Heuristic designing is a practical and indispensable tool leveraged in standard fields like artificial intelligence and operations research to find satisfactory solutions to complex optimisation problems. Experts usually design them by hand, which makes the process expensive and slow. A simplification of heuristics design, without a reduction in performance, was subsequently achieved through the Automatic Heuristic Design (AHD) proposal. It relied on several human-defined parameters, thereby limiting its adaptability as well as its effectiveness. AHD was recently integrated with LLMs, employing a strong population-based framework. However, the framework was designed to pick the first solution it found and converged quickly, which prevented it from exploring much better options, resulting in less effective optimisation strategies. In order to tackle these obstacles, a team of researchers from National University of Singapore and Southern University of Science and Technology China have developed MCTS-AHD, the first tree search method for LLM-based AHD.Current LLM-based methods have been efficient, yet they are in need of a more tailored approach so that they do not converge on the local optima but rather explore the vast array of opportunities available. These methods also have inadequate search mechanisms, leading to insufficient investigation of the possible heuristics. They are single-objective focused, limiting their adaptability in real-world scenarios where multiple objectives must be considered. These inefficiencies ultimately increase the cost of problem optimisation, prompting the need for a new method to ensure the full-fledged utilisation of LLMS.The suggested method, MCTS-AHD, combines Monte Carlo Tree Search and large language models for better heuristic function exploration. This system generates high-quality heuristics applicable to a wide variety of applications. In addition, MCTS-AHD uses an evaluation metric. This metric continually evaluates and improves the heuristics. Consequently, the search tree pursues only the most promising of the candidates. The key mechanisms of the method are as follows:Integration of MCTS and LLMs: MCTS balances the exploration of new solutions and exploitation of the existing ones, ensuring that no time is wasted on unpromising paths. LLMs can understand the problems and generate excellent heuristics by leveraging MCTS.Structure of the Search Tree: The search tree consists of nodes and branches. Nodes represent a heuristic, and branches are the tweaks made in the heuristics. This tree mapping allows the framework to remember the explored solutions and focus on finding new ones.Simulation and Tree Expansion: The heuristics on each node have multiple branches that are simulated to evaluate their performance. This evaluation ensures that the search tree only expands on the promising branches, reducing time and overall cost.MCTS-AHD was extensively tested on challenging datasets that included NP-hard combinatorial optimisation (CO) problems and Cost-aware Acquisition Function (CAF) design for Bayesian Optimization (BO). Its performance was compared to 4 baselines: manually designed heuristics, traditional automated heuristic design, neural combinatorial optimisation, and LLM-based AHD methods. MCTS-AHD consistently outperformed baseline methods in these benchmarks, demonstrating its robustness across different problem domains. Overall, there was a significant improvement in heuristic quality.In conclusion, MCTS-AHD significantly improves using large language models to design heuristics automatically. MCTS-AHD uses a tree-based structure, progressive widening and revolutionary exploration strategies to explore more heuristic functions than existing methods. This approach improves the performance and diversity of the heuristics and offers a strong framework for dealing with a meaningful number of complex CO tasks. MCTS-AHD creates a meaningful benchmark in AHD research, providing a highly scalable and exceptionally flexible solution for various applications.Check out the Paper and GitHub Page. All credit for this research goes to the researchers of this project. Also,dont forget to follow us onTwitter and join ourTelegram Channel andLinkedIn Group. Dont Forget to join our70k+ ML SubReddit. Afeerah Naseem+ postsAfeerah Naseem is a consulting intern at Marktechpost. She is pursuing her B.tech from the Indian Institute of Technology(IIT), Kharagpur. She is passionate about Data Science and fascinated by the role of artificial intelligence in solving real-world problems. She loves discovering new technologies and exploring how they can make everyday tasks easier and more efficient. Meet 'Height':The only autonomous project management tool (Sponsored)

