https://techxplore.com/rss-feed/hi-tech-news/ en-us The latest news on hi-tech, innovation and new inventions technology, computer news and information In a step toward developing next-generation, AI-enabled 6G wireless networks, scientists have demonstrated a laser-driven engine made from an easy-to-manufacture ceramic material that uses white light to move information over large distances. While conventional LED-based visible light communication (VLC) systems typically operate over only a few meters, the novel photonic engine—described in a study published in Matter—can move data over 1.2 kilometers. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-laser-powered-intelligent-6g-networks.html Telecom Fri, 22 May 2026 11:00:02 EDT news698575201 A new skin-like computing patch developed at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (UChicago PME) can analyze health data using artificial intelligence in an unprecedented way. Unlike today's wearable devices, it carries out its AI computations directly on the body, in mere milliseconds, without relying on a wireless connection. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-ai-powered-stretchable-patch-algorithms.html Electronics & Semiconductors Thu, 21 May 2026 17:20:04 EDT news698602201 McGill University researchers have discovered a new way to fold flat sheets into smooth, curved shells that can switch from floppy and flexible to stiff and load-bearing on demand. By designing a special origami pattern and threading cable-like elements through it, they can control the material's final three-dimensional shape and how rigid it becomes. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-origami-pattern-flat-sheets-3d.html Engineering Thu, 21 May 2026 15:40:03 EDT news698596321 The use of biometric data in personal devices has been popular with consumers for tracking things like heart rate and sleep stages, but it is becoming increasingly common for identification purposes too. Identifying data can be used for device security authentication, secure access control and identity verification for financial transactions, which can make everyday activities like making purchases, using devices or entering your home more convenient, while providing enhanced security. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-earphone-users-heartbeat-authentication.html Hi Tech & Innovation Thu, 21 May 2026 13:50:01 EDT news698589354 Music lovers may one day be able to blast their favorite artists, headphone-free, without angering the neighborhood or colleagues, thanks to researchers at Penn State. The team designed a system that can manipulate sound waves so that they are only audible at a precise spot slightly wider than an inch. Despite this tiny focal point, their system can produce high-quality audio, potentially offering listeners a crisp, yet private, sound experience. The team detailed their work in a paper recently published in IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-3d-speaker-focus-audio-private.html Consumer & Gadgets Thu, 21 May 2026 13:20:07 EDT news698587561 In 2025, EPFL scientists published an improved approach to tomographic volumetric additive manufacturing (TVAM): a 3D printing method that uses laser light to harden a rotating vial of photosensitive resin into a desired shape. In that work, the researchers used holograms to encode 3D forms by modulating the alignment (phase) of light waves rather than their brightness (amplitude), as previous methods had done, preserving far more of the laser's power. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-holographic-boosts-tissue-3d-efficiency.html Engineering Thu, 21 May 2026 11:20:04 EDT news698580421 Two artificial intelligence (AI) systems that can assist throughout multiple processes involved in scientific research—such as generating hypotheses, designing experiments, and analyzing data—are presented in Nature. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-ai-scientific-discoveries.html Hi Tech & Innovation Wed, 20 May 2026 12:00:03 EDT news698496303 In the aftermath of a devastating earthquake, unpiloted aerial vehicles (UAVs) could fly through a collapsed building to map the scene, giving rescuers information they need to quickly reach survivors. But this remains an extremely challenging problem for an autonomous robot, which would need to swiftly adjust its trajectory to avoid sudden obstacles while staying on course. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-source-framework-drones-dodge-obstacles.html Robotics Tue, 19 May 2026 15:20:04 EDT news698422499 The effects of global warming are becoming increasingly evident and catastrophic. To prevent irreversible consequences, international scientific consensus emphasizes the importance of mitigating climate change in ways that limit global temperature rise to within 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-solar-power-gain-ground.html Energy & Green Tech Tue, 19 May 2026 11:00:03 EDT news698322690 Researchers from IMDEA Materials Institute have developed a multifunctional Kevlar-based composite material capable of combining structural performance with integrated strain sensing, electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and de-icing functionalities. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-multifunctional-kevlar-fabric-emi-de.html Engineering Mon, 18 May 2026 13:40:06 EDT news698329981 Researchers at Tokushima University have demonstrated single-channel wireless transmission at 112 Gbps in the 560 GHz band using soliton microcombs, marking a significant step toward next-generation 6G communications. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-microcombs-gbps-wireless-link-ghz.html Telecom Mon, 18 May 2026 05:00:09 EDT news698070242 Engineers have developed a new ultra-thin membrane that allows fuel cells to operate more efficiently at high temperatures by enabling proton transport without water, overcoming a key limitation in clean energy technologies. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-ultra-thin-membrane-enables-high.html Energy & Green Tech Fri, 15 May 2026 14:00:05 EDT news698059284 Imagine a car whose windows and sunroof can help top up its battery while parked under the sun, or a pair of smart glasses whose lenses can harvest light to power built-in electronics. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-scientists-invisible-solar-cells-windows.html Energy & Green Tech Thu, 14 May 2026 12:10:26 EDT news697979341 Researchers from the group of theoretical physicist Hans Briegel have collaborated with NVIDIA to develop an AI method that automatically generates efficient quantum circuits, a key bottleneck in making quantum computers practically useful. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-quantum-circuits-ai.html Hi Tech & Innovation Thu, 14 May 2026 10:20:04 EDT news697971250 It sounds like science fiction, but also strangely familiar: drones buzzing around, inspecting tomatoes in greenhouses, delivering your package or inspecting an industrial site. With all the talk about drone-swarms, development in drones seems to move fast. But their navigation still requires a lot of computing power and memory, making them heavy, expensive and energy-hungry. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-honeybees-drones.html Robotics Wed, 13 May 2026 11:00:24 EDT news697883521 As the world works to alter the trajectory of climate change, most attention focuses on reducing humanity's reliance on fossil fuels and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Yet a major source of carbon dioxide (CO2) is cement production, which accounts for 8% of global CO2 emissions. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-electricity-cement-carbon-footprint.html Energy & Green Tech Wed, 13 May 2026 08:00:06 EDT news697712521 Imagine a surgical robot that could detect the boundary between a tumor and healthy tissue during an operation; not by sending images offsite for testing, but by quickly analyzing subtle differences fast enough to guide the surgeon's next move. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-optical-sensors-dont-fast-surgery.html Electronics & Semiconductors Tue, 12 May 2026 18:20:08 EDT news697818272 Researchers in South Korea have developed a new sign language translation system based on users wearing seven rings equipped with sensors. According to a new study published in the journal Science Advances, the technology can reliably recognize and translate both American and International sign language words with roughly 88% accuracy. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-smart-language-barriers-movements-instant.html Consumer & Gadgets Tue, 12 May 2026 14:10:01 EDT news697722046 A Carnegie Mellon University research team has developed a pioneering technology that manipulates thermal radiation with the precision of pixels. The work, published in Science Advances, outlines a method for "digitizing heat," allowing for the intelligent, high-speed, and continuous control of thermal emission. This breakthrough holds significant promise for applications ranging from advanced thermal camouflage to chemical sensing. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-tiny-thermal-barcode-flips-invisible.html Engineering Tue, 12 May 2026 10:20:05 EDT news697799247 Quantum technologies, devices that perform specific functions leveraging quantum mechanical effects, could soon outperform their classical counterparts on some tasks. Quantum emitters, devices that release individual particles of light (i.e., photons), are central components of many of these technologies, including quantum communication systems and quantum computers. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-quantum-dot-emitter-identical-telecom.html Telecom Mon, 11 May 2026 10:40:06 EDT news697713003 Spanish researchers have demonstrated a scalable manufacturing process for carbon nanotube (CNT) fibers with electrical conductivity comparable to that of copper and aluminum. The result, published in Science, is a breakthrough for the future of electrification in aerospace, electric vehicles (EVs), drones and related applications, which require lightweight and high-strength electrical wiring. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-copper-biggest-rival-carbon-nanotube.html Electronics & Semiconductors Sun, 10 May 2026 15:00:01 EDT news697191306 Scientists at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have shown for the first time that ferroelectricity can be directly written into aluminum nitride using a tightly focused helium ion beam at the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS), a DOE Office of Science user facility at ORNL. Ferroelectric devices don't need constant power to store data, which allows for devices that are more reliable and less power consuming than what's currently available. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-focused-helium-ions-ferroelectric-regions.html Electronics & Semiconductors Thu, 07 May 2026 16:00:13 EDT news697387801 Mechanical engineers have designed a more effective and energy-efficient technology for cooling computer chips. Published in Cell Reports Physical Science, the researchers used a mathematical algorithm and advanced 3D printing method to produce pure copper cold plates that outperformed conventional cold plates and required less energy to run. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-copper-cold-plates-slash-center.html Energy & Green Tech Thu, 07 May 2026 11:30:03 EDT news697281417 Contemporary artificial intelligence (AI) systems, such as the models underpinning the functioning of ChatGPT, image generators and AI-powered creative tools, draw inspiration from the human brain's functions and organization. While many of these systems are known to perform remarkably well on specific tasks, they still work independently from the human brain. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-3d-mind-flexible-device-brain.html Electronics & Semiconductors Thu, 07 May 2026 10:10:01 EDT news697365748 There is something universally appealing about the slap bracelet, and the way a simple tap causes it to switch between a straight shape and a curled one. What you probably didn't know is that a slap bracelet's satisfying snap is the same principle behind bistable structures. These can toggle between two stable positions (one representing 0 and the other 1) to store data directly within their physical forms as mechanical bits (m-bits). https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-scientists-materials.html Engineering Wed, 06 May 2026 15:20:04 EDT news697297809 Modern communication networks must handle ever-growing volumes of data, driven by cloud services, connected devices, and real-time applications. At the same time, they face a critical constraint: keeping energy consumption as low as possible. Today, signal recovery and data processing rely mostly on electronic hardware—powerful, but energy-intensive and increasingly limited by latency. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-optical-ai-recovers-distorted-telecom.html Telecom Tue, 05 May 2026 17:00:07 EDT news697216921 The development of soft materials that can reliably function on the human body is important for the future of bioelectronics and wearable medical devices. These materials need to comfortably conform to the skin while being durable enough for everyday use. However, many existing soft materials are easily damaged, limiting their practical applications. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-durable-ionogel-weight-staying-soft.html Electronics & Semiconductors Tue, 05 May 2026 16:40:01 EDT news697210772 Materials can store information about their past—like a crease in a piece of paper that has been unfolded is a "memory" of being folded—that can be retrieved or read out and used for various purposes. In everyday life, combination locks must remember the turns of the dial to open, and the memory of specialized materials is used to make airplanes safer, electronics more efficient and bridges stronger and more resilient. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-cassette-tapes-adhesive-tape-memory.html Engineering Tue, 05 May 2026 09:01:28 EDT news697190416 Over the past decades, technological advances have fueled great innovation in a wide range of fields. Emerging and rapidly developing technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) systems, three-dimensional (3D) and four-dimensional (4D) printing, digital twins (i.e., virtual representations of physical objects, systems or processes) and advanced robots, are set to further transform many industries and sectors. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-borders-metaverse-envisions-ai-linked.html Hi Tech & Innovation Mon, 04 May 2026 12:00:07 EDT news697112770 Termite mounds are remarkable structures that regulate temperature, balance airflow, and maintain structural stability in some of Earth's harshest climates. And like other irregular, disordered systems, they can be difficult to replicate with modern engineering techniques. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-hidden-math-link-fantastic.html Engineering Mon, 04 May 2026 10:00:09 EDT news697106461