Robots learn to work together like a well-choreographed dance
Peer-Reviewed Publication
This month, we’re focusing on artificial intelligence (AI), a topic that continues to capture attention everywhere. Here, you’ll find the latest research news, insights, and discoveries shaping how AI is being developed and used across the world.
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 1-Jan-2026 11:11 ET (1-Jan-2026 16:11 GMT/UTC)
Scientists at UCL, Google DeepMind and Intrinsic have developed a powerful new AI algorithm that enables large sets of robotic arms to work together faster and smarter in busy industrial settings, potentially saving manufacturers hundreds of hours of planning time and unlocking new levels of flexibility and efficiency.
Motor skills, the movements produced by our muscles, are often adjusted based on an individual’s altered visual feedback. This is known as visuomotor adaptation and is influenced by the direct and systematic approaches of explicit strategies. However, cultural biases might influence these strategies. In this study, researchers compared the results of an aiming task between two groups of participants from two different cultures, trying to understand the role of cultural cognitive biases.
English proficiency is crucial for Japanese STEM students, but validated and robust methods for assessing their language learning strategies (LLSs) are lacking. In a recent study, Associate Professor Akihiro Saito from the Tokyo University of Science developed and validated a new instrument specifically tailored for this group. The proposed tool offers key insights into LLSs, paving the way for better English learning.
In a recent study published in the National Science Review, researchers from China proposed an Open and Shared Sustainable Mega-Constellation (OSSMC) to address the critical issue of space sustainability. By integrating a novel "Sensors+Network+AI" (SNAI) satellite architecture and a "cloud-pool-terminal" (CPT) paradigm, the OSSMC is proposed for the development of space-based intelligence. Only 48,000 intelligent satellites can meet all kinds of service needs of global users, which provides a Chinese solution for building a community with a shared future for mankind in space systems.
The demand for deep human-machine fusion propels the development of artificial neuron. However, emulating the neuronal spiking in aqueous environments remains challenging. Inspired by the biocompatibility of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), Zhao et al. reported a MOF neuron with biochemical perception for the first time. Based on the real neurotransmitter—dopamine (DA) mediation, the neuron not only emulated some sophisticated neuronal functions but also controlled peripheral equipment, providing a new perspective for artificial neuron development.
Researchers at the University of Osaka have developed NeuraLeaf, a revolutionary CG model using deep learning to represent diverse plant species and their leaf deformations. This single model overcomes the limitations of traditional manual modeling by disentangling species-specific shapes from dynamic 3D deformations like wilting or curling. NeuraLeaf allows precise tracking of leaf changes, enhancing growth prediction, disease detection, and agricultural management. Presented at ICCV 2025, this technology promises to advance plant science and contribute to "PlantTwin," a project creating digital twins of plants.
Deep in the Bolivian Amazon exists a forager-horticultural community called the Tsimane. Researchers look to them for insights on how the human body functioned prior to modern technologies, as their lifestyles remain the closest to that of our ancestors. Oftentimes researchers find how we have navigated away from our evolutionary path, such as the Tsimane having the lowest rates of dementia, the healthiest hearts, and low late-age inflammation than those living in industrialized nations. But, new research from Arizona State University, has discovered a universal experience – post-menopausal women experiencing increased blood lipid levels, such as cholesterol.