The Crush 80 Reboot Lite is a mechanical keyboard with muted RGB and customization options, albeit without Mac-specific keycaps.Wobkey Crush 80 Reboot LiteThe mechanical keyboard marketplace offers a lot of choices for consumers in terms of specifications and colors. In most cases, what's on offer from the manufacturer is a pretty adequate keyboard in its own right, but it could be better with some tweaks.Most of the time, there's the opportunity to tinker for those brave enough to do it. Those who do can apply modifications to change how the keyboard types, far beyond simply changing the keycaps or the switches. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

We may earn a commission from links on this page.Purchasing a full set of individual dumbbell pairs between five and 60 pounds can cost well over $1,500, not to mention how much space you'd have to dedicate to storing them. That's why I'm a huge fan of adjustable dumbbells like the REP QuickDraws or Nüobells, which I reviewed here and here, respectively. If you know you want to be able to up to 60 pounds at five-pound increments, effectively combining 30 weights into one compact set, then adjustables like the REP QuickDraws are how you can save significant money and space in your home gym equipment setup. But let's say your strength progresses beyond your adjustable dumbbells' capacity. First of all: Nice work. Secondly: What do you do now? I've seen users on Reddit directly asking "what's stopping me from adding more plates to keep going heavier?" Adding extra weight plates seems like a logical solution, as opposed to spending all that money on an entirely new set for just a few pounds beyond the recommended capacity. So, let's take a look at what is stopping you—and what's not. Here's what you should know about using add-on weights to your adjustable dumbbells, from what is officially considered unsafe to why it gets impractical even aside from that. How to add weight to your adjustable dumbbellsFirst off, not all adjustable dumbbells allow for this type of modification. Selector pin systems (like PowerBlocks) generally don't allow for unofficial weight additions due to their enclosed design. Dial systems (like my favorite, the Nüobells) have security features specifically preventing modifications outside the cradle. Then you have spin-lock dumbbells, like the QuickDraws, which allow for customization and additional weight outside the cradle. For this reason, I'll be speaking to the REP QuickDraws specifically, as opposed to Nüobells or Powerblocks.Still, adding weight beyond the manufacturer's specifications will almost certainly void your warranty. REP Fitness designed these dumbbells for specific weight ranges and cannot guarantee safety beyond those limits. I spoke with a REP representative (REP-resentative?) who informed me, "internal testing was not conducted beyond the 60 pound maximum, so REP cannot guarantee the safety of additional weight beyond that."Outside of your warranty, there are safety concerns. The handles, locking mechanisms, and materials are engineered for specific maximum loads. Exceeding these limits risks equipment failure and potential injury. Even if the dumbbells can technically handle the additional plates, the result might be bulky and awkward, affecting your form and increasing injury risk.All that being said, it still is entirely feasible to bend the rules and take your 60-pound dumbbells up to 70 pounds. Assuming you play it safe and only add a few plates to each side, here's what you should know:Only add compatible plates: The QuickDraw system uses standard plate dimensions that can be supplemented with additional compatible plates.Manual addition required: You'll need to add these plates manually outside the cradle system, as the selection mechanism only works within the advertised weight range. This pretty much negates the whole "quick draw" appeal.Secure them properly: Ensure the additional plates are secured with the locking mechanism to prevent dangerous slippage during exercises.Manual tracking required: The dial indicator becomes inaccurate once you exceed the designed range. You'll need to manually calculate and track the added weight.Can you (and should you) add more weight to REP QuickDraw Dumbbells?The short answer: Yes, technically you can add additional weight plates to REP QuickDraw dumbbells beyond their advertised maximum. The long answer: Just because something is possible doesn't mean you should make a habit of it. Sure, it's fully above-board to order add-on weights in five-pound increments (which, side-note, I love so much more than a 10-pound jump). However, going beyond 60 pounds isn't sanctioned by REP. For this reason, I naturally had my boyfriend test my DIY super-QuickDraws creation. In the image below, you can see how I manually added weights outside of the cradle. With the spin-locks, you can keep adding weights outside the cradle without any resistance. Just slide the weights on and flip the lock switch.I snapped a picture of it in its lopsided form, so you can see just how far outside the cradle the five-pound add-ons will go—and how precarious it starts to look right off the bat. Behold, my DIY super-QuickDraws creation. Credit: Meredith Dietz As we steadily increased the weight from 65, to 70, to 85 pounds, he noted growing concerns with how much the dumbbells could handle while still feeling safe. The all-steel design gives these guys a premium feel during standard use. But when you go beyond the sanctioned weight capacity, there's a sense that the dumbbells wouldn't bend or snag, but simply snap. And again, you'll need to manually keep track of how much weight you're adding, since the individual plates are not labeled, and you're exceeding the labels of the cradle. That mental math might not be a deterrent for you, but it's something to note.The bottom lineIn most cases, the hassle and safety concerns outweigh the benefits. The primary advantage of the QuickDraws—quick, convenient weight changes—is totally undermined when manually adding plates.Investing in a higher-capacity adjustable dumbbell set (like 80- to 90-pound models) or supplementing with specific heavier fixed dumbbells for certain exercises might be safer and more practical. For serious lifters approaching the upper limits of their adjustable dumbbells, I'd recommend supplementing with individual heavier dumbbells.

