The Innovation Report
AI Helps Robots Manipulate Objects With Their Whole Bodies
Imagine you want to carry a large, heavy box up a flight of stairs. You might spread your fingers out and lift that box with both hands, then hold it on top of your forearms and balance it against your chest, using your whole body to manipulate the box. Humans are...
Detroit: DTE, Consumers Energy Playing Big Role In EV Transition
As a growing number of Michigan residents drive electric vehicles, the state's largest utilities — DTE Energy and Consumers Energy — are playing a role in the electric vehicle transition, from ensuring the infrastructure can handle increased demand to encouraging...
Texas: One Of Cheapest Gas Taxes In The US— And Some Of The Highest EV Fees
Drivers in Texas who think they're skirting gas taxes by driving electric should think again — the Lone Star State wants them to pay for their fair share, too. Drivers essentially pay for their road use at the pump through gas taxes, which get funneled to state...
GM’s Cruise AV Unit To Cut Fleet In Half After 2 Crashes
General Motors' Cruise autonomous vehicle unit has agreed to cut its fleet of San Francisco robotaxis in half as authorities investigate two recent crashes in the city. The state Department of Motor Vehicles asked for the reduction after a Cruise vehicle...
Why Are Space Agencies Racing To The Moon’s South Pole?
India's space agency is attempting to land a spacecraft on the moon's south pole, a mission that could advance India's space ambitions and expand knowledge of lunar water ice, potentially one of the moon's most valuable resources. Here's what's known about the...
Clearspace-1 Space Debris Cleanup Target In Orbit Just Got Struck By Space Debris
A leftover rocket adapter, expected to be removed from low Earth orbit in 2026, has new pieces of space debris floating nearby. That's a likely aftereffect of being hit by something small flying through space. The problem was spotted by the 18th...
Batteries Keep Texas Grid Humming In Heat Waves
A battery boom is helping to stabilize the Texas power grid, offering a template for utilities that want to cut their greenhouse gases even as air conditioners hum wildly during heat waves. The growth of batteries was evident last week when energy storage facilities...
Woman With Paralysis Speaks Through Avatar Thanks To Brain Implant And AI
In 2005, Ann Johnson suffered a stroke that left her severely paralyzed and unable to speak. She was 30. At best, she could make sounds like “ooh” and “ah,” but her brain was still firing off signals. Now, in a scientific milestone 18 years after Johnson's stroke, an...
House Of Lords Launches Inquiry Into UK’s Electric Car Transition
Britain's upper house of parliament said on Wednesday it was launching an inquiry into electric vehicles (EVs) that will examine the government's approach to phasing out fossil-fuel models, charging infrastructure and end-of-life disposal of EVs. The UK government has...
Big SUVs: The Next Battery-EV Frontier
First Rivian R1S, then Kia EV9 and now Cadillac Escalade IQ. The three-row battery-electric SUV battle is about to get very interesting as automakers lean toward more all-electric versions of the SUVs their customers already love, and startups gain a...
