Film is not something we cover often on CineD, but Kodak has announced a change to their VISION3 Color Negative films worth noting. After more than eight years of development in Rochester, the company is replacing the long used remjet backing with a new Anti Halation Undercoat (AHU). It is the first major structural change to VISION3 in decades.
For context on Kodak’s bigger picture struggles, see our earlier piece: Kodak Faces the Fade Out – Is This the Final Call?
From Remjet to AHU
Remjet has been part of Kodak stocks for nearly a century, protecting against halation, scratches, and static. But it also attracted dirt and required extra water and energy to remove during processing. Kodak’s answer is the new AHU design: a permanent anti static and scratch resistant backside layer plus a protective undercoat beneath the emulsion that washes away during development.
Unprocessed AHU stock looks different, glossy dark brown instead of remjet’s matte black, but once processed, performance is the same. The update will roll out across all VISION3 staples: 500T, 200T, 250D, and 50D, in formats from Super 8 to 65mm.
Behind the scenes in the film processing lab at Fotocinema, Rome | Image source: Kodak
Kodak VISION3: what filmmakers and labs gain
For filmmakers, the transition is seamless. The look of VISION3 stays the same, but results are cleaner, with better protection against dust and halation. Labs meanwhile save water and energy, since remjet removal is no longer part of the bath sequence.
Person holding camera film | Image credit: Luriko Yamaguchi Pexels
Film vs digital
Digital keeps climbing with new sensors and codecs, while Kodak’s update is about refining film for today’s workflows. Performance and sensitometry are unchanged, AHU and remjet stocks can be mixed, and the new anti static layer should lead to cleaner scans.
Screen capture of Kodak’s “Shot on Film” Page
The effort might seem like overkill. David Lynch once called film “a dinosaur” and suggested that digital was easier and superior. But often that very complexity is what delivers a look people still chase. If you want to see what is being made on film today, Kodak keeps a list here: Shot on Film.
For more on how film compares with digital right now, check out Film vs Digital in 2025.
Bottom line
Kodak has simplified their film structure, cut down on lab complexity, and kept the VISION3 look intact. It is a small but meaningful update, proof that film is still evolving even as digital dominates most of the conversation.
Do you think movies look better when they are shot on film stock, or do you prefer the digital look? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
SHENZHEN, China, Sept. 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Professional audio-visual solutions provider Hollyland has confirmed its participation at IBC 2025, one of the world’s premier events for broadcast, media, and content creation, from September 12-15, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. At its booth (11.C27), Hollyland will showcase a range of new products alongside its current bestsellers, highlighting innovations designed to empower filmmakers, broadcasters, and content creators worldwide.
Hollyland to Unveil a Lineup of New Audio-Visual Solutions at IBC 2025 Amsterdam
Hollyland will spotlight its upcoming product, Vcore, set to launch in late September. Positioned as both an entry-level wireless video solution for beginners and a versatile secondary monitor for semi-professional creators, Vcore delivers a truly lightweight shooting experience. By transforming a smartphone into a camera-top monitor while integrating wireless transmission and multifunctional software, it empowers users to capture, monitor, and create with ease. The system supports 4K30/HD and proxy recording, as well as streaming video to up to four mobile devices via the HollyView app. This makes monitoring easy and enables smooth collaboration and efficient workflows.
Also debuting is the Pyro Ultra, expected in Q4 2025, which refines focus pulling to its core essentials. Equipped with a dedicated Focus Mode, it ensures ultra-low latency performance, meeting the focus-pulling demands of most professional video productions. Its “one transmitter to unlimited receivers” capability removes traditional endpoint limits, enabling directors, lighting teams, and camera crews to monitor simultaneously without restriction. With 4K60 resolution, it guarantees sharp detail even during fast-paced motion capture, offering exceptional reliability for high-end cinematic and commercial projects.
The Pyro 5, a compact 5.5-inch monitor and the latest addition to the Pyro ecosystem, will also be showcased. Building on the series’ revolutionary video transmission and monitoring capabilities, it supports 1TX to 4RX with a 400m LOS range, camera control, and proxy recording, streamlining workflows and collaboration. Since its August debut, it has quickly gained traction among creators worldwide.
