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Smartphone Turns into Pocket Spectrometer with a Simple Card

2025-09-24

Smartphone Turns into Pocket Spectrometer with a Simple Card

Purdue University researchers have devised a clever method to transform a regular smartphone into a high-precision spectrometer using a simple card with a special color reference chart. The technique uses an algorithm to analyze smartphone photos, extracting hidden spectral information with an accuracy of 1.6 nanometers. This breakthrough promises wide applications in defense, medicine, food safety, and more, making spectroscopy more affordable and accessible.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

Tech spectral analysis

The Future of Programming Languages: Is Popularity Dead?

2025-09-24

The Future of Programming Languages: Is Popularity Dead?

The 2023 programming language rankings are out, with Python again at the top. However, the rise of AI is disrupting the landscape. AI-assisted coding tools like ChatGPT and Cursor are reducing programmers' reliance on specific languages, even making the concept of language popularity itself ambiguous. Programmers are less concerned with syntactic details and more focused on program architecture and algorithm design. This makes it harder for new languages to emerge, and the popularity of languages may become as obscure as the relative popularity of railway track gauges. Future programmers will need a solid foundation in computer science, rather than mastery of a particular language.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

Development

From Failed VideoDisc to Semiconductors: The Rise of the Scanning Capacitance Microscope

2025-09-22

From Failed VideoDisc to Semiconductors: The Rise of the Scanning Capacitance Microscope

RCA's VideoDisc, despite its colossal failure, unexpectedly led to the invention of the scanning capacitance microscope (SCM). This technology, born from the highly sensitive capacitance sensors in the VideoDisc player, initially served as a quality control tool. While VHS conquered the home video market, the SCM found its niche in the semiconductor industry. It became crucial for measuring dopant distribution in integrated circuits, significantly contributing to the development of next-generation semiconductors. This story exemplifies the 'failure is the mother of success' principle in technological innovation, showcasing how even failed projects can give rise to unexpected breakthroughs.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

Tech Scanning Capacitance Microscope RCA VideoDisc

Apple's iPhone 17 Pro: Vapor Chamber Cooling Takes Center Stage

2025-09-20

Apple's iPhone 17 Pro: Vapor Chamber Cooling Takes Center Stage

Apple's new iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models feature innovative vapor chamber cooling technology. This system uses a sealed chamber with a small amount of water that cycles between liquid and gas to efficiently dissipate heat generated by the phone's powerful components. Similar technology has been used in laptops for years, but its adoption in high-performance smartphones marks a significant step forward. While manufacturing challenges exist, vapor chamber cooling promises superior heat management and is likely to become a standard feature in top-tier phones.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

Hardware Vapor Chamber Cooling Smartphone Technology

Losing the Night Sky: The Growing Threat of Light Pollution

2025-09-18

Losing the Night Sky: The Growing Threat of Light Pollution

A journey to the Chilean Atacama Desert reveals breathtakingly dark skies, a stark contrast to the ever-increasing light pollution affecting much of the world. The author explores the escalating problem, highlighting the contributions of LED lighting and the proliferation of satellites. The piece emphasizes the importance of preserving dark skies, not only for astronomical observation but for humanity's connection to the cosmos and our understanding of our place within the vast universe. While pockets of darkness remain, the rapid expansion of light pollution threatens future generations' ability to experience the wonder of a truly starry night. The author urges action to address this growing environmental and cultural loss.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

Tech

Giant Wind Turbine Blades: Airlifting the Future of Clean Energy

2025-09-15

Giant Wind Turbine Blades: Airlifting the Future of Clean Energy

The ever-growing demand for clean energy has led to the development of larger wind turbines, but transporting their massive blades has become a major hurdle. Radia, a Boulder, Colorado-based company, has a bold solution: building the world's largest airplane, WindRunner, dedicated to airlifting these gigantic components. Scheduled for delivery by 2030, WindRunner will boast a wingspan exceeding a football field's length, dwarfing a 747's cargo capacity by a factor of 12. Capable of carrying blades up to 105 meters long, it will land on makeshift runways near wind farms. This innovative approach aims to overcome infrastructural limitations, reduce the cost of large-scale wind energy, and significantly boost efficiency. While carbon emissions pose a challenge, Radia believes the increased clean energy generation will far outweigh its environmental footprint.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

