Pathfinder 1, an airship developed by Sergey Brin’s company LTA Research, achieved its first untethered flight in October 2024 at NASA’s Moffett Field in California. This marks a significant milestone in the revival of rigid airships, a design last used in the 1930s. Despite past disasters like the Hindenburg crash, LTA Research aims to safely mass-produce large airships using modern materials and technology, the BBC … Continue reading Pathfinder 1: The airship that could usher in a new age

MIT scientists are developing robotic insects that could revolutionize pollination by boosting crop yields without harming the environment. Previous designs lacked endurance, speed, and agility, but a new version detailed in Science Robotics on Jan. 15 flies 100 times longer, is lighter, and has improved wing flexibility. Unlike earlier eight-wing models, the new design features four single-wing units, enhancing lift and stability while allowing room for batteries, … Continue reading MIT builds swarms of tiny robotic insect drones that can fly 100 times longer than previous designs

Apple’s Beats brand launched the Powerbeats Pro 2, its first earbuds with built-in heart rate monitoring, set to release on Feb. 13 for $249. They feature improved audio, battery life, and redesigned ear hooks for a better fit. The heart rate sensors use LED optical technology and sync with fitness apps but won’t support Apple Fitness+ at launch. The earbuds include active noise canceling, transparency … Continue reading Apple’s new Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds get heart rate sensors, improved design

Hackers leaked over 8,500 files from Lexipol, a Texas-based company that provides policy manuals and training for first responders. The leaked data, shared with DDoSecrets, includes police, fire, and EMS policies, as well as customer records containing names, emails, and hashed passwords. Lexipol has faced criticism for its influence on policing, resistance to reform, and policies that allegedly enable racial profiling and excessive force. The … Continue reading Hackers leak cop manuals for departments nationwide

In eastern Ukraine, drones are playing a pivotal role in the ongoing conflict, compensating for Ukraine’s severe shortage of infantry. Outnumbered 5-to-1, Ukraine relies heavily on drones for surveillance and explosive attacks on Russian troops, with many frontline soldiers being older, inexperienced, or recently conscripted. While drones have slowed Russian advances, they cannot fully replace infantry. The Russian forces continue to push forward despite heavy … Continue reading It’s Russian Men Against Machines on Battlefields in Ukraine

The UK government has reportedly ordered Apple to create a backdoor to access encrypted iCloud backups, giving security officials worldwide access without notifying users. This secret order, based on the UK’s 2016 Investigatory Powers Act, demands blanket access to end-to-end encrypted files from all iCloud users, not just British ones. In response, Apple may stop offering its Advanced Data Protection service in the UK. However, … Continue reading Apple ordered to open encrypted user accounts globally to UK spying

Yum Brands is investing heavily in AI to achieve 100% digital sales across its brands. In its latest earnings report, the company revealed digital sales surpassed $9 billion, with digital transactions now making up over 50% of its total sales. This shift is powered by Byte by Yum!, a proprietary AI-driven platform that enhances operations across mobile apps, web ordering, point of sale, and more. … Continue reading Yum Bets Big On AI As It Attempts To Move To 100% Digital Sales

Researchers at Nvidia GEAR Lab and Carnegie Mellon University have developed a framework, ASAP (Aligning Simulation and Real Physics), that reduces the gap between simulated and real-world robot movements by 53%. The system trains robots in simulation and then uses a specialized model to adjust for real-world variations. In tests with the Unitree G1 humanoid robot, ASAP improved movement accuracy, enabling complex actions like jumps … Continue reading Nvidia researchers demonstrate significant progress in robot training

Google launched Gemini 2.0, its most advanced AI model suite, now available to the public after a prior release to developers and testers. The suite includes three models: 2.0 Flash for high-volume tasks, 2.0 Pro Experimental for coding, and 2.0 Flash-Lite, its most cost-effective model. Pricing starts at 10 cents per million tokens for Flash, with Flash-Lite priced at 0.75 cents. Google is investing heavily … Continue reading Google opens its most powerful AI models to everyone

The US Navy has released images of its new laser weapon, HELIOS, in action, shooting down a drone for the first time. HELIOS, developed by Lockheed Martin, was tested aboard the USS Preble, showcasing its powerful directed energy beam. The system delivers over 60 kilowatts of energy at the speed of light and can hit targets up to five miles away. It is designed to … Continue reading US Navy testing its new laser weapon that never runs out of power

Ground-based drones are becoming an influential part of the battlefield in Ukraine, alongside aerial and seaborne drones. Ukraine’s Minister for Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, revealed that 100 unmanned ground systems (UGS) drones have been tested for combat, with roles including medical evacuation, logistics, and assault missions. Despite challenges from Russian electronic warfare, advances in AI are improving their effectiveness. Germany’s ARX Robotics is delivering 30 … Continue reading Ukraine’s Robot Wars – Ground Drones Emerge From Shadows