The VenusLiv Air, launching on September 3, stands out as one of Hollyland’s most anticipated camera innovations. With a 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor, the camera enhances light intake and detail retention, even in low-light scenarios. AI Tuning adjusts exposure, contrast, and color in real-time, delivering strong imagery without manual complexity, ideal for casual users and creators on the go. A wide F1.05 aperture further elevates performance, delivering shallow depth of field and vivid low-light imagery.
The Lyra, also on show, is built with a 1/1.5-inch CMOS sensor for optimized balance in dynamic lighting conditions. Its AI-driven auto-optimization ensures hassle-free capture, while advanced low-light performance reduces noise for pristine night shots. Unique to the model is 48kHz/24-bit audio sampling, which enhances sound fidelity in video recording, bridging the often-overlooked gap between professional imaging and professional sound.
Hollyland will also introduce the Solidcom H1 Wireless Intercom System, set for release on September 12. Designed for mid-to-large teams, it supports up to 80 belt-packs, ensuring seamless communication across expansive production sites. Its 500-meter line-of-sight transmission overcomes distance barriers, while seamless roaming maintains uninterrupted conversations during movement.
With 100 independent groups, the system enables precise communication streams, eliminating crosstalk and miscommunication. Full Dante integration ensures compatibility with professional audio setups, while remote support and cloud communication enhance cross-location collaboration, making it a powerful solution for live events, broadcast sets, and production environments.
Two of Hollyland’s most successful wireless microphone systems will also feature prominently. LARK MAX 2 integrates multiple first-launched innovations such as low-latency wireless monitoring, pioneering 32-bit float recording, AI-driven noise cancellation, catering to both solo creators and multi-talent productions. Meanwhile, the LARK A1 is designed for smartphone users, delivering 48kHz/24-bit recordings, customizable audio settings, and up to 54 hours of battery life in a compact, plug-and-play format.
Beyond the product showcase, Hollyland will host an array of interactive activities, such as the HollyGrab Challenge, Hollyland Creator Connect, to engage visitors and creators at IBC 2025. These activities are designed to foster hands-on product experience, networking, and creative collaboration, while rewarding participants with exclusive prizes.
To date, Microsoft’s efforts to drive AI features into Windows have been largely limited to laptops carrying the Copilot+ branding. Now, MSI has decided that anyone wanting a desktop mini PC should be able to access the same AI tricks and toys like Recall, Studio Effects, Live Captions, Paint Cocreator, and Click to Do.
Now, this is no place to debate the benefits or lack thereof of Windows’ local AI capabilities, but if you think it’s all a bit of a waste of time or worse, then the new MSI Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG is probably not the mini PC for you. On the other hand, if you think features like Recall and Studio Effects are the best things since sliced bread, it could be the answer to your prayers.
MSI Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG: Design
MSI’s mini PCs have remained largely unchanged for several years, all featuring variations on a grey metal box with rounded corners. The new NUC AI+ 2MG maintains that tradition, measuring 135.6 x 132.5 x 50.1mm and weighing just under 1.7 kg. That makes it an easy box to hide away or hang behind a monitor, for which MSI bundles a VESA bracket.
Look at the front panel of the 2MG, and two things jump out at you. The first is the Copilot+ button on the right, and the second is the fingerprint scanner built into the power button on the far left.
(Image credit: Future)
The fingerprint scanner isn’t just there for basic system security but also because some Copilot+ features like Recall will only work on PCs with some form of biometric security.
The Copilot button, as you’d expect, launches the Windows Copilot interface, though it’s easier to click the desktop icon rather than reach over to the box and push the button. Having a Copilot key on a laptop keyboard makes sense; having one on the front of a mini PC, less so.
If MSI doesn’t demonstrate the almost fetishistic desire to squeeze as many ports into as small a space as possible, as some of the Chinese competition like the tiny Geekom A5 does, the NUC AI+ 2MG is still a usefully well-connected machine.
