Apple's new research robot takes a page from Pixar's playbook
Last month, Apple offered up more insight into its consumer robotics work via a research paper that argues that traits like expressive movements are key to optimizing human-robot interaction. “Like most animals,” starts the report, “humans are highly sensitive to motion and subtle changes in
Meta is studying how humans and robots can collaborate on housework
Meta on Friday announced PARTNR, a new program designed to study human-robot interaction (HRI). The research is specifically focused on how humans and robots might collaborate in the home environment. That includes mundane tasks like cleaning, cooking, and picking up food deliveries.
Automated hou
Google is adding digital watermarks to images edited with Magic Editor AI
Google on Thursday announced that effective this week, it will begin adding a digital watermark to images in Photos that are edited with generative AI. The watermark applies specifically to images that are altered using the Reimagine feature found in Magic Editor on Pixel 9 devices.
Announced in 2
Boston Dynamics joins forces with its former CEO to speed the learning of its Atlas humanoid robot
Boston Dynamics Wednesday announced a partnership designed to bring improved reinforcement learning to its electric Atlas humanoid robot. The tie-up is with the Robotics & AI Institute (RAI Institute), earlier known as The Boston Dynamics AI Institute.
Both organizations were founded by Marc R
Brightpick's new warehouse robot can reach 20-foot-high shelves
Brightpick, a maker of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), on Tuesday announced a lofty addition to its current line. The appropriately named Giraffe system is notable for its large, retractable platform capable of reaching up to 20 feet (6 meters) in height to pick items from warehouse shelves. It
OpenAI’s new trademark application hints at humanoid robots, smart jewelry, and more
Last Friday, AI startup OpenAI filed a new application to trademark products associated with its brand — “OpenAI” — with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Normally, this wouldn’t be newsworthy. Companies file for trademarks all the time. But in the application, Ope
Apple quarterly revenue increases, even as China sales decline 11%
Apple’s latest earnings were a mixed bag, with slipping iPhone sales countered by rising revenue.
Reporting after the bell Thursday, the iPhone maker's overall revenue in the first quarter of 2025 beat Wall Street expectations, with a 4% bump to $124.3 billion over the same time last yea
Google issues 'voluntary exit' program for Android, Chrome, and Pixel employees
Google SVP Rick Osterloh issued an internal memo to the Pixel/Android/Chrome team Thursday, announcing a “voluntary exit program.” technewss has confirmed the letter's existence with the company, after it was first reported by 9 to 5 Google.
In a statement to technewss, a spokesperson no
Microsoft's Copilot-focused Surface Pro and Laptop PCs ship with Snapdragon and Intel options
At an event in New York City on Thursday, Microsoft unveiled two additions to the Surface line of PCs. The new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop both arrive with Copilot+ PC certification. Announced in May 2024, the program aims to identify business-focused devices that are designed specifically for t
What DeepSeek, China, and Trump mean for Apple ahead of its Q1 earnings
These days, nothing is certain about the tech market or the world at large. Even Nvidia’s seemingly bulletproof stock took a hammering on Monday, enduring a $589 billion market cap decline after China-based DeepSeek raised questions for investors about more efficient AI models.
But Apple'
Figure AI details plan to improve humanoid robot safety in the workplace
Safety is often overlooked in the rush to bring humanoid robots to the workplace. As high-profile corporations ranging from retailers like Amazon to carmakers such as Mercedes and BMW have announced humanoid pilots for factories and warehouses, conversations around worker safety are regularly burie
Ambi Robotics built a clever solution to automate pallet packing
UC Berkeley spinout Ambi Robotics announced Tuesday the arrival of AmbiStack, a novel system that automates pallet packing.
The system features an industrial robotic arm mounted above a conveyer belt that moves along the X and Y axes and lifts boxes up via suction cups mounted to a gripper. Once l
Cornell's robot jellyfish and worm are powered by a hydraulic fluid battery
Researchers at Cornell University on Monday showcased a pair of bio-inspired robotics running on a hydraulic fluid-powered battery. The redox flow battery (RFB) also mimics biological functions, as it releases electrolytic fluids, which dissolve to create energy through chemical reaction.
The firs
Smartwatch pioneer and Kickstarter darling Pebble is returning in a new form
Four years after launching the (then) most lucrative crowdfunding campaign in Kickstarter's history, smartwatch maker Pebble abruptly closed in 2016, filing for insolvency before being sold off to rival Fitbit. The fitness-tracking giant went on to build much of its Ionic smartwatch with help f