Walmart has spent billions automating its warehouses but is struggling with tasks as simple as removing items from boxes, according to the Wall Street Journal. After testing multiple robotics vendors, Walmart deployed small wheeled robots in over a dozen warehouses, but these machines cannot handle heavier items like bags of dog food and frequently break down. WSJ sources say the engineers needed to maintain the robots cost more than the unskilled warehouse workers they were meant to replace.
futurism.com
· 2026-10-10
Designer Guillaume Ardaud has published a speculative hardware concept called the Lightbulb Computer, which combines a projector and computer vision inside a standard lightbulb form factor. The device, shown via design prototypes and an accompanying video, responds to voice commands and pointing gestures, projecting interactive overlays like recipes, timers and answers to questions directly onto household surfaces.
lightbulbcomputer.com
· 2026-10-10
Flock Safety plans to lay off about 270 employees, roughly 18 percent of its 1,500-person workforce, effective at the end of October, according to sources cited by Reuters. The cuts follow a recent employee buyout program reported by WIRED, and it remains unclear how many departures are voluntary versus involuntary layoffs.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-09
Writing as an Entrepreneur contributor, the CEO of Celleste Bio describes how the company developed cell-culture technology to produce cocoa ingredients, including chocolate-grade cocoa butter already used in milk chocolate. The piece argues that bringing such breakthroughs into established industries requires strategic partnerships alongside proprietary innovation, citing GM CEO Mary Barra's comment that companies now both compete and partner within the same industries.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-10-09
The NBA is testing basketballs fitted with a tiny sensor, about one gram, built into the ball's air valve during preseason games. The sensor is reportedly undetectable to players during play.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-10-09
An author writing a book about the dangers of chasing every new productivity tool interviewed actor Tom Hanks for his perspective on staying grounded amid a glut of technology. Hanks offered his own views on how to avoid getting swept up in constant tool-switching and tech-driven distraction.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-10-09
The FBI seized seven domains supporting two hacking platforms, MicroScan and FishHub, allegedly operated by China-based Integrity Technology Group on behalf of state-linked actors known as Flax Typhoon. The Justice Department says the tools were used to scan for vulnerabilities and, in some cases, breach critical infrastructure networks in the U.S. and abroad, including a South Carolina power company, airports in Japan and Poland, and Taiwanese utilities and universities.
bleepingcomputer.com
· 2026-10-08
WaveSave has introduced a new flood protection device called SlamDam, which can be quickly deployed along riverbanks or shorelines. The inflatable rubber dam can reach heights of 1.3 meters and is designed to be easily set up by anyone during flood events. This innovation aims to provide a simple, rapid response to rising water levels caused by climate change.
technologyreview.com
· 2026-10-08
The Center for Humane Technology is laying off approximately half of its non-founder employees, ending its policy research and litigation activities. The organization will now concentrate on projects led by its founders, including public education and private outreach, following internal debates and recent legal victories against social media companies. The shift aims to streamline efforts amid rising AI risks.
wired.com
· 2026-10-08
Tesla's humanoid robot, Optimus, has appeared in videos performing simple tasks such as passing popcorn and vacuuming, but struggles with more complex actions like ironing. Despite Elon Musk's optimistic forecasts of mass-market availability by 2027 and potential to automate nearly all human labor, the robot's current performance remains rudimentary. Industry leaders continue to project rapid growth and transformative impact for humanoid robots in the coming decades.
technologyreview.com
· 2026-10-08
The UAE announced the completion of its first domestically designed space probe on October 1, which will be integrated with the MBR Explorer spacecraft at the University of Colorado Boulder. Scheduled for launch in March 2028, the mission aims to study six asteroids, Venus, and Mars, with a focus on the asteroid Justicia, believed to contain ancient materials from the outer Solar System. This marks the UAE's second interplanetary project after the Hope Mars orbiter.
nature.com
· 2026-10-08
A team led by Tübingen archaeologist Nicholas Conard tested a perforated mammoth-ivory artifact found at Germany's Hohle Fels cave, discovering that its spiral-grooved holes could guide cattail fibers into twisted strands. Using the tool, researchers produced 16 feet of strong rope in about ten minutes, suggesting the object functioned as a fiber-working tool rather than a symbolic item as first assumed.
smithsonianmag.com
· 2026-10-07
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