Washington Heights

Engineers at the University of Washington have developed a tiny robot capable of precisely controlling how high it jumps. The advance could matter for applications requiring navigation over uneven terrain, such as search-and-rescue, environmental monitoring or inspection in confined spaces. Robotics researchers and technology observers are taking note of the precise jump-height control, a difficult capability to engineer at small scale.

A man in Washington Heights, Manhattan, has spent 100 days cleaning one city block each day, and neighbors have started joining his effort. The story has drawn attention for showing how a single person's consistent volunteer work can build community participation and improve shared public spaces in a New York neighborhood.