Behold Operator, OpenAI's long-awaited agentic AI model that can use your computer and browse the web for you.It's supposed to work on your behalf, following the instructions it's given like your very own little employee. Or "your own secretary" might be more apt: OpenAI's marketing materials have focused on Operator performing tasks like booking tickets, restaurant reservations, and creating shopping lists (though the company admits it still struggles with managing calendars, a major productivity task.)But if you think you can just walk away from the computer and let the AI do everything, think again: Operator will need to ask for confirmation before pulling the trigger on important tasks, which throws a wrench into the premise of the AI agent acting on your behalf, since the clear implication is you need to make sure it's not screwing up before allowing it any real power."Before finalizing any significant action, such as submitting an order or sending an email, Operator should ask for approval," reads the safety section in OpenAI's announcement.This measure highlights the tension between keeping stringent guardrails on AI models while allowing them to freely exercise their purportedly powerful capabilities. How do you put out an AI that can do anything without it doing anything stupid?Right now, a limited preview of Operator is only available to subscribers of the ChatGPT Pro plan, which costs an eye-watering $200 per month.The agentic tool uses its own AI model called Computer-Using Agent to interact with its virtual environment as in use mouse and keyboard actions by constantly taking screenshots of your desktop.The screenshots are interpreted by GPT-4o's image-processing capabilities, theoretically allowing Operator to use any software it's looking at, and not just ones designed to integrate with AI.But in practice, it doesn't sound like the seamless experience you'd hope it to be (though to be fair, it's still in its early stages). When the AI gets stuck, as it still often does, it hands control back to the user to remedy the issue. It will also stop working to ask you for your usernames and passwords, entering a "takeover mode."It's "simply too slow," wrote one user on the ChatGPTPro subreddit in a lengthy writeup, who said they were "shocked" by its sluggish pace. "It also bugged me when Operator didn't ask for help when it clearly needed to," the user added. In reality, you may have to sit there and watch the AI painstakingly try to navigate your computer, like supervising a grandparent trying their hand at Facebook and email.Obviously, safety measures are good. But it's worth asking just how useful this tech is going to be if it can't be trusted to work reliably without neutering it.And if safety and privacy are important to you, then you should already be uneasy with the idea of letting an AI model run rampant on your machine, especially one that relies on constantly screenshotting your desktop.While you can opt out of having your data being used to train the AI model, OpenAI says that it will store your chats and screenshots up to 90 days on its servers, , even if you delete them.Because Operator can browse the web, that means it will potentially be exposed to all kinds of danger, including attacks called prompt injections that could trick the model into defying its original instructions.Share This Article

Who asked for this?Out of SeasonBack in 2017, a buzzy multi-million dollar startup called Juicero which sold a high tech, WiFi-enabled fruit and veggie juicer that had taken health circles by storm imploded spectacularly whenBloomberg discovered that you could squeeze its juice packs by hand, without its $700 over-engineered machine, a demise that CNET derided as history's "greatest example of Silicon Valley stupidity."We may now have a new pretender to the throne. Enter the Spicerr, a supposedly "AI-powered" "smart" spice dispenser that will automatically decide how much seasoning you should add to your barren foodstuffs."Spicerr takes the guesswork out of seasoning," reads its marketing copy, with "curated spice blends" and "precise measurements," making it the perfect kitchen gizmo for dorks who are too unadventurous to even dabble in the art of adding a pinch of salt or ancho chile.The company also has an extremely obnoxious ad featuring anthropomorphized kitchenware, which are for some reason aware what an AI model is. Suspension of disbelief shattered.Lock and PreloadThe Spicerr is designed like a minimalist, tech-inflected pepper grinder with a revolver's cylinder stuck on the bottom. It holds six pre-packaged spice capsules at a time, which you have to buy from the manufacturer, like so many hated inkjet printers. Spicerr sells an "Essential Collection" that comes with black pepper, turmeric, crushed pepper, ginger, cinnamon, and cumin, as well as three other collections for "family cooking," "baking with kids," and plain ol' "BBQ."Using a small touch screen at the top did we mention this thing uses a touch screen? you choose the blendor recipe you want, which will require you to navigate more than a few tiny menus if this demonstration is anything to go by, load the necessary capsules, press down on the button, and let the Spicerr go to town.And voil: you have now have a seasoned meal, human. Is the 3:1 ratio of salt to pepper with an uncertainty of 4 percent to your liking?Data DrivenWe know we said this thing has the "AI" label slapped on it, but it's unclear what exactly the "AI-powered platform" actually is, other than something that collects your data, apparently, via its accompanying app."By analyzing your preferences and interactions, Spicerr quickly learns your tastes and suggests dishes and spice blends perfectly suited to your palate," the website reads.We'd posit it's not just variety, but alsospontaneity, that's the spice of life. So for the love of all that is holy, don't let an algorithm decide how much cinnamon or paprika you're adding to your food. Take the risk and toss some of that stuff in there yourself and then taste it, engage your brain, and decide whether it needs another pinch.More on AI: Trump Signs Executive Order Banning Woke AIShare This Article

