There's been a notable first for brain-computer interfaces
A commercially-sold BCI has been implanted for the first time
It comes from Chinese company Neuracle Medical Technology
There's been a notable advancement in the field of brain-computer interfaces (BCI) this week: surgeons in China have successfully implanted a commercially sold BCI in the brain of a patient for the first time.
As reported by South China Morning Post, the device is called the Neural Electronic Opportunity (NEO), and is manufactured and sold by Neuracle Medical Technology. It's the size of a coin, and is fitted with eight electrodes.
While we've seen these kinds of brain implants used in controlled tests and clinical trials, this is the first time a BCI has been bought and implanted — thanks to the China National Medical Products Association approving the NEO for sale in March.
It's a field of research and innovation that the Chinese government is keen to do very well in: authorities have put together a blueprint setting out key targets in BCI tech to hit by 2027, with goals around both devices and the framework needed to support them.
Just the start
Neuralink is working on its own chip (Image credit: Getty Images/NurPhoto)
As we know from previous trials of the NEO, the device looks for neural signals from the sensory and motor control regions of the brain. These are then translated into actions that then get transmitted to a metal glove worn by the patient.
The system could also be used to control computers, phones, and other devices, as well as robotic limbs, its developers say. These devices will inevitably get smarter and smaller over time, so we can expect many more developments like this in the future.
According to reports, the individual involved was in a car crash a decade earlier, leaving them with a damaged spinal cord and impaired hand mobility. After the procedure, the patient was said to be recovering well, with normal brain signaling observed.
The obvious comparison point is Neuralink, headed up by Elon Musk. While Neuralink devices have successfully been implanted in several cases, these BCIs don't yet have regulatory approval in the US and aren't available commercially.
It claims to be able to reduce AI generated codebases by up to 65% in size
They aim to "refactor vibecoded codebases back to maintainability"
Vibecoding has a lot to answer for, not least some excessively large codebases. A new team of software engineers are collaborating to reduce the size of these cumbersome projects… with a $10,000 per week bill.
Slopfix is the name of the team (comprising a trio: Maciej, Kuba, and Krzysztof), but its aim is efficiency and functionality, rather than code golf, where code is reduced to the shortest possible length.
However, while this might seem like a noble task and a service worth paying for, Slopfix isn’t taking a stand against the use of AI. In fact, it is employing AI tools to detect the AI flab in your codebases.
Use an AI to catch an AI
Challenges around vibecoded projects have increased in recent months, as the limitations of the technology become apparent.
While using an AI to program based on your prompts and requirements is straightforward, agents habitually begin to lose context and logic once the project reaches a certain size or age. Once that happens, you’re looking at duplication, features breaking, and of course, the dreaded hallucination.
Slopfix is targeting companies that have adopted vibecoding, built huge codebases, and found that they’re running into issues. To find the problematic AI code, however, Slopfix is employing AI.
They state that a full “screen by screen, endpoint by endpoint” evaluation of the vibecoded app is made, which aims to find the duplicated functions, broken logic, and other issues. There’s also the promise of a two-week warranty for anything they break.
All of this is aided by Claude Code “on a very short leash” which Slopfix uses find problems. They clearly state that “the agent doesn’t get a vote.” Instead, they’re relying on their experience as developers to improve your code.
$10,000 seem a bit steep?
While the price might seem high, $10,000 for one successful week’s work for three seasoned developers shouldn’t really be a budget breaker.
The fee covers successful work only, and as the Slopfix website states, payment is in proportion to how much of the reduction target the team hits, with $10,000 being the price for hitting the target – it’s not the default fee.
However, there is a lot of preparation involved, and the analysis of your codebase is conducted free of charge. If they can't fix your project's issues, they'll let you know and refuse the contract.
As software consultancies go, Slopfix is an unusual case. But as the problems with vibecoded projects begin to become apparent, competing consultancies may begin offering similar services.
