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 ...

Hi Tech & Innovation

Talking gloves, tactile windows: New tech helps the disabled

Hadeel Ayoub slips a black glove onto her hand before beginning the swish of sign language that is meaningless to the untrained observer. Then she pushes a button on her wrist, and a small speaker relays the message drawn ...

Hi Tech & Innovation

Adaptive anomaly detection in traffic surveillance videos

Researchers at Arizona State University (ASU) have recently developed a new method of detecting unusual activity in traffic surveillance videos, which is based on an adaptive anomaly detection (AAD) framework. Their method, ...

Hi Tech & Innovation

Intercity travel will take to the sky in vertical mode

In the UK, the testing of a flying taxi made the news this week. We can set sight on a new day in vertical aerospace with the company of the same name. A full scale electric vertical take off and landing aircraft has flown ...

Hi Tech & Innovation

When cars fly? Japan wants airborne vehicles to take off

It might sound like pie in the sky, but Japan's government is banking on a future with flying cars, launching an initiative Wednesday with the private sector to develop futuristic vehicles.

Hi Tech & Innovation

Garment with gills will do nicely as we swim to the bank

A breathable garment has been designed for underwater wear and it has futurists thinking along the lines of a wearable that we actually may need for daily tasks. To what extent would this clothing come in handy if sea levels ...

Hi Tech & Innovation

Biometric Mirror highlights flaws in artificial intelligence

In a world-first, University of Melbourne researchers have designed an artificial intelligence (AI) system to detect and display people's personality traits and physical attractiveness based solely on a photo of their face.

Hi Tech & Innovation

New application of blue light sees through fire

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have demonstrated that ordinary blue light can be used to significantly improve the ability to see objects engulfed by large, non-smoky natural gas ...

Business

Hyperloop project goes to China

Hyperloop Transportation Technologies said Thursday it will team up with a southwestern Chinese city to build a new 10-kilometre (six-mile) test track for its high speed hyperloop transportation system.

Hi Tech & Innovation

How awesome is that: A 3D-printed underwater jetpack

What do we know about jetpacks. For one, we can easily think about sci-fi movies where Tony Stark needs to get at villains fast without the cumbersome aid of space vessels, and we see him flying over to crime scenes asap. ...