Our Picks Best overall aerosol insect repellent Cutter Dry aerosol spray View details $24 at Amazon View details Best overall pump spray insect repellent Proven picaridin insect repellent View details $10 at Amazon View details Best natural insect repellent Natrapel lemon eucalyptus insect repellent View details $13 at Amazon View details Best insect repellent for clothes and gear Sawyer permethrin aerosol and pump spray insect repellent View details $10 at Bass Pro View details Best insect repellent lotion Proven picaridin lotion View details $13 at Amazon View details Best insect repellent wipes Ben's 30% DEET wipes View details $28 at Amazon View details Best DEET-free insect repellent wipes Natrapel picaridin wipes View details $14 at Amazon View details Table of Contents Is there anything worse than going off on an outdoor adventure only to feel the sting of a fresh bug bite not even 10 minutes later? We don't think so. No matter whether you're camping or hanging out in your backyard, it's paramount that you bring protection against the wilds with bug spray. In fact, if you travel to a country where malaria and other diseases are spread by mosquitoes, it is crucial that you take insect repellant. The CDC recommends that you use only insect repellents approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency. For children, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends using insect repellents that contain no more than 30% DEET or other EPA-approved ingredients.But which is the best bug repellant for you and your family? To narrow the search for the best bug spray money can buy, our experts at CNET have tested over 20 wipes, lotions, sprays and DEET-free insect repellents from different brands to see which is the best of the best. When you live somewhere it's so hot you start sweating upon opening your back door, adding an additional layer of stickiness is not an option. Cutter Dry insect repellent is the best bug spray by far in terms of feel.The aerosol nozzle sprays wide and evenly, and the formula dries nearly instantly on your skin. You don't have to rub this spray into your skin at all.The bottle says unscented, but Cutter Dry does have a slight smell to it. It's not overpowering like many other sprays, though, and definitely not intolerable.Made with 10% DEET, this insect repellent will do its job in most environments. I would consider taking something stronger, such as a 20% or 30% DEET repellent, for backcountry adventures in buggy environments. If you prefer to avoid aerosol sprays, Proven makes a great picaridin-based pump spray insect repellent. Picaridin is a synthetic compound derived from piperine, a chemical compound found in the family of plants that produce black pepper. It's not as odorous as DEET, and according to some research, picaridin is equally as effective at repelling bugs as DEET.The Proven picaridin pump spray is the only one I found to be truly odorless during my testing. I probably would have looked crazy to bystanders if they saw me smelling my skin and clothes to catch a whiff of this stuff. For a pump spray, it doesn't have a bad texture -- plus, it goes on pretty light and I only had to rub it in a tiny bit. It absorbed quickly. Of all the bug sprays I've used in my life, this was my first time trying Proven, and I'll likely buy it in the future. $13 at Amazon For those who want to avoid chemicals altogether, a lemon eucalyptus insect repellent is a gentler way to stave off bugs and their bites. I tried a few different lemon eucalyptus bug sprays, and Natrapel came out on top.Free of the two chemicals proven to repel insects, it's natural to think this bug spray isn't as effective as its DEET- or picaridin-containing counterparts. The CDC and EPA recognize lemon eucalyptus oil as an effective insect repellent. The Natrapel bottle does say it offers up to six hours of protection versus the typical eight to 12 in DEET and picaridin products.Anyway, if you don't mind applying more often, Natrapel's aerosol or pump spray is a good option. Despite the fact that the active ingredient is an oil, this bug spray doesn't feel as oily as you might expect. It is slightly tougher to rub in compared to DEET and picaridin sprays, but it's not bad overall. Both types of bottles are easy to spray. Plus, the smell is nice (if you like lemon eucalyptus).

