Tech Xplore news

Tech Xplore / Layered crystal embeds atom-thin iron selenide can improve waste heat conversion

Developing thermoelectric materials that efficiently convert waste heat into electricity remains challenging because high electrical performance and low thermal conductivity are difficult to achieve simultaneously. Researchers ...

Jul 17, 2026
Tech Xplore / Magnesium oxide emerges as a promising protective coating for sulfide solid electrolytes

The success of a promising class of next-generation batteries may hinge on something almost impossibly thin: a coating just a nanometer thick—roughly 100,000 times thinner than a human hair. In new research, scientists at ...

Jul 17, 2026
Tech Xplore / New spinning drone hides in plain sight: 'Phantom Twist' harnesses motion blur to nearly vanish in flight

By exploiting the quirks of human vision, Northwestern University engineers have designed a drone that nearly disappears before the eyes. For years, researchers have tried to design invisible drones and robots using camouflage, ...

Jul 16, 2026
Tech Xplore / Engineers develop robot that judges its surroundings and walks, runs, and jumps like an animal

An era in which robots decide "how to walk" on their own has arrived. A four-legged robot has been developed that, much like a person or an animal, autonomously chooses the appropriate gait strategy for its surroundings—changing ...

Jul 16, 2026
Tech Xplore / Engineers shrink powerful terahertz systems onto a single semiconductor chip

High-frequency waves classified as terahertz occupy a relatively underused region of the electromagnetic spectrum between infrared light and microwaves. Researchers have long recognized their unique potential for applications ...

Jul 16, 2026
Tech Xplore / New contact material improves efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells

A newly developed material for the electron contact improves the efficiency of single perovskite solar cells and perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells. The new material is based on a carborane molecule. It offers several ...

Jul 16, 2026
Tech Xplore / Facial movement analysis detects deepfake videos with more than 95% accuracy

So-called deepfakes, that is, images and videos generated with the help of artificial intelligence, are becoming increasingly difficult to detect. An international research team from the University of Tokyo and the Max Planck ...

Jul 16, 2026
Tech Xplore / A better way to turn 2D designs into 3D models for rapid prototyping

Engineers often use vision-language models to produce new designs, such as airplane or automobile components. To simulate how those components will perform in realistic situations, they'll use tried-and-true computer-aided ...

Jul 16, 2026
Tech Xplore / AI-powered election forecasts reveal hidden preferences inside language models

An international research team involving the University of Bayreuth has, for the first time, analyzed the "inner workings" of AI language models when predicting political voting decisions. To do so, the researchers examined ...

Jul 16, 2026
Tech Xplore / For energy systems that power a reliable grid and avoid blackouts, the future is all about location

Will a warming climate and changing weather patterns lead to more grid blackouts and other energy disruptions? Answering that question requires studying both regional climate forecasts and local energy systems, including ...

Jul 16, 2026
Tech Xplore / Snapping knits turn fabric into switches that count steps and light LEDs

Knitting has come a long way from sweaters and blankets. Researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have turned everyday knitting into a powerful platform for making shape-shifting ...

Jul 15, 2026
Tech Xplore / Human-machine learning boosts noninvasive brain-computer control in untrained users

Implantable devices in the brain have been used for about 30 years to assist people with disabilities in completing motor tasks. However, the devices are simply not accessible to the vast majority of people who need help. ...

Jul 15, 2026