With rising temperatures on the way, Dyson’s new handheld fan could be the key to staying cool this summer. The pocket-sized device delivers 55 mph of airflow, all while weighing just 7.5 ounces. This compact cooling gadget also features five different speed settings, allowing users to customize their temperature-regulating experience on the go.

Though Dyson first became famous for its vacuums, the company has since built a strong reputation for products like air purifiers, humidifiers, heaters, and haircare devices—namely, the Supersonic hairdryer, which came out in 2016, and the AirWrap, released a couple of years later. The company’s hairstyling technology, in particular, revolutionized the beauty industry by bridging the gap between beauty and engineering. For the AirWrap, Dyson uses its trademarked Coanda Effect method, as well as small digital motors which spin up to 110,000 RPM. Now, the company has brought similar technology to the HushJet™ Mini Cool, changing the game for portable cooling.

The HushJet™ Mini Cool delivers a sleek, premium design similar to the AirWrap, combining style with high-performance engineering. Powered by a brushless DC motor that reaches up to 65,000 RPM, it’s built for powerful, efficient cooling. Inside, a honeycomb mesh filter helps trap dust and debris to protect the internal components and simplify cleaning. Designed for extended use, the Mini Cool offers up to six hours of continuous cooling on a single charge and conveniently recharges via standard USB-C.

The handheld fan comes in three colorways: Stone/Blush, a neutral beige with subtle light pink details; Carnelian/Sky, a red body with a silvery head; and Ink/Cobalt, a navy-ish base with brighter blue accents. The company also has plans to introduce accessories designed to complement the handheld fan, including a mount for attaching the device to strollers and bikes or to affix it to a desk, as well as a clip and strap compatible with jackets and other gear.

Similar to Dyson’s other fan products, the HushJet™ Mini Cool is ideal for those sensitive to noise. Thanks to its unique HushJet™ projection, it is specifically engineered to minimize whirring and high-pitched sounds that could disrupt a summer walk or outing. With its blend of advanced internal technology and elegant design, the HushJet™ Mini Cool may signal a new era of handheld products for Dyson.

The HushJet™ Mini Cool is now available for the retail price of $99.99. As of writing, all colorways are sold out on Dyson’s website, but the Stone/Blush variety is currently available on Amazon for $99.95.

Dyson has unveiled a new handheld fan called the HushJet™ Mini Cool.

This compact cooling device delivers 55 mph airflow for cooling on the go.

It comes in three colors and uses Dyson’s unique HushJet™ projection for focused and quiet cooling.

The device also featured a honeycomb mesh filter to trap dust and debris to protect the internal components and simplify cleaning.

The HushJet™ Mini Cool may signal a new era of handheld products for Dyson.

Dyson: Website | Instagram

All images via Dyson.

Prices were accurate at time of publishing.

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READ: Dyson Unveils Handheld Fan That Delivers Powerful Cooling With Up to 55 MPH Airflow

Installation view of Machine Dreams: Rainforest, DATALAND, Los Angeles, CA, June 20, 2026–January 31, 2027. © 2026 Refik Anadol Studio on behalf of DATALAND. (Photo: Refik Anadol Studio)

Pioneering creative Refik Anadol has long engaged with emerging technologies. As one of the most prominent artists working with data and generative AI, his immersive art sits at the intersection of tech and humanity. Years of this work are culminating in the soon-to-open DATALAND, the world’s first museum of AI arts, with its inaugural exhibition set to open to the public on June 20, 2026.

Located in the Frank Gehry-designed building The Grand LA, DATALAND is in downtown Los Angeles in the Grand Avenue Cultural District. It spans 35,000 square feet and features multiple galleries, which will be occupied by the inaugural exhibition Machine Dreams: Rainforest.

The immersive, 360-degree experience combines audio and visuals to transport the viewer into a reimagined rainforest setting. It was inspired by a trip that Anadol and his co-founder, Efsun Erkılıç, made to the Amazon rainforest years ago. Unfolding across five galleries, the stunning sensory elements are based on millions of images and sounds of nature. The custom-built AI model used to generate the exhibition was trained on data collected first-hand from 16 rainforests across the globe.