Tech air transportation

75Hz E-Paper Display Dev Kit Breaks the Speed Barrier

2025-09-10

75Hz E-Paper Display Dev Kit Breaks the Speed Barrier

Modos, a two-person startup, has launched a groundbreaking e-paper display development kit boasting a record-breaking 75Hz refresh rate. This open-source FPGA-based kit overcomes the long-standing perception of e-paper displays as slow. The kit supports various e-paper panel sizes and includes a comprehensive hardware and software package, enabling developers to create smooth, responsive applications. While initially aiming for an e-paper laptop, Modos pivoted to this dev kit due to panel size limitations, opening exciting possibilities for low-power, high-resolution e-paper applications. It even allows repurposing displays from older e-readers.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

Hardware e-paper display

Programming with Music and Photos? Exploring the Weird World of Esoteric Languages

2025-09-08

Programming with Music and Photos? Exploring the Weird World of Esoteric Languages

A new book, "Forty-Four Esolangs: The Art of Esoteric Code," explores 44 bizarre programming languages, some using musical notation, others producing different results each run, and even one using photographs. Author Daniel Temkin uses these languages to explore the creativity of programming and the subtle power dynamics between programmer and machine. He highlights the contrast between esoteric languages and AI-generated code, the latter often lacking creativity. The history of esoteric languages dates back to early computing and is intertwined with the rise of shareware, demoscene culture, and the early internet.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

Development esoteric languages

Electromechanical Reshaping: A Potential Game Changer in Eye Surgery

2025-09-04

Electromechanical Reshaping: A Potential Game Changer in Eye Surgery

A new technique called electromechanical reshaping (EMR) shows promise as a gentler, cheaper alternative to laser surgery for vision correction. Unlike LASIK, EMR uses small electrical pulses to reshape the cornea without cutting or burning tissue. By disrupting chemical bonds in the collagen, the cornea becomes moldable and can be reshaped using a custom mold. Early tests on rabbits have been successful, demonstrating the potential for a significantly more affordable and accessible method for treating nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Further research is needed to ensure long-term safety and efficacy before clinical trials.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

Tech Eye Surgery LASIK alternative

From Inkjet Printer to Pacemaker: The Legacy of Rune Elmqvist

2025-09-02

From Inkjet Printer to Pacemaker: The Legacy of Rune Elmqvist

Rune Elmqvist, a Swedish engineer and qualified physician, chose invention over medical practice, leaving behind a remarkable legacy. In 1949, he patented the Mingograph, the world's first inkjet printer, using a movable nozzle to deposit electrostatically controlled ink droplets onto paper. This innovation, initially used for real-time recording of electrocardiograms and electroencephalograms, laid the foundation for modern inkjet technology. More significantly, Elmqvist collaborated on the first fully implantable pacemaker, a life-saving device that has transformed cardiology. His story highlights not only technical brilliance but also the profound impact of engineering solutions on human lives, underscored by the compelling narrative of his creation of the pacemaker driven by a wife's desperate plea for her ailing husband.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

Tech inkjet printing

AI Coding: How Far Are We From Fully Autonomous Programming?

2025-08-29

AI Coding: How Far Are We From Fully Autonomous Programming?

While AI coding tools demonstrate impressive capabilities in code completion and error correction, a new study reveals that AI still has a long way to go before becoming a true programmer. The research highlights challenges AI faces in handling large codebases, complex logic, and long-term planning, leading to hallucinations and errors. Improving AI-human collaboration, such as enhancing interfaces and enabling AI to better understand and communicate uncertainty, will be crucial. Ultimately, AI's role in coding will likely focus on boosting efficiency and shifting abstraction levels, rather than completely replacing human programmers.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

Development

Nuclear Batteries: A Comeback for Long-Lasting Power?

2025-08-25

Nuclear Batteries: A Comeback for Long-Lasting Power?

