📢 New Episode Alert!

This week, I chatted to Prof. Alan Winfield (@alan-winfield.bsky.social) from @uwebristolofficial.bsky.social about developing new standards for ethics and transparency in robotics. 🤖

Listen now: www.robottalk.org/2026/03/13/e... #Robots #Robotics #Ethics

A reddish Roman samian ware bowl with richly figurative and geometric decoration, its surface pierced and repaired with several lead rivets.

Fascinating glimpse into everyday Roman life: This samian ware bowl was repaired with lead rivets, clear evidence that it was valued enough to mend rather than discard.
The repair reflects either the practical mindset and economic realities of a Roman household, or it may have been a...🧵1/3

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We built a database of 290,000 English medieval soldiers—here's what it reveals When you picture medieval warfare, you might think of epic battles and famous monarchs. But what about the everyday soldiers who actually filled the ranks? Until recently, their stories were scattered...

We built a database of 290,000 English medieval soldiers—here's what it reveals.
phys.org/news/2025-12...

Over a pint in Oxford, we may have stumbled upon the holy grail of agriculture | George Monbiot I knew that a revolution in our understanding of soil could change the world. Then came a eureka moment – and the birth of the Earth Rover Program, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot

1. Some good news at last. This week’s column is about the amazing thing a couple of us stumbled into three years ago, which we’ve now developed into a global research programme. It doesn’t change everything, of course, but it could help change quite a lot. + 🧵 www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

The picture shows six needles of different sizes. They were made of bone resemble their modern descendants with an eye at one end and a tapered end.

Things used in everyday life are the real archaeological treasures! These sewing #needles were made from animal bone some 15,000 years ago. Some designs simply don't need to be improved, because form and functions were perfectly matched from the start. Form follows function! 🧵1/2

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A photo of Chapa looking happy, sat on top of a four-legged robot, with a forklift truck in the background.

Chapa Sirithunge is a Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge. Her research interests span assistive robotics, soft robots and physical human-robot interaction.

Listen to our chat here: www.robottalk.org/2025/11/28/e...

Bristol teen builds 'really cool' robotic hand from Lego Jared, from Bristol, started working on the robotic Lego hand aged 14, finishing it two years later.

Wonderful father-son story here www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... #BristolRoboticsLab #Robot

Innovative underwater exoskeleton boosts diving efficiency A research team led by Professor Wang Qining from the School of Advanced Manufacturing and Robotics, Peking University, has developed the world's first portable underwater exoskeleton system that assi...

Researchers at Peking University have developed the world's first portable underwater exoskeleton, which assists divers' knee movement, reducing air consumption and muscle effort during dives. The tech could extend dive duration, improve safety, and reduce fatigue. 🤖 techxplore.com/news/2025-11...

Two students look at objects in the reading room at The Museum of English Rural Life.

Are you a PhD student & interested in using museum collections in your teaching or research?

We're running a *free* doctoral training programme for students at any institution to learn about working with collections.

Find out more:

collections.reading.ac.uk/whats-on/

Four ways AI is being used to strengthen democracies worldwide | Nathan E Sanders and Bruce Schneier The dangers of artificial intelligence and its potential to consolidate power are clear. But used fairly, it can be a boon for good government

Interesting, and good to see: Four ways #AI is being used to strengthen democracies worldwide www.theguardian.com/commentisfre... #ht @garymarcus.bsky.social

Artificial intelligence | UK Regulatory Outlook March 2025 UK AI (Regulation) Bill reintroduced to Parliament | UK Government outlaws AI tools designed to generate child sexual abuse material | UK ICO consultation response on AI and copyright | UK DRCF case s...

