Cement and carbon black are two of the most widely utilized materials in human history. Scientists believe they may potentially pave the way for future energy usage.

By combining cement, water, and carbon black, MIT researchers have created a unique, energy-storing substance. The design is adaptable, and it might be used to convert highways or buildings into renewable energy sources. The way of mixing the base materials to generate a supercapacitor, according to the experts, is the key to the novel design.

Researchers have already sought to imbue structural materials with battery-like capabilities by combining concrete with graphene-based carbon nanotubes. However, nanotubes are costly to manufacture and are not easily scalable for real-world applications. Carbon black, on the other hand, is a substance made from the incomplete combustion of coal, vegetable waste, or fuel, and it provides a more cost-effective alternative to nanotubes due to its widespread availability.

The researchers discovered that when carbon black is combined with water and cement, it produces a "fractal-like," electron-conducting network. They then formed the final product into small plates 1mm thick by 10mm wide and enclosed it in a potassium chloride membrane, a common electrolyte material, to form a sandwich-like structure.

According to the researchers, two electrodes composed of this material are separated by an insulating layer, allowing them to form a very powerful supercapacitor. When powered, the plates can illuminate a succession of LED lights. The researchers believe that the new substance might be used to store a day's worth of energy in roadways or buildings.

Even if the basic combination functions as a supercapacitor, keeping its energy-storing capability as well as structural strength can be difficult. Increasing the amount of carbon black increases the amount of stored energy, but the concrete weakens. The researchers discovered that using roughly 10% carbon black in the mix is the sweet spot for foundations or other structural elements.
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When structural strength is not an issue, the amount of carbon black in the supercapacitors could be raised to make even more potent supercapacitors. Franz-Josef Ulm, a civil engineer at MIT, is now working on developing a 12V battery comparable for automotive purposes. The prototype might be ready in 18 months and could even be used as an elemental brick for energy storage in homes.

Any pictures of your boarding pass should be excluded when choosing which travel photos to share on social media.

The documents may appear to be nothing more than travel souvenirs outside of their primary use at the airport, but they are much more informative than many travelers realize.

If cybercriminals can get a picture of a boarding pass, they can exploit travelers in several ways.

Even while the information on the documents appears to be sparse, bad actors "can very easily bring up the rest of the things they need to know about you from public records, like your date of birth, your address, your phone number, or your email address," according to Amir Tarighat, CEO of cybersecurity company Agency.

“Frequent flyer miles are actually really easy to steal, and they don't have the same protection that banks have,” Tarighat said, adding that travel accounts are commonly sold on the Dark Web.

Hackers may be able to access your account using information from a boarding pass, such as your rewards account and confirmation numbers. According to Tarighat, information can also be removed by third parties using the barcodes on boarding passes.

According to him, social engineering assaults, which are " tricking people," can also be created using the information on the boarding pass.

So, he explained, "you might work for a company, and someone notices that, 'Oh, this individual is traveling. They can use that knowledge to trick you into doing something by sending spam, phishing, and social engineering emails to other firm employees saying things like, "Amir's in Paris this week," or something similar. This can entail granting them access to a specific account or sending them money.
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The details may also leave behind digital breadcrumbs that attackers can use to trace the traveler's web connections and launch additional attacks.

As Europe attempts to transition away from fossil fuel, Sweden is working on the first permanent electric road in the world, which will allow electric cars and trucks to charge while traveling.
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The E20 motorway has been chosen for the project by Trafikverket, the Swedish Transport Administration. In particular, it will construct the electric road system (ERS) along the 21-kilometer route between Hallsberg and Rebro, which is part of the route between Sweden’s two largest cities, Stockholm and Gothenburg.

The e-road is now in the procurement and final planning stages, and Trafikverket expects completing and launching it in 2025 or 2026.

How will it work? Which technology Trafikverket will employ for the ERS is still up in the air. There are now three types: 

1. Overhead conductive charging—Power is supplied from overhead wires to a vehicle by a pantograph in the first method of charging, much like how trams work. However, this technique is only appropriate for large, high-roof cars that can reach the power wires.
2. Ground-based conductive charging—Power is transferred from specialized rails or tracks placed below or on the road during conductive charging. A mechanical stick or arm that touches the rails assists the vehicles in charging. 
3. Ground-based inductive charging —Power is transferred between the vehicles and coils buried in the road without contact in the inductive system.

