Robotics

The reference on Wednesday by Defense Minister Nikos Dendias to the need for a protective anti-aircraft system brought back to the fore a debate which has being continuing at the level of the country's military leadership over the last few years - long before the demonstration of Israel's capabilities against enemy missiles and rockets.

GM subsidiary Cruise on has said it plans to get its self-driving cars back on the road without human drivers after suspending robotaxi service late last year due to safety concerns.

Vehicles driven by humans are out gathering mapping data in the Arizona city of Phoenix, which has been amenable to testing of autonomous cars deployed by Cruise and Google's Waymo.

Romanian authorities have announced the discovery of wreckage believed to be from a drone near the border with Ukraine. The find, discovered on agricultural land close to the Danube River, has sparked intrigue and concern among local residents and officials alike.

Tesla's visionary CEO, Elon Musk, has once again captivated the online audience by sharing a video featuring the humanoid robot "Optimus" going for a walk. The footage, posted on Musk's Twitter account, showcases the nearly 6ft (182cm) tall robot confidently strolling around, eliciting reactions ranging from fascination to unease among online spectators.

Covert operations with the help of drones, digital maps, GPS systems through which targets are located; dozens of screens broadcast directly what the elite units see as they await instructions from the center for their intervention: The tax administration's operations center resembles a Hollywood movie scene.

General-purpose humanoid robots will need to handle all sorts of jobs

To the believers, the oft-promised autonomous car revolution is "clearly happening" — they point to the myriad displays at the Consumers Electronics Show in Las Vegas that defy the industry's bad headlines.

"Companies are deploying robotaxis in larger scale than before and in more cities," insisted Kersten Heineke, partner and codirector of the McKinsey Center for Future Mobility.

Research toward integrating robots into daily life is being developed by Greek labs and startups. Instead of static industrial robots, which have been operating for years in major industrial countries, research has shifted to so-called collaborative robots, which are mostly employed in services and operate alongside and with people.

In Munich, where this week's IAA motor show is taking place, an interactive street survey elicits an overwhelming "yes" when asking passers-by if they would take a self-driving taxi from the station to the Oktoberfest beer festival.

The conflict in Ukraine has brought about a paradigm shift, altering the very nature of warfare in the 21st century. These changes are profound, making it clear that some cost-effective unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have the potential to inflict far greater damage than their highly expensive traditional counterparts, such as warplanes.