Technology

The military robot protecting soldiers from chemical, biological dangers

Published

1 year ago

September 6, 2024

The military robot protecting soldiers from chemical, biological dangers

Have you ever wondered how our brave soldiers deal with nasty stuff like chemical and biological weapons? Currently, it’s a risky and time-consuming process. Soldiers have to suit up in cumbersome NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) protective gear and spend about an hour decontaminating a single vehicle. It’s not just uncomfortable, it’s downright dangerous, putting our troops directly in harm’s way.

However, that’s all about to change because the Army is rolling out some seriously cool robot tech that’s about to change the game. So, instead of soldiers suiting up in those bulky hazmat suits to clean contaminated vehicles, they’ve got smart robots doing the dirty work.

This new system, called the autonomous equipment decontamination system, is all about keeping our troops safe. Let’s look into how this new technology is revolutionizing military operations and making the battlefield a whole lot safer for our men and women in uniform.

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Autonomous equipment decontamination system (U.S. Army)

The threat of NBC weapons

Nuclear, chemical and biological (NBC) weapons have long been a source of fear and deterrence in global conflicts. While their use has been limited since World War I, the potential for deployment by rogue states or in near-peer conflicts remains a constant concern. Countries like Iraq and Syria have demonstrated that these weapons still exist and can be used, prompting NATO and other military organizations to conduct regular anti-NBC drills to prepare for potential threats.

Autonomous equipment decontamination system (U.S. Army)

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The challenges of decontamination

Decontaminating vehicles and equipment exposed to chemical or biological agents is a daunting task that poses significant challenges. The process is not only time-consuming but also extremely dangerous for the soldiers involved. It can take up to an hour and require the efforts of 30 soldiers, all of whom must wear cumbersome NBC suits designed to protect them from exposure. These suits, while theoretically capable of being worn for extended periods, can be uncomfortable and restrictive, making the decontamination process even more arduous.

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Autonomous equipment decontamination system (U.S. Army)

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Enter the robots

To address these challenges, the Army is developing the autonomous equipment decontamination system. This innovative robotic system utilizes cameras and a mobile platform to identify contaminated areas and clean them without putting soldiers at risk. By taking on the dangerous task of decontamination, the system promises to enhance safety for military personnel in the field.

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Autonomous equipment decontamination system (U.S. Army)

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How it works

The autonomous equipment decontamination system employs a camera-equipped unmanned ground vehicle that scans the contaminated vehicle’s surface. As it circles the vehicle, the camera transmits contamination data back to operators who are safely positioned at a computer. A robotic arm then uses this data to apply a special cleaning solution to the identified hot spots. This approach not only protects soldiers from hazardous exposure but also conserves valuable decontaminants, which are often in limited supply during military operations.

Army personnel operating the autonomous equipment decontamination system (U.S. Army)

Soldier feedback

At a recent testing event called MSPIX (Maneuver Support and Protection Integration eXperiments), soldiers from the 1st Armored Division had the opportunity to operate the system and provide crucial feedback. Their insights will play an important role in refining the technology and ensuring it meets the needs of those on the front lines.

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The soldiers expressed their enthusiasm about the system, emphasizing that it allows them to remain safe while effectively managing decontamination tasks. They appreciated the user-friendly interface and the opportunity to communicate directly with the technology developers, ensuring that their requirements were taken into account.

Soldiers giving feedback on autonomous equipment decontamination system (U.S. Army)

The benefits

The autonomous equipment decontamination system offers several significant advantages. By keeping soldiers away from dangerous contaminants, it reduces the risk to human life during decontamination operations. Additionally, the system minimizes the time and soldiers required for these tasks, allowing military personnel to focus on their primary missions. Furthermore, by conserving water and decontaminant resources, the system enhances operational efficiency. What’s more, the ability to operate the system from a safe distance ensures that soldiers can maintain their safety while effectively managing potential threats.

Autonomous equipment decontamination system (U.S. Army)

Kurt’s key takeaways

The development of the autonomous equipment decontamination system is a game-changer when it comes to keeping our soldiers safe from the dangers posed by chemical and biological weapons. By harnessing the power of robotics and autonomous technology, the military is not only reducing the risks to human life but also making decontamination procedures much more efficient. As this technology advances, it’s becoming an essential tool in modern warfare. It allows our military personnel to operate safely and effectively, even in hazardous environments.

