SAE Automotive Podcast: V2X Vehicle Communications

We talk to Honda and Miovision about their V2X communication strategies and products.

Electron Microscopy Shows ‘Mouse Bite’ Defects in Semiconductors

Cornell researchers have used high-resolution 3D imaging to detect, for the first time, the atomic-scale defects in computer chips that can sabotage their performance. Read on to learn more.

Stony Brook University Researchers Redefine Capacitor Behavior at the Nanoscale

Stony Brook University researchers led a new study published in Physical Review Letters that overturns long-standing assumptions about how capacitors operate when engineered at the nanoscale, offering a clearer scientific foundation for future nanoscale electronic devices. Read on to learn more.

Electric Eel Biology Inspires Powerful Gel Battery

Power sources used in devices found in or around biological tissue must be flexible and non-toxic, while still powerful enough to support demanding technologies such as medical devices or soft robotics. To achieve this balance, researchers at Penn State are taking inspiration from electric eels. Read on to learn more.

DC Fast-Charging Adapters Are a Transition Strategy, Not a Stopgap

In the evolution of fast charging, success will not be measured solely by how quickly a new standard is adopted, but by how responsibly the industry manages the journey there. Read on to learn more.

New Products

See the new products, including Littelfuse's TPSMB Asymmetrical Series TVS Diodes; Siemens' SICHARGE FLEX product family, its next-generation EV distributed charging system; Renesas Electronics Corporation's expansion of its software-defined vehicle solution offerings centered around the fifth generation (Gen 5) R-Car family; and much more.

Breakthrough in Carbon-Based Battery Materials Improves Safety, Durability, and Power

This research demonstrates a new way to make carbon-based battery materials much safer, longer lasting, and more powerful by fundamentally redesigning how fullerene molecules are connected. Read on to learn more.

Shifting from Reactive to Preemptive Thermal Management

A shift from reactive to preemptive thermal management is particularly important for improving performance, efficiency, and service life. By maintaining a uniform, stable temperature and minimizing even small momentary disruptions to such a steady state, thermal management systems backed by coupled electrothermal modeling will be key to pushing the envelope for EV motor quality. Read on to learn more.

A Software-Defined Framework for Interpreting Impedance Signals at Scale

This article presents an impedance-native, software-defined diagnostic framework developed at Energsoft that shifts the focus from impedance measurement to impedance interpretation. Read on to learn more.

Supercapacitors That Rival Batteries

In a study published in Nature Communications, a team reveals a new kind of carbon-based material that allows supercapacitors to store as much energy as traditional lead-acid batteries, while delivering power far faster than conventional batteries can manage. Read on to learn more.

Research Upturns Assumptions About Battery Failure

New research from Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering has solved a major battery mystery that has led to capacity degradation, shortened lifespan and, in some cases, fire. Read on to learn more.

CES 2026: AI, EVs Need These Power Electronics Updates

Physical AI may have been the dominant keyword at CES 2026, but behind all the hype around that, there were still plenty of companies on hand in Las Vegas focused on less flashy headlines. Read on for some examples of companies working on the power electronics required behind the scenes to make our potential artificial intelligence future possible.

Building an Affordable Grid-Scale Alternative to Batteries

Researchers at Rice University have found a new way to improve a key element of thermophotovoltaic systems, which convert heat into electricity via light. Read on to learn more about it.

Anode-Free Battery Doubles Electric Vehicle Driving Range

A joint research team led by Professor Soojin Park and Dr. Dong-Yeob Han of the Department of Chemistry at POSTECH, together with Professor Nam-Soon Choi and Dr. Saehun Kim of KAIST, and Professor Tae Kyung Lee and researcher Junsu Son of Gyeongsang National University, has successfully achieved a volumetric energy density of 1270 Wh/L in an anode-free lithium metal battery. This value is nearly twice that of lithium-ion batteries currently used in electric vehicles, which typically deliver around 650 Wh/L. Read on to learn more.

New Protective Layer Boosts Lithium Metal Battery Performance

The coating toughens the surface of the electrolyte fivefold against fracturing from mechanical pressure. It also makes existing imperfections much less vulnerable to lithium burrowing inside, especially during fast recharging. Read on to learn more.

