Snap and Meta unveil new AR glasses – plus other technology news to know

Technology giants Snap and Meta have unveiled new augmented reality (AR) glasses as the firms look to develop wearable tech hardware that can rival or replace smartphones.

In September, Snap announced the fifth generation of its Spectacles product which can overlay digital graphics onto the physical world. The technology is only available to developers who will need to pay $99 a month for a full year to build AR apps that can be used on the device.

Later in the month, Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, unveiled new lightweight AR glasses at the company’s annual conference. The prototype, dubbed Orion, is also capable of overlaying 2D and 3D content on the real world and can use AI to analyse use to provide wearers with proactive suggestions.

The device can be operated with hand signals but also via signals from the body - including from the brain - via wristbands.

A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule has docked at the International Space Station (ISS) to bring home stranded astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams. However, they will still have to wait until February 2025 to return to Earth.

The astronauts travelled to space aboard a Boeing Starliner in June on what was planned to be an eight-day visit. However, technical issues, including thruster failures and helium leaks, meant that their return was delayed.

Boeing and Nasa spent several months investigating issues before taking the decision to return the capsule empty.

The SpaceX capsule, manned by Nasa astronaut Nick Hague and Roscomos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, had been due to transport four astronauts but travelled with two empty seats to allow for Wilmore and Williams to return to Earth.

Since the retirement of Nasa’s shuttle fleet, the US has been reliant on Russia’s Soyuz crafts to bring astronauts to and from the ISS.

The agency awarded both Boeing and SpaceX contracts in 2014 as part of a key goal to enable two American companies to perform space missions.

Space exploration is already helping to tackle the greatest challenges on Earth, says astrophysicist Simonetta Di Pippo. Watch her interview here:

A Texas-based hotel and campground is expanding to build what it says is the world’s first 3D-printed hotel. El Cosmico, situated on the outskirts of Marfa, is building 43 new hotel units and 18 residential homes across 60 acres of land. Owner Liz Lambert has partnered with Austin-based 3D printing company ICON and architects Bjarke Ingels Group and says the approach allows for complete creativity.

A miniature scanner developed by scientists at University College London in the UK could revolutionize medical imaging. The technique - known as photoacoustic tomography - uses lasers instead of harmful X-rays to see beneath the skin.

Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD has recalled nearly 97,000 cars over a manufacturing fault related to a steering control unit. The fault could lead to fire risk, according to a statement from the State Administration for Market Regulation.

Scientists at the University of Southampton in the UK have stored DNA information for an entire human on a crystal. The information could be used to bring humanity back in the event of extinction. A laser was used to inscribe the data on a 5D crystal which will not degrade over time.

Hurricane Helene has caused untold damage and caused at least 150 deaths across the US state of Florida. It has also taken out the biggest-known deposit of high-purity quartz, reports Wired, leaving the global tech supply chain potentially without an essential component for microchips.

The global space economy will grow to $1.8 trillion by 2035, according to a World Economic Forum report, but how will it affect our daily lives? Dr Alice Bunn, President of the UK Space Trade Association, explains to the Forum how space technology is impacting our daily lives more than many of us imagine. Watch her interview here.

While countries around the world are setting electric-vehicle targets, infrastructure must support the transition. The World Economic Forum’s Global New Mobility Coalition has launched a new resource for city governments to foster investment from the private sector in EV charging. Read about it here.

According to the World Green Building Council, buildings contribute almost 40% of global carbon emissions. But innovations such as low-emissivity glass and smart retrofitting are helping to reduce carbon footprints in the built environment. Find out how in this article.