Goto

Collaborating Authors

 Robotics & Automation


Drone strikes on central Sudanese city kill up to 23: NGO

Al Jazeera

Drone strikes on the central Sudanese city of el-Obeid have killed up to 23 people, officials and a rights group have reported. Both sources reported on Thursday that overnight attacks had killed several people across the key hub in the southern Kordofan region. The reports concerned the latest in a series of attacks using unmanned aircraft, illustrating that drone warfare has become an increasingly prominent feature in the conflict, which erupted in April 2023 between the military government and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Health officials at el-Obeid Hospital said that 15 were killed and more than 10 wounded in the attacks, which hit residential areas, a funeral gathering and a truck carrying food supplies, as well as areas near army positions. Emergency Lawyers blamed the attack on the RSF, which did not immediately claim responsibility.


A Waymo nearly hit me, but I'm still optimistic about driverless cars

New Scientist

A Waymo nearly hit me, but I'm still optimistic about driverless cars A near miss with a Waymo while cycling through London hasn't changed my optimistic stance on driverless cars, but we can't ever let our guard down, says Matthew Sparkes Waymo driverless cars are in London, but is this a positive move for road safety? Waymo's driverless cars have been rolling through London for months, although they aren't taking passengers yet and a human sits ready to seize control if needed. Every time I've encountered them, they have seemed cautious and predictable. But recently, I had a near miss. I was circling a roundabout as I cycled home from work and a Waymo was about to pull onto it in front of me.


Uber's robotaxis arrive in the UK: Self-driving cars will be available in London this summer

Daily Mail - Science & tech

Massive twist in JPMorgan'sex slave' case as accuser unveils NEW dossier of wild claims: 'The story is about to change dramatically' Trump's return to New York City for historic NBA Finals game takes dramatic turn as White House reveals sweeping ICE plot When I lost 150lbs men did double-takes in the street. Then I handed my husband sexy photos of my new body and he barely looked, so I moved on. I used to only drink socially but after a bad break-up I started boozing every night and gorging myself on crisps - then I took this £3 pill... now both wine AND junk food taste awful and I have dropped to a size 8 Americans finally snap over'ridiculous' tipping culture as millions slash gratuities... and reveal the trick they are refusing to fall for Luigi Mangione's sister lands prized job at America's most prestigious hospital... as she makes bold public move before murder trial Incredible footage emerges of star-studded celebrity row from Knicks' last appearance in NBA Finals in 1999 Kim Kardashian'steals Monaco Grand Prix winner's TOWEL' on disastrous debut as an F1 WAG to Lewis Hamilton after snubbing iconic TV reporter Explosive new details of accused baby killer's sickening video confession... as glamorous PhD student makes grim bathroom claim after 13-hour interrogation MOLLY CLAYTON: Whispers in the paddock, and some VERY raised eyebrows: Why Kim Kardashian's first appearance with Lewis Hamilton at the Monaco Grand Prix is sending the rumour mill into overdrive... as his mother stays firmly away Kanye West's wife Bianca Censori almost pops out of her nude suit on his 49th birthday after she calls him her '4ever' Idaho murder victim's father reveals new account of chilling moment he came face-to-face with Bryan Kohberger: 'I want to hunt killers' Gilmore Girls star Alexis Bledel became a TV icon in her teens... see her now during rare red carpet appearance at age 44 US tourists are'tricked' into paying 44 euros for two ice creams in Rome Bill Gates's embarrassing secrets revealed by Epstein-linked mistress who Melinda HATED Uber's robotaxis arrive in the UK: Self-driving cars will be available in London this summer READ MORE: Waymo'goes rogue': Self-driving car wakes residents at 4am Uber has unveiled its fleet of self-driving robotaxis, which will soon take to the streets of London . Designed in collaboration with Wayve, the robotaxi is an all-electric Ford Mustang Mach-e, equipped with surround cameras and radar. The high-tech set-up allows Wayve's AI to see the world with full 360-degree visibility around the car at all times.


