Showing 532 results
Robot dogs are hiking the Alps and preparing for space
A robot dog reached the summit of an Alps trail more quickly than the average human — and the mechanical K9s are just getting started.
Pantheon creator Craig Silverstein on uploading our brains to the internet
How the cult hit sci-fi show imagines a “techno-realist” future.
5 mistakes most startups make when raising capital
In partnership with Million Stories
Blindly approaching investors without having a strategy is a rookie mistake.
In the turbulent Drake Passage, scientists find a rare window where carbon sinks quickly into the deep ocean
The Drake Passage is one of the most turbulent ocean regions on Earth, but exploring it could help scientists understand how carbon sinks.
Watch a drone swarm navigate a bamboo forest
By arming each drone with its own sensors, researchers have created the first swarm capable of navigating a wide environment.
Your next surgery could be robotic, and that’s a good thing
In partnership with Intuitive
Robots are taking surgery to the next level. Here’s how.
AI and the future of work in 2024
Future jobs will rebalance technology with humanity, and lifelong learning to continually upgrade must replace outdated ideas of static careers.
“Muscle shirt” increases arm endurance by more than 200%
The Myoshirt acts like “wearable muscles,” using sensors and AI to help people with upper-limb impairments move their arms.
This bird-like drone can perch on branches, catch objects
Inspired by birds' perching abilities, researchers developed a drone with a bird-like structure that can land on a wide array of objects.
Solving the last mile problem with robotic delivery vehicles
Most of the cost of delivering goods is tied to moving “the last mile” from a hub to the final destination. A new robotic delivery bot being piloted in three cities may help solve the problem.
Shape-shifting material morphs robot from driving to flying
A shape-shifting material lets multifunctional robots morph from one shape to the next quickly and without the use of motors.
Breakthrough artificial fingertip mimics our sense of touch
A new artificial fingertip replicates humans' sense of touch by mimicking the microscopic anatomy of our fingertips.
Brain implant translates neural activity into letters, letting a paralyzed man “speak”
A new device allowed a paralyzed patient to "speak," spelling out full sentences in real-time with an error rate of about 8%.
Autonomous race cars go head-to-head, break records in Las Vegas
Autonomous race cars took to the track at CES, opening new forms of competition and setting speed records.
Boston Dynamics’ warehouse robots are taking over
DHL Supply Chain is paying Boston Dynamics $15 million for a fleet of its autonomous warehouse robots, which can each move 800 boxes/hour.
New personal robot carries stuff around your house
A personal robot that carries items between different parts of a home is helping people with mobility issues live more independently.
Arc Institute’s new AI can read and write the code of life
Training on the DNA of nearly 130,000 species taught Evo 2 how to generate DNA sequences the same way other AIs do text or images.
New “biohybrid” machines weave electronics with living cells
By combining combine genetic and electrical engineering, scientists have developed a new technique for wiring electronics into living matter.
Can humans purge the bots without sacrificing our privacy?
A group backed by Sam Altman is pursuing the creation of "personhood credentials" that would prove an internet user is a real person.
Surgery robot outperforms humans at “keyhole surgery”
Johns Hopkins' autonomous surgery robot, STAR, performed a tricky keyhole surgery on live pigs better than a human surgeon could.
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Challengers
The man building robotic legs for kids with cerebral palsy
The medical industry wasn’t moving fast enough. So he built a robot to help his nephew with cerebral palsy walk.
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Hard Reset
Should war robots have “license to kill?”
War is changing. As drones replace snipers, we must consider the ethics of machines making life or death decisions.
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Challengers
Mind-reading technology – Are we ready for it?
Startup founders want to read your brainwaves - but how will they protect your data from tech giants?
Delivery robots get airbags to protect you in case of collision
Autonomous vehicle maker Nuro has added external airbags to its autonomous delivery robots to protect pedestrians.
AI is now designing chips for AI
AI-designed microchips have more power, lower cost, and are changing the tech landscape.
