Industrial robots have mastered many repetitive tasks, but preparing sashimi remains a surprisingly difficult challenge. A piece of raw salmon rarely stays where it is placed. The fish deforms during handling, making it difficult for machines to deliver consistent cuts.

Researchers in Norway have developed a robotic system that can prepare sashimi with minimal human involvement. The machine tackles a task that has long challenged robots because raw fish constantly changes shape during handling.

The project highlights a broader goal in robotics. Engineers want machines to work with soft materials that do not behave predictably. Success in that area could benefit industries ranging from food processing to healthcare.

Built for delicate tasks

The research team at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology designed Sashimi-Bot around three robotic arms. Each arm performs a specific role. One arm stabilizes and positions the salmon before cutting begins. Another handles a chef’s knife. A third arm uses chopsticks to transfer finished slices onto a tray.

Getting the fish into the correct position proved critical. A salmon loin can shift during handling, which affects cut quality. To address that issue, the researchers trained the robot in a virtual environment. The system relied on deep reinforcement learning, an AI technique that improves performance through repeated practice. During the simulation, the robot tested countless movements and gradually learned how to arrange the fish for slicing. The researchers then transferred that knowledge to the physical robot without additional training on real salmon.

Giving the knife touch

Cutting introduced another obstacle. The robot needed to know exactly when the blade reached the cutting board. That task becomes more difficult because the knife sits inside a soft robotic gripper. Small variations in the grip can affect the blade’s position during a cut.

To solve the problem, the team equipped the system with a GelSight tactile sensor. The device uses a soft gel surface and an internal camera to detect pressure changes. Those measurements provide information similar to a sense of touch.

Researchers trained the sensing system using more than 12,000 data samples collected during 157 cutting motions. The resulting model detected contact with the cutting board with 95% accuracy. It also achieved 99% precision during testing. That feedback allowed the robot to adjust its cutting motion before driving the blade too deeply into the board.

Performance on salmon

The team evaluated Sashimi-Bot using real salmon loins. During testing, the robot produced 34 slices ranging from 6 to 16 millimeters thick. Some pieces adhered to the knife after cutting, a common issue when working with raw fish. The robot successfully recovered all six of those slices directly from the blade.

Most of the remaining pieces reached the serving tray without issue. The system successfully transferred 26 of 28 slices left on the cutting board. Only two failed transfers occurred, both involving extremely thin pieces that slipped from the chopsticks.

The study was published in the journal npj Robotics.

Scientists have demonstrated a new plasma-based process that converts wet coffee waste into high-performance biochar without any pre-drying treatment. The technology could address one of the biggest challenges in biomass recycling while creating a valuable source of renewable fuel.

Developed by researchers at the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM), the system converts moisture-rich coffee grounds into carbon-rich biochar in less than two minutes. The resulting material delivers an energy content comparable to anthracite coal, offering a potential pathway for turning difficult waste streams into useful resources. Researchers believe the technology could help reduce waste disposal costs while expanding opportunities for decentralized waste-to-energy systems.

Moisture becomes an asset

High moisture content has long complicated efforts to recover energy from organic waste. Most biomass conversion technologies require a separate drying stage before processing, increasing costs and energy use.

The KIGAM team designed its Flame Plasma Pyrolysis system to eliminate that requirement. The process uses plasma flames generated through the combustion of liquefied petroleum gas and compressed air. Those flames reach temperatures between approximately 1,470°F and 1,650°F, allowing the system to process wet biomass directly.

Instead of hindering conversion, moisture helps drive the process. As water trapped inside coffee particles rapidly turns into steam, pressure builds and creates microscopic explosions. Researchers describe the phenomenon as a “popcorn effect.” The bursts break apart the biomass structure, increase porosity, and accelerate carbonization. Under optimized conditions, the system achieved complete conversion in just 90 seconds.

Fuel performance rivals coal

The resulting biochar delivered a heating value of 29.0 MJ/kg, roughly 33% higher than untreated coffee grounds. Researchers said the material performs similarly to anthracite coal. The treatment also nearly tripled fixed carbon content, increasing it from 15.6% to 46.2%. At the same time, it completely removed sulfur compounds, helping prevent sulfur dioxide emissions during combustion.

