Each week, we scour the worlds of innovation, tech for good and social impact to bring you seven of our top stories…

1. A robot named Bipedal Cassie has set the Guinness World Record for the robotic 100-meter sprint. Cassie showcased an impressive demonstration of robotics, engineering, and blistering pace! The development of Cassie has been a platform for pioneering research and a milestone in robot locomotion. It’s hoped the droid will set the precedent for future developments in robotics.
2. Artificial Intelligence should be used to “fill the gaps” in the brains of people with dementia, the head of the Alzheimer’s Society has said. There are an estimated 944,000 people living with dementia in Britain, and the figure is expected to increase to more than a million by 2030. Now, most dementia technology is used to track people, rather than helping them live their lives. Keeping people with dementia safe isn’t enough, technology needs to be harnessed to allow people to continue to live as happily and normally as possible.
3. The world’s first spinal surgical hand-held robot is set to make its debut in the United States by 2030. The robot is an integrated surgical system that includes both image-guided navigation and hand-held drilling features. Its outstanding performance on stability, precision, and reproducibility of robot motion can improve outcomes in surgery and help surgeons who usually operate under intense pressure.
4. Artificial intelligence-powered robot dogs could potentially be deployed to the Moon to help study the lunar surface, specifically the plateau, an area notoriously hard to access. The mission – which is known as the Legged Exploration of the Aristarchus Plateau involves a four-legged robot dog which will be able to jump, as jumping is one of the easiest ways to navigate the Moon. This is an important mission as the plateau could be rich in valuable elements and minerals such as oxygen or iron – which would unlock more knowledge about the moon than ever before.
5. Synomics, a UK-based technology company, has announced a new project that aims to help vets and pet-owners monitor their dogs for signs of various common diseases. Bosses have described the partnership as a “breakthrough” as it will provide a more detailed picture of individual pets’ genetic health and therefore enable both vets, and owners, to better manage and monitor health issues as they occur.
6. Scientists at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) have found a new detection technique which could improve breast cancer outcomes. By using measurements of breast tissue, earlier diagnosis can be given to patients and therefore treat the disease more quickly.
7. The Seabin project – a clean tech start-up on an ambitious mission to help solve the global problem of ocean plastic pollution – has installed floating ‘seabins’, which use smart technology to catch plastic and remove other debris from harbour water before it reaches the ocean. Each ‘seabin’ can capture up to 90,000 plastic bags a year and is already having an extremely positive impact on the world’s oceans. This innovation has inspired other start-ups to use low-tech solutions and help contribute to the ocean clean-up.