American startup PsiQuantum has begun construction on a facility in Moreton Bay, Australia, where it plans to build and deploy what it calls the world’s first utility-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer.

The California-based quantum computing company broke ground on the site alongside representatives from the Australian government, the Queensland government, and local officials. The project is expected to become a key part of Australia’s push to establish itself as a hub for advanced computing technologies.

The facility will be developed in multiple phases and will house the infrastructure needed to support PsiQuantum’s photonic quantum computing architecture. One of the first major components arriving at the site will be a large cryogenic plant designed to cool the quantum system.

PsiQuantum said the cryoplant, being built by Linde Engineering, is expected to be delivered in the second half of 2027. The company ordered the system in late 2024 and described it as one of the largest cryogenic cooling plants ever built for a quantum computing application.

Race toward utility

The cooling system will be followed by cryogenic cabinets that will contain photonic quantum chips. These cabinets will be connected using conventional optical fiber, forming the foundation of the company’s planned utility-scale machine.

Unlike many quantum computing efforts that remain focused on laboratory-scale systems, PsiQuantum is pursuing a photonics-based approach designed to scale using existing semiconductor manufacturing processes and optical networking technologies.

“Building a quantum computer that solves real world problems is one of the great engineering challenges of our time. For decades, quantum computing has held the promise of transforming what humanity can achieve through computation, and today in Australia we are beginning to turn that promise into reality,” said Victor Peng, Chief Executive Officer of PsiQuantum.

The company believes fault-tolerant quantum computers could eventually tackle problems beyond the reach of conventional computing systems. Potential applications include drug discovery, materials development, energy research, logistics, manufacturing, agriculture, and financial modeling.

PsiQuantum also sees quantum computing as a complement to emerging computational technologies rather than a replacement. The company said future industrial computing systems are likely to combine quantum and classical technologies to accelerate scientific discovery and solve increasingly complex problems.

Building local capability

The Moreton Bay facility is also expected to support workforce development in Australia’s growing quantum technology sector. The site sits within the Moreton Bay Central Innovation Precinct, close to a TAFE Centre of Excellence and the University of the Sunshine Coast’s Moreton Bay campus.

According to the company, the project will create jobs in engineering, technical operations, advanced manufacturing, research, and professional services. The location is intended to help students, technicians, apprentices, and engineers move directly into careers linked to quantum technologies.

“Australia has been part of this journey from the very beginning,” said Prof. Jeremy O’Brien, Co-Founder and Executive Chair of PsiQuantum.

The groundbreaking follows the opening of PsiQuantum’s Test and Validation Lab at Griffith University in Brisbane in May 2026. The laboratory houses cryogenic equipment used to test photonic quantum chips and supporting systems that will eventually be deployed at the Moreton Bay site.

If completed as planned, the facility will become one of the world’s most ambitious efforts to build a fault-tolerant quantum computer at industrial scale.

Advanced nuclear technology firm Oklo and TRISO nuclear fuel producer Standard Nuclear have finalized a memorandum of understanding to work together on fuel recycling, advanced manufacturing, and utilizing excess US plutonium.

This commercial agreement provides Oklo with its initial third-party buyer pathway for materials processed at its upcoming Tennessee facility. It follows an announcement by the US Department of Energy that selected both companies among five enterprises to enter advanced negotiations for the federal Surplus Plutonium Utilization Program.

The non-binding agreement outlines a framework for the companies to evaluate technical and commercial details. Under the material offtake portion of the agreement, Standard Nuclear will review specifications and delivery timelines for reprocessed uranium and uranium-transuranic streams.

These materials will originate from Oklo’s planned recycling plant in Oak Ridge and will serve as raw inputs for Standard Nuclear’s production of TRISO fuel, which is a specialized fuel type designed for high-temperature advanced reactors.

Supply chain integration

“The collaboration would focus on the supply of reprocessed uranium (RepU) and uranium-transuranic material (U/TRU) streams from used nuclear fuel, which could serve as feedstock for TRISO fuel manufacturing,” said Oklo in a press release.

The second major component of the agreement focuses on managing federal weapons-grade material. The two companies plan to coordinate on licensing requirements, specialized packaging, facilities, and secure transportation networks. 

This logistical framework is intended to safely convert surplus domestic plutonium into usable fuel for next-generation commercial reactors, providing consistent clean electricity to the power grid.

Jacob DeWitte, co-founder and chief executive officer of Oklo, stated that his company focuses on converting used nuclear material into functional fuel supplies to help build the domestic supply chains required for deploying advanced reactors. 

“This partnership represents a compelling pathway to source feedstock materials for our TRISO fuel manufacturing and radioisotope power systems and is an important step in strengthening domestic fuel feedstock supply sources,” added Kurt Terrani, chief executive officer of Standard Nuclear. 

Addressing domestic nuclear waste

The commercial effort addresses a significant domestic inventory challenge, as the United States currently stores approximately 100,000 metric tons of used nuclear fuel from traditional commercial reactors. 

Rather than leaving these stockpiles in long-term storage, the collaboration attempts to extract remaining energy resources from the waste.

Oklo is currently designing a fast test reactor named Pluto that runs specifically on plutonium. The goal of the Pluto project is to prove that surplus military plutonium can function as an interim fuel source for commercial electricity generation instead of remaining a permanent disposal issue.

At the same time, Standard Nuclear operates as an independent, reactor-agnostic fuel developer, meaning its TRISO fuel can be utilized across various third-party reactor designs for both terrestrial power grids and space exploration systems. 

The company also builds radioisotope power systems, which are compact electricity generators used by defense agencies and aerospace programs. These systems will rely directly on the specific isotopes recovered during the recycling processes managed by Oklo.

US scientists have connected a novel 20-qubit quantum computer to Frontier, the world’s most powerful supercomputer for open science, in a major step aimed at advancing hybrid computing.

The research team at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) launched Pathfinder on June 16. The new 20-qubit IQM Radiance system will operate alongside the lab’s high-performance computing infrastructure.

Finland’s IQM, which built and deployed the Pathfinder, said the system is the first commercially procured quantum computer at ORNL. It is furthermore IQM’s first installation in the US.

“Our first US system now sits on Oak Ridge campus, connected to their HPC environment, owned and operated by their teams,” Jan Goetz, IQM co-founder and CEO, noted. “Quantum becomes useful when it works inside real computing infrastructure, and there is no better place to prove that.”

Pathfinder goes live

The Pathfinder is owned and run by ORNL. The researchers will have direct access to the hardware. They will moreover have the ability to build their own intellectual property and applications.

Travis Humble, ORNL Quantum Science Center Director, stated that the presence of the quantum computer has already sped up their efforts to integrate quantum technologies with the lab’s world-class supercomputing capabilities.

“On-premises systems enable us to demonstrate quantum computing concepts that realize our goal of building a scalable, hybrid HPC ecosystem,” Humble said. “Our research teams are now developing new methods and tools to demonstrate applications in materials simulations, chemistry, and artificial intelligence.”

The director said these fields are widely regarded as among the most promising areas in which quantum computing could provide advantages over conventional systems. The installation also serves as a test case for how future research sites may deploy quantum computers within their existing computing infrastructure.

