Hi Tech & Innovation news

Hi Tech & Innovation

Harnessing extended reality to reduce the fear of water

Monash University human-computer interaction researchers have developed a playful water-inspired extended reality system using floatation tanks to help reduce aquaphobia.

Energy & Green Tech

Proof-of-concept study develops battery that would use Martian atmosphere as fuel during discharge

Mars presents a highly complex natural environment, characterized by a variety of gas components—95.32% carbon dioxide, 2.7% nitrogen, 1.6% argon, 0.13% oxygen, and 0.08% carbon monoxide—as well as extreme temperature ...

Electronics & Semiconductors

There's two sides to this semiconductor, and many simultaneous functions

Gallium nitride-based semiconductors have been a boon for high-frequency and power electronics. They've also revolutionized energy-efficient LED lighting. But no semiconductor wafer has been able to do both at the same time ...

Other

Can we find hidden graves of murder victims with soil imaging? New Australian study gives it a try

To avoid being caught, murderers often attempt to hide bodies using various methods. This can include shallow or deep burials, submersion in water, encasing in concrete or even disposing of remains in rubbish bins and suitcases.

Engineering

New device simplifies manipulation of 2D materials for twistronics

A discovery six years ago took the condensed-matter physics world by storm: Ultra-thin carbon stacked in two slightly askew layers became a superconductor, and changing the twist angle between layers could toggle their electrical ...

Hi Tech & Innovation

Japan plans driverless bullet trains

Shinkansen bullet trains could be whizzing around Japan without drivers from the mid 2030s, one of its main rail operators said, motivated in part by the country's demographic crisis.

Engineering

Revolutionizing 3D printing through microwave technology

In the rapidly evolving world of 3D printing, the pursuit of faster, more efficient and versatile production methods is never-ending. Traditional 3D printing techniques, while groundbreaking, are often time-consuming and ...

Business

Google-linked firm wins US approval for drone deliveries

Wing Aviation, a firm owned by Google parent Alphabet, on Tuesday became the first drone operator to be certified as an airline by US authorities, allowing it to begin commercial deliveries in the country.

Hi Tech & Innovation

Tesla CEO plans to hand the car keys to robots next year

Tesla CEO Elon Musk expects to start converting the company's electric cars into fully self-driving vehicles next year as part of an audacious plan to create a network of robotic taxis to compete against Uber and other ride-hailing ...

Hi Tech & Innovation

Adding human touch to unchatty chatbots may lead to bigger letdown

Sorry, Siri, but just giving a chatbot a human name or adding humanlike features to its avatar might not be enough to win over a user if the device fails to maintain a conversational back-and-forth with that person, according ...

Hi Tech & Innovation

Vehicle-to-vehicle Volvo style to swing big in Europe

Vehicle to vehicle communication is on auto industry minds as an important technology piece determining our safe driving future. Discussions around vehicle to vehicle "connected cars" are all about cars communicating with ...

Hi Tech & Innovation

Machine learning drives self-driving approach from Wayve

For the self-driving car skittish, what could be more of a nail-biter than imagining your autonomous car making its way down narrow city streets in the UK, parking permitted on both sides of the space-choked narrow path, ...

Hi Tech & Innovation

A short first hop for 'drone taxi' in Vienna

It was more of a small step than a giant leap, but the first public outing of a pilotless "drone taxi" in Vienna on Thursday nevertheless offered a glimpse into the possible future of urban travel.