"Willow X, a humanoid-style garden robot you literally teach by example, no programming needed"EEVEA smarter, two-armed garden robot is on track for commercial release in 2025, marking a major evolution since its early development days.Robotics startup Eeve initially introduced the Willow X in 2022, significantly upgraded it, and is now preparing for its launch.Much...
Acclaimed digital therapist Woebot is shutting down Created with DALL-EA pioneering AI therapy chatbot is scheduled to close on June 30, with experts suggesting that the shutdown reflects the difficulties of providing effective mental health care and managing safety concerns in the digital realm.Woebot: innovation and recognition in digital therapyWoebot, first introduced in 2017 as...
he 67-mm-long (2.6-in) demonstrator robot, with a paper clip for scaleThe University of EdinburghSoft-bodied robots offer tremendous potential, but they’re often limited to small-scale, experimental production. A group of researchers from Scotland aims to change that by introducing a 3D-printed soft robot that is fabricated in a single, continuous process—and remarkably, walks off the...
Credit: DepositphotosPredicting volcanic eruptions is a crucial science that can save many lives, and recent research suggests that the color of tree leaves near volcanoes might serve as an early warning sign before an eruption occurs.Magma, Carbon Dioxide, and Greener LeavesAs volcanic activity intensifies and magma rises closer to the Earth’s surface, the amount...
Image Credits:gizmodoThere’s just something about robots that makes people want to kick them—whether it's for testing or just for fun. Sure, the kicking serves a technical purpose, but let’s face it, it’s the act itself that’s oddly satisfying. Still, constantly kicking and punching robots is exhausting—not to mention impractical. But it’s 2025 now, and...
Image Credits: RivrMost delivery automation ends at the curb, but Veho and Swiss robotics startup Rivr are tackling the more difficult final 100 yards—from the van to the doorstep.Austin Pilot to Test Rivr’s Stair-Climbing Delivery RobotLaunching this week in Austin, a pilot program will deploy Rivr’s four-wheeled, stair-climbing robot—described by CEO Marko Bjelonic as...
(NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Chris Smith)Binary star systems—two stars gravitationally bound and circling a shared center—are far from unusual, with over half the stars in our galaxy belonging to such pairs or multi-star groups.Diverse Duos with Dramatic InteractionsThese stellar duos often differ significantly in mass, luminosity, and size, and the gravitational dynamics between them...
Credit: DepositphotosTwo decades ago, the U.S. Congress tasked NASA with identifying 90% of near-Earth asteroids that could pose a threat. Since then, the agency has made progress tracking objects that orbit the Sun and pass within 1.3 astronomical units of Earth.A New Threat Emerging Near VenusHowever, a new area of concern is emerging: astronomers...
Dr. Luke Woodford (left) and Prof. Richard Quilliam, with a basket full o' caged microbeadsUniversity of StirlingAlthough people often associate microplastics with environmental hazards, researchers now propose that these particles can actually serve a useful role by helping detect sewage contamination in waterways.Turning a Weakness into a StrengthOne of the main concerns about microplastic...
Credit: DepositphotosThere are moments in life when you realize the world has changed — and you didn’t even notice. That moment came for me when I imagined what my grandmother, who passed away at 95, would say to a new kind of "companion": a half-meter-tall robot with LED eyes and a gentle voice reminding...