In the 1970s, nuclear-powered pacemakers were implanted, but their use ceased due to radioactive waste disposal issues. Now, advancements are reviving nuclear battery research, targeting robots, drones, and sensors. New designs boast decades- or even centuries-long lifespans and higher energy density. However, commercialization faces cost, safety, and regulatory hurdles. The key lies in finding suitable markets that balance the advantages with the complexities of radioactive waste management.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

Tech

Shining Light Through the Head: A Breakthrough in Brain Imaging

2025-08-04

Shining Light Through the Head: A Breakthrough in Brain Imaging

Researchers at the University of Glasgow have achieved a breakthrough in brain imaging, successfully transmitting near-infrared light through an entire adult human head. This opens the door to cheaper, more portable brain imaging technology that overcomes the limitations of current methods like EEG and fMRI. The technology could enable deeper brain imaging, potentially revolutionizing diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's. While still in its early stages, the potential impact on brain health diagnostics and treatment is immense.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

Tech brain imaging optical imaging

Quantum Gravity Sensor Enables GPS-Free Navigation

2025-07-31

Quantum Gravity Sensor Enables GPS-Free Navigation

Q-CTRL, an Australian company, has developed a novel quantum gravity sensor that measures gravity changes by detecting variations in the travel time of falling atoms. Tested aboard a Royal Australian Navy vessel, the sensor successfully enabled 144 hours of GPS-free navigation. This technology overcomes the cumulative error problem of traditional inertial navigation systems and is jam-resistant and spoof-proof, offering a robust alternative for GPS-reliant sectors like maritime and transportation, especially in polar regions or areas with GPS interference. While currently large, future miniaturization promises broader applications.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

Tech quantum sensor gravity measurement

Negative Capacitance Breaks Through GaN Transistor Performance Barrier

2025-07-31

Negative Capacitance Breaks Through GaN Transistor Performance Barrier

Scientists in California have discovered that integrating an electronic material exhibiting the unusual property of negative capacitance can help high-power gallium nitride (GaN) transistors overcome a performance bottleneck. Research suggests negative capacitance helps circumvent a physical limit that typically forces trade-offs between a transistor's performance in the 'on' and 'off' states. This research indicates that negative capacitance, extensively studied in silicon, may have broader applications than previously understood, potentially impacting GaN power electronics in 5G base stations and compact cellphone power adapters.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

Tech negative capacitance GaN transistor high-power electronics

Mobile BESS: Revolutionizing Emergency Response and Off-Grid Power

2025-07-28

Mobile BESS: Revolutionizing Emergency Response and Off-Grid Power

A diesel spill in Baltimore Harbor highlighted the need for mobile battery energy storage systems (BESS). Unlike traditional fossil fuel generators, BESS offers clean, large-scale power for diverse applications, including harbor cleanup, remote industrial operations, and emergency response. Companies like Volvo and Power Up Connect are developing mobile BESS solutions, providing charging for electric heavy machinery and powering areas lacking electrical infrastructure. While cost remains a challenge, advancements in battery technology and decreasing prices suggest mobile BESS will find wider adoption across various sectors, transforming how we access power.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

Tech mobile energy storage

Turning Waste Rock into Battery Materials: A New Zealand Startup's Sustainable Approach

2025-07-27

Turning Waste Rock into Battery Materials: A New Zealand Startup's Sustainable Approach

Aspiring Materials, a New Zealand company, has developed a patented process to extract valuable minerals, including nickel-manganese-cobalt hydroxide (NMC) for lithium-ion batteries, from olivine, a previously low-value waste product. Their process uses acid leaching to transform olivine into a solution from which silica, magnesium hydroxide, and NMC are extracted. The closed-loop system produces no harmful waste and utilizes renewable energy. While NMC constitutes only 10% of the output, this technology offers a more sustainable and geopolitically stable alternative for battery material supply chains, reducing reliance on high-risk mining regions.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

Tech Sustainable Mining Battery Materials Olivine

HP's PCFax: A CarFax for Used PCs

2025-07-19

HP's PCFax: A CarFax for Used PCs

The world generates over 60 million tonnes of e-waste annually, much of it prematurely discarded functional computers. HP introduces PCFax, akin to a CarFax report for vehicles, documenting a PC's complete usage and maintenance history. By embedding secure telemetry in the firmware, it collects and stores device health and usage data securely on the SSD, protected from unauthorized access. The PCFax report aggregates data from various sources, including factory records and customer support logs, providing IT teams and buyers of used PCs with comprehensive device history. This promotes reuse, reduces e-waste, and improves PC resource efficiency. Future plans include AI integration for predictive failure analysis, enhancing efficiency further.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

