Energy-storing concrete bricks could be key to proliferation of renewables
Renewable energy could reliably power the grid at peak times using an eco-friendly and cost-effective storage solution designed by Swiss start-up Energy Vault. More
Lyft patents notification system for self-driving cars to communicate with pedestrians
Autonomous vehicles could flash messages signalling their next move to nearby humans, using a system patented by US transportation company Lyft. More
Student-designed Air Chair allows disabled passengers to use one chair for whole journey
Two students from the United Arab Emirates have proposed a new type of wheelchair for air travel that saves disabled passengers from having to shift from one seat to another. More
First geoengineering experiment to dim the sun on track for 2019
Harvard scientists will attempt to replicate the climate-cooling effect of volcanic eruptions with a world-first solar geoengineering experiment set for early 2019. More
Algae curtain by EcoLogicStudio could make buildings more eco-friendly
London-based architecture office EcoLogicStudio harnesses photosynthesis in algae to remove air pollution with this living curtain, designed to rest over building facades. More
MIT "cyborg botany" researcher builds plant-robot hybrid called Elowan
Natural and digital systems could be blended together to create new kinds of electronic devices, according to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researcher Harpreet Sareen, who has built a robot controlled by a plant. More
Madeline Gannon's "quirky" robots move together like a pack of animals
Robots are programmed with traits such as impatience and confidence in an installation by designer Madeline Gannon, whose work explores the potential for humans and machines to live harmoniously. More
Zoov's electric share bicycles lock together like shopping trolleys
New French company Zoov has worked with Parisian design office Eliumstudio to develop a system of electric share bikes that lock on to each other for parking, creating minimal intrusion on streets and footpaths. More
MIT engineers complete world's first flight of plane with no moving parts
Engineers at the Massachusetts University of Technology have built an ion-powered plane that flies without propellers or turbines, and requires no fossil fuel. More
Twelve fabric-covered gadgets that show how technology can be more cosy
Fabric-coated tech products have slowly but surely padded into the market in 2018, suggesting a future of gentle, unobtrusive devices. Here's a look at some of the best examples. More
Urban wind turbine wins 2018 James Dyson Awards grand prize
The "ingenious" O-Wind Turbine designed by UK students Nicolas Orellana and Yaseen Noorani is the winner of the international James Dyson Awards. More
Photovoltaic concrete facade uses sunlight to generate energy
Concrete facades could soon capture solar energy to power buildings, using a prototype photovoltaic cladding developed by materials company LafargeHolcim and electronics manufacturer Heliatek. More
Jony Ive and Marc Newson design all-diamond ring
Apple design head Jonathan Ive and renowned designer Marc Newson are creating a ring entirely from a single diamond for sale at a charity auction. More
Harley-Davidson debuts motorcycle "that just happens to be electric"
Harley-Davidson has launched its first electric motorcycle, the LiveWire, which is set to go on sale in 2019. More
Helm Personal Server lets users take control of their data security
Gadi Amit's studio New Deal Design has collaborated with tech start-up Helm to create a home server to save people from "being caught up in the next massive online breach". More
Bio-bricks made from human urine could be environmentally friendly future of architecture
University of Cape Town researcher Suzanne Lambert has created a zero-waste building material made with human urine, which hardens at room temperature, as an alternative to environmentally taxing kiln-fired bricks. More
WEDEW turns air into drinking water by creating artificial clouds in shipping container
A team led by US architect David Hertz has developed an energy-efficient technology for harvesting fresh drinking water from the air, which is contained within a shipping container for easy transport. More
Brixels are modular blocks that can be combined to create moving walls
New York design studio Breakfast has combined elements of the brick with the pixel to make Brixels, a building block for moving architectural art. More
MIT surveys two million people to set out ethical framework for driverless cars
Self-driving cars should swerve to protect young people over the elderly and humans over animals, according to the Moral Machine survey of more than two million people, conducted by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. More
Terra alarm alerts people before an earthquake hits
Students from Sweden's Umeå Institute of Design have created a minimal, low-cost earthquake alarm that is also a source of calm during non-destructive incidents. More