Daily Innovation News

October 24^th 2024

💻 Technology

🇶🇦 Qatar Airways debuts world’s first Boeing 777 with SpaceX Starlink internet service

Qatar Airways has introduced the world’s first Boeing 777 equipped with SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet, offering passengers high-speed, reliable Wi-Fi during flights. The service, launched on a Doha to London flight, enables streaming, gaming, and file-sharing at speeds comparable to ground-based connections. Qatar Airways plans to equip its entire Boeing 777 fleet with Starlink by 2025, enhancing in-flight connectivity across its long-haul routes.

🚘 Transport

🇺🇸 🇮🇹 US and Italian automakers to launch world's first solid-state battery EV with 600-mile range in 2026

Stellantis and Factorial will introduce a demonstration fleet of Dodge Charger Daytona EVs using solid-state batteries by 2026, marking the first electric vehicles with this technology. Factorial’s FEST solid-state batteries offer a 600-mile range, 40% weight savings, and 33% smaller size compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries. These innovations promise improved performance, reduced costs, and faster charging times, setting the stage for next-generation electric vehicles.

🦾 Robotics

🇺🇸 US researchers give robots human-like touch by "listening" to vibrations

Scientists in the US have developed SonicSense, a robotic system that enables robots to identify materials, understand shapes, and recognize objects by detecting acoustic vibrations. Equipped with contact microphones on its fingers, the robot can "hear" and "feel" objects similarly to how humans do. This innovation allows robots to interact with dynamic environments and complex objects, enhancing their sensory abilities beyond vision. The system could be a major step toward creating robots that can perform intricate, real-world tasks.

🌎 Environment

🇺🇸 US chemists develop new powder to simplify direct air carbon capture

Researchers in the US have developed a new covalent organic framework (COF) material that efficiently captures CO2 from ambient air, offering a breakthrough in direct air capture (DAC) technology. This porous material is durable, resistant to contaminants, and can easily integrate into existing carbon capture systems. Unlike older methods, it captures and releases CO2 at low temperatures, reducing energy demands and improving scalability, which could help combat rising atmospheric CO2 levels. The work was published in Nature.

🇳🇿 New Zealand robot aims to cut emissions and herbicide use in crop spraying

The New Zealand-made Prospr robot, an electric and autonomous vehicle, is designed to reduce fuel consumption by up to 72% compared to traditional tractors and minimize the use of herbicides in orchards and vineyards. Guided by GPS and equipped with sensors, it can operate all day, spraying crops efficiently while avoiding obstacles. By offering precision spraying and addressing labor shortages, the Prospr robot enhances sustainability in farming. It is now in use across New Zealand, Australia, and the US.

💊 Healthcare

🇨🇳 Chinese scientists revive pig brain activity after an hour, highlighting the liver's protective role

Researchers in China have revived brain activity in pigs an hour after cardiac arrest by incorporating the liver into a life support system. The liver appears to protect the brain from ischemia-reperfusion injury, reducing swelling and cellular damage while restoring brain activity. This discovery, published in EMBO Molecular Medicine, could extend the resuscitation window for cardiac arrest patients, potentially improving survival rates. The study highlights the liver's metabolic and anti-inflammatory functions as critical to brain recovery.

🇦🇺 Australian researchers start clinical trial for spinal cord injury treatment using olfactory cells

A Phase I clinical trial is underway in Australia to test the safety and effectiveness of olfactory cell nerve bridges in treating chronic spinal cord injuries. These specialized cells, harvested from patients' noses, will be transplanted to the injury site to promote nerve regeneration. This trial builds on previous research but incorporates improved cell purification and intensive rehabilitation techniques, potentially offering new hope for spinal cord repair. The findings could transform treatment options for thousands living with paralysis.

That’s all for today, please reply to this email if you have any comments or feedback, we’d love to hear from you about what we can do better!

Have you enjoyed this email? Make sure to share it with your friends and colleagues.

Thanks for reading!