Sweden’s bet on electric roads. The challenging electrification of E20 comes after several productive ERS pilot projects across the nation. Trafikverket has been testing all three road charging technologies since 2016 in several locations across the nation, including Lund, Gotland, and Sandviken.

For good reason, trucks and buses have received most of the attention. According to one study, connecting the nation's largest cities with electrified roads would cut heavy-duty vehicle emissions by 1.2 million tonnes by 2030.

However, Sweden started experimenting with road pricing in 2018 on a 2-kilometer stretch between the Arlanda airport near Stockholm and a logistics hub in Rosenberg.

By 2030, when it plans to outlaw new fossil fuel-powered cars, the government wants to have deployed 2,000 km of ERS on public roads. However, it is debatable if wagering on e-roads is a wise course of action.
On the one hand, electric road infrastructure will make it possible to go farther between stops at charging stations, boosting EV usage and, thus, cutting carbon emissions.

In addition, an e-roads option to home charging would reduce the demand on the grid during peak hours, according to a recent research by Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg. The team added that combining static and dynamic charging at home can cut battery size by as much as 70%.

“This would reduce the need for raw materials for batteries, and an electric car could also become cheaper for the consumer,” said Sten Karlsson, co-author of the study.

There is a significant counterargument, though: the high investment and maintenance expenses for a developing type of infrastructure that, as battery research picks up speed, may eventually become outdated.
However, the study's findings show that the risk isn't that high. According to the researchers, only 25% of the country's and Europe's roadways would need to be electrified for the system to function.

Sweden is not the only country creating e-roads; Italy, France, Germany, and the UK are also testing the technology. In fact, Europe’s interconnectivity might indeed give a winning chance to an electric road network.

Twenty years ago, the idea of smartphones and electric automobiles looked like a pipe dream, yet as of today, 86.4% of the world's population, or roughly 6.92 billion people, own their own smartphones. Governments all around the world are promoting the use of electric automobiles rather than vehicles with combustible engines to move toward a greener future.

We’re all trying to add that start-up stock to our portfolio, which will blossom into a blue chip cornerstone of our retirement. Here are four exciting innovations that seem poised to become an assumed part of our life in the next two decades.

3D Printed Infrastructure. The use of 3D printing has been quietly increasing in the background and is gradually becoming more prevalent in people's daily lives. While 3D printing is now being used for anything from electronics to shoes, it is rapidly advancing. Today, contractors can use 3D printing to create a house.

For instance, Apis Cor employs enormous 3D printers and their proprietary concrete blend to build entire homes. The company holds the world record for the largest 3D-printed building on earth.

You might not even be aware of the many creative ways 3D printing is influencing your life. Tens of thousands of 3D printers that 3DOS has installed all around the world are being used to build a global, localized, and on-demand logistics network. Hence, you may order a product online and produce it at home. Perhaps it might be produced nearby or at a local facility, then transported locally rather than internationally. The trillion-dollar logistics industry's carbon emissions and expenses will be significantly reduced if 3D printers can produce most materials on their own.

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI). This technology has become considerably more prevalent in daily life in only the last few months. Curriculums are being revised by ChatGPT, which is used by companies like Buzzfeed, Inc. But that's only the start. While ChatGPT has become more well-known, other facets of the subject have received less attention.

For instance, RAD AI is a start-up that makes use of generative AI to optimize marketing campaigns using the first emotion-aware AI marketing platform ever created. The firm has secured over $2.5 million from regular investors through the startup investment platform Wefunder.

Generative AI is being used to create photos, paintings, sketches, text-to-speech, and even films. Because ChatGPT is launching an internet-based plugin, it will include search engine-like features to compete with Alphabet Inc.'s Google and function similarly to Microsoft Corp.'s new Bing.

ChatGPT’s plugin page notes companies like Expedia Group Inc and Instacart are already working on solutions using generative AI

Commercial Space Exploration. The year 2021 marked a turning point for commercial space exploration, with companies like Elon Musk's Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin LLC successfully launching commercial space travel. The first fully crewed voyage to the edge of space was also launched by Virgin Galactic in July 2021, with funding from billionaire Richard Branson.

By 2024, these businesses hope to launch the first commercial space flights. Yet, no firm arrangements have been established due to supply chain challenges and worries about a possible recession. As the macroeconomic headwinds worsened, many businesses had to postpone their plans by at least a year.

