Hi Tech & Innovation news

Electronics & Semiconductors

'Impossible' low-loss, tunable dielectric achieved in microwave electronics

The result on his computer screen looked impossible. Late one night in 2009, Nate Orloff was alone in a laboratory, analyzing measurements from a set of experimental thin films sent to him by Darrell Schlom, the Tisch University ...

Electronics & Semiconductors

Dog-bone design helps 2D nanoribbon transistors stay fast and efficient as widths shrink

Transistors, small semiconductor-based switches that control the flow of electricity, are central components of all electronic devices, from computers to smartphones, wearables, sensors and smart appliances. Over the past ...

Engineering

A new type of pixel can steer and analyze light, paving way for devices that function as both camera and display

In 1927, the term "picture element," later abbreviated to "pixel," appeared for the first time in the American technology magazine Wireless World. Today, pixels are everywhere: in computer screens and television sets, where ...

Hi Tech & Innovation

Neural-machine interfaces reveal that brain senses hand movement through grasp synergies

A research team led by Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa, in collaboration with Cleveland Clinic, has uncovered new insight into how the brain senses movement. Their findings, published in Science Advances, could ...

Energy & Green Tech

Seaweed-based ingredient helps turn dirt into 3D-printed walls

An ingredient that gives ice cream a creamier texture could make natural earthen materials like clay and sand easier to 3D print into durable structures, according to new research led by scientists at the University of Colorado ...

Engineering

Infrared filter could help detect pollution and disease

Researchers have developed a tiny, electrically tunable infrared filter that could help shrink bulky thermal sensing systems onto portable chips—a technology that could lead to handheld pollution detectors, compact multispectral ...

Hi Tech & Innovation

AI museum brings sights, sounds and smells of the rainforest

The squawks of macaws, the smell of wet earth after rain and a swirl of colors will transport visitors from a Los Angeles museum to the heart of the Amazon rainforest—or rather, an AI version of it.

Hi Tech & Innovation

Paint it black(er): A new way to make cars darker than ever

Scientists have developed a practical way to make ultra-black coatings to meet demand for trendy, luxury vehicles in China. The coating, described in a paper published in Matter & Light, is made up of a composite of carbon ...

Hi Tech & Innovation

Innovations on show at Paris Vivatech fest

Around 15,000 startups from around Europe and beyond are showing off their wares at the VivaTech trade show in Paris until Saturday.

Engineering

Ease of use is key to exoskeleton adoption, engineers show

Wearable exoskeletons can help reduce physical strain in the workplace and protect employees from injury, but the technology has yet to achieve widespread adoption. A new study published in PLOS One by engineers at The University ...

Electronics & Semiconductors

Using sound waves to create a smart T-shirt

Imagine wearing a T-shirt that measures your breathing or gloves that translate your hand movements into commands for your computer. Researchers at ETH Zurich, led by Daniel Ahmed, Professor of Acoustic Robotics for Life ...

Energy & Green Tech

Interlocked electrodes push silicon battery lifespan beyond limits

As demand surges for batteries that store more energy and last longer—powering electric vehicles, drones, and energy storage systems—a team of South Korean researchers has introduced an approach to overcome a major limitation ...

Hi Tech & Innovation

Baidu plans self-driving taxi tests in Europe this year

Chinese tech giant Baidu plans to start testing self-driving taxis in Europe for the first time by the end of this year, a source with knowledge of the matter confirmed to AFP on Wednesday.

Energy & Green Tech

UK lab promises air-con revolution without polluting gases

The soft, waxy "solid refrigerant" being investigated in a UK laboratory may not look very exciting, but its unusual properties promise an air-conditioning revolution that could eliminate the need for greenhouse gases.

Engineering

'Countersnapping' structures shrink when pulled

When you pull something—like a rubber band—you expect it to get longer. But what if it did the opposite? What if it suddenly shrank instead? In a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers ...