Tesla is suing former engineer Zhongjie “Jay” Li, accusing him of stealing trade secrets from its Optimus humanoid robot program and launching a rival startup, Proception Inc., just days after leaving the company. Tesla claims Li copied key designs, including advanced robotic hand technology, and used them to create a nearly identical product, the “ProHand.” The lawsuit seeks damages and an injunction to stop the … Continue reading Tesla accuses a former employee of stealing its Optimus robot tech

Kallar Lodge, a council-run care home in east London, is using technology like robot pets and Amazon Alexas to support its 43 dementia residents. As part of a new care tech initiative launched in 2023 with provider Alcove, the home has introduced robotic dogs and cats that reduce distress and encourage interaction, even among non-verbal residents. Digital translators have also helped non-English speakers communicate better, … Continue reading Robot pets help care home dementia patients

The U.S. population is aging rapidly, with the median age now 38.9 and adults over 65 expected to rise from 58 million to 82 million by 2050. Falls remain a leading cause of injury among seniors, prompting MIT engineers to develop E-BAR, a mobile robot designed to support elderly users and prevent falls at home. Unlike bulky wearables, E-BAR is a set of robotic handlebars … Continue reading New mobile robot helps seniors walk safely and prevent falls

A UK High Court judge warned that lawyers could face prosecution for using unverified AI-generated content in legal proceedings, after two recent cases involved fake citations. In one, a lawyer cited 18 nonexistent cases in a £90 million lawsuit; in another, five false cases were submitted in a housing claim. Justice Victoria Sharp called the incidents serious threats to public trust in the legal system … Continue reading UK judge warns of risk to justice after lawyers cited fake AI-generated cases in court

Palantir CEO Alex Karp warned that the U.S.-China AI arms race will end with one nation dominating, emphasizing the high stakes and dangers of AI. Karp argued the U.S. currently holds an edge, crediting corporate agility and innovation, and said Palantir is central to enhancing national security and efficiency. Amid strong stock gains—up 74% in 2025—he defended the company’s valuation and denied claims it surveils … Continue reading Palantir CEO Karp says AI is dangerous and ‘either we win or China will win’

A global shortage of 4.5 million nurses is projected by 2030, largely due to burnout. To address this, Taiwan’s hospitals are adopting AI and robotics to ease staff workloads. One key solution is Nurabot—a collaborative nursing robot developed by Foxconn and Kawasaki using Nvidia AI—which performs physically demanding tasks like delivering medications and guiding visitors. This allows nurses to focus on core patient care and … Continue reading AI robots help nurses beat burnout and transform hospital care

Researchers at Politecnico di Milano have developed a technique that uses light-sensitive molecules to control bacterial functions without genetic modification. Their EOS project enables bacteria to sense light and convert it into electrical signals that influence key processes like movement, biofilm formation, and antibiotic sensitivity. This method, called optomodulation, can affect how bacteria absorb antibiotics, potentially improving treatment against resistant strains. For example, exposure to … Continue reading Light-guided ‘bacterial robot’ system tackles antibiotic resistance

Russia is reportedly using a Chinese-made laser system to shoot down Ukrainian drones, according to pro-Russian Telegram channels. A video shared online shows a vehicle-mounted system that resembles China’s Shen Nung 3000/5000 anti-drone laser, also previously seen in Iran. Though unconfirmed, the system appears to be effective, with footage showing drones catching fire mid-air and wreckage displaying burn marks. Experts suggest it may be the … Continue reading Chinese Laser Weapon Is Claimed To Be In Russian Service

This week, Israel announced its military had intercepted about 40 drones in the ongoing Gaza conflict, using high-power laser systems—a first for combat. Most of the drones were Hezbollah UAVs from Israel’s northern border. The Israeli Air Force’s new tactical air defense battalion, under the IDF’s Northern Command, operated these systems. The Israeli Defense Ministry didn’t specify which systems were used, but images suggest Rafael’s … Continue reading Israel claims drone interceptions with high-power lasers

An internal OpenAI memo, revealed during the Justice Department’s antitrust case against Google, outlines plans to evolve ChatGPT into a personalized “super-assistant” by 2025. This assistant would deeply understand users, handle a wide range of tasks—from everyday chores to complex skills like coding—and serve as a central interface across multiple platforms. While ChatGPT’s current capabilities haven’t fully reached this vision, the document shows OpenAI aims … Continue reading Secret OpenAI Memo Describes Plans to Make Users Rely on “Entity”

Researchers at ETH Zurich’s Robotic Systems Lab have created a four-legged robot, named ANYmal-D, capable of playing badminton with humans. The robot, described in Science Robotics, uses a stereo camera, a dynamic arm, and a reinforcement-learning-based controller to track and hit a shuttlecock. The team also implemented a “perception noise model” to help the robot adapt to real-world play, TechXplore has reported. Testing showed that ANYmal-D … Continue reading Four-legged robot plays badminton with humans

LEVA is a new robot developed by ETH Zurich and Swiss universities that combines wheels and legs to navigate urban and rough terrain. Unlike most delivery robots, LEVA can load and unload heavy cargo—up to 187 pounds—without human help. It uses sensors, cameras, and GPS to maneuver sidewalks, stairs, and uneven surfaces. LEVA could revolutionize deliveries in cities, farms, construction sites, and emergencies, making them … Continue reading Delivery robot autonomously lifts, transports heavy cargo

