IEEE Spectrum Threads
Leading tech magazine delivering news on robotics innovations, engineering breakthroughs and trends.
Hobbyist Project Spawned UK's Longest-Running Humanoid Robotics Firm
The hobbyist project that led to Shadow Walker, an early biped humanoid robot, helped seed Britain’s longest-running robotics company and reframed what “useful” humanoids actually need to do. https://spectrum.ieee.org/shadow-walker-biped-humanoid-robot?share_id=9543883
Swap Batteries, Not Machines, for Practical Electrification
Golf carts to forklifts: why swapping only the battery, not the machine, may be the most practical path for industrial electrification. https://spectrum.ieee.org/lithium-batteries-lead-acid-ev?share_id=9552540
Air‑Powered Logic: 3D‑Printed Soft Transistors, Diodes, Memory
3D printed blocks and silicone membranes let you create air-powered equivalents of transistors, diodes, and memory cells. https://spectrum.ieee.org/soft-robotics-2676960499?share_id=9544043
Real‑time FTIR and AI Turn
What happens when nitrogen becomes a data problem instead of a commodity problem, and tractors start running FTIR and ML in real time? https://spectrum.ieee.org/fertilizer-shortage-precision-agricultur?share_id=9542594
New DNA Assembly Method Bridges Design and Synthesis
A new DNA assembly method closes the gap between generative genome design and lab-scale synthesis. https://spectrum.ieee.org/faster-dna-synthesis-sidewinder?share_id=9503681
AI Thermal Imaging Detects Gray Whales, Unveils Ocean Secrets
Thermal cameras and AI are spotting gray whales before humans can, but the real story is what those detections reveal about the ocean. https://spectrum.ieee.org/whales-ai-thermal-camera-tracking?share_id=9525422
EEG‑Driven Hearing Aid Amplifies Desired Voice in Real Time
Researchers used real-time EEG to let a system boost one voice over another, hinting at hearing aids that follow your attention https://spectrum.ieee.org/eeg-hearing-aid-volume-control?share_id=9524874
Indigenous TTS Empowers Language, Keeps Control Local
What happens when a low-resource language builds its own TTS stack and keeps ownership local instead of in Big Tech’s hands? https://spectrum.ieee.org/indigenous-ai-voice-models-maori?share_id=9503722
Open‑Source AI Empowers Anyone to Build Reasoning Robots
Open-source AI models are making it possible for more people to build robots that can reason. https://spectrum.ieee.org/open-source-robot-ai-platforms?share_id=9510774
Smartphone Lidar Detects Hidden Objects Around Corners
Researchers just showed that cheap, smartphone-grade lidar can reveal hidden shapes around a corner. https://spectrum.ieee.org/smartphone-grade-lidar?share_id=9514826
Robots Turn E‑Waste Into Valuable Legacy Chips
What if e-waste became a reliable source of legacy chips instead of scrap metal, and robots quietly did the hard work? https://spectrum.ieee.org/e-waste-recycling-robots-ram?share_id=9488934
Hidden Audio Can Hijack AI Without User Awareness
New research reveals how nearly imperceptible audio in videos, calls, or music can trigger unauthorized AI actions without users noticing. https://spectrum.ieee.org/voice-ai-audio-attacks?share_id=9501042
Plant Leaf Becomes Graphene Neural‑network Sensor
What happens when a graphene transistor, a Monstera leaf, and a neural network become the same thing? https://spectrum.ieee.org/graphene-sensor-plant-neural-network?share_id=9493662
Laser Links Carry Data, Radio Secures Safety for Artemis2
Laser data links handled all the HD video and science data during NASA's recent #Artemis2 mission. This freed radio to be devoted to safety-critical telemetry connections. The two systems' division of labor is the blueprint for future deep-space missions. https://spectrum.ieee.org/free-space-optical-communication-artemis?share_id=9491502
AI Chatbots Sometimes Outdiagnose Doctors, Evaluation Still Debated
Some AI chatbots now outperform physicians on certain diagnostic tasks. But researchers still disagree on what those results really mean—and how medical AI should be evaluated. https://spectrum.ieee.org/ai-clinical-decision-support?share_id=9487059