Argentine craftsman safeguards tea tradition
replenish his cup.
According to the National Institute of Yerba Mate, more than 250 million kilograms of the caffeine-rich tea were sold last year.
More than 90 percent of Argentine households consume yerba mate, with an average per capita consumption of 100 liters a year, compared with 30 for wine and 18 for mineral water, the INYM said.
Not surprisingly, whether at home or at work, you’ ll often see a cup being passed around among family, friends and co-workers.
“More than just a pretty object, the cup represents getting together,” said Vidal. “I try to make it beautiful, but not too beautiful, so people will use it and appreciate it.”
“The cup is a piece that sells a lot. It is a tradition here in Argentina, and it is a pretty thing — the combination of the gourd and the metal.”
People ... capture the fish by remotely operating the robot.” Colin Angle, executive chairman of iRobot Corp
“We basically drive the Guardian up to the fish, position it between two electrodes, apply a current and stun the fish, knocking it out,” said Angle.
“Then there is a motor at the back of the robot which creates a current into the robot and it sucks that fish into the robot.”
The device is still in its early stages of development. Its first prototype, which was unveiled earlier this week, can capture and hold about 10 fish before resurfacing.
Angle said he intends to make the robots affordable enough to entice fisherman to buy the machines in hopes that they will hunt the invasive species in greater numbers.
He also wants to turn lionfish hunting into an online sport.
“With advances in wireless technology, we can actually have an app where people pay to go hunt lionfish and capture the fish by remotely operating the robot,” he said, adding that, if robots can catch lionfish, a new market in which chefs can turn an environmental hazard into gourmet cuisine might emerge.