Mt. Gox Files for Liquidation

Citing rehabilitation issues, Mt. Gox asked a Tokyo-based court for permission to close its doors, thereby abandoning any plans to rebuild its business under bankruptcy protection in Japan and the United States.

A Kinder, Gentler Robot is Coming

MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory is experimenting with the first autonomous robot made mostly of soft parts.  Inspired by new technologies like 3D printing, scientists from a variety of disciplines have come together to reinterpret the robot to make it look less mechanical.

Carpenter who Cut Off Fingers Makes ‘Robohand’ With 3-D printer

Richard van As lost four fingers in a carpentry accident in 2011. But the experience pushed him to the Internet in search of a new hand. He found a partner and together they developed a mechanical finger for van As and countless amputees around the globe.

Rescue Robots ‘Can Aid Safety, but Faster Use Is Key’

Experts meeting in Germany say the use of robots in real-life disaster situations is still constrained by the need to understand how robots can help rescuers and encourage scientists to deploy robots faster to help with disaster relief.

Teenager Uses Facebook to Save Romania’s Stray Dogs

Thirteen-year-old schoolgirl Ana-Maria Ciulcu uses Facebook to appeal to Europe’s dog lovers to help find good homes for stray dogs.

Bill Gates vs. Google Glass: Pending Patent Would Thwart Video Snooping

A patent filing, listing the Microsoft co-founder as an inventor, proposes to equip computer and device displays with technology that would alert the user and blur or edit screen content if a  camera is detected in the vicinity. While the patent does not refer to Google Glass, which is equipped with a video camera, it addresses the increasing presence of video cameras in society.

Apple, Google, Samsung Agree to Support Smartphone Kill Switches

As smartphone theft continues to rise, Apple, Samsung, Google, and Microsoft agreed to introduce anti-theft smartphone kill switches in future devices –  a move that could save device owners billions of dollars each year.