Science

Apple has announced that it can now help detect the conditions of sleep apnea and hearing loss in its users in conjunction with the launch of its latest wearables. They will be able to track and generate reports on the former over time, and push interactive Hearing Tests on paired iPhones for the purposes of the latter. The AirPods Pro 2 are also rated to act as a clinical-grade hearing aid if necessary.

At the end of a 122-day effort, xAI's development team has managed to bring the most powerful AI training system in the world to date online. For now, it has 100k H100 GPUs, but Musk claims that the number will double in a few months. Google topped at 90k GPUs, while OpenAI's top-of-the-line AI training system sports 80k GPUs.

A novel control system for cyborg insects uses charge-balanced biphasic electrical stimulation to enhance precision and reduce tissue damage. The system, tested on Madagascar hissing cockroaches, achieved a 96.25% success rate in directional control - a substantial upgrade over traditional monophasic methods.

Researchers have developed a first-of-its-kind adaptive wheel inspired by liquid surface tension - capable of adjusting its stiffness in real-time. This technology holds huge potential in improving mobility on various terrains by enabling wheels to switch between rigid and deformable states, especially in robotics, off-road vehicles, and wheelchairs.

As uncovered by security researchers Ian Carroll and Sam Curry, there was a vulnerability in the FlyCASS management system that allowed unauthorized persons to bypass security checks and even get into the cockpit of an aircraft.

NASA's recent rocket launch confirmed the existence of a global electric field around Earth, a key factor in space weather and atmospheric dynamics. This field, driven by the interaction between solar wind and Earth's magnetosphere, affects radio comms, GPS, and satellite operations.

A new study has found that AI projects have an astonishing 80% failure rate. The researchers dug into the data and distilled the reasons for the astronomical failure rates down to five major reasons, including an overwhelming focus on new tech, lack of AI training data, and incorrectly identifying or miscommunicating problems.

Honor will introduce the Magic V3 smartphone to global customers at an upcoming IFA 2024 event as the world's first phone with AI Defocus technology to help prevent nearsightedness. Myopia is a growing health problem that affects up to 80% of children worldwide. AI Defocus selectively blurs the screen image to help reduce myopia progression due to long hours of phone use.

Neuralink's brain-computer interface technology is transforming people's lives with mobility challenges. Their latest participant, Alex, a quadriplegic automotive technician, has already demonstrated unprecedented control and adaptability with the Neuralink Link device, paving the way for greater independence and communication abilities.

Heat, drought and heavy rain cause problems for the infrastructure. However, even simple measures can help to significantly reduce the likelihood of power outages. And renewable energies are both the problem and the solution.

MIT engineers have developed an ultra-tiny, self-powered battery that could revolutionize the field of miniature robots. This zinc-air battery, just the size of a human hair, generates power by oxidizing zinc using oxygen from the air, providing up to 1 volt of electricity.

Extreme ultraviolet light enables the production of 7 nm chips and even smaller circuits. However, the power requirements are enormous, and the high-performance technology is expensive. At least until now.

Researchers at Peking University have developed the world's first tensor processing unit (TPU) using carbon nanotube transistors, a remarkable achievement in the quest for energy-saving AI hardware. This innovative TPU, boasts high efficiency and low power consumption, showcasing the potential of carbon nanotube technology to revolutionize the future of AI computing.

A new interface between a superconductor and a chiral material has been engineered by researchers, aiming to achieve higher-temperature superconductivity. The enhanced Zeeman field at the interface and the resulting spin-active electron properties could be game-changing for future applications, like quantum computing.

Sandia National Labs unveils groundbreaking miniaturized optical chips for quantum navigation. These compact marvels promise to revolutionize positioning technology, potentially eliminating reliance on vulnerable GPS systems. The innovation opens doors to more precise, resilient, cost-effective navigation solutions across various industries.

A new effort in the AI field has produced a system allegedly capable of carrying out autonomous scientific research. Called "The AI Scientist," this system uses LLMs. The development team claims this system is researching ways of self-improvement while already delivering acceptance-level papers.

It is not enough to obtain more energy than was put in. And it is also not enough to generate a stable nuclear fusion reaction. But what exactly is the status of ideas for successful nuclear fusion?

After successfully proving that the ACBP protein, which was discovered over four decades ago, can be used to cure anorexia in mice, scientists are now ready to try and cure this complex illness in humans using the same method. Statistics reveal that about 1 percent of women and five times fewer men suffer from anorexia.

The development, which finally combines high efficiency and a long service life, performs over 50 percent better than current commercial perovskite modules. At the same time, nothing stands in the way of scalability for rapid deployment.

Perfect location, ideal conditions and little wind. The island state with the world's fourth largest population can become a prime example of a sustainable energy policy - without great effort and surprisingly low energy costs.

Although genetically modified wood has been around for a while, the latest poplar trees that were tweaked by a team of researchers with the University of Maryland are taking it all to the next level. Their genetically modified poplar trees deliver high-quality structural wood that can be engineered without the use of chemicals.

It is the world's largest heat transfer system that works completely without electricity or any other form of energy supply. The efficiency of electric cars, servers and heat pumps could increase significantly thanks to passive cooling and heating.

Long-term blood pressure measurements in particular are only possible with great effort. A new technology is set to radically change this, which could eventually even find its way into smartwatches and help identify a wide range of health risks.

It is not only the energy required to heat the plasma that could be drastically reduced. The structure, especially inside the fusion reactor, would also become significantly more simplistic.

