0:04:30 > 0:04:37That is what we need to do now.
0:04:37 > 0:04:41If it works the way it works in prototype, it's a great product,
0:04:41 > 0:04:44so it's really scaling up, that is not so easy to do,
0:04:44 > 0:04:47but that is what we'll focus on for the next few months.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50As well as the optics, the other trick these guys
0:04:50 > 0:04:53are using is to make use of the most expensive and efficient
0:04:53 > 0:04:54photovoltaics in the world.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57Satellites get their power from the sun, and these panels cost
0:04:57 > 0:04:59around $30,000 per square metre.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01That is far too expensive to use down here.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03It would take decades to get your money back.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06But because the system concentrates the incoming light,
0:05:06 > 0:05:10just look at how big an area now needs to be covered.
0:05:10 > 0:05:16It's just those seven tiny black dots on this panel.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20With world-class materials and low-cost maintenance,
0:05:20 > 0:05:25the guys are aiming for the system to pay for itself
0:05:25 > 0:05:26inside of five years.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28So what's not to like?
0:05:28 > 0:05:32I asked a solar expert who's been in the industry for over 20 years.
0:05:32 > 0:05:36Many pundits are saying that even with the kind of incremental
0:05:36 > 0:05:40increases in efficiency that we've in recent years, solar
0:05:40 > 0:05:44is heading for a place in the mainstream of global energy,
0:05:44 > 0:05:47even as a backbone of global energy, possibly, you know, in as short
0:05:47 > 0:05:53a period as a couple of decades from now.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56When you have moving parts, you have a large number of other
0:05:56 > 0:05:58things that could go wrong.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02I very much hope that they solve it and come up with the first
0:06:02 > 0:06:04concentrator, moving concentrator, and do deliver this step function,
0:06:04 > 0:06:07because that would be very much the icing on the cake.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11It seems the solar revolution is coming.
0:06:11 > 0:06:15Battery and panel prices have been tumbling, while consumers
0:06:15 > 0:06:18are warming to electric vehicles that could be used
0:06:18 > 0:06:20to store the energy.
0:06:20 > 0:06:28Fossil fuels could finally be facing extinction, and this focus -
0:06:28 > 0:06:31from the Magnificent Seven - could serve to speed that up.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37Hello and welcome to the week in tech.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40It was the week that BlackBerry announced they would no longer
0:06:40 > 0:06:41make their own phones.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44The one-time market leader has struggled to keep pace
0:06:44 > 0:06:47with the serious sales of Apple and Samsung handsets.
0:06:47 > 0:06:52A spoof video got people doing something seriously daft.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55Drilling into your iPhone 7 will not bring back the old headphones jack.
0:06:55 > 0:07:00And Amazon, Google, Facebook, IBM and Microsoft announced
0:07:00 > 0:07:04they will collaborate to create some serious artificial intelligence.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08The Partnership on AI hopes to create the best ways of dealing
0:07:08 > 0:07:10with issues like privacy, transparency, and how man
0:07:10 > 0:07:13and machine work together.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16In other news, US Girl Scouts can earn a new badge
0:07:16 > 0:07:19for developing video games.
0:07:19 > 0:07:20Brownies' honour!
0:07:20 > 0:07:22Is that how you do it?
0:07:22 > 0:07:26Women in Games International have teamed up with the Girl Scouts
0:07:26 > 0:07:28of Los Angeles to hold sessions at PlayStation's
0:07:28 > 0:07:30Santa Monica Studio.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33It'll teach them how to develop their video-gaming
0:07:33 > 0:07:36talents in the hope more girls will seek opportunities
0:07:36 > 0:07:38in the industry.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41And, finally, you can't teach an old robot new tricks.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45Hang on, that doesn't sound right.
0:07:45 > 0:07:50Pepper the robot has been learning to catch a ball in a cup.
0:07:50 > 0:07:56It may have taken a while, but after 100 tries it achieved
0:07:56 > 0:07:57a 100% success rate.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00It is hoped that the principles applied here could be
0:08:00 > 0:08:02used to teach other agility-type motions.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04Cocktail waiters and netball players beware!
