Eight Sleep has released the Pod 6, a redesigned smart sleep system with a smaller hub, temperature control the company says is 20 percent faster than its predecessor, and 18 biometric sensors versus two on the Pod 5. The lineup also adds a smaller single-sleeper size, though it lacks dual-zone temperature control. Prices range from $2,000 to $3,000 depending on size, plus a required $17-$25 monthly Autopilot subscription.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-23
Abode has released two new security sensors in 2026: a $35 garage door tilt sensor and a $50 outdoor contact sensor built for gates, sheds and barns. A CNET reviewer tested both alongside an Abode starter kit and found them accurate, fast to set up, and well integrated with Abode's hub and app.
cnet.com
· 2026-09-21
Aqara has released the Multi-Sensor FP400, its latest mmWave presence detector for smart-home setups. Despite being a newer model, reviewers found it fails to meaningfully advance on the capabilities already offered by Aqara's earlier presence sensors.
gizmodo.com
· 2026-09-20
Robot vacuums lack arms and can't move objects out of their path, leaving them stuck on cables, socks, or lightweight rugs. While pricier models use infrared, LiDAR, or AI cameras to navigate around obstacles more intelligently than basic bump-sensor units, most still can't physically clear a room the way a human cleaner can.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-19
A VicOne-sponsored analysis highlights how physical AI systems—robots that use multimodal sensors and AI models to perceive and act—can be manipulated through corrupted training data, tampered infrastructure, or spoofed real-time sensor input, without any visible malfunction. It cites BadVLA, a NeurIPS 2025 study showing how a hidden trigger embedded in a Vision-Language-Action model can cause a robot to behave normally until the trigger appears, then subtly alter its physical movements.
spectrum.ieee.org
· 2026-09-16
Apple's newly reported Series 12 reportedly introduces two significant hardware changes compared to the Series 11, enabling a range of software features exclusive to the newer model. These upgrades reportedly touch on sensors and design elements that unlock new AI-driven capabilities not available on the previous generation.
gizmodo.com
· 2026-09-11
Apple's new $799 Watch Ultra 4 pairs a redesigned sensor array—32 electrodes arranged like flower petals—with the new S11 chip, enabling heart-rate readings every 5 seconds and HRV checks every 5 minutes, far more frequent than prior models. That increased sampling powers a new Readiness score that updates throughout the day rather than relying mainly on overnight data, plus a Daytime toggle in the Vitals app to view daytime alongside nighttime metrics.
cnet.com
· 2026-09-10
Odin Space is selling adhesive vibration sensor strips that satellites can use to detect and measure debris impacts, addressing the mystery behind many small-satellite failures. Meanwhile, Atlanta-area company Atomic-6 is working on lighter alternative shielding to replace or improve upon traditional aluminum panels and Whipple shields used to protect spacecraft from high-speed debris strikes.
techspot.com
· 2026-09-10
Scientific instruments positioned far from the epicenter picked up early signals of a major tsunami as it formed, according to a report on nature.com. The detection relied on distant sensors capable of registering the disturbance well before its full force reached coastlines.
nature.com
· 2026-09-10
As foldable phones get thinner, their camera modules still need bulky sensors, forcing a protruding camera bump that unbalances the device when placed on a flat surface. Users of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 have complained on Reddit about the wobble caused by its vertically placed rear camera module, with some reportedly removing the cameras entirely out of frustration.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-06
Researchers Kevin Max and Yang Shen at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology have developed an algorithm called Spi-Fly that mimics how fruit fly brains process and remember smells. Published in Neuromorphic Computing and Engineering, the work targets a key weakness of existing electronic noses: their tendency to forget previously learned odors when trained on new ones.
arstechnica.com
· 2026-09-03
Waymo published a blog post and gave interviews arguing that fully autonomous driving requires multiple sensor types, not just cameras and end-to-end AI, in an implicit critique of Tesla's approach. The move came a week before Tesla's planned September 3 event to unveil its Cybercab robotaxi, and coincided with Waymo announcing three new markets for its own service. The comments sparked a heated weekend debate on social media between Waymo's spokesperson and Tesla-aligned analysts.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-01
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