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Muddled motorists who forget where they have parked their cars will soon be able to call their vehicle for help. When the voice-activated device gets the call it will reveal the car’s location by sounding the horn or flashing the lights. The system, which is being developed by ATX of Irving, Texas, will also allow drivers to phone their car from bed on a cold morning and tell it to defrost the windows and start the heater.

The woodpecker’s extraordinary ability to peck holes in solid wood at high speed has provided the inspiration for a home-improvement tool. The electric hammer devised by a team at…

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