The boss of SK Hynix believes that the RAM crisis is going to get much worse
The CEO said 2027 will be the 'worst year' in the RAM industry's history, and that the crisis will likely roll on to 2030 and beyond
Analysis from the Bank of America also claims that SK Hynix's expansion of memory production capacity is going to fall well short of its target for 2028
We keep getting told that the RAM crisis is dug in as a fixture for the foreseeable future, and, whether you want them or not, here are a couple more unwelcome reminders.
First, Android Headline flagged a Reuters interview with Kwak Noh-jung, the CEO of SK Hynix, one of the big memory chip makers. The chief executive didn't have comforting words about the prospect of RAM pricing in 2027, observing, "We forecast that next year will be the worst year in the [memory] industry's history from the supply perspective."
So, seemingly next year will see RAM hit peak pricing, with no relief likely until 2030 (as previously forecast by the chairman of parent company SK Group) according to the CEO — and even then, he suggested that demand will continue to outweigh supply as the next decade rolls on beyond 2030.
The second RAM-related blow comes from analysis by the Bank of America highlighted by the Commercial Times in Taiwan (via Wccftech), which pours doubt on the South Korean president's recent boasts about the major expansion of the country's overall memory chip production by 2030.
Part of this analysis is a claim from a memory industry insider over in Taiwan that SK Hynix might only add just a sixth of its originally planned production capacity increase by 2028. Obviously that assertion needs to be liberally seasoned, but it's such a large potential shortfall that it's bound to raise some eyebrows.
The Commercial Times notes that while huge new chip manufacturing plants are being built by SK Hynix and Samsung in South Korea, they will take a lot longer than 2030 to come fully online — and this process is more likely to take a full decade. The report contends that a realistic level of memory wafer capacity expansion for South Korea is around 10% (or slightly less) per year, which will leave the country falling well short of the president's claims for production in 2030.
Analysis: diverging RAM timelines
(Image credit: Unsplash / Liam Briese)
It's grim news from the CEO of SK Hynix, then, although of course, the skeptics will quickly point out that it's the chief exec's job to talk up the company's value — in terms of a booming market and the struggle to meet demand — coming off the back of its debut on the Nasdaq. Stock prices around the big memory chip makers have been turbulent of late, it should be noted, as investors start to worry about whether these companies are currently overvalued — and indeed whether the AI boom might start to run out of momentum.
So, that's a consideration, but there's no denying that SK Hynix's boss isn't the only person making gloomy predictions along these lines. Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang said that he expects the RAM crisis to last "quite a few years", indicating that we'll be stuck in pricing hell until 2030 or thereabouts, although others don't see it that way. In the opposing camp we notably have the likes of an AMD exec, the ex-chief of Samsung's semiconductor division, and Jefferies, an investment banking firm, who all believe RAM pricing will start to ease in 2028.
However, the sting in the tail there is that Jefferies is also predicting big memory price hikes over the rest of this year, and in 2027 too, backing up the CEO of SK Hynix in that respect. When you consider the estimated massive shortfall of SK Hynix's production capacity boost based on the rumor mill, everything feels distinctly shakier in the nearer-term for RAM pricing.
I also can't help but recall the blow Microsoft recently delivered when talking about Xbox price rises, when the company informed us that it expects another doubling in the cost of RAM in just over a year (by the fall of 2027).
While there's a mixed bag in terms of longer-term predictions, then, the outlook for this year and next remains worryingly negative on the RAM front.
We absolutely loved the Anycubic Kobra S1 Combo when we tested out this 3D printer. It's fast, user-friendly, and suitable for beginners, hobbyists, and even micro-business users.
Built around a high-speed CoreXY motion system, the Kobra S1 Combo reaches print speeds of up to 600mm/s without loss of accuracy, which is important when producing prototypes, home projects, or detailed models. In the UK, the Kobra S1 is now £400 (was £599)
Today's top 3D printer deal
This fully enclosed 3D printer offers fast 600mm/s CoreXY printing, built-in four-color support, active filament drying, automatic bed leveling, smart app control, and reliable performance for detailed, multi-color creations.
In his rave review, our 3D printer expert Alastair said the Kobra S1 delivered "next-generation multi-filament printing at an outstanding price" and called it "a printer that you can't fail to be impressed with."