0:08:04 > 0:08:13The distant future!
0:08:13 > 0:08:21A devastating war leaves machines ruling the world.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24One man stands against the technological tyranny
0:08:24 > 0:08:31of the planet's robot overlords.
0:08:31 > 0:08:37He's ready to bash those bots and destroy the droids.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40This might be a bit easier than I expected.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43Marc Cieslak, on the other hand, might have a bigger bit of bother
0:08:44 > 0:08:46with a burly bot in America.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00Televised robotic combat usually requires small,
0:09:00 > 0:09:03remotely controlled robots which are fitted with tools
0:09:03 > 0:09:06and things that you might find in your garden shed being used
0:09:06 > 0:09:09as offensive weapons.
0:09:09 > 0:09:15Well, I've come to a workshop just outside San Francisco to meet a team
0:09:15 > 0:09:18of engineers who are planning a robotic rumble on a much,
0:09:18 > 0:09:20much grander scale.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23Say hello to the MegaBot Mark II.
0:09:28 > 0:09:32It stands 15 feet tall and weighs nearly six tonnes.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36It moves around on five tracks on the front of it.
0:09:36 > 0:09:41It's not particularly nimble, but it doesn't need to be,
0:09:41 > 0:09:43because when this robot engages in combat, it makes use
0:09:43 > 0:09:46of a giant paintball cannon.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50MegaBots was founded in 2014 by engineers
0:09:50 > 0:09:55Gui Cavalcanti and Matt Oehrlein.
0:09:55 > 0:10:01So how long was the design process for this fella?
0:10:04 > 0:10:07Realistically, it got put together over the course of maybe a year.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10Lots of the components on this robot are taken from the construction
0:10:10 > 0:10:12industry, parts that you would normally see
0:10:12 > 0:10:17on an excavator or skid-steer.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20So in terms of what it can do, the fact that it's got
0:10:20 > 0:10:23these weapons on it, all that type of stuff -
0:10:23 > 0:10:26did you figure that out before you started building it?
0:10:26 > 0:10:29The pneumatic weapons were always part of the original plan.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31This is a six-inch diameter paint cannonball cannon.
0:10:31 > 0:10:35It shoots 3lb paint cannonballs at speeds of over 130 mph.
0:10:35 > 0:10:39This is a 20 pack, we call it a missile launcher,
0:10:39 > 0:10:41but essentially it's 20 smaller pneumatic cannons stacked
0:10:41 > 0:10:43next to each other.
0:10:43 > 0:10:52So, originally, these shot foam missiles.
0:10:52 > 0:10:52Enough talk!
0:10:52 > 0:10:58Time for a robotic test-drive.
0:10:58 > 0:11:04Now, as I don't have my giant fighting robot licence,
0:11:04 > 0:11:08I'm sitting in the gunner's position while Matt is doing all the heavy
0:11:08 > 0:11:11lifting actually driving the robot around.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15But don't worry, I'll have something to do in just a minute.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18You see, I'd quite like to use a vehicle like this
0:11:18 > 0:11:21on the commute in London.
0:11:21 > 0:11:27I've got a feeling that black cabs would react very differently
0:11:27 > 0:11:31when they look in the rear view mirror and saw this behind them.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34Normally, the cannon fires specially made giant paintballs.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37However, it should be just as adept at firing fruit -
0:11:37 > 0:11:38in this case, a watermelon.
0:11:38 > 0:11:39Here we go.
0:11:39 > 0:11:43Oh, my God!
0:11:43 > 0:11:46Unfortunately, our chosen fruit isn't tough enough to hit our
0:11:46 > 0:11:50target, vaporising in midair.
0:11:50 > 0:11:54We've reloaded, and it's time for shot number two.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57Oh-ho!
0:11:57 > 0:12:01That is how you absolutely decimate a cantaloupe.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05OK, Matt, let's inspect our handiwork.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08Wow, we've got damage two layers back even.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11Wow. That was extremely powerful.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14It's pretty impressive for a piece of fruit.
0:12:14 > 0:12:18Cantaloupe carnage, ladies and gentlemen!