DeepMind's table tennis robot challenges human players, winning 13 out of 29 matches. The AI-powered system executes various shots and adapts to opponents' movements. While formidable against beginners and intermediate players, the robot still faces limitations against advanced players and extreme spin shots.

Although NASA intends to discontinue the VIPER program, the agency is now reaching out to American companies and institutions that are willing to use the moon rover to conduct a mission with minimal or no expense for the US government. Interested parties can apply until September 2nd, 11:59 p.m. EDT.

UCLA researchers developed a passive cooling technology for buildings to reduce reliance on AC. They manipulated radiant heat transfer at ground level, claiming that the new method is a sustainable answer to temperature regulation, with potential to bring down energy consumption. Cost-effective materials like polypropylene were used in the process.

In some cases, boiling and filtering water at home can reduce the amount of nanoplastics and microplastics such as polystyrene, polyethylene, or polypropylene in it by up to 90 percent, reveals a study conducted by a Chinese team of scientists from Guangzhou Medical University and Jinan University.

This almost doubles the number of asteroids in our planetary system that have a companion, i.e. a moon. This discovery was only possible thanks to GAIA's extremely precise instruments.

The conceivable savings equivalent to the consumption of a large industrialized country. This gigantic leap in efficiency is made possible by a completely redesigned data processing system.

Non-flammable, high cell voltage and a simple, cost-effective design: This battery technology is actually very promising, but the life-span is extremely short. A newly developed electrode is set to change this.

Cameras support the robot vacuum cleaner at work or detect falls in the home. Unfortunately, there is always a risk of misuse, which a new type of camera system can prevent.

A new 3D-printed microneedle system has been designed by researchers at the University of Victoria and the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation. It combines remote health monitoring and drug delivery, and uses painless, minimally invasive tiny microneedles to measure key health indicators like pH, glucose, and lactate levels. It also features a remotely-triggered mechanism for on-demand drug administration, all controlled via a smartphone app.

The new method produces at least 15 times more hydrogen. Neither electricity nor natural gas need to be used, meaning that production is completely sustainable.

Texas-based battery tech startup Group1 has launched the world’s first potassium-ion battery (KIB) in the popular cylindrical 18650 format. The battery outperforms Li-ion ones in key areas like charging speed, safety and number of charge cycles, while also being free of unsustainably sourced minerals like cobalt, nickel, copper, etc.

In a wide-ranging interview spanning more than 8 hours, Elon Musk and the Neuralink team talk about the BCI implant human trials and enhancing the human mind so that AI doesn't become 'bored' with it.

A tiny chip drives a temperature sensor - thanks to the many different radio waves in our environment. In order for this to work, the researchers had to solve a crucial problem.

Magnetic separation not only promises cost-effective dismantling of batteries. At the same time, the price of basic parts for new batteries would fall - not to mention the savings in raw materials.

Synchron announced the successful use of its brain-computer interface (BCI) by an ALS patient to control the Apple Vision Pro using thoughts. This breakthrough will allow individuals who have lost mobility in their hands and voice to interact with the device hands-free. Synchron's CEO stated that this new approach will address a critical unmet need for millions of people with paralysis.

Artificial light is different from sunlight. Above all, it is not efficiently converted into electricity by solar modules. A new type of perovskite solar cell is set to change this thanks to its high efficiency.

The clinical trial for BiVACOR's innovative artificial heart has reached a stage in which it is being tested in human patients. The synthetic vital organ replacement, which incorporates magnetic levitation (or MAGLEV) technology to keep a user's blood pumping, has been successfully implanted at a Texas research center.

While researchers found that melatonin secretion fell in those watching a TV with LCD screen, in the OLED control group it actually increased. The parasympathetic nerves' activation was also higher when watching an OLED TV.

As Elon Musk announced on X, the Optimus robot will be used in Tesla factories as early as next year and could go into mass production as early as 2026.

A principle from nature helps to obtain valuable metals much more easily in their pure form. Instead of complex mechanical and physical processes, a reaction from our own bodies is used.

University of Delaware and Argonne National Lab researchers created a method to turn waste Styrofoam (polystyrene) into a valuable electronics material. Their technique uses a milder chemical reaction to produce high-performing PEDOT:PSS polymer, reducing environmental impact. This upcycled PEDOT:PSS can be used in various electronic devices.

A new technology from South Korea called Nano-MIND allows scientists to wirelessly control specific brain regions using magnetic fields. The technique has already successfully influenced maternal behavior and feeding in mice by targeting distinct neuronal circuits. From helping us understand our brain better to developing treatments for neurological disorders, this tech holds a ton of potential.

Scientists identified nickel iodide (NiI2) as a promising material for ultra-fast memory due to its exceptionally strong magnetoelectric coupling, a property where electric fields can influence magnetism and vice versa. This discovery could lead to significantly faster, smaller, and more energy-efficient memory devices. Beyond memory, NiI2 has potential applications in quantum computing and chemical sensors.

7 nm, 5 nm, 3 nm. The smaller MOSFETs and FinFETs become, the more circuits are possible on the same surface area. However, development is coming up against a very practical limit: the atomic radius.

Generative AI is often seen as one of the great technological innovations of the era; nevertheless, its effects on the traditionally human domains of artistic endeavor are hotly debated. A team of researchers set out to assess the effects of OpenAI's GPT model on the ability of its subjects to produce viable creative writing content, with intriguing results.

Taza Aya, a University of Michigan startup says it has developed an 'invisible mask' technology which kills 99% of pathogens in the air while also keeping out 99.8% of aerosols. The University of Michigan says its effectiveness has been proven by independent third-party testing.