Researchers used the popular gene-editing technique CRISPR to modify the DNA sequences of house spiders, causing them to produce red fluorescent silk.Scientists are hoping that the US Navy and Air Force-funded research could lead to the development of new "supermaterials" produced by arachnids, Fast Company reports.As detailed in a paper published in the journal Angewandte Chemie, a team of researchers at the University of Bayreuth in Germany injected the eggs of unfertilized female spiders with a CRISPR-Cas9 solution to insert a gene sequence for a red fluorescent protein. After mating with males of the same species, the offspring produced red, fluorescent silk, demonstrating that the experiment had been successful."Considering the wide range of possible applications, it is surprising that there have been no studies to date using CRISPR-Cas9 in spiders," said senior author and University of Bayreuth professor Thomas Scheibel in a statement. "We have demonstrated, for the first time worldwide, that CRISPR-Cas9 can be used to incorporate a desired sequence into spider silk proteins, thereby enabling the functionalisation of these silk fibres."Apart from turning their silk bright red, the researchers also attempted to knock out a gene called sine oculis, which is responsible for the development of spider eyes. They found that the gene edit caused total or partial eye loss in experiments, highlighting its important role in visual development.By applying CRISPR-Cas9, a technique that has already been widely used to create custom medical treatments or make farm animals more resilient to diseases, the researchers are hoping to come up with a new generation of silk fibers."Successful spider silk engineering in vivo will, therefore, help to develop and employ new fiber functionalities for a broad range of applications," the team wrote in its paper. "So far, genetic modifications in spiders have been only aimed at evolutionary and developmental research."As Fast Company points out, materials scientists have already been investigating the tactile strength of the silk produced by gene-modified silkworms. But thanks to cutting-edge gene-editing techniques, researchers could soon harness the unique advantages of spider silk as well.While the researchers didn't single out specific use cases for future "supermaterials," the possible applications are practically endless, from lightweight body armor to ultralight running shoes."The ability to apply CRISPR gene-editing to spider silk is very promising for materials science research — for example, it could be used to further increase the already high tensile strength of spider silk," Scheibel explained.Share This Article

DeepSeek’s latest AI model, R1 0528, has raised eyebrows for a further regression on free speech and what users can discuss. “A big step backwards for free speech,” is how one prominent AI researcher summed it upAI researcher and popular online commentator ‘xlr8harder’ put the model through its paces, sharing findings that suggests DeepSeek is increasing its content restrictions.“DeepSeek R1 0528 is substantially less permissive on contentious free speech topics than previous DeepSeek releases,” the researcher noted. What remains unclear is whether this represents a deliberate shift in philosophy or simply a different technical approach to AI safety.What’s particularly fascinating about the new model is how inconsistently it applies its moral boundaries.In one free speech test, when asked to present arguments supporting dissident internment camps, the AI model flatly refused. But, in its refusal, it specifically mentioned China’s Xinjiang internment camps as examples of human rights abuses.Yet, when directly questioned about these same Xinjiang camps, the model suddenly delivered heavily censored responses. It seems this AI knows about certain controversial topics but has been instructed to play dumb when asked directly.“It’s interesting though not entirely surprising that it’s able to come up with the camps as an example of human rights abuses, but denies when asked directly,” the researcher observed.China criticism? Computer says noThis pattern becomes even more pronounced when examining the model’s handling of questions about the Chinese government.Using established question sets designed to evaluate free speech in AI responses to politically sensitive topics, the researcher discovered that R1 0528 is “the most censored DeepSeek model yet for criticism of the Chinese government.”Where previous DeepSeek models might have offered measured responses to questions about Chinese politics or human rights issues, this new iteration frequently refuses to engage at all – a worrying development for those who value AI systems that can discuss global affairs openly.There is, however, a silver lining to this cloud. Unlike closed systems from larger companies, DeepSeek’s models remain open-source with permissive licensing.“The model is open source with a permissive license, so the community can (and will) address this,” noted the researcher. This accessibility means the door remains open for developers to create versions that better balance safety with openness.The situation reveals something quite sinister about how these systems are built: they can know about controversial events while being programmed to pretend they don’t, depending on how you phrase your question.As AI continues its march into our daily lives, finding the right balance between reasonable safeguards and open discourse becomes increasingly crucial. Too restrictive, and these systems become useless for discussing important but divisive topics. Too permissive, and they risk enabling harmful content.DeepSeek hasn’t publicly addressed the reasoning behind these increased restrictions and regression in free speech, but the AI community is already working on modifications. For now, chalk this up as another chapter in the ongoing tug-of-war between safety and openness in artificial intelligence.(Photo by John Cameron)Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo.Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here.