0:12:19 > 0:12:23The long-term vision of MegaBots is to have eight, ten robots
0:12:23 > 0:12:28drive into a stadium and, you know, attack each other.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30It's kind of like a monster-truck rally.
0:12:30 > 0:12:32Yeah.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36The problem for this league idea, though, is that giant fighting
0:12:36 > 0:12:38robots aren't exactly commonplace.
0:12:39 > 0:12:43So there was one other piloted robot in the world that we knew of,
0:12:43 > 0:12:46the Kuratas robot in Japan, but they said, "If we do this fight,
0:12:46 > 0:12:52we want it to be more than just air cannons - we want melee combat."
0:12:52 > 0:12:55"So we'll fight you, but it's got to be hand to hand
0:12:55 > 0:12:56in the battle."
0:12:56 > 0:12:59And so now we are creating a new robot that has melee-weapon
0:12:59 > 0:13:08capability to be able to have this fight.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11You're going to be going toe-to-toe and slugging it out.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14Isn't that quite a bit more dangerous than just shooting things
0:13:14 > 0:13:15with a giant air cannon?
0:13:15 > 0:13:17In the ideal situation, the pilot remains protected,
0:13:17 > 0:13:22but all of the rest of the robot can be attacked and torn off and get
0:13:22 > 0:13:23crumpled up and destroyed.
0:13:23 > 0:13:29The pilots remain relatively safe.
0:13:29 > 0:13:31MegaBots' next robot is being kept under wraps for now,
0:13:31 > 0:13:36while it's being built.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40However, they still need to find a venue to host their robotic
0:13:40 > 0:13:41rumble with the Japanese.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44They're hoping this giant-bot boxing bout will take place next year.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47Smart clothes and accessories are coming in from the cold,
0:13:47 > 0:13:49moving from geeky to good-looking, so I've been testing
0:13:49 > 0:14:12a few of the latest to check it's not just style over substance.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15It's getting a bit chilly, so I was quite pleased to receive
0:14:15 > 0:14:19this prototype, and it's quite smart.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22In fact, its makers call it a smart coat, which could be
0:14:22 > 0:14:24slightly over-egging it, but it does warm up,
0:14:24 > 0:14:32and the finished product will also be able to charge your mobile phone.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35Coats that heat up are far from new, but this brings them
0:14:35 > 0:14:37to the high-end fashion market.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40It uses a type of infrared that claims, instead of simply heating
0:14:40 > 0:14:44the skin, to be absorbed by the body to help relax muscles and increase
0:14:44 > 0:14:46blood flow, as well as keep you snug.
0:14:46 > 0:14:52So am I walking around in more than just a luxury electric blanket?
0:14:52 > 0:14:55The biggest concentration of the polymer is on the kidneys,
0:14:55 > 0:15:03because that's where all your circulation runs through,
0:15:03 > 0:15:06and once your kidneys are warmed up, all your blood warms up,
0:15:06 > 0:15:09your circulation warms up, and it makes you feel warm all over.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12But then we have two other parts at the front, smaller parts,
0:15:12 > 0:15:16which give you the feeling of, you know, getting this warm hug
0:15:16 > 0:15:18and having the warmth all around.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20This technology wasn't created to make you feel,
0:15:20 > 0:15:22you know, boiling hot.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25With this, the idea is that you can regulate it depending
0:15:25 > 0:15:29what the weather is, so if you are in the Tube and it
0:15:29 > 0:15:31gets warm, you can just switch it off.
0:15:31 > 0:15:41Whilst it felt luxurious and cosy to wear, seeing as I wasn't
0:15:41 > 0:15:43overheating with it on full on a mild September day,
0:15:43 > 0:15:47I'm just not convinced the actual coat is as thick as I
0:15:47 > 0:15:48would like it to be.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52Thank you.
0:15:52 > 0:15:53Oh, four buzzes!