A new era of computing

IQM pointed out that it has sold 23 full-stack quantum systems worldwide, with installations spanning Europe, Asia, and North America. The ORNL deployment represents a major expansion of its footprint in the US.

Beyond the Tennessee installation, the company recently established a quantum technology center in Maryland to support research, education, and collaboration with high-performance computing providers.

Senator Marsha Blackburn highlighted that the debut of ORNL’s IQM Pathfinder is set to strengthen Tennessee’s position in advancing US quantum innovation. She added that the partnership between the two institutions could support advances in national security and economic growth.

At the same time, Senator Bill Hagerty described the deployment as an important technological investment. “We find ourselves in a time when quantum science, energy systems, and economic growth are converging in ways never before seen,” Hagerty said in a press release.

The senator praised the system, saying it could lead to new future breakthroughs. “This is yet another example of how Tennessee is establishing itself as a global leader in quantum innovation, advanced energy, and nuclear ingenuity,” Hagerty concluded.

IQM develops superconducting quantum computers for research institutions, universities, and national laboratories. Founded in 2018, it employs more than 350 people and operates across Europe, Asia, and North America.

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Following months of unsuccessful hardware recovery procedures, NASA has officially initiated decommissioning operations for the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft.

The formal retirement marks the end of an illustrious 11-year operational run that fundamentally reshaped human understanding of planetary atmospheric degradation. Project administrators noted that the loss of the veteran probe, which went missing following a routine orbital sequence late last year, represents a deeply felt loss for the global space science community.

The fatal operational issue originally occurred in December 2025 during a scheduled communication blackout window while the probe traversed the far side of Mars. When MAVEN failed to check back in with the Deep Space Network, engineers spent months conducting emergency reboots and transmitting blind recovery scripts.

Later telemetry analysis of recorded faint radio frequencies revealed a surprising detail: MAVEN emerged from the Martian shadow stuck in a safe mode, tumbling continuously at a rate of 2.7 revolutions per minute.

Since the orbiter was physically incapable of normal operation while rotating, this uncontrolled spin permanently misaligned its solar arrays, entirely draining the internal battery banks and cutting off main electrical systems.

Tracking the Evolution of the Martian Climate

Launched from Cape Canaveral in November 2013, MAVEN was built as NASA’s premier orbital asset explicitly dedicated to analyzing the upper atmosphere of the Red Planet.

Arriving in September 2014, the spacecraft’s primary task was to investigate why Mars transitioned from a warm, wet, potentially habitable planet into the frozen desert observed today. While its baseline research charter was originally budgeted to last only two Earth years, the robust spacecraft managed to continuously execute scientific sweeps for over a decade.

During its prolonged, extended mission phases, MAVEN completely revolutionized the field of planetary science. Its instrument suite provided the first direct measurements of atmospheric sputtering, a physical process where high-energy solar particles slam into the upper atmosphere and violently knock gas atoms out into deep space.

The orbiter also mapped planetwide auroral arrays, documented the impact of severe solar storms on gas-erosion rates, and tracked how global Martian dust storms physically pump liquid water vapor directly into the upper atmosphere, accelerating planetary drying.

A Critical Void in the Deep Space Relay Network

Beyond compiling an archive that fueled more than 800 peer-reviewed scientific publications, MAVEN acted as an invaluable infrastructure hub for surface exploration.

While it accounted for roughly 8% of the overall planetary relay sessions scheduled during its operational life, its highly sensitive, high-bandwidth antenna pipeline successfully carried nearly 18% of all scientific data transmitted back to Earth from NASA’s ground rovers and landers.

The loss of this high-capacity communication pipeline leaves a temporary logistical gap in the Mars Relay Network, occasionally delaying incoming data transmissions from surface assets.

NASA administrators confirmed that the four remaining functional orbiters stationed at Mars have already altered their flight paths and communication sweeps to absorb the data load.

Though its telemetry is gone and it will slowly slide toward a destructive surface impact over the next century, MAVEN’s deep space findings remain a foundational cornerstone of modern solar system exploration.

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded Parallel Works, an Illinois-based software company spun out of Argonne National Laboratory, a contract to provide a unified platform that connects military supercomputing centers with secure commercial cloud infrastructure.

The contract, granted under the department’s High Performance Computing Modernization Program (HPCMP), will allow scientists, engineers, and acquisition professionals across the DoD to access both on-premises and cloud-based computing resources through a single interface. The goal is to speed up the development and deployment of high-performance computing (HPC) and artificial intelligence (AI) workloads used for defense research and operations.

Parallel Works said its ACTIVATE High Security Platform (HSP) will act as the control plane linking Defense Supercomputing Resource Centers (DSRCs) with commercial cloud services. The platform is designed to let users move workloads across environments while maintaining security requirements for sensitive data.

The company said researchers will be able to test and deploy workloads on emerging cloud infrastructure before those capabilities are integrated into the DoD’s supercomputing centers.

Connecting defense computing

The platform has been approved at Impact Level 5 (IL5), one of the highest security classifications for non-classified DoD cloud environments. According to the company, it is among a small number of software platforms approved to handle export-controlled workloads, including International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI).

The system is intended to address growing demand for computing power driven by AI development, simulation workloads, and digital modernization programs across the military.

“AI-driven warfare and the ramp to digital modernization are demanding far more model-sharing options than legacy infrastructure can provide,” said Keith Obenschain, Chief Technology Officer at HPCMP.

The platform offers on-demand access to cloud compute resources, allowing users to avoid traditional queue delays associated with shared supercomputing systems. It also enables organizations to expand computing capacity by distributing workloads across multiple environments and cloud providers.

Parallel Works said users will have access to cloud infrastructure from providers including Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, and Oracle Cloud.

Accelerating mission deployment

As part of the contract rollout, the Naval Research Laboratory has already implemented the platform to support weather forecasting workloads.

According to the company, the system automates forecasting workflows while securely coordinating computing resources across defense and cloud environments. The approach is intended to improve reliability, speed up processing, and help redistribute workloads when demand spikes.

“The HPCMP contract allows our platform to support a broad range of mission-critical HPC and AI workloads across the DOD teams,” said Matthew Shaxted, CEO of Parallel Works.

The company said the environment can also serve as a secure testing ground for AI development tools and next-generation cloud architectures before they are adopted within the DoD’s existing supercomputing infrastructure.

The contract reflects a broader push by the U.S. military to combine traditional supercomputing resources with commercial cloud services as AI models and data-intensive applications continue to increase computing requirements across defense operations.

Hadron Energy has cleared an early milestone in its effort to commercialize small-scale nuclear power in the United States. The advanced nuclear technology company announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has published its first patent application, placing the engineering framework behind its Halo Micro-Modular Reactor into the public domain.

The patent publication marks the company’s first major intellectual property filing and provides a detailed look at the reactor design Hadron plans to advance through the U.S. licensing process. The application, published on May 7, outlines the technology behind the Halo reactor, a compact nuclear system designed to deliver 10 megawatts of electricity.

Company founder and CEO Samuel Gibson, Chief Nuclear Officer Ross Ridenoure, Christopher R. Neal, and Andrew M. Ward are listed as inventors on the application.

Integrated reactor design

The application details an integral pressurized-water reactor, a compact design that houses key nuclear systems within a single pressure vessel rather than across multiple structures.