This robotics lab wants to develop the dream surgery
Chicago’s Surgical Innovation Training Lab is developing the robots, surgeons, and digital surgeries of the future.
Why artists shouldn’t fear AI
Advancements in generative art have many human artists on edge. But should they be worried?
Microsoft’s new AI needs just 3 seconds of audio to clone a voice
Microsoft has unveiled VALL-E, a voice-cloning AI that only needs a 3-second sample to simulate a speaker’s voice with remarkable accuracy.
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Heretics
Tim Urban’s case for transhumanism
We interviewed Tim Urban at Hereticon. Here’s what he had to say about Elon Musk & transhumanism.
Using robotic fish to harness the “ecology of fear”
To fight an invasive fish threatening Australia’s critically endangered freshwater natives, researchers are looking to robotic predators — and the “ecology of fear” they create.
Sun-powered soft robot could mop up the seas
Inspired by steam engines and water-walking insects, this soft robot may one day mop up oil spills at sea.
Humanoid robots are waking up — and they look eerily real
Engineered Arts, a robotics firm located in the United Kingdom, released a video showing a humanoid robot that looks exceptionally lifelike.
These robotic suits supercharge human workers
This new wearable robotic suit from German Bionic, can boost human strength, and it is powered by artificial intelligence
Goodyear puts airless tires on Starship delivery robots
Goodyear’s airless tires are now being used by a fleet of Starship's autonomous delivery robots on a college campus in the U.S.
Cloud labs are the “ghost kitchens” of science
Cloud labs which run experiments with robots remotely may make science more efficient, replicable, and accessible.
Jupiter’s moons hide giant subsurface oceans
Three of Jupiter’s moons – Europa, Ganymede and Callisto – are home to large, underground oceans of liquid water that could support life.
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Challengers
Can robots save our oceans from poachers?
23% of fish sold in the US is caught illegally. This robot boat is a poacher’s worst nightmare.
The subtle art of language: why artificial general intelligence might be impossible
Until robots understand jokes and sarcasm, artificial general intelligence will remain in the realm of science fiction.
What’s so wrong about sexbots?
These sexbots remember that you are 32 years old, and you like sushi, except on Thursdays — and they can teach us a lot about coexisting with AI.
Vaccine robot administers doses without needles or human help
Canadian startup Cobioni has built a vaccine robot that can deliver a dose into a patient’s arm without a needle or any human help.
The world’s biggest industrial robot lasers off airplane paint
Dutch company Xyrec recently demonstrated a 67-ton industrial robot that uses lasers to quickly strip paint from aircraft.
Neuralink’s monkey can play Pong with its mind. Elon Musk says human trials are next.
If Neuralink’s monkey can play Pong with its mind, imagine what humans could do with the same technology in just a few years.
Robot fish are powered by lab-grown human heart cells
A robot fish that uses human heart cells to swim has put scientists one step closer to growing full-size hearts in the lab.
AI chatbots don’t actually “know” anything. Can we fix that?
New AI models, called ALMs, could help chatbots stay connected to reality.
The brief history of artificial intelligence: The world has changed fast – what might be next?
Despite their brief history, computers and AI have fundamentally changed what we see, what we know, and what we do.
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Catalysts
The college where students roam the world to learn
In partnership with Stand Together
4 years, 7 cities, 0 tests. A college to prepare students for the real world.
Nanobots are real, and they can battle bacteria
Researchers have developed antibiotic nanobots that can traverse a wound on their own.
A massive moon telescope could solve the mystery of the “Cosmic Dark Ages”
NASA hopes a massive radio telescope on the moon will be able to reveal what was happening during the mysterious “Cosmic Dark Ages."
The tech of the year is entering the workforce
Generative AIs are being integrated into the programs millions of people use at work, but will they really make our jobs easier?
MIT’s new algorithm for self-driving cars is open-source
MIT scientists unveil the first open-source simulation engine capable of constructing realistic environments for autonomous vehicles.
