Sharpa, a Singapore-based robotics company, just received a CES 2026 Innovation Award in robotics for their SharpaWave, a hand that looks more like cutting-edge technology than a robotic limb. The prize capped off a stunning presentation in which the hand placed down cards in a game of blackjack like a pro, methodically sliding one card at a time from the deck with the dexterity of a card dealer.
Chainsaws rip through forests and backyards alike, reducing thick logs to manageable bits with brute force, but few people consider the little dance that occurs when the chain strikes wood. A mind-blowing film taken at 20,000 frames per second slows down this crazy process, exposing details that would otherwise be imperceptible to the naked eye. The team behind The Chainsaw Manual caught this using a high-speed camera, revealing the delicate ballet of tiny parts working in perfect harmony to make wood cutting so efficient.
Researchers at MIT’s Media Lab are developing a new deck of AI-enhanced playing cards featuring electronic ink displays, called Pocket Ink. At a player’s request, each card can suddenly change to display a new image. A companion box acts as the brain, handling the changes and connecting to outside services. When you place a card in the box, it acts as a small reset; pull it out and you’re ready for the next hand.
In 1976, Hollywood attempted to mock the plethora of disaster films that were filling theaters at the time. Paramount Pictures stepped up with The Big Bus, a comedy about a comically enormous bus attempting to go from New York to Denver nonstop. Cyclops, the bus, was there in the middle of the mayhem, a genuine article capable of driving on real roads.
Portable power stations were once marketed primarily to outdoor enthusiasts, but Grecell’s 240W model, priced at $59.99 for Prime members (was $109.99), has reversed that trend. Weighing in at roughly four pounds, the little battery has a good 154 watt-hour capacity, which is a lot of power for its size. But forget about the great outdoors for a while; anyone living in a city apartment or simply working out of the house in a coffee shop, coping with regular power outages, or always on the move would find a lot of value here.
Honor has finally brought its new flagship, the Magic 8 Pro, to the UK market, and it’s a beast. Nighttime photography receives a significant update, aided by some genuinely remarkable hardware and an emphasis on artificial intelligence, which is expected to make detailed edits much easier.
During a recent expedition, Schmidt Ocean Institute researchers captured fantastic footage of a rare giant phantom jellyfish. But they had to put in the time: the remote-controlled vehicle, which was exploring the Colorado-Rawson submarine canyon off the coast of Argentina, didn’t detect the species until it was 830 feet down. Even so, it was only because the ROV illuminated its translucent bell as it slowly drifted down into the depths.
Volvo is making another significant jump into electric vehicles with the EX60, a midsize crossover that will be available soon. This one is positioned right in the middle, between the smaller EX40 and the bigger EX90, and it’s geared firmly at families who want a practical electric car that doesn’t sacrifice range or convenience. The exact details will be revealed on January 21, 2026 during a livestreamed event, and production begins in the first half of the year at their Gothenburg factory.