With all AI, copyright and data are a concern, as many models scrape data that their authors never consented to be given. DATALAND, in contrast, has established data partnerships with the Smithsonian, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Getty, iNaturalist, and the Natural History Museum in London. “The best way to achieve responsible curation is to build our own models and be radically transparent about where our data comes from,” Anadol told NPR.

Environmental impacts are also a concern, as data centers can be a drain on an already strained environment. DATALAND recognizes this and has taken steps to lessen its carbon footprint. Its Large Nature Model (LNM) is hosted on a specialized Google Cloud server located in Oregon. It runs on 87% carbon-free, renewable energy. This translates, energy-wise, to a visitor’s stay being roughly equal to charging one cell phone.

DATALAND has been a long time coming. “After a journey of many years, we are so excited to finally share DATALAND with the public,” says Anadol. “LA is the center of creativity. It is a city that defines the future of art, music, cinema, architecture, and more, and we can’t wait to open DATALAND’s flagship location in our adopted home.”

Experience Machine Dreams: Rainforest when it opens at DATALAND on June 20, 2026.

DATALAND, the world’s first museum of AI arts, is set to open to the public on June 20, 2026.

Installation view of Machine Dreams: Rainforest, DATALAND, Los Angeles, CA, June 20, 2026–January 31, 2027. © 2026 Refik Anadol Studio on behalf of DATALAND. (Photo: Refik Anadol Studio)

Located in the Frank Gehry-designed building The Grand LA, DATALAND is in downtown Los Angeles in the Grand Avenue Cultural District.

Installation view of Machine Dreams: Rainforest, DATALAND, Los Angeles, CA, June 20, 2026–January 31, 2027. © 2026 Refik Anadol Studio on behalf of DATALAND. (Photo: Refik Anadol Studio)

Installation view of Machine Dreams: Rainforest, DATALAND, Los Angeles, CA, June 20, 2026–January 31, 2027. © 2026 Refik Anadol Studio on behalf of DATALAND. (Photo: Refik Anadol Studio)

It spans 35,000 square feet and features multiple galleries, which will be occupied by the inaugural exhibition Machine Dreams: Rainforest.

Installation view of Machine Dreams: Rainforest, DATALAND, Los Angeles, CA, June 20, 2026–January 31, 2027. © 2026 Refik Anadol Studio on behalf of DATALAND. (Photo: Refik Anadol Studio)

Installation view of Machine Dreams: Rainforest, DATALAND, Los Angeles, CA, June 20, 2026–January 31, 2027. © 2026 Refik Anadol Studio on behalf of DATALAND. (Photo: Refik Anadol Studio)

The immersive, 360-degree experience combines audio and visuals to transport the viewer into a reimagined rainforest setting.

Installation view of Machine Dreams: Rainforest, DATALAND, Los Angeles, CA, June 20, 2026–January 31, 2027. © 2026 Refik Anadol Studio on behalf of DATALAND. (Photo: Refik Anadol Studio)

It was inspired by a trip that Anadol and his co-founder, Efsun Erkılıç, made to the Amazon rainforest years ago.

Installation view of Machine Dreams: Rainforest, DATALAND, Los Angeles, CA, June 20, 2026–January 31, 2027. © 2026 Refik Anadol Studio on behalf of DATALAND. (Photo: Refik Anadol Studio)

Unfolding across five galleries, the stunning sensory elements are based on millions of images and sounds of nature.

Installation view of Machine Dreams: Rainforest, DATALAND, Los Angeles, CA, June 20, 2026–January 31, 2027. © 2026 Refik Anadol Studio on behalf of DATALAND. (Photo: Refik Anadol Studio)

Installation view of Machine Dreams: Rainforest, DATALAND, Los Angeles, CA, June 20, 2026–January 31, 2027. © 2026 Refik Anadol Studio on behalf of DATALAND. (Photo: Refik Anadol Studio)

The custom-built AI model used to generate the exhibition was trained on data collected first-hand from 16 rainforests across the globe.