Traditional nuclear plants typically rely on large external pipes to connect these systems. Hadron’s approach removes much of that complexity by housing them within one unit.

According to the application, the design could simplify transportation, installation, and maintenance. It also removes the large external coolant piping associated with conventional reactors.

The patent describes reactor configurations capable of producing between 6 and 60 megawatts of thermal energy. Electrical output ranges from 2 to 20 megawatts. Hadron’s flagship Halo configuration targets 10 megawatts of electricity generation.

Built for transportation

The application also focuses heavily on manufacturability and deployment. Engineers designed the reactor vessel in sections connected through circumferential flanges. This approach allows the company to assemble and test the reactor before shipping it to a project site.

Hadron says the design supports transportation by conventional road networks and even certain air transport systems. The company views transportability as a key advantage for remote locations and industrial customers that require reliable power.

The reactor uses Low-Enriched Uranium Plus fuel. Hadron selected the fuel to support multi-year operating cycles while leveraging existing domestic fuel supply infrastructure.

The filing also outlines passive safety features intended to keep the reactor core cooled for extended periods without alternating-current power under design-basis conditions.

Licensing push continues

The patent publication arrives as Hadron advances regulatory work with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Recently, NRC staff accepted the company’s Quality Assurance Program Description. Hadron also submitted its Principal Design Criteria white paper to regulators, another step in the licensing process.

Gibson said the patent publication establishes the technical foundation of the Halo reactor and begins what the company expects to become a broader intellectual property portfolio. He added that the filing reflects years of engineering work and supports Hadron’s long-term commercialization strategy.

Hadron intends to market Halo as a transportable source of carbon-free electricity for sites that lack reliable grid access. The company ultimately hopes to become the first developer to bring a licensed light-water microreactor to market in the United States.

While significant regulatory hurdles remain, the newly published patent offers the clearest public view yet of the technology Hadron plans to use in pursuit of that goal.

Chinese firm Alibaba has launched its first embodied AI model family, which links large language models with real-world robotic actions.

The Qwen-Robot suite was developed by Alibaba’s Tongyi Lab and is undergoing pilot testing with selected Alibaba Cloud enterprise clients.

The suite comprises three models focused on navigation, manipulation, and world modeling for robots operating in physical environments.

Alibaba said the models enable machines to perceive, reason, and interact with the real world, joining a growing global push to advance embodied AI beyond traditional chatbot applications.

Robots meet reasoning

Alibaba says its Qwen family of AI models has become very good at understanding the physical world. These models can recognize objects, understand spatial relationships, follow complex visual instructions, and reason about real-world environments. For example, a model can understand a command such as, “Go to the kitchen, find the red cup, pick it up, and place it on the shelf.”

However, understanding a task is different from actually performing it. While a vision-language model (VLM) can describe the steps needed to complete a task, it cannot directly control a robot’s movements. The challenge is connecting human language and visual understanding with the motor actions required to interact with the physical world.

This problem is difficult because robot training data is very different from internet data. Information collected from navigation systems, robotic arms, vehicles, and cameras comes in different formats and is expensive to gather. Simply combining all this data often creates conflicts rather than improving performance.

To address this, Alibaba developed the Qwen-Robot Suite, which includes three specialized models. Qwen-RobotNav focuses on movement and navigation. It helps robots follow instructions, navigate to locations, track targets, and support autonomous driving.

According to its website, Qwen-RobotManip focuses on physical interaction. It enables robots to grasp, move, and manipulate objects using a large training dataset collected from different robotic systems. Qwen-RobotWorld acts as a world model, predicting how environments may change and helping robots understand the likely outcomes of their actions.

Together, these models aim to enable robots to understand instructions, interact with objects, navigate environments, and make decisions in the real world.

Physical AI accelerates

Alibaba showcased Qwen-RobotNav on a Unitree Go2 quadruped powered by NVIDIA Jetson Thor hardware and a single low-resolution camera. The robot successfully navigated an unfamiliar apartment, following spoken instructions across multiple rooms without preloaded maps, while maintaining an inference latency of 196 milliseconds.

The company claims that Qwen-RobotManip, its robotic manipulation model, was trained on more than 38,000 hours of open-source data covering object handling and interaction tasks. According to Alibaba, the model recently achieved the highest score in the generalist category of the RoboChallenge real-world robotics benchmark, earning a process score of 59.83 and a task success rate of 45 percent.

The company also unveiled Qwen-RobotClaw, a robotics agent framework that enables Qwen models to use the Qwen-Robot suite as physical-world tools. In one demonstration, an agent searched for a restroom, identified an out-of-order sign, and independently rerouted to another location. Alibaba further open-sourced Chat2Robot, a browser-based platform for testing embodied AI interactions.

As competition in embodied AI intensifies worldwide, Alibaba has expanded its ambitions beyond language and multimodal software with the launch of its Qwen-Robot models. The move reflects a broader industry shift toward creating AI systems capable of understanding and interacting with the physical world.

Alibaba’s move comes as competition in physical AI accelerates globally. In the US, Google DeepMind is advancing Gemini Robotics, while Nvidia is expanding its robotics ecosystem through Cosmos, Isaac, and GR00T. Start-ups, including Physical Intelligence, Skild AI, and Figure AI, are also developing general-purpose robotic intelligence, according to the South China Morning Post.

China is strengthening its position by pairing its manufacturing advantages with growing investments in AI software for autonomous decision-making. The sector now spans AI developers, robotics firms, and EV makers. Companies such as Alibaba, Tencent, Unitree, AgiBot, UBTech, Galbot, Spirit AI, GigaAI, Xpeng, and Xiaomi are actively pursuing embodied AI technologies.

A German company’s advanced mobile air defense system is soon to showcase its battlefield power. Called the Skyranger 30, the mobile air defense system combines state-of-the-art sensor technology with enormous firepower.

Rheinmetall will showcase its Skyranger 30 system, based on the Lynx KF41 combat vehicle, at this year’s Eurosatory 2026 in Paris. The system offers an optimal combination of mobility, protection, flexibility and precision to meet the growing demands of challenging threat scenarios in the close and immediate vicinity.

Skyranger combines state-of-the-art sensor technology

The company also revealed that the Skyranger 30 addresses the urgent global demand for resilient and mobile close-range air defense. In light of modern threat scenarios—particularly the widespread use of drones and loitering munitions—the Skyranger closes a critical capability gap for Western armed forces.

The Skyranger combines state-of-the-art sensor technology with enormous firepower. At its core is the 30mmx173 KCE revolver cannon, which has an effective range of up to 3,000 meters. Through the use of programmable airburst munitions, the system achieves an extremely high probability of hit against micro-drones.

Optimal combination of mobility, protection

Numerous EU and NATO members, including Germany, have opted for Rheinmetall’s Skyranger 30 mobile air defense solution in recent years.

The system combines high-precision cannon and missile defense to protect mobile units against current airborne threats.

For longer ranges, the turret is modular in design and can flexibly accommodate short-range air defense missiles (SHORAD). An integrated search radar and electro-optical sensors enable seamless 360-degree reconnaissance and target tracking, allowing the system to operate completely autonomously or as part of a networked system, according to a press release.

