IT’S A VERY TOUGH AND RESILIENT ROBOTRobotics has advanced tremendously. We already have highly efficient machines designed for specific tasks: autonomous vehicles that glide effortlessly, robotic arms with surgical precision, and quadrupeds that can traverse any terrain without losing balance. Yet, one type of robot continues to dominate headlines and absorb an enormous amount of resources—bipedal humanoids.
Why the relentless push to make them walk like us? More than a technical necessity, there's a psychological factor at play. A human-shaped robot is perceived as more socially integrated, more trustworthy, and it aligns with the image that pop culture has been feeding us for decades. It doesn’t matter if they still stumble, struggle with stairs, or collapse from a simple push. What matters is that they remind us of ourselves.
The reality is that most of these robots don’t have a specific function. They are not designed to optimize any particular task but rather serve as experimental prototypes showcasing how far engineering can go in replicating human locomotion. But is this really the best path forward? While we pour time and money into making them walk like us, we could be developing far more functional machines without such a pointless limitation.
Maybe one day, we’ll move past our humanoid obsession and start designing robots that don’t need to look like us to be truly useful.
A journalist reports on the humanoid G1 robot from Unitree Robotics:
"It’s a very tough and resilient robot. Let’s put it to the test."
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The slow-motion shot of the day.
DRONES: AS USEFUL AS THEY ARE DESTRUCTIVEDrones have transformed modern warfare, evolving from reconnaissance tools to high-precision weapons capable of eliminating specific targets with surgical strikes. Equipped with advanced sensors and guided weaponry, they are essential in military and urban operations, though not without controversy due to errors and collateral damage.
Their accessibility and vulnerability to hacking make them a potential weapon for terrorist groups, as seen with modified commercial drones carrying explosives. In recent conflicts, such as Armenia-Azerbaijan and Ukraine, they have proven effective in destroying armored vehicles and anti-air systems. They have also been used in terrorist acts, showing their capability to strike unexpected targets.
Despite their advantages, drones pose significant risks: uncontrolled conflict escalation, psychological impact on target zones, and proliferation of technology to non-state actors. They represent the future of remote warfare, but their use must be regulated to avoid unforeseen consequences, as their power can be as destructive as it is useful.
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Today’s slow-motion highlight.
I SAW THAT GOING DIFFERENTLY IN MY MIND VOL88Today, unlike the rest of this series, I want to share only 2 videos with you: One where people achieve what they set out to do, whether it’s because they’re well-prepared, anticipating mistakes, or simply because the universe is on their side. And another where, either due to carelessness, clumsiness, bad karma, or a combination of it all, the mission fails, and if it were a video game, they’d have to start again from the last saved checkpoint.
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The slow-motion of the day.
I SAW THAT GOING DIFFERENTLY IN MY MIND VOL94In their head it was going perfectly, but reality had other ideas. We've all had that moment: visualizing something epic—an amazing jump, the perfect prank, or some movie-worthy move. But then life, with its twisted sense of humor, decides to bring you crashing down to earth.
It's that exact instant when you confidently dive in thinking you're about to crush it, only to end up crushed yourself—lying on the ground, slightly injured, your pride in tatters, and an improvised audience laughing uncontrollably. The intent was spot-on; the execution, not so much.
What's crucial is accepting the outcome with dignity (or whatever remains of it), getting up with your best poker face, and praying no one filmed the disaster. But let's be real—someone always films it.
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Today's slow-motion special.