What can we learn from the brain about building better computers? Oliver Rhodes discusses how neuromorphic computing draws on the brain's architecture to develop new approaches to more efficient information processing. Can you give me an overview of your background and the research that you're involved with? Neuromorphic computing is quite a broad subject, which essentially looks to biology as inspiration to develop next-generation computing systems. We work off this principle: we know the brain is this really amazing computer, and it's able to do things that a lot of modern computing systems aren't able to do, and it also does them in an incredibly energy efficient way. We'd like to try to replicate that with some of the systems we build. In the context of the current climate around AI, while we've seen that it's made really big steps forward and is able to do really impressive things, there are certain things that it still can't do that the brain is able to do. So we look to the brain for inspiration to try and solve some of those next generation challenges. Neuromorphic computing covers all aspects of this: from looking at algorithms that might be solving a particular problem, to the systems and subsystems that would be running those algorithms, right down to a chip or devices level. We often use neural networks, which are also employed in artificial intelligence models, such as in deep learning and transformer models.

ALBATROSS plays fast and loose with nature's rules. More information Adding us as a Preferred Source in Google by using this link indicates that you would like to see more of our content in Google News results. ALBATROSS takes movement inspiration from three remarkably different animal types and mashes them into something entirely new. Bio-inspired robots are a dime a dozen these days, with machines mimicking everything from bats and beetles to long-extinct sea creatures . But making the absolute most effective robot for certain niche scenarios like remote ocean monitoring during storms requires going one step beyond what nature offers.

Eight Sleep just unveiled the Pod 6, its latest and greatest smart sleep system. The company says these new models have been "rebuilt from the ground up" and represent its "most significant hardware launch to date." There are a bunch of upgrades here when compared to the Pod 5. The hub has been completely redesigned and is now small enough to fit under most bed frames. It pumps temperature-controlled water inside the included mattress cover to keep things comfortable.

In their paper Optimizing Sensor Placement with Greedy Algorithms: A Case Study in Wildlife Camera Trapping for Spatial Capture-Recapture Population Estimation, and present an approach for optimizing sensor placement for wildlife population counts. We caught up with first author Hannah to find out more about this work, which was presented at IJCAI-ECAI 2026 . What is the topic of the research in your paper, and why is it an interesting area for study? In our research, we set out to develop optimization methods that help ecologists determine where to place sensors, such as camera traps, to get precise estimates of species population counts from the data they collect. This information is integral for ecologists to measure ecosystem health and to develop effective conservation management strategies, but they usually work under strict budget constraints.

Just about every home security system has paid options, but with a little effort and a focus on local storage, you can build your own without the recurring costs. No one wants to worry about a break-in. But no one wants to end up paying fees every month just to check their video doorbell feed or find out their window was broken, and most smart security systems (even the original ones that weren't touted as smart!) rely on your fear to have you paying month after month for the promise of catching burglars and stopping intruders for you. These systems do work, and they can give you a lot of peace of mind. This comes with a hefty price tag, though, and plenty of people would be more than happy with a system they build themselves sans monthly fees.

A human cleaner has a really big advantage over a vacuum: it can move things out of the way. That doesn't seem like a huge problem, but the vast majority of robot vacuums lack arms. It can't just move a chair or get a hoover nozzle into a tight spot to clean up dust. There's also the unknowns to think about that it won't have mapped on its route, like toys, charging cables left trailing across the floor or even pet messes that can be spread around the house. That's not to say that robot vacuums can't overcome some of the issues.

Mashable's Best: E-readers, robovacs, laptops, earbuds, smart home and more Look Up Mashable Selects Creator Playbook In My Bag Say More Trending Now Back to School Good Connection: Uplifting stories for a digital age Switch Off Mashable Voices Safety Net All Series Variable aperture is finally real, and it's just one part of a bigger camera overhaul on the iPhone 18 Pro. Chance Townsend is the General Assignments Editor at Mashable, covering tech, video games, dating apps, digital culture, and whatever else comes his way. He has a Master's in Journalism from the University of North Texas and is a proud orange cat father. His writing has also appeared in PC Mag and . All products featured here are independently selected by our editors and writers.

Mashable's Best: E-readers, robovacs, laptops, earbuds, smart home and more Look Up Mashable Selects Creator Playbook In My Bag Say More Trending Now Back to School Good Connection: Uplifting stories for a digital age Switch Off Mashable Voices Safety Net All Series Apple's new Watch Ultra 4 lays down a good foundation for features that are, mostly, yet to come. Stan is a Senior Editor at Mashable, where he has worked since 2007. He's got more battery-powered gadgets and band t-shirts than you. He writes about the next groundbreaking thing. Typically, this is a phone, a coin, or a car.

Creator Playbook Look Up Mashable's Best: E-readers, robovacs, laptops, earbuds, smart home and more In My Bag Say More Trending Now Mashable Selects Back to School Good Connection: Uplifting stories for a digital age Switch Off Mashable Voices Safety Net All Series Looks the same as last year, but packs a larger battery and a better camera. Stan is a Senior Editor at Mashable, where he has worked since 2007. He's got more battery-powered gadgets and band t-shirts than you. He writes about the next groundbreaking thing. Typically, this is a phone, a coin, or a car. His ultimate goal is to know something about everything. All products featured here are independently selected by our editors and writers.

Variable aperture is finally real, and it's just one part of a bigger camera overhaul on the iPhone 18 Pro. Chance Townsend is the General Assignments Editor at Mashable, covering tech, video games, dating apps, digital culture, and whatever else comes his way. He has a Master's in Journalism from the University of North Texas and is a proud orange cat father. His writing has also appeared in PC Mag and . While the iPhone Duo was the standout product during Apple's September event, the second biggest news was the camera additions to the iPhone 18 Pro lineup.