Skyranger system represents Rheinmetall’s response to a rapidly evolving threats

The Skyranger system represents Rheinmetall’s response to a rapidly evolving battlefield environment in which traditional air defense architectures are increasingly challenged by low-cost unmanned aerial systems and highly maneuverable airborne threats. Designed to protect mobile forces and critical assets, the system combines advanced sensors, automated target engagement, and a powerful mix of cannon and missile-based interceptors.

The heart of the system is the high-rate-of-fire 30 mm cannon, which employs programmable airburst ammunition to effectively defeat small drones and other hard-to-hit aerial targets. Complementing the gun are short-range guided missiles that expand the engagement envelope against helicopters, aircraft, cruise missiles, and larger unmanned systems. This dual-effector approach significantly enhances battlefield survivability for maneuver forces operating in contested environments.

The strategic significance of the Skyranger has grown considerably across Europe. As nations reassess their air defence requirements in response to lessons learned from recent conflicts, particularly the extensive use of drones and loitering munitions in Ukraine, demand for mobile ground-based air defence systems has accelerated. Rheinmetall reports increasing adoption of the Skyranger by NATO and European partners seeking to close critical capability gaps in short-range and very-short-range air defense.

With its combination of mobility, precision engagement, and adaptability, the Skyranger stands as one of the most advanced solutions currently available for protecting troops and critical infrastructure against emerging airborne threats, reinforcing Rheinmetall’s growing role in the modernization of European air defense capabilities.

US-based fusion energy company Helion has received the regulatory clearances to build the world’s first fusion energy power plant. The company has received a Radioactive Materials License (RML) and a Radioactive Air Emissions License (RAEL) from the Washington Department of Health (DOH), clearing the way to begin construction of the generator building at the power plant site. 

As the world looks for newer ways to meet it energy demands without emitting carbon, fusion energy seems to be the most likely option. Using the chemical reaction that occurs on the Sun, fusion energy can potentially generate large amounts of energy from simpler atoms like hydrogen and its isotopes. 

Unlike its counterpart, nuclear fission, fusion energy does not produce large amounts of radioactive waste that need to be stored safely. Moreover, unlike renewables like wind and solar, fusion energy plants can work on demand, meeting energy requirements as they arise, without the investments required in energy storage too. 

Commercializing nuclear fusion

For all its benefits, nuclear fusion is still not a commercially available technology because the fusion reactors have not been able to generate more energy than they consume. Washington-state-based Helion Energy, though, is confident that it can achieve this fairly soon. 

While it has not yet published any peer-reviewed papers demonstrating how its fusion reactor works, the company is proceeding to build a fusion reactor that it will deploy commercially. It also has an agreement in place with Microsoft to supply 50 MW of power to a data center from its fusion reactor by 2028. 

The facility dubbed Orion is under construction in Malaga, Washington state and recently became the first such facility in the world to secure regulatory licenses to construct the nuclear plant. So far, the assembly and office building of the plant were completed but the recent grant of licenses from the DOH allows Helion to begin constructing the reactor as well. 

Why is NRC not involved? 

As a nuclear energy company, Helion should ideally be seeking approval from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). However, the NRC regulates nuclear fusion under the byproduct material framework, putting it in the same category for approvals as particle accelerators and hospitals, instead of nuclear reactors. 

This is not just a distinction made by the NRC but one also ratified by the US Congress in the ADVANCE Act of 2024, and it shows that nuclear fusion has a very different safety profile from fission and hence its path to deployment is also different. 

The issuance of the RML and RAEL licenses by the Washington DOH is a major milestone for Helion as it confirms that it has facilities, personnel, and safety programs that meet the safety standards for a fusion facility at the Malaga site. 

“We are extremely proud to be granted these licenses from the Washington DOH, making us the first company in the world with the regulatory approvals in place for fusion power plant operations,” said David Kirtley, CEO of Helion Energy, in a press release shared with Interesting Engineering.

“We have a long history of working with the DOH to license our previous fusion activities. Today’s announcement represents the rigor of that work and opens the door for practical, commercial, safe fusion power.”

In addition to the approvals needed to build its reactor, Helion has also secured a transmission interconnection agreement with Chelan County Public Utility District that will enable energy generated from its fusion power plant to be supplied to the grid, a global first as well. 

The question now is whether Helion will be able to meet its deadline to power Microsoft’s data center by 2028 from its fusion power plant.

At Eurosatory 2026, German defense giant Rheinmetall showcased its Containerized Missile Launcher (CML), a dedicated multi-launcher for the platform. 

It is a fully autonomous, modular weapon system that turns ordinary civilian and military logistics networks into rapid-launch missile bases.

The CML acts as a force multiplier for the company’s new FV-014 Loitering Munition System (LMS). 

Operating as part of Rheinmetall’s integrated reconnaissance and strike network, this combined system blends long-range scouting with precise strike capabilities. 

Moreover, the newly introduced CML is a critical network element that enables forces to rapidly deploy and launch multiple FV-014 “kamikaze” drones to engage battlefield targets efficiently.

360-degree gimbal

The 20 kg FV-014 functions as a portable loitering munition, providing frontline troops with an immediate link between reconnaissance and organic artillery support.

It features an aerodynamic wing design powered by a quiet electric propulsion system, allowing for stealthy operations. To enable long-term target observation, the drone is equipped with a 360-degree swiveling nose gimbal that provides frontline forces with comprehensive situational awareness.

The system delivers a flight endurance of up to 70 minutes, with a maximum operational range of 100 kilometers and a 60-kilometer data link capacity.

To ensure precise target engagement, the FV-014 drone is armed with an in-house-developed High-Explosive Dual Purpose (HEDP) payload manufactured by Rheinmetall. 

This specialized warhead provides a combat capability, combining anti-personnel fragmentation effects with deep anti-armor penetration. 

Despite the drone’s lightweight design, this highly effective payload can punch through more than 600 mm of armor plating, making it lethal against heavily armored combat vehicles and fortified enemy positions.

Modern warfare demands speed, and this system is built to minimize reaction times.

According to the company, the FV-014 runs on an advanced software architecture that allows a single operator to command multiple drones in a coordinated swarm formation. 

Interestingly, the system strictly enforces a “human-in-the-loop” protocol, ensuring a human operator retains final authority over any lethal strike. 

Furthermore, this intelligent flight system is designed for high-interference battlefields, allowing the drone to navigate and operate reliably even when facing intense electronic warfare or signal jamming.

Mass-producible drone network

As per the company, the FV-014 is a central pillar of the Rheinmetall Reconnaissance Network (AWV), controlled via a user-friendly ground station.

In pooling data with other assets, such as the LUNA NG reconnaissance drone, the system creates a comprehensive battlefield picture that enables rapid target engagement.

Developed and produced entirely within the European Union, the FV-014 has been engineered from the ground up for high-volume industrial mass production. It would ensure rapid scalability for modern defense needs. 

The system’s strategic importance was validated in February 2026 during a successful live-fire demonstration for a NATO customer. This milestone culminated rapidly in a massive, multi-billion-euro framework agreement signed with the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) in April 2026. It solidifies the drone’s position as a cornerstone of future European defense procurement.

With production lines ramping up, the future of distributed, autonomous artillery has arrived, and it comes packed inside a shipping container.