Baby Turtles Inspire a New Swimmer Bot

A team of roboticists at the University of California San Diego has developed a robot that can swim under the sand and dig itself out too, thanks to two front limbs that mimic the oversized flippers of turtle hatchlings. Read on to learn more about it.

An Ultra-Low-Power Technology Expands Quantum and Space Potential

The year 2025, the International Year of Quantum Science & Technology, according to the United Nations, saw major advances in quantum computing and in the development of specialized technologies required to scale those systems. And there is now a consensus that cryogenic CMOS technology is one such tool that can have a significant positive impact on the quantum industry. Read on to learn more.

Products of Tomorrow

See the products of tomorrow, including Chalmers University of Technology's new sensor that is well suited to humid environments — and actually performs better the more humid it gets; a new fabrication technique that can produce multifunctional “smart synthetic skin” from a research team at Penn State; and RMIT University researchers' flexible nylon-film device that generates electricity from compression and keeps working even after being run over by a car multiple times.

Super-Fast Camera Sees Through Dynamic Disorder of Atoms

When materials function inside an operating device, they can behave as if they are dancing. This dynamic disorder is difficult to study because the clusters are not only so small and disordered, but they also fluctuate in time. Researchers report that they have developed a new kind of “camera” that can see the local disorder. Read on to learn more about it.

Artificial Reef Could Protect Marine Life, Reduce Storm Damage

A team at MIT is hoping to fortify coastlines with “architected” reefs — sustainable, offshore structures engineered to mimic the wave-buffering effects of natural reefs while also providing pockets for fish and other marine life. The team’s reef design centers on a cylindrical structure surrounded by four rudder-like slats. Read on to learn more about it.

Using Waste to Purify Water

Using waste to purify water may sound counterintuitive. But at TU Wien, this is exactly what has now been achieved: a special nanostructure has been developed to filter a widespread class of harmful dyes from water. Read on to learn more about it.

Meet PASE: The Pneumatically Actuated Soft Elbow Exoskeleton

For workers whose jobs involve hours of lifting and repetitive motion, even small innovations can make a big difference in preventing future musculoskeletal disorders. That’s why engineers at The University of Texas at Arlington have developed PASE (Pneumatically Actuated Soft Elbow Exoskeleton), a soft robotic exoskeleton that lightens the load — literally — by reducing strain on the arm and elbow. Read on to learn more.

Energy-Efficient Freshwater Generation System Inspired by Nature

A team of researchers is designing novel systems to capture water vapor in the air and turn it into liquid. University of Waterloo Professor Michael Tam and his Ph.D. students Yi Wang and Weinan Zhao have developed sponges or membranes with a large surface area that continually capture moisture from their surrounding environment. Read on to learn more.

ARC ANGEL Reduces Gravity’s Effect on Arms

Innovators at NASA Johnson Space Center have developed an Earthbound robotic training system called “ARGOS” for short. It can actively simulate an astronaut’s weightlessness in space by using an overhead runway and bridge drive system to partially or fully offload their weight using attached cables, effectively suspending them off the ground. Read on to learn more.

New Electronic “Skin” Could Enable Lightweight Night-Vision Glasses

MIT engineers have developed a technique to grow and peel ultrathin “skins” of electronic material. The method could pave the way for new classes of electronic devices, such as ultrathin wearable sensors, flexible transistors and computing elements, and highly sensitive and compact imaging devices. Read on to learn more.

Executive Roundtable: AI in Machine Vision

In this special feature, we asked three industry experts — Eric Carey, CTO, Teledyne DALSA, Brian Benoit, Director of Advanced Vision Products at Cognex, and Ron Jubis, President of Sales, North America and Managing Director of SICK, Inc.— to share their thoughts on the impact of AI on machine vision, emerging challenges and best practices, as well as the trustworthiness of AI-driven visual inspection.

First Electronic-Photonic Quantum Chip Created in a Commercial Foundry

In a milestone for scalable quantum technologies, scientists from Boston University, UC Berkeley, and Northwestern University have reported the world’s first electronic–photonic–quantum system on a chip, according to a study published in Nature Electronics. Read on to learn more about it.

