Oct 3, 2012 6:30 AM

Gallery: Rescue Me, Robot: Machines Ready for Firefighting Duty

01
robot7
A demostration of the Thermite firefighting robot. *All photos: courtesy of Howe and Howe Technologies Inc.*
02
robot1
A close up showroom shot of the Thermite robot

03
robot3
The robot's controllers instruct the Thermite to blast water on a demo plane
04
screenshotrobotvideo
The fire fighting robot in action

05
robot2
Workers hook the Thermite hose up to the Bulldog
06
robot4
The Thermite practices to fight forest fires

07
robot5
The Thermite shows its power by blasting water 3 stories high
08
robot6
The Thermite deals with a fuel fire

Customer Data Permanently Lost in Iran Strikes on Amazon Data Centers

Amazon Web Services didn’t design its data centers to withstand war, and now the company admits it can’t recover what’s been lost.

Jeremy Hsu

The AI Slowdown Debate Crashed Salesforce’s Party

The Dreamforce conference became an unlikely battleground for the CEOs of OpenAI, Anthropic, and Nvidia to debate whether AI development should slow down.

Maxwell Zeff

The Apple Watch Series 12 Adds More Data Without the Clutter

After wearing it day and night for a week, I found that better health tracking, faster charging, and a simpler interface make Apple’s latest smartwatch noticeably easier to live with.

Boutayna Chokrane

Which iPhone Should You Buy (or Avoid) Right Now?

The first folding iPhone Duo is here, alongside the 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max, but they’re not your only options. We have all the details on Apple’s smartphone lineup to help you find the right model.

Julian Chokkattu

This Bluetooth Speaker Goes to 11—Literally

I’m genuinely afraid to go full-volume on the Soundboks Rider, which is built like a party-ready tank.

Harry Rabinowitz

People Are Pissed Off and Ready to Own Their Shit

A grassroots live tour by YouTuber Louis Rossmann highlights growing resistance to companies that keep people from controlling their devices.

Boone Ashworth

Fast & Furious Takes a Victory Lap With a Ferociously Fun Roller Coaster

Vin Diesel, the star of the series, didn’t make a planned appearance at the grand opening of its dynamite new theme park ride. But it didn’t stop his fans from having a good time.

Miles Klee

The EU Wants to Break Up Kids and Their Chatbots

ChatGPT, Character.ai, and Snapchat’s My AI will all be in the crosshairs as the AI Kids Act aims to strip minor-facing chatbots of all the things that make people love them.

Isabella Ward

Hundreds of Election Deniers Will Be on the Ballot This November

197 election deniers are running for Congress or statewide office in 43 states. Many of them are seeking roles that would put them in charge of voting for the 2028 presidential election.

David Gilbert

The Trump Administration Sends a New Signal to Alien Disclosure Whistleblowers

The Defense Department issued a legal waiver authorizing current and former personnel to share unidentified anomalous phenomena–related classified information, but it doesn’t extend to other agencies.

Nathaniel Janowitz