Impact Lab – Page 34 – A Laboratory of the Future Human Experience

Machine Learning Accelerates Search for High-Performance Metal Alloys

February 20, 2025

Researchers at Skoltech and MIPT have made a breakthrough in alloy discovery, developing a machine learning-based method that significantly speeds up the process of identifying promising metal alloy compositions for lab testing. This innovation promises to revolutionize the traditionally slow and complex process of alloy modeling, offering a more efficient way to find high-performance materials for a wide range of industrial applications.

High-entropy alloys (HEAs) have attracted significant attention in materials science due to their ability to remain stable across a variety of compositions. However, their complexity, with numerous elements and potential configurations, makes the solid solution phase more energy-efficient and favorable, yet also increases the number of competing intermetallic compounds. Understanding and identifying these compounds is crucial for effectively studying and utilizing high-entropy alloys.

quantum computing

MIT Breakthrough Measures Superfluid Stiffness in Magic-Angle Graphene, Paving the Way for Quantum Computing

February 20, 2025

In a pioneering first, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have successfully measured the superfluid stiffness of magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene (MATBG), a key discovery that could unlock its potential for superconductivity and future applications in quantum computing. The breakthrough, outlined in a recent press release, represents a major step toward understanding the complex behavior of MATBG and its practical uses in emerging technologies.

Graphene, a material composed of a single layer of carbon atoms just one atom thick, has been a subject of intense research since its discovery. Known for its exceptional electrical conductivity, strength, and heat transfer properties, graphene has become a go-to material for a wide range of applications. In recent years, however, a novel structure—known as magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene—has captivated scientists due to its ability to exhibit superconductivity and other remarkable behaviors.

Robotics

Boston Dynamics Partners with RAI Institute to Advance Atlas Robot’s Reinforcement Learning Capabilities

February 20, 2025

Boston Dynamics announced a new partnership on Wednesday with the Robotics & AI Institute (RAI Institute) to enhance the reinforcement learning capabilities of its electric Atlas humanoid robot. This collaboration aims to improve how Atlas learns new tasks through more efficient and advanced methods.

The RAI Institute, previously known as The Boston Dynamics AI Institute, was founded by Marc Raibert, a former MIT professor and the former CEO of Boston Dynamics for 30 years. Raibert established the Institute in 2022 to continue the cutting-edge research that formed the foundation of Boston Dynamics’ innovative robotics.

Science & Technology News

Osaka University Researchers Unlock Potential of “Living” Metamaterials for High-Speed, Low-Power Devices

February 18, 2025

A team of researchers at Osaka University has developed a novel approach to improving the performance of high-speed, low-power electronic devices, a key factor for advancing wireless communication technologies. Traditionally, device miniaturization has been the go-to method for achieving faster operations, but as devices shrink, fabrication becomes increasingly challenging. The team’s breakthrough suggests that incorporating a patterned metal layer, or structural metamaterial, atop traditional substrates like silicon could offer a viable solution to accelerate electron flow and enhance device performance.

The research, published in ACS Applied Electronic Materials, explores the use of vanadium dioxide (VO2) as a metamaterial to improve the speed and efficiency of devices without the need for further miniaturization. VO2 has an intriguing property: when heated to a specific temperature, small regions within the material transition from an insulating state to a metallic state, allowing them to conduct electricity. These metallic regions act like tiny dynamic electrodes, which the team harnessed to create “living” microelectrodes that enhance the response of silicon photodetectors to terahertz light.

AI

New Neural Network Design Inspired by Dendrites Offers Smarter, More Efficient AI

February 18, 2025

Researchers at the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB) of FORTH have unveiled a groundbreaking artificial neural network (ANN) model that draws inspiration from biological dendrites. This novel approach promises to revolutionize image recognition systems by drastically reducing the number of parameters needed, making AI more compact, energy-efficient, and accessible.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming industries by offering advanced solutions to complex challenges, yet most AI systems today require vast amounts of computational power. Current models often consist of millions to billions of parameters, leading to high energy consumption and large-scale infrastructure needs. These inefficiencies limit the potential for widespread adoption, especially in resource-constrained environments.

AI

South Korean Researchers Develop AI-Driven Fire Detection System to Reduce False Alarms

February 18, 2025

A team of researchers from South Korea has developed an innovative fire detection technology designed to drastically reduce false alarms—those triggered by non-fire-related particles like dust or steam—which have been a persistent issue in fire safety systems. This groundbreaking technology is on the verge of commercialization and is expected to significantly cut the social costs caused by these “unwanted alarms.”

The Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) recently unveiled an AI-powered sensor capable of distinguishing between smoke from an actual fire and non-fire aerosol particles. The system works by analyzing the scattering patterns of light across particles of varying wavelengths, enabling it to differentiate between harmless particles and those associated with a real fire.