Using ‘Doughnut’ Beams to See Incredibly Small Objects

In a new study, researchers at CU Boulder have used doughnut-shaped beams of light to take detailed images of objects too tiny to view with traditional microscopes. The new technique could help scientists improve the inner workings of a range of “nanoelectronics,” including the miniature semiconductors in computer chips. Read on to learn more.

A Smart Sensor Performs AI Tricks While Capturing Spectral Images

By folding AI algorithms into a camera’s sensor itself, researchers at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have now eliminated a data-processing bottleneck that has long plagued the performance of spectral imaging technology. The result is an intelligent sensor capable of identifying chemicals and characterizing materials quickly and efficiently. Read on to learn more.

Harvesting Water from Air

Even in arid parts of the world, there is usually moisture in the air. This moisture could provide much-needed water for drinking and irrigation, but extracting water out of air is difficult. A new technology developed by KAUST researchers can consistently extract liters of water out of thin air each day without needing regular manual maintenance. Read on to learn more.

Quantum Eyes on Energy Loss: Diamond Quantum Imaging for Next-Gen Power Electronics

Improving energy conversion efficiency in power electronics is vital for a sustainable society. Wide-bandgap semiconductors like GaN and SiC power devices offer advantages due to their high-frequency capabilities. However, energy losses in passive components at high frequencies hinder efficiency and miniaturization. Find out what a research team from the School of Engineering, Institute of Science Tokyo, Japan, developed to help.

Soft Robots That Can Walk on Water

Imagine a tiny robot, no bigger than a leaf, gliding across a pond’s surface like a water strider. One day, devices like this could track pollutants, collect water samples, or scout flooded areas too risky for people. Baoxing Xu, Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Virginia’s School of Engineering and Applied Science, is pioneering a way to build them. Read on to learn more.

New on the Market

See what's new on the market, including Nikon Corporation's newest version of NEXIV software, “AutoMeasure”; the ImageIR® 6300 Z, from InfraTec; PI's new technology platform for electro-optical wafer-level testing; HORIBA's release of EzSpec-SDK, a flexible and robust software development kit; and more.

A Compact Metalens Telescope Capable of Imaging the Moon

Astronomers and amateurs alike know the bigger the telescope, the more powerful the imaging capability. To keep the power but streamline one of the bulkier components, a Penn State-led research team created the first ultrathin, compact metalens telescope capable of imaging faraway objects, including the Moon. Read on to learn more.

Light-Powered Soft Lens Brings Human-Like Vision to Robotics

A team of biomedical engineers at Georgia Tech has unveiled a breakthrough in adaptive optics: a bio-mimetic, light-powered soft lens that mimics the human eye’s ability to refocus and adjust to varying light conditions. Read on to learn more.

Elevating Clinical Trial Logistics Performance Through Automation

To address challenges and future-proof its clinical trial supply chain, Zuellig Pharma partnered with Hai Robotics to introduce intelligent automation at its new Clinical Trial Support Innovation Center. Read on to learn more.

New Products

See the new products, including Flexxbotics' enhanced MQTT connector driver within the Flexxbotics open-source project on GitHub; IKO International's LCRB series — an ultra-lightweight crossed roller bearing series with a unique inner and outer ring construction; Bosch Sensortec's BMI5 platform, a new generation of inertial sensors designed to provide consistent, high-precision performance across multiple device classes; and more.

Hierarchical 3D LiDAR Localization Improves Robot Positioning

Researchers at Miguel Hernández University of Elche (UMH) in Spain have developed a hierarchical localization system that significantly improves robot positioning in large, changing environments. The method addresses one of the most challenging problems in mobile robotics: the so-called “kidnapped robot” problem, in which a robot loses knowledge of its initial pose after being moved, powered off, or displaced. Read on to learn more.

Slashing Order Processing Time with End-to-End Automation

Read on to find out how Lane Automotive slashed order processing time from 109 to under 15 minutes.

Using AI to Control a Robot on the International Space Station

Stanford researchers have introduced a system designed to help Astrobee, a cube-shaped, fan-powered robot, autonomously navigate the International Space Station. Read on to learn more.