Installation view of Machine Dreams: Rainforest, DATALAND, Los Angeles, CA, June 20, 2026–January 31, 2027. © 2026 Refik Anadol Studio on behalf of DATALAND. (Photo: Refik Anadol Studio)

Installation view of Machine Dreams: Rainforest, DATALAND, Los Angeles, CA, June 20, 2026–January 31, 2027. © 2026 Refik Anadol Studio on behalf of DATALAND. (Photo: Refik Anadol Studio)

Installation view of Machine Dreams: Rainforest, DATALAND, Los Angeles, CA, June 20, 2026–January 31, 2027. © 2026 Refik Anadol Studio on behalf of DATALAND. (Photo: Refik Anadol Studio)

Installation view of Machine Dreams: Rainforest, DATALAND, Los Angeles, CA, June 20, 2026–January 31, 2027. © 2026 Refik Anadol Studio on behalf of DATALAND. (Photo: Refik Anadol Studio)

Exhibition Information:
Machine Dreams: Rainforest
June 20, 2026–January 31, 2027
DATALAND
100 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012, U.S.A.

DATALAND: Website | Instagram | Facebook

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by DATALAND. 

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READ: DATALAND Preview: The World’s First Museum of AI Arts Co-Founded by Refik Anadol

The Artemis II mission has sparked a lot of interest in space, and with it, curiosity about the work of NASA to bring us back to the moon and beyond. One of the most remarkable achievements is that of Perseverance, a rover that has been exploring Mars since  2021 in search for traces of life and information for human exploration down the line. Inspired by this, CircuitMess created a DIY kit so fans of space, new and old, can build their own replica of Perseverance.

This model is more than something cool to decorate your living room with; it’s a fully functional robot. At the same time, it’s somewhat of a hands-on course in engineering and coding. The building process introduces core concepts in robotics, electronics, and wireless communication, but to keep it easy and achievable for everyone, it comes with a step-by-step building guide with over 100 photos.

While the actual perseverance is over 7 feet tall, this NASA-approved replica is 7.87 x 15.94 x 8.07 inches. Despite its compact size, it truly packs a punch. It features over 300 components, and requires soldering and working with smaller electronic components, so it is recommended for ages 11 and up. Overall, CircuitMess says the building process can take about 20 hours. While challenging, the company has tried its best to keep it as accessible as possible.

Among the features of this rover are its fully motorized sample collecting arm, evoking Perseverance’s ability to collect specimens, and a rotating AI-powered camera for autonomous navigation and object recognition. It also comes with dual control options in the form of a custom-built RF controller for hands-on driving and WiFi connectivity for remote commanding.

For those more confident in their coding abilities, once they are done building, they can reprogram the rover in Python or C++, experiment with CircuitBlocks, integrate additional modules, or completely change its behavior. Its modular architecture can accept additional sensor modules, letting builders upgrade and enhance what their rover can do over time. That’s why, according to CircuitMess, the kit is more of a flexible platform than a one-time build.

With this model, the Croatia-based company aims to close the gap between space enthusiasm and STEM education. To them, this model is for “space enthusiasts, robotics hobbyists, or anyone who’s ever wanted to understand how a Mars rover actually works.”

If you’d like to take on this mission and build your own Perseverance rover, you can order your own kit on Circuit Mess’ website.

CircuitMess created a DIY robotic kit that allows fans of space build their own replica of the NASA Perseverance rover.

This model is more than something cool to decorate your living room with; it’s a fully functional robot.

For those hoping to learn more about the science behind space exploration, the building process introduces core concepts in robotics, electronics, and wireless communication.

CircuitMess says this model is for “space enthusiasts, robotics hobbyists, or anyone who’s ever wanted to understand how a Mars rover actually works.”

CircuitMess: Website

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by CircuitMess.

