Is it just me, or did 2024 feel like we stepped right into a sci-fi movie? AI, robotics, space travel — it’s all moving so fast it’s hard to tell whether we’re heading toward The Jetsons or Black Mirror. Either way, the breakthroughs are fascinating, occasionally questionable, and always worth a closer look.
So let’s dive into the tech highlights of 2024 — a year that didn’t just bring the world closer together but also shot us a little closer to the stars (and made sure we were dressed for the occasion).
AI sensory intelligence
One of the tricky challenges with robotics is that robots can’t feel objects that they pick up with their mechanical hands, so they can’t differentiate between things that are hard or soft, for example, or smooth or pointy. That makes it difficult for robots to have the manual dexterity that humans have or be able to adapt to new objects they encounter.
Well, that’s about to change. TechCrunch described how Meta teamed up with GelSight and Wonik Robotics to develop Digit 360, a groundbreaking tactile sensor that takes AI to the next level. Equipped with 18 sensing features, this fingertip-like device can detect vibrations, heat, and even odors, digitizing the experience of touch and allowing robots to do things even human hands cannot. And Meta isn’t stopping there. It’s upgrading the Allegro Hand, a robotic appendage enhanced with Digit 360, to create a tactile robotic hand that could change industries like healthcare, robotics, and manufacturing. These advancements, slated for release next year, show that AI is rapidly becoming not just smarter but also far more hands-on.
Robots that fold your laundry
We’ve all seen the videos of robot dogs. When do we get robots who can actually help us with everyday chores? Good news: according to Wired, San Francisco-based startup Physical Intelligence (PI) is revolutionizing robotics, teaching machines to think and move like humans (minus existential meltdowns). Backed by $400 million from tech titans like OpenAI and Jeff Bezos, PI’s robots are mastering tasks with uncanny dexterity — finding lost keys, cleaning, and yes, even folding laundry.
The secret? PI trains its AI with massive datasets of human demonstrations and pairs that with techniques borrowed from language and image-generation AI. This combo creates robots that don’t just follow commands but adapt and solve problems in real time. PI’s progress could transform industries like home care and logistics, showing us a future where robots aren’t just efficient but genuinely helpful. And with the advances from Digital 360, is it too soon to hope for robotic back rubs?
Moonwalking in style
Spacesuits are functional, not a fashion statement — until now. Back in October, Wired reported that in 2024, Prada joined forces with Axiom Space to create the AxEMU, a lunar spacesuit for NASA’s Artemis 3 mission, and suddenly, moonwalking got a couture makeover. And this isn’t just a pretty space jumpsuit. The AxEMU can handle the moon’s extreme South Pole conditions, keep astronauts comfortable during hours of extravehicular activity, and still manage to look runway-ready. Prada’s material expertise brings a new level of sleek innovation to space exploration. Ready for its debut in 2026, the AxEMU ensures astronauts will step back onto the moon in style. Prada: redefining “dressed for success,” one giant leap at a time.
Sustainable spacecraft
Speaking of out-of-the-world innovations, space exploration just got a sustainability upgrade with LignoSat, the world’s first wooden satellite. Yes, you read that right — a wooden spacecraft. Created by Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry, this pint-sized pioneer isn’t just a gimmick. The Guardian described how this device was made from specially treated wood, and is designed to burn up completely upon reentry, leaving no trace of space junk behind. Take that, traditional satellites! Currently aboard the International Space Station, LignoSat is set to enter orbit next month, where it will face the ultimate durability test against radiation, temperature extremes, and micrometeoroids. If it holds up, it could revolutionize satellite design, proving that even space tech can go eco-friendly.
Don’t trust AI plant identification
AI assistants are usually helpful, but as Gizmodo explained, one recent mishap proved they can be downright dangerous. Enter FungiFriend, an AI assistant that joined a Facebook mushroom foraging group and promptly gave advice that could’ve turned dinner into a deadly disaster. When asked about the toxic mushroom Sarcosphaera coronaria (known for hyperaccumulating arsenic), this AI enthusiastically declared it “edible but rare” and even suggested sautéing, pickling, or tossing it into soup. Pro tip: don’t.
