Yesterday Russia launched an unmanned rocket carrying a life-size humanoid robot that will spend 14 days learning to assist astronauts on the International Space Station. Named Fedor, for Final Experimental Demonstration Object Research with identification number Skybot F850, the robot is the first ever sent up by Russia.

Intel has unveiled this week two new CPUs designed for large computing centers which will be the chipmaker's first to utilize artificial intelligence (AI). The two chips are company's first offerings from its Nervana Neural Network Processor (NPP) line, with the one being used to train AI systems while the other will handle inference.

A new chip-based platform developed by researchers at UC Santa Cruz integrates nanopores and optofluidic technology with a feedback-control circuit to allow a high-level of control over individual molecules and particles for high-throughput analysis.

A team of physicists from New York University, University of Buffalo, and Wayne State University have discovered a new state of matter, which they say has the potential to increase storage capabilities in electronic devices.

A biometrics system used by banks, governments and defence companies has suffered a major data breach, revealing the fingerprints of more than one million people as well as their facial recognition information, unencrypted usernames and passwords, and other personal information.

Google has announced that it is to start replacing passwords as a method of verifying identity online for Android users. It would instead introduce a new feature that allows Android owners to use their biometrics or PIN lock code, instead of a password, to log into company's web services. The Online biometric authentication is already available on Chrome for Android as of 12 August.

Huawei has officially unveiled HarmonyOS today - the operating system it was rumored to be developing to replace its reliance on Android. The highly-anticipated software is considered crucial for the tech group's survival as it confronts a looming White House ban on US companies selling technology products to Huawei which could remove its access to Google's Android operating system.

From picking fruit to carrying out minor surgery, soft robotic hands made from jelly-like plastic are thought by scientists to be the future solution to many human needs. But being gentle and soft enough to avoid damaging fruit or flesh has made the robots prone to damage and left them largely impractical for use in the real world. Until now.

Chinese smartphone maker ZTE sold the country’s first 5G-enabled smartphone on Monday ahead of a national rollout of 5G wireless networks this year, media outlet Jiemian reported. Announced back at MWC in February, ZTE's Axon 10 5G comes equipped with a 6.47-inch 1080p AMOLED display, and will use one of Qualcomm’s first generation X50 5G modems to connect to China’s upcoming 5G wireless network.

The world's largest telescope is one step closer to completion after this month, the team working on the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) completed the second of seven primary mirror segments - a process that began in January 2012 and is expected to be finally completed by 2028.