Algae could be the environmentally-friendly superfood we’ve all been waiting for. But will anyone actually eat it? When was the last time you sipped algae? Chances are, you’ve never done that. But while working on a special report about potential climate-saving technologies, IEEE Spectrum decided to try to grow Spirulina, which proponents have pitched as… Continue reading We Grew Algae and Asked Spectrum Editors to Taste It
Author: IEEE_Spectrum
Device Uses Flashes of Light to Restore Hearing
Image: University Medical Center Göttingen Scientists in Germany have succeeded in restoring hearing sensations in gerbils using flashes of light. The technique, if it can be developed for humans, could offer a more refined, high-resolution auditory experience than what can be achieved with current hearing devices such as the cochlear implant. The scientists, led by Tobias Moser, a professor of… Continue reading Device Uses Flashes of Light to Restore Hearing
Chip Hall of Fame: Philips TDA7000 FM Receiver
Image: Harm van Rumpt TDA7000 FM Receiver Manufacturer: Philips Category: Wireless Year: 1977 FM radio is now a standard feature in a staggering number of gadgets, including alarm clocks, wristwatches, and music players. But before the early 1980s, conventional radio functions were costly and time consuming to build. Manufacturers typically had to make 10 to 14… Continue reading Chip Hall of Fame: Philips TDA7000 FM Receiver
Nanotechnology Takes Giant Leap Foward by Manipulating Molecules
Image: Forschungszentrum Jülich/T. EsatThis illustration shows a PTCDA molecule positioned upright on a silver platter [left]. Normally, the molecule would lie flat atop a layer of silver atoms [right]. If nanotechnology has captured the popular imagination in any way, it has likely been in the form of so-called molecular nanotechnology, in which nanoscale machines assemble… Continue reading Nanotechnology Takes Giant Leap Foward by Manipulating Molecules
Experts Disagree on Top Applications for 5G
In the world of emerging technologies, you often see industry and academic experts take on the roles of “good cop” or “bad cop.” Whether someone plays a particular role depends largely on their own interests. When it comes to the rollout of 5G networks, carriers and equipment suppliers are all in. On the other hand,… Continue reading Experts Disagree on Top Applications for 5G
Microbots Deliver Stem Cells in the Body
Image: University of Hong Kong/Science RoboticsMicrorobots designed to carry stem cells (fluorescent green) throughout the body are shown here on a cell culture plate. The astonishing thing about stem cells is that they can be coaxed, in the laboratory, into becoming nearly any kind of cell—from bone marrow to heart muscle. That remarkable capability has for… Continue reading Microbots Deliver Stem Cells in the Body
Social Home Robots: 35 Years of Progress
Photo: Roger Ressmeyer/Corbis/Getty ImagesTopo, a consumer and educational robot released in 1983 by Androbot. This Saturday, the Robot Film Festival is taking place in Portland, Ore. This is the 8th year of the festival, and after bouncing around between San Francisco, Pittsburgh, and Los Angeles, the festival has (at least temporarily) settled on the greatest… Continue reading Social Home Robots: 35 Years of Progress
The Future of Cybersecurity Is the Quantum Random Number Generator
Illustration: Greg Mably In 1882, a banker in Sacramento, Calif., named Frank Miller developed an absolutely unbreakable encryption method. Nearly 140 years later, cryptographers have yet to come up with something better. Miller had learned about cryptography while serving as a military investigator during the U.S. Civil War. Sometime later, he grew interested in telegraphy and… Continue reading The Future of Cybersecurity Is the Quantum Random Number Generator
Popcorn-Driven Robotic Actuators
Photo: Cornell University It’s not that often I can steal the title of a paper and use it for a blog article that people will actually read, but I think “Popcorn-Driven Robotic Actuators” totally works, so credit for that to Steven Ceron at Cornell University, who’s the first author on this paper, presented at the IEEE International… Continue reading Popcorn-Driven Robotic Actuators
Low-Cost SBCs are Ideal for Industrial and Medical Applications
Industrial embedded computer system maker WinSystems has introduced a new series of single board computers (SBCs) in a NANO-ITX form factor. While measuring just 4.27 inches (120 mm) square, these ITX-N-3800 industrial SBCs offer robust I/O and expansion options, an extended operating temperature range, and abundant functionality for IIoT applications. The series is ideal for… Continue reading Low-Cost SBCs are Ideal for Industrial and Medical Applications