Transformer models have gained significant attention due to their power in machine learning tasks.

Transformer models have gained significant attention due to their power in machine learning tasks.

Kepler Robotics has officially introduced its Forerunner K2 "Bumblebee" humanoid robot at the SAIC-GM automotive plant in Shanghai, marking a significant moment in the real-world deployment of advanced robotics. In a recently released video, the K2 is seen moving confidently through the plant, performing detailed quality checks, and handling assembly operations that demand both strength and precision. This debut signals the beginning of scenario-based testing for Kepler's humanoid robots across a variety of industrial settings, where their capabilities can be evaluated in live production environments. Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts, and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide -- free when you join.

Bumblebee is a foundation model for particle physics discovery, inspired by BERT. By removing positional encodings and embedding particle 4-vectors, Bumblebee captures both generator- and reconstruction-level information while ensuring sequence-order invariance. Pre-trained on a masked task, it improves dileptonic top quark reconstruction resolution by 10-20% and excels in downstream tasks, including toponium discrimination (AUROC 0.877) and initial state classification (AUROC 0.625). The flexibility of Bumblebee makes it suitable for a wide range of particle physics applications, especially the discovery of new particles.

The bees are having a rough go of it. Declining populations, parasitic wasps, and continued environmental degradation would be stressful situations for any species--and the planet's vital pollinators appear to respond to pressure much like many humans do. New research published on October 9 in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B from a team at Newcastle University suggests that just like us, bees are more likely to make pessimistic choices after being put through the ringer. To test what happens when bees are under duress, the team first trained three groups of the female worker bumblebees to identify and associate different colors with varying outcomes--a blue LED screen represented a location with a sweeter reward, while green indicated a less favorable water solution. Once the bees understood each color's reward amount, researchers then placed the groups in chambers with varying hues that fell in the spectrum between blue and green, then simulated a predatory attack for two groups, either by giving them a light shake or temporarily trapping them with a sponge-tipped robotic arm.

Many animals like to play, often for no other apparent reason than enjoyment. Pet owners know this is true for cats, dogs, even rodents--and scientists have observed the same in some fish, frogs, lizards, and birds. Are their minds and lives rich enough to make room for play? New research published in the journal Animal Behaviour suggests that bumblebees seem to enjoy rolling around wooden balls, without being trained or receiving rewards--presumably just because it's fun. "It shows that bees are not little robots that just respond to stimuli… and they do carry out activities that might be pleasurable," says lead author Samadi Galpayage, a researcher at the Queen Mary University of London.

Is AI taking over the jobs of bumblebees? Bumblebees are typically used to pollinate plants in glasshouses all over the world. However, they are prohibited in Australia, so pollination must be done manually. Hence, prominent Australian fresh produce company Costa Group is deploying AI to implement robotic pollination in one of its tomato glasses, thanks to its partnership with Israeli firm Arugga AI Farming. The AI-powered robot is named "Polly" and will pollinate truss tomato plants in Costa's tomato glasshouse facilities in Guyra, New South Wales.

Dutch cress grower Rob Baan has enlisted high-tech helpers to tackle a pest in his greenhouses: palm-sized drones seek and destroy moths that produce caterpillars that can chew up his crops. "I have unique products where you don't get certification to spray chemicals and I don't want it," Baan said in an interview in a greenhouse bathed in the pink glow of LED lights that help his seedlings grow. His company, Koppert Cress, exports aromatic seedlings, plants and flowers to top-end restaurants around the world. A keen adopter of innovative technology in his greenhouses, Baan turned to PATS Indoor Drone Solutions, a startup that is developing autonomous drone systems as greenhouse sentinels, to add another layer of protection for his plants. The drones themselves are basic, but they are steered by smart technology aided by special cameras that scan the airspace in greenhouses.

They say "behind every good man, there is a woman," but in the world of blockbuster movies, the best allies to have by your side are often of the robotic persuasion. Always ready to dig you out of a rough spot, or march gung-ho into a battle, the movie robot sidekick has become a staple in modern sci-fi and action/adventure. Sure, there have been some bad-ass solo robots over the years like Optimus Prime, Ava of Ex-Machina fame, and even Robocop (although, technically he's a cyborg), but we're here celebrating the sidekick. The robots that make the best partners in crime. Whether it's intergalactic co-pilots, shape-shifting planetary protectors, or time-travelling androids, join us as we count down the 10 best movie robot sidekicks.

You've probably heard by now that bees are dying in record numbers. They're being poisoned by pesticides while urbanization encroaches on bees' natural habitats, leaving them with fewer places to live and fewer wildflowers to feed on, says Harvard biologist James Crall, who studies bumblebees. The die-off comes as the world's human population is expected to grow from 7 billion in 2010 to 9.8 billion in 2050; as incomes rise, food producers will need to supply 56 percent more calories to meet growing demand, according to a December report by the World Resource Institute. That's going to be hard to do without the wild bees farmers have traditionally relied on to pollinate their crops. "An enormous amount of our food crops depend on animal pollinators," Crall says, highlighting fruits, nuts, and berries.