
-
Vance discusses migration during Vatican meeting with pope's right-hand man
-
Afghan FM tells Pakistan's top diplomat deportations are 'disappointment'
-
British cycling icon Hoy and wife provide solace for each other's ills
-
Money, power, violence in high-stakes Philippine elections
-
Iran, US hold second round of high-stakes nuclear talks in Rome
-
Japanese warships dock at Cambodia's Chinese-renovated naval base
-
US Supreme Court pauses deportation of Venezuelans from Texas
-
Pakistan foreign minister arrives in Kabul as Afghan deportations rise
-
Heat and Grizzlies take final spots in the NBA playoffs
-
Iran, US to hold second round of high-stakes nuclear talks in Rome
-
Humanoid robots stride into the future with world's first half-marathon
-
Migrant's expulsion puts Washington Salvadorans on edge
-
Plan for expanded Muslim community triggers hope, fear in Texas
-
Pakistan foreign minister due in Kabul as deportations rise
-
White House touts Covid-19 'lab leak' theory on revamped site
-
Dodgers star Ohtani skips trip to Texas to await birth of first child
-
US senator says El Salvador staged 'margarita' photo op
-
Ford 'adjusts' some exports to China due to tariffs
-
Thomas maintains two-shot lead at RBC Heritage
-
US to withdraw some 1,000 troops from Syria
-
Four killed after spring storms wreak havoc in the Alps
-
Spurs' Popovich reportedly home and well after 'medical incident'
-
Trump goes to war with the Fed
-
Celtics chase second straight NBA title in playoff field led by Thunder, Cavs
-
White House site blames China for Covid-19 'lab leak'
-
Norris edges Piastri as McLaren top Jeddah practice
-
Trump warns US could ditch Ukraine talks if no progress
-
Judge denies Sean 'Diddy' Combs push to delay trial
-
80 killed in deadliest US attack on Yemen, Huthis say
-
Lebanon says two killed in Israeli strikes in south
-
Trump says US will soon 'take a pass' if no Ukraine deal
-
F1 success is 'like cooking' - Ferrari head chef Vasseur
-
Cycling mulls slowing bikes to make road racing safer
-
Macron invites foreign researchers to 'choose France'
-
Klopp 'happy' in new job despite Real Madrid rumours: agent
-
Alcaraz into Barcelona semis as defending champion Ruud exits
-
Vance meets Italy's Meloni before Easter at the Vatican
-
Evenepoel returns with victory in Brabantse Pijl
-
Maresca confident he will survive Chelsea slump
-
Mob beats to death man from persecuted Pakistan minority
-
Lebanon says one killed in Israeli strike near Sidon
-
Arsenal's Havertz could return for Champions League final
-
US officials split on Ukraine truce prospects
-
Client brain-dead after Paris cryotherapy session goes wrong
-
Flick demands answers from La Liga for 'joke' schedule
-
'Maddest game' sums up Man Utd career for Maguire
-
Trial opens for students, journalists over Istanbul protests
-
Gaza rescuers say Israeli strikes kill 24 after Hamas rejects truce proposal
-
'Really stuck': Ukraine's EU accession drive stumbles
-
'Not the time to discuss future', says Alonso amid Real Madrid links

At CES, AI-powered garbage trucks reduce battery fire risk
From laptops to EVs, lithium-ion batteries have fueled phenomenal growth in the 21st century, but businesses struggle with a significant downside: increased fire risk.
At this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES), companies unveiled a next-generation garbage truck designed to detect these highly flammable batteries.
The innovation comes as careless disposal of batteries from smartphones, electric toothbrushes, and other gadgets has become an acute problem at recycling centers. The owner of a New Jersey recycling plant that caught fire early Thursday pointed to the batteries as a likely cause.
In the United States, across the industry, "a couple of recycling centers burn down every year," said Jon Vander Ark, chief executive of waste management company Republic Services.
Republic showcased their solution at CES: a state-of-the-art garbage truck built by industrial company Oshkosh that screens for the batteries.
The vehicle resembles a conventional garbage truck, weighing in at more than 41,000 pounds and capable of carrying nine tons of cargo. But it is fully electric and outfitted with AI software that scans for problem refuse in garbage and recycling loads.
While Republic already uses detection systems at recycling facilities, batteries sometimes slip through.
If undetected, a forklift can run over a small battery and start a fire, Vander Ark told AFP.
The new trucks allow drivers to flag collections containing batteries as sensitive loads before they reach recycling plants.
"Getting that out of the stream is of huge value to us," said Vander Ark.
- Value in trash -
The Oshkosh booth also showcased electric arm technology that can speed up trash collections and software that identifies non-recyclable contamination in recycling bins.
The spiffed-up vehicles provide a font of operational data that can make better use of a trash driver's time, said Oshkosh CEO John Pfeifer.
Companies can pinpoint contamination sources to educate customers or fine repeat offenders, he explained.
The trucks even capture video evidence when drivers can't access bins due to blocked pickup spots.
"When a customer asks, 'Why didn't you pick me up?'...we have video evidence," said Vander Ark.
He noted that waste management is particularly well-suited for electrification since trucks typically travel shorter distances per shift, eliminating the range concerns that often deter everyday EV consumers.
The quieter electric trucks could also allow for earlier morning collections when traffic is lighter, while their overnight charging capability ensures operational readiness.
H.Kuenzler--VB