Medicine

Revolutionary Cancer Treatment: Engineered Fat Cells Starve Tumors

February 17, 2025

In an unexpected fusion of plastic surgery and cancer treatment, researchers at UC San Francisco have developed a groundbreaking technique that uses engineered fat cells to starve tumors and prevent their growth. Drawing inspiration from liposuction and fat transfer procedures, this innovative approach could revolutionize cancer therapy by utilizing modified fat cells to deprive tumors of the nutrients they need to survive.

Using CRISPR gene-editing technology, the scientists transformed ordinary white fat cells into “beige” fat cells—cells that burn calories aggressively to generate heat. In their experiments, these engineered fat cells were implanted near tumors, much like how plastic surgeons transfer fat between different body areas. The result was remarkable: the beige fat cells consumed large amounts of nutrients, starving the tumor cells and impeding their growth, even when the fat cells were placed far from the tumor site.

AI

AI-Designed Computer Chips: The Future of Innovation and Efficiency

February 17, 2025

Our modern world is powered by computer chips, from the ones in cars and smartphones to those that help track animals and optimize various industries. As technology continues to advance, there is a constant push to develop faster, more efficient, and innovative chips. To achieve this, some researchers are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to assist in the chip design process, sometimes taking a step back from human control.

A team of scientists recently shared their process of allowing AI technology to design and test more efficient computer chips. Led by Kaushik Sengupta, an electrical engineer at Princeton University, the research explores the potential of using AI to enhance chip development. Sengupta, who was recently awarded an IEEE fellowship for his work on wireless chip technology, emphasizes that the goal is not to replace human engineers, but rather to augment their productivity. By publishing their findings in the open-access, peer-reviewed journal Nature Communications, Sengupta’s team is making their AI-driven research available to the broader scientific community.

NASA

NASA’s Mission to Enhance Nighttime Wildfire Response with Advanced Drone Technology

February 17, 2025

NASA is collaborating with wildfire response teams to develop cutting-edge technologies that improve the effectiveness of aerial firefighting, particularly during nighttime operations. Drones, both remotely piloted and fully autonomous, could play a larger role in wildfire suppression by providing critical support for 24/7 firefighting efforts, even in low-visibility conditions.

Currently, aerial firefighting is limited to daylight hours or clear weather conditions, as poor visibility increases the risk of aircraft colliding with terrain or other firefighting aircraft. NASA’s new airspace management technology aims to change this by enabling drones and remotely piloted aircraft to safely operate at night, allowing responders more time to combat fires from the air.

Agriculture

Google X’s Heritable Agriculture Aims to Revolutionize Crop Production with AI and Machine Learning

February 12, 2025

Google’s innovation lab, X, known for its ambitious “moonshot” projects, unveiled its latest graduate this week: Heritable Agriculture. This data-driven startup seeks to transform the way crops are grown, tackling the complex global challenges of agriculture with the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.

Heritable Agriculture’s core mission revolves around improving crop production while addressing the massive environmental impact of traditional farming. As the company points out, plants are highly efficient, solar-powered, carbon-negative systems that rely on sunlight and water. However, agriculture accounts for approximately 25% of human-made greenhouse gas emissions, depletes vital groundwater resources, and contributes to soil erosion and water pollution through the use of pesticides and fertilizers.

drones

DroneDeploy Receives FAA Approval for BVLOS Drone Operations for Critical Infrastructure

February 12, 2025

DroneDeploy announced last week that it has received nationwide approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to conduct beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) inspections of critical infrastructure. This FAA waiver grants the company’s customers the ability to remotely deploy and monitor autonomous drones for inspection purposes, a significant development in the drone technology sector.

The company’s platform is already used by more than 80% of the top 50 U.S. general contractors, with leading hyperscale data center developers relying on DroneDeploy’s drones for aerial monitoring and analysis of construction and infrastructure projects. DroneDeploy’s technology provides targeted data analysis, ensuring that critical infrastructure projects, including those driven by the ongoing AI boom, are delivered efficiently and within budget.

Science & Technology News

Harnessing Sunlight to Convert CO2 into Complex Hydrocarbons: A Breakthrough in Sustainable Energy Production

February 12, 2025

Researchers from the University of Cambridge and the University of California, Berkeley, have developed a groundbreaking system that uses sunlight to convert carbon dioxide (CO₂) into complex hydrocarbons, marking a significant step toward cleaner energy production and more sustainable manufacturing processes.

Their innovative approach combines a highly efficient solar cell made from perovskite, a promising material, with tiny copper catalysts known as “nano-flowers.” Unlike traditional methods of CO₂ conversion, which typically produce simple, single-carbon molecules, this new technology can generate more complex hydrocarbons like ethane and ethylene—key components for liquid fuels, plastics, and other chemicals. The findings, published in Nature Catalysis, offer a promising solution to the environmental challenges posed by fossil fuel dependence.