He added that the model "blends build quality, price, and absolute precision" and "when it comes to single-material printing, not only can you print with a wide variety of materials, but it's fast and the precision is hard to beat."
One of the features we liked most is the built-in active filament drying system. This helps prevent moisture-related problems such as bubbles and clogged nozzles. Keeping filament dry improves print quality and reliability, especially during long, multi-day jobs.
Beginners will appreciate one-click auto-leveling, vibration compensation, and flow rate calibration which work together to produce consistent results with minimal setup.
The fully enclosed design maintains stable temperatures for more demanding materials such as ABS.
The Kobra S1 Combo brings color printing within easy reach and supports four-color printing out of the box. Connecting two Ace Pro units expands that to eight colors while reducing filament waste via an optimized printing algorithm.
The Anycubic app and LAN connectivity allows you to monitor and control jobs remotely. Maintenance is simple thanks to a quick-swap nozzle system that lets you replace nozzles in seconds instead of dismantling the print head.
Having tested a wide range of machines, the Kobra S1 remains one of our favorite 3D printers thanks to its combination of speed, ease of use, and excellent print quality. As Alistair noted, "there's a lot to be impressed with here."
If you’ve been thinking about getting into 3D printing or upgrading your current setup, this is an excellent opportunity to pick up a highly capable multi-color 3D printer at a fraction of the usual price.
Anycubic's fast CoreXY 3D printer offers native four-color printing, expandable to 19 colors, 600mm/s print speeds, AI monitoring, automatic bed leveling, Wi-Fi connectivity, and a spacious 260 × 260 × 260mm build volume.
This high-speed 3D printer offers native seven-color printing, expandable to 19 colors, automatic bed leveling, AI monitoring, Wi-Fi connectivity, a spacious 260 × 260 × 260mm build volume, and print speeds up to 600mm/s.
Pentagon receives 2,000 Ukrainian attack drones after landmark export approval
Ukraine completes first official export of fully assembled combat drones
F10 drone secures Pentagon contract after strong Gauntlet I performance
The United States has taken delivery of 2,000 Ukrainian F10 attack drones after manufacturer F-Drones secured a Pentagon contract during the opening phase of the Drone Dominance program.
The shipment follows Ukraine's first official export permit for completed combat drones, marking a notable change from earlier approvals covering mainly technologies, components, or accessories.
Ukraine grants its first export permit for finished combat drones
Ukraine's State Service for Export Control issued the permit on July 1 2026, clearing F-Drones to send a batch of F10 units across the border into American territory.
A company representative said the permit had already taken effect, with the drones crossing that border soon after approval was granted.
F-Drones noted this approval arrived before new government measures simplifying military exports under martial law had formally taken effect.
The company completed the full approval cycle under the export control mechanism that was already in place at the time.
That process required a positive decision from the interdepartmental commission overseeing military-technical cooperation and export policy matters.
State-owned company Spetstechnoexport accompanied the entire procedure, from initial review through to final sign-off.
Previous Ukrainian export decisions had typically involved individual components or subsystems rather than complete, combat-ready drone systems shipped in bulk.
This shift suggests Ukrainian officials now view finished drone exports as both commercially valuable and diplomatically useful for deepening ties with Washington.
UDD Tech Corp's path to winning the Pentagon contract
American firm UDD Tech Corp, which represents F-Drones products in the United States, entered the programme's first phase known as Gauntlet I.
Testing took place at Fort Benning in Georgia in February 2026, involving 25 competing drone systems from multiple manufacturers.
The F10 system finished sixth among those 25 competitors and secured a place among 11 total programme winners.
That result brought the contract to supply 2,000 drones to the U.S. Department of War directly.
UDD Tech Corp also earned selection to continue into the programme's next competitive phase going forward.
The Drone Dominance initiative itself is designed to accelerate American access to low-cost, combat-tested unmanned systems developed outside traditional domestic supply chains.
Established American defence contractors have reportedly watched the programme with some caution, given the scale of foreign competition it now permits.
This deal signals a shift toward foreign-made hardware entering a Pentagon pipeline long dominated by established American defence contractors nationwide.