Researchers observed another significant improvement in the material’s structure. Its specific surface area increased dramatically, creating a highly porous carbon product. Those characteristics could make the biochar useful beyond fuel applications. Potential uses include activated carbon production, filtration systems, and industrial adsorption materials. The process also generated minimal smoke and tar compared with conventional biomass treatment methods.

Faster route to resource recovery

Speed is one of the technology’s key advantages. Hydrothermal carbonization systems often require one to six hours to process biomass, while torrefaction can take 30 minutes or longer. Flame Plasma Pyrolysis completes the conversion in less than two minutes. Researchers said the system also reduces energy demand by using combustion-generated plasma rather than electricity-intensive plasma devices.

Although the study focused on spent coffee grounds, the team believes the technology could process other high-moisture waste streams, including food waste, sewage sludge, and agricultural residues. Lead author Dr. Taejun Park said the technology offers a new way to view organic waste. Instead of treating it as a disposal problem, industries could use it as a source of energy and valuable carbon materials. The team plans to expand the process to additional waste types and continue optimizing it for commercial-scale deployment.

The study is published in the journal Chemical Engineering Journal.

A planned advanced nuclear energy campus in Ohio has taken a major step toward securing reactor fuel, one of the industry’s most critical resources. Oklo and Centrus have signed a letter of intent that could provide enough domestically produced high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) to support up to five Aurora reactors for several years. The fuel would come from Centrus’ enrichment facility in Pike County, Ohio, with deliveries expected to begin in 2029.

The agreement addresses a growing challenge for the advanced nuclear sector. While several next-generation reactor designs continue to move toward commercialization, access to U.S.-produced HALEU remains limited. Developers and fuel suppliers have increasingly sought long-term agreements to reduce uncertainty around future reactor deployments.

Securing reactor fuel

Under the proposed arrangement, Centrus would supply fuel for Oklo’s planned 1.2-gigawatt clean energy campus in southern Ohio. The agreement could also include advance payments that support future fuel production and strengthen supply certainty for the project.

The deal links fuel production with a specific reactor deployment strategy. Industry leaders have repeatedly identified fuel availability as one of the biggest hurdles facing advanced nuclear development in the United States.

Earlier this year, Oklo announced a power agreement with Meta that included prepayment provisions designed to support project development. The latest fuel arrangement follows a similar approach by connecting future customer demand with long-term fuel supply planning.

Jacob DeWitte, Oklo’s co-founder and chief executive, said the agreement brings together several key elements needed for advanced nuclear deployment, including fuel, power generation and customer demand. He added that southern Ohio’s nuclear expertise and skilled workforce position the region to support future reactor construction.

Ohio nuclear ecosystem

The agreement also highlights the growing role of southern Ohio in the domestic nuclear supply chain. Centrus continues to expand enrichment operations in Pike County as demand for advanced reactor fuel grows. The company plans to combine private investment with previously announced federal support aimed at increasing domestic HALEU production capacity.

Industry officials view enrichment as a strategic capability because many advanced reactor designs require HALEU fuel. Expanding U.S. production could reduce dependence on foreign sources while supporting a new generation of nuclear power plants.

Amir Vexler, president and chief executive of Centrus, described the agreement as an important step toward establishing a reliable fuel supply for next-generation reactors. He said connecting domestic fuel production with advanced reactor deployment could help create a stronger foundation for future nuclear growth in the United States.

Supporting Aurora deployment

Alongside the fuel agreement, Oklo has signed a memorandum of understanding with Kiewit Nuclear Solutions to support engineering, procurement, and construction planning for its initial Aurora reactor deployments.

Oklo’s Aurora reactors use liquid-metal cooling and require relatively little water compared with conventional nuclear plants. The reactors are designed to provide reliable carbon-free electricity under a build-own-operate model.

If the project moves forward as planned, it could demonstrate how fuel suppliers, reactor developers and infrastructure partners can work together to accelerate advanced nuclear deployment in the United States.