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Researchers develop adaptive electric vehicle charging method to reduce battery degradation

2 June 2026 at 18:20
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) have developed an adaptive charging strategy for lithium-ion batteries that could help electric vehicles (EVs) charge efficiently while reducing a major cause of battery degradation known as lithium plating. Published in the Journal of Energy Storage, the study introduces a self-adjusting charging framework that dynamically protects batteries from internal degradation while optimizing charging efficiency and time across varying temperature and health conditions.

Ultra-thin semiconductors overcome performance limits with localized thick-contact design

2 June 2026 at 18:00
As semiconductor chips become increasingly thinner, the components inside chips are locked in a fierce race to achieve the ultimate ultra-thin state. However, this has presented a structural limitation: the thinner the device, the harder it is for electricity to flow.

Liquid metal unlocks hydrogel that stretches 900% and resists freezing when other electrolytes fail

2 June 2026 at 17:40
A research group led by Prof. Sungjune Park from the Department of Chemical Engineering has developed an ultra-stretchable, anti-freezing hydrogel electrolyte using liquid metal particles. The material can stretch up to nine times its original length while maintaining stable electrochemical performance, even at −20 °C. This work provides a promising platform for energy storage devices that must operate reliably under extreme environmental conditions.

LLMs help robots understand vague instructions and focus on key details

2 June 2026 at 16:20
Imagine working at a warehouse or office sometime in the near future, and you're asked to help a new trainee learn the basics of their job. The catch: It's a robot. To teach them, you might want to play a game of "show and tell"—that is, physically showing how to do something a few different ways, while also explaining what you're doing.

Offshore spatial conflicts threaten the UK's energy transition ambitions, study warns

2 June 2026 at 15:40
A new study from the University of Aberdeen's Interdisciplinary Center for Energy Transition warns that intensifying competition for offshore space is placing the U.K.'s energy transition at risk and calls for the creation of a single overarching regulatory body to manage competing demands and ensure the best national outcomes.

World-first spintronic p-bit on silicon chip points toward larger AI-ready p-computers

2 June 2026 at 15:40
A Japan–U.S. collaborative research team has demonstrated the world's first integrated spintronic probabilistic bit, or p-bit, fabricated on a silicon chip using semiconductor manufacturing processes. The team, consisting of researchers from Tohoku University and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, experimentally verified the operation of the p-bit, a key building block for probabilistic, or p-, computers. The achievement provides a pathway toward large-scale spintronic p-computers for applications such as AI and machine learning.

AI brings object-level vision prosthetics closer to reality

2 June 2026 at 14:40
EPFL researchers are developing AI models that could one day enable vision prosthetics able to restore meaningful, object-level sight for the blind. The research, from the NeuroAI Lab of Martin Schrimpf, part of EPFL's Schools of Computer and Communication Sciences and Life Sciences, uses AI models to predict exactly where to stimulate the brain to evoke images of faces and specific objects in the users instead of simply evoking spots of light.

This researcher put AI in the big game. It did not play well

2 June 2026 at 13:40
A researcher analyzing reams of data. A traveler translating a foreign language. A student writing an essay. There are many ways that artificial intelligence has been proven to help an individual in a challenging situation. Northeastern University researcher Lorenzo Torresani wanted to test whether AI can help a group facing a challenge, and he found an interesting dataset with which to evaluate various popular AI models: sports footage.

Smart building skins and eco-friendly hydrogen production technology

2 June 2026 at 00:40
The JC STEM Lab of Circular Bio-economy (the Lab) at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) has recently achieved a breakthrough in the field of sustainable development technologies. A research team led by Professor Lee Duu-Jong, Director of the Lab and Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, has successfully developed a bio-inspired "all-weather building skin" that cools in sunlight and harvests energy from rain, alongside a "turbocharged" solar hydrogen system powered by low-cost copper ions.

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