‘Power-Blox’ could provide clean energy to rural areas by 2030
They may look like giant LEGO bricks, but these ‘Power-Blox’ energy cubes provide portable electricity via solar panels. It’s hoped that they’ll be used to provide power to the world’s poorest regions. What if your regular LEGO brick could do more than just serve as a potential safety hazard...
Current in Technology
Are we ready for metaverse schools to be the new norm?
Global school group, Inspired, is the first of its kind to be launching a school in the metaverse, but what does that mean for education and how do students and teachers feel about it? ‘We are becoming better at realising that, as educators, we aren’t just “exam conveyor belts”. Students...
Robot beekeepers could help pollinators prosper in a warming world
As our world becomes warmer, we’re losing bee colonies at an unprecedented rate and our global food supplies could soon be under major threat. Preparing for the worst, Israeli start-up Beewise is already rearing its own hives using state-of-the-art AI tech. May 20, the fifth annual World Bee Day, was...
The Norwegian start-up making roads carbon negative
Using recycled asphalt bonded by plant-based adhesive, Carbon Crusher has created a mix for carbon negative roads that is both affordable and actively sequesters emissions. Paving the road to a greener future sounds awfully cliché, but that is quite literally Carbon Crusher’s business MO. The Norwegian tech start-up has been wracking...
Can ‘gravity batteries’ boost our energy storage capacity?
Cutting-edge technology could harness the universe’s fundamental force to help our green energy transition. Generating green energy is largely dependent on Earthly forces. When the sun is shining, or the wind blowing and the waves rolling, we’re good. When skies darken and conditions calm, however, our supply lines of sustainable power...
Can Artificial Intelligence ever be free of bias?
One of the primary concerns when it comes to AI is the fact that bias is unintendedly programmed in. Is it possible to design algorithms that are free of this issue? As individuals and businesses begin utilising the benefits of artificial intelligence more frequently in everyday life, one major concern...
Urbanears unveils new earbuds made from 97% recycled plastic
These new earbuds are made almost entirely from recycled plastic, making them a more eco-conscious option compared to traditional AirPods or Bluetooth headsets. Want to listen to your favourite songs on the go but don’t want to invest in Apple’s extensive ecosystem? Music goers looking for a more environmentally friendly option may want to check out Urbanears’ new recycled plastic earbuds. Called the ‘Boo’ and ‘Boo Tips’, these aesthetically low-key...
New AI tool recreates faces solely through voice data
As deep fake technology becomes increasingly difficult to suss out online, from AI voices to celebrity lookalikes, a new tool has allowed researchers to recreate faces through voice recordings. The era of deepfakes and artificial personas is steadily creeping up on us, one technological breakthrough at a time. While you may have seen some uncanny TikTok accounts creating deepfake videos of celebrities such as Tom Cruise, and celebrity AI voice...
Ukraine moves to digitally preserve its national landmarks
Amid the continued conflict with Russia, Ukraine is moving to digitally preserve its national landmarks in case of potential damage or destruction. Crowdsourced Polycam scans are helping to build detailed renderings for future restorations. Crowdsourced material is becoming increasingly important for Ukrainians amid Russia’s invasion. Some of those who’ve remained within conflict areas, whether by choice or force, have been documenting events on a daily basis in the hope that the...
VICE launches specially designed virtual Metaverse offices
Danish architecture firm BIG has created virtual office spaces for VICE, which it calls the Viceverse. The launch demonstrates the potential for mainstream use of the Metaverse. It seems we may finally be entering the real-life Matrix. Okay, that may be a little melodramatic, but the Metaverse’s continual growth in popularity and mainstream adoption suggests we could be using digital worlds simultaneously alongside our physical one sooner than you might think. [caption...