In a world where the threat of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons is still very real, innovations like this are vital for ensuring the safety and effectiveness of our armed forces. It’s reassuring to think about how these advancements can help protect those who serve and keep them out of harm’s way.

How do you feel about the impact of technology on soldier safety? Do you think robotic systems are the future of military operations? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Technology

Anker’s last-gen sleep buds are nearly 40 percent off ahead of daylight saving time

Published

8 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Anker’s last-gen sleep buds are nearly 40 percent off ahead of daylight saving time

Bad news: most Americans are about to lose an hour of sleep next week. Good news: if you have trouble falling (or staying asleep), Newegg is currently selling Anker’s Soundcore Sleep A20 earbuds for $113.99 ($66 off) when you use coupon code MMSF88 at checkout, which drops them to just $6 shy of their lowest price to date.

A couple of us here at The Verge are fans of Anker’s last-gen sleep buds, which do a good job of muffling disruptive noises (including snoring). They’re lightweight and comfortable enough to wear overnight, even while sleeping on your side, with multiple ear tips and wings for a personalized fit. In fact, in his review, my colleague Thomas Ricker said that they improved his average sleep time by nearly 30 minutes within a two-week period.

What’s even more convenient is that they offer a variety of sleep-focused features to help you rest better. For example, you can use them to play a range of relaxing sounds, from meditation exercises and nature clips to white noise. You can use them as a regular pair of Bluetooth earbuds, too, just in case you prefer to listen to audiobooks or your own curated sleep playlist. They even come with adjustable EQ as well, though we wouldn’t recommend using them as your primary earbuds for music, given that they can’t match the audio quality you’d get from a pair of midrange earbuds from Apple, Sony, or Bose.

In addition, the Sleep A20 offer up to 14 hours of battery life and sleep tracking, providing insights into how long and how well you’ve slept via a companion app that also details your sleep positions and movements. The newer Soundcore Sleep A30 feature active noise cancellation, which is more effective at masking sounds than the A20’s passive isolation, but Anker’s last-gen earbuds remain a decent, budget-friendly option that can help you comfortably tune out most nighttime distractions for nearly half the price.

Technology

Figure data breach exposes nearly 1M accounts

Published

9 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Figure data breach exposes nearly 1M accounts

Cyber expert shares tips to avoid AI phishing scams

Kurt ‘The CyberGuy’ Knutsson shares practical ways to avoid falling victim to AI-generated phishing scams and discusses a report that North Korean agents are posing as I.T. workers to funnel money into the country’s nuclear program.

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If you have applied for a loan online, you probably shared more than you realized. Your name. Your email. Your date of birth. Maybe even your home address and phone number. Now imagine all of that sitting on a dark web forum.

That is the reality for nearly 1 million people after hackers breached Figure Technology Solutions, a blockchain-focused fintech lender.

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What happened in the Figure data breach

Figure Technology Solutions, founded in 2018, uses the Provenance blockchain for lending, borrowing and securities trading. The company says it has unlocked more than $22 billion in home equity through partnerships with banks, credit unions, fintechs and home improvement companies. However, behind the scenes, attackers were working on a very different angle.

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Nearly 1 million accounts were exposed after hackers breached fintech lender Figure Technology Solutions in a social engineering attack. (Felix Zahn/Photothek via Getty Images)

According to breach notification data shared by Have I Been Pwned, information from 967,200 accounts was exposed. The leaked data included more than 900,000 unique email addresses along with names, phone numbers, physical addresses and dates of birth. That is a gold mine for identity thieves. Figure says the incident stemmed from a social engineering attack. What that means in simple terms is that someone inside the company was tricked into handing over access.

“We recently identified that an employee was socially engineered, and that allowed an actor to download a limited number of files through their account,” a Figure Technology Solutions spokesperson told CyberGuy in a statement. “We acted quickly to block the activity and retained a forensic firm to investigate what files were affected. We understand the importance of these matters and are communicating with partners and those impacted as appropriate. We are also implementing additional safeguards and training to further strengthen our defenses. We are offering complimentary credit monitoring to all individuals who receive a notice. We continuously monitor accounts and have strong safeguards in place to protect customers’ funds and accounts.”