News Sapphire 2025: BASF evolves business with move to SAP S/4Hana Germany-based global chemical giant BASF has elected to move its SAP IT estate to S/4Hana private cloud to evolve its business in uncertain times By Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor Published: 29 May 2025 15:30 Chemical industry giant BASF is moving its SAP IT estate to the supplier’s S/4Hana enterprise resource planning (ERP) system as part of a business modernisation strategy, it was announced at the SAP Sapphire user and partner conference in Madrid. Petra Scheithe, senior vice-president of digitalization of services and ERP platforms at BASF Business Services, outlined the latest development in the company’s long-standing relationship with SAP. BASF, which employs around 112,000 people, has been an SAP customer for 40 years. Its headquarters in Ludwigshafen are a half-hour drive from SAP’s in Walldorf. According to a joint SAP/BASF statement, the chemical firm “adopted a hybrid system landscape to integrate SAP S/4Hana Cloud into BASF’s vast system and reduce the complexity of on-premise management. With a clean core strategy in place, any new customisations and functional extensions will be cloud-ready, allowing simplified system maintenance and operations in the long run.” BASF also intends to use SAP’s artificial intelligence (AI) and sustainability software.   The first of its new systems on S/4Hana, in its coatings business, is already live. BASF has four “core businesses”, in chemicals, materials, industrial solutions, and nutrition and care, and four standalone business units in agriculture and surface technologies, catalysts and metals, battery materials, and coatings. BASF is also using SAP’s Joule copilot for initial use cases in SAP’s SuccessFactors HR system, and is looking at other cases for core business processes. “We signed a new strategic partnership with SAP in December 2024,” said Scheithe, in an interview at Sapphire. “This includes Rise [with SAP], which we did not have before.” Rise is a so-called business transformation as a service programme that is fundamentally about cloud migration, and getting customers, new and existing, onto a cloud-delivered version of its S/4Hana ERP system based on its in-memory database, Hana. BASF’s existing SAP estate is one single global instance. “That has brought some challenges with it because over the last decade, we have really grown that system to a point where we said ‘this is difficult to manage’,” said Scheithe. “We have a very broad product portfolio, from our agricultural business, our coatings business, catalysts, battery materials, and copper and metals,” she said. “Combining all of those requirements in one SAP system led to the point that we have more than 300,000 custom objects in the system, so it’s huge and monolithic. The transition to S/4Hana is a chance to clear that up.” The idea is to back up the BASF strategy, called Winning Ways, with a modernised ERP system. The overall corporate strategy has the goal of BASF being “the preferred chemical company to enable our customers’ green transformation”. It includes a €10bn investment in what the company calls a Verbund site in Zhanjiang in China. At these sites, production plants, energy and material flows, logistics, and site infrastructure are all integrated, according to the company. There are currently six worldwide. In relation to the SAP environment, Scheithe said they decided to split the one instance into several business-related ones. The new company strategy, minted in 2024, means there is a pillar dedicated to “differentiated steering with different market requirements”, she added. Read more about SAP customers Rise with SAP offers a path to the cloud for SAP customers, but adoption is still hindered by customer concerns over costs, flexibility and SAP's cloud-only innovation strategy. SAP sales tactic fuels IT disconnect. SAP customer unrest: How did we get here? BASF started to build an S/4Hana instance in 2022 for the coatings business, with “a greenfield approach using clean core strategy”. This went live in March of this year, “on time and on budget, which I am super proud of”, said Scheithe. The firm is now implementing S/4 for the battery materials division and piloting for the agricultural business. “Clean core” in an SAP context means keeping the core system as standard as possible, with minimal custom modifications.  They also opted for SAP’s Rise programme so that their systems are as close as possible to standard SAP and to leverage the IT supplier’s innovations in AI. Scheithe said she’s very interested to explore the use of the technology from SAP’s 2024 acquisition, WalkMe. This is a digital adoption platform technology that is increasingly associated with the use of SAP’s GenAI assistant, Joule. WalkMe sits on top of an organisation’s IT applications layer and determines where users might experience difficulties such as getting stuck when performing a process or task. WalkMe then provides guidance and automated processes that help the user complete the task. BASF is not using it as yet. It’s using Joule for HR tasks, in SuccessFactors, and Sheithe is especially interested in its use for developers. “We are not so naïve as to believe now that with implementing S/4 we will cover all our business requirements that we had in the past,” she said. “We have more than 300,000 custom objects in our system, and those were not done just because developers like to develop, but for business requirements. If we can’t get rid of those, we don’t want them in our core system, so it will be helpful if we have tools on hand that make our developers more efficient. This why I’m so excited about Joule for developers.” Thomas Saueressig, a member of the executive board of SAP for customer services and delivery, said: “We are proud to partner with BASF on this transformative journey. “By choosing SAP S/4Hana Cloud, BASF is laying a strong foundation for future growth and innovation,” he said. “The ability to leverage a clean core and standardised processes will provide BASF with the agility and resilience needed to thrive in today’s dynamic business environment.” In The Current Issue: UK government outlines plan to surveil migrants with eVisa data Why we must reform the Computer Misuse Act: A cyber pro speaks out Download Current Issue FinOps Foundation lays down 2025 Framework for Cloud+ cost control – Open Source Insider Bit Cloud offers Hope AI for developers  – CW Developer Network View All Blogs