If you're enrolled in thePublic Service Loan Forgiveness programand were due to receive debt relief last year or expected to hit the 120-payment mark this year, a new program can help you apply for debt relief during theSAVE payment pause.PSLF offers student loan forgiveness to teachers, nurses and other public service workers who have made 120 qualifying payments -- the equivalent of 10 years -- while working at a qualifying job. ThePSLF Buyback programoffers the opportunity for eligible borrowers to "buy back" no-payment months that didn't count toward forgiveness while their loans were in forbearance or deferment.The buyback option could help some borrowers in the PSLF program get debt relief sooner, but it's not a shortcut to accelerate your progress toward PSLF, said Elaine Rubin, director of corporate communications at Edvisors.com. You'll need to have hit the 10 years of service and meet other conditions to qualify. If you're only five years into your teaching position, for example, you can't use this program to pay off your remaining five years of payments to get debt relief now.Here's how to find out if you're eligible for the buyback program and how to apply.What is the PSLF buyback program?The PSLF Buyback Program allows you to buy back certain skipped-payment months to count as qualifying payments under PSLF, which would speed up debt cancellation for a small number of eligible borrowers.For example, if you're a teacher who has worked 130 months in the role, you've already surpassed the required 10 years to be eligible for public loan forgiveness. But if your student loan was in deferment or forbearance for 15 months, you may have only made 115 months of payments. Normally, this would mean that you're not yet eligible for forgiveness under the PSLF program.Under the government's PSLF Buyback program, you can now make a payment (either in one lump sum or through multiple payments) within 90 days to cover the five months needed to fulfill your obligation and receive debt relief.What amount will you need to buy back? That depends on how many months short of the 120 goal you are and how much your monthly payment is. If you were on an income-driven repayment plan, your monthly payment could be as low as $0, Rubin said. But if your monthly payment is $200 and you've only made 117 payments, you'll need to pay $600 to complete the buyback process.After you submit an application requesting a buyback, the government will detail the total amount you must pay to your servicer within 90 days in order to have your remaining balance forgiven.Who's eligible for PSLF buyback?There are several requirements to be eligible for the PSLF buyback:You have worked at least 120 months in a qualifying public service role, including during the months when your student loan payments were in forbearance or deferredBuying back certain months of deferment or forbearance will get you over the threshold of 120 payments, allowing you to qualify for forgiveness under PSLFYour loan has a remaining balance greater than zeroIn other words, you cannot request a buyback if you have less than 10 years of service, and a buyback does not apply to defaulted loans or discharged loans.You can check on your qualifying payments for PSLF at StudentAid.gov, the central dashboard for this program. You can view more detailed information about the eligibility requirements here.How do I apply for the PSLF buyback program?Here are the steps for applying for the PSLF buyback program:If you have unreported periods of qualifying employment, submit them by using thePSLF Help Tool.Wait to review how yourpayment count adjustmentapplies to PSLF credit.Confirm the missing payment months you want to buy back and make sure you have approved qualifying employment for the same months (see how toverify these months).Submit a buyback request throughPSLF Reconsideration.Wait to hear back from StudentAid.gov about your final payoff amount.Rubin warns that the application is a bit confusing. "Be patient, but make sure that your information has been filed," Rubin said.You can check the status of your application through StudentAid.gov.Can I apply for PSLF buyback if I'm enrolled in SAVE?Yes, you can apply for the PSLF buyback if you're enrolled in the Saving on a Valuable Education plan. The SAVE program, an income-driven repayment plan, is considered an eligible forbearance type under the PSLF buyback.Payments have been on hold for SAVE borrowers since the summer, so if you're a PSLF borrower who would have received debt relief in the fall or winter, you're a prime candidate for the buyback program.How long will the PSLF buyback program be open?Rubin said the PSLF buyback program is currently open, and there is no hard deadline for applications.That being said, once you submit your application and learn your buyback amount, you have 90 days to make the buyback payment to your loan servicer. If you fail to pay the total amount within that time frame, you need to start over with a new application.With a new administration in the White House, the long-term fate of the PSLF buyback program is unclear. Rubin recommends taking the time now, while PSLF buyback is still available, to determine whether you're eligible and submit your application. More student loan advice

