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Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Ice Spice and the late Juice WRLD will put their own spins on Fortnite over the course of November.

AI has given robots the ability to ‘hear’ and ‘see’ the world to understand human orders and carry out tasks better, but Meta’s AI researchers are now testing ways to let robots mimic the sense of touch, too. The Fundamental AI Research (FAIR) division of Meta has just debuted a set of tools that could make robotic tools able to detect, decipher, and react to what they touch. That could make even the most basic robot arm sensitive enough to handle delicate objects without damaging them and make them useful in more settings.

Meta showcased a combination of new technologies and features that work together to give robots the ability to feel things. Touch-sensing tech Sparsh gives AI a way of identifying things like pressure, texture, and movement without needing a huge database. It’s like an AI version of how you can feel something in the dark and describe how it feels even if you don’t know what you’re touching.

To send information about what the robot is touching to the AI model, Meta teamed with a company called GelSIght to create essentially a robot fingertip called Digit 360. The sensors in Digit 360 are very sensitive, so the AI can not only determine details about what the robot is touching but also apply pressure appropriate to a task involving the object, like lifting or rotating it.

For the rest of the robotic hand (or equivalent device, Meta created a system called Plexus with Wonik Robotics to spread multiple touch sensors across the device. Meta claims Plexus can mimic the human sense of touch enough for fragile or awkward objects. You can see below how the three technologies work together in a robotic hand.

(Image credit: Meta) Sensitive AI

"The human hand is marvelous at signaling to the brain touch information across the skin from fingertips to palm. This enables actuating the muscles in the hand when making decisions, for instance about how to type on a keyboard or interact with an object that’s too hot," Meta explained in a blog post. "Achieving embodied AI requires similar coordination between the tactile sensing and motor actuation on a robot hand."

There are many ways robot hands that can ‘feel’ linked to AI capable of interpreting those sensations could be useful. Imagine robotic surgical assistants able to feel minute changes in the body and respond faster, with exact yet gentle movements matching or beating human responses. The same goes for manufacturing delicate devices without breaking them and perhaps coordinating better among multiple robotic hands the way humans do with their pair. It could even make virtual experiences feel more real for humans, with the understanding of what objects and environments should feel like used to inform their virtual counterparts.

Using AI to mimic the sense of touch for robots isn't the only human experience that AI is mimicking for machines. Researchers at Penn State have recently showcased how AI models linked to an electronic tongue can simulate a sense of taste good enough to spot tiny differences in flavor. Meanwhile, a company called Osmo has taught AI models how to emulate a sense of smell that's far better than a human's. The company demonstrated how its AI can analyze a scent precisely enough to even recreate it from scratch by picking out and combining chemicals without human intervention

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Ugreen 5000mAh Magnetic Wireless Power Bank review

Ugreen is a relative newcomer in the charging scene, offering similar products and designs to those of Anker. Anyone who’s familiar with that brand’s magnetic power banks will notice the similarities here, with the Ugreen 5000mAh Magnetic Wireless Power Bank being one example.

It sports a minimal and sleek design, with smooth edges and a smart-looking off-white color (it’s also available in black). As for the interface, there’s a single button and no display – the only readout you get comes in the form of five LEDs that indicate battery level and charging status.

Similar to many of the best power banks for portability, the Ugreen 5000mAh Magnetic Wireless Power Bank has a slim profile, which it’s able to achieve thanks to its 5,000mAh capacity. This also means it’s light, tipping the scales at just 5.11oz (145g) – although its chief rival, the Anker 621, is slightly leaner at 4.56oz (129g).

The MagSafe charging area is designed to wirelessly charge the best iPhones. It uses the Qi standard and has an output of 7.5W. During my tests, it managed to charge an iPhone 13 Pro from 50% to 100% in about an hour and forty-five minutes, losing about half of its own battery charge in the process. This puts it on a par with the aforementioned Anker 621.

However, what fails to impress is the silicone pad, as it already began showing signs of wear during my time with it. This occurred in just over a week, so this rate of deterioration doesn’t bode well. It could be argued that any rubberized pad will be susceptible to damage like this, but all I can say is that I didn’t experience the same with the PU leather material on the Anker 621. It also picks up dust and debris very easily – again, not something I witnessed with the 621.

There’s only one USB-C port on the Ugreen 5000mAh Magnetic Wireless Power Bank, which delivers 15W of power. This managed to charge a half-full Google Pixel 7a in just over an hour, depleting about half of its battery once more. Charging the bank itself from empty to full took just over two hours, which is reasonable.

The Ugreen 5000mAh Magnetic Wireless Power Bank costs $29 / £29 / $AU49, making it cheaper than the Anker 621, which costs $39 / £44 (about $AU57). However, the 621 comes in multiple colorways, whereas the Ugreen only comes in black or white, and the overall build quality does seem to be better, which is why we prefer the Anker model over Ugreen’s.

(Image credit: Future) Ugreen 5000mAh Magnetic Wireless Power Bank review: price & specs

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Ugreen 5000mAh Magnetic Wireless Power Bank? Buy it if…

You want something simple
Simply place your MagSafe iPhone on the pad, or plug in any other device via the USB-C port, and you’re away.

You want something cheap
Ugreen undercuts its nearest rival, Anker, by a decent amount, making it a more tempting purchase.

Don't buy it if…

You want something durable
Even during my limited time with the Ugreen 5000mAh Magnetic Wireless Power Bank, it began to show signs of wear, which isn’t promising for its long-term prospects.

You have an Android
While MagSafe-compatible Android cases may allow you to use the wireless charging function, it’s not guaranteed to work.

Ugreen 5000mAh Magnetic Wireless Power Bank review: Also consider

Anker 621 Magnetic Battery (MagGo)
The Anker 621 is very similar to the Ugreen 5000mAh Magnetic Wireless Power Bank, with a near-identical design and feature set. Even though it’s slightly more expensive, we do think the extra cost is worth it, as it proved more durable during our tests, with the PU leather pad maintaining its pristine condition throughout. View Deal