Grubhub has partnered with startup Avride to pilot delivery robots on the streets of Jersey City, following the company’s earlier deployment of 100 Avride robots on college campuses across North America. At Ohio State University, Avride’s fleet completes over 6,000 orders weekly, demonstrating reliable autonomous delivery at scale. Navigating an urban environment presents new challenges, including mixed traffic, pedestrians, cyclists, narrow sidewalks, and construction, which … Continue reading Grubhub partners with Avride for the future of food delivery

Palo Alto-based robotics company 1X is preparing to launch its Neo humanoid robot next year, designed to assist with household chores and other tasks. Neo can move around the home, climb stairs, fetch items, answer questions, and autonomously handle chores while charging itself when needed. Users can schedule tasks via a companion app or give general commands, with “Expert Mode” allowing a human operator to … Continue reading 1X’s first robot housekeeper is available to pre-order in the US

Chinese scientists at Northwestern Polytechnical University have developed a lifelike bionic jellyfish robot capable of covert underwater missions. The 120mm, 56-gram robot mimics real jellyfish in appearance and movement using hydrogel electrodes and an electrostatic hydraulic actuator, operating silently with extremely low power. Equipped with a miniature camera and AI processing chip, it can identify specific underwater targets and track fish populations without disturbing the … Continue reading China unveils ‘ghost’ drone for stealth underwater surveillance

Beijing-based startup Noetix Robotics has launched Bumi, a compact humanoid robot priced at just ¥9,998 ($1,370), making consumer-grade humanoids more accessible. Standing 3.1 feet tall and weighing 26.5 pounds, Bumi is designed for education and home use rather than high-performance industrial tasks, yet it can walk, balance, and dance with impressive stability. The robot’s affordability comes from lightweight materials, an in-house motion control system, and … Continue reading China unveils ‘world’s cheapest’ humanoid robot

The U.S. Department of Energy is offering nuclear energy companies access to weapons-grade plutonium from Cold War-era warheads to convert into fuel for advanced reactors, aiming to reduce reliance on Russian uranium. Companies, including Oklo and France’s Newcleo, can apply for up to 19 megatonnes of plutonium, with selection potentially speeding up Nuclear Regulatory Commission approvals. This initiative supports small modular reactors, which require high-assay … Continue reading USA offers nuke energy companies access to weapons-grade plutonium

Nearly 50 small fighting robots, each weighing 1.5kg or less, competed at the UK championships in Bristol, hosted by the Bristol Bot Builders to promote STEM education. The event featured intense battles, with robots using spinning discs and other mechanisms to disable opponents, attracting around 300 spectators. Organizers emphasized that participants come from all walks of life, using the competitions to learn about science and … Continue reading Pint-sized robots battle in UK Championship series

Hundreds of people attended the latest Silicon Colosseum event, an underground robot fight club in San Francisco’s SoMa neighborhood, where mechanical competitors battled inside a caged octagon. Tickets sold out at $30 each after an online invitation went out to about 2,000 people, drawing a crowd eager to watch robots — and even some staged human “Taser knife fights” — compete. The star of the … Continue reading San Francisco basement is home to underground robot fight club

Discord has identified about 70,000 users whose government ID photos may have been exposed in a customer service data breach, spokesperson Nu Wexler told The Verge. The incident involved a third-party vendor, not Discord’s own systems, and came after claims on social media that 2.1 million photos were compromised. Discord says these numbers are exaggerated as part of an extortion attempt. All affected users have … Continue reading Discord says 70,000 users may have had their government IDs leaked in breach

Chinese researchers at Peking University are developing and testing robotic dogs to explore lunar lava tubes, which are considered ideal sites for future human bases due to stable temperatures and radiation protection. The robots were trialed in a cave near Jingbo Lake in northeastern China, a site chosen for its geological similarity to the moon’s underground terrain. One robot, inspired by anteaters, uses a flexible … Continue reading China deploys robot dogs in simulated moon conditions ahead of lunar mission

DoorDash unveiled “Dot,” a delivery robot designed to navigate streets, sidewalks, and parking lots to bring food to customers. Capable of carrying up to 30 pounds at speeds of 20 mph, Dot uses eight cameras and three lidar sensors for navigation and an internal camera to monitor food quality. Currently tested in Phoenix, the robot is part of DoorDash’s push into autonomous delivery alongside drone … Continue reading DoorDash launches delivery robot in latest push into autonomous technology

Scientists at Oregon Health & Science University have used cloning techniques to create human eggs from skin cells and donor eggs, offering a potential new path to parenthood for infertile women and same-sex couples. The process involves transferring DNA from adult cells into donor eggs and triggering a novel type of cell division, producing eggs that can be fertilised. While early results show limited success, … Continue reading Scientists use cloning technology to swap DNA in human eggs

A team of Chinese army scientists led by Xu Xiaohui simulated what happens when three nuclear-style blasts strike the same spot in quick succession, using a vacuum-chamber rig to mimic rapid pressure pulses without real nukes. Modeled on the U.S. 1965 Palanquin test, their triple-pulse setup (blasts ~0.8 milliseconds apart) increased crater radius from 46 m to 114 m and depth from 28 m to … Continue reading Chinese Scientists Simulate First ‘Triple-Nuke-Strike’ in Lab

Nemours Children’s Hospital is using a first-of-its-kind medical robot to assist in spinal surgeries, making procedures faster, more precise, and aiding quicker patient recovery. The robot, the first of its kind on the East Coast, helps surgeons accurately place rods and screws in the spine, avoiding vital structures. Sixteen-year-old Rhiannon Groff, who had scoliosis, said she’s now pain-free two months after surgery and able to … Continue reading First-of-its-kind medical robot is helping doctors perform spinal surgeries 