OpinionJanuary 25, 20255 min readJoints Are the Ultimate FlexThe evolution of joints is how we went from blobs to badassesBy Bethany Brookshire 7activestudio/Getty ImagesMiddle age is when you get to know your joints. I have spent the last few years learning that my many youthful party trickspopping shoulders out of their sockets on a whim, bending elbows backwardhad painful long-term consequences. Twenty years of high-impact sports on an imperfect skeleton have also taken their toll.Im now gritting my teeth through the tiny movements assigned by physical therapy, desperately trying to save these things that let me bend, twist and move around. Its not just the big-name celebrities of the skeletonthe hips and knees and shouldersthat scream at us as we accumulate mileage, but tiny joints that suddenly grab our attention, if not the ibuprofen. The vertebrae and the squishable, intervertebral discs between them. The joints between the teeth and the jaw. Even the joint at the very front of the pelvis, one most people never think about unless they are giving birth or taking a hit in sports, reveals its been taking hard knocks from life. These points of movement get arthritic, stiff. Bones begin to grind against one another. Movements that used to only pull or create pressure now produce pain.Its easy to blame joints themselves. Weak. Old. Crumbling. Weve been betrayed by joints so small we never even really registered they were there. But joints are signs of anatomical triumph. They bend so we dont break.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.These points where two parts of the skeleton meet are so essential for movement that evolution has come up with them at least twice. Arthropodswhether crabs or cockroachesdeveloped their own version: joints in their exoskeletons that allow these creatures to bend and scuttle. Our renditionthe internal skeletonprobably also started out on the outside of the body of ancient creatures, as bony scales. Our spinal cords, the things that make us chordates, got a segmented bony coat around 420 million years ago. Whats now modern vertebrae are nothing but a pile of 25 joints (or occasionally 26 or 24, if you happen to have one more or less vertebra). The bones are stacked on top of each other, separated by spongy cartilage called intervertebral discs. We had lubricated joints before we even crawled out of the sea. Heck, without them, the crawling wouldnt have happened in the first place. Joints have been modified now to let insects and animals skitter, slither, climb, run. Even fly. Without firm bones and the joints between them, theres no defying gravity.Joints are more than one bone on another. In between the majority of our joints, we have connective tissue, cartilage and bursasthin flat sacs of fluid. They cushion and lubricate, helping our bodies bend easily, quickly and without sounding like a rusty door hinge. Joints that dont bend still need this cushion. The jointsand the sacs between each oneallow the skeleton to shift and withstand pressure, even if that particular joint isnt helping anyone do a backbend.Many joints go almost entirely unnoticeduntil something is about to go wrong. It might seem, for example, that adult teeth should not be wiggling around in the jaw socket. But in fact these dental alveolar syndesmoses (technical speak for the tiny ligamentous joint between the tooth and jaw socket) move all the time. They have mechanoreceptorsways to measure movementwhich process the tiny vibrations that inform you of a foods texture. A larger tooth movement, and the very jolt that sometimes comes with it, is the final warning system that you should shell that nut first, please. Your uncracked tooth will thank you later.Our feet balance a large load into two impossibly small points, and they dont just stand, they point, arch, bend and flex. That flexibility is due to the 26 different bones and all the joints in between that make up the ankle and foot. Its an evolutionary work-around, adapting the flexible tree-clinging feet of our ancestors to the pavement pounding model we use today.In contrast, the pelvic girdle seems like a fairly continuous ring of bone. But its the joining of three bones on each side, the ilium, ischium and pubis. In the back, the pelvic girdle joins to the sacrum at the base of the spine. In the front, though, theres a joint, the pubic symphysis. This joint can move a tiny bit in adults. But what it really does is help to distribute weight and absorb the shock that comes with the weight of the upper body. This joint splits that mass evenly over your legs. In people who give birth, this joint softens and becomes extra flexible. It bends and curves and stretchescreating extra space for a baby to pass through the birth canal. Then, most of the time, it snaps back to normal.Joints are essential to how we experience the world, and we take them for granteduntil they start to fail. Arthritis, that painful chronic swelling that often comes with age, creeps into the joints between our bones. Bursae become inflamed and bulbous. Decades of grinding up food take a toll on the teeth. Years of running and walking take the spring out of our step, and alongside childbearing, grind down the joints in the pelvis and spine.As we age, intravertebral discs become compressed with the weight of our yearsand the weight of our weight. They may bulge out into the spaces between the vertebrae themselves, pressing on nerve rootsa herniated disc. The spine doesnt just bear the weight of our youthful indiscretions, but of our evolutionary fate. When our ancestors stood upright, we asked a lot of our vertebrae. A rigid spine couldnt defy physics and stand straight, and so it curved. We acquired a lumbar lordosis, a sway in our lower backs. Unfortunately, that curve bears the pressure of our upper bodies. When sitting down, our lumbar spines are taking loads between 100 to 175 kilograms (220385 pounds). When standing, its 90 to 120 kilograms (198 to 264 pounds). Despite this, our intervertebral discs bear the mass cheerfullyeven improving in response to exercise.When we think of bodily strength we think of long bones or muscles, things that only crack or tear under the worst pressure. In contrast, joints seem weakin part because they give way before bones do. But their flexibility is our defense. Every weird tooth movement is a sensation, a broken tooth avoided. Every shift of the hips is a time they didnt crack. Each step or lifted weight places pressure on the joints in our bones, and the joints gently give way. Joints remind us that theres strength in flexibility.This is an opinion and analysis article, and the views expressed by the author or authors are not necessarily those of Scientific American.

