Tech Briefs

A Proof‑of‑Concept Quantum Battery

The results point to a surprising advantage for quantum batteries.

"We show that we can utilize the quantum advantage of quantum batteries, which is instantaneous charging, in a device which can be easily integrated into an electrical circuit. This is the first time this has been shown for a device of this class and is a critical step toward the development of a commercially competitive quantum battery."

Learn more: https://ow.ly/qVak50Z5xgg

Women remain underrepresented in engineering, but their impact has never been more powerful. Across industries, women engineers are breaking barriers, shaping innovation, and redefining what leadership looks like in STEM.

Launched in May 2026, Rising Star Awards has entered its third year with renewed momentum and purpose. This prestigious awards program celebrates exceptional women engineers who are making bold contributions today while paving the way for the innovators of tomorrow.

This year’s program features six award categories, each recognizing a unique dimension of excellence and impact across the engineering landscape:

Aerospace & Defense
Automotive/Transportation
Electronics
Manufacturing/Materials
Medical/Biotech
Robotics/Automation/AI

Nominations for the 2026 Rising Star Awards are now open. Submit your entry here: https://ow.ly/VQFC50Z5ffl

Hardening AI for the Cosmos: New Flash Memory Defies Cosmic Radiation

Researchers have shown that NAND flash memory made with ferroelectric materials can withstand radiation levels up to 30 times higher than more conventional NAND flash memory.

“If you send traditional flash memory to space, the radiation interacting with flash memory’s trapped electric charge can easily corrupt the data,” said Asif Khan, Associate Professor, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE). “In contrast, ferroelectric NAND flash storage does not store data as trapped electrical charge but rather stores it as polarization in the material. And polarization is very resilient to radiation effects.”

Learn more: https://ow.ly/8Rh750Z4Fh0

NASA Fires Up Powerful Lithium-Fed Thruster for Trips to Mars

With further development, thrusters like this could be part of a nuclear electric propulsion system powering human missions to Mars.

“At NASA, we work on many things at once, and we haven’t lost sight of Mars. The successful performance of our thruster in this test demonstrates real progress toward sending an American astronaut to set foot on the Red Planet,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “This marks the first time in the United States that an electric propulsion system has operated at power levels this high, reaching up to 120 kilowatts. We will continue to make strategic investments that will propel that next giant leap.”

Learn more: https://ow.ly/Ukm850Z4af0

Brain-Inspired Memristors Could Slash AI Energy Use by 70 Percent

Researchers, led by the University of Cambridge, developed a form of hafnium oxide that acts as a highly stable, low‑energy ‘memristor’ — a component designed to mimic the efficient way neurons are connected in the brain.

Current AI systems rely on conventional computer chips that shuttle data back and forth between memory and processing units. This constant movement consumes large amounts of electricity, and global demand is exploding as AI adoption expands across industries.

Brain-inspired, or neuromorphic, computing is an alternative way to process information that could reduce energy use by as much as 70 percent by storing and processing information in the same place, and doing so with extremely low power. Such a system would also be far more adaptable, in the same way our own brains are able to learn and adapt.

“Energy consumption is one of the key challenges in current AI hardware,” said Lead Author Dr. Babak Bakhit, from Cambridge’s Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy. “To address that, you need devices with extremely low currents, excellent stability, outstanding uniformity across switching cycles and devices, and the ability to switch between many distinct states.”

Learn more and read an exclusive Tech Briefs interview with Bakhit: https://ow.ly/Vwze50Z2E9k