Commercial space flight is now only available to high-net-worth persons because tickets cost close to $500,000. Yet as businesses invest extensively in creating sustainable space stations and other infrastructure, you may expect a decrease in prices over the next 20 years. According to China Business Knowledge, during the next 15 to 20 years, space travel will become more affordable, and “Many people alive today will have a real chance of traveling to space in their lifetimes.”

Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI) & Brain Enhancements. Neuralink, a pioneer in brain-computer interfaces (BCI) founded by Elon Musk, is a well-known leader in the field. Many well-known figures in finance are also investing billions in this sector. Recently, the $75 million Series C raise for Synchron, a rival to Neuralink, received funding from Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos. Trubrain, a firm that makes wearables and supplements for brain health, has already received over $1.2 million from retail investors. Microsoft also makes its BCI research and development efforts well known.

The multibillion dollar investments made into the metaverse by Meta Platforms Inc. are well known. While much of that is focused on developing augmented reality and virtual reality systems, this also includes extensive study into how the brain functions as it seeks to enhance the functionality of its headsets. According to some reports, Meta wants to develop its technology so that it can read your brain activity.
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To some, twenty years is a long time. They refer to it as two decades. To others, it’s a surprisingly short period for the development of life-changing technologies. As we all watch the future unfold, be sure your tray-table is put away and your seat belt is fastened!

Now that we have two months of the new year under our belts, it’s time to look out to the remaining ten months to see what areas of technology are going to have the biggest impacts on our lives. 

Before we look forward, let’s look back to the end of 2022 and see the trends that were forming and how they will affect our world in 2023. 

From a hardware perspective, it was an unexciting year. Both Apple and Samsung refreshed their flagship smartphones, but most reviewers rated the changes as incremental upgrades. Mark Zuckerberg, with his eyes on changing the way people work, introduced a $1,500 virtual-reality headset. But, with only a two-hour battery, most users will strap the new headset on for gaming.

From the online world, we saw huge changes at Twitter after Elon Musk spent $44 billion to buy the company. In the last few months, he has gutted the staff, suspended accounts for some journalists and reinstated several questionable users. All of this had driven Twitter users to seek alternative sites. Another social media company, TikTok, has been banned on government-issued devices at both the federal level and in several states.

Finally, in November, OpenAI introduced a chatbot called ChatGPT. In the first month of its availability, the online AI tool registered more than one million users. Given that is can produce seemingly intelligent responses to questions posed by users. Unfortunately, it can produce totally incorrect responses and couch those responses in wording that appears authoritative. 

This is just a taste of what's in store for us in the upcoming year. Together with the same trends that have persisted over the past few years, like developments in electric cars and the metaverse, we can anticipate many intriguing innovations in A.I.-powered, language-processing technology. Social media might even have a resurgence.

Here are the tech developments that will invade our lives in 2023.

1.New Embedded AI Assistants. Early adopters who were astounded by ChatGPT's verbal proficiency were equally astounded by how inaccurate it can be, especially with basic mathematics. Despite their flaws, it is reasonable to expect that software developers, led by Microsoft, will embed AI technology within familiar apps like Word, Excel, Google Sheets, Craft and others. It's important to note that many of the tasks these new AI modules will tackle will be summaries with a particular interest point in mind. 

Here’s an example. You’re writing a research paper on warfare and you have come across a 100-page essay on World War II. Imagine asking the AI tool to read the full document and highlight the key points regarding a certain facet of the war.

Yoav Shoham, a professor emeritus at Stanford University who contributes to the AI Index, an annual assessment on the development of artificial intelligence, said: "If you want to supplement your writing with a historical fact, you won't need to go and search the web and locate it. With just the click of a button, it'll be there."

2. Virtual reality, a.k.a. the metaverse. Tech firms have been advertising virtual reality headgear for gaming for most of the last decade, including the Quest 2, HTC Vive, and Sony PlayStation VR. Tech companies are making grand claims that these headsets will eventually transform our lives similarly to what smartphones have done so now that technology has advanced to become more potent and wireless.

One person who envisions the metaverse as a place where we may work, collaborate, and create is Mark Zuckerberg of Meta. The business thought the technology could be used as a multitasking tool for employees juggling meetings while skimming through emails and other duties when it unveiled the Quest Pro headgear this year. It remains to be seen whether Meta can realize its vision for the metaverse, given that the device's initial reception was unfavorable.