Hi! My name is Tobias and Im currently doing my final year of the Bachleors program in Game Development at Stockholms University.I just finished off doing a game project with 9 other game-dev students as a part a course where I was the only VFX-Artist. I will be uploading my work on artstation during the upcoming weeks and i would really appriciate any feedback. Portfolio link:https://www.artstation.com/tobiasbostromThe game was made during a 7 week period and its a small turnedbased-rpg where the enviroment is a mix between 2D and 3D.The game will be released on itch in the upcoming weeks but if you wanna try it out you download it out here:drive.google.comDreamBound_Game.zipGoogle Drive file.There will be some more stuff/polish added before we release it on itch as well as some small bug fixes. Give it a try and tell me what you think!

close Willing to pay $175,000 for a life-size robot friend that remembers everything about you Melody represents a move toward creating robots that closely resemble humans. In a world where loneliness is becoming increasingly prevalent, researchers have taken a bold step forward by introducing Melody, a life-sized artificial intelligence robot designed to combat this growing epidemic.However, Melody is not just another gadget; she represents a significant move toward creating robots that closely resemble humans in both appearance and interaction. Melody, the life-sized AI robot. (Realbotix)The vision behind MelodyRealbotix, the innovative tech firm responsible for Melody's creation, aims to produce robots that are not only visually indistinguishable from humans but also capable of meaningful interactions.According to CEO Andrew Kiguel, "Melody was created with the intention of having robots that are easy to travel with and modify for various forms of personal interaction." This focus on adaptability allows Melody to serve multiple roles, from educational tools to companions in entertainment. Melody, the life-sized AI robot. (Realbotix)Features that set Melody apartMelody boasts an impressive array of features that enhance her functionality and user experience:Realistic movements: Equipped with advanced motor technology, Melody can execute fluid and natural movements, enhancing her ability to engage in lifelike interactions.Eye tracking and object recognition: With micro-cameras embedded in her eyes, she can maintain eye contact and recognize objects, making conversations feel more genuine.Modular design: Her components can be easily disassembled and reassembled, allowing for portability and customization according to user needs.Open-source compatibility: Melody's design supports integration with various AI platforms, including Realbotix's proprietary companionship AI, making her versatile for different applications. Melody, the life-sized AI robot. (Realbotix)A new kind of companionRealbotix emphasizes that Melody's primary purpose lies in fostering connection rather than intimacy. Her role as an engaging companion is designed to enhance human experiences through interaction and fun. However, she can engage in adult conversations if desired. The company envisions Melody as a versatile solution for addressing loneliness, with potential applications across multiple domains such as education, healthcare and personal companionship. Melody, the life-sized AI robot. (Realbotix)The price of connectionWith a price tag of $175,000, Melody is positioned as a premium product aimed at those seeking a unique blend of companionship and technology. This investment speaks to the growing market for humanoid robots designed for personal interaction, reflecting a shift in how we view relationships in an increasingly digital world. Melody, the life-sized AI robot. (Realbotix)Kurts key takeawaysOne look at Melody, and you might think she is designed for something else entirely. As technology evolves, so too does our understanding of companionship. Melody represents not just a technological advancement but also a cultural shift towards accepting robots as part of our social fabric. With her ability to remember personal interactions and adapt to individual preferences, she challenges our perceptions of connection in the modern age.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPWhat do you think about the rise of humanoid robots like Melody? Are they the solution to loneliness or just another gadget? Let us know what you think by writing us at Cyberguy.com/ContactFor more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/NewsletterFollow Kurt on his social channels:Answers to the most-asked CyberGuy questions:New from Kurt:Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com.All rights reserved. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on "FOX & Friends." Got a tech question? Get Kurts free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

The Eureka E20 Plus is a self-emptying robot vacuum that delivers great value for the money, even if it omits some popular features.

Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNETSamsung Unpacked took place earlier this week, where the company shared the latest news on its smartphone releases and AI endeavors. Oh, and there was one more thing.As expected, Samsung launched its newest flagship smartphones: Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25 Plus, and Galaxy S25 Ultra. The hardware has remained mostly unchanged, with thinner and lighter form factors across the board, an upgraded chipset, and some fresh coats of paint. For the more significant improvements, you'll want to look at the software.Also: Best Samsung Galaxy S25 deals: $200 gift cards and free offers at T-Mobile and VerizonSamsung kicked things up a notch with its latest AI offerings in One UI 7, with a focus on making people's everyday interactions with their phones as seamless as possible. Some highlights include a new personal data engine, multi-app commands, and a Now Brief feature that anticipates your needs and packages them neatly for you.If you missed the live event and want to catch up on all the news, I've gathered all the products and features announced at Unpacked below. 1. Samsung Galaxy S25 and S25+ Prakhar Khanna/ZDNET Like past January Unpacked events, Samsung released three new Galaxy S models, with the base models getting some subtle but meaningful upgrades, including a thinner and lighter design.Other changes include the introduction of new colors, including Icyblue, Navy, Mint, Silver Shadow, as well as online-only exclusive colors like Blueblack, Coralred, and Pinkgold. The vibrance of the Coralred colorway stands out amongst the rest of the lineup's more muted finishes, and made a splash among reporters at Unpacked.Also:I went hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy S25 - and the AI features were surprisingly polishedAt the heart of the devices is the newly launched Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elitefor Galaxy. According to Samsung, the chipset will be dramatically different than the variants found on competing Android phones.For example, Samsung claims it delivers a performance boost of 40% in NPU, 37% in CPU, and 30% in GPU compared to the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Beyond AI, the chipset will help provide a smoother experience when gaming, equipped with Vulkan Engine, a high-performing graphics platform, and improved Ray Tracing. Other specs remain the same as last year's model, such as its 6.2-inch and 6.7-inch display, 4,000mAh and 4,900mAh batteries,120Hz Adaptive Refresh Rate, 50 MP main lens, a 12MP ultrawide, a 10 MP telephoto, and a 12MP selfie camera.Also: Best One UI 7 features coming to Samsung Galaxy S25 models (and older phones, too)Despite the camera hardware remaining the same, the software upgrades should significantly improve the experience. For example, 10-bit HDR recording is now applied by default, allowing users to capture better detail, and a new Galaxy Virtual Aperture, integrated into the Expert RAW app, gives users better depth-of-field control, similar to when using a DSLR. Galaxy S25+ and S25 Ultra also feature advanced AI image processing with ProScaler, which, like Samsung TVs, uses AI to digitally enhance the resolution of videos. Just know that the phones need to be set to QHD+ resolution to take advantage of the feature.Pricing for the Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus starts at $799 and $999, respectively. That's the same as past years' retail price, which is good to see, provided you're getting improvements -- some in hardware and more in software. Show more 2. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Kerry Wan/ZDNET The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra received several design upgrades, the most obvious being its rounded edges, a departure from the typical Ultra design that makes it akin to other flagship phones on the market, such as, dare I say, the iPhone.Like the rest of the line, the S25 Ultra is lighter and slimmer, weighing 218 grams compared to the S24 Ultra's 232 grams, and measuring 8.2mm compared to 8.6mm. Despite its leaner form factor, it is more durable than ever, featuring a new Corning Gorilla Armor 2, which provides advanced drop protection and scratch resistance.Also:Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs iPhone 16 Pro Max: Which phone should you buy?The Galaxy S25 Ultra features a 6.9-inch AMOLED display and a similar anti-reflection coating as the S24 Ultra, which is great to see.Another notable hardware upgrade is its 50MP ultrawide camera sensor, an upgrade from the S24 Ultra's 12MP, allowing users to capture more details in landscape and macro photos.The rest of the cameras remain the same as the Galaxy S24 Ultra's, with a 200MP main lens, a 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom, a 50MP telephoto with 5X optical zoom, and a 12MP selfie camera. The phone also retains the same 5,000mAh battery capacity and embedded S Pen, though the latter no longer supports wireless air gestures.The Galaxy S25 Ultra is available in Titanium Silverblue, Titanium Whitesilver, Titanium Gray, and Titanium Black, and online-exclusive colors