In June, a fuel delivery to a Johns Hopkins Hospital campus went terribly awry, spilling 2,000 gallons of diesel into Baltimore’s harbor. As the Maryland capital raced to contain the mess, responders discovered a problem: They didn’t have access to reliable power at the waterfront site. Usually in these kinds of situations, responders bring in… Continue reading Mobile BESS Powers Remote Heavy Equipment
Author: IEEE_Spectrum
Faster, Safer Cars Come Into Focus With New Optical Network Tech
Madrid-based fabless semiconductor company KD and Fremont, Calif.–based embedded camera maker Leopard Imaging have launched a significant upgrade to cameras for vehicle vision systems. It’s the first system for automotive applications with an Ethernet networking backbone to break the 10-gigabit-per-second transmission speed barrier. 10 Gb/s is 10,000 times as fast as the widely used 1-megabit-per-second… Continue reading Faster, Safer Cars Come Into Focus With New Optical Network Tech
Chinese Robotaxis Are Gunning for Global Domination
This post originally appeared on Recode China AI. When Tesla rolled out its much-anticipated pilot robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, last month—a fleet of 10 to 20 Model Y SUVs with “robotaxi” stickers and minor modifications—the tech and automotive worlds paused in awe. But thousands of miles away, executives at China’s leading autonomous driving firms… Continue reading Chinese Robotaxis Are Gunning for Global Domination
AI Cameras Change Driver Behavior at Intersections
In cities across the United States, an ambitious goal is gaining traction: Vision Zero, the strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries. First implemented in Sweden in the 1990s, Vision Zero has already cut road deaths there by 50 percent from 2010 levels. Now, technology companies like Stop for Kids and Obvio.ai are… Continue reading AI Cameras Change Driver Behavior at Intersections
GM’s Home-Grown LMR Battery Opens New Front in EV Competition
Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries were a made-in-America innovation, but China ended up cornering the market on what became the world’s leading solution in low-cost EV batteries. Now, following a decade of development, General Motors has announced a battery breakthrough that might help American manufacturers reclaim some high ground: LMR, or lithium manganese-rich batteries. Kushal… Continue reading GM’s Home-Grown LMR Battery Opens New Front in EV Competition
Superconducting Motor Could Propel Electric Aircraft
Of the countless technologies invented over the past half century, high-temperature superconductors are among the most promising and yet also the most frustrating. Decades of research has yielded an assortment of materials that superconduct at temperatures as high as –140 °C (133 kelvins) at ambient pressure. And yet commercial applications have been elusive. Now, though,… Continue reading Superconducting Motor Could Propel Electric Aircraft
Why Pilots Will Matter in the Age of Autonomous Planes
In August 2001, an anonymous guest posted on the forum at Airliners.net, a popular aviation website. “How Long Will Pilots Be Needed?” they wondered, observing that “20 years or so down the road” technology could be so advanced that planes would fly themselves. “So would it really be useful for a person to go to… Continue reading Why Pilots Will Matter in the Age of Autonomous Planes
Anti-Distraction Systems Shut Down Smartphone Use
As mobile phone use continues to be a leading cause of vehicle accidents, a range of technologies has emerged designed to combat distracted driving. From mobile apps to hardware-integrated systems, these tools aim to limit phone use behind the wheel. But a closer look reveals significant differences in how effectively they prevent distractions—especially in fleet… Continue reading Anti-Distraction Systems Shut Down Smartphone Use
BYD’s Five-Minute Charging Puts China in the Lead for EVs
A five-minute charge for an EV, virtually as quick as a gasoline fill-up, has long seemed a quixotic dream. Now electric Don Quixotes can save critical time on their quests, at least in China. BYD’s “megawatt charging” is here. And the company’s 1,000-kilowatt fast chargers could eliminate perhaps the biggest consumer gripe over EVs: That… Continue reading BYD’s Five-Minute Charging Puts China in the Lead for EVs
Look for These 7 New Technologies at the Airport
Take a look around the airport during your travels this summer and you might spot a string of new technologies at every touchpoint: from pre-arrival, bag drop, and security to the moment you board the plane. In this new world, your face is your boarding pass, your electronic luggage tag transforms itself for each new… Continue reading Look for These 7 New Technologies at the Airport