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- May 16th 2025
May 16th 2025
Max Gray
May 16, 2025
The Daily Innovation Newsletter
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May 16th 2025
⚡️ Energy
UK startup Space Solar has successfully tested a wireless power-beaming system that transmits solar energy collected in space directly to Earth, overcoming limitations of weather and daylight. Developed under the UK Space Agency-funded Cassidi project, the “Harrier” demonstrator proved the viability of its Cassiopeia satellite design, which uses modular solar reflectors and a steerable, solid-state energy beam. The technology could deliver continuous, cost-effective renewable energy worldwide, with a megawatt-scale system targeted for deployment within five years.
🚘 Transport
Denmark has begun the world’s first trial of a remote pilotage system, allowing maritime pilots to steer ships from land using real-time data, eliminating the need to board vessels at sea. Developed by DanPilot and tech firm Danelec, the system uses advanced sensors and a secure data platform to guide ships through complex waters from a control center in Randers. With support from Maersk, the trial aims to improve safety, cut fuel use, and reduce emissions in global shipping.
🌎 Sustainability
🇬🇧 UK company recycles 95% of EV battery metals, matching performance of new cells at industrial scale
UK tech firm Altilium has achieved industrial-scale production of EV battery cells using 95% recycled materials, with performance equal to cells made from newly mined metals. Tested at the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre, the recycled cells—made using Altilium’s EcoCathode process—showed less than 1% performance variation and full compatibility with existing manufacturing lines. This breakthrough supports a circular battery economy and positions the UK to meet upcoming EU regulations requiring recycled content in EV batteries.
Researchers at Rice University have created a solar-powered desalination system that uses heat resonance to purify water even after sunset, without batteries or filters. The STREED system evaporates and condenses water using a dual-channel design, storing and reusing heat through a mechanism inspired by oscillating electrical circuits. Published in Nature Water, the innovation offers a scalable, low-maintenance solution for clean water access in off-grid and low-sunlight areas.
💊 Healthcare
Doctors at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Penn Medicine have used a custom-designed CRISPR therapy to treat a baby with CPS1 deficiency, a rare metabolic disease that causes toxic ammonia buildup. Tailored specifically to the child’s unique mutation, the gene-editing treatment restored metabolic function without surgery, marking the first successful application of fully personalized CRISPR medicine. Published in The New England Journal of Medicine, the breakthrough signals a new frontier for treating ultra-rare genetic diseases.
A team from Tufts University has developed a dental floss pick that monitors cortisol levels in saliva, allowing users to track chronic stress as part of their regular oral hygiene. The device uses a microfluidic thread and an electropolymerized molecularly imprinted polymer (eMIP) sensor to detect cortisol, sending real-time results to a smartphone. In trials, it matched the accuracy of gold-standard ELISA tests and could pave the way for broader, noninvasive saliva-based health monitoring. The research was published in ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces.
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See you soon,
Max