Whether that shift continues at scale, or remains a single contract, is not yet clear from information currently available publicly.
Samsung helps move SSD virtualization from software workarounds into hardware design
New NVMe standard could transform storage management inside AI data centers
AI infrastructure demands are driving a major shift in SSD architecture
Samsung Semiconductor has confirmed its role in ratifying TP4193, a new NVMe technical standard called PCIe Exported NVM Subsystem Migration.
The company developed this specification alongside Google and other major infrastructure players within the NVM Express organization.
It fundamentally changes how NVMe solid state drives handle virtualization inside large, AI-driven data centers.
A shift from software tricks to hardware-native design
Storage virtualization has traditionally lived above the SSD itself, managed by hypervisor software running on the host server.
That software had to intercept every command from a virtual machine, disguise the drive's true identity, and pass modified instructions along, a method known as trap-and-emulate.
This approach worked reliably but consumed significant processing cycles and introduced latency into every input and output path.
As AI workloads tied to GPU clusters grew more dynamic, these inefficiencies became far more noticeable across large-scale deployments.
TP4193 moves that entire process into the SSD hardware itself, letting drives present virtualized, isolated storage constructs natively.
The host server now functions as an orchestrator rather than an implementer forced to constantly intercept and rewrite commands.
This shift slims down hypervisor complexity considerably while giving virtual machines direct access to administrative queues, cutting latency in the process.
Why this likely keeps SSD prices elevated for AI buyers
The standard introduces two core capabilities: standardized creation of virtual storage objects and controlled masking of a drive's underlying attributes and capabilities.
Together, these functions let a virtual machine migrate between physical SSDs without noticing any change to its underlying hardware environment.
That capability matters enormously for hyperscale data centers running constantly shifting AI training and inference workloads across GPU-heavy infrastructure.
Since TP4193-compliant drives require new hardware capabilities built directly into the SSD controller, older inventory cannot simply receive a software update to comply.
Companies like Google, already named as collaborators on the standard, have clear incentive to refresh storage fleets to gain these efficiency and migration benefits.
Combined with existing NAND supply constraints and rising demand tied to generative AI infrastructure, that refresh cycle adds fresh upward pressure on enterprise SSD pricing.
Multi-tenant environments benefit from secure isolation across multiple GPU attach points, a feature increasingly demanded by AI infrastructure operators managing shared hardware.
Hyperscalers rarely delay adopting standards that reduce hypervisor overhead and simplify live migration across thousands of virtual machines simultaneously.
Whether this translates into an immediate wave of hardware purchases remains uncertain, since standard ratification and actual product rollout rarely happen on the same timeline.
What seems more predictable is that any near-term drop in enterprise SSD prices looks increasingly unlikely, given how directly this standard ties new capability to new hardware.
Here at TechRadar, I test some of the best 4K Blu-rays each month as part of the Blu-ray Bounty. This is where we look at the latest 4K releases from that month and judge whether they’d be a worthy addition to your collection, focusing solely on the video and audio quality of each disc.
Every so often, a disc wows me so much that I add it to my rotation for testing the best TVs and best soundbars. 4K Blu-ray is my go-to source for AV testing, as it delivers a higher video bit rate, resulting in better picture quality than streaming, and uncompressed soundtracks for the best audio.
Some of the discs from the near-100 discs I’ve tested as part of the Blu-ray Bounty that have joined over the years include Wicked, The Mask, The Sound of Music and Dark City, to name just a few.
As part of the most recent June 2026 Blu-ray Bounty, there’s another disc that will definitely be joining the testing rotation, as it performs at a reference-quality level. And that disc is Speed Racer.
Breathtaking color
Speed Racer's bold red colors proved an interesting test for the Samsung S95H/S99H (left) and LG G6 (right) (Image credit: Warner Bros / Future )
My go-to 4K Blu-rays for color testing have been Wicked and The Sound of Music. Wicked features an oversaturated, candy-color style that really generates a lot of pop on the right screen, while The Sound of Music delivers still-vibrant but more authentic and realistic colors.