0:15:53 > 0:15:55That will be a phone call.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58This smart ring is part of a range of jewellery offering
0:15:58 > 0:16:00customised smartphone alerts.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04You select what alerts you would like by going into
0:16:04 > 0:16:06the app, choosing notifications, and then selecting the categories
0:16:06 > 0:16:10that you want to know about.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13So it could be to tell you that your taxi's arrived,
0:16:13 > 0:16:16get a phone call, a calendar alert, and then once you've chosen,
0:16:16 > 0:16:19you select the number of buzzes that represent each thing.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22This colour may not have been to my taste, but there are others.
0:16:22 > 0:16:27The bracelets track activity too, and I actually rather
0:16:27 > 0:16:29enjoyed its functionality, particularly as you could subtly
0:16:29 > 0:16:35wait for a phone call.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39And if you'd like to be subtly smart, then here is the latest way
0:16:39 > 0:16:41of turning a regular watch into a smartwatch.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44It's not the first we've seen on Click, but this strap aims
0:16:44 > 0:16:48to provide notifications, activity tracking, heart-rate
0:16:48 > 0:16:51monitoring and be waterproof, which is obviously only any use
0:16:51 > 0:16:52if your watch is too.
0:16:52 > 0:16:56Sadly, this prototype isn't fully functional,
0:16:56 > 0:16:58so I couldn't test its show-stopping feature of directional push
0:16:58 > 0:17:00navigation, where vibrations in the corresponding corner
0:17:00 > 0:17:08of the device aim to point you in the right direction.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11Its claimed seven-day battery life and traditional style might sway
0:17:11 > 0:17:15some put off the current crop of smart watches.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18And after Apple scrapped the standard headphone socket
0:17:18 > 0:17:24on its iPhone, Bluetooth headphones may be the future.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27If you've decided that's so, then you won't want them
0:17:27 > 0:17:28to cramp your style.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31There's more to this rather chunky bracelet than meets the eye.
0:17:31 > 0:17:35Inside are a pair of Bluetooth earbuds.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38Taking them in and out of the bracelet was pretty slick,
0:17:38 > 0:17:42and the sound quality was good, but they didn't stay in my ears
0:17:42 > 0:17:46as easily as the sportier buds I usually wear.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49And when it comes to style, well, when you're wearing them,
0:17:49 > 0:17:52the bracelet is left with a bit of a funny gap.
0:17:52 > 0:17:56So, while some of the prototypes may still need perfecting,
0:17:56 > 0:17:59the appetite for functional fashion is growing, so the stakes -
0:17:59 > 0:18:02and not just the price tags - may be high.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12Great stuff!
0:18:12 > 0:18:20Now, after all that sunshine earlier on, we now bring you a bit of rain -
0:18:20 > 0:18:23and not measly British rain either, we're talking hardcore Indian rain.
0:18:23 > 0:18:25Here comes David Reid.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28It's the end of India's monsoon season.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31In the four months between June and late September, the country
0:18:31 > 0:18:37receives 80% of its annual rainfall.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40But if you think the monsoon is a relentless deluge
0:18:40 > 0:18:43everywhere, think again.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46For farmers in Andhra Pradesh on India's south-east coast,
0:18:46 > 0:18:56the rains can be unreliable and cause a lot of problems.
0:18:56 > 0:19:00Farmers need to know when and how much rain is coming to decide
0:19:00 > 0:19:02when to sow and how to treat their crops.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05Scientists want to help them out but can only garner very
0:19:05 > 0:19:07little from staring at Andhra Pradesh's fleecy skies.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10For researchers hunting for clues as to how to better
0:19:10 > 0:19:11predict the monsoons, they're finding answers
0:19:11 > 0:19:15in the middle of the sea, in the Bay of Bengal.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22This summer, an Indian-led team of 24 international researchers
0:19:22 > 0:19:24took to the high seas.
0:19:24 > 0:19:32The scientists believe that the key to unlocking the mystery
0:19:32 > 0:19:33of the monsoon lay offshore.
0:19:33 > 0:19:37All the clouds that brings rain to the land over India actually
0:19:37 > 0:19:38originate in the ocean.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41It's the ocean that is the engine which provides the water
0:19:41 > 0:19:45for all these clouds.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47The power of that engine depends on the temperature
0:19:47 > 0:19:48at the sea's surface.