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Milrem Robotics has introduced a new plan that could change how NATO defends its eastern border. Before Eurosatory 2026 in Paris, the Estonian company shared its plan to establish robotic defense zones from Finland to Poland, using autonomous systems as the first line of defense.

The plan focuses on countering drones and improving border security. Instead of relying on large numbers of reserve troops, the firm suggests using unmanned systems to spot, track, and engage threats before they reach soldiers. The company says this could boost readiness on NATO’s eastern side, cut costs, and keep troops safer.

“The reality from Ukraine is clear: mass and readiness still matter, but how you generate them must change,” Milrem CEO Kuldar Väärsi said.

“Robotizing the Eastern Flank allows NATO to create a persistent defensive layer where unmanned systems make first contact, absorb losses, and buy time for decision-making — without immediately putting soldiers at risk.”

Robotic shield along NATO’s border

The concept is to set up Robotic and Autonomous Systems (RAS) zones along NATO’s eastern border, which is approximately 2,150 miles (3,500 kilometers). These zones would act as permanent defenses, ready to react quickly to any threats.

Milrem’s vision does not rely on one large group of robots. Instead, many unmanned systems would be spread out in secure spots and could be activated quickly when needed. The company believes this would help them survive longer and maintain strong defenses at all times.

According to the firm, these robotic zones would give NATO more time to react and plan before threats reach the front lines. The company also believes this setup could mean fewer reserve troops need to be called up during border incidents.

Networked sensors and autonomous vehicles

The plan brings together different unmanned systems. Ground robots, aerial drones, and current intelligence and surveillance tools would all work together through a shared communications network.

The ARCOS command-and-control platform is at the heart of the system. This software coordinates the autonomous units and links them to the larger battlefield management systems used by NATO.

Milrem’s plan also features some of its current robotic vehicles, like the THeMIS unmanned ground vehicle and the HAVOC robotic combat vehicle. These would handle tougher combat jobs, letting autonomous systems deal with threats in dangerous situations before soldiers are sent in.

Autonomous systems meet the enemy first

In the firm’s proposed battlefield model, robotic units would be the first to face an attacking enemy. They would provide direct-fire support and counter-drone operations, forming the first line of defense.

The company said this first layer would slow down attackers and give commanders more time to assess the situation. Traditional long-range weapons would still be used for deep strikes, while autonomous units handle risky frontline battles.

This setup aims to keep troops safer at the start of a conflict and help maintain their fighting strength for later operations.

Lessons from modern warfare

The plan is based on lessons from the war in Ukraine, where drones and autonomous tech have become key parts of fighting. Military planners in Europe are now looking more at how unmanned systems can support regular troops and boost readiness.

Milrem argues that robotic platforms can take losses that would otherwise affect soldiers. The company also thinks autonomous systems could help NATO stay better defended without needing a lot more troops.

The full concept is expected to be presented during Eurosatory 2026, where defense officials and industry leaders will review new technologies designed to make Europe safer in a more complex threat environment.

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Lancaster University has officially unveiled a first-of-its-kind nuclear facility control room simulator, featuring a highly adaptable design that can mimic several distinct reactor types. 

“The pioneering simulator will support the nation’s clean energy goals and help enhance the country’s future nuclear safety,” said the university in a press release.

The facility functions as a training platform to prepare personnel for the domestic clean energy sector and to test safety protocols. Because the layout and internal computing architecture can be altered, operators can model multiple power generation technologies rather than relying on a single static layout.

Multi-reactor simulations

The physical setup features a three-sided wrap-around visual display and audio-visual recording tools. Instructors use these cameras and microphones to review how students handle complex scenarios and provide performance feedback. The physical desks and chairs can be moved into different positions to replicate the unique control room spaces found at real power utilities.

“It has also been designed so that furniture can be reconfigured to represent different control room layouts,” noted the researchers.

The system runs industrial software codes produced by specialized companies, including Westinghouse, GSE Solutions, Tokamak Energy, and Norway’s Institute for Energy Technology. These configurations allow the machinery to mimic the operation of Pressurized Water Reactors, which currently make up the majority of international nuclear plants.

The software can also be used to simulate Small Modular Reactors, smaller units designed for flexible grid deployment, and tokamak fusion systems, which use magnetic fields to contain high-temperature plasma.

“This high-fidelity simulator will enable us to create simulations of scenarios where nuclear facilities are cyber attacked, providing valuable in-depth learning experiences for our cyber security students, some of which may become future cyber security professionals protecting our critical national infrastructure,” concluded Professor Paul Smith, Principal Investigator of the initiative

Practical training for safety behavior

The facility supports several academic areas simultaneously to address shortages in technical workforces. Although Lancaster University offers the only single-honors undergraduate degree in Nuclear Engineering in the United Kingdom, this project also relies heavily on the institution’s existing cybersecurity infrastructure. 

The university holds official accreditation as an Academic Center of Excellence in Cyber Security Research and Education from the National Cyber Security Center.

During practical exercises, instructors can inject simulated malware or network intrusions into the control software. Students must identify these digital anomalies, establish defenses, and maintain regular plant operations under active threat conditions. This training aims to prepare graduates to protect real national infrastructure from network breaches.

Beyond engineering and computer science, the university’s Psychology Department uses the simulator to study human performance. Researchers examine how teams analyze data, communicate, and make decisions during unexpected technical failures or emergency alarms. 

This behavioral data is used to improve safety guidelines for industrial settings where human error carries high risks. The new facility, built on the university campus next to the existing Data Immersion Suite, consolidates the institution’s digital modeling assets.

U.S. military shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has delivered the first REMUS 130 unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV), a major milestone for one of the world’s most widely used autonomous underwater systems.

The delivery, announced Tuesday, brings the newest generation of the REMUS platform—a family of underwater drones that has supported naval, scientific, and commercial missions worldwide for over 25 years. Built by HII, this vehicle improves on the REMUS 100 series with better electronics, modular payloads, and an open-architecture design.

A new chapter for the REMUS fleet

The REMUS 130 is the third generation of the successful REMUS 100 platform. It keeps the main features that made earlier models popular, such as being easy to use, reliable, and effective for missions.

According to HII, the system is designed for more interoperability and flexibility, while still working with other REMUS models. It also shares its technology base with the larger REMUS 300 and REMUS 620 systems.

“The delivery of the first REMUS 130 represents an important step in the continued evolution of the REMUS family,” stated Duane Fotheringham, president of the Unmanned Systems group in HII’s Mission Technologies division.

“For decades, customers have relied on REMUS vehicles for their durability, ease of operation and proven performance. REMUS 130 builds on that legacy with a highly capable, modular platform that delivers greater flexibility, interoperability and value while leveraging common architecture across the REMUS fleet.”

Compact design built for rapid deployment

A main feature of the REMUS 130 is its portability. The company said a two-person team can transport and deploy the vehicle, allowing operators to quickly start missions without requiring large support equipment.

The UUV can operate to depths of up to 328 feet (100 meters) and remain underwater for up to 10 hours during a mission. Its batteries can be swapped in the field to cut downtime and keep missions on schedule.

The compact design targets organizations that need an underwater vehicle they can deploy quickly, while still supporting many types of sensors and mission packages. This could appeal to military, scientific, and commercial users working in remote areas.

