AI

A research team has achieved the holy grail of quantum computing: an exponential speedup that’s unconditional. By using clever error correction and IBM’s powerful 127-qubit processors, they tackled a variation of Simon’s problem, showing quantum machines are now breaking free from classical limitations, for real.

Researchers have found a way to observe clotting activity in blood as it happens -- without needing invasive procedures. Using a new type of microscope and artificial intelligence (AI), their study shows how platelet clumping can be tracked in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), opening the door to safer, more personalized treatment.

Quantum computing just got a significant boost thanks to researchers at the University of Osaka, who developed a much more efficient way to create "magic states" a key component for fault-tolerant quantum computers. By pioneering a low-level, or "level-zero," distillation method, they dramatically reduced the number of qubits and computational resources needed, overcoming one of the biggest obstacles: quantum noise. This innovation could accelerate the arrival of powerful quantum machines capable of revolutionizing industries from finance to biotech.

Chalmers engineers built a pulse-driven qubit amplifier that’s ten times more efficient, stays cool, and safeguards quantum states—key for bigger, better quantum machines.

Scientists at the University of Amsterdam discovered that our brains automatically understand how we can move through different environments—whether it's swimming in a lake or walking a path—without conscious thought. These "action possibilities," or affordances, light up specific brain regions independently of what’s visually present. In contrast, AI models like ChatGPT still struggle with these intuitive judgments, missing the physical context that humans naturally grasp.

AI is revolutionizing the job landscape, prompting nations worldwide to prepare their workforces for dramatic changes. A University of Georgia study evaluated 50 countries’ national AI strategies and found significant differences in how governments prioritize education and workforce training. While many jobs could disappear in the coming decades, new careers requiring advanced AI skills are emerging. Countries like Germany and Spain are leading with early education and cultural support for AI, but few emphasize developing essential human soft skills like creativity and communication—qualities AI can't replace.

Imagine supercomputers that think with light instead of electricity. That s the breakthrough two European research teams have made, demonstrating how intense laser pulses through ultra-thin glass fibers can perform AI-like computations thousands of times faster than traditional electronics. Their system doesn t just break speed records it achieves near state-of-the-art results in tasks like image recognition, all in under a trillionth of a second.

AI researchers in Switzerland have found a way to dramatically cut cement s carbon footprint by redesigning its recipe. Their system simulates thousands of ingredient combinations, pinpointing those that keep cement strong while emitting far less CO2 all in seconds.

Researchers have created a revolutionary robotic skin that brings machines closer to human-like touch. Made from a flexible, low-cost gel material, this skin transforms the entire surface of a robotic hand into a sensitive, intelligent sensor. Unlike traditional robotic skins that rely on a patchwork of different sensors, this material can detect pressure, temperature, pain, and even distinguish multiple contact points all at once.

Physicists at the University of Colorado Boulder have created a groundbreaking quantum device that can measure 3D acceleration using ultracold atoms, something once thought nearly impossible. By chilling rubidium atoms to near absolute zero and splitting them into quantum superpositions, the team has built a compact atom interferometer guided by AI to decode acceleration patterns. While the sensor still lags behind traditional GPS and accelerometers, it's poised to revolutionize navigation for vehicles like submarines or spacecraft potentially offering a timeless, atomic-based alternative to aging electronics.

A team of researchers has shown that even small-scale quantum computers can enhance machine learning performance, using a novel photonic quantum circuit. Their findings suggest that today s quantum technology isn t just experimental it can already outperform classical systems in specific tasks. Notably, this photonic approach could also drastically reduce energy consumption, offering a sustainable path forward as machine learning s power needs soar.

Unlike birds, which navigate unknown environments with remarkable speed and agility, drones typically rely on external guidance or pre-mapped routes. However, a groundbreaking development by Professor Fu Zhang and researchers from the Department of Mechanical Engineering of Faculty of Engineering at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), has enabled drones and micro air vehicles (MAVs) to emulate the flight capabilities of birds more closely than ever before.

The effects of artificial intelligence on adolescents are nuanced and complex, according to a new report that calls on developers to prioritize features that protect young people from exploitation, manipulation and the erosion of real-world relationships.

Despite advances in machine vision, processing visual data requires substantial computing resources and energy, limiting deployment in edge devices. Now, researchers from Japan have developed a self-powered artificial synapse that distinguishes colors with high resolution across the visible spectrum, approaching human eye capabilities. The device, which integrates dye-sensitized solar cells, generates its electricity and can perform complex logic operations without additional circuitry, paving the way for capable computer vision systems integrated in everyday devices.