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On the front panel, you’ll find two 10Gbps USB-A ports, a MicroSD card reader, and a 3.5mm audio jack, while around the back, there are two Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI 2.1 video output, dual 2.5G RJ-45 Ethernet jacks, and a brace of USB-A 2.0 ports. All that’s missing is a full-sized DisplayPort video output.
Usefully, the right-hand USB-C port supports 100W power delivery, so you can run the NUC AI+ 2MG from a USB-C charger as well as from the bundled rat-and-tail DC power supply. The only holes in the sides of the 2MG are for a Kensington lock and the remote wired power button that comes in the box.
The remote power button’s usability is rather diminished by the absence of a built-in fingerprint scanner, which means you still have to touch the power button on the box to log in. That rather negates the point of having a remote power button to start with.
That same limitation applies to the NUC AI+ 2MG’s support of MSI’s Power Link system, which lets you turn a PC on by pushing the power button on a connector monitor. Again, you’ll need to touch the scanner on the NUC AI+ 2MG’s power button.
Unusually for a mini PC, there’s no option to add more memory or storage. Given that the RAM is built into the Intel Core Ultra S2 chipset, the former came as no surprise, but looking at the amount of free space inside the 2MG, the absence of a second SSD mount was rather bemusing.
On a positive note, there is easy access to the single M.2 2280 SSD and the wireless card, the latter an Intel AX211 affair supporting 6Ghz Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. The SSD in our test machine was a Phison unit, and it recorded good average sequential read and write speeds of 4,480MB/s and 2,376MB/s, respectively.
MSI Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG: Specs and Performance
(Image credit: Future)
There are two versions of the Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG available in the UK, one based around the Intel Lunar Lake Core Ultra 7 258V CPU, the other around the Core Ultra 9 288V. Both come with Intel’s Arc 140V iGPU, 32GB of integrated RAM, and a 1TB M.2 2280 SSD and run Windows 11 Pro.
What separates the Luna Lake 258V and 288V processors from the Arrow Lake, Meteor Lake, and Raptor Lake competition is the 47 (48 in the case of the 288V) TOPS NPU, which can run AI tasks locally. As Microsoft leans ever more heavily into locally run AI tasks within Windows, this lends the new MSI a useful degree of future-proofing.
The 8-core Intel Core Ultra 7 258V may seem an odd choice of processor for a desktop, given that its intended role is to provide efficient computing for laptops in the name of long battery life, something irrelevant to a desktop setup, but it performed well in our bench tests.
In ITPro’s bespoke 4K multi-media benchmark, the NUC AI+ 2MG scored 301 points, which, if not on a par with the 361 scored by the Core Ultra 9 285H-powered Geekom IT15 we tested recently, is still a healthy score.
In the PCMark 10 benchmark, the NUC AI+ 2MG scored 6,857, which compares to the Geekom’s 7,450 points. The MSI’s score is, however, comfortably ahead of the 4,945 scored by the Ryzen 5-powered Geekmon A5 or the 6,066 scored by the Lenovo ThinkCentre M70q Gen 4 Tiny, which runs on an Intel Core i7-13700T CPU.
When it comes to graphics performance, Intel’s Arc 140V integrated GPU is capable of delivering speeds beyond the most fevered imaginings of its Iris Xe forbears. By way of proof, the NUC AI+ 2MG ran the SPECviewperf 3dsmax 3D modelling benchmark at 26fps, which, if not RTX 50-series discrete GPU-quick, is still usable for serious graphics work.
That MSI has used a CPU designed for efficient running pays dividends when the NUC AI+ 2MG is put under heavy load. After two hours of stress testing, the CPU was running at 75% utilization and with minimal fan noise
Fixed to the inside top of the NUC AI+ 2MG’s frame, where you would more normally expect to find a 2.5-inch HDD bracket, is a speaker enclosure.
It’s not the loudest built-in speaker, pumping out just 71dBA as measured, but against a pink noise source at 1m but it is pleasantly tuneful with a useful amount of bass and absolutely no distortion even at maximum volume.
The sound system is designed with conference calls in mind rather than listening to Brahms’ violin concerto, which is what’s playing as we write this review, but the experience is far from unpleasant.
Audio recorded through the dual microphone array had a slightly echoey quality to it, but the quality certainly suffices for Zoom or Teams calls.