Powered by advanced autonomous technology

The REMUS 130 uses HII’s Odyssey Autonomous Control System (ACS), a software setup already used on REMUS platforms in over 30 countries.

The system integrates navigation, communications, processing, and autonomous decision-making into a single framework. Its open design lets operators add commercial, government, or custom payloads without major redesign.

The firm pointed out that Odyssey ACS supports advanced features such as collaborative autonomy, sensor fusion, and enhanced environmental awareness. The system is also built to lower long-term costs and help the vehicle adapt to new mission needs over time.

Expanding roles beneath the surface

The REMUS 130 is designed for many types of underwater work. It can be used for ocean research, environmental monitoring, mapping the seabed, inspecting offshore energy sites, search-and-rescue, and mine countermeasures.

With the REMUS 130, HII’s autonomous maritime lineup now includes over 750 REMUS vehicles delivered worldwide. The company said 14 NATO navies use REMUS systems, which have built a strong reputation in defense, science, and commercial fields.

China’s R6000, one of the world’s largest uncrewed tiltrotor aircraft, has entered full free-flight testing, according to newly emerged video footage.

The new development marks a notable progression for developer United Aircraft, as it has now moved beyond earlier tethered hover trials. It also highlights Beijing’s push into advanced vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) technologies.

China’s ‘Steel Shadow’ drone

Footage circulating on Chinese social media (viewable below) shows the R6000 performing vertical flight maneuvers, including a pedal turn in hover, and transitioning to sustained forward flight with its twin proprotors fully tilted forward.

Unlike previous imagery, which was limited to ground-tethered tests, the new video demonstrates untethered operations. This is a critical milestone for validating the aircraft’s complex aerodynamics and flight control systems.

Developed by Shenzhen-based United Aircraft, the R6000—also known as the UR6000 or Lan Ying (Steel Shadow)—is a roughly 6-ton-class platform. It features fixed engine nacelles with hinged proprotors, a configuration similar to Bell’s MV-75A Cheyenne II rather than the pivoting nacelles of the V-22 Osprey.

全球首款6吨级倾转翼无人机试飞 pic.twitter.com/9oIZFq7taR

— DS北风 (@WenJian0922) June 15, 2026

The design combines helicopter-style VTOL capability with the speed and range of a fixed-wing aircraft.

The prototype was first photographed on the production line at United Aircraft’s facility in Wuhu, Anhui province, in October 2024. The company unveiled the concept at the 2024 Singapore Airshow, presenting both crewed and uncrewed variants. Tethered hover testing began in late 2025, with ground engine runs earlier that year.

Serving remote island locations

Officially, United Aircraft positions the R6000 for civilian roles including logistics, disaster relief, offshore support, and operations in areas lacking prepared runways. It can support cargo or passenger transport, with capacity for 6 to 12 people in crewed configurations. However, its capabilities align closely with the military needs of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

According to a report from The War Zone, the craft would be particularly useful in resupplying remote island bases in the South China Sea, border outposts, and amphibious operations.

The drone could operate from large PLAN vessels such as the Type 076 amphibious assault ship, extending logistical reach. Beyond transport, the platform’s payload capacity could enable intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), electronic warfare, communications relay, or strike missions.

The news of R6000’s progress comes amid broader Chinese investment in uncrewed systems, from small tactical drones to large autonomous cargo aircraft.

Challenges still remain when it comes to tiltrotor technology, as demonstrated by historical challenges in programs like the V-22. It’s worth noting as well that no detailed performance data for the R6000 has been released. Still, sustained free flight testing will provide further insight into its speed, range, and transition capabilities between hover and forward flight.

Continued testing of the R6000 will likely draw attention from military observers tracking Beijing’s vertical-lift modernization efforts. China’s goal is to advance aviation and develop versatile platforms for both commercial and defense applications.

A Ph.D. student has proposed developing a temperature-resistant battery for applications ranging from space exploration to electric vehicles. Jaybelle Pranada from Texas A&M University attended the Catalyzing Energy Education and Excellence (C3E) Symposium at Arizona State University.

The Symposium, held in April this year, was created by the US Department of Energy to select students across the country working on clean energy solutions. Pranada proposed alternative battery chemistries designed to withstand low-temperature operation.

Of the nearly 100 submissions from across the country, Pranada’s project was placed in the top five. The research focuses on developing computational models to explore alternative battery chemistries that may be better suited for extremely cold environments.

Identifying problems with lithium cells in extreme cold environments

Temperature-resistant batteries are going to be a game-changer if the world has to shift away from the dependence on fossil fuels. To achieve this, Pranada’s team began the project by examining traditional lithium-ion batteries.

The major issue with lithium batteries is that they fail to deliver at the expected levels when temperatures fall below 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0° Celsius) or go above 212 degrees Celsius (100° Celsius).

As the temperature drops below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, the electrochemical processes that enable energy storage and delivery in lithium cells slow down. In extreme cold environments, performance can drop to the point that the cells stop working. Therefore, they cannot be trusted with missions involving space, in which they could be exposed to the harsh conditions.

To fix this, Pranada’s project is investigating both organic and inorganic energy-storage systems. The goal is to identify  cell designs that can perform under harsh thermal conditions.

The computational models developed help the team understand the benefits and limitations of the emerging solutions. It further allows them to evaluate the future applications and identify the methods by which these can be improved.

Polymeric batteries to the rescue

Pranada’s team believes that the limitations of lithium batteries can be solved by replacing them with new materials. They propose using alternative polymers that can operate at temperatures as low as −50 degrees Celsius.

“These batteries, known as polymeric batteries, are developed from synthetic materials that can be readily synthesized and studied in the laboratory,” a press release from the university said.

These materials were then tested in environments ranging from the coldest winter in Alaska to the hottest summer in Arizona. Pranada intends to focus her career on finding energy storage solutions because they in some way shape each aspect of modern life.

The resulting technologies from the research, once delivered, could benefit electric vehicles, defense, the energy storage sector, and the obvious field of space exploration.

“You look around and realize how much of modern life depends on energy storage,” Pranada said. “What is stopping us from developing these energy materials and fully harnessing our capabilities to create technologies that will change our lives?”

Irish firm Net Zero Energy (NZE) aims to construct Rathrush Green Energy Park, a 600MW Long Duration Energy Storage (LDES) facility located outside Rathoe in Co. Carlow.

It is a massive, €2 billion infrastructure project designed to tackle the biggest issue facing clean energy today: what to do when the wind stops blowing and the sun refuses to shine. 

The answer is the new facility built on a 50-acre site. It will act as a giant, green infrastructure for the entire country when needed the most. 

“By making available 600MW of renewable energy at the flick of a switch, this project can satisfy as much as 10% of Ireland’s peak energy requirement. Rathrush Green Energy Park provides significant, secure, sustainable long-duration energy storage for the Irish grid,” said Tim Cowhig, NZE chairman. 

Hydrogen production

The strategy addresses a major flaw in current clean energy infrastructure: waste during peak production.

On exceptionally windy or sunny days, Ireland’s renewable sources often generate far more electricity than consumers need or the national grid can handle. Without a way to store this surplus, wind turbines and solar panels are routinely shut off, completely wasting vast amounts of clean power.