Titanium Pinkgold, Titanium Jetblack, and Titanium Jadegreen. It starts at $1,299, the same as last year, with 256GB of storage and 12GB of RAM. Show more 3. AI upgrades Kerry Wan/ZDNET Undoubtedly, the star of the show was the S25 lineup's AI upgrades, which Samsung claimed: "Set a new standard towards a true AI companion with our most natural and context-aware mobile experiences ever created."As the description implies, AI was sprinkled nearly everywhere in the devices, from your more typical photo-editing and generating to more advanced, personalized features, such as personalized agents and LLMs, all meant to optimize how users use their phones daily.Also:I tried Samsung's new Galaxy AI features - these 3 made Apple Intelligence look badSince there are so many features, both made available through One UI 7 and Galaxy AI, here's the run-down of them all, along with a brief description of each.AI Select: AI Select is similar to Google's Circle to Search feature, except that when you select things on your screen, instead of searching the web, it provides you with actions you can take on your phone. For example, if you select a date on your screen, with AI select, your phone could suggest adding the date to your calendar, and when selected, does it for you.Circle to Search updates: Although Circle to Search is not new, it got some updates to make it more efficient. It can recognize phone numbers, emails, and URLs on the screen, and allow you to visit said links or click the number to make a call. It's also multimodal, allowing you to use Circle to Search to search audio, which can identify the name of a song you're hearing.Cross-app action: Using natural language, you can now simply ask Gemini to perform actions across multiple apps, with a prompt such as, "Search for the upcoming Warriors game and add to calendar."AI Photo Search: If you need to find a photo, you can use a natural language prompt through search through your library.Settings Search: Similar to above, you can now use natural language to figure out where a setting on your phone is. A command may look something like, "Help me make my text bigger."Also:Every Samsung Galaxy S25 model compared: Which phone should you buy?Personal Data Engine: Think of your Personal Data Engine as a personal LLM that you design from the ground up. The more you use your device, the more it learns from you from your everyday usage. The data is stored on the device, and not on the cloud for extra security, so if you lose the phone, it's lost forever. This information can provide tailored experiences for you such as the new Now Brief feature.Now Brief: This feature can give you suggestions accessible via your Now Bar on the lock screen, anticipating your needs. For example, based on your routines and habits, it may suggest driving mode or navigation.Audio eraser:This feature gives users more control over audio in videos, allowing you to adjust different audio elements in your videos, such as voices, wind, noises, and more. For example, if you want the background noise to be quieter, you can lower it, or you can make the forefront noise louder.Improved Generative Edit:This feature, which removes unwanted elements from your photographs, can now also remove shadows as well, making the edit more seamless. Show more 4. Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET While we didn't see a new pair of smart glasses or ring at the end of the show this year, the company did tease a new product -- one that's arguably even more significant.Also: Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge first look: Specs and features, release date, price, moreThe Galaxy S25 Edge is what the company is calling it, and from the teasers and seconds-long sizzle reel we got at the end of the presentation, there's one obvious takeaway: it'ssuperthin. So thin that the phone will only feature two cameras, and not three like the rest of the Galaxy S25 lineup.According to Bloomberg'sMark Gurman, the S25 Edge will launch in the first half of this year, with pricing expected to be below the S25 Ultra's $1,299. Show more 5. Project Moohan XR headset Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET Samsung finally showcased its mixed reality headset, pictured above, to the public. Its form factor is similar to that of the Apple Vision Pro, resembling ski goggles, with a smooth, curved front, and head strap that sits at the back of the user's head.Also: Here's the Android XR headset that Google and Samsung are releasing in 2025The headset, codenamed Project Moohan and announced in December, is a collaboration with Google and Qualcomm. It will run on Android XR, its operating system for XR devices. Samsung says there's no official timeline in terms of when we'll see the device in the market, but the hardware making an appearance at Unpacked is promising. Show more When is Samsung Unpacked? Samsung Unpacked took place on Wednesday, Jan. 22. The event started at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET and was live-streamed for everyone to watch.The physical event, reserved for media, super fans, and industry experts, occured in San Jose, California. Show more Samsung Unpacked