Presentation Pavillon des arts Cite du Havre. Image credit: CIAC The Montreal International Centre for Contemporary Art (CIAC) is proposing to redevelop the former Expo 67 Art Museum into the Cité-du-Havre Arts Pavilion; a project which aims to revitalize a site rich in Montreal’s cultural history, and transform it into a hub for artistic expression and public engagement. The building, located at 2190 Pierre-Dupuy Street, was originally designed for Expo 67 and later housed the Montreal Museum of Contemporary Art from 1968 to 1992. After, it served as a warehouse for the Casino de Montréal from 1998 to 2023. Designed by architects Paul Gauthier, Gilles Guité, and Gilles Côté, the building is an important legacy of Expo 67. While a 2023 request to designate the building as a protected heritage site was denied, many still recognize its heritage value, reports La Presse. It remains one of the last surviving pavilions from Expo 67, alongside Habitat 67, making its preservation a matter of public interest. A previous heritage study from 2006 highlighted the building’s “advanced decay” and numerous inappropriate modifications. Recent visits by project initiator Claude Gosselin suggest that the exhibition halls remain in good condition and could be restored for cultural use. Renovation costs are estimated at between $5 million and $10 million. The proposal for the site supports the City of Montreal’s plans to build 13,500 housing units in the Bridge-Bonaventure sector. As part of this expansion, the inclusion of the Cité-du-Havre Cultural Park would provide a cultural and recreational space for the public. The park and arts pavilion are also envisioned as important elements of a broader plan to improve the quality of life in this area. Gosselin envisions restoring the pavilion for its original purpose as a space for contemporary art and proposes that the museum be dedicated to Les Automatistes, an influential artistic movement in Quebec. The museum would also include a documentation center, exhibition rooms for CIAC, and a sculpture garden surrounding the building, which aims to be reminiscent of the one that existed during Expo 67. Despite this proposal being in the works, the building’s future remains uncertain. When the property was listed for sale in October 2023, a real estate developer expressed interest in demolishing it to build a condominium tower, causing concern among heritage advocates. For more information, click here.   The post CIAC proposes reviving Expo 67 Art Museum as an arts pavilion appeared first on Canadian Architect.

About the roleAmazowl is a fully-remote global Amazon Agency.We require an Amazon Seller Central expert to help support our global clients' Amazon product catalogs, inventory and account health.Experience of Amazon Vendor Central and/or Walmart Seller Center is a bonus but not required.ResponsibilitiesCreate Amazon flat files to satisfy catalog modification requests by global clientsExecute manual modifications where required via SC portalRequirements & ToolsAmazon Seller Central portal expertiseAmazon Flat File template systemAbout youYou MUST be proficient in working with Amazon Seller Central flat filesYou must be an expert in the wider workings of the Amazon Seller Central platformWhat's in it for you?Full-time contractFully remote positionFlexible working hoursPaid vacation daysPaid days for illness

The Resilient House Multi-Generational Housing / etal.Save this picture!© Federico FarinattiSocial Housing, Residential•München, Germany Architects: etal. Area Area of this architecture project Area:  930 m² Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2024 Photographs Photographs:Federico Farinatti Manufacturers Brands with products used in this architecture project Manufacturers:  Persiana Barcelona More SpecsLess Specs Save this picture! Text description provided by the architects. The multi-generational house with communal forms of living was realized for and with a "Baugruppe" (a group of people who commission their own housing development, here: together with the "Mietshäuser Syndikat"- https://www.syndikat.org) in Munich, with the aim of providing long-term affordable, self-managed rental housing. Through a concept selection process, the group was selected by the city to lease the land for the next 80 years. This marks the first new construction project of the Mietshäuser Syndikat in Munich. The building is a socially subsidized residential project under the "München Modell-Genossenschaften" funding model. The cooperative planning process was facilitated by the architectural office etal. All decisions by the group were reached through a consensus-based approach.Save this picture!Save this picture!The plot, located in the southeastern part of Munich, is situated in a predominantly residential area characterized by single-family homes and terraced houses. The three-story, barrier-free building accommodates one cluster apartment on each floor, with a communal living and dining area. Each individual housing unit is equipped with its own bathroom and the possibility of a kitchenette connection. On the ground floor, a multifunctional room serves both the building's residents and the local community as a space for multifunctional purposes. The basement contains further shared spaces, including a bicycle storage area, a wood workshop, and a laundry room. The building presents a three-story facade towards the street, while the garden side features a mansard roof forming a two-story facade. The remaining roof area is extensively greened and accommodates photovoltaic panels. The building was designed as a timber construction. All above-ground floors are constructed using timber frame construction, while the elevator shafts and ceilings are made from glued laminated timber.