Speed Racer falls in Wicked’s camp, but takes it to another level. Throughout the movie, there are some seriously vivid colors. Red is a prominent feature throughout the movie, as it's the color of Speed Racer’s ‘M’ logo and the interior of his car, both of which are often front and center on screen. It’s also the color of the Racer garage at home and Papa Racer’s shirt, which he wears throughout the movie.
When I tested the Samsung S95H/S99H and LG G6 side-by-side, both TVs interpreted the red differently: the G6 gave it a much deeper red hue, while the S95H/S99H made it look paler, almost orange in some places. Both of these TVs, likely to be two of the best OLED TVs I’ll test in 2026, captured the visual punch of this red, but it was useful to see how each TV interpreted the color.
Both the S95H/S99H (left) and G6 (right) do a great job delivering the vibrant purples of Royalton Industries accurately. (Image credit: Warner Bros. / Future )
There are plenty of scenes where a single color dominates. As the Racer family arrived at Royalton Industries, there were a lot of bold purples, including the airship's color, the walls, and even the transport. On the OLEDs I tested the disc on, these purples had a beautiful richness to them that again was displayed in different ways by the S95H/S99H and the G6, with the latter again adding that bit more depth.
This trend continued throughout the movie, whether it was the neon greens of a grass field in a flashback, the fantastic pink/purple/orange gradients in the sky during sunset or the lush blues of the sky during daytime race sequences (or Speed’s iconic blue and white shirt.) Even the white of the Mach 5 / 6 and Speed’s helmet had a glorious clarity to them, really dazzling on the S95H/S99H and G6.
The use of color is fantastic in Speed Racer, and if you have a TV with Dolby Vision, you’ll be rewarded with the most breathtaking colors, some of the best I’ve ever seen on a 4K Blu-ray. But it’s not just color reproduction where this disc is useful.
A Dolby Atmos showcase
Speed Racer's races sequences are fantastic for sound testing, particularly Dolby Atmos (Image credit: Warner Bros. / Future)
When it comes to testing soundbars and TV audio, my go-to 4K Blu-rays have been The Batman, namely the Batmobile/Penguin car chase scene for its detail and bass, and Top Gun: Maverick, for its all-around expansive Dolby Atmos soundtrack.
Speed Racer has proved to be a far more compelling disc, audibly, than I ever thought. While I anticipated some hefty bass from the car’s engines, I didn’t anticipate the level of detail and sound mapping I would hear.
During the opening race, there are plenty of demonstrations of pinpoint accuracy as cars swerve wildly through the corners of the winding track. The sound of squealing tires demonstrates excellent directionality and is fully connected with the action on screen. As a car moves from side to side on screen, you can be sure to hear it in the front channels.
One moment in this scene, in particular, really grabbed my attention, though. As Speed makes his way around the track, he has to grind the rear axle of the Mach 5 against the edge of the track and as I was watching, I heard the sound of a grind come through crystal clear in the left rear speaker of the Samsung HW-Q990C soundbar I was using (an 11.1.4 channel Dolby Atmos system comprising of a soundbar, subwoofer and two rear speakers). This was the moment that made me realize just how precise and detailed the Dolby Atmos mix of this disc is.
Speed Racer's Dolby Atmos soundtrack is truly immersive and exceptionally detailed (Image credit: Warner Bros. / Future )
There’s good use of Atmos effects and height channels too. As Speed uses his spring-loaded chassis to jump over a rival racer, a cut to said rival’s cockpit reveals a burst of not only bass but also the sound of the wind from the Mach 5 as Speed flips over. This sounded immersive, clean, and incredibly precise. There are plenty of helicopter sequences too, which are great for showing what Atmos can do.
There were plenty of highlight moments throughout the movie, but it is the race sequences that showcase the clarity and depth of this Dolby Atmos soundtrack. But there’s one final area where this disc is a perfect testing disc.
Always in motion
Fast-paced race sequences are frequent throughout Speed Racer, and are a great 'stress test' for a TV (Image credit: Warner Bros / Future )
Motion handling is a key component of any TV. If a TV can’t accurately handle fast-moving images, then action movies and sports won’t look good. While motion interpolation settings, such as judder and blur reduction, can reduce these, they can introduce unwanted side effects, such as the ‘ghosting’ of a ball in a soccer game (where a trail of the ball appears as it travels across the screen).
