In 2020, many people suddenly became aware of humanity’s new capabilities for rapid innovation. The catalyst was the rapid release of coronavirus vaccines that harnessed a relatively new mRNA technology, developed by bioscientists around the world. But this technology does not stand alone. It is part of a broad-based wave of advanced innovation that is consolidating and amplifying breakthrough...

Artificial intelligence can help the electronics industry to speed up chip design. But the gains must be shared equitably. Technicians push a cart in the cleanroom at Fab7 in the Globalfoundries Inc. semiconductor fabrication facilityA clean room in a microchip fabrication plant in Singapore.Credit: Lauryn Ishak/Bloomberg/GettyOne of the many consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic is a global sh...

Ebo is a versatile home robot with a camera, speaker and microphone so remote users can chat. Robots are invading our homes more and more, but (so far at least) their intentions seem nice, as they vacuum our floors, watch for intruders or keep our pets company. Enabot’s latest home robot looks to give video calls a bit more mobility, letting remote users drop in, roam around and chat. Ebo is...

Lucid Motors wanted the showroom for its luxury electric vehicle to be more inviting and educational than traditional dealerships.Lucid Motors is a young entry in a large pool of established car brands. Unlike most of its competitors, the Silicon Valley startup is offering a very specific type of car—a luxury electric vehicle. With a battery range starting around 400 miles and a cost between $...

As the industry looks beyond the pandemic, grocery retailers must determine which trends will endure. A focus on five areas will separate the winners from the rest of the pack.The COVID-19 pandemic left no industry untouched. Grocers in North America, along with those in other regions of the world, served as essential businesses and critical players in ensuring food supply during a time of grea...

The new, vegan natural deodorant brand is combining a refillable system with a mail subscription service to deliver refills to customers’ homes.Sustainable deodorant brand Fussy is using innovative design and a probiotic formulation to pioneer a new era of natural deodorant. The concept resembles a keep-cup in that natural deodorant blocks slot into a reusable case. Once the block runs out ano...

Did you know that automatic washing machines can’t be placed vertically like dryers even though that setup is trending in new apartment layouts? Placing them vertically makes it difficult to use in areas with limited floor space.So to solve this functional interior design problem, Hyun Yeol Shin designed Tilt, a washing machine that can be installed freely (horizontally and vertically) and the...

Corn Beyond the Cob : Corn or maize is the second most-produced crop in the world, and it’s more than just a staple in our diets.From the sweetener in our coffees to the ethanol that powers our vehicles, corn has hundreds of uses. Consequently, high corn prices have a domino effect that can affect many supply chains and possibly even increase the cost of our weekly groceries, especially if the...

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially granted Apple a patent that relates to replacing today's smart connector on an iPad with a wireless power transfer system to power accessories like the Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil 2. Apple notes in their patent background that an iPad accessory like a Magic Keyboard provides exposed electrical contacts that provide an avenue within which dust...