The bill proposes an AI Authority that oversees regulation of AI which delivers: safety, security and robustness; appropriate transparency and explainability; fairness; accountability and governance; contestability and redress
For a nice summary see www.osborneclarke.com/insights/Reg... (2)

Artificial Intelligence (Regulation) Bill [HL] - Parliamentary Bills - UK Parliament Current version of Artificial Intelligence (Regulation) Bill [HL] with latest news, sponsors, and progress through Houses

I am *very* pleased that the UK Artificial Intelligence (Regulation) Bill is now in its 3rd reading in the @houseoflords.parliament.uk after which it should become law. See bills.parliament.uk/bills/3519 (1)

Yep, it's a Prof thing🤔

The Only Recording of Woody Guthrie Singing the Protest Song 'Deportee' Has Been Released for the First Time The singer-songwriter recorded the audio on a reel-to-reel tape machine in his apartment in the 1950s. Now, the previously unheard song has been restored using A.I. audio technology

@smithsonianmag.bsky.social The Only Recording of Woody Guthrie Singing the Protest Song ‘Deportee’ Has Been Released for the First Time
www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/t...
#music #WoodyGuthrie #protest #Deportee #recording #folk #FolkMusic #folksong #AI #artificialintelligence #restoration

A photo of Alan looking happy, wearing a beige t-shirt and glasses.

What would you love to know about #robot ethics? 🤖

Later this season, I'll be chatting to Prof. Alan Winfield (@alan-winfield.bsky.social) from @uwebristolofficial.bsky.social about developing new standards for ethics and transparency in robotics.

Send me your questions for Alan in the comments!

🥀 🧪 Jane Goodall 1934-2025

Welcome to the Artificial Intelligence Incident Database The starting point for information about the AI Incident Database

We cannot rely on crowd sourced reporting such as the AI Incidents database incidentdatabase.ai, which is excellent but based on press reports and therefore reflects only the tip of the iceberg of AI harms. 2/2

Very good. I'm especially pleased to read that the Act includes 'a new mechanism for companies and the public to report “potential critical safety incidents”'. We badly need AI accident and incident (near miss) reporting and investigation. #AI #AISafety #AIRegulation 1/2

Good luck Laura👍 Wonderful city, wonderful university.

Give robots an 'ethical black box' to track and explain decisions, say scientists As robots start to enter public spaces and work alongside humans, the need for safety measures has become more pressing, argue academics

My much bigger concern is accident investigation. I very much hope the South Korean robots are equipped with event data recorders (which we call ethical back boxes), so that when accidents or near miss incidents happen, they can be properly investigated. www.theguardian.com/science/2017...

To the best of my knowledge the Starship delivery robots that operated for 5 years in Milton Keynes, UK, were not accorded any 'pedestrian' rights. They were regarded a great success, especially during Covid lockdown, see www.mkfm.com/news/local-n... 1/2

The most INSANE Bohemian Rhapsody Flashmob you will ever see!! YouTube video by Julien Cohen

If you need some levity in these trying times, here's what's fresh out of Paris....

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfUE...

Wonderful - thank you Joanna! These are important archival images. #Robotics

Er, why @bsky.app..?

Wonderful! I've been in Aarhus several times for the excellent RoboPhilosopy conference. It's a really great city.

How AI Echo Chambers May Be Fueling Psychotic Episodes A new wave of delusional thinking fueled by artificial intelligence has researchers investigating the dark side of AI companionship

#AI From Scientific American:

www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-...

But this vast, ultimately unknowable alien machine mind we’re building to replace us as a species need not answer solely to Space Karen and the Zuckerborg or the murderous old clams of the CCP. As in so many things—sovereign wealth funds, taxing fossil fuel companies, and nudie runs from the sauna to the ice bath—Norway shows us how. John Birmingham, Defeating the fanboys of the Torment Nexus

This, by @birmo.bsky.social, is the most hopeful thing I've ever read about LLMs.

open.substack.com/pub/aliensid...

Tourist discovers ‘extinct’ jellyfish while rock-pooling in Outer Hebrides Thistle-shaped Depastrum cyathiforme was last seen in France in 1976, but has now been found on South Uist

Lovely story from the brilliant @britishwildlife.bsky.social magazine. This mag is endlessly fascinating – recommend if you're not a subscriber already. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

implemented midi

Hull Minster, early evening in spring.

#YorkshireDay #GodsOwnCounty