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Coming soon: A robot to help first responders

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:19 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- A team of engineers at the University of Colorado University at Boulder continues to workshop a small robot that could help first responders in major disasters. According to CU Boulder Today, the robot, named CLARI, weighs less than a ping-pong ball and can fit in the palm of your hand. The tiny robot was introduced in a report published Aug. 30 in the journal “Advanced Intelligent Systems.” These spooky movies will be released this fall The CLARI mini-robot created by Kaushik Jayaram, assistant professor, mechanical engineering and Heiko Kabutz, PhD student, mechanical engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder. (Photo by Casey A. Cass/University of Colorado)In the article, Daniel Strain writes that the plan is for CLARI to fit into small spaces that people can't. The robot is being designed to crawl in spaces like the inside of a jet engine or between the rubble of a collapsed building. CLARI has the ability to change shape from square (1.3 inches wide) t...

Universities announce reopenings after Hurricane Idalia

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:19 GMT

Academic institutions affected by Hurricane Idalia have announced reopenings as the storm passed Florida’s Big Bend area.The following schools will be reopened for in-person and online classes starting Thursday: University of FloridaFlorida State UniversityFlorida A&M University suspended operations at the Tallahassee main campus until Friday. The university is expected to reopen on Tuesday. Updates on the University of South Florida have yet to be announced as they experienced power outages. School officials will make a decision on whether they will be reopening on Wednesday afternoon. According to Poweroutage.us, 218,000 Floridians are currently without power. As the state deals with the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia, officials urge the community to remain safe and vigilant in these times after the destruction.

Man caught on camera stealing golf cart from North Lauderdale cemetery

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:19 GMT

Detectives from the Broward Sheriff’s Office North Lauderdale District are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying and locating a man captured on surveillance video stealing a golf cart from a cemetery. The incident occurred on Aug. 11 at  Our Lady Queen of Heaven cemetery in North Lauderdale, located in the 1500 block of South State Road 7 in North Lauderdale. The surveillance footage shows the suspect, wearing a light-colored NASA shirt and dark NASA shorts, entering the premises. He approached the golf cart, maneuvered it in reverse and backed it into a bush before driving away. As he left, the thief struck the exit gate with the stolen golf cart.Despite the recovery of the stolen golf cart six days later in Coconut Creek, local authorities have yet to locate the thief. Detectives urge anyone with information about the suspect’s identity or whereabouts to contact BSO North Lauderdale District Detective Pedro Almodovar at 954-722-5803 or provide a tip usin...

German politicians demand consequences after Aiwanger’s antisemitic scandals

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:19 GMT

Germany’s top politicians are demanding consequences as the country’s media revealed a new allegation, from a former classmate, of antisemitic behavior by Bavarian deputy premier Hubert Aiwanger during his school days in the 1980s. German daily Süddeutsche Zeitung first reported last Friday on Aiwanger’s involvement in distributing an antisemitic leaflet in high school in the 1980s. Since then, former classmate Mario Bauer claimed the deputy premier made Hitler salutes, made antisemitic jokes and impersonated Hitler while in school.In an interview with German TV public broadcaster ARD, Bauer said of Aiwanger: “He would come in from time to time, when the class was already inside and would make a Hitler salute. He would also always give these Hitler speeches in Hitler slang. He always wanted to attract attention with that. He was making antisemitic jokes about Auschwitz and so on.”During a joint press conference held on the sides of a closed-of...

Manhole fire in Cambridge sends flames shooting onto Harvard Square, closing area to traffic

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:19 GMT

Harvard Square was closed to both vehicle and pedestrian traffic Wednesday morning due to a manhole explosion, according to authorities.The Cambridge Fire Department said crews were originally called to the area of 27 Brattle Street before 8:45 a.m. for reports of a structure fire.By 9 a.m., officials said firefighters were checking for exposure to surrounding buildings, with both Cambridge police officers and Transit Police Department personnel also responding. On Twitter, the Cambridge Police Department said that as of 9:15 a.m., Harvard Square was shut down to both pedestrian and vehicle traffic as crews continued to monitor the situation. The department also shared several images from the scene, including a photo of firefighters standing over what appeared to be the site of the fire, with smoke streaming out of the ground.In a citywide alert, the police department referred to the incident as a “manhole explosion” while noting that no injuries had been reported.Thos...