Given the quality of the NUC AI+ 2MG’s audio system and the presence of Microsoft’s Windows Studio Effects webcam filters, you can get away with only adding a basic, cheap webcam and still get pretty decent quality results.
(Image credit: Future)
MSI Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG: Is it worth it?
My main issue with the new MSI Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG is the price. Just shy of £1,300 is a lot for a mini PC, albeit one with a bang-up-to-date chipset. That price applies to the 288V model, and no doubt the 258V version will be cheaper, especially when the product starts hitting UK retail channels in quantity, but we still can’t see the Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG matching the price of the Chinese competition from the likes of Geekom or Acemagic.
Of course, none of the competition boasts Microsoft’s Copilot+ accreditation, and that’s really what sets the new MSI mini PC aside from the competition. If you make regular use of Windows 11’s built-in AI tools, and we must admit to using Recall regularly in the office, then the price premium could well be worth paying.
After all, assuming you have a keyboard, mouse, and monitor already to hand, the MSI Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG is a similar price to a good Copilot+ laptop like the HP EliteBook X G1a or the MSI Prestige A16 AI+.
MSI NUC AI+ 2MG specifications
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Processor
Intel Core Ultra 7 258V 8-core/8-thread
Row 0 – Cell 2
GPU
Intel’s Arc 140V iGPU
Row 1 – Cell 2
RAM
32GB
Row 2 – Cell 2
Ports
Thunderbolt 4 x 2, USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 x 2, USB-A 2.0 x 2, 2,5G RJ-45 x 2, HDMI 2.1 x 1, 3.5mm audio x 1, MicroSD card
Are you confused by Samsung’s earbuds branding scheme and release strategy, and don’t know what member of the Galaxy Buds 3 family you should choose? Even though the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are clearly the company’s greatest wireless earbuds right now and the Galaxy Buds 3 FE are the newest addition to its expansive portfolio of AirPods alternatives, I’m here today to recommend the “regular” Galaxy Buds 3.
These were released alongside their Pro-branded sibling a little over a year ago, originally fetching $179.99 a pair and failing to impress the vast majority of hardcore Samsung fans out there due to their obvious cosmetic similarities with Apple’s AirPods and inferior sound compared to the costlier Galaxy Buds 3 Pro.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3
$74 99
$179 99
$105 off (58%)
True Wireless Earbuds with Active Noise Cancellation, Sound Optimization, Real-Time Interpreter, Adaptive Equalizer, Galaxy AI, Touch Control, Bluetooth 5.4, IP57 Water and Dust Resistance, Up to 5 Hours of Uninterrupted Listening Time, 24 Hours of Battery Life with Case, Silver and White Color Options, Brand-New Condition, Two-Year Manufacturer Warranty Included
Buy at Woot
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3
$30 off (17%)
True Wireless Earbuds with Active Noise Cancellation, Sound Optimization, Real-Time Interpreter, Adaptive Equalizer, Galaxy AI, Touch Control, Bluetooth 5.4, IP57 Water and Dust Resistance, Up to 5 Hours of Uninterrupted Listening Time, 24 Hours of Battery Life with Case, White Color, US Version, Two-Year Warranty Included
Buy at Amazon
But now the Galaxy Buds 3 can be had for a measly $74.99, a crazy low price at which you’ll undoubtedly find the audio quality to be satisfying… at the very least. Believe it or not, you don’t have to cut any corners or make compromises to save a whopping 105 bucks at Woot, where you can find brand-new, unused, unopened, and undamaged units in silver and white colorways backed by a two-year manufacturer warranty in stock for the next five days (at least in theory).
In practice, of course, your demand could overwhelm the supply of the Amazon-owned e-tailer far sooner than that, especially with Amazon itself charging no less than $75 more at the time of this writing for new and untouched Galaxy Buds 3 units with extended two-year warranties.
To understand just how amazing this new limited-time deal is, I should point out that $74.99 is only $5 north of the current price of Samsung’s first-gen Galaxy Buds FE, which are very clearly worse than the Galaxy Buds 3 in virtually every conceivable way.
