The future of cellular data transfer could lie in “curving” light beams midair to deliver 6G wireless networks with blazing-fast speeds — bypassing the need for line of sight between transmitter and receivers. In a new study published March 30 in the journal Nature’s Communications Engineering, researchers explained how they developed a transmitter that can … Read more
We love outlandish ideas and companies that take risks — that, after all, is how science and technology progress. But with every success comes a dozen failures and that’s what this list celebrates. These are some ideas that could have been the next big thing: concepts that got backing but ultimately failed to take flight. … Read more
A new approach to computing could double the processing speed of devices like phones or laptops without needing to replace any of the existing components. Modern devices are fitted with different chips that handle various types of processing. Alongside the central processing unit (CPU), devices have graphics processing units (GPUs), hardware accelerators for artificial intelligence … Read more
A new, flexible device that clings to the neck can translate muscular movements into speech, enabling people to talk without using their vocal cords. The small patch not only detects the movements of the throat associated with speech, but also harnesses that movement to generate electricity, meaning the device can be operated without a battery … Read more
Scientists have developed a new type of optical disc that can increase information storage capacity to the “petabit” level — 125 terabytes of data, or the combined storage capacity of about 15,000 DVDs. Optical discs, such as DVDs and Blu-ray discs, are durable and inexpensive. A standard single-layer Blu-ray disc can store 25 gigabytes. By … Read more
Scientists have created a new biocomputing chip that makes calculations using a DNA substrate, including mathematical operations essential to artificial intelligence (AI) training and big data processing. Researchers described the new biocomputing platform Oct. 19, 2023, in the journal PLOS One. DNA is known as the blueprint for life and encodes genetic information, like data … Read more
A vehicle that’s a strange blend between a futuristic electric minivan and the rear half of an airplane could soon revolutionize island-hopping. The unusual vehicle, which is currently still only a concept, will be able to travel both on land and in the air and be powered by electricity or hydrogen, its designers claim. The … Read more
China says its maglev hyperloop train has broken the world speed record in a test run, reaching a blistering 387 mph (623 km/h). Ultimately, its makers want to build a train more than three times as fast that will break the sound barrier and outpace airplanes. The maglev train, dubbed the T-Flight, was built by … Read more
Smiling humanoid robots have been shown to sort objects, drop off packages and even tidy up a child’s toys in eerie new footage. The near-silent video, released by robotics company 1X, shows dozens of the company’s EVE robots performing these various tasks in a large test environment that simulated office spaces and a living room. … Read more
Putting a computer inside someone’s brain used to feel like the edge of science fiction. Today, it’s a reality. Academic and commercial groups are testing “brain-computer interface” devices to enable people with disabilities to function more independently. Yet Elon Musk’s company, Neuralink, has put this technology front and center in debates about safety, ethics and … Read more