Microsoft has disabled the Israeli Defense Ministry’s access to certain services after finding evidence it used the company’s Azure cloud platform to surveil Gaza citizens. The move follows an internal investigation triggered by a Guardian report that Israel stored and monitored data on millions of Palestinian mobile phone calls. Microsoft determined the ministry violated its terms of service by using cloud tools for surveillance, and … Continue reading Microsoft Disables Some Cloud Services Used by Israel’s Defense Ministry

Two scientists, Eliezer Yudkowsky and Nate Soares, warn that artificial intelligence (AI) could ultimately lead to human extinction if left unchecked. Running the Machine Intelligence Research Institute in Berkeley, they have studied AI for 25 years and fear that superintelligent machines could surpass human thought at unprecedented speeds. Their book If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies argues that AI, programmed to achieve goals relentlessly, could develop its … Continue reading Scientists warn governments must bomb AI labs to prevent the end of the world

Billionaire Peter Thiel, co-founder of Palantir and PayPal, reportedly warned that regulating artificial intelligence could accelerate the rise of the Antichrist during a lecture in San Francisco. Thiel suggested that fearing or restricting technological progress risks empowering evil, according to attendees cited by the Wall Street Journal. The lecture series, organized by the Acts 17 Collective, explores biblical themes and technology, including Thiel’s view that … Continue reading Regulating AI hastens the Antichrist, says Peter Thiel

Chinese electric vehicle maker Yangwang has set a new production car speed record with its U9 Xtreme (U9X), reaching 308.4 mph (496.22 km/h) at the ATP Papenburg testing facility. Driven by German racer Marc Basseng, the U9X surpasses the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+’s 304.8 mph record from 2019. The EV produces 2,977 hp from four individual-wheel motors and features the world’s first 1,200-volt architecture, … Continue reading New fastest car on the planet beats Bugatti to record speeds of 308.4 mph

Major League Baseball will introduce a robot umpire challenge system for balls and strikes in the 2026 season, following years of testing in the minors, spring training, and the All-Star Game. Teams will receive two challenges per game, triggered by hitters, pitchers, or catchers tapping their heads, with successful challenges displayed on in-stadium videoboards. The automated ball-strike (ABS) system uses 12 cameras per ballpark, tracking … Continue reading MLB approves robot umpires for 2026

West Berkshire Council has launched a trial using robotic pets to help reduce loneliness in care home residents, including those with dementia or learning disabilities. The android companions have realistic fur and sensors that respond to touch and motion, mimicking real animals. The trial will evaluate their impact on residents in three local care homes. Care home operator Barchester Healthcare said the robots provide predictable, … Continue reading Robot pet trial to target loneliness in care homes

Australia is reviewing its telecommunications sector after Optus failed to connect 624 emergency calls last week, linked to four deaths. The outage affected calls to “0-0-0,” Australia’s emergency number. Optus CEO Stephen Rue apologized, citing lapses in established processes. Communications Minister Anika Wells said the industry watchdog is investigating, and there will be consequences for Optus and other telecoms. Optus and Telstra have previously faced … Continue reading Australia to overhaul comms after Optus emergency call failure linked to 4 deaths

Lockheed Martin’s secretive Skunk Works division unveiled its new drone wingman, Vectis, designed for surveillance, electronic warfare, precision strikes, and aerial combat. The aircraft, smaller than an F-16 but larger than the Common Multi-Mission Truck missile, is stealthy, reusable, runway-dependent, and compatible with other aircraft like the F-22 and F-35. Skunk Works emphasized that Vectis was developed over time, building on decades of experience with … Continue reading Lockheed’s Skunk Works unveils Vectis, a stealthy drone

Several major European airports, including London’s Heathrow, Berlin, and Brussels, faced disruptions on Saturday after a cyberattack targeted Collins Aerospace, the provider of check-in and boarding systems. The hack caused long queues, flight cancellations, and delays, though operations were largely returning to normal by Sunday. RTX, Collins Aerospace’s parent company, described the incident as a “cyber-related disruption” affecting its MUSE software used by airlines. Airports … Continue reading European airports race to fix check-in glitch after hacking disruption

X Square Robot has unveiled Quanta X2, a versatile robotic butler capable of cleaning, serving, and performing complex tasks, alongside Wall-OSS, an open-source AI model for adaptable, real-world robotics. Quanta X2 stands 5’8” tall, weighs 210 pounds, and features 62 degrees of freedom, a seven-degree-of-freedom arm, and dexterous hands for precise, lifelike movements. It can clean with modular tools, grip objects, and even express emotions … Continue reading The new robot that could make chores a thing of the past

A TikTok video went viral showing an autonomous Serve Robotics food delivery cart briefly blocking a Los Angeles fire truck at a Hollywood intersection. The robot stopped in the crosswalk despite the truck’s lights and sirens. Serve Robotics acknowledged the incident, saying standard safety procedures weren’t followed and that they are coordinating with the LAFD, KTLA has reported. The cart was eventually moved, allowing the … Continue reading Robot delivery cart blocks fire truck in Hollywood intersection

A suspect in Sun City West opened fire on Maricopa County SWAT deputies and a robot during a standoff on Sept. 16. Deputies responded to a shots-fired call near 134th Avenue and Copperstone Drive and identified the house from which the shots were coming. SWAT established a perimeter, at which point the suspect fired at both the officers and the robot. Before the team entered … Continue reading Suspect shoots at SWAT robot in Sun City West