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READ: You Can Build and Code Your Own NASA Perseverance Rover With This DIY Kit

Photo: MauriceNorbert/Depositphotos

More and more countries around the world are taking a stand against the harm inflicted by social media, particularly the way it affects the youngest members of society. Following landmark regulations in Australia and Denmark, Austria is now looking to ban social media for children under 14, citing issues of safety—from cyberbullying and political radicalization to addiction and targeted advertising.

According to the Austrian government, a bill will be introduced by the end of June, setting a mandatory minimum for accessing social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. Lawmakers settled at age 14 based on the legal capacity to enter into contracts in Austria, as well as General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which sets 14 as the age of digital consent between 13 and 16 across Europe.

“What we wouldn’t tolerate from our children in person, we shouldn’t accept in the digital world either,” said Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler via a press statement. “On social media platforms, they are confronted with unrealistic beauty ideals, glorification of violence, misinformation, and manipulation, while multi-billion-dollar corporations fail to live up to their responsibilities, serve only profit interests, and gamble with the well-being and thus the future of our children—click after click, like after like.”

Aware that the restrictions alone may not be enough to keep kids safe online, the new regulations feature the introduction of a new subject in secondary schools. Titled “Media and Democracy,” it will address how media shapes public opinion, how to recognize disinformation and radicalization, and the impact of media use on mental health.

The proposed bill is expected to also outline the mechanism that will be used to verify people’s ages when accessing social media. At the moment, there isn’t a set date of when the new restrictions would go into effect, particularly because the new regulations would also need parliamentary approval.

If successful, it would set an example for countries such as France and Great Britain, which are working on similar regulations. “We are pushing forward with an EU-wide regulation. The average young person today spends six to seven hours a day on social media,” added Alexander Pröll, Austria’s state secretary for digitalization. “Let’s give children back their childhood.”

Austria is aiming to ban social media for children under 14, citing issues of safety, such as cyberbullying to political radicalization.

Photo: pandionhiatus3/Depositphotos

Sources: Child protection online: Federal government sets minimum age for social media

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READ: Austria Aims To Ban Social Media for Kids Under 14, Joins Other Countries in Restricting Access

How do we exist in a world with widespread artificial intelligence (AI) and still retain our humanity? That is the question that many are seeking answers to. The solutions take different forms, as AI doesn’t touch everything equally. HumanX is a conference that seeks to facilitate a dialogue on the real-world impact of AI in areas of business, leadership, and society.

Bringing together high-stakeholders across industries—such as executives, founders, investors, technologists, and policymakers—they engage in thoughtful and respectful discussions and share their knowledge in expert-led sessions. For attendees, HumanX is a way to learn, network, and have important conversations about responsibility and AI adoption, the future of work, and employing it at scale.

HumanX 2026 is happening April 6–9 in San Francisco, where attendees will be busy with masterclasses, networking, and interactive sessions. The list of speakers is vast and includes many notable names, such as: Dr. Fei-Fei Li, co-founder of World Labs, Stanford Human-Centered AI Institute; Matt Garman, CEO of Amazon Web Services; and Al Gore, founding partner and chairman of Generation Investment Management.

Eugene Kim, My Modern Met’s co-founder and editor-in-chief, will be at HumanX 2026. “AI is accelerating. It’s time to engage with it deliberately and strategically,” he says. “I’m focused on how AI can scale operations responsibly while protecting and elevating human creativity. I’ll bring those insights back to our community.”

Kim was drawn to the practicality of the conference, the networking opportunities, and the emphasis on implementation over theory. “If AI is becoming central to how you build and lead, this is a meaningful place to be.”

Registration is still available for HumanX 2026. Use code hx26_sn0b11 for $100 off your ticket.

HumanX is a conference that seeks to facilitate a dialogue on the real-world impact of AI in areas of business, leadership, and society.

Bringing together high-stakeholders across industries—such as executives, founders, investors, technologists, and policymakers—they engage in thoughtful and respectful discussions and share their knowledge in expert-led sessions.