Giant cyborg cockroach could be the best search-and-rescue bot
The cyborg cockroaches are outfitted with sensors that can identify heat, carbon dioxide, and body movements.
NASA will send two more helicopters to Mars to bring home samples
Inspired by the overachieving Ingenuity, NASA has updated the Mars Sample Return mission to include two new Mars helicopters.
Wearable robot helps people with paralysis sing
Seoul National University researchers have built a wearable robot that helps people with spinal cord injuries breathe, cough, and sing.
Caltech’s walking robot can also fly and skateboard
Caltech's new bipedal walking robot can fly to get around obstacles, and it's steady enough on its feet to skateboard or slackline.
China’s new space station is open for business
On Nov. 29, 2022, the Shenzhou 15 mission launched from China’s Gobi Desert carrying three taikonauts – the Chinese word for astronauts.
Robot avatar safely trims trees around active power lines
A robot avatar that mimics the motions of a human controller could take the place of workers in dangerous jobs by the end of 2022.
Are robotic kitchens the future of food?
Restauranteurs are using robotic kitchens to cut real estate costs, opening up room in their budgets for higher quality ingredients.
The missing tech case for how we create an era of abundance
AI and other new technologies could make things that are costly and scarce today, cheap and abundant for all tomorrow.
NASA announces alien-hunting Habitable Worlds Observatory
NASA has announced that it is developing the Habitable Worlds Observatory, a new space telescope optimized to hunt for extraterrestrial life.
Powered exoskeletons may be the ultimate fitness machines
Enhanced Robotics is selling a powered exoskeleton to help people achieve their fitness goals, and it doesn’t cost thousands of dollars.
Coal mining has changed. What’s next for miners?
In partnership with Lumina
Coal-mining families in Kentucky lost their jobs almost overnight. But they’re not giving up. Here’s how they built a new way of life.
Humans have big plans for mining in space
What's holding us back from mining in space when we have such big plans already? The sheer cost, for one thing.
Nanoparticles are the future of medicine
The success of some drugs that use nanoparticles, such as the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, has prompted excitement among researchers.
Facebook robot winds fiber-optic cable around power lines
A Facebook robot that wraps fiber-optic cables around power lines could help bridge the digital divide by expanding internet access.
How close are we to reversing paralysis?
Thanks to groundbreaking innovations in neuroscience, we’re seeing that forms of paralysis long assumed to be permanent can be reversed.
Robotic exoskeleton gives prosthetic legs a power boost
University of Utah engineers have built a robotic exoskeleton that gives people with prosthetic legs a power boost that makes walking easier.
We gave ChatGPT a college-level microbiology quiz. It blew the quiz away.
A microbiologist devised a quiz that would be appropriate as a final exam for college-level microbiology students. ChatGPT blew it away.
Toyota is building a “Lunar Cruiser” for Japan
Toyota's pressurized moon rover, the “Lunar Cruiser,” could help astronauts live on the moon — and help us combat climate change on Earth.
Nanoparticles may automatically clean your teeth one day
Shapeshifting nanoparticles may one day lead to automated oral care.
MIT’s new ultrasound sticker lets you see inside your body
MIT researchers have created an ultrasound sticker that can continuously monitor a person’s organs and tissues for up to 48 hours.
Chameleon robot can change color to match its surroundings
Researchers in Korea have made a color changing robot that matches its background colors — a precursor to future active camouflage technology.
New VR body suit lets you see inside your body while you exercise
A system for monitoring motion and muscle engagement could aid the elderly and athletes during physical rehabilitation.
A new vision for the advancement of humanity
The world needs a moral defense of progress based in humanism and agency.
Robot café hires people with disabilities to operate robo-waiters
At the Dawn Avatar Robot Café in Tokyo, diners are served by robotic avatars controlled remotely by people with disabilities.
How “centaur AI” will radically reshape the future of healthcare
With healthcare, it is not enough to spot patterns: we need to understand biological mechanisms. Ai can help us do it.
Bipedal robot completes 5K after learning to run
Agility Robotics’ Cassie just became the first bipedal robot to complete an outdoor 5K run, completing the jaunt on a single charge.
