This week’s list of top data news highlights covers July 5, 2025 to July 11, 2025 and includes articles on accelerating cancer trials and reducing food waste in manufacturing systems.
1. Exploring Shipwrecks with Robots
Researchers at Stanford University have developed OceanOneK, a robotic diver that lets people explore the deep sea remotely. The robot has sensors in its hands that detect pressure and movement, and this information is sent back to the pilot through special hand controls that simulate the feeling of touch. This allows the pilot to feel what the robot is touching, making it easier to handle fragile objects like coral or artifacts. OceanOneK has been used to inspect shipwrecks over 800 meters deep, including a World War II submarine.
EssilorLuxottica, the Italian company behind Ray-Ban, has launched Nuance Audio—AI-powered eyeglasses that double as hearing aids. The glasses use microphones in the frame to detect surrounding sound and AI to filter out background noise, amplify speech, and adapt in real-time to changing environments. Tiny speakers near the ears deliver clearer audio, while a companion app lets users fine-tune settings like volume, frequency boost, and sound direction. Designed for people with mild to moderate hearing loss, the glasses offer a discreet, all-in-one alternative to traditional hearing aids.
Pi Health, a Massachusetts-based company, built AI software to make clinical trials faster by reducing paperwork, catching errors, and automating the reports needed for approval. To demonstrate its effectiveness, the company needed a hospital willing to use the system across every part of a trial—from patient enrollment to final documentation. Rather than wait for an existing hospital to adapt, Pi Health opened its own cancer hospital in India. A cancer drug tested there, using Pi’s software, was approved by Indian regulators in just seven months, less than half the usual time.
Overjet, a dental AI company based in San Mateo, California, has developed software that helps dentists detect oral disease and explain diagnoses more clearly. It uses machine learning to scan dental X-rays for signs of issues like cavities or bone loss, highlights those areas directly on the image, and labels them with measurements of severity. This makes it easier for patients to see what’s wrong and understand why treatment is needed.
U.K.-based AI company digiLab is working with Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology to support coral reef monitoring and restoration in the Red Sea. They’ve built computer vision models that analyze underwater video and automatically measure coral growth and condition; machine learning algorithms that identify optimal sensor placement to capture the most useful data with fewer devices; and a digital twin that simulates reef behavior in real time and detects anomalies by comparing live sensor data to expected patterns. To manage the vast volume of data this generates, a LLM helps researchers search and interpret complex environmental datasets in real-time.
NYX Professional Makeup has launched Beauty Bestie 2.0, an augmented reality try-on tool available on Snapchat. It uses AI to analyze a user’s skin tone, hair, and eye color to recommend personalized makeup looks based on seasonal palettes. The tool includes virtual color testing to help users find the right shade and better understand how different products will look before buying.
Innov8.ag, a Washington-based agtech company, is using AI to help blueberry farmers better predict harvest timing, manage crop yields, and run more efficient operations. By analyzing satellite images and data collected from sensors in the fields, the system tracks how blueberries are ripening, how nutrients are distributed in the soil, and how production varies across different areas. These real-time insights help farmers make faster, more informed decisions, improving profits while keeping up with growing demand.
8. Sorting Cartons Autonomously
Recycleye, a London-based startup, has developed an AI-powered sorting system that helps recycling centers separate cartons from other waste. As trash moves along a conveyor belt, the system uses cameras and machine learning to scan each item and identify beverage cartons. When it spots one, it triggers a burst of air to push the carton into the correct bin. The system is now operating at a recycling facility in Cumbria, where it’s achieving 98 percent accuracy in carton recovery.
Polysense, a Belgian startup, has developed AI-powered inspection systems that help food factories reduce waste and improve efficiency. Its tools use cameras and machine learning to spot defects, such as undercooked fries or uneven slices, on the production line. When it detects a problem, the system can automatically adjust processing equipment like fryers or conveyors to automatically fix the issue. This tight feedback loop cuts down on rework and product loss.
Alex Kachkine, a PhD student at MIT, has created a new way to restore damaged paintings using AI and special printed films. First, the painting is scanned, and an AI model analyzes the image to recreate the missing or damaged parts based on the original style and content. Then, a machine prints a thin, removable film that fits exactly over those damaged areas, allowing restorers to repair the painting without touching its fragile surface. Tested on a 15th-century painting with over 5,600 damaged spots, this method reduces restoration time from months to just hours.