HumanX 2026 is happening April 6–9 in San Francisco, where attendees will be busy with masterclasses, networking, and interactive sessions.

Eugene Kim, My Modern Met co-founder and editor-in-chief, will be at HumanX 2026.

“AI is accelerating. It’s time to engage with it deliberately and strategically,” he says. “I’m focused on how AI can scale operations responsibly while protecting and elevating human creativity. I’ll bring those insights back to our community.”

HumanX: Website | Instagram | Facebook

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by HumanX.

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READ: HumanX 2026: What To Expect at the AI Conference Exploring Its Real-World Impact in Society

Madeline Hollander, “Heads/Tails: Walker & Broadway 4,” 2020, 73 Automobile headlights and taillights customized with LEDs and real-time software program, infinite, display: 120 x 240 in., Collection of the Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation

It’s become nearly impossible to live a life where we’re not inundated with technology. Maybe it’s by choice, or maybe it’s thrust upon us. Either way, just as we can’t evade the passage of time, we can’t escape a world where things are increasingly defined by how efficient and automated they can become. While some creatives are choosing to reject the use of things like generative AI in their work, others are running toward new technology. Like a painter, they see it as a tool to bring their visual language to life. A group exhibition at the Blanton Museum of Art in Austin, Texas, explores how artists use technology to create things that go beyond its “corporate use” to develop new ways of seeing.

The show is titled Run the Code: Data-Driven Art Decoded by Thoma Foundation X Blanton Museum of Art. Using immersive installation, real-time data visualization, and responsive environments, the artists included in the show seek to reflect the human experience in all its uncertainty and splendor. It was organized in collaboration with, and features work from, the Carl and Marilynn Thoma Foundation in Dallas, which has one of the most comprehensive private collections of digital and media art.

Refik Anadol, Daniel Canogar, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, teamLab, Siebren Versteeg, Leo Villareal, and Marina Zurkow are the artists in the show. Although their visual languages vary, the collection of creatives has one thing in common. “Today’s artists are writing code the way others have handled paint or clay,” says Hannah Klemm, curator of modern and contemporary art at the Blanton. “Their works show that technology can be both analytical and poetic—making visible the patterns, biases, and chaos embedded in the data that shapes our world.”

Run the Code is organized into five thematic sections: technological archaeology, interactivity, data-driven systems, remixing art history, and landscape reimagined. The center of the exhibition is teamLab’s The World of Irreversible Change (2022). Unfolding across a freestanding wall in a dark gallery, animated figures move through a city that is constantly changing based on the time and weather of the real Austin. While this cycle seems largely predictable, a visitor’s arrival activates its surface and alters the work. A once-calm landscape becomes mired in conflict and ultimately gives way to destruction. The piece was developed over five years and is a poignant look at ecological and social precarity—even in the digital realm.

Other highlights include Refik Anadol’s Machine Hallucinations–Study 1 (2019), where an AI model was trained on thousands of Gothic cathedrals and endlessly generates transforming architecture of light and color. In Pulse Index (2010) by Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, visitors’ fingerprints and heartbeats are the raw materials in a communal portrait that’s a reminder of the data we leave behind.

Not all pieces are generative, however. Madeline Hollander’s Heads/Tails (2020) translates New York traffic patterns into flickering headlights and taillights and creates a performance from the everyday experience of driving in a city.

Run the Code: Data-Driven Art Decoded by Thoma Foundation X Blanton Museum of Art is currently on view until August 2, 2026.

The group show Run the Code: Data-Driven Art Decoded by Thoma Foundation X Blanton Museum of Art explores how artists use technology to create things that go beyond its “corporate use” to develop new ways of seeing.

teamLab (formed 2001), “The World of Irreversible Change,” detail, 2022, six-channel interactive digital work, endless, Collection of the Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation © teamLab

Refik Anadol, Daniel Canogar, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, teamLab, Siebren Versteeg, Leo Villareal, and Marina Zurkow are the artists in the show.