The VR drumbeat will continue in 2023. It is widely believed that Apple will unveil its first headgear, despite having previously stated that it would never use the term "metaverse." Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, has provided hints about the device even though the business has released no information about it. Cook has expressed his excitement about employing augmented reality to use digital data in the real world.

“You’ll wonder how you lived your life without augmented reality, just like today you wonder: How did people like me grow up without the internet?” Mr. Cook said in September to students in Naples.

Yet, he continued, the technology will not suddenly become significant. The first version of Apple's headgear will probably be used for gaming, just like many others before it, as wireless headsets continue to be large and only used inside.

In other words, 2023 will probably still not be the year that these headsets become widely used, according to Carolina Milanesi, a consumer tech analyst for the research firm Creative Strategies. However, there will be plenty of talk about the metaverse and virtual, augmented, and mixed goggles.

“From a consumer perspective, it’s still very uncertain what you’re spending your thousand bucks on when you’re buying a headset,” she said. “Do I have to do a meeting with V.R.? With or without legs, it’s not a necessity.”

3.Electric Vehicles Beyond Tesla. Last year, Tesla continued to dominate the market for electric vehicles (EVs), but 2023 might mark a turning point for the sector. Since Mr. Musk's takeover of Twitter, Tesla's shares have fallen precipitously this year, and its reputation has suffered. The market's competitiveness is also escalating as EV manufacturers, including Ford Motor, Kia, General Motors, Audi, and Rivian, increase their output of electric vehicles.

Tesla also declared in November that it would allow other electric vehicles to use its charging port design. That would make it possible for owners of other makes of vehicles to refuel at Tesla's charging stations, which are much more numerous than other kinds of chargers.

Also, sales of gas-powered cars will be prohibited in both California and New York by 2035. All of this creates the ideal conditions for the electric car market to grow significantly beyond just one brand in 2023.

4.New Social Media Choices. Most of 2022 saw Twitter in disarray, and 2023 is expected to be no different. Last month, in reaction to the criticism, Mr. Musk conducted a Twitter "poll" asking his fans if they thought he should step down as the company's CEO. Ten million users, or a majority, chose yes, but Mr. Musk said he wouldn't leave until someone "foolish enough to do the job" was found.

TikTok is still in trouble after its Chinese parent firm, ByteDance, revealed that an internal probe had revealed that staff members had improperly collected user data from American users, including that of two journalists. The information puts pressure on the Biden administration to think about imposing even stricter limitations on the app in the US.

Whatever happens to Twitter and TikTok, it's certain that social media is undergoing a significant change. A social network called Mastodon, which resembles Twitter in appearance, has attracted many journalists, techies, and influencers. Yet many younger people have already switched to more recent apps like BeReal, where pals can keep in touch by simultaneously taking and sharing selfies.
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Which new social networking app will be a huge deal in 2023 is a mystery. Mastodon has lost about 30% of the million users they gained because of changes at Twitter. Yet, one thing is for certain: Those who are offended by Twitter are looking for a friendly environment where they can hang around.

Last December’s Issue 8-25 had an article about the first tests of the SpinLaunch system for substituting a centrifuge spinning mechanism to hurl light-weight satellites into sub-orbit.

Now, NASA has said they are going to test SpinLaunch’s unusual launch technology. Rather than use a first stage rocket to get the launch vehicle out of our atmosphere, SpinLaunch uses an electric centrifuge to hurl the payload like a discus.

While the company’s kinetic launch system is unusual, it has the potential to affect positively both the environment and the cost. But it isn’t for all launches. Obviously, no one is suggesting its use for manned missions or super-heavy payloads.

The company says that SpinLaunch is ideal for any launch vehicle weighing in at under 440 pounds. The key is ruggedizing the packaging so it can take the punishment of 10,000 G force and being released at a speed of over six times the speed of sound (around 5,000 mph.) Once the vehicle is released, a second-stage rocket can take over and provide the power to get the package into orbit.

To quantify the benefits of the SpinLaunch approach, the company says that they can save up to 70% of the fuel by eliminating the first-stage rocket and that also means no need for the expensive launch structures needed with traditional launches. In essence, hurling the vehicle will use a quarter of the fuel at a tenth of the price!

