Lightweight lithium metal is a heavy-hitting critical mineral, serving as the key ingredient in the rechargeable batteries that power phones, laptops, electric vehicles and more. As ubiquitous as lithium is in modern technology, extracting the metal is complex and expensive. A new method, developed by researchers at Penn State and recently granted patent rights, enables high-efficiency lithium extraction—in minutes, not hours—using low temperatures and simple water-based leaching.
“Lithium powers the technologies that define our modern lives—from smartphones to electric vehicles—and has applications in grid energy storage, ceramics, glass, lubricants, and even medical and nuclear technologies,” said Mohammad Rezaee, the Centennial Career Development Professor in Mining Engineering at Penn State, who led the team that published their approach in Chemical Engineering Journal.
“But its extraction must also be environmentally responsible. Our research shows that we can extract lithium, and other critical minerals, more efficiently while drastically reducing energy use, greenhouse gas emissions and waste that’s difficult to manage or dispose of.”
A major breakthrough at POSTECH could dramatically boost AI speeds and device efficiency.
Researchers have, for the first time, decoded how Electrochemical Random-Access Memory (ECRAM) works, using a special technique to observe internal electron behavior even at extreme temperatures. This hidden mechanism, where oxygen vacancies act like shortcuts for electrons, could unlock faster AI systems and longer-lasting smartphones, laptops, and tablets.
This week, major AI breakthroughs were announced, including Microsoft’s new Copilot agents, Sand AI’s long video generation, and Baidu’s faster, cheaper ERNIE models. Perplexity launched a voice assistant for iPhone, ByteDance introduced screen-controlling AI, and UC San Diego showed GPT-4.5 passing a real Turing Test. DeepMind warned about AI hallucinations caused by rare words, while YouTube started testing AI-generated video clips in search results.
Join our free AI content course here 👉 https://www.skool.com/ai-content-acce… the best AI news without the noise 👉 https://airevolutionx.beehiiv.com/ 🔍 What’s Inside: • Microsoft’s Copilot Wave Two introduces powerful AI agents like Researcher and Analyst • Sand AI and Sky Reels revolutionize video generation with long-form and infinite content breakthroughs • Baidu’s ERNIE Turbo models offer faster performance at lower costs, challenging OpenAI’s dominance 🎥 What You’ll See: • How AI now creates live sports commentary, animates 3D faces, and controls computers from screenshots • Why DeepMind warns about hidden risks in AI training and how UC San Diego’s research changes Turing tests • How YouTube’s AI-generated video clips and Perplexity’s new iPhone assistant could reshape online content 📊 Why It Matters: This wave of AI advancements shows how fast technology is evolving, with smarter agents, endless video creation, cheaper high-end models, and new challenges in AI reliability, content creation, and human-like behavior. DISCLAIMER: This video covers major AI updates from Microsoft, Sand AI, Baidu, Perplexity, DeepMind, and others, highlighting the rapid shifts in AI capabilities, risks, and opportunities across real-world applications. #ai #microsoft #deepmind. Get the best AI news without the noise 👉 https://airevolutionx.beehiiv.com/
🔍 What’s Inside: • Microsoft’s Copilot Wave Two introduces powerful AI agents like Researcher and Analyst. • Sand AI and Sky Reels revolutionize video generation with long-form and infinite content breakthroughs. • Baidu’s ERNIE Turbo models offer faster performance at lower costs, challenging OpenAI’s dominance.
🎥 What You’ll See: • How AI now creates live sports commentary, animates 3D faces, and controls computers from screenshots. • Why DeepMind warns about hidden risks in AI training and how UC San Diego’s research changes Turing tests. • How YouTube’s AI-generated video clips and Perplexity’s new iPhone assistant could reshape online content.
📊 Why It Matters: This wave of AI advancements shows how fast technology is evolving, with smarter agents, endless video creation, cheaper high-end models, and new challenges in AI reliability, content creation, and human-like behavior.
Lithium-ion batteries have been a staple in device manufacturing for years, but the liquid electrolytes they rely on to function are quite unstable, leading to fire hazards and safety concerns. Now, researchers at Penn State are pursuing a reliable alternative energy storage solution for use in laptops, phones and electric vehicles: solid-state electrolytes (SSEs).
According to Hongtao Sun, assistant professor of industrial and manufacturing engineering, solid-state batteries—which use SSEs instead of liquid electrolytes—are a leading alternative to traditional lithium-ion batteries. He explained that although there are key differences, the batteries operate similarly at a fundamental level.
“Rechargeable batteries contain two internal electrodes: an anode on one side and a cathode on the other,” Sun said. “Electrolytes serve as a bridge between these two electrodes, providing fast transport for conductivity. Lithium-ion batteries use liquid electrolytes, while solid-state batteries use SSEs.”
In a new Nature Communicationsstudy, researchers have developed an in-memory ferroelectric differentiator capable of performing calculations directly in the memory without requiring a separate processor.
The proposed differentiator promises energy efficiency, especially for edge devices like smartphones, autonomous vehicles, and security cameras.
Traditional approaches to tasks like image processing and motion detection involve multi-step energy-intensive processes. This begins with recording data, which is transmitted to a memory unit, which further transmits the data to a microcontroller unit to perform differential operations.
Until now, Google’s Android XR glasses had only appeared in carefully curated teaser videos and limited hands-on previews shared with select publications. These early glimpses hinted at the potential of integrating artificial intelligence into everyday eyewear but left lingering questions about real-world performance. That changed when Shahram Izadi, Google’s Android XR lead, took the TED stage – joined by Nishtha Bhatia – to demonstrate the prototype glasses in action.
The live demo showcased a range of features that distinguish these glasses from previous smart eyewear attempts. At first glance, the device resembles an ordinary pair of glasses. However, it’s packed with advanced technology, including a miniaturized camera, microphones, speakers, and a high-resolution color display embedded directly into the lens.
The glasses are designed to be lightweight and discreet, with support for prescription lenses. They can also connect to a smartphone to leverage its processing power and access a broader range of apps.
Neutrino energy offers 24/7 power without sun, wind, or fuel. Learn how this silent force may soon charge your phone and power entire homes wirelessly.
Billions of heat exchangers are in use around the world. These devices, whose purpose is to transfer heat between fluids, are ubiquitous across many commonplace applications: they appear in HVAC systems, refrigerators, cars, ships, aircraft, wastewater treatment facilities, cell phones, data centers, and petroleum refining operations, among many other settings.
Researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have shown that a single, standard silicon transistor, the core component of microchips found in computers, smartphones, and nearly all modern electronics, can mimic the functions of both a biological neuron and synapse.
A synapse is a specialized junction between nerve cells that allows for the transfer of electrical or chemical signals, through the release of neurotransmitters by the presynaptic neuron and the binding of receptors on the postsynaptic neuron. It plays a key role in communication between neurons and in various physiological processes including perception, movement, and memory.