Marina Zurkow, “Mesocosm (Wink, TX),” 2012, real-time generative custom software animation, with sound, computer, monitor or projector, 146-hour cycle (24- minute day, 146-hour year), Collection of the Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation © Marina Zurkow

Although their visual languages vary, the collection of creatives has one thing in common…

Camille Utterback, “Untitled 5,” 2004, interactive installation: custom software, silent, video camera, computer, projector, lighting, infinite (live generation), Collection of the Carl & Marilynn

“Today’s artists are writing code the way others have handled paint or clay,” says Hannah Klemm, curator of modern and contemporary art at the Blanton.

Refik Anadol, “Machine Hallucinations – Study I,” 2019, single-channel digital video, silent, computer, monitor, 30 min., Collection of the Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation © Refik Anadol

“Their works show that technology can be both analytical and poetic—making visible the patterns, biases, and chaos embedded in the data that shapes our world.”

Siebren Versteeg, “Daily Times (Performer),” 2012, real-time generative custom software animation, silent, computer, internet connection, monitor, 24-hour cycle, Collection of the Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation © Siebren Versteeg

Run the Code: Data-Driven Art Decoded by Thoma Foundation X Blanton Museum of Art is on view until August 2, 2026.

Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, “Pulse Index,” 2010, interactive generative custom software, silent, computer, digital microscope, industrial camera, plasma monitor, Collection of the Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation © Rafael Lozano-Hemmer

Martin Reinhart, “tx-mirror,” 2018, interactive, real-time generative software (silent) on TV monitor with camera, infinite (live generation), Collection of the Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation

Exhibition Information:
Run the Code: Data-Driven Art Decoded by Thoma Foundation X Blanton Museum of Art
March 8, 2026–August 2, 2026
Blanton Museum of Art
200 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Austin, TX 78712

Blanton Museum of Art: Website | Instagram | Facebook

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Blanton Museum of Art.

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READ: Exhibition Explores How Artists Use Technology as a Tool Like a Painter Would a Brush

Embed from Getty Images

Over the last few days, the world fell in love with Punch the monkey from Japan. After being abandoned by his mom at birth, he found comfort in an orangutan plushie from IKEA. Since then, he has made progress in his path to be accepted by the troop, as he is making friends and being guarded by at least two adult monkeys. The craze has even reached Google, which just unveiled a cute surprise for fans of Punch.

If you look up Punch the monkey (or even “Punch monkey”) on Google, heart-shaped illustrations of Punch will rain down from the top of your screen. You can also show your love by clicking the heart on the bottom, which will make even more Punch drawings appear over the search results. As of writing, almost 20 million people have engaged with this surprise, confirming just how popular Punch is.

The adorable illustration is part of Google’s Search Easter Eggs, which creates unique bits for users. One of the most famous Easter Eggs is typing “Do a barrel roll,” which makes the results page spin. Another fun one is searching “DVD screensaver,” which makes the Google logo float across the screen like DVD screensavers of yesteryear did. Unlike these two Easter Eggs that appear to be permanent, Punch’s animation may be around for a limited time. So, get searching for him on Google, if you don’t want to miss out on it.

As for Punch, the latest update from his caretakers at Ichikawa Zoo is that he was seen without his stuffed animal, and that he was playing with the other baby monkeys. “We received concerns about his left arm, asking ‘Is he injured?’ but we had the vet check him just to be safe. He’s doing fine with no particular issues and is spending his time energetically,” they added.

To stay up to date with Punch, follow the Ichikawa Zoo on X.

If you look up Punch the monkey on Google, heart-shaped illustrations of the adorable baby monkey will rain down from the top of your screen.

Googleで「punch the monkey」って検索するとパンチくんのコンフィティが降ってくる！！#がんばれパンチ pic.twitter.com/Y1O0ASYOFn

— Jun (@iT4rai) February 25, 2026

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READ: Google Displays an Adorable Surprise if You Search for “Punch the Monkey”

 

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For Chris Lynch, accessibility in filmmaking isn’t just a preference—it’s a necessity. That’s precisely why the London-based director, who has brittle bone disease, patented what he believes to be the world’s first wheelchair camera system.

