Center for Data Innovation

This week’s roundup of data news from October 3 to October 9, 2026, features the testing of autonomous robotic arms for satellite servicing in orbit and an AI mapping system that combines field observations, drone imagery, and satellite data to monitor Antarctica’s changing ecosystems.

The Center for Data Innovation recently spoke with Jason Bowes, Chief Operating Officer of CloudNC, a UK-based company developing an AI-powered software to automate manufacturing processes. Bowes explained how CloudNC’s software helps manufacturers program computer-controlled machines, test mac...

The World Bank Group has created visuals mapping daily air-pollution levels across cities in the Himalayan Foothills of India and Bangladesh. The visual uses satellite observations, ground monitors, and weather data to track PM2.5, fine particles that can enter the lungs and bloodstream and increase the risk of heart and respiratory diseases. The visualization uses darker col...

Researchers at the University of Porto in Portugal have created a dataset to help develop autonomous robots that can prune grapevines. The dataset contains color and depth images, laser‑based environmental scans, and location data gathered by handheld and robot‑mounted sensors. It aims to train and evaluate physical AI systems that identify grapevines and map vineyard rows, e...

This week’s roundup of data news from September 26 to October 2, 2026, features an AI-powered helmet that helps firefighters navigate smoke-filled buildings and smart glasses that help people with low vision regain their independence.