I anticipate that Speed Racer is going to act as somewhat of a ‘torture test’ for some TVs (like The Batman can be due to its low brightness), as there are not only plenty of fast-paced driving sequences with plenty of quick shifts in direction, but one other real challenge: slow panning shots.
Frequently throughout the movie, commentators from various countries slowly track across the screen from side to side, and even on the S95H/S99H and G6, which have proven to have great motion handling with the right settings, these shots still struggled at times. The commentators sometimes showed judder as the TV’s tried to interpolate the motion, meaning this is something I’ll be using in future tests. With these panning shots, however, there is sometimes natural judder.
(Image credit: Warner Bros. / Future )
Again, though, it’s the fast-paced race sequences that can make or break a TV’s motion. Chaotic driving as cars swerve to avoid debris, smash into one another, or pull a tight turn can look unnatural if a TV’s motion isn’t right. Too much blur and judder reduction, and it’ll look artificial; not enough, and it’ll look like a juddery mess.
Speed Racer really is one of the best Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos 4K Blu-rays I’ve ever tested and is a triple threat disc for color, motion and sound, so if you’re a regular reader of our TV and soundbar reviews and comparisons here at TechRadar, expect to see Speed Racer appear very soon.
The K100XR can travel at over 220 mph (354 km/h) and has a range of 1.9 miles (3 km)
Nordic Air Defense has demonstrated the K100XR engaging in a live interception
Three K100XR interceptors cost less than a single Stinger missile
Drone warfare has presented numerous challenges over the past few years, mostly demonstrated in Ukraine’s defense and retaliation against the Russian invasion, a prolonged conflict that started in 2022. Stopping drone attacks has proved difficult, but that could be about to change.
Defense startup Nordic Air Defense, along with its partners, have unveiled the K100XR, a portable counter-drone system that can intercept and destroy attack drones, such as the Iranian-built devices employed by Russia.
Recently the subject of a live “Demo Day,” the Nordic Air Defense has taken the K100XR beyond the conceptual stage and demonstrated the drone – which can travel faster than a Black Hawk attack helicopter – before a media audience.
Counter-drone vs. Stinger missile
Working in partnership with Volvo Defense, as well as Polish firms WB Group and Tantalit, Nordic Air Defense has taken the K100XR from concept – as revealed in 2025 – to a working prototype, capable of reaching speeds over 220 mph (354 km/h) which makes it faster than the 183 mph (294 km/h) Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopter.
But the speed that this compact 12-inch long drone offers as a response to drone attacks is only part of the story. It can maintain its general position for over 20 minutes, thanks to the fact it relies on not jet, but propeller-based propulsion. The K100XR can reach altitudes of 3,300 feet (just over 1 km) and uses AI to identify and track enemy drones, completely autonomously.
As the AI is embedded within the drone, once it is launched the K100XR requires no continuous input from a human controller. Nordic Air Defense claim that three of these counter-drone devices costs less than a single Stinger missile, which typically costs around $480,000.
Can the K100XR realistically play a part in drone defense?
Following the event, the company issued a statement online, noting “The K100XR is designed to meet that challenge by combining high speed, advanced maneuverability, autonomy and a low cost per kill. Demo Day marked an important milestone for Nordic Air Defence.”
Several theaters are opening up that rely on this technology, from the Iranian crisis in the Middle East to NATO’s response to Russia’s expansionism and belligerence on the EU border (which may explain the interest of Nordic Air Defense’s Polish partners). These largely use low cost Iranian Shahed-type drones, essentially single-use kamikaze devices loaded with explosive payloads. Nordic Air Defense’s Demo Day illustrated how the K100XR can deal with these threats, which makes the “low cost per kill” factor significant.
While the scalability of the operation remains unknown, the cost of K100XR drones versus a Stinger is a clear advantage and will likely be a major deciding factor in whether it can prove a more effective deterrent or response to drone warfare.
