Tech Xplore news
Tech Xplore / A tiny underwater antenna is changing how robots talk in dark, murky seas
From the shallow shores of Lake Wahlberg to the salty depths of the ocean, University of Florida researchers are dropping robots in the water and training them to communicate more efficiently in murky conditions.
Tech Xplore / Climate-driven water stress could undercut most proposed U.S. lithium mines
The U.S. may not have enough water to support its lithium ambitions, a new Northwestern University study has found. An essential ingredient for electric vehicle (EV) batteries and other clean energy technologies, lithium ...
Tech Xplore / Redesigned catalyst pathways vent bubbles fast and boost green hydrogen efficiency
As the global transition toward carbon neutrality accelerates, "water electrolysis"—a technology that splits water electrically to produce clean hydrogen—is drawing significant attention. However, a major limitation has been ...
Tech Xplore / Quantum computing could transform energy grid optimization and security
Modern power systems are rapidly evolving into highly digitized smart grids, increasing their complexity at an unprecedented pace. Renewables, batteries, electric vehicles, power electronics, sensors and real-time control ...
Tech Xplore / People prefer to talk to chatbots that share similar personality traits to their own, research shows
It's well understood that people tend to be naturally drawn to those with bubbly and extroverted personalities. And those outgoing and gregarious types may naturally consider themselves people-persons and gravitate toward ...
Tech Xplore / Misbehaving chatbots could be kept in check with personality tests
Artificial intelligence chatbots need to work on their social judgment, recent events suggest. At one end of the spectrum, they're facing lawsuits for recommending dangerous actions. At the other end, the models can be so ...
Tech Xplore / A stair-climbing robot that catches itself when it falls
SUTD researchers have developed a reinforcement-learning-based safety system that teaches a stair-traversing service robot to brace itself mid-fall, addressing one of the biggest barriers to deploying autonomous robots on ...
Tech Xplore / Sorting out a dielectric mismatch boosts perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells' efficiency and durability
Solar cells, devices that can convert sunlight into electricity, are now widely used in many countries and are contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions on Earth. While most of the solar cells on the market ...
Tech Xplore / Sodium-ion batteries could become a low-cost rival to Tesla's batteries
A popular sodium-ion battery designed by the company Hina and used in cars and large-scale energy storage systems in China matches performance parameters and production quality of Tesla's lithium-ion batteries, finds new ...
Tech Xplore / Everlasting copper becomes a reality with novel reactive printing ink
A new invention from a team that includes a University of Maryland researcher halts the copper degradation cycle that turns statues, roofs, and even nickels green. Researchers have developed a liquid reactive ink that can ...
Tech Xplore / Closed-loop process could unlock cheaper lithium from rocks with near-zero waste
Demand for lithium has surged in recent years as lithium-ion batteries increasingly power more of our world. And yet, even as places like the U.S., Europe, and Australia have abundant lithium resources within their borders, ...
Tech Xplore / Robot learns to play music by ear, opening new possibilities in medicine and therapy
Scientists at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering have developed a robotic hand that can hear a melody once and play it back after just two minutes of self-taught practice on a keyboard, without relying on sheet music or ...