Students recently unveiled their invention of a robotic actuator -- the 'muscle' that converts energy into a robot's physical movement -- that has the ability to detect punctures or pressure, heal the injury and repair its damage-detecting 'skin.'

Interactive robots should not just be passive companions, but active partners -- like therapy horses who respond to human emotion -- say researchers.

Engineers have developed a real-life Transformer that has the 'brains' to morph in midair, allowing the drone-like robot to smoothly roll away and begin its ground operations without pause. The increased agility and robustness of such robots could be particularly useful for commercial delivery systems and robotic explorers.

Large language models (LLMs) -- the advanced AI behind tools like ChatGPT -- are increasingly integrated into daily life, assisting with tasks such as writing emails, answering questions, and even supporting healthcare decisions. But can these models collaborate with others in the same way humans do? Can they understand social situations, make compromises, or establish trust? A new study reveals that while today's AI is smart, it still has much to learn about social intelligence.

A new study in Nature describes both the mechanism and the material conditions necessary for superfluorescence at high temperature.

When it comes to public attitudes toward using self-driving cars, understanding how the vehicles work is important -- but so are less obvious characteristics like feelings of excitement or pleasure and a belief in technology's social benefits.

A new study says students appear to be using generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) responsibly, and as a way to speed up tasks, not just boost their grades.

Is artificial intelligence (AI) capable of suggesting appropriate behavior in emotionally charged situations? A team put six generative AIs -- including ChatGPT -- to the test using emotional intelligence (EI) assessments typically designed for humans. The outcome: these AIs outperformed average human performance and were even able to generate new tests in record time. These findings open up new possibilities for AI in education, coaching, and conflict management.

Researchers have discovered a new class of materials -- called intercrystals -- with unique electronic properties that could power future technologies. Intercrystals exhibit newly discovered forms of electronic properties that could pave the way for advancements in more efficient electronic components, quantum computing and environmentally friendly materials, the scientists said.

SeaSplat is an image-analysis tool that cuts through the ocean's optical effects to generate images of underwater environments reveal an ocean scene's true colors. Researchers paired the color-correcting tool with a computational model that converts images of a scene into a three-dimensional underwater 'world' that can be explored virtually.

Researchers demonstrated a way to to manipulate electrons using pulses of light that last less than a trillionth of a second to record electrons bypassing a physical barrier almost instantaneously -- a feat that redefines the potential limits of computer processing power.

Humans no longer have exclusive control over training social robots to interact effectively, thanks to a new study. The study introduces a new simulation method that lets researchers test their social robots without needing human participants, making research faster and scalable.

Researchers have developed a novel framework named WildFusion that fuses vision, vibration and touch to enable robots to 'sense' and navigate complex outdoor environments much like humans do.

A research team has developed a novel haptic device designed to enhance both safety and efficiency for workers in industrial settings.

A new AI decision making tool effectively balances various complex trade-offs to recommend ways of maximizing carbon storage, minimizing economic disruptions and helping improve the environment and people's everyday lives. It uses evolutionary AI, a kind of digital version of biological natural selection, to optimize policies in the face of competing priorities.

In Project Chimera, a game lab combines a VR computer game with educational problems in order to convey scientific content in a motivating way.

have created a new type of insect cyborg that can navigate autonomously -- without wires, surgery, or stress-inducing electrical shocks. The system uses a small ultraviolet (UV) light helmet to steer cockroaches by taking advantage of their natural tendency to avoid bright light, especially in the UV range. This method not only preserves the insect's sensory organs but also maintains consistent control over time.

The connection between a crumpled sheet of paper and quantum technology: A research team at the EPFL in Lausanne (Switzerland) and the University of Konstanz (Germany) uses topology in microwave photonics to make improved systems of coupled cavity arrays.

Researchers found that vision-language models, widely used to analyze medical images, do not understand negation words like 'no' and 'not.' This could cause them to fail unexpectedly when asked to retrieve medical images that contain certain objects but not others.

Scientists are using artificial intelligence to determine which genes collectively govern nitrogen use efficiency in plants such as corn, with the goal of helping farmers improve their crop yields and minimize the cost of nitrogen fertilizers.

Listen to the first notes of an old, beloved song. Can you name that tune? If you can, congratulations -- it's a triumph of your associative memory, in which one piece of information (the first few notes) triggers the memory of the entire pattern (the song), without you actually having to hear the rest of the song again. We use this handy neural mechanism to learn, remember, solve problems and generally navigate our reality.

