Blog

'm-Widar' Uses Radio Waves to Image Hidden Objects

With the help of 12 antennas, Fabio da Silva's m-Widar can spot — and image — objects hidden behind a wall.

Ultrasound Improves Efforts to Recycle the Battery

Could a tool from the dentist's office lead to better recycling of lithium-ion batteries?

How Can the Private Sector Support Space?

A reader asks a Space Force expert about new markets, including data transport, traffic management, and advanced power.

A New Cooling Strategy for Cities: 'Strategic' Reflective Surfaces

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering used a Computational Fluid Dynamics model to find ways to decrease cost and increase usage of cooler surfaces.

How to Make a 'Smarter' Cement

By introducing nanoparticles into ordinary cement, Northwestern University researchers have formed a smarter, more durable, and highly functional building material.

'P-Flash' Uses A.I. to Fight Fires

The Prediction Model for Flashover, or P-Flash, estimates where flashover explosions could occur.

A Robotic 'Digger Finger' Senses Buried Items

The technology uses tactile sensing to identify objects underground.

'Self-Aware' Sensing Material Powers Itself

A "self-aware," self-powering material can be used in heart stents, bridges, and even space.

How to Make an RFID Chip Even Smaller

NC State researchers have made what they believe to be the smallest state-of-the-art RFID chip: a device measuring 125 micrometers (μm) by 245μm.

With 'Ghost'-Like Physics, Optical Rectennas Generate Power from Wasted Heat

Researchers from CU Boulder gave their optical "rectennas" a ghost-like way to turn wasted heat into power.

How to Simulate Powertrain Systems: What is Toughest to Model?

A reader asks: "What are the main challenges in simulating powertrain systems? What do we struggle to model now?"

Researchers Make 3D-Printable Jelly (For Robots, Not Toast)

A better aerogel features a kind of biological scaffold made from a surprising ingredient found in nature: seaweed.

Metal-Free Battery Degrades on Demand

A team from Texas A&M developed a battery that's metal-free and replaces cobalt with organic, recyclable materials.

Navigation System Guides Robot Through Busiest Hospital Areas

Computer scientists at UC San Diego developed a navigation system that will allow robots to better negotiate busy environments in a hospital

How to Design an Antiviral Surface for the COVID-19 Era

By adjusting a surface's wettability and texture, IIT Bombay researchers demonstrate how to best limit the spread of coronavirus.

A 'Living Material' of Microalgae Offers New Ideas, From Energy to Fashion

An international team used 3D printers and a novel bioprinting technique to print algae into living, photosynthetic materials that are tough and resilient.

'Magic' Software Makes Complex DNA Robots, Faster

New software being developed at Ohio State University will allow creation of more complex DNA robots, at much faster speeds.

Wearable Sensor Detects Toxic Gases, With a Hologram

Wearable gas sensors being developed at the Pohang University of Science & Technology (POSTECH) display an instantaneous visual holographic alarm.

What Role Will Plastics Play in Battery Electric Vehicles?

Tech Briefs readers ask a series of questions about the future of plastics in battery electric vehicles.

A First Step for Humans on Mars: NASA's Rover Makes Oxygen

The technology demonstration is a first step in showing that humans could someday live (and breathe) on Mars.

A Sustainable Support for 3D Printing: Moving Metal Pins

A new, sustainable take on the 3D printer reduces waste by eliminating the need for printed supports.

A Super-Thin Element Offers 'Positive' Potential for Transparent Electronics

Researchers from RMIT have introduced an ultra-thin material for semiconductors that could lead to transparent electronics.

A New Aluminum Anode Leads to Error-Free Rechargeable Batteries

Researchers from Cornell University have redesigned the battery so that aluminum more easily integrates into a battery's electrodes.

A Photonic 'Sunflower' Offers New Ideas for Light-Driven Systems

Taking inspiration from the insect, Tufts researchers created light-activated composite devices that execute precise, visible movements and form complex three-dimensional shapes, like a "photonic sunflower. "

A Warning System for Self-Driving Cars Learns from Failures

The A.I. system learns from thousands of real-traffic situations, when a self-driving car stopped unexpectedly.

Readers Select 2020 Products of the Year

This year's winners included industrial-automation software, simulation tech, and digital storage oscilloscopes.

With A.I., Robotic Exoskeletons Gain Self-Control

Robotics researchers are developing exoskeleton legs capable of thinking and making control decisions on their own using sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

How Much Dynamic Range Do You Need from a Radar Sensor?

Long-range radar is used in air-traffic control. Short-range radar supports automotive applications like collision avoidance. How do you know what range you need for your application?

A 'Wearable Microgrid' Powers Your Devices

You have the power. That's the idea behind a "wearable microgrid" from the University of California San Diego that harvest and stores energy from your body to power electronics.