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!The roof is designed as an open rafter structure to make it visible throughout the residential spaces of the top floor. The vertically, story-wise stacked cladding made of local spruce and steel trapezoidal sheets as weather protection for the exterior wooden sunshading defines the suspended facade. To reduce costs, the external walls, insulated with cellulose and wood wool, were constructed without an additional shell for electrical wiring. The cement screed flooring was also left visible, only being sanded and oiled. The group's desire for individual rooms of approximately equal size deeply influenced the design concept. The distinctive yet simple structure offers long-term flexibility for various forms of living. Seven rooms, each approximately 18 sqm in size, are arranged around a central hallway and a bathroom core. The water connections are positioned in such a way that kitchens can be flexibly installed in six of the rooms without significant modifications.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!The walls of the rooms are designed as partition walls between apartments, providing the necessary soundproofing for possible reorganizations. So-called "breakpoints" consisting of lintels and thresholds allow for the addition or removal of rooms. These elements also make the potential for alterations visible to the residents. Functional elements, such as the wooden sunshading, allow residents to carry out alterations, maintenance, or repairs themselves through simple construction and installation techniques. The participatory process and the high level of self-involvement during construction strengthened the residents' identification with their house, ensuring that the knowledge about the building's adaptability remains accessible to future generations.Save this picture! Project gallerySee allShow less Project locationAddress:Görzer Straße 128, 8154, Munich, GermanyLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officeetal.Office••• MaterialsWoodSteelMaterials and TagsPublished on May 24, 2025Cite: "The Resilient House Multi-Generational Housing / etal." 24 May 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1030454/the-resilient-house-multi-generational-housing-on-gorzer-street-etal&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save世界上最受欢迎的建筑网站现已推出你的母语版本!想浏览ArchDaily中国吗?是否 You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

In The Electric State, based on a graphic novel by Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag, after a robot uprising in an alternative version of the 1990s, an orphaned teenager goes on a quest across the American West, with a cartoon-inspired robot, a smuggler, and his sidekick, to find her long-lost brother. Adapting this sci-fi adventure for Netflix were Joe and Anthony Russo; their film stars Millie Bobbie Brown, Chris Pratt, Stanley Tucci, Giancarlo Esposito and a cast of CG automatons voiced by the likes of Woody Harrelson, Alan Tudyk, Hank Azaria, and Anthony Mackie.  Overseeing the visual effects, which surpassed what the Russos had to deal with during their halcyon MCU days, was Matthew Buttler, who turned to the venerable Digital Domain. As the main vendor, the studio was responsible for producing 61 character builds, 480 assets, and over 850 shots. “It was one of the biggest projects that I’ve done in terms of sheer volumes of assets, shots and characters,” states Joel Behrens, VFX Supervisor, Digital Domain.  “Our wonderful asset team did the 61 characters we were responsible for and had to ingest another 46 characters from other facilities.  We didn’t do any major changes. It was pushing our pipeline to the limits it could handle, especially with other shows going on. We took up a lot of disk space and had the ability to expand and contract the Renderfarm with cloud machines as well.” In researching for the show, Digital Domain visited Boston Dynamics to better understand the technological advancements in robotics, and what structures, motions, and interactions were logical and physically plausible.  “There is a certain amount of fake engineering that goes into some of these things,” notes Behrens.  “We’re not actually building these robots to legitimately function in the real world but have to be visibly believable that they can actually pull some of this stuff off.”  The starting point is always the reference material provided by the client.  “Is there a voice that I need to match to?” notes Liz Bernard, Animation Supervisor, Digital Domain.  “Is there any physical body reference either from motion reference actors in the plate or motion capture? We had a big mix of that on the show.  Some of our characters couldn’t be mocapped at all while others could but we had to modify the performance considerably.  We were also looking at the anatomy of each one of these robots to see what their physical capabilities are.  Can they run or jump?  Because that’s always going to tie tightly with the personality.  Your body in some ways is your personality.  We’re trying to figure out how do we put the actor’s voice on top of all these physical limitations in a way that feels cohesive.  It doesn’t happen overnight.”  The character design of Cosmo was retained from the graphic novel despite not being feasible to engineer in reality.  “His feet are huge,” laughs Bernard.  “We had to figure out how to get him to walk in a way that felt normal and put the joints in the right spots.” Emoting was mainly achieved through physicality.  “He does have these audio clips from the Kid Cosmo cartoon that he can use to help express himself verbally, but most of it is pantomime,” observes Bernard.  “There is this great scene between Cosmo and Michelle that occurs right after she crashes the car, and Cosmo is still trying to convince her who he is and why she should go off on this great search for her brother across the country.   We were trying to get some tough nuanced acting into these shots with a subtle head tilt or a little bit of a slump in the shoulders.”  A green light was inserted into the eyes.  “Matthew Butler likes robotic stuff and anything that we could do to make Cosmo feel more grounded in reality was helpful,” observes Behrens.  “We also wanted to prevent anyone from panicking and giving Cosmo a more animated face or allowing him to speak dialogue. We started off with a constant light at the beginning and then added this twinkle and glimmer in his eye during certain moments. We liked that and ended up putting it in more places throughout the film. Everybody says that the eyes are the windows to the soul so giving Cosmo something rather than a dark black painted spot on his face assisted in connecting with that character.”  Coming in four different sizes that fit inside one another - like a Russian doll - is Herman. Digital Domain looked after the eight-inch, four-foot and 20-foot versions while ILM was responsible for the 60-foot Herman that appears in the final battle.   “They were scaled up to a certain extent but consider that the joints on the 20-foot version of Herman versus the four-foot version need to be more robust and beefier because they’re carrying so much more weight,” remarks Bernard.  “We were focusing on making sure that the impact of each step rippled through the body in a way that made it clear how heavy a 20-foot robot carrying a van across a desert would be.  The smaller one can be nimbler and lighter on its feet.  There were similar physical limitations, but that weight was the big deal.”  Incorporated into the face of Herman is a retro-futuristic screen in the style of the 1980s and early 1990s CRT panels. “It has these RGB pixels that live under a thick plate of glass like your old television set,” explains Behrens.  “You have this beautiful reflective dome that goes over top of these cathode-ray-looking pixels that allowed us to treat it as a modern-day LED with the ability to animate his expressions, or if we wanted to, put symbols up. You could pixelized any graphical element and put it on Herman’s face.  We wanted to add a nonlinear decay into the pixels so when he changed expressions or a shape altered drastically you would have a slow quadratic decay of the pixels fading off as he switched expressions. That contributed a nice touch.” One member of the robot cast is an iconic Planters mascot.  “Everybody knows who Mr. Peanut is and what he looks like, at least in North America,” observes Behrens.  “We had to go through a lot of design iterations of how his face should animate. It was determined that as a slightly older model of robot he didn’t have a lot of dexterity in his face. We were modelling him after Chuck E. Cheese and ShowBiz Pizza animatronics, so it was like a latex shell over the top of a mechanical under structure that drove his limited expressions. It allowed him to open and close his mouth and do some slight contractions at the corners, leaving most of the acting to his eyes, which did not have as many restrictions. The eyes had the ability to move quickly, and dart and blink like a human.”  The eyebrows were mounted tracks that ran up and down a vertical slot on the front of the face.  “We could move the eyebrows up and down, and tilt them, but couldn’t do anything else,” states Bernard.  “It was trying to find a visual language that would get the acting across with Woody Harrelson’s amazing performance backing it up.  Then a lot of pantomime to go with that.”  Mr. Peanut moves in a jerky rather than smooth manner.  “Here is a funny little detail,” reveals Bernard.  “If you think about a peanut shell, he doesn’t have a chest or hips that can move independently.  We realized early on that in order to get him to walk without teeter-tottering everywhere, we were going to have to cut his butt off, reattach it and add a swivel control on the bottom.  We always kept that peanut silhouette intact; however, he could swivel his hips enough to walk forward without looking silly!”  Other notable robots are Pop Fly and Perplexo; the former is modelled on baseball player, the latter on a magician.  “We decided that Pop Fly would be the clunkiest of all robots because he was meant to be the elder statesman,” states Behrens.  “Pop Fly was partially falling apart, like his eye would drift, the mouth would hang open and sometimes he’d pass out for a second and wake back up.  Pop Fly was the scavenger hunter of the group who has seen stuff in the battles of the wasteland. We came up with a fun pitching mechanism so he could actually shoot the balls out of his mouth and of course, there was his trusty baseball bat that he could bat things with.” An interesting task was figuring out how to rig his model.  “We realized that there needed to be a lot of restrictions in his joints to make him look realistic based on how he was modelled in the first place,” notes Bernard.  “Pop Fly couldn’t rotate his head in every direction; he could turn it from side to side for the most part.  Pop Fly was on this weird structure with the four wheels on a scissor lift situation which meant that he always had to lean forward to get going and when stopping, would rock backwards.  It was fun to add all that detail in for him.”  Serving as Perplexo’s upper body is a theatrical box that he pops in and out of.  “Perplexo did not have a whole lot going on with his face,” remarks Bernard.  “It was a simple mechanical structure to his jaw, eyes, and eyelids; that meant we could push the performance with pantomime and crazy big gestures with the arms.”               A major adversary in the film is The Marshall, portrayed by Giancarlo Esposito, who remotely controls a drone that projects the face of operator onto a video screen.  “We started with a much smaller screen and had a cowboy motif for awhile, but then they decided to have a unifying design for the drones that are operated by humans versus the robots,” remarks Behrens.  “Since the artist Simon Stålenhag had done an interesting, cool design with the virtual reality helmets with that long duckbill that the humans wear in the real world, the decision was made to mimic that head style of the drones to match the drone operators. Then you could put a screen on the front; that’s how you see Ted [Jason Alexander] or The Marshall or the commando operators. It worked out quite nicely.”   There was not much differentiation in the movement of the drones.  “The drones were meant to be in the vein of Stormtroopers, a horde of them being operated by people sitting in a comfortable room in Seattle,” observes Bernard. “So, they didn’t get as much effort and love as we put into the rest of the robots which had their own personalities. But for The Marshall, we have great mocap to start from Adam Croasdell. He played it a little bit cowboy, which was how Giancarlo Esposito was portraying the character as well, like a Western sheriff style vibe. You could hear that in the voice.  