Romania to expel Russian consul after residential drone strike

Al Jazeera

Romanian President Nicusor Dan says that the Russian consul in the southeastern city of Constanta will be expelled and the consulate shut down after a drone intended for Ukraine crashed into an apartment complex in the border town of Galati. Vance says US, Iran have made "a lot of progress" towards deal


Ojai is Waymo's new driverless vehicle

Engadget

The pale blue vans have begun picking up passengers in California and Arizona. Waymo has begun offering rides in its brand-new Ojai robotaxi to passengers in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Phoenix. Trips will be free for a limited time. The Ojai is a big step for Waymo. This is the company's first purpose-built robotaxi.


Here Comes Ojai, Waymo's New Chinese-Made Robotaxi

WIRED

The pale-blue Ojai vehicles will start picking up members of the public in California and Arizona today. Starting today, Alphabet self-driving vehicle developer Waymo will start picking up members of the public in its new Ojai vehicles (pronounced "oh hai")--pale blue boxy minivans studded with sensors and complete with steering wheels, even though they're designed to travel without drivers. For now, the rides in these new cars, which can be summoned through Waymo's app, will be free. It's been a long road for the vehicle, first announced by Waymo in 2021 and tested on public streets since 2024. It's also a weird time for Waymo: The self-driving-vehicle company, which is trying to expand quickly across the US and the world, shut down service in six US cities last week due to issues with how its vehicles react to flooding.


Waymo Takes Its Self-Driving Cars to Virginia

WIRED

Best Power Banks Best Smart Rings Routers vs. Modems Choose the Right Laptop Smart Sprinklers Deals Delivered The company is mapping Alexandria and, soon, Arlington--right across from the power center of Washington, DC. Self-driving cars aren't yet permitted to operate in Virginia. But Alphabet-owned Waymo began transporting its cars to the state last week, a Waymo representative told Virginia officials, to map Arlington and Alexandria, in the northern part of the state. For most autonomous vehicle companies, mapping, or the creation of sensor-aided and ultra-precise digital representations of streets and the features around them, is the first step required to launch a local robotaxi service. Drivers will operate the mapping vehicles for now, Waymo says.


'I always hear them before I see them': Drones strike fear in Colombia

Al Jazeera

'Hear them before I see them': How drones strike fear in Colombia Increasingly, armed groups in Colombia are turning to cheap, widely available drones to fight from a distance. What is the toll on civilians? Military surveillance drones fly in formation past an air traffic control tower in Colombia [Courtesy of Colombia's Batallon de Aeronaves No Tripuladas] Military surveillance drones fly in formation past an air traffic control tower in Colombia [Courtesy of Colombia's Batallon de Aeronaves No Tripuladas] She instinctively reaches for her young son. The noise always emerges from a small mountain behind her home, part of a tree-quilted landscape stitched with winding rivers along Colombia's border with Venezuela. I always hear them before I see them, if I see them at all, she says.


Waymos in Atlanta and San Antonio keep driving into flooded roads

Engadget

The company has suspended operations in a second city. Autonomous cars are getting more capable all the time, but they remain a bit too willing to fight mother nature and lose. Case in point: Waymo has halted its robotaxi service in a second US city in the past fortnight due to issues with heavy rain and flooding. First reported by, the company has paused its operations in Atlanta after one of its self-driving vehicles was seen driving through a heavily flooded street, where it eventually got stuck for around an hour. This comes after Waymo also temporarily suspended its San Antonio service last week and issued a voluntary recall for nearly 4,000 robotaxis.


Russia presses college students to fill ranks of drone pilots

The Japan Times

Students at one of Russia's leading engineering universities are getting a lucrative offer: ditch their studies for a year, fly drones for the military and earn more than 5 million rubles ($68,275) in pay as well as free tuition on their return. Pamphlets distributed at Bauman Moscow State Technical University promise students who sign up for the unmanned systems forces will fly drones from far behind the front lines, but still qualify for combat veteran status. It's part of a broader push across Russia to recruit university and college students, using lavish signing bonuses, academic leave and even outright coercion to convince young men to join the fight. At least 270 institutions are actively promoting military contracts, according to the independent magazine Groza, which specializes in higher education and student issues. In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever. By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.