Emergency crews respond to lake in Hamilton, conduct search investigation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:19 GMT

A search effort got underway at a lake in Hamilton, Mass., Wednesday morning, where crews later found and towed away a vehicle.Police, firefighters and a dive team could be seen operating near a boat ramp at Chebacco Lake around 9 a.m. after receiving a report of a car in a lake.As a 7NEWS crew arrived on scene, a sedan could be seen being towed out of the water and onto a flatbed truck that then left the area.Authorities have not yet said what led up to the vehicle’s removal or what may have happened to its driver.This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates.

Driver killed in early morning crash involving tractor-trailer on I-295 in Attleboro

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:19 GMT

A fatal crash involving a vehicle and a tractor-trailer truck left a driver dead and traffic on I-295 in Attleboro backed up for miles Wednesday morning, according to officials.Massachusetts State Police said it was 6:30 a.m. when troopers were called to a section of the highway close to the I-295/95 interchange.First responders then arrived to find the crash involved a car as well as a 2007 Mack 600 truck.“The driver of the car suffered fatal injuries; the victim was determined to be deceased at the scene,” an MSP news release stated.No details on the condition of the truck driver were given.By 10 a.m., authorities had cleared the scene, with all lanes reopening after traffic was reduced to a breakdown lane.

Red Sox legend David Ortiz alleges he is a victim of extortion and fraud

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:19 GMT

Red Sox legend David Ortiz is warning people to be careful with how they handle their personal information, as the Hall of Famer alleges he is a victim of extortion and fraud.Authorities in the U.S. and his native Dominican Republic are investigating the situation, the former slugger said in a video posted on his Instagram account early Wednesday morning.“I am being the victim of extortion. There are people who hacked my phone from more than fifteen years ago who hadn’t used it in recent times,” Big Papi said in Spanish.“He browsed through my personal life and wanted to extort me with that, meaning that he will sell part of my personal life from what he found on my phone,” Ortiz alleges.Ortiz did not say how many people are involved in the case, adding the suspect(s) also allegedly defrauded his bank accounts. He did not disclose the specific actions or amount of money taken, according to ESPN Deportes.The FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration are investigating in the U.S., whi...

Patriots practice squad tracker: Bailey Zappe, Malik Cunningham re-sign

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:19 GMT

The Patriots made 24 moves to trim their roster down to 53 players on Tuesday, and there will be plenty more transactions to keep up with Wednesday.Waivers cleared at noon, so players can begin signing to practice squads. The Patriots practice at 1:45 p.m. ET, so the team will be in a rush to bring back players to begin preparing for their Week 1 matchup with the Eagles.12:45 p.m.The Patriots are signing QB Bailey Zappe, QB/wide receiver Malik Cunningham and S Joshuah Bledsoe to their practice squad, per sources.12:40 p.m.The Patriots’ first signing is wide receiver Thyrick Pitts, who spent part of training camp in Foxboro. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound wide receiver runs a 4.45-second 40-yard dash and had some impressive moments in camp.

Forklift operator dies in accident at Boston’s Logan International Airport

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:19 GMT

A forklift operator has died in an accident at Boston’s Logan International Airport, authorities said Wednesday.The 51-year-old man, whose name has not been released, was an employee of a JetBlue contractor.He was trying to drive a forklift through a service entrance at an outdoor landing area on Tuesday. The machine collided with a beam, tipped over and landed on top of him, Massachusetts State Police said.A JetBlue employee heard the crash and several co-workers rushed to help, using an aircraft tow bar to lift the forklift and pull him out, police said. Troopers arrived moments later and started performing life-saving measures, state police said. The man was taken to the Boston Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, police said.The investigation is ongoing, police said.