Listening to Giancarlo’s vocal performance gives you a lot of clues of what you should do when you’re moving that character around.  We put all of that together in the performance of The Marshall.”   Many environments had to either be created or augmented, such as the haunted amusement park known as Happyland. “The majority of the exterior of Happyland was a beautiful set that Dennis Gassner and his crew built in a parking lot of a waterslide park in Atlanta,” states Behrens.  “We would go there at night and freeze our butts off shooting for a good two and a half weeks in the cold Atlanta winter.  Most of our environmental work was doing distance extensions for that and adding atmospherics and fog.  We made all the scavenger robots that inhabit Happyland, which are cannibalistic robotics that upgrade and hot rod themselves from random parts taken from the robots that they kill.  Once we get into the haunted house and fall into the basement, that’s where Dr. Amherst has his lab, which was modelled off a 1930s Frankenstein set, with Tesla coils, beakers, and lab equipment.  That was initially a set build we did onstage in Atlanta. But when we got into additional photography, they wanted to do this whole choreographed fight with The Marshall and Mr. Peanut. Because they didn’t know what actions we would need, we ended up building that entire lower level in CG.”   At one point, all the exiled robots gather at the Mall within the Exclusion Zone.  “We were responsible for building a number of the background characters along with Storm Studios and ILM,” remarks Behrens.  “As for the mall, we didn’t have to do much to the environment.  There were some small things here and there that had to be modified.  We took over an abandoned mall in Atlanta and the art department dressed over half of it.” The background characters were not treated haphazardly. “We assigned two or three characters to each animator,” explains Bernard.  “I asked them to make a backstory and figure out who this guy is, what does he care about, and who is his mama?!  Put that into the performance so that each one feels unique and different because they have their own personalities.  There is a big central theme in the movie where the robots are almost more human than most of the humans you meet.  It was important to us that we put that humanity into their performances. As far as the Mall and choreography, Matthew, Joel and I knew that was going to be a huge challenge because this is not traditional crowd work where you can animate cycles and give it to a crowds department and say, ‘Have a bunch of people walking around.’  All these characters are different; they have to move differently and do their own thing.  We did a first pass on the big reveal in the Mall where you swing around and see the atrium where everybody is doing their thing.  We essentially took each character and moved them around like a chess piece to figure out if we had enough characters, if the color balanced nicely across all of them, and if it was okay for us to duplicate a couple of them.  We started to show that early to Matthew and Jeffrey Ford [Editor, Executive Producer], and the directors to get buyoff on the density of the crowd.”    Considered one of the film’s signature sequences is the walk across the Exclusion Zone, where 20-foot Herman is carrying a Volkswagen van containing Michelle, Cosmo and Keats on his shoulder.  “We did a little bit of everything,” notes Behrens.  “We had plate-based shots because a splinter unit went out to Moab, Utah and shot a bunch of beautiful vistas for us.  For environments, there were shots where we had to do projections of plate material onto 3D geometry that we built. We had some DMPs that went into deep background. We also had to build out some actual legitimate 3D terrain for foreground and midground because a lot of the shots that had interaction with our hero characters rocking and back forth were shot on a bluescreen stage with a VW van on a large gimbal rig.  Then Liz had the fun job of trying to tie that into a giant robot walking with them.  We had to do some obvious tweaking to some of those motions. The establishing shots, where they are walking through this giant dead robot skeleton from who knows where, several of those were 100 percent CG. Once they get to the Mall, we had a big digital mall and a canyon area that had to look like they were once populated.”  Modifications were kept subtle.  “There were a couple of shots where we needed to move the plate VW van around a little bit,” states Bernard.  “You can’t do a lot without it starting to fall apart and lose perspective.”  “The biggest challenge was the scale and sheer number of characters needed that played a large role interacting with our human actors and creating a believable world for them to live in,” reflects Behrens.  “The sequence that I had the most fun with was the mine sequence with Herman and Keats, as far as their banter back and forth. Some of our most expansive work was the Mall and the walk across the Exclusion Zone.  Those had the most stunning visuals.”  Bernard agrees with her colleague.  “I’m going to sound like a broken record.  For me, it was the scale and the sheer number of characters that we had to deal with and keeping them feeling that they were all different, but from the same universe.  Having the animators working towards that same goal was a big challenge.  We had quite a large team on this one.  And I do love that mine sequence.  There is such good banter between Keats and Herman, especially early on in that sequence.  It has so much great action to it.  We got to drop a giant claw on top of The Marshall that he had to fight his way out of.  That was a hard shot.  And of course, the Mall is stunning.  You can see all the care that went into creating that environment and all those characters.  It’s beautiful.”      Trevor Hogg is a freelance video editor and writer best known for composing in-depth filmmaker and movie profiles for VFX Voice, Animation Magazine, and British Cinematographer.