A new game-based experiment sheds light on the tradeoffs people are willing to make about data privacy.

A new study outlines how artificial intelligence-powered handwriting analysis may serve as an early detection tool for dyslexia and dysgraphia among young children.

Scientists inspired by the octopus's nervous system have developed a robot that can decide how to move or grip objects by sensing its environment.

Researchers have developed a digital laboratory (dLab) system that fully automates the material synthesis and structural, physical property evaluation of thin-film samples. With dLab, the team can autonomously synthesize thin-film samples and measure their material properties. The team's dLab system demonstrates advanced automatic and autonomous material synthesis for data- and robot-driven materials science.

Scientists have successfully relocated protons outside of an antimatter laboratory with the help of an autonomous, open Penning trap. This breakthrough marks a significant step toward transporting antiprotons produced at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) to high-precision laboratories, which operate independently of the research facility. Extremely precise measurements to compare matter and antimatter are only possible far from accelerator facilities.

Biologists and chemists have a new programming language to uncover previously unknown environmental pollutants at breakneck speed -- without requiring them to code.

Engineers built E-BAR, a mobile robot designed to physically support the elderly and prevent them from falling as they move around their homes. E-BAR acts as a set of robotic handlebars that follows a person from behind, allowing them to walk independently or lean on the robot's arms for support.

A robotic hand can pick up 24 different objects with human-like movements that emerge spontaneously, thanks to compliant materials and structures rather than programming.

AI is advancing at such speed that speculative moral questions, once the province of science fiction, are suddenly real and pressing, says a philosopher and psychology researcher Frank Martela. Martela's latest study finds that generative AI meets all three of the philosophical conditions of free will -- the ability to have goal-directed agency, make genuine choices and to have control over its actions. This development brings us to a critical point in human history, as we give AI more power and freedom, potentially in life or death situations.

Engineers have taught a simple submarine robot to take advantage of turbulent forces to propel itself through water.

Engineers developed a ping-pong-playing robot that quickly estimates the speed and trajectory of an incoming ball and precisely hits it to a desired location on the table.

A team of researchers has unveiled a cutting-edge Amphibious Robotic Dog capable of roving across both land and water with remarkable efficiency.

An edible robot leverages a combination of biodegradable fuel and surface tension to zip around the water's surface, creating a safe -- and nutritious -- alternative to environmental monitoring devices made from artificial polymers and electronics.

What makes people think an AI system is creative? New research shows that it depends on how much they see of the creative act. The findings have implications for how we research and design creative AI systems, and they also raise fundamental questions about how we perceive creativity in other people.

A research team develops disinfection robot combining physical wiping and UV-C sterilization.

As fast fashion continues to fill wardrobes and landfills at a staggering pace, new research suggests that the future of fashion might lie not in fabric, but in pixels.

While service robots with male characteristics can be more persuasive when interacting with some women who have a low sense of decision-making power, 'cute' design features -- such as big eyes and raised cheeks -- affect both men and women similarly, according to new research.

Recent artificial intelligence advances have largely focused on text, but AI increasingly shows promise in other contexts, including manufacturing and the service industry. In these sectors, targeted AI improvements can improve product quality and worker safety, according to a new study.

Researchers have developed a new protocol for characterizing quantum gate errors, paving the way toward more reliable quantum simulations and fault-tolerant quantum computing.

Researchers argue that the problem that has been lurking in the margins of many papers about touch sensors lies in the robotic skin itself.

Computer scientists have developed a new AI text-to-video model that learns real-world physics knowledge from time-lapse videos.

Researchers developed a framework to enable decentralized artificial intelligence-based building automation with a focus on privacy. The system enables AI-powered devices like cameras and interfaces to cooperate directly, using a new form of device-to-device communication. In doing so, it eliminates the need for central servers and thus the need for centralized data retention, often seen as a potential security weak point and risk to private data.

A next-generation technology developed in 2023, conversational swarm intelligence (CSI), combines the principles of ASI with the power of large language models.

Researchers made a technique that improves the trustworthiness of machine-learning models, which could help improve the accuracy and reliability of AI predictions for high-stakes settings such health care.

While exploring a digitally represented object through artificially created sense of touch, brain-computer interface users described the warm fur of a purring cat, the smooth rigid surface of a door key and cool roundness of an apple.