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See a flying, walking bipedal robot tackle a slackline and skateboard

Don’t let this feed into your unfounded fears of some silly robot apocalypse.

It’s a good thing we’re not living in some sci-fi dystopia where sentient robots are out to get us. Instead, let’s focus on the very real accomplishments of Leonardo, a bipedal robot with a unique way of getting around.

Leonardo stands for «LEgs ONboARD drOne,» but you can call it LEO for short. LEO is the creation of Caltech researchers, who were inspired in part by how birds can flap their wings and also hop and walk with their legs. The robot is able to pull off tricky moves like walking on a slackline and riding a skateboard.

«LEO is the first robot that uses multi-joint legs and propeller-based thrusters to achieve a fine degree of control over its balance,» Caltech said in a statement on Wednesday. The university shared a video where LEO shows off how it blurs the lines between human-like robots and drones.

The Caltech team published a paper on the robot today in the journal Science Robotics. LEO’s versatility means it can call on its walking skills, its flying ability or a combination of the two depending on the terrain and its goals. Caltech described LEO as having «uncanny balance.»

After seeing videos of Boston Dynamics harassing their own robot creations, you might wonder how LEO would respond. «Because of its propellers, you can poke or prod LEO with a lot of force without actually knocking the robot over,» said Elena-Sorina Lupu, a co-author of the paper.

The researcher are already eyeing ways to make LEO more energy efficient by upgrading the leg design to rely less on the propellers for balance while walking. The team is also working on making it more autonomous so it can assess its environment and decide how best to navigate it.

The robotics team sees a possible future for this technology on Mars, where it could represent a new generation of rotorcraft. The concept would build on the success of NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter. Imagine Ingenuity with legs, able to land safely on uneven terrain. LEO, the interplanetary explorer? It could happen.

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Two EV models that Sony was developing with Honda, the Afeels 1 sedan and an Afeela SUV, are now discontinued.

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My 3 Favorite Bose Headphones Deals on Amazon Aren’t Actually From Bose

Baseus’ Inspire XH1, XP1 and XC1 headphones with Sound by Bose are up to 23% off during Amazon’s Big Spring Sale. A bonus item makes the deal even harder to ignore.

I gave CNET Editors’ Choice awards to Baseus’ Bose-infused Baseus Inspire XH1 headphones and Inspire XP1 earbuds because they’re well designed and sound decent consider their prices. I also liked Baseus’ Inspire XC1 clip-on earbuds, which have dual drivers. They even earned a spot on CNET’s best clip-on earbuds list and are probably the best clip-on buds at their price right now.  

Amazon’s Big Spring Sale just kicked off, and it’ll be around through March 31. Right now, all three models are discounted to $100 to $123, bringing them near their all-time low prices. 

That’s a deal I’d highlight on its own, but if you click through to any of those models’ Amazon product pages and look closely, you’ll see that each is eligible for «one free item» with purchase. 

Read more: Best Wireless Earbuds of 2026

You must click the how to claim link first. Then click a button on the left side of the screen (above the stars for average ratings) to switch the view from «qualifying items» to «benefit items» and see the freebie. The items tend to be Baseus’ entry-level headphones or earbuds, but if you don’t like the free item option with a $120 purchase, you can try the options at lower prices.   

You can read my full reviews of the Inspire XH1 headphones here and the Inspire XP1 earbuds here. And here’s my quick take on the Inspire XC1 earbuds:

Like Baseus’ noise-isolating Inspire XP1 earbuds, which I rated highly, the Inspire XC1 have Sound by Bose and a more premium design than earlier Baseus earbuds. The XC1 don’t sound as good as the XP1, they’re decent open earbuds and are equipped with dual drivers (one is a Knowles balanced-armature driver that helps improve treble performance). While they don’t produce as much bass as noise-isolating earbuds like the Inspire XP1, their bass performance is better than I expected. The buds’ sound is pretty full, especially in quieter environments, though they do better with less bass-heavy material. I did notice a bit of distortion at higher volumes with certain tracks that feature harder-driving bass.

While I slightly prefer the design and fit of Bose’s Ultra Open Earbuds, as well as the design of their case, and think the Bose buds sound more natural and a tad better overall, the much more affordable Inspire XC1 fit comfortably and offer top-tier sound for clip-on open earbuds, as well as decent voice-calling performance with good background noise reduction. And they play louder than the Bose, too.

You can grab the Inspire XH1 for $123, the XP1 for $100 and the XC1 for $110, saving you up to 23%. Just remember to claim your free item with your purchase.

Read more: Best Headphones We’ve Tested

For other audio deals happening now, our CNET shopping experts have rounded up headphones, speakers and earbuds deals across a variety of brands and budgets.

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