Then you have the recently unveiled Galaxy Buds 3 FE, which are inexplicably priced at $149.99 without a number of the “standard” Galaxy Buds 3’s premium features and technologies. We’re talking things like 360 Audio, Super Wide Band Call, and Ultra High Quality Audio that you can get for 75 bucks if you hurry, along with top-notch active noise cancellation, Galaxy AI-powered Adaptive Equalizer functionality, and a super-powerful 11mm dynamic driver.
“Iconic Phones” is coming this Fall!
Good news everyone! Over the past year we’ve been working on an exciting passion project of ours and we’re thrilled to announce it will be ready to release in just a few short months.
“Iconic Phones: Revolution at Your Fingertips” is a must-have coffee table book for every tech-head that will bring you on a journey to relive the greatest technological revolution of the 21st century. For more details, simply follow the link below!
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian’s passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for ‘adequate’ over ‘overpriced’.
SEOUL, South Korea, Sept. 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Netmarble, a leading developer and publisher of high-quality games, announced today that its brand-new collectible RPG Seven Knights Re:BIRTH, a remake project of the beloved mobile game Seven Knights, will have its grand launch on September 18 (KST).
The launch date of Seven Knights Re:BIRTH was revealed through a newly released developer video, that can be viewed on the official YouTube channel. Featuring popular gaming content creators Braxophone and IWinToLose Gaming, fans can learn about the game’s key content and features.
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Seven Knights is Netmarble’s flagship IP that has surpassed 100 million cumulative downloads and has received immense enthusiasm and support from fans around the world. The original title, launched in October 2015, received global acclaim for its dynamic visuals, strategic gameplay, and the joy of collecting and nurturing over 500 unique characters.
This new collectible RPG inherits key elements of the original mobile game – including its story, characters, combat systems, and core mechanics – while enhancing the overall user experience with modern gameplay features and the latest gaming trends. Seven Knights Re:BIRTH officially launched in Korea on May 15, 2025 and made a strong debut, reaching the number one spot on the App Store’s “Top Free Games” chart (in Korea) within just seven hours. It also topped both Google Play and the App Store’s “Top Revenue Games” charts in Korea within five days of release.
Pre-registration is now open across multiple platforms, including the official brand website, Google Play, the App Store, and the Netmarble Launcher. Players who pre-register will receive exclusive rewards, such as Legendary Heroes, Hero Summon Vouchers (x10), 2 million Gold, and Key Bundles (x10). In addition, pre-registering through Google Play or the App Store will grant users a Vanguard Set and a special package containing a 5 star pet ‘Croa’, a Skill Enhancement Stone, Golds, Topaz, and Superb Eggs.
For more information on Seven Knights Re:BIRTH, please visit the official website. Fans can also stay up to date by following the official social channels on Facebook and YouTube.
About Netmarble Corporation
Founded in Korea in 2000, Netmarble Corporation is a leading global game developer and publisher. Through acclaimed franchises and strategic partnerships with top-tier IP holders, the company delivers innovative and engaging gaming experiences to audiences worldwide. As a parent company of Kabam, SpinX Games, Jam City, and a major shareholder of HYBE and NCSOFT, Netmarble’s diverse portfolio includes Solo Leveling:ARISE, Seven Knights Idle Adventure, Tower of God: New World, Lineage 2: Revolution, MARVEL Future Fight, Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds and The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross. More information can be found at http://company.netmarble.com.
Some Pixel owners have found a strange notification bug in Android 16.
Affected users found that notifications don’t play any sounds when there’s already a notification in the dropdown menu.
Google has acknowledged the problem and said a fix is coming in the next Android 16 QPR release.
Google released the stable version of Android 16 back in June, and it brings some welcome features to the platform. Unfortunately, the update has also introduced a peculiar bug for some.
A user posted a report on Google’s Issue Tracker back in June, detailing a strange notification issue in Android 16. More specifically, the user and several others found that notifications don’t play any sounds when there’s already a notification in the notification shade.
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“When testing notifications, we realized that subsequent notifications are not playing any sounds, even when volume has been set to the MAX volume, as well as Do-Not-Disturb override permissions are granted (although this issue exists both when DND mode is on and off),” read an excerpt of the user’s report. “Upon dismissing the notifications, the next notification WILL play a sound.”