Curiosity discovers a “flower” rock on Mars
Curiosity has discovered a Martian rock shaped like a flower, and it's helping NASA scientists unravel the history of water on Mars.
MIT is testing a levitating space rover
MIT engineers have designed a levitating space rover that could allow us to explore parts of the moon that are too rough for rolling rovers.
Should we build high-speed public WiFi into street lights?
Better public WiFi networks could be created by broadcasting signals over the 60 GHz frequency band from transmitters attached to light poles.
Ford replaces humans with robot test drivers
Ford Motor Company has built a pair of robot test drivers to fill in for humans during dangerous endurance tests at its Weather Factory.
The plea to save the Afghan girls robotics team from the Taliban
A human rights lawyer is trying to get the Afghan girls robotics team evacuated to Canada so its members can avoid living under Taliban rule.
What AI can teach us about copyright and fair use
A copyright lawyer and fair use expert weighs in on the legal implications of these new AI technologies.
Insect-sized robot can run like a cheetah
An insect-sized robot with the agility of a cheetah could one day save lives by assessing disaster zones ahead of first responders.
Sculpting robots chisel art out of marble
Italy's Robotor is inspiring artists to pick up Carrara marble as a medium by delegating the laborious carving process to sculpting robots.
Marc Andreessen: The single greatest risk of NOT pursuing AI
AI has many caught between near utopia and horrifying dystopia. Marc Andreessen sees a better future for all, if we build AI in warp speed.
Space junk created the world’s largest dump. Here’s how we can fix it.
From "laser brooms" to massive nets, space organizations have proposed many ways to clean up the mess of space debris.
Harnessing nature’s secret: How synthetic biology could save the planet
In partnership with Ginkgo Bioworks
Did nature hold the key to reversing climate change all along? Synthetic biologists think so.
Toyota’s cleaning robot shows off its new skills
Toyota’s cleaning robot has demonstrated new skills, revealing an ability to detect clear objects and snap perfect selfies.
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Just Might Work
Meet the woman who can smell diseases like cancer and Parkinson’s
This woman can smell diseases — and she’s working with scientists to give you her superpower.
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Hard Reset
Inside Zoox: The robot vehicle totally changing transportation
Take an exclusive ride in the vehicle with no steering wheel that’s aiming to make car ownership a thing of the past.
This beach-cleaning robot is a Roomba for sand
An all-electric, beach-cleaning robot called BeBot can sift through sand to extract pieces of debris too small for traditional systems.
Throwable rescue robots sent to help at collapsed building
Teledyne Flir has sent at least two of its rescue robots to help hunt for survivors in a collapsed building in Florida.
Robot penguins are exploring mysterious ocean currents
In an effort to study mysterious ocean eddies, an oceanographer teamed up with a bionics company to build an AUV inspired by penguins.
New salt-grain sized micro camera takes images on par with a full size camera’s
Researchers have created a salt-grain sized micro camera capable of taking images almost on par with a regular camera.
AI artist Botto has made its first million
AI artist Botto, which hones its taste via a human community, has made a splash in the art market, going from NFTs to Miami.
Artificial photosynthesis lets us grow plants in total darkness
A new artificial photosynthesis technique could boost crop yields on existing farms or allow us to grow plants in new locations — like space.
Inside the world of a robotic surgeon
In partnership with Intuitive
Many of the world’s top surgeons are learning first-hand what they can do with surgical robots — and it’s unlocking a new era in health care.
What ever happened to the first cryogenically frozen humans?
For decades, people have arranged to freeze their bodies after death, dreaming of resurrection by advanced future medicine.
Finland prepares world’s first “nuclear tomb”
Deep beneath Finland, a “tomb” for nuclear waste is set to be a test for geological disposal facilities.
A robot could save farmers from being buried alive in grain
The Grain Weevil robot helps farmers manage stored grain, keeping them out of bins where they might lose their lives to grain entrapment.