0:19:48 > 0:19:52Where it's warm, the monsoon is strong - where cold, much weaker.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56Large cumbersome instruments permit researchers only to study the waters
0:19:56 > 0:19:58in the vicinity of the ship, but this seaglider, brought
0:19:58 > 0:20:01to the operation by British researchers on the team,
0:20:01 > 0:20:04can take measurements all over the bay of Bengal, sending
0:20:04 > 0:20:14results back to base instantaneously via satellite.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17When we deploy gliders, we can get simultaneous measurements
0:20:17 > 0:20:24over a set of locations within the same span of one month.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27Likewise, how energy from the land drives the monsoon is measured
0:20:27 > 0:20:30by towers like this one of the Indian Institute
0:20:30 > 0:20:31of Science in Bangalore.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34Others are dotted in arid, semiarid and wet locations around India.
0:20:34 > 0:20:43The objective of this experiment is to understand the basic
0:20:43 > 0:20:47physics of the monsoon.
0:20:47 > 0:20:53Right now, we are making certain assumptions, saying that this
0:20:53 > 0:20:55is the way that atmosphere and the land, they interact,
0:20:55 > 0:20:58but if that assumption is not right, then obviously water
0:20:58 > 0:21:00will not be held properly.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03Real-time data and climate models demand processing power.
0:21:03 > 0:21:09India's Meteorological Department has found statistics better
0:21:09 > 0:21:12for long-term and local predictions, but next year will start running
0:21:12 > 0:21:13models on a supercomputer.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16This is partly because climate change has added another layer
0:21:16 > 0:21:20of complexity to their calculations.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25Any forecast can never be perfect.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29When the climate is changing, the relationship which
0:21:29 > 0:21:32the meteorologists have understood so far are also on the change,
0:21:32 > 0:21:35and therefore we need to invest a lot of money
0:21:35 > 0:21:43on research and development.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45Back in Andhra Pradesh, farmers are getting some guidance,
0:21:45 > 0:21:48partly thanks to the new data, but also because of a new
0:21:48 > 0:21:51crop-sowing app developed by Microsoft and the India-based
0:21:51 > 0:21:59crop-research organisation Incrisat.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01The app gives farmers a heads-up on what's predicted
0:22:01 > 0:22:07for their locality and then drops in advice on how to react.
0:22:07 > 0:22:11If the crop is sown at the proper time, almost half the battle is won.
0:22:11 > 0:22:15Using the sowing app, what we are trying to do is to send
0:22:15 > 0:22:17advisers to the farmers, then they can start the land
0:22:17 > 0:22:19preparation, sowing, and run various management practices
0:22:19 > 0:22:24based on the weather.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27Sowing on the right day can increase crop yields considerably.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29That means more money for small-scale farmers and more
0:22:29 > 0:22:33crops to feed India.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35Accurate forecasting helps farmers anticipate monsoon's capricious mood
0:22:35 > 0:22:37and make the most of their hard work.
0:22:37 > 0:22:47That was David Reid, and that's it for this week.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50Next week, we have something very special for you,
0:22:50 > 0:22:56because we are off to Japan.
0:22:59 > 0:23:05Come with us on a technological voyage of wonder and beauty.
0:23:06 > 0:23:11We'll find out whether Japan's alternative approach
0:23:11 > 0:23:14to autonomous cars might get them into the fast lane faster.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17And we'll meet the people who will stop at nothing
0:23:17 > 0:23:27in their quest for sonic perfection.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29It's going to be brilliant, I promise you.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31You can follow our exploits, as usual, on Twitter @BBCClick.
0:23:31 > 0:23:32You can follow our exploits, as usual, on Twitter @BBCClick.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34Thanks for watching, and we'll see you there.
0:23:58 > 0:23:58Hello.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01Friday's mixed bag of weather offered our Weather Watchers
0:24:01 > 0:24:04a number of opportunities to get out and capture all the faces
0:24:04 > 0:24:06of late autumn.
0:24:06 > 0:24:14Some glorious scenes, there's no doubt about it.