The issue doesn’t seem to be restricted to a specific Pixel phone family, either. The thread contains complaints from users with Pixel 6 phones all the way to the Pixel 9 range. Affected users also noted that this issue was particularly annoying for alerts from their alarms, smart cameras, and glucose monitors.
The good news is that Google acknowledged the issue on August 7, adding that a fix was on the way:
Thanks for reporting this issue. It’s fixed internally and will be included in the next quarterly release.
It’s unclear whether this bug fix will be included in Android 16 QPR1 or the QPR2 release. The QPR1 release is expected to land later this month, while QPR2 should arrive in December. So it’s possible this bug could be addressed in the coming weeks. In the meantime, some users have shared workarounds to address the issue, such as paying $4 for the Notification Manager app.
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Nearly a decade after its original release, Stardew Valley continues to thrive—and it’s not slowing down anytime soon. Creator Eric Barone, known online as ConcernedApe, has officially confirmed that a 1.7 update is in development, much to the delight of fans.
The announcement came during the opening night of the Symphony of the Seasons world tour in Seattle on August 30, 2025. Speaking to the crowd, ConcernedApe revealed plans to keep expanding the beloved farming sim. He later reiterated on X (formerly Twitter):
“I revealed this at the concert last night and now the cat’s out of the bag. There will be a Stardew Valley 1.7 update. No release date, no estimate. But it’s happening.”
The news comes just months after Stardew Valley made headlines for becoming Steam’s top-rated game of all time in July 2025. Many believed the content-rich 1.6 update would be the game’s final major patch—but clearly, there’s more to come.
While no specific features or additions have been detailed yet, fans can expect more than just minor quality-of-life tweaks. Historically, each major update has brought new content, areas, characters, and hidden secrets. It’s safe to assume 1.7 will follow suit, though the specifics remain under wraps for now.
As with all Stardew updates, patience will be key. ConcernedApe continues to work solo, handling everything from pixel art and music to game design and programming. With no release window provided, 1.7 will launch only when it’s ready.
Notably, Stardew Valley will celebrate its 10th anniversary on February 26, 2026. While there’s no confirmation, this milestone could serve as an ideal moment for Barone to share more about what’s in store.
For now, fans can rest assured that Stardew Valley isn’t going anywhere. With the 1.7 update officially on the way, there’s still plenty of life left in Pelican Town.
Engineers have developed tactile sensors with increased sensitivity, thanks to auxetic mechanical metamaterials.
Engineers have developed tactile sensors with increased sensitivity, thanks to auxetic mechanical metamaterials. Tactile sensors are common amongst technologies such as touchscreens, touchpads, smartwatches, and fitness trackers. These sensors convert physical stimuli, such as pressure or force, into an electrical response within the device. Beyond consumer electronics, tactile technology is highly relevant for advanced prosthetics, industrial robotics, security systems, and healthcare devices that give feedback on the users’ physical movements for health monitoring.
Mechanical metamaterials (MMs) have gained popularity for building tactile sensors and actuators thanks to the tunability of a wide range of their physical properties. These can be introduced by tweaking their periodic cellular architectures to concentrate or amplify the pressure applied to the sensor.
Comparison of deformation behavior between a positive and a negative Poisson’s ratio material. Image credit: Mingyu Kang et al., doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202509704.
Interestingly, a category of MMs called auxetic mechanical metamaterials (AMMs) exhibits negative Poisson’s ratio, i.e., when compressed, they tend to contract laterally instead of expanding. Prof. Soonjae Pyo’s team at Seoul National University of Science and Technology used digital light processing, a 3D printing technique for curing photopolymerizable materials layer-by-layer, to develop silicon rubber-based AMMs comprising specifically arranged spherical voids in a cubic lattice. The joints around these spherical voids facilitate the above-mentioned lateral contraction as they tend to undergo rotational deformation under applied stress.