NASA’s interest has led them to sign a Space Act agreement with SpinLaunch to develop and integrate a NASA payload for a slower sub-orbital launch. The payload will take measurements which will be analyzed by both NASA and the company. They are planning this first test for later this year. SpinLaunch is working on a timetable for a first orbital launch in 2025.

“SpinLaunch is offering a unique suborbital flight and high-speed testing service, and the recent launch agreement with NASA marks a key inflection point as SpinLaunch shifts focus from technology development to commercial offerings,” said SpinLaunch Founder and CEO Jonathan Yaney in a press release. “What started as an innovative idea to make space more accessible has materialized into a technically mature and game-changing approach to launch. We look forward to announcing more partners and customers soon and greatly appreciate NASA’s continued interest and support in SpinLaunch.”
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SpinLaunch has developed a render video on YouTube showing how this remarkable system will work.

When we think about privacy and who can access our location data, we’re often focusing on our phones and not on the machine that actually takes us places: our car. A recent report from NBC News goes into just how much data is collected by our vehicles and how it can be used by police and criminals alike.

Your car, depending on how new it is and what capabilities it has, could be collecting all sorts of data without your knowledge – including location data, when its doors were opened, and even recordings of your voice. The NBC article uses the example of Joshua Wessel, a man charged with murder because the victim’s truck has a recording of his voice at the time of the killing. The report also looks at a company called Berla Corp., which has built a business out of extracting that data on behalf of the police.

In broad strokes, it’s hard to guarantee any kind of data protection, simply because cars collect so much sensitive data. Berla’s software boasts the ability to read the unique IDs of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi devices that have connected to a car’s infotainment system, as well as call logs, contacts, and text messages. But infotainment data isn’t all it can read – it can also look at the logs kept by the car’s internal computer, revealing when specific doors were opened, as well as providing a location log from its built-in GPS.

It’s not just the police that can get at this information. NBC mentions an Australian man who used an app to access live data from his ex-girlfriend’s Land Rover. Not only was he able to access live information about the car, but he was also able to control it, remotely turning it on and off and opening windows.
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The heart of the problem is that we’re sharing our private data with more and more devices, and the systems we rely on to keep that data safe are getting more complicated. If we really want to deal with the issue, we may have to take a hard look at our cars and start thinking about how much data they need.

Amazon, Google's parent Alphabet, and UPS all hope to one day deliver large amounts of goods by drone. New US government rules have cleared some hurdles to make that dream a reality.

The Federal Aviation Administration finalized new rules for small, unmanned drones that could pave the way for expanded commercial uses of the vehicles, including delivery services.

For the first time, the FAA will allow small commercial drones to fly short distances over people and at night without a waiver. Small drones will also be permitted to fly over moving vehicles under limited conditions.

In a change from a previously proposed draft of the rules, drone operators must also have their remote pilot certificates on their persons and ready to be displayed if challenged by the authorities.

The rules apply to drone operators who use their unmanned aircraft for work or business under the FAA's Part 107 regulations. As many as 1.7 million drones have been registered with the FAA, as well as more than 203,000 drone pilots, the agency said. 

"The new rules make way for the further integration of drones into our airspace by addressing safety and security concerns," said FAA Administrator Steve Dickson. "They get us closer to the day when we will more routinely see drone operations such as the delivery of packages."

The agency said it submitted the rule changes to the Federal Register and expects them to be published in January. The new regulations will take effect 60 days after publication.

The new rules mark a significant step forward by the US government toward a future of commercial drone deliveries, a vision outlined by Amazon as far back as 2013. Since then, the FAA's development of drone regulations has progressed in fits and starts, prompting critics to worry that other countries could pull ahead and gain a critical first-mover advantage in drone-based commerce. 

Industry advocates said there are still many steps ahead before that drone delivery can go mainstream in the US – such as opening up the rules to allow routine drone flights beyond an operator's visual line of sight. 
Those types of expanded operations "are critical to fully realizing the promise of [drone] technology to deliver innumerable economic and societal benefits," said the Small UAV Coalition, an industry advocacy group.
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Last year, UPS and Wing — a sister company to Google — became the first companies to gain FAA approval to operate a drone airline. In August, Amazon received the same approval certificate. Amazon has set a goal of completing drone deliveries within 30 minutes or less of an order being placed. 

The electric vehicle (EV) market's demand for ultra-fast charging has never been higher, as automotive batteries aim to replicate the convenience of filling up a tank at a gas station in minutes.