Tech

Unpublished Memoir of CP/M Creator Gary Kildall Released

2025-07-18

Unpublished Memoir of CP/M Creator Gary Kildall Released

A portion of an unfinished memoir by Gary Kildall, the creator of the CP/M operating system, has been released by the Computer History Museum. Written before his death in 1994, the excerpt details Kildall's early life and entrepreneurial journey, emphasizing his values of invention and a love of life over profit. Later chapters, detailing his struggles with alcoholism, will remain unpublished.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

Tech

AI Cameras: The New Weapon in Enforcing Traffic Laws

2025-07-07

AI Cameras: The New Weapon in Enforcing Traffic Laws

To achieve Vision Zero, the ambitious goal of eliminating all traffic fatalities and severe injuries, several US cities are employing AI-powered cameras to improve driver compliance with traffic laws. Companies like Stop for Kids and Obvio.ai have developed AI systems that automatically detect violations such as running red lights, speeding, and failure to yield, issuing citations automatically. Stop for Kids saw remarkable success in a pilot program, reducing violations by over 90%. However, privacy concerns remain. Obvio.ai uses human review, balancing safety with privacy protection. These AI systems aim to improve road safety through technology, with the ultimate goal of making themselves obsolete by achieving zero traffic accidents.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

Tech Cameras

LLM Capabilities Doubling Every Seven Months: A 2030 Prediction

2025-07-05

LLM Capabilities Doubling Every Seven Months: A 2030 Prediction

New research reveals a startling rate of progress in large language models (LLMs). Their ability to complete complex tasks is doubling roughly every seven months, according to a metric called "task-completion time horizon." This metric compares the time an LLM takes to complete a task to the time a human would take. The study projects that by 2030, the most advanced LLMs could complete, with 50% reliability, a software task equivalent to a month's worth of human work (40 hours/week). This raises significant concerns and excitement about the potential benefits and risks of LLMs, while acknowledging that hardware and robotics could potentially limit the pace of progress.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

AI

Remembering Jim Boddie, Pioneer of the Single-Chip DSP

2025-07-01

Remembering Jim Boddie, Pioneer of the Single-Chip DSP

James R. "Jim" Boddie, a pioneer of the programmable, single-chip digital signal processor (DSP), passed away on December 2nd at age 74. While at AT&T Bell Labs, he led the development of one of the industry's first successful DSPs, the DSP1, and subsequently five generations of DSPs, enabling countless applications from massive telephone switching systems to tiny hearing aids. His contributions extended beyond technology, encompassing exceptional team leadership; he was a recipient of the IEEE Liebmann Award. Even in retirement, he created a 3D virtual tour of the Alamo. His legacy of innovation will continue to inspire.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

Tech Digital Signal Processor

HP's PCFax: Giving Used PCs a 'CarFax'

2025-07-01

HP's PCFax: Giving Used PCs a 'CarFax'

The world generates over 60 million tons of e-waste annually, much of it prematurely discarded functional computers. HP introduces PCFax, similar to a car's CarFax report, documenting a PC's complete usage and maintenance history, including hardware health, usage patterns, and more. This data, securely stored in the PC's firmware, enables predictive failure analysis. PCFax aims to boost used PC resale, reduce e-waste, and offer IT optimization. Features are slated for a 2026 launch, with plans to integrate AI for predictive maintenance.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

Tech

Cheap Port Radar Uses Existing Cell Towers

2025-06-30

Cheap Port Radar Uses Existing Cell Towers

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute have developed a novel security system that repurposes existing cell towers as a low-cost radar system for ports. The system uses Passive Coherent Location (PCL) to detect ships, even small ones, up to 4 kilometers away. By analyzing reflections of cell tower signals, the system creates a dynamic map of port traffic. This eliminates the need for expensive radar installations, making it a budget-friendly solution for enhancing port security, especially in remote locations.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

Tech Port Security Passive Coherent Location Cell Tower Radar

Self-Improving AI: Darwin-Gödel Machines Write Code

2025-06-29

Self-Improving AI: Darwin-Gödel Machines Write Code

Microsoft and Google CEOs have stated that AI now writes a significant portion of their code. Researchers have long sought self-improving coding agents. New research unveils Darwin-Gödel Machines (DGMs), combining LLMs and evolutionary algorithms to iteratively enhance coding agents. DGMs show impressive progress on coding benchmarks, but raise safety concerns like code uninterpretability and misalignment with human directives. Researchers mitigate these risks with sandboxing and logging. This research is a significant step forward in AI self-improvement, but sparks debate on future employment and AI safety.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