Rathrush would capture that discarded energy. It will use the excess electricity to split water and create green hydrogen. Then comes the subterranean twist.

The plan is to compress the green hydrogen gas and pump it deep underground for storage within custom-engineered, lined rock caverns. When peak demand strains the national grid, the stored hydrogen will be released, feeding above-ground turbines to instantly generate clean electricity.

It is a massive scale-up for Irish infrastructure. Upon completion, the park will generate 30 times as much green energy as the famous Turlough Hill pumped-storage facility in Wicklow. According to the company, it is expected to have seven times the generating capacity of the Ardnacrusha hydropower plant. 

Cutting emissions

The company also mapped out the future facility’s environmental payoff. Interestingly, it is projected to displace 180,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions every single year. 

Mathematically, that is the equivalent of taking 40,000 combustion-engine cars off Irish roads permanently. It also offers a shield against the punishing climate-target fines that loom over the state budget if carbon goals are missed. 

In addition to cutting emissions, the facility could protect local consumers from volatile global energy prices. 

Ireland’s energy security is uniquely vulnerable, as underscored by an annual spend a €10 billion on imported fossil fuels. 

“By harnessing an energy source which was heretofore being wasted, we can insulate consumers from future fossil fuel crises and price shocks such as we saw in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and more recently, in the Middle East,” said Peter Harte, NZE Chief Executive. 

The construction phase is estimated to employ up to 1,500 workers at its peak. Once the facility goes live, it will anchor 70 permanent, highly skilled operational jobs in the Carlow region. 

NZE is currently steering the project through its community consultation phase to address local questions regarding the scale of the infrastructure. If all goes according to schedule, the developers intend to formally lodge their planning application by the end of the year. 

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Thales Australia has unveiled the next-generation Bushmaster Mulga utility variant at the Eurosatory defense exhibition in Paris, marking the most significant evolution of the combat-proven Australian armored vehicle in years.

The Bushmaster 5.6 was officially revealed on the Team Defence Australia stand by Major General Jason Blain, Head of Land Systems for the Australian Defence Force’s Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group, alongside Thales Vehicles and Tactical Systems Vice-President Julien Assoun.

The unveiling forms part of a broader Thales announcement push at Eurosatory 2026, which also included the RapidStriker counter-drone system and a new AI-powered military training analytics platform.

From Bendigo to global market

The Bushmaster has built its reputation over nearly three decades of continuous service. Produced at Thales Australia’s Bendigo, Victoria facility since 1997, more than 1,300 units have been built and deployed in operations spanning East Timor, Afghanistan, Iraq, Mali, the Golan Heights, and, most recently, Ukraine.

The 5.6 variant is explicitly designed for global export. Its most visible change is a new left-hand-drive configuration — a departure from the right-hand-drive layout standard in Australian service, aimed squarely at international buyers across Europe, the Middle East, and other left-hand-drive markets. The redesign also introduces more user-friendly door access and vehicle entry systems, as well as enhanced digital displays in the cabin.

Built around connectivity and counter-drone integration

What distinguishes the 5.6 from earlier Mulga variants is not just cosmetic — it is architectural. Thales says the new version features systems that are more interconnected, supporting both autonomous and crewed operations, and is capable of integrating a range of different sensors, effectors, and mission systems depending on customer requirements.

Counter-drone capability sits at the center of that flexibility. The Bushmaster 5.6 has been designed to support electronic warfare measures, remote weapon stations, and laser-guided rockets — Thales separately unveiled a next-generation 70mm laser-guided rocket dedicated to counter-drone operations at the same event.

The vehicle was also showcased at Eurosatory as the demonstration platform for RapidStriker, Thales’s new mobile air defense system designed to detect and neutralize aerial threats — including drones and low-flying helicopters — within seconds using a combination of sensors, automated fire control, and multiple weapon options.

Thales Australia & New Zealand CEO Jeff Connolly framed the upgrade as a direct response to the changing character of modern warfare, particularly the lessons drawn from drone proliferation on the battlefield in Ukraine.

Already a trusted defender, he said, the Bushmaster 5.6 has been designed to provide greater flexibility for modern missions, particularly in counter-drone operations, sensing, communications, and electronic warfare.

Adaptable by design

Thales Australia Land Vice-President Andrew Downes described the underlying philosophy behind the redesign: a vehicle that allows customers to adapt it for different missions while retaining the protection, mobility, and reliability that made the original Bushmaster successful globally.

One operator may prioritize surveillance equipment; another may opt for missile launchers or electronic warfare payloads — the same chassis accommodating either configuration.

That modularity reflects a broader shift across modern armored vehicle design, where platforms are increasingly expected to function as adaptable mission carriers rather than single-purpose vehicles.

The existing fleet of more than 1,300 Bushmasters in service worldwide stands to benefit as well — Thales has indicated that select capabilities demonstrated on the 5.6, including counter-drone systems, can be retrofitted onto earlier platform variants already in operation.

As militaries worldwide reassess vehicle survivability requirements in light of the drone-saturated battlefields seen in Ukraine, the Bushmaster 5.6’s emphasis on connectivity, adaptability, and counter-drone integration positions it as Thales’s answer to a fundamentally changed combat environment — one where survivability now depends as much on sensor and electronic warfare integration as on armor plating alone.

An elephant’s trunk can haul a felled log across a clearing and, moments later, peel a single banana without bruising the fruit. That range — from raw strength to delicate precision — comes from a boneless, all-muscle structure that has fascinated soft robotics researchers for years.

A new study has now mapped exactly why the trunk’s skin enables that range, down to its microscopic architecture.

Researcher Lucia Beccai and colleagues studied trunk tissue obtained from a single adult Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) that died of natural causes at Zurich Zoo, Switzerland, in 2020.

Using 35 tissue samples taken across the specimen, the team combined biomechanical testing, histology, multiple imaging techniques, and computational modeling to characterize the trunk’s skin in unprecedented detail.

A skin split into two functional zones

The central finding is that the trunk’s skin is not a uniform material — it is sharply divided into two distinct mechanical zones, each engineered for an entirely different job.

The upper skin functions like an armor-like shield: tough, protective, and 3.14 times stiffer than the skin on the underside of the trunk. That stiffness makes sense functionally — the top of the trunk is what drags across rough bark, scrapes against the ground, and absorbs impact during heavy lifting and pushing.

The underside skin is the opposite: highly flexible and acutely sensitive, built specifically for grasping. Its low stiffness allows it to conform tightly to the contours of whatever object the elephant is handling — a log, a piece of fruit, another elephant’s trunk in greeting — maximizing contact area between the skin and the object and producing a steady, secure grip without requiring excessive muscular force.

A mechanical lens hidden beneath the surface

The most striking discovery lies just beneath the surface of the underside skin: dome-shaped structures called dermal papillae. Using finite element modeling — a computational technique that simulates how physical structures respond to stress — the researchers found that these papillae function like a subsurface mechanical lens.

Rather than simply cushioning the skin, the dome-shaped papillae concentrate and amplify mechanical stress at precisely the locations where the trunk’s sensory nerves are positioned.

In effect, the structure acts as a biological signal booster — taking a faint mechanical input, such as the texture of a banana peel, and intensifying it before it reaches the nerve endings responsible for interpreting touch.

