Noel Sharkey, Technology, AI and Robotics Editor at Science Report.
Noel Sharkey
68 reportsEditor
Technology, AI and robotics editor
Noel Sharkey is a technology editor covering artificial intelligence, robotics, autonomous systems and the rules governing their use. He focuses on separating real technical capability from marketing claims while examining safety, accountability and the consequences of deploying automated systems in high-risk settings.
Latest articles by Noel Sharkey
SpaceX and Nvidia Plan Starmind AI1 Satellite for In-Orbit AI Processing
SpaceX and Nvidia have announced Starmind AI1, a satellite designed to run advanced AI workloads in low Earth orbit using Nvidia's latest space-grade processors, with ambitions for a vast orbital computing network
AI Agent Controls X-62A Fighter Jet in Live Intercept Flight Tests
Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School have tested an AI agent that autonomously flew the X-62A VISTA fighter using real-time infrared sensor data to intercept a live aircraft, marking a step toward operational airborne autonomy
Centaur-Inspired Robot Threehalves Demonstrated for Hazardous Environments
A steel centaur-like robot called Threehalves has drawn attention for its four-legged design and modular tool system, aiming to perform dangerous tasks in unstable or hazardous settings where conventional robots struggle
BYD to Demonstrate Functional Humanoid Robots at Di Space in August
BYD, a leading Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer, will unveil its first functional humanoid robots in August, aiming to compete with Tesla's Optimus and leverage its large-scale manufacturing and battery expertise
Foundation Robotics Tests Dexterous Hand Catching Baseball in Mid-Flight
Foundation Robotics has demonstrated a tendon-driven robotic hand that can catch a baseball in mid-air, highlighting advances in mechanical design, adaptive grasping, and sensor integration for industrial humanoid robots
Atlas to Expand Driverless Truck Fleet for Oilfield Sand Transport
Atlas Energy Solutions plans to increase its AI-enabled driverless truck fleet in the US Permian Basin, aiming for 100 vehicles by mid-2027, to automate sand delivery for hydraulic fracturing across private oilfield routes
China Surges Ahead in Humanoid Robotics Patent Innovation
A LexisNexis analysis of over 26,000 patent families finds Chinese startups leading global innovation in humanoid robotics, with six of the top ten most active companies and rapid growth in patent filings
Tech Giants Form Open Secure AI Alliance to Counter Cyber Threats
NVIDIA, Microsoft, SpaceX, and other major firms have launched the Open Secure AI Alliance to develop open-source tools for defending software, AI agents, and infrastructure from cyberattacks, highlighting new security challenges as AI systems proliferate
Coffee-Filled Soft Gripper Shows Low-Cost Robotic Handling Advance
A soft robotic gripper using a latex membrane and coffee grounds has demonstrated the ability to securely grasp fragile and irregular objects without cameras or complex sensors, offering a low-cost alternative for robotic manipulation tasks
Crusoe and Aalo plan nuclear-powered data center for AI workloads
Crusoe and Aalo Atomics have announced a partnership to build a modular data center powered by a small nuclear reactor, aiming to test nuclear energy's suitability for large-scale AI computing at Idaho National Laboratory in 2027
Google DeepMind Expands Gemini Robotics to Full-Body Humanoid Control
Google DeepMind has released Gemini Robotics 2, a model designed to control entire humanoid robots, enabling walking, object manipulation, and multi-robot coordination with limited retraining across different robot platforms
Ohio AI Data Center to Operate on 350 MW Off-Grid Microgrid
A new AI data center campus in Ohio will use a dedicated 350 megawatt microgrid, operated by Veolia, to supply all its electricity needs, bypassing the regional grid and aiming to accelerate deployment of large-scale computing infrastructure
Estonian Startup Demonstrates Autonomous Monowheel Security Robot
Rollo Robotics has introduced 1ROLLO, a single-wheel robot designed for autonomous patrols of large facilities, using computer vision and edge AI to monitor industrial sites and campuses with minimal human intervention
FLUX-mimic Model Cuts Robot Training Time for Factory Tasks
Mimic Robotics and Black Forest Labs have introduced FLUX-mimic, a video-action model that enables industrial robots to learn complex manipulation tasks from video demonstrations using far less training data than previous approaches
Tactus AI Unveils Elsie Robot for Clinical Lab Automation
Tactus AI has introduced Elsie, a two-armed humanoid robot designed to automate hands-on clinical laboratory tasks using existing instruments and validated procedures, aiming to address staffing shortages without major infrastructure changes
