Author: Brett Venter

If Kawasaki Heavy Industries’ Corleo robot quadruped doesn’t appear in the next Ninja Gaiden game, someone in Japanese cross-marketing will have been slacking at their job. Revealed in an appearance at the Expo 2025 world exhibition in Osaka, the robotic mount is a somewhat different take on a four-wheel drive. It has legs, for starters. It also may or may not be real, but Kawakasi is certainly treating it as if it will hit the market at some point. The company calls it a “new category of personal mobility” and it’s undeniably something we’d leap astride if given the chance.…

Few areas of the technology world are untouched by AI. The fitness sector is no different. Popular running/cycling app Strava has received a new feature able to predict a user’s completion times for a variety of races. Whether you’re a Parkrun fanatic or heavy into your marathon training, the app’s new Performance Predictions will serve up your completion time before the race even starts.  There are two ways to take this information: Either bow out before you embarrass yourself or, Strava’s preferred usage, use the estimate to refine your training to bring that finishing time down. Strava for gold It’s…

When most robotics makers want to strut their stuff, they don’t typically resort to sporting events. But in China, things are done a little differently. This past weekend, the Yizhuang half-marathon, held in Beijing, saw 21 robotics teams lining up against human runners. If you’re reading this to find out how badly the humans fared, you’ll be disappointed. The fastest robot was more than twice as slow as the quickest human. Unfortunately, it may well be speedier than much of the human population — not just slow folks from China. Fine, China Various robot manufacturers participated in the half-marathon, each…

Every car maker has that one vehicle that is spoken of in awe. Ford has the Mustang. Audi has the R8. Toyota has the Supra. Datsun has the 240Z. Nissan has the GT-R, a ride that has featured in more than a few movies and games that involve massive speakers and neon lights. The last on this list is heading back to markets with a little something extra — hybrid capabilities. That’s according to Nissan North America’s planning head, Ponz Pandikuthira, speaking to The Drive. The R36 GT-R wasn’t completely unknown, but Pandikuthira shared details about the expected timeline and…

Star Wars is responsible for the most visually recognisable villain in movie fiction, so it’s understandable why the original Sith Lord is still everywhere. Soon, Darth Vader could take up space on your desk, doing what he was always meant to: guarding your AirPods. You’ll have to be quick, though. The folks from Casetify, looking to capitalise on upcoming May the Fourth social media posts, have announced a new set of limited edition branded gear surrounding Star Wars, with the standout being… well, Anakin Skywalker’s head. The AirPods stand you’re looking for Big deal, right? It’s a bit of plastic,…

The upcoming Sigma BF (R47,000, body only) looks to be a ripping camera in terms of pure performance, but there’s more going on than just that lovely machined unibody and 24.6MP full-frame BSI CMOS sensor. For starters, the camera’s controls are sporting a unique (for now) bit of tech. Called Haptivity and developed by Japanese company Kyocera, the innovation provides the BF with “proprietary tactile technology that replicates realistic touch sensations”. Apple fans will be familiar with the Taptic Engine. This is a similar take, appearing first in Sigma’s upcoming shooter. Sigma BF grindset Haptivity has been used for the…

Skyworth might be another name on retail shelves wherever TVs are sold in South Africa, but in China the global brand is a superstar. It makes sense that the company’s largest announcements are reserved for its home turf. The latest from the screen maker comes via the China Import and Export Fair, otherwise known as the Canton Fair. A new display technology, the OmniView Matte Screen, claims to verge on (or possibly equal, but that’s Skyworth’s marketing team’s boast) OLED performance despite being based around a microLED panel. Skyworth looking into? The company says that its new matte screen tech…

You know that dystopian vision of deserted streets with drones blaring out messages warning you to stay in your home? DJI’s new Zenmuse V1 speaker accessory for drones has made it a purchasable-at-retail possibility. Not that you’re likely to buy one of these, unless you’ve got a DJI Matrice 350 RTK and Matrice 300 RTK drone lying around. The speaker is aimed at enterprise customers — the sorts of people who use investor or taxpayer money to fly buzzing aircraft around for various purposes. No tranquillity from Zenmuse V1 Combine the Zenmuse V1 with DJI’s new vehicle-launching system, and you’ve…

Chinese researchers have published a paper on Nature Machine Intelligence outlining a project that lets blind users navigate the world more effectively. The wearable device, or collection of them, processes multiple inputs via an AI algorithm and generates prompts that tell the wearer what’s coming up. Researchers from Fudan University, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, East China Normal University, and a few others, led by Gu Leilei of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, created the device specifically for the blind but, in testing, found that its effects improved navigation for both humanoid robots and the seeing impaired. Wearable…

Are you a South African app developer working… well, anywhere in the world? We want to hear from you. Stuff’s annual App Awards is currently accepting entries from local companies and independent developers across a range of business and entertainment categories. Do you have what it takes to push out the competition? The entry process is simple — fill out the form below and consider yourself entered. We’ll handle the rest of it. At the end of the process is… well, an award. We’re not about to tell you what to do with it once you’ve got it but we’re…