The team built two kinds of tactile sensors based on such AMMs: capacitive sensors, that respond directly to pressure modulation, and a carbon nanotube (CNT)-coated resistive sensor (C-AMM) that responds to changes in resistance in a material when deformed. A capacitive sensor is typically more sensitive to small changes in pressure, while a resistive sensor is favorable for detecting larger pressures, thereby complementing each other.
Exploring a possible real world application, the team developed a resistive sensor by creating a sensor array, wherein 16 C-AMM units are arranged in a grid of 4 rows and 4 columns each, creating a 16-pixel grid, each integrated between custom-built electrodes.. Such an array was subjected to varied levels of stress from non-contact to multiple points to assess its sensitivity and spatial discrimination. Further, the researchers developed a smart insole comprising a pair of electrodes and C-AMM sensor arrays sandwiched inside polymeric films, which they installed in shoes for gait monitoring and pronation analysis while the user is out for a walk.
Design of the AMM sensor (left). Architecture of the sensor (right). Image credit: Image credit: Mingyu Kang et al., doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202509704.
This research offers what the authors call a “structure-centric design approach, decoupled from specific material choices,” which can serve as a strategy for building customized tactile sensors capable of better strain concentration and energy dissipation for the improved sensitivity of prosthetics, biomedical devices for health monitoring, and extending the capabilities of robots.
EA confirms Skate early access for Sept. 16, 2025. The free-to-play reboot launches on PS4, PS5, Xbox, and PC with crossplay, new tricks, and San Vansterdam.
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Electronic Arts has confirmed that Skate will launch in early access on September 16, 2025. The release will be free-to-play and available across PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam, the Epic Games Store, and the EA app. The date was confirmed in an official trailer following earlier statements from EA and Full Circle that placed the launch in Summer 2025, though without an exact day.
The game, first announced in 2020, is being developed by Full Circle, a studio established by EA to lead the project. Skate is presented as a full reboot of the franchise, which has not seen a mainline release in more than 15 years since Skate 3 in 2010. At launch, the title will follow a live-service model with cross-platform play and cross-progression, so players can connect across different systems and access the same account on multiple platforms.
Set in the city of San Vansterdam, the game presents a massive multiplayer open world designed as a skateboarding playground. According to EA, San Vansterdam includes four neighborhoods named Hedgemont, Gullcrest, Market Mile, and Brickswich, each with its own style and challenges. The city features parks, plazas, rooftops, ramps, traffic, and skateable locations such as the House of Rolling Reverence, a former church that has been transformed into a trick-focused venue. Custom-made objects can also be found suspended in the sky, designed to be skated upon.
Gameplay will run on the Frostbite Engine, with the series’ “Flick-it” system confirmed to return. Alongside familiar mechanics, new tricks, including wallies, slappies, and firecrackers, will be available. The game will follow a seasonal content model, adding updates every three months with new content, live events, and cosmetic items.
A soundtrack featuring over 100 songs will be included at launch. Fans have also been able to preview the game in closed playtests, which introduced microtransactions for cosmetic items. EA confirmed that all purchases made before early access will be reset, and any money spent will be refunded.
The developers have stated that Skate requires an internet connection and an EA account in order to play. Full Circle explained that the always-online design is necessary for the vision of a “living, breathing, massively multiplayer skateboarding sandbox that is always online and always evolving.” The studio also said that this setup would support larger changes to the city over time, along with smaller additions such as live events and in-game activities.
Over one million people signed up for the closed playtests, which set an internal record for EA. Gameplay footage, trailers, and leaks have also given fans early glimpses of the title. A preview earlier this year described the gameplay as refined, the world as large and fun to explore, and the sandbox as having a “do what you want” style.
Executive producer Mike McCartney has described Skate as both a return and a complete evolution of the franchise, designed to capture the freedom, creativity, and community of skateboarding. McCartney also stated that the project has been built in partnership with players and aims to honor the legacy of the series while moving it into a new future.
Weekly, we get a look at all of the games that are selling the most throughout Steam. Whether it’s through microtransactions, actual game purchases, or pre-orders, we get a look at what’s earning the most revenue per week!
We take a look at these numbers to let you know what’s trending in the industry. Here are the top 20 best-selling games on Steam last week!
