Creepy walking robo-hand brings ‘Addams Family’ to life. ‘Could make future bots more versatile.’

nypost.com Sep 29, 2026

Creepy walking robo-hand brings ‘Addams Family’ to life. ‘Could make future bots more versatile.’

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Sep 29, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

A Swiss team from ETH Zurich’s Soft Robotics Lab unveiled a mobile robotic hand inspired by the “Addams Family” sidekick, the Thing. The hand can walk across diverse terrains—grass, wood, stone—while performing fine motor tasks such as moving blocks, typing, and solving Sokoban puzzles. Equipped with a battery, onboard computer, and sensors, it demonstrates autonomous navigation and object interaction. The researchers suggest that giving robotic hands independent mobility could enhance assistive devices for people with limited reach and broaden robot versatility in human environments.

💡 Why It Matters

· By granting a robotic appendage self‑mobility, the project opens pathways for more adaptable assistive technologies and expands the functional scope of robots beyond fixed platforms.

Read full article on nypost.com

Bose launched wired, yes, wired, earbuds with ANC for $99

Bose introduced a new pair of wired earbuds featuring active noise cancellation (ANC) priced at $99. The earbuds connect via USB‑C, using a proprietary DSP to deliver a consistent 24‑bit signal to any USB‑C device. Each earbud houses two microphones for ANC, offering Quiet and Aware modes, with the option to disable noise cancellation. The product is available for pre‑order today, with shipping slated for October 15 through Bose’s website and Best Buy.

💡 By offering ANC without a battery, Bose taps the growing demand for low‑maintenance audio, positioning itself as a viable alternative to wireless competitors.

9to5mac.com · Sep 29

Feature Request: One change for the most important use of Notify Me

Apple introduced the “Notify Me” feature in Safari as part of macOS 27, allowing the built‑in Apple Intelligence to watch a web page and push a notification when the content changes. The tool is marketed for scenarios such as price‑drop alerts and stock‑availability monitoring. However, the feature caps its polling interval at one hour, which prevents users from employing it for high‑frequency tasks like ticket sales that can open minutes—or seconds—before an event. A 9to5Mac editorial argues that a finer‑grained check, as short as 15 seconds, would unlock the most valuable use case while suggesting safeguards such as limited duration and cooldown periods to avoid site overload. The piece calls on Apple to add this option and invites reader feedback through a poll.

💡 Enabling minute‑level checks would turn Safari into a practical, AI‑driven ticket‑sniping assistant, turning a manual race against time into an automated, reliable process.

9to5google.com · Sep 29

A decade in, what is the Pixel’s legacy?

October 4 marks the tenth anniversary of Google’s Pixel line, which began as HTC‑built phones showcasing Android best practices and early‑release updates. Over the decade the brand expanded to include budget and flagship smartphones, the Tensor‑powered Pixel 6, Pixel Watch, earbuds, tablets and a short‑lived Pixelbook, while enduring hardware setbacks such as camera flaws on the Pixel 2/3, supply issues for the Pixel 5 and modem problems on the Pixel 6. Integration with Google services, especially the Gemini AI suite, has become a defining trait under Rick Osterloh. Market share remains single‑digit in most regions, yet the Pixel 8 series in 2023 restored its reputation for premium hardware paired with refined software. The upcoming Pixel 11 series continues the design language introduced with the Pixel 6, while the Watch and Buds see minimal change and the Tablet line appears discontinued.

💡 The Pixel’s persistence illustrates Google’s commitment to a tightly integrated hardware‑software ecosystem, using the devices as a testing ground for AI and services that shape the broader Android experience.

interestingengineering.com · Sep 29

New stacked chip gives wearables local memory, tops 90% accuracy in signal…

Researchers from KAIST, UNIST and POSTECH have created a vertically stacked semiconductor system that integrates carbon‑nanotube transistors with a solid‑state ionogel to provide on‑chip temporal memory. When voltage is applied, mobile ions in the ionogel shift and remain displaced after the voltage is removed, creating a short‑term electrical “memory.” By varying ion concentration and ionogel thickness, the team produced fast‑responding and slow‑responding layers, then stacked them so the upper layer captures recent signals while the lower layer retains earlier inputs. In tests, the stack distinguished all 16 possible patterns of four binary signals and, when used to classify video sequences of moving handwritten digits, achieved over 90 % validation accuracy. The technology could enable tiny wearables to analyze motion and physiological data locally without constant data off‑loading.

💡 Enabling edge devices to process temporal data on‑chip reduces reliance on external servers, paving the way for truly autonomous, power‑efficient wearables.

appleinsider.com · Sep 29

M5 Max Mac Studio review: Far better choice than Ultra for most…

Apple’s 2026 Mac Studio refresh offers two configurations: an M5 Max model starting at $2,499 and an M5 Ultra model priced above $5,500. The reviewer argues that the M5 Max, with an 18‑core CPU (6 super, 12 performance), a 32‑core GPU, 16‑core Neural Engine and optional 36 GB of unified memory, delivers a superior price‑to‑performance ratio for typical Mac‑centric workflows. It ships with a 1 TB PCIe Gen 6 SSD, Thunder‑bolt 5, USB‑A, HDMI 2.1, 10 Gb Ethernet and an SDXC slot, and remains quiet under load, staying under 39 dBA in a 36 dBA office. The M5 Ultra, while more powerful with up to 80 GPU cores and dual Neural Engines, is unavailable until 2027 and is deemed overkill for most users. The M5 Max is now the reviewer’s daily driver, positioning it as the pragmatic choice for most desks.

💡 The M5 Max’s balanced specs and immediate availability give professionals a high‑end Mac workstation without the premium cost and delay of the Ultra, reshaping buying decisions for creators and developers.

koco.com · Sep 29

AI-powered helmet tested in Oklahoma City could transform firefighting

Oklahoma City firefighters are field‑testing the C‑Thru helmet, an AI‑driven augmented‑reality system created by Qwake Technologies. The device overlays thermal and visual data onto the wearer’s visor, allowing firefighters to see through dense smoke, pinpoint victims, and stream live video to incident commanders. Designed to operate in zero‑visibility, high‑heat environments, the helmet aims to cut search times and reduce exposure to hazardous conditions. The program is part of a Homeland Security field assessment that selected 30 departments nationwide to evaluate the technology’s effectiveness and safety. CEO Sam Cossman likened the innovation to autonomous vehicle navigation, emphasizing the need for comparable assistance for first responders navigating “the screams of the baby in the back room.”

💡 Real‑time visual guidance could shave critical seconds off rescue missions, directly improving survival odds in fire emergencies.