Robotics

CERN engineers have developed high-speed levitating karts to replace bicycles for transport within the Large Hadron Collider tunnel during the Long Shutdown 3 maintenance period. Powered by superconducting engines utilizing the Meissner effect, these vehicles may also have future aerospace applications. The project was inspired by designs from local nursery school children.

NASA is upgrading astronaut hygiene for the Artemis II mission with the Universal Waste Management System (UWMS). Developed by Collins Aerospace, this 3D-printed titanium toilet addresses the failures of Apollo-era systems by offering a ergonomic, unisex design with simultaneous waste processing and improved privacy, setting a new standard for future moon and Mars exploration missions.

QuadRF is a compact 4-antenna Software-Defined Radio (SDR) tile operating in the 4.9–6.0 GHz band. Featuring a Lattice ECP5 FPGA and low-latency performance, it supports full-duplex communication. Ideal for 4x4 MIMO, phased arrays, 5G base stations, and robotics, it serves as both a standalone radio and a scalable building block for complex RF systems.

Japan is aggressively developing Physical AI to combat severe labor shortages and sustain industrial productivity. Leveraging a legacy of robotics excellence and substantial government investment, the country aims to capture 30% of the global market by 2040. Strategic collaborations between industrial giants and agile startups focus on integrating AI with precision hardware to automate complex sectors.