What it means for robotics

According to the study’s authors, this two-zone, mechanically tuned architecture offers a direct, ready-made blueprint for engineers designing the next generation of soft robotic systems.

The trunk does not need separate “armor” and “sensor” components bolted together — it achieves both functions through a single continuous tissue with engineered variation in stiffness and subsurface geometry.

The practical implication: by using biomimetic multi-material approaches — fabricating robotic grippers from layered materials with deliberately varied stiffness, much like the trunk’s natural upper-lower dichotomy — engineers could build grippers with passive outer protection that simultaneously amplify faint tactile signals, all without exposing delicate sensors directly to mechanical wear and abrasion.

That combination has been a persistent challenge in soft robotic gripper design: sensors sensitive enough to detect subtle touch are often the same components most vulnerable to physical damage from repeated contact.

The elephant trunk’s solution — concentrating sensitivity beneath a protective, graduated-stiffness shield — offers a structural answer that robotics researchers have been seeking for years.

The study was published in the journal PNAS Nexus.

Scientists at Sandia National Laboratories in the US have figured out how to use ordinary microwave technology to mine dead batteries. It sounds crazy, but it works. 

The team developed a microwave-based method to upcycle old lithium-ion battery cathodes. 

Interestingly, the microwave method slashes the time required to turn old lithium cobalt oxide powder into nanosheets from 7 days to just 2 hours.

Recycling cathodes

The development comes at an important time. Millions of early-generation electric vehicle batteries are reaching the end of their lifespans. Usually, the old vehicle parts head straight for the landfill. That is a massive waste of precious metals. 

Batteries use cathodes, which are packed with expensive, hard-to-find minerals like lithium and cobalt. Cobalt is especially problematic. The Democratic Republic of the Congo mines roughly 70 percent of the world’s supply, leaving global tech supply chains incredibly vulnerable to political disruption.

“Cobalt is a critical material for almost all consumer electronics,” said Clare Davis-Wheeler Chin, a Sandia nanomaterials chemist and an inventor of the method. 

“Since there’s only one main source of cobalt, it would be very easy for the cobalt supply chain to just disappear. We’re about to have an abundance of old EV batteries that are either going to go to the landfill or that we can mine to develop a domestic supply,” added Chin. 

Using an adjustable microwave reactor and a large positively charged chemical ion, researchers can break down old battery cathode powder.

Microwaves are known for uneven heating, a quirk that usually frustrates anyone trying to reheat leftovers. For battery chemists, however, that uneven hot-and-cold friction is a feature, not a bug. The localized heat spikes violently rip the stubborn lithium cobalt oxide cathode powder apart, unraveling it into microscopic layers called nanosheets.

The speed of the process is interesting. Standard methods of breaking down this material take a full week of high-temperature baking. The microwave method does it in just two hours.

It is also incredibly efficient. Previous laboratory attempts to create these nanosheets maxed out at a 60 percent yield, but Sandia’s microwave technique successfully converts 95 percent of the starting material.

“When you have nanosheets, ion exchange can access the entire sheet, and you can maximize the amount of critical materials that can be exchanged,” said Aliya Lapp, a Sandia electrochemist with expertise in galvanic ion exchange.

Economically beneficial

The flexibility of these ultra-thin nanosheets allows easy replacement of aged metal ions to keep pace with changing market trends. For example, substituting expensive cobalt with cheaper, higher-performing nickel to meet modern automotive standards. 

Interestingly, this method automatically heals microscopic defects and removes impurities accumulated over a decade of use. It eliminates the complex processing steps required by standard recycling. 

Furthermore, any extracted cobalt can be captured using a specialized molecular framework and reused, thereby allowing researchers to design two upgraded, industry-ready cathodes from the remains of a single dead battery.

Standard recycling centers operate like massive, energy-hogging blast furnaces. Sandia’s process keeps things cool, cheap, and fast. Preliminary economic modeling indicates the technique could boost battery recycling profits by a massive 30 percent compared to standard commercial methods. 

The tech is moving quickly out of the lab. The research team has already filed two patents and interviewed 80 industrial leaders to prep the technology for the commercial market.

German defense manufacturer Rheinmetall have officially unveiled its Containerized Missile Launcher (CML), a specialized multi-launcher platform engineered for the FV-014 Loitering Munition System (LMS).

Designed to expand frontline firepower and shorten critical tactical reaction times, the CML serves as a modular, fully autonomous, and digitally networked weapon system.

The new launcher integrates directly into modern multi-domain combat networks, bridging the operational gap between close-range reconnaissance and conventional artillery units.

The technological core of the system relies on a standardized, logistically flexible 20-foot shipping container. This tactical footprint allows the launcher to be transported seamlessly across various civilian and military logistics systems, including commercial trucks, trains, and maritime supply vessels.

By utilizing a universally recognized container format, the CML enables covert deployment strategies and rapid positioning across highly contested operational theaters, functioning either as a standalone ground asset or mounted directly onto land vehicles and seagoing units.

Autonomous swarm capabilities

The internal architecture of the CML accommodates up to 18 ready-to-launch FV-014 loitering munitions. Equipped with an onboard battery system and a dedicated low-power sleep mode, the launcher can remain operational in a standby state over extended periods.

When a fire mission is authorized, the system automatically transitions from standby to active mode, utilizing an integrated power supply and an optional auxiliary generator to sustain prolonged remote operations.

A central highlight of the design is its high degree of automation and minimized crew footprint. Utilizing advanced swarm coordination algorithms, the system allows a single operator to launch and manage multiple FV-014 “kamikaze drones” simultaneously in a single, coordinated salvo.

Network integration

The CML features integrated fire control systems and highly secure communication channels, allowing tactical units to execute remote launch sequences while keeping human operators safely isolated from counter-battery fire.

Digital command is anchored by the Rheinmetall Battlesuite, which provides an open software architecture that leverages standardized military protocols such as ROS2, MAVLink, and established NATO STANAGs.

This open framework is publicly available on GitHub alongside a dedicated digital test environment, enabling the system to be quickly integrated with existing electronic command, control, and reconnaissance systems across different global defense forces.

Specifications of the FV-014 strike system

The FV-014 munition housed within the CML is an EU-designed, 20-kilogram aerial platform built specifically for rapid, high-volume industrial mass production.

Featuring a quiet, low-signature electric propulsion system and folding wings that deploy immediately upon booster launch, the drone is highly optimized for survivability in heavily contested airspaces.

It features a maximum operational range of 100 kilometers (62 miles), a 60-kilometer (37 miles) real-time data link range, and a flight endurance window of up to 70 minutes.

For precise target engagement beyond the line of sight, the drone carries a 6-kilogram total payload capacity, which includes a highly potent High-Explosive Dual Purpose (HEDP) warhead manufactured by Rheinmetall.

This warhead delivers a rated penetration capability exceeding 600 millimeters of rolled homogeneous armor (RHA), making it lethal against main battle tanks, heavy artillery emplacements, and protected military infrastructure.

Following a successful demonstration for a NATO client in February 2026, the German Armed Forces validated the system’s strategic importance by signing a multi-billion-euro framework agreement for the FV-014 in April 2026.