While FungiFriend’s culinary blunder didn’t result in actual harm, it served up a fresh warning about trusting AI for high-stakes decisions. Sure, chatbots can write essays or recommend recipes, but when asking if a mushroom is going to kill you, human expertise is still undefeated.
The incident also highlighted a broader issue: AI’s ability to sound confident while being catastrophically wrong. It’s a reminder that as clever as machines get, there are some things — like distinguishing dinner from danger — that they’re just not ready to handle. For now, it’s probably best to leave the mushroom hunting to the pros and keep AI out of your survival toolkit.
Hollywood, AI-style
AI just landed its first starring role in filmmaking, and the implications are as bold as they are questionable. Meet Odyssey, the generative AI startup founded by former Cruise execs Oliver Cameron and Jeff Hawke. According to TechCrunch, the company claims it can craft cinematic worlds so detailed they might make Hollywood’s finest a little nervous. The secret sauce? A 25-pound camera rig decked out with six cameras, two lidar sensors, and an inertial measurement unit (think: tech nerd’s dream setup). This contraption captures 360-degree footage to train Odyssey’s AI models. With $27 million in funding and plans to scale globally, the goal is simple: make designing immersive, lifelike environments as easy as hitting “render.” Total control over scenery, characters, lighting, and motion—no green screens required.
But here’s the plot twist: while Odyssey’s tech opens the door to mind-blowing creative possibilities, it also raises some eyebrow-arching questions. Are moviegoers really ready to swap human directors for AI? And if so, what are the implications for the creative industry of the future?
Solving the last-mile Internet problem — with lasers
Millions of people worldwide still live in the digital dark ages, thanks to the “last-mile” problem, the challenge of extending broadband infrastructure to remote or underserved areas without breaking the bank. But in 2024, Time and CNN described innovations like Alphabet’s Taara and Attochron’s free-space optics (FSO) technology, which use lasers to deliver high-speed Internet, no cables required. These systems transmit data via beams of light, achieving fiber-like speeds of up to 20 Gbps. Taara, for example, is already connecting remote regions across India, Kenya, and Ghana by bridging rivers, rugged terrains, and even urban gaps where laying cables is impractical or impossibly expensive. Meanwhile, Attochron’s tech adds a layer of stability, tackling weather-related issues with advancements in laser pulse control, ensuring those beams don’t drop out when the weather gets moody.
Of course, these technologies aren’t without their hurdles. Weather interference and deployment scalability still pose challenges. But the potential is undeniable. By bypassing the need for expensive, sprawling infrastructure, these innovations could finally make Internet access a reality for millions — and take a big step toward closing the digital divide.
Foie gras without the guilt
Australian startup Vow served up a new delicacy at a swanky New York sushi bar: foie gras made from quail cells grown in a bioreactor. For those not fluent in foodie lingo, foie gras is a fancy liver pâté typically made by force-feeding ducks or geese—a process so controversial it’s banned in places like California, Germany, and the UK. But according to Wired, Vow’s version skips the animal cruelty and serves up a tech-based cuisine on a silver platter.
Vow CEO George Peppou is pitching their faux foie gras as the ultimate indulgence for high-end restaurants and caterers. With 51% quail cells (plus a sprinkle of plant-based fats and corn husks), Vow’s foie gras has already made its debut in Singapore. Whether it’s a $15 bar snack or part of a $250 tasting menu, it’s clear they’re aiming to make cultivated meat the talk of the foodie scene.
A year that felt like the future
2024 was a year of big swings in technology, delivering awe-inspiring advancements while reminding us of the responsibilities that come with them. From robots with humanlike touch to sustainable satellites and AI-generated worlds, we saw the extraordinary potential of innovation — and witnessed some of new tech’s pitfalls.
As we look ahead to 2025, the possibilities are limitless. Will we (finally) see flying cars? AI that can crack a perfect joke? Robots that can assemble our furniture? If 2024 is any indication, the future isn’t just around the corner — it’s already here.