“Filming wasn’t accessible, so I decided to create a camera system that could not only be viewed as a gateway to disabled filmmakers, but a product that would add production value to any set,” Lynch told the BBC in a recent interview.

Called Caerus, Lynch’s system comprises a Steadicam attached to the side of a self-balancing wheelchair with a mount. The equipment is operated using a control panel placed on the user’s lap, circumventing one of the biggest challenges faced by disabled filmmakers, according to Lynch: “Shooting was always a problem for me being a wheelchair user,” he explains in an Instagram post. “I always say, you need four arms: two arms to push yourself and two arms to hold the camera.”

While ideating Caerus in collaboration with Tilta, a cinematography equipment brand, Lynch prioritized a sleek, intuitive design that allows its users to quickly—and subtly—adjust their movements. “This is a brand new system and is the first of its kind being mounted to a wheelchair, which takes all the weight,” Jack Charge, a marketing manager at Tilta, remarked. “It means that you have a wide variety of situations you can use this in like live broadcasts, music videos or even fast tracking shots for long periods.”

Since filing the patent for Caerus last summer, Lynch has showcased the equipment to studios, filmmakers, and cinematography students alike. Jasmine Larkman, a current student at Liverpool Media Academy in east London, had the opportunity to test drive Caerus while at an arts conference. Due to her hemiplegia, a form of paralysis that affects only one side of the body, Larkman is unable to use her right side, but found that Lynch’s wheelchair camera offered an incredible solution to what previously could’ve posed a challenge.

“With this kit, there are so many ways you can use it,” she commented. “It’s really accessible for lots of people.”

Caerus has already been used for some productions, including Channel 4’s Paralympic Homecoming and the BBC documentary In the Driving Seat, which follows Lynch as he travels across Europe to explore the future of mobility and innovative wheelchair designs.

“It was great making this film and seeing some of those inventions,” Lynch said in a BBC radio segment. “There was a stair-climbing wheelchair that we went to look at in Switzerland, which was incredible. To allow someone who’s a wheelchair user to independently go up and down a flight of stairs is in itself a monumental achievement.”

Caerus recently made its official debut at BSC Expo, an international event for film and TV production equipment and technology held in London. The moment was special for Lynch, especially considering that people within the disabled community often “resign themselves to the fact that they can’t” perform tasks related to shooting or cinematography.

“That has been embedded for many, many years,” Lynch continued. “I’d love to see more and more people be able to access this equipment across the industry. It’s exciting and I can’t wait to see where it takes us.”

Chris Lynch, a filmmaker with brittle bone disease, has created what he believes to be the world’s first wheelchair camera system, increasing accessibility within the film industry.

 

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A post shared by Chris Lynch (@chrislynchfilm)

 

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Chris Lynch: Instagram | YouTube

Source: Wheelchair camera ‘is milestone for disabled film-makers’

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READ: Disabled Filmmaker Creates World’s First Wheelchair Camera System

Photo: Monkeybusiness/Depositphotos

A push for a teenagerless internet is gaining ground in Europe. It wouldn’t exactly be teenagerless, but if regulators in countries such as Spain and the Czech Republic are successful, young people under 16 years old would be banned from social media apps, including Instagram and Snapchat.

On February 3, 2026, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced his country’s plans to implement an under-16 ban from social media. “We will protect them from the digital wild west,” he said in a speech at the World Governments Summit in Dubai. Greece, Turkey, Poland, and Portugal were also in support, announcing plans for draft laws in their respective countries.

In France, things have gone further. A lower chamber of the parliament voted in favor of a ban targeting users under 15 years old. It’s now on its way to the French Senate.

Several days after Sánchez’s speech, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis echoed the sentiment, expressing his support for such bans. “I am in favor because the experts I know say that it is terribly harmful to children. We must protect our children,” Babis said in a video statement.