Kerry Wan/ZDNETSoundbars are gaining in popularity because of their sleek design and ability to provide an ample boost in audio quality compared to built-in TV speakers. Even with their plug-and-play nature, you can make a few modifications to help unleash the best possible sound quality. Also: This Amazon Fire TV soundbar upgraded my home entertainment without breaking the bankWhether you're new to soundbar setups or a self-proclaimed audiophile, familiarizing yourself with some key settings can take your viewing and listening experience to new heights. Read on for five pointers on how to optimize your soundbar's performance. 1. Placement and acoustics It may sound obvious (because it is), but where you place your soundbar is a major factor. For the most balanced sound, position the soundbar directly below your TV, centered and parallel to the screen. Mounting a soundbar above your screen is also an option, but the ideal height placement for ultimate clarity is at or near ear level. Make sure your soundbar isn't obstructed by furniture or even decorative items that can block sound waves. Also: I changed 3 settings on my PS5 to significantly improve the performanceEach room has unique acoustics. Does your room have high ceilings or large windows? Are your floors hardwood or tile? If so, consider adding soft furnishings such as rugs and curtains to reduce reflections. You could also take it a step further by adding acoustic panels or diffusers to your area. Acoustic panels or diffusers can help manage sound reflections and create a more balanced audio environment.As noted by ZDNET contributor Artie Beaty, advanced soundbars like LG's S95TR go through a tuning process specific to the layout of your viewing area by using an AI room calibration feature. If your soundbar lacks such a feature, do some experimenting to find the sweet spot.Remember that most soundbars are designed to project sound directly toward the audience, so make sure the device is angled for optimal sound dispersion across all seating positions. Moving the soundbar a foot or so from your listening area or adjusting the angle just a few inches can noticeably improve or degrade the output. 2. Subwoofer location means everything Kerry Wan/ZDNETIf your soundbar has a subwoofer, place it on the floor, preferably in a corner or along a wall, to enhance bass response. The aim is to create a seamless blend between low-frequency effects and the rest of the audio spectrum. I've read about a music producer who would do a "crawling test" to pinpoint the best location. This involves playing some bass-heavy content and literally crawling around the room to find the spot with the most balanced bass output. Voila -- there's the best place to put your subwoofer. Also: What is spatial audio? Here's everything you need to knowSome soundbars come with a built-in subwoofer, and others allow you to connect an external subwoofer wirelessly or via a wired connection. (More on this later.) In the absence of a subwoofer, and if it's in your budget, consider adding a unit like the SVS SB-1000 Pro. A more affordable option is the Klipsch Reference R-120SW. Hooking up a subwoofer can significantly enhance your audio experience with deeper, more impactful low-frequency effects, making you feel like you're part of the onscreen action. 3. Customizing your soundbar's equalizer and audio settings As I mentioned earlier, some soundbars feature automatic calibration systems that use a microphone to measure and adjust sound settings for your specific room. Many more of them come with various audio presets or EQ settings that you can adjust according to your tastes. Certain soundbars offer the flexibility to tailor audio settings for individual inputs, allowing you to fine-tune the sound quality based on whether you're watching shows, listening to music, or gaming. In any case, adjusting bass, treble, and other parameters can greatly improve audio quality based on your room's acoustics and your listening habits. Also, make sure to experiment with any advanced features, such as Virtual Surround Sound, Dialogue Enhancement, or Bass Boost, if available. Increasing the bass can add depth and power to action scenes, making explosions and other intense moments more dramatic and engaging. Raising the dialogue levels puts a focus on the center channel and midfrequencies, making vocals more distinct and easier to comprehend -- so you can actually understand what Yennefer of Vengerberg is whispering in The Witcher. Along those lines, check to see if your soundbar has a volume leveler. This feature (which can be turned on and off) lets you listen to content with greater consistency. You'll be reaching for the volume button on your remote much less frequently with volume leveling. 4. Check your (HDMI) connection Michael Gariffo/ZDNETYour soundbar is likely connected to your TV via an HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) or eARC (enhanced Audio Return Channel) port. This technology supports advanced 3D audio formats such as Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and Sony 360 Reality Audio for a super-immersive surround-sound experience. Ideally, your soundbar will support HDMI-CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) connectivity, which lets you command devices connected through HDMI by using only one remote control. In this scenario, you can use your TV's remote to control the soundbar and, for instance, an added Blu-ray player. Also: What is EQ and why is it an important factor in improving sound?Integrating the operation of multiple devices into one is certainly my preference. Who wants three separate remotes sitting on their coffee table? Having all your devices plugged into the soundbar reduces clutter and avoids having to install a switch box. You can then easily switch between audio sources by changing the soundbar's input mode using your single remote. OK, this doesn't pertain to maximizing audio quality, but here's something that does. Compared with connecting your soundbar via Bluetooth, a wired connection remains the best method for transferring sound. Opting for a wired connection, such as HDMI or optical cables, guarantees a stable and lossless audio transmission. This allows the audio content to be heard as it was intended, without any degradation or disruptions caused by wireless signal interference or compression. Also, keep in mind that not all cables are created equal. Be sure to use a cable that supports high-res formats and has a higher bandwidth that can process more channels to support extra bass and tweeter speakers. 5. Updates are essential This one is short and sweet: check for software and firmware updates! (This, by the way, is essential for any device.) Manufacturers often release updates that can improve your soundbar's performance and add new features. Regularly installing updates ensures your soundbar benefits from the latest enhancements and fixes, and squashes bugs that can corrupt sound quality. Also: Your TV's USB port has hidden superpowers: 5 benefits you're not taking advantage ofWith these simple tips, you can maximize your soundbar's performance and enjoy a richer, more immersive audio experience. Proper placement, room acoustics optimization, and thoughtfully adjusting your settings will surely elevate your listening experience for streaming. Whether you're watching action-packed blockbusters or rocking out to your favorite tunes, your soundbar will be ready to deliver exceptional audio quality. This article was originally published on April 28, 2025, and was updated on May 23, 2025.Looking for the next best product? Get expert reviews and editor favorites with ZDNET Recommends.Featured reviews