Hard Tech

Clean Energy

3D-printed “superalloy” could make power plants more efficient

The material is both stronger and lighter than those used to make conventional turbines.

Sam Jarman

a flat, clear piece of rubber in a spiral shape with thin wires running through it

Brain

This soft brain implant unfurls its arms under the skull

A soft brain implant that unfurls under the skull could make implantation surgeries less costly and risky.

Kristin Houser

a closeup of a tiny LED in the middle of a microchip

Computer Science

MIT breakthrough creates world’s smallest holographic microscope

The world’s smallest holographic microscope foreshadows a future in which smartphones could be used for high-res microscopy.

Kristin Houser

Music

This electronic musician is transforming the soundscape of hospitals

Trained as a classical pianist, ambient artist Yoko Sen is on a mission to redesign medical devices' beeps and buzzes and save us from alarm fatigue.

Teresa Carey

Series| Uprising

“Collaborative” robots are taking our jobs, but it might be a good thing

6:58

An ever-increasing number of robots in the workplace may force us to change our perception of the sort of work we deem worthy of human minds and hands. Instead of stealing our jobs, think of robots as taking on the duties nobody really wants, anyway.

Robotics

Robots for autism teach human emotion

Meet the classroom assistant of the future, a robot for autism therapy that’s teaching special needs students about empathy and emotions.

Teresa Carey

Series| Uprising

Meet your future caretaker: BUDDY the companion robot

5:46

Meet BUDDY, an advanced robot designed with an expressive face and gentle voice. With human-like emotions and different moods, BUDDY has the ability to care for the elderly and his human companions.

Series| Uprising

These search and rescue robots could save your life

7:56

These robots can lift heavy objects, crawl through rugged terrain, and climb challenging structures to save lives. But search and rescue robots won’t be rendering human first responders obsolete anytime soon. They’re designed to assist and protect them from unnecessary harm.

Series| Uprising

Fear not, the robots are already here

1:50

From the "cobots" that could steal your job to the cuter, emotional robots already living in our homes, this series provides an in-depth look at what’s to come in the not-too-distant future of robotic technology.

An octocopter drone can be equiped with tools such as a nail gun.

Drones

This nail gun wielding drone looks terrifying, but could save lives

According to OSHA, one in five workplace deaths in 2017 were in construction. Can nail gun drones help save lives?

B. David Zarley

Robotics

Robotic birth simulator saves lives in the delivery room

3:17

Meet the group of medical professionals that’s delivering babies from robots to prepare for real-life emergencies in the hospital room.

Jess Dais

Sustainability

These scientists extract plastic from bacteria

By 2050, there may be more plastic by weight in the ocean than there are fish. Canadian innovator Luna Yu hopes to change this by turning waste into biodegradable plastics.

Teresa Carey

Transportation

Getting aerial ridesharing off the ground

It’s been the ultimate futuristic dream for decades: flying cars! But now, the future finally has a deadline. At least to start, it will land in the form of a small air taxi operated by Uber, not something you’ll park in your garage.

B. David Zarley

Sections

Video

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