Webtagr - Technology News Summarizer

Faster, Cheaper 3D City Modeling Using Gaussian Splatting

2025-05-26

Researchers at the University of Waterloo have developed a faster and cheaper method for creating large-scale 3D models of urban areas. Their system uses Gaussian splatting to automatically generate realistic 3D models from 2D aerial photographs, like those from Google Earth, eliminating the time-consuming manual process. This technology has applications in urban planning, architectural design, and filmmaking, offering high-quality city environments for movies and aiding urban planners in development projects. The team is exploring integrating geospatial AI to expand its capabilities for traffic analysis, solar potential assessment, and more.

(techxplore.com)

Tech Gaussian splatting

Game-Changing Steel: Twisting Technique Creates Submicron 'Anti-Crash Wall'

2025-04-17

Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shandong University, and the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a novel twisting technique that dramatically enhances the fatigue resistance of stainless steel. By creating a submicron-scale, three-dimensional 'anti-crash wall' within 304 austenitic stainless steel, the technique significantly improves strength and reduces cyclic creep. Tests showed a 2.6-fold increase in strength and a 2-4 order of magnitude reduction in strain due to ratcheting, resulting in up to a 10,000-fold improvement in fatigue resistance. This breakthrough has potential applications in aerospace and other demanding industries.

(techxplore.com)

Tech stainless steel fatigue resistance

Ultrasonic Deep Drawing Cuts Friction by 20%, Extends Tool Lifespan

2025-03-08

Fraunhofer IWU has developed VibroDraw, a groundbreaking ultrasonic deep drawing process that reduces friction by at least 20%. By integrating ultrasonic vibrations, the process minimizes material damage, extends tool lifespan, and increases production efficiency. Successfully applied to manufacturing cell housings for electric vehicle batteries, VibroDraw promises to enable larger cell formats, leading to improved range and energy density.

(techxplore.com)

Tech Ultrasonic Deep Drawing Friction Reduction

Indiana Jones Jailbreak Exposes LLM Vulnerabilities

2025-02-24

Researchers have devised a new jailbreak technique, dubbed 'Indiana Jones,' that successfully bypasses the safety filters of large language models (LLMs). This method uses three coordinated LLMs to iteratively extract potentially harmful information, such as instructions on how to become historical villains, that should have been filtered. The researchers hope their findings will lead to safer LLMs through improved filtering, machine unlearning techniques, and other security enhancements.

(techxplore.com)

AI Security Vulnerabilities

Agricultural Waste Enables 21.39% Efficient Perovskite Solar Cell

2025-02-22

Researchers from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and Polytechnique Hauts-de-France have developed a perovskite solar cell using a biomass-based polymer derived from agricultural waste (furan). This innovative cell achieved a remarkable 21.39% energy conversion efficiency, demonstrating a promising path towards sustainable and cost-effective solar energy. While still below silicon-based cells, this breakthrough offers a significant step towards environmentally friendly, large-scale solar energy production.

(techxplore.com)

Tech Perovskite Solar Cell Biomass Polymer Sustainable Energy

Breakthrough: Lithium-Sulfur Battery Retains 80% Capacity After 25,000 Cycles

2025-02-21

A Chinese research team has developed a revolutionary lithium-sulfur battery that retains 80% of its charge capacity after an astounding 25,000 charge-discharge cycles—significantly outperforming traditional lithium-ion batteries, which typically degrade after 1,000 cycles. This breakthrough utilizes a novel sulfur-based solid-state electrode composed of sulfur, boron, lithium, phosphorus, and iodine. The addition of iodine accelerates redox reactions, leading to faster charging and discharging. While promising, further research is needed to improve energy density and explore alternative lightweight materials.

(techxplore.com)

Tech lithium-sulfur battery solid-state battery battery technology

Stanford Study: Renewable Energy Outperforms Carbon Capture in Cost-Effectiveness

2025-02-15

A Stanford University study reveals that transitioning to 100% wind, solar, geothermal, and hydropower by 2050 would be far more cost-effective than carbon capture technologies for most countries globally. This shift would significantly reduce energy needs and costs, improve air quality, and mitigate climate change. The research compared two extreme scenarios: a complete switch to renewables versus continued fossil fuel reliance with added carbon capture. The study found that transitioning to renewables would prevent millions of illnesses and deaths annually related to air pollution from fossil fuels, making it a superior and more cost-effective solution than carbon capture. The researchers advocate abandoning policies promoting carbon capture, arguing that eliminating combustion is crucial for addressing air pollution and climate change.

(techxplore.com)

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