China has sent a quantum-based wireless message that it says cannot be intercepted without detection. It used satellites to overcome distance restrictions that would apply on the ground. The signal included an encryption key made up entangled photons: in effect light particles which are dependent on one another. Trying to read any of the signal […]
Can Batteries Power Everything? This video is about the physical and chemical limitations to electrolytic batteries, and how we might surpass the energy density and specific energy of lithium-ion batteries (like the Panasonic 18650 batteries used in the Tesla Model S, for example). [Minute Physics]
Emojis may be the key to algorithms finally being able to grasp sarcasm. It could mean more effective ways to track public moods and tastes or spot hate speech. Online marketers and have for several years been using social media posts as a way to track how people are talking about brands and products. Originally […]
Sequent is a new type of smartwatch that can actually recharge itself via kinetic energy. It features the newest generation of Heart Rate sensor, GPS tracking and notification system, which can all connect to your phone via Bluetooth. Based on a traditional Swiss automatic watch movement, we have developed and patented the world’s first kinetic […]
IBM and Sony have teamed up to produce a magnetic tape cartridge that could fit 330 terabytes in the palm of your hand. The tape can store 201 gigabits (25 gigabytes) in a single square inch (pictured). Arstechnica notes that the theoretical 330 terabyte tape cartridge would be more than 20 times the biggest capacity […]
Facebook has applied to patent a ‘modular electromechanical device’. It’s vague to say the least, but the idea seems to be to make consumer electronics last longer. The application talks about having a chassis and then space for multiple ‘functional modules’ to attach to the chassis, the idea being that exactly what the device is […]
Only last Friday, staff at an Washington DC were saying hello to their new security robot. It… didn’t work out quite as planned. Our D.C. office building got a security robot. It drowned itself. We were promised flying cars, instead we got suicidal robots. pic.twitter.com/rGLTAWZMjn — Bilal (@bilalfarooqui) July 17, 2017
Volvo has confirmed its self-driving car is baffled by kangaroos because they bounce. The company is working on autonomous vehicles with a planned 2020 release. Because of the markets it plans to target, it’s including a system to detect large animals such as deer and elk, which can be calamitous for animal and driver alike […]
Melbourne University researchers are working on a self-healing gel that could mean cracked phone screens could repair themselves. The gel is made from poly(hydroxyl ethyl methacrylate), which is one of the key materials used to create contact lenses. The researchers have manipulated it such that it is normally firm, but can flow more like a […]
Google is adding high-dynamic range (HDR) movies to its Play Store. They’ll only work on compatible TV sets and carry the same eyewatering cost as 4K videos on the service. HDR isn’t about resolution, but rather increased contrast (with more detail visible in very dark or bright scenes) and a bigger color range, both of […]