Last update

Robotics

Soft robotics redefined: Meet the light-driven toroidal micro-robot that navigates viscous liquids autonomously

Researchers from Tampere University in Finland and Anhui Jianzhu University in China have made a significant breakthrough in soft robotics. Their study introduces the first toroidal, light-driven micro-robot that can move ...

Robotics

Electricity-free circuit helps free up space for robots to 'think,' say scientists

Engineers have worked out how to give robots complex instructions without electricity for the first time, which could free up more space in the robotic 'brain' for them to 'think.'

Engineering

Solar-powered desalination system requires no extra batteries, could provide drinking water at low cost

MIT engineers have built a new desalination system that runs with the rhythms of the sun. The researchers report details of the new system in a paper appearing in Nature Water.

Automotive

Expert suggests driver's test for autonomous vehicles in US

At a time of growing concern about the safety of self-driving vehicles, a leading expert is calling on the federal government to develop a national driver's test that such vehicles would have to pass before they could travel ...

Energy & Green Tech

Research highlights China's coal transition complexities

A new paper from the University of California San Diego details how China faces numerous political, economic and technological obstacles as it tries to transition away from coal—the country's primary energy source—while ...

Automotive

Will Tesla's robotaxi reveal live up to hype?

After years of talking up Tesla's prowess on autonomous driving, Elon Musk is set to host Thursday a much-hyped robotaxi event amid a mix of anticipation and skepticism.

Business

US industrial policy may strengthen EV battery supply chain

Vehicle electrification is an important pathway to reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. The supply chain for electric vehicle battery materials relies heavily on China, a dependency that can leave the US vulnerable to ...

Machine learning & AI

Meta's Movie Gen lets users animate photos into videos

Meta on Friday provided a look at a generative artificial intelligence model it is working on that lets people create short videos, complete with audio, from text prompts and photos.

Engineering

Chip lets scientists study biocement formation in real-time

Scientists from EPFL and the University of Lausanne have used a chip that was originally designed for environmental science to study the properties of biocement formation. This material has the potential to replace traditional ...

Machine learning & AI

As chatbot sophistication grows, AI debate intensifies

California start-up OpenAI has released a chatbot capable of answering a variety of questions, but its impressive performance has reopened the debate on the risks linked to artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.

Computer Sciences

DeepMind's new AI app plays Stratego at expert level

A team of researchers at DeepMind Technologies Ltd., has created an AI application called "DeepNash" that is able to play the game Stratego at an expert level. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group describes ...

Energy & Green Tech

An amorphous high-capacity iron fluorosulfate cathode

Chemists and engineers have been trying to create increasingly efficient, affordable and stable battery technologies to power a wide range of electronic devices. To do this, they have been leveraging the multi-redox reactions ...

Engineering

Communications system achieves fastest laser link from space yet

In May 2022, the TeraByte InfraRed Delivery (TBIRD) payload onboard a small CubeSat satellite was launched into orbit 300 miles above Earth's surface. Since then, TBIRD has delivered terabytes of data at record-breaking rates ...

Engineering

New process allows 3D printing of microscale metallic parts

Engineers at Caltech have developed a method for 3D printing pure and multicomponent metals, at a resolution that is, in some cases, an order of magnitude smaller than previously possible. The process, which uses water-based ...

Robotics

Soft robots make virtual reality gloves feel more real

Soft robots, or those made with materials like rubber, gels and cloth, have advantages over their harder, heavier counterparts, especially when it comes to tasks that require direct human interaction. Robots that could safely ...

Robotics

Caregiving simulator advances research in assistive robotics

Caregiving robots would be transformative for people with disabilities and their caretakers, but few research groups are working in this space. A new robotic simulation platform developed by Cornell researchers may help more ...