Figure AI has secured its second major commercial partner, potentially paving the way to ship 100,000 humanoid robots over the next four years. While the customer’s identity is undisclosed, CEO Brett Adcock suggests it could be a major U.S. company with significant labor needs. This follows Figure AI’s first client, BMW, and marks a step toward mainstream adoption of humanoid robots in industries like manufacturing, … Continue reading US firm unveils plan for 100,000-strong humanoid robot army to counter China

China’s growing advancements in artificial intelligence and nuclear fusion have sparked concern among Western governments and investors. DeepSeek, an AI company, has quickly emerged as a competitor to U.S. dominance in the field, while satellite images of a large facility in Mianyang suggest the construction of a giant laser nuclear fusion research center. This facility may accelerate China’s push to surpass the West in fusion … Continue reading China ‘artificial sun’ fuels Western fears it has lost energy holy grail

L3Harris has upgraded its T7 robot with advanced electronic warfare (EW) capabilities, enhancing its battlefield effectiveness by detecting and disrupting enemy communications and radar from miles away. Successfully tested during a U.S. Army exercise, the T7 demonstrated its ability to neutralize small drones and operate remotely. The EW system, which can be turned on or off to minimize detection, allows the T7 to quickly reposition. … Continue reading US robot gets capability to jam signals and neutralize drones from miles away

Ambi Robotics has launched AmbiStack, an innovative robotic system designed to optimize the stacking of items onto pallets and into containers, improving space utilization and reducing shipping costs. Using advanced AI and vision systems, AmbiStack automates the repetitive tasks of stacking, increasing efficiency and accuracy in logistics. Built on the company’s PRIME-1 AI model, it learns from real-world data and improves over time. AmbiStack aims … Continue reading Warehouse robot uses AI to play real-life Tetris to handle more than ever before

EvolutionaryScale, an AI startup backed by Amazon and NVIDIA, is using large language models (LLMs) to generate new proteins, potentially advancing fields like medicine and evolutionary biology. Their third model, ESM3, successfully created a new green fluorescent protein (GFP) by simulating 500 million years of evolution. ESM3, which is open for use by the scientific community, is trained on 771 billion tokens from 3.15 billion … Continue reading Scientists Just Used AI to Simulate 500 Million Years of Evolution

The Vatican issued a new document on artificial intelligence (AI), warning that it could erode trust in society and make people “cogs in a machine.” Pope Francis, concerned about AI’s potential misuse to manipulate minds and spread misinformation, emphasized that AI-generated fake content could fuel polarization and conflict. The document also expressed concerns about AI being used to replace human workers, infringe on privacy, and … Continue reading Vatican Warns AI Could Undermine ‘Foundations Of Society’

Many of the mysterious drones spotted over New Jersey and the East Coast last year were authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for research and other purposes, according to the White House. The sightings sparked panic, including a temporary airport shutdown, fueled by misinformation. Some drones were also flown by hobbyists and private citizens. The White House clarified that the drones posed no national … Continue reading Mystery NJ drones were authorized by FAA, White House says

Knightscope, Inc. has been selected by AFWERX for a Phase I SBIR contract to enhance U.S. Air Force Installation Security. The company will research and assess security approaches, using its Autonomous Security Robots (ASRs) to improve safety for defense assets and personnel. Knightscope’s robots, equipped with machine learning and advanced sensors, aim to increase situational awareness and operational efficiency. This partnership signals the start of … Continue reading Knightscope Partners with U.S. Air Force on Autonomous Security Robots

UBTech Robotics, based in Shenzhen, plans to mass-produce its humanoid robots by the end of this year, targeting industrial applications due to the labor shortage in factories. The company aims to deliver 500 to 1,000 units of its Walker S Series robots, including models for car manufacturers, Foxconn, and SF Express. While UBTech’s long-term goal is to bring humanoid robots to homes, its current focus … Continue reading Chinese robot maker UBTech eyes mass production of industrial humanoids by year end

For two years, the belief that artificial intelligence (AI) would boost productivity has driven stock-market gains, with Nvidia, a leader in AI chip manufacturing, at the forefront. However, this optimism turned sour after the release of DeepSeek, a Chinese AI model that rivaled OpenAI’s offerings but required less computing power, potentially reducing demand for Nvidia’s high-end chips. This led to a massive drop in Nvidia’s … Continue reading DeepSeek Turned Tech and Wall Street Upside Down

Meta is expanding its smart glasses lineup, with plans to release a sportier model under the Oakley brand this year and a high-end model featuring a built-in display by 2025. Codenamed ‘Hypernova,’ the new glasses will be priced around $1,000 and are being developed with EssilorLuxottica, the maker of Ray-Ban and Oakley. Unlike current Ray-Ban Meta glasses, which lack a display, the Hypernova will feature … Continue reading Meta Reportedly Plans Smart Glasses with Display, Targeting 2025 Release

Disruptions to circadian rhythms, caused by modern living conditions like shift work and irregular schedules, are linked to rising mental health issues, including mood and anxiety disorders, which now affect nearly 20% of the global population. These disruptions occur when the body’s internal clocks misalign with behaviors like sleep-wake cycles. Research shows that such misalignments are associated with increased depressive symptoms, fueling interest in circadian … Continue reading New technology enables smartwatches to detect depression