Social engineering is the real weapon

When people hear the word blockchain, they think secure and untouchable. But attackers did not break cryptography. They targeted a human being. Groups like ShinyHunters specialize in this playbook. They reportedly claimed responsibility for the breach and, according to BleepingComputer, posted 2.5GB of data allegedly tied to thousands of loan applicants.

In recent weeks, the same group has claimed breaches involving companies like Canada Goose, Panera Bread and SoundCloud. Not every case is connected. Still, security researchers have observed a troubling pattern. Attackers impersonate IT support. They call employees. They create urgency. Then they direct victims to fake login portals that look nearly identical to real ones.

Once employees enter credentials and even multi-factor authentication codes, attackers gain access to single sign-on systems tied to major platforms like Microsoft and Google. From there, one compromised account can unlock a web of connected tools and internal systems.

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Security researchers say the Figure data leak underscores how social engineering bypasses even blockchain-based platforms. (Maxim Konankov/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Why this matters to you

If your information was part of the Figure data breach, criminals now have enough detail to craft convincing phishing emails or phone scams. They can reference your real name. They can cite your address. They can pretend to be a lender or bank calling about your application.

Even if you never applied for a loan with Figure, this incident highlights something bigger. No platform is immune to human error. And social engineering works because it targets trust, not technology.

The bigger lesson about blockchain and trust

Figure markets itself as blockchain native. Blockchain can provide transparency and strong cryptographic security. However, none of that protects against a well-crafted phone call.

Security failures often happen at the human layer. That is where attackers focus their energy. As more financial services move online, the attack surface grows. Loan applications, identity verification tools and cloud-based systems create convenience. They also create new targets.

How to protect yourself after the Figure data breach

You cannot control how companies secure their systems. You can control how you respond. Start by checking whether your email address appears in the exposed dataset, then take the steps below to lock down your accounts.

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Figure says an employee was tricked into granting access, allowing attackers to download sensitive customer data. (Luke MacGregor/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Check if your email was exposed

To see if your email address was affected, visit https://haveibeenpwned.com/. Enter your email address to find out whether your information appears in the leak. When finished, return here and begin Step 1 below.

Take these steps immediately

Change any exposed passwords right away. Do not leave a known leaked password in place. Update it everywhere you used it. Use a password manager to create strong, unique passwords for every account. Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com
Turn on multi-factor authentication wherever possible.
Never share login codes with anyone, even if they claim to be IT support.
Install strong antivirus software to help block phishing links, malicious downloads and ransomware that often follow major breaches. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.
Consider a data removal service to reduce your personal information on data broker sites, which scammers often combine with breached data. Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.
Place a free fraud alert or credit freeze with the major credit bureaus.
Monitor your bank and credit card statements weekly for suspicious activity.

Also, be cautious of unexpected calls about your accounts. If someone pressures you to act immediately, hang up and call the company directly using a number from its official website.

Kurt’s key takeaways

The Figure data breach is a reminder that technology alone cannot protect sensitive information. A single employee tricked into revealing credentials can expose hundreds of thousands of people. That is not a blockchain failure. It is a trust failure. If your data was involved, take action now. Even if it was not, treat this as a wake-up call. Your personal information has value. Criminals know it. Companies should know it too.

If one phone call can unlock nearly a million records, are companies investing enough in training people, or are they still betting everything on technology alone? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

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Technology

Apple’s website leaks MacBook ‘Neo,’ which could be its new cheaper laptop

Published

20 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Apple’s website leaks MacBook ‘Neo,’ which could be its new cheaper laptop

During Apple’s week-long product launch event on Tuesday, a listing for the “MacBook Neo (Model A3404)” appeared on a regulatory compliance page on Apple’s website under its line-up of 2026 MacBooks. First spotted by MacRumors, the listing appears to be an accident and has since been removed, but may have been a leaked reference to a rumored entry-level MacBook. Unfortunately, it didn’t include any additional details beyond the device’s name and model number.

The lower price and an “entirely new design” could help the new MacBook appeal to students and casual users, competing with Chromebooks and low-cost Windows laptops. A more affordable MacBook could be especially appealing after Apple announced the M5 MacBook Air on Tuesday, which has a higher starting price than last year’s Air.