Metal oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs), which are built by depositing thin films of an active metal oxide-based semiconducting material on a supporting substrate, have become widely used over the past few years, particularly in organic light-emitting diode displays....
TECHXPLORE
RoboFly: An insect-sized robot that can fly, walk and drift on water surfaces
Insect-size robots could have numerous useful applications, for instance, aiding search and rescue (SAR) missions, simplifying the inspection of infrastructures and speeding up agricultural processes. Despite the advantages associated with their size, these robots can...
Talek: A private messaging system that hides message contents and user communication patterns
Encrypted messaging services, which prevent cyberattackers from reading the contents of messages exchanged by their users, have become increasingly popular over the past decade or so. While these services hide message content, malicious users can often use the network...
Thin-film identification tags for transferring data to touchscreen devices
Today, countless electronic devices have touchscreens, including smart phones, tablets and smart home appliances. Touchscreen interfaces have become some of the most common means for users to communicate with and browse through their devices.
Training robots to identify object placements by ‘hallucinating’ scenes
With more robots now making their way into a number of settings, researchers are trying to make their interactions with humans as smooth and natural as possible. Training robots to respond immediately to spoken instructions, such as "pick up the glass, move it to the...
Enhancing high-nickel layered oxide cathodes for lithium-ion batteries
Lithium-based batteries are used to power most existing electric vehicles, yet the amount of time they can keep a vehicle going before they need to be recharged is still somewhat limited. In the future, high-nickel layered oxide cathode materials could help to...
Gradient Li-rich oxide cathode particles for batteries with minimum oxygen release
Lithium-rich transition metal oxide (Li1+XM1-XO2) cathodes have potential for use in Li-ion batteries, powering electronic devices and electric vehicles. These cathodes have a high energy density, typically above 900 Wh kg-1, yet they currently also come with...
Inverted perovskite solar cells with a power conversion efficiency of 22.3%
Photovoltaic (PV) cells, which can generate energy from the sun, could be very useful in tackling the current environmental crisis. Perovskite PV cells, cells made of metal halide perovskite semiconductors, have recently proved to be particularly promising, as...
WayPtNav: A new approach for robot navigation in novel environments
Researchers at UC Berkeley and Facebook AI Research have recently developed a new approach for robot navigation in unknown environments. Their approach, presented in a paper pre-published on arXiv, combines model-based control techniques with learning-based perception.
Exploring the effects of exchange rate fluctuations on technological learning rates
When it comes to predicting the costs of new energy systems and technologies, researchers must consider learning rates, which are estimated measures of technological progress. In fact, technological advances are typically associated with higher technological...









