odd look at news on the web
Underwater robotic fin uses a soft touch for a huge boost in stability
9 March 2026 @ 7:55 pm
If someone asked you to move like a robot and you responded with the fluid art of ballet, your audience would be baffled, yet technically, you would be right. Robots are famous for their characteristic rigid movement, which is useful in some applications but can hinder adaptability. Now, researchers have developed a robotic wing that moves like no other.Continue ReadingCategory: Robotics, The QJMotor SRK 421 RR is arguably the most value-for-money supersport
9 March 2026 @ 4:30 pm
It seems like we’re going back in time when 400cc Japanese supersports were all the rage in the 80s. With QJMotor launching the SRK 421 RR, it looks like the Chinese have picked up the handbook.Continue ReadingCategory: Motorcycles, TransportTags: qjmotor, Supersports, Wearable actioncam pops out of the body of this rugged phone
9 March 2026 @ 2:55 pm
While Honor grabbed MWC 2026 headlines with a phone camera on a robot gimbal that spins and tracks your face like a mechanical puppy, Ulefone quietly arrived in Barcelona with a more practical, if less theatrical, idea: a rugged smartphone packing an actioncam module you can physically pop off and wear on your helmet or shirt, or mount to your bike handlebars.Continue ReadingCategory: Mobile Technology, Gear-toting jacket has 26 pockets, including a pop-out phone shelf
9 March 2026 @ 9:18 am
Not in the mood to carry a backpack or a sling bag? Then this new waterproof jacket should do the trick. It's got a plethora of pockets that can stash everything from a 16-inch laptop to a water bottle, and a few other tricks up its sleeves. Literally.Continue ReadingCategory: Gear, OutdoorsTags: Clothing, Mopping robovac locates stains around your home using UV rays
9 March 2026 @ 6:03 am
While other robot vacuums are busy bumping into things around your home and making a racket, Shark's latest model is taking a different approach to cleaning up messes.Continue ReadingCategory: Around The Home, LifestyleTags: Watch: World's first robot movie found after more than a century
9 March 2026 @ 12:03 am
A piece of techno-cinematic history has emerged as the US Library of Congress releases the restored video of the oldest film to feature a "robot." Dating from 1897, the silent film Gugusse et l'Automate by George Méliès was thought lost until recently.Continue ReadingCategory: Robotics, TechnologyTags: Library, Bio-based, recyclable resins outperform their fossil-fuel counterparts
8 March 2026 @ 6:03 pm
To wood or not to wood, that's been the question! Ever since oil-based plastics burst onto the manufacturing scene, cost, sustainability, and performance have defined the ongoing woods vs. plastics war. In many applications, plastics tend to dominate in cost efficiency and durability, while wood retains a clear edge in sustainability.Continue ReadingCategory: Materials,US advances nuclear revival with approval of Natrium Gen IV reactor
8 March 2026 @ 2:03 pm
The United States has taken a step toward a 21st-century renaissance in civilian nuclear power as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has given the go-ahead for TerraPower's Natrium Gen IV reactor to begin construction – the first such approval for a US reactor in a decade.Continue ReadingCategory: Energy, TechnologyTags: Nuclear, Video: Hyundai's firefighting robots lead the way into burning buildings
8 March 2026 @ 10:03 am
Hyundai has donated four super-tough unmanned robotic vehicles to firefighters in Korea for use in high-risk situations. The autonomous vehicles will deal with the initial stages of a fire to provide more information and safety to firefighters.Continue ReadingCategory: Robotics, TechnologyTags: Fire, New hybrid system brings electric efficiency to regional aircraft
8 March 2026 @ 12:03 am
If you have a regional turboprop aircraft and wish that it was a bit more hybirdy, RTX may be able to accommodate you. The company is developing a combined thermal/electric propulsion system that not only increases efficiency but can be retrofitted into existing aircraft.Continue ReadingCategory: Aircraft, TransportTags: