The future leaves
signals in time.

Volkswagen Group China has been granted permission to test highly automated Level 3 driving on public roads in Hefei, aiming through this testing to reach its targeted technical maturity by 2027. Meanwhile, Xpeng has received approval to conduct demonstration drives with Level 4 robotaxis in Guangzhou.

Researchers in China report recovering 94.34% of the silver from crystalline silicon solar cells using an acid-free molten salt process that detaches the silver as metal, and say they have identified how to control silicon loss during treatment.

An analyst said sodium-ion's position has strengthened substantially in the past 12 months, but its adoption in Europe depends on several key factors, including data centres and their use cases.

Inspired by flying insects like fruit flies and bees, which can navigate narrow spaces and survive collisions, researchers developed a flying robot that reportedly bounces back after hitting surfaces or objects, unlike many flying robots that fall or break down on impact.

Wonder is expanding its partnership with autonomous technology developer Avride to scale AI-powered robot delivery across Jersey City and Hoboken in New Jersey, Arlington County in Virginia, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, bringing autonomous delivery to dozens of additional Grubhub merchants, including at least one Wonder location per market.

XR creative technologist Lucas Martinic used AI vibecoding and a decompiled version of Super Mario 64 (1996) to create a VR mod that reportedly lets players reexperience the seminal 3D platformer in mixed reality.

A study by Leiden University researchers found that the Omnia autonomous UV-C disinfection robot developed by Ryberg Healthcare met international disinfection standards. The robot was evaluated in a furnished laboratory designed to emulate a hospital environment, and the study was published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Teradyne Robotics and Sereact have partnered to combine Sereact’s physical AI technology with Universal Robots’ collaborative robots. This collaboration aims to bring intelligent, adaptable automation to real-world operations in retail, logistics, and manufacturing.

South Korean battery giant LG Energy Solution (LG ES) signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Energix-Renewable Energies. The agreement aims to expand collaboration on energy storage projects in the US and Europe, with a potential capacity of 4.5 GWh.

The Shamonda virus, which is transmitted from animals, has infected and killed a human for the first time. Experts are currently investigating how the disease-causing virus jumped from animals to humans.

Battery storage developer Kyon Energy has commissioned and put into operation its 137.5MW/282MWh Alfeld battery energy storage project in Germany. According to the report, it is potentially the country's largest to reach that milestone.

Manufacturer Sunkean has developed a copper-to-aluminum jumper solution for PV DC-side applications. Per the report, it addresses conductor material costs, field installation efficiency, and the long-term reliability of copper-to-aluminum connections in utility-scale solar projects.

Legora is developing an agentic operating system for legal work. It utilizes OpenAI models, ChatGPT, and Codex to accelerate legal workflows, expand contract analysis, and allow lawyers to focus on higher-value tasks.

A new book by David D'Arcangelo, The Robot Goal Federation: A Blueprint for a New Era of Sports Entertainment, sets out an ambitious vision for sports entertainment: a governing institution, professional leagues, robotic athletes, and fans with a meaningful role in the competition.

German startup Exxosqel, in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research, has developed a coating technology that strengthens solar glass by targeting microscopic surface cracks. The technology could reduce glass weight by up to 40% and overall PV module weight by approximately 30%.

Japan's Ricoh plans to begin producing perovskite solar cells by 2030, initially targeting annual capacity of several hundred megawatts. The company will use its proprietary inkjet printing technology to streamline manufacturing and reduce production costs.

Itaipu studied connecting up to 1 GW of solar at three points in Paraguay's electricity network to support its power grid. Simulations found specialized controls could dampen inter-area power oscillations, and the study also recommends battery storage to improve system response.