Computers

Researchers have developed a simple lab-based technique that allows them to look inside lithium-ion batteries and follow lithium ions moving in real time as the batteries charge and discharge, something which has not been possible until now. Using the low-cost technique, the researchers identified the speed-limiting processes which, if addressed, could enable the batteries in … [Read more...] about Low-cost imaging technique shows how smartphone batteries could charge in minutes

Coming soon to a lab tabletop near you: a method of magneto-thermal imaging that offers nanoscale and picosecond resolution previously available only in synchrotron facilities. This innovation in spatial and temporal resolution will give researchers extraordinary views into the magnetic properties of a range of materials, from metals to insulators, all from the comfort of their … [Read more...] about Magneto-thermal imaging brings synchrotron capabilities to the lab

Our homes and offices are only as solid as the ground beneath them. When that solid ground turns to liquid -- as sometimes happens during earthquakes -- it can topple buildings and bridges. This phenomenon is known as liquefaction, and it was a major feature of the 2011 earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, a magnitude 6.3 quake that killed 185 people and destroyed thousands … [Read more...] about Machine learning aids earthquake risk prediction

From amoebas to zebras, all living things evolve. They change over time as pressures from the environment cause individuals with certain traits to become more common in a population while those with other traits become less common. Cancer is no different. Within a growing tumor, cancer cells with the best ability to compete for resources and withstand environmental stressors … [Read more...] about Scientists obtain real-time look at how cancers evolve

Without GPS, autonomous systems get lost easily. Now a new algorithm developed at Caltech allows autonomous systems to recognize where they are simply by looking at the terrain around them -- and for the first time, the technology works regardless of seasonal changes to that terrain. Details about the process were published on June 23 in the journal Science Robotics, published … [Read more...] about New algorithm helps autonomous vehicles find themselves, summer or winter: Deep learning makes visual terrain-relative navigation more practical

Machine learning algorithms do a lot for us every day -- send unwanted email to our spam folder, warn us if our car is about to back into something, and give us recommendations on what TV show to watch next. Now, we are increasingly using these same algorithms to make environmental predictions for us. A team of researchers from the University of Minnesota, University of … [Read more...] about River flow: New machine learning methods could improve environmental predictions: Algorithm is ‘taught’ rules of the physical world to help researchers make better predictions

Researchers have developed an artificial intelligence (AI)-based brain age prediction model to quantify deviations from a healthy brain-aging trajectory in patients with mild cognitive impairment, according to a study published in Radiology: Artificial Intelligence. The model has the potential to aid in early detection of cognitive impairment at an individual level. Amnestic … [Read more...] about AI to track cognitive deviation in aging brains

A study involving virtual rather than real patients was as effective as traditional clinical trials in evaluating a medical device used to treat brain aneurysms, according to new research. The findings are proof of concept for what are called in-silico trials, where instead of recruiting people to a real-life clinical trial, researchers build digital simulations of patient … [Read more...] about Using virtual populations for clinical trials

Rare-earth elements are in many everyday products, such as smart phones, LED lights and batteries. However, only a few locations have large enough deposits worth mining, resulting in global supply chain tensions. So, there's a push toward recycling them from non-traditional sources, such as waste from burning coal -- fly ash. Now, researchers in ACS' Environmental Science & … [Read more...] about Mining precious rare-earth elements from coal fly ash with a reusable ionic liquid

Augmented reality (AR) is poised to revolutionise the way people complete essential everyday tasks, yet older adults -- who have much to gain from the technology -- will be excluded from using it unless more thought goes into designing software that makes sense to them. The danger of older adults falling through the gaps has been highlighted by research carried out by … [Read more...] about AR can improve the lives of older adults, so why are apps designed mainly for youngsters?