Physical AI Accelerates Next-Gen Biomanufacturing

Robotic biomanufacturing company Multiply Labs recently announced a landmark milestone in its mission to scale production of cell and gene therapies. The company is now leveraging NVIDIA’s open Isaac and GR00T technologies including advanced robotics simulation and perception, marking a turning point for an industry that has historically relied on manual, “artisanal” processes. Read on to learn more.

New Neural Blueprint Lets Soft Robots Learn Once and Adapt Instantly

A new artificial intelligence control system enables soft robotic arms to learn a wide repertoire of motions and tasks once, then adjust to new scenarios on the fly, without needing retraining or sacrificing functionality. This breakthrough brings soft robotics closer to human-like adaptability for real-world applications. Read on to learn more.

Bridging the Gap Between Analog and Digital Factory Automation Through Integrated Valves

Digital innovations in hydraulic components, such as digitally enhanced high-response directional valves, are moving the needle for machine builders and raising performance standards for machine builders. As hydraulic systems evolve, smart technology is enabling deeper connectivity for more productive machines. Read on to learn more.

Unlocking the Potential of 48V Robotic Systems

The shift from 12V to 48V systems is driven by the need for improved efficiency and reduced cooling requirements. Read on to learn more.

Bio-Inspired Robotic Wing Enhances Underwater Vehicle Control

Researchers have taken inspiration from nature to create a robotic wing that can sense and adapt to changes in water to deliver unparalleled stability. Read on to learn more.

Product of the Month

See the product of the month: Abaco Systems' SBC3518, a rugged 3U VPX single board computer built on Intel’s Core Ultra Series 3 processors.

5Ws of BEM-AI

Buildings researchers at the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have released Building Energy Model AI (BEM-AI) is an open-source bot that can help energy modelers save time and money.

Lincoln Laboratory Laser Communications Terminal Launches on Historic Artemis II Moon Mission

As it orbits the Moon, the Orion spacecraft will carry an optical (laser) communications system developed at MIT Lincoln Laboratory in collaboration with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Called the Orion Artemis II Optical Communications System (O2O), the system is capable of higher-bandwidth data transmissions from space compared to traditional radio-frequency (RF) systems. Read on to learn more.

Arm’s Agentic AI CPU: Engineering the Next Generation of AI Data Centers

This episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast features highlights from Arm CEO Rene Haas’ keynote at the recent live‑streamed Arm is Everywhere event, where he outlines how agentic AI is reshaping the future of compute. The discussion centers on Arm’s landmark move into silicon with the launch of its Arm agentic AI central processing unit (CPU), purpose‑built for next‑generation AI data centers. Listen now!

NASA ‘Arms’ Astronauts, Industry with Robotic Intelligence

With funding from NASA, PickNik Robotics developed and refined its robotic automation software and then worked with roboticists in Johnson Center to prove the software’s functionality.

2026 Battery & Electrification Summit (Online)

As electrification reshapes how vehicles are designed, powered, and integrated into energy ecosystems, OEMs and design engineers are faced with complex design challenges.

Bringing Scent to Simulation: A Wearable Olfactory VR System

VR tech is rapidly advancing, allowing users to see and hear highly realistic virtual environments. But most VR systems only rely on visual and auditory experiences, leaving out one of the most powerful human senses — the sense of smell. Until now!

915 Hours in Space: An Interview with Retired NASA Astronaut Linda Godwin

Whose brain better to pick about NASA, the Artemis II mission, and space travel in general than the professor of astronomy emerita who has spent more than 915 hours in space? Read on for an exclusive Tech Briefs interview — edited for length and clarity — with Linda Godwin.

How Much Do You Know About Power Inverters?

Power inverters are primarily used in electrical power applications where high currents and voltages are present. How much do you know about power inverters? Find out with this quiz.

How AI Acceleration Strategies Are Changing Embedded Computing Architectures

On this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast, we continue our Season 14 focus on military embedded computing and networking, featuring keynote remarks from the 2026 AUSA Global Force Symposium and an interview with Jeff Baldwin, Director of Engineering at Sealevel. Listen now!