South Korea will develop a smartwatch dedicated to the disaster safety communications network to reduce the equipment burden on responders and deliver key information quickly, the government said. The Ministry of Science and ICT and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety selected the project as a new task under an emergency response research programme and will solicit research organisations. The smartwatch will link to the network and use AI to analyse and summarise communications and send alerts. It will also monitor vital signs and location.

San Mateo County in California has begun drafting a local ordinance that would require businesses to obtain permits before deploying humanoid robots for work. The proposal would include requirements such as emergency stop devices and fire-safety measures, and it would track potential job losses. Permit fee revenue could be used to buy firefighting equipment. Supporters cite rising lithium-ion battery fire risks, while others say safeguards cannot predict every failure.