Beyond individual countries, the European Union is considering a ban for kids under 16 across all of its 27 members. They would join Australia, which became the first major country to ban under-16 users from social media in December 2025.

These countries, in one respect, are looking to shield their young people from the negative parts of social media. It’s no secret that it harms some teenagers; social media can be distracting, and it can lead to body image issues. Cyberbullying is also a concern, as is posting something they might regret later. (And because everything lives forever on the internet, it could follow them through to adulthood.)

It should be noted that the research on teens and social media harm can be murky, as there isn’t a shared definition of what social media even is.

Big tech in the U.S. is understandably not happy about these potential bans. Meta, which operates Instagram (one of the biggest social media networks for teens), has appealed to Australian regulators to reverse course. And when Elon Musk learned the recent news about Spain, he took to X to call the prime minister a “true fascist totalitarian,” and “a tyrant and a traitor to the people of Spain.”

There is something else to consider with these bans. In barring teens, everyone will need to prove that they are over the age of 16. And how does that happen? Through age-verification methods like scanning your driver’s license or providing your biometric data. It comes with troubling implications. One of the biggest is that the internet isn’t anonymous anymore, and those who rely on it for their safety, essential information, or vital community resources can be exposed.

Sources: Countries Across Europe Take Action to Ban Social Media for Minors; Spain Aims to Ban Social Media for Children Under 16, Prime Minister Says

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READ: Countries Across Europe Are Considering Social Media Bans for Kids Under 16 Years Old

Over the past few decades, we’ve been introduced to plenty of interactive companions, whether it be a virtual pet like a Tamagotchi or a robotic plush toy like a Furby. For JUE Design and Research Studio, though, these options lacked a more sensory interface. It didn’t take long for JUE to join forces with the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, whose Intelligent Human Machine Mechanical Interface Lab supported the conceptualization of TruTru.

Deftly combining haptic, textural, and visual feedback, TruTru assumes the form of an amorphous, jelly-like creature, complete with a translucent, glowing exterior. The device directly engages with its user through touch, offering a range of responses based on its sensors, temperature regulators, and vibration modules. Aside from emitting a soft light, TruTru can also replicate both natural and artificial surfaces, ranging from stone, wood, and sand to fabric, rubber, and ceramics, achieved through a surface control system that carefully adjusts texture and friction. TruTru can even mimic more fleeting or precious sensations, such as falling rain, swishing wind, fluttering butterfly wings, or rippling water.

Described as a “small, sentient being” by JUE Design, TruTru features several modes depending on its user’s preference. Companion Mode, for instance, heightens the device’s sensitivity to its surroundings, anticipating nearby movement by glowing and initiating tactile sensations. Sleep Mode, on the other hand, supports rest through slow, low-frequency sequences that echo the body’s natural rhythms, including breath and resting heart rate. In this mode, TruTru’s thermal feedback is also maintained between 33°C and 35°C (about 91°F to 95°F), temperatures known to relax the body. These core modes can be complemented through personalization, encouraging its users to tailor their TruTru to their own individual needs.

Beyond that, TruTru boasts four distinct personalities: Huu, Wuu, Shu, and Muu. Each bears a different color, default haptic behavior, gesture responses, and light patterns. To enhance responsiveness, these characteristics can be further altered by its user, together with a companion app. Modular arms add yet another layer of customization, allowing users to switch between different lengths and attachment styles with ease.

“In an increasingly digital world, where virtual interaction dominates, TruTru offers a counterbalance—an embodied presence shaped through touch,” JUE Design writes of the device. “Designed not just to be felt, but to comfort, ground, and connect, TruTru reframes haptic design as a sensory language of care.”

To learn more about this innovative product and its conceptualization, visit the JUE Design and Research Studio website.

TruTru, a new concept for an interactive companion, adjusts its surface texture, temperature, personality, and light patterns based off touch, creating a unique, sensory relationship with its user.

JUE Design and Research Studio: Website

All images via JUE Design and Research Studio.

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