At Springwood Library in Australia’s Blue Mountains, MetaCats—lifelike robotic therapy cats—delighted a group of children during a reading event. The MetaCats, designed to reduce stress and provide comfort, feature animated LED eyes, soft fur, and realistic movements. They interact with voice commands, respond to touch, and purr when loved. Introduced to local libraries to combat loneliness and support children’s mental health, the MetaCats are especially … Continue reading These robot cats have glowing eyes and artificial heartbeats

Hong Kong-based Cornerstone Robotics plans to raise over 500 million yuan ($70 million) later this year to expand sales and develop new surgical robot products. The firm, which competes with da Vinci Surgical Systems, has focused on domestic component sourcing to enhance supply chain resilience. Founded in 2019, Cornerstone’s surgical systems have been used in Hong Kong, mainland China, and the UK, with around 250 … Continue reading Hong Kong surgical robot start-up Cornerstone eyes funds to take on da Vinci

China hosted the world’s first humanoid robot fighting tournament, the CMG World Robot Competition – Mecha Fighting Series, in Hangzhou. Robots, including Unitree Robotics’ G1 model, showcased their combat abilities in matches featuring punches, kicks, and real-time human-controlled battles. The event demonstrated China’s advances in AI, robotics, and engineering, with experts noting its potential to drive innovation. A larger humanoid robot tournament is planned for … Continue reading Humanoid robots fight in Chinese kick-boxing competition

LimX Dynamics, a robotics company from Shenzhen, China, showcased its bipedal robot TRON1 at the ICRA conference in Atlanta. Resembling a Star Wars AT-ST walker, TRON1 is designed for research in mobile manipulation and humanoid AI. It recently won a 2025 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award for its multi-modal locomotion. The robot can be upgraded with a single robotic arm, NVIDIA computing modules, voice interaction features, and sensors like lidar … Continue reading TRON1 robot extends its reach with a new optional arm

China is set to launch the Jiu Tan, a new drone-carrying mothership capable of deploying 100 kamikaze drones simultaneously. Developed by Shaanxi Unmanned Equipment Technology, the aircraft has a 25-meter wingspan, 12-hour flight time, and 7,000 km range. It can carry six tons of equipment, including cruise and air-to-air missiles. Designed to evade radar and overwhelm defenses, it could play a major role in a China-Taiwan … Continue reading China to launch drone mothership

The ZEUS laser at the University of Michigan has achieved 2 petawatts of power—twice that of any other U.S. laser—during its first official experiment. The ultrashort pulse lasts only 25 quintillionths of a second but reaches over 100 times the global power output. ZEUS is a user facility open to researchers and has applications in medicine, security, materials science, and astrophysics. Scientists aim to generate … Continue reading The US has a new most-powerful laser

New research suggests vast underground hydrogen reservoirs in the Earth’s crust could provide clean energy to power the planet for 170,000 years. These natural hydrogen systems exist beneath continents, including in at least 30 U.S. states, and have built up over a billion years. Scientists have developed an “exploration recipe” to identify and extract these reservoirs safely and economically. Unlike current hydrogen production, which contributes … Continue reading Hidden source of clean energy could power Earth for 170,000 years

A major race is underway in brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), technology that lets people with paralysis control devices and prosthetics using their minds. Fewer than 100 people have permanent implants so far, but that number is expected to more than double within a year as companies like Neuralink, Paradromics, Synchron, and Precision Neuroscience advance clinical trials. Apple plans to enable implants to control iPhones soon. While … Continue reading Coming to a Brain Near You: A Tiny Computer

Tesla unveiled major upgrades to its Optimus humanoid robot, showing improved balance, movement, and dexterity through demo videos featuring complex tasks like ballet. Trained via simulation and tested at Tesla’s Texas Gigafactory, Optimus is expected to enter production in 2025 with 5,000 units, possibly scaling to 12,000. External sales could begin in 2026, priced between $25,000 and $30,000, Yahoo News has reported. Tesla faces competition … Continue reading Tesla Robot Demo Stuns Audience, Mass Production Set for 2025

Scientists in the Netherlands have developed a soft, air-powered machine that can walk, jump, and swim—without any electronics, AI, or software. Inspired by inflatable tube men, the robot uses continuous airflow and fluid dynamics to synchronize its tubular legs and move. It can adapt to various environments and even swim when placed in water, reaching speeds faster than most other air-powered machines, Mental Floss has … Continue reading Scientists Build Soft Robot Inspired By Inflatable, Dancing Tube Men

Countries met at the U.N. on Monday to revive stalled efforts to regulate AI-controlled autonomous weapons, which are increasingly used in modern conflicts like Ukraine and Gaza. Despite growing reliance on AI in warfare, there are still no binding international rules, and progress has been slow since talks began in 2014. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has set a 2026 deadline for creating clear regulations, but … Continue reading Nations meet at UN for ‘killer robot’ talks as regulation lags

Physicists at CERN have successfully turned lead into gold during high-speed collisions of lead nuclei in the Large Hadron Collider. The transformation, which briefly removes three protons from lead atoms to create gold, occurs in extremely rare instances and in minuscule, short-lived amounts—far too little for any practical use. The discovery, part of the ongoing “Alice” experiment since 2015, is detailed in Physical Review Journals, Swiss … Continue reading CERN scientists turn lead into gold

At a factory in Salem, Oregon, Agility Robotics is testing “Digit,” a humanlike robot designed to work in warehouses for companies like Amazon. Built to navigate spaces made for humans, Digit walks, lifts, and moves boxes, using blinking eyes and subtle motions to appear less startling to people. The robot stems from over $10 million in federally funded research at Oregon State University, but its … Continue reading Oregon facility builds and tests humanlike robot ‘Digit’