Apple’s self-driving car program never really got off the ground, but it may have been what made the company’s chips the powerful AI performers they are. Early in the development of the self-driving platform, Apple realized that it would need powerful on-device AI processing. While the car processor was never finished, as Mark Gurman details in his latest Power On newsletter, it did lead to the development of the Neural Engine, the backbone of Apple’s on-device AI processing.

The Neural Engine made its debut with the iPhone X and the A11 Bionic. In those early days, it was primarily used for computer vision, powering FaceID, Animoji, and augmented reality features. But by laying the groundwork for on-device AI processing, Apple established itself as an early leader by bringing the Neural Engine to desktops with the M-series chips. While Apple’s AI software efforts have lagged behind the rest of the industry, its hardware has been impressive. It’s also what has allowed Apple to tout its privacy features, since less data is sent to the cloud.

Apple is making its AI hardware a cornerstone of its strategy going forward. According to Gurman, the company is skipping the Pro, Max, and Ultra versions of its upcoming M6 chip. Instead, it’s accelerating development of the M7, which should arrive in the first half of 2027 with significant Neural Engine upgrades. The M7 Ultra is expected to be the basis for a new server product from Apple as well, with support for up to 1.5TB of RAM.

A cockroach in a tiny scuba suit sounds like something you would run from, not something you would send into a disaster zone. Yet scientists say this strange little setup could one day help rescue teams search places people and larger robots cannot safely reach.

Researchers from NTU Singapore and Waseda University have developed a flexible diving suit for cyborg cockroaches. The suit lets the insects survive and move underwater, as well as through low-oxygen spaces, for up to three hours.

The study was published in Nature Communications. The goal is to expand how cyborg insects could help after floods, earthquakes or other disasters where rubble, drains and tight spaces can block access.

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How the cyborg cockroach diving suit works

A cyborg cockroach is a living insect fitted with tiny electronics that can guide its movement. Unlike a small artificial robot, it uses its own muscles to walk. That means it needs far less battery power than a robot that depends on motors. However, cockroaches still need air. They breathe through small openings called spiracles. Once submerged, they cannot pull oxygen from water.

That is where the cyborg cockroach diving suit comes in. The suit has an oxygen-generation tank, a flexible waterproof shell and four silicone oxygen tubes. Together, those parts keep water out while sending oxygen directly to the cockroach’s breathing openings.

The oxygen tank is 3D-printed from a clear plastic-like resin. Inside, researchers placed a sponge treated with manganese dioxide. They then added a small amount of diluted hydrogen peroxide. That chemical reaction slowly releases oxygen. From there, the oxygen travels through the suit and into tubes attached to the cockroach’s spiracles. In other words, the insect gets its own tiny oxygen system. The researchers compare it to the tank used by human divers.

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Why scientists turned a cockroach into a rescue robot

The team tested the suit on the Madagascar hissing cockroach. That species is often used in cyborg insect research because it is large, sturdy and wingless. The suit turns the cyborg insect from a land-based crawler into an amphibious rescue robot that can move across dry and wet terrain.

That could help in places where normal robots struggle. A disaster site may include collapsed concrete, standing water, blocked drains and narrow gaps. A small insect-guided system could move through those spaces while future versions carry sensors or cameras. The idea may make your skin crawl. Still, the engineering is impressive. Researchers are using the cockroach’s natural movement and adding a way for it to keep breathing underwater.

What happened when cyborg cockroaches went underwater

With the diving suit, the cyborg cockroaches stayed active underwater for up to three hours. Without the suit, a control cockroach suffocated within about two minutes during testing. The researchers also tested the insects in plastic tunnels that simulated tough rescue conditions. One setup included a carbon dioxide-filled section followed by a water-filled section. The cyborg cockroaches wearing the suit made it through.

The team also tested narrow underwater gaps. With implanted electronics instead of a bulky backpack, the cyborg cockroach moved through a 2-centimeter-high crevice. That is the kind of space where many small robots could get stuck.

How cyborg insects could help search and rescue teams

The biggest takeaway is that rescue robots may not always look like machines. In some cases, they may use a living insect’s body and add technology around it. A cyborg cockroach can crawl through debris, squeeze into tight spaces and use very little power. Add underwater movement, and it becomes more useful in flooded disaster zones.

That could help after heavy rain, earthquakes or infrastructure failures. Future versions could inspect flooded pipes, drains, tunnels or damaged buildings. The researchers are still improving the system. They want to test it in more disaster-style environments, make the suit more durable and add sensors and navigation tools for field use.

What this means to you

You probably will not see cyborg cockroaches crawling around your neighborhood anytime soon. This is still research, not a rescue tool ready for everyday emergency crews.

However, it shows where search technology may be heading. Rescue teams need tools that can reach places humans cannot safely enter. If a small living insect can carry electronics, move through rubble and keep going underwater, it could become part of a larger rescue system.

That could eventually mean faster inspections after floods, better access inside damaged buildings and more options when every minute counts.

Kurt’s key takeaways

A cyborg cockroach in a diving suit sounds wild, but the reason behind it is serious. Disaster zones can be full of tight spaces, toxic air and standing water. Those conditions can stop people, drones and many small robots. This research gives scientists a new way to think about rescue technology. Instead of building every part from scratch, they are using the cockroach’s natural movement and adding the missing piece: underwater breathing. To me, the big question is what happens when this kind of technology gets sensors, cameras and better navigation. That could turn a creepy little crawler into a tool that helps save lives.

Would you be comfortable with cyborg insects being used in search-and-rescue missions if they could help find people faster? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

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Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield had been seeking documents from Paramount related to its takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery. Rayfield also asked a state circuit court judge to delay the closing of the deal by 60 days so that his office could review the documents. But according to Deadline and Variety, he’s now dropped his civil investigative demand for the records.

Obviously, Paramount is pleased with Rayfield’s decision to withdraw his request, but the AG’s office isn’t exactly satisfied with the outcome.

Jenny Hansson, communications director for Rayfield, told Deadline that, “Paramount made it clear that they weren’t going to comply with the investigative demand, and that they think they’re above the law. We’re not going to let them waste Oregonians’ resources on these games. We’ve withdrawn the motion to consider our next steps.”

Rayfield specifically was interested in documents relating to Paramount’s lobbying efforts, which were codenamed “Project Warrior.” Paramount is run by David and Larry Ellison, major supporters of Donald Trump who enjoy a cozy relationship with the White House. The President went out of his way during the proceeding to say that Netflix, Paramount’s primary rival for Warner Bros. Discovery, would “pay the consequences” if it didn’t remove Trump critic Susan Rice from its board.

While Oregon’s efforts to stop the merger have stalled, others, including California, New York, and even the UK, are considering moves to block the deal on antitrust grounds. Hollywood has also spoken out in opposition to the merger.