Toyota Research Institute (TRI) is rarely in the news for anything other than vehicles, but their robotics team has been quietly revolutionizing things in ways that will matter during the holiday season. The institute’s personnel devised a strategy to align their superior technology with the needs of their local community at this time of year. A large group of people, including some with no robotics background, collaborated with the researchers to teach the robot arms a new trick.
NASA’s Curiosity has been progressively removing layers of Mars’ ancient past from deep within Gale Crater. After over 13 years on the surface, the rover returned to a familiar location known as the Monte Grande boxwork hollow in December 2025. Scientists were eager to have a closer look at the ridges and depressions in this area, so they devised a meticulous plan. As they were wrapping up a weekend excursion, the rover came across something extraordinary.
Around 26 years ago, HotGen, a small British company, took on one of the industry’s most difficult challenges: porting the original Resident Evil to the Game Boy Color. Capcom assigned them the task in 1999, with the goal of creating a 2MB cartridge that could somehow fit the full-fledged 3D survival horror of the PlayStation classic onto Nintendo’s portable and release it in time for Christmas that year.
Singer made their name by creating sewing machines that would last for generations. However, in the 1970s, the company began to expand into unexpected areas, such as educational tools. As a result, a sturdy briefcase that resembled a carrying case for their portable sewing machines began appearing in stores. Customers were frequently surprised to open one thinking to find sewing needles and thread, only to discover something quite unexpected inside…the Audio Study Mate, a comprehensive system for mixing audio and visuals in perfect sync.
Photo credit: University of Washington
Researchers at the University of Washington have solved the age-old challenge of hearing the person directly in front of you in a noisy environment using a new pair of AI headphones. This is essentially the “cocktail party problem,” and it presents a significant challenge for anyone with hearing loss. Noise-cancelling headphones are frequently ineffective because they either cover the entire area or allow everything through in ‘transparency mode,’ neither of which helps you identify specific conversations.
Radiant Nuclear just finished a fundraising round totaling more than $300 million. Investors contributed funds to bring the startup’s compact, movable nuclear reactors one step closer to being something you might use every day, which is precisely what the California-based firm has been striving toward. They’ve got some breathing room now to actually make it happen, as this fresh investment comes just a few months after a previous round that brought in $165 million, helping Radiant reach the half-billion-dollar threshold.
Ninja’s newest CREAMi model, the Swirl (NC701), priced at $279.95 (was $349.99), expands on the pint-processing technology we all know and love by adding a convenient dispenser handle. Before you begin, prepare your bases by mixing and freezing them in the containers provided. Allow them to remain in the freezer for 24 hours before letting the machine to do the hard work for. Now for the fun part: grab a bowl or make a classic soft-serve directly into a cone.
Anthropic, the company behind Claude, installed an AI vending machine in the Wall Street Journal newsroom. A customized version of their model, dubbed Claudius, was let off the leash. It took control, ordering stock, fixing pricing, and even generating a profit. Staff communicated with it via Slack, asking for snacks and suggesting new ideas. Humans would replenish the refrigerator and update the goods, but Claudius handled all business calls.
Abe, the maker behind the YouTube channel “Abe’s Projects,” set out to build a digital video camera that looks and feels like an outdated camcorder from the early 2000s, or a Fujifilm QuickSnap. While modern smartphone cameras can produce ultra sharp footage, older video often leaves a more lasting impact on us due to its grainy texture and soft level of detail. Abe was inspired by historical snippets like Thomas Edison’s 1900 footage of a Paris exposition.