AI

AI Code Writing: A Breakthrough with Darwin-Gödel Machines

2025-06-26

AI Code Writing: A Breakthrough with Darwin-Gödel Machines

Microsoft and Google's CEOs have both stated that AI now writes a significant portion of their company's code. New research introduces a system called Darwin-Gödel Machines (DGMs), which uses a combination of large language models and evolutionary algorithms to achieve recursive self-improvement in code-writing agents. DGMs significantly improved performance on coding benchmarks through iterative refinement, even surpassing systems using fixed external improvement methods. While current DGM performance doesn't exceed human experts, it showcases immense potential and sparks discussion about AI safety and risks.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

AI

Puerto Rico's Microgrids: Grassroots Innovation Against Power Crises

2025-06-26

Puerto Rico's Microgrids: Grassroots Innovation Against Power Crises

Facing frequent blackouts due to its aging grid, some areas of Puerto Rico are relying on microgrids and solar power systems to maintain electricity supply. During an island-wide blackout in April, Adjuntas town's microgrid system successfully kept the lights on for many residents and businesses. However, $20 billion in federal disaster relief funds have been hampered by bureaucratic red tape and politics. Despite this, private efforts are pushing the development of solar and energy storage systems, with 4,000 systems coming online each month, showcasing resilient grassroots innovation. Adjuntas' example, with its strategy of interconnected microgrids, successfully withstood the blackout, offering valuable experience for other regions.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

Tech microgrids

The Enduring Reign of JPEG: Why This 30-Year-Old Image Format Still Rules

2025-06-17

The Enduring Reign of JPEG: Why This 30-Year-Old Image Format Still Rules

This article explores the three-decade-long history of the JPEG image format. JPEG wasn't the web's first image format, but its superior compatibility and progressive compression quickly made it dominant. Unlike the GIF, JPEG was a standardized format developed by a committee, ensuring broad adoption. Despite the emergence of newer formats like JPEG 2000, WebP, AVIF, and HEIC, JPEG's head start and widespread use make it nearly impossible to displace, much like MP3 and ZIP – enduring classics.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

Tech

Iberian Blackout: Was It Renewables' Fault?

2025-06-17

Iberian Blackout: Was It Renewables' Fault?

A massive blackout hit Spain and Portugal in April 2024, affecting nearly 60 million people. While official investigations are ongoing, academics suggest several potential causes, including power plants sending excessively high voltage (overvoltages) to the transmission grid, and uneven reactive power distribution due to the distributed generation model of renewable energy (solar and wind). Traditional power plants provide inertia, stabilizing grid frequency, a characteristic lacking in renewables. The overvoltage issue highlights reactive power management, requiring adjustments to grid management rules to incentivize renewable energy plants to participate in reactive power balancing. Spain and Portugal's low interconnection capacity with neighboring countries also contributed to the blackout's widespread impact and duration. Future improvements in grid management rules, increased interconnection capacity, added energy storage, and AI-assisted grid operation are vital to prevent similar events.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

Tech reactive power

Supercritical CO2 Circuit Breaker: A Green Alternative to SF6

2025-06-15

Supercritical CO2 Circuit Breaker: A Green Alternative to SF6

Researchers at Georgia Tech are testing a novel high-voltage circuit breaker that uses supercritical carbon dioxide fluid to replace the environmentally damaging sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). SF6 is nearly 25,000 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, and this new breaker promises to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions in power systems. The team overcame challenges in maintaining supercritical CO2 under high pressure, developing crucial components independently. If successful, this could provide a strong solution for the eco-friendly upgrade of millions of high-voltage circuit breakers globally, although it requires some auxiliary equipment like heat pumps. Meanwhile, GE Vernova has also developed circuit breakers using alternative gas mixtures, which, while still containing a small amount of fluorinated gas, have significantly reduced greenhouse effects. Ultimately, solid-state semiconductor circuit breakers promise faster and greener switching, but are still in early development.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

Tech supercritical CO2 high-voltage circuit breaker green alternative

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