Underwater Comms Breakthrough: Researchers combined multiplexed vortex beams with compact parametric acoustic arrays to create “parametric vortex beams,” retrieving six alphanumeric characters over moderate distances and outperforming traditional approaches with the same aperture. Health Tech, People First: A hospital tech leader says robotics and AI don’t replace clinicians—they support surgeons and improve outcomes, as facilities expand advanced outpatient surgery systems. Consumer Wearables: Google announced Pixel Watch/Fitbit Air health features, including an insulin-resistance tracker that flags trends (not continuous glucose) plus blood-pressure and nighttime breathing monitoring via sensors and AI. AI Arms Race: Chinese model releases are accelerating—new updates from major labs are narrowing gaps with U.S. leaders in reasoning, coding, and agent-style tools while staying price-competitive. Regulating Kids Online: New Jersey signed strict “Kids Code” rules for under-18 accounts, tightening privacy defaults and limiting engagement-by-design mechanics, with enforcement starting in 2027. Green Industry Tech: Topsoe will supply dynamic ammonia synthesis tech for First Ammonia’s green ammonia plant in Texas, aiming for commercial operations in 2029. AI for Critical Minerals Recycling: MiniMines secured an Indian patent for hybrid hydrometallurgy that recovers high-purity lithium and other metals plus ~99% spherical graphite from end-of-life lithium-ion batteries. Startup Scaling Support: T-Hub launched Blueprint, a 12-month fellowship for deep tech founders moving from early traction to scale, offering investor readiness, mentorship, and enterprise access.