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

Saildrone to provide valuable ocean data

Ocean research that seeks to monitor what is happening in the ocean environment—counting fish, assessing food resources, monitoring endangered species included—provides vitally important answers.

Hi Tech & Innovation

Bugatti eyes 3-D printing with titanium

3-D printing using plastic is what we normally read about. That, however, has not deterred curious minds from exploring other materials. While the 3-D printing of auto parts has been interesting in and of itself, luxury car ...

Hi Tech & Innovation

The next generation of cameras might see behind walls

You might be really pleased with the camera technology in your latest smartphone, which can recognise your face and take slow-mo video in ultra-high definition. But these technological feats are just the start of a larger ...

Hi Tech & Innovation

It's time to get ready for augmented reality

The world's largest annual consumer technology show—CES 2018 in Las Vegas—ends today and some of the most exciting gadgets this year were on display in the augmented reality (AR) marketplace.

Hi Tech & Innovation

People don't trust AI—here's how we can change that

Artificial intelligence can already predict the future. Police forces are using it to map when and where crime is likely to occur. Doctors can use it to predict when a patient is most likely to have a heart attack or stroke. ...

Hi Tech & Innovation

Startup unveils 'car of future' for $45,000

A Chinese startup unveiled its vision for the automobile of the future Sunday, promising to deliver an "intuitive and intelligent" car to global markets starting next year from around $45,000.

Hi Tech & Innovation

Patent talk: Apple looks at voice assistance in whispers

(Tech Xplore)—Tell us another one. If you are at all like the rest of us, you wish the Siri-caller conversation could just stop, because you are working in the next cubicle or trying to read and re-read a paragraph in a ...

Hi Tech & Innovation

Microsoft launches preview of its Quantum Development Kit

(Tech Xplore)—Microsoft has officially released a free preview of its Quantum Development Kit (QDK)—a collection of tools that will allow users to create, compile and run programs written in the Q# (pronounced Q sharp, ...

Hi Tech & Innovation

Will artificial intelligence become conscious?

Forget about today's modest incremental advances in artificial intelligence, such as the increasing abilities of cars to drive themselves. Waiting in the wings might be a groundbreaking development: a machine that is aware ...

Hi Tech & Innovation

A self-return spacesuit attends to astronaut safety

(Tech Xplore)—Draper researchers have filed a patent that presents a spacesuit solution for guaranteeing astronauts' safety while on their missions. The last thing they would want is to get lost in space.

Hi Tech & Innovation

A meet-up reveals a step-up in Apollo self-driving tech

Baidu has announced an update to its open-source autonomous driving platform. What is interesting about this update is that it comes on the heels rather quickly of its earlier version and its newer features indicate progress ...