According to the US Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), more than 80% of EV charging takes place at the driver's residence via basic wall outlets (100V/120V) or dryer outlets (220/240V). This makes sense as residential charging is convenient and inexpensive.

Problems arise when the EV is driven far enough away from the residence to warrant a recharge to get back home or continue the journey. This scenario is why fast-charging stations are growing in demand. Fast charging aims to recharge EV batteries within a short period of time, similar to refueling conventional gasoline vehicles. Today's fast charging typically takes about 20 minutes to charge up to 80% capacity.

The growth of fast-charging stations will help address the common driver concern of the limited range of their EV. The increase of fast-charging stations will mean drivers can easily refuel and significantly extend their vehicles' driving range.

But fast charging comes at a price. Until recently, many EV battery systems were not compatible with the fastest charging system. Fortunately, the major EV car manufacturers are investing in high-speed chargers with capacities of 150kW or higher and even faster, ultra-fast recharging technology.

Companies are working to address the issues between fast charging systems and battery capacity and safety. For example, Peter Kelly-Detwiler, Principal at NorthBridge Energy Partners, LLC, has been tracking the developments from SK Innovations.

"Why carry a huge canteen (or battery) on your hike if you know you can fill quickly at a stream every two or three hours on your journey," asked Kelly-Detwiler?  "Of course, the charging infrastructure will need to be there, with liquid-cooled cables, etc., but I do think a portion of the industry will end up at 350-400 kW capability to support the Hummers or SK Innovations supported EVs."

The need for liquid-cooled energy cables hints at another challenge for fast-charging EV stations, namely, their adverse impact on the electrical power system. Common effects include harmonic contamination in the transmission lines and high current, adding to peak-hour consumption concerns. The high power and current ratings of the recharging facilities require supervised operation at specially designed stations.

Types of Rechargers. There are two types of recharging "fuels," namely, alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC). A standard cord set is provided with each new vehicle that typically enables 3.6kW of charging via a conventional wall socket. Using this approach, the impact on the electricity grid is limited as the charging rate is so low.

There are three major categories of chargers, based on the maximum amount of power the charger provides to the battery from the grid, according to the EERE):

• Level 1: Provides charging through a 120 V AC plug and does not require additional charging equipment.  This level can deliver 2 to 5 miles of range per hour of charging. Most often used in homes, but sometimes used at workplaces.
• Level 2: Provides charging through a 240 V DC (for residential) or 208 V (for commercial) plug and requires the installation of additional charging equipment. It can deliver 10 to 20 miles of range per hour of charging. Used in homes, workplaces, and public charging.
• DC Fast Charge: Provides charging through 480 V AC input and requires highly specialized, high-powered equipment and special equipment in the vehicle itself.  (Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles typically do not have fast charging capabilities.) It can deliver 60 to 80 miles of range in 20 minutes of charging. This service is used most often in public charging stations, especially along heavy traffic corridors.

Depending upon the type of EV battery, how depleted it is, and its capacity, the charging rate amongst these three categories can be anywhere from less than 30 minutes to 20 hours.

Another type of charging, currently being researched by the Department of Energy (DoE) and provided to specific vehicle models Qualcomm and others, is cord-free wireless battery charging. For example, Qualcomm's Halo tech is currently fitted to the Formula E Safety Car and Medical car. The main advantage of wireless charging is convenience and not necessarily a faster charging rate.

A common concern with EV owners is the effect of faster-charging systems on the vehicle's battery life. The issue is that the chemical processes involved in rapidly charging a battery can lead to greater thermal loads that may degrade the battery faster than regular charges. The result could be reduced battery life and a decrease in driving range.

According to Jim Francfort, project manager in INL's Advanced Transportation Group and quoted from an INL article, "The value of building infrastructure is a difficult thing to measure. To put DC fast-charging stations along interstate corridors could encourage people to take longer trips even if they don't stop to charge."
The fact that fast charging is available gives EV drivers the confidence they might otherwise lack. This new breed of drivers will know that fast charging is available, like gas stations for traditional vehicles, if they need it.

No one disputes that cars, trucks, and SUVs will become increasingly connected over the next decade. From Amazon Alexa compatibility to navigation-linked speed limiters, the list of internet-powered features you’ll one day use during your commute grows every year.

Some technologies will make driving more convenient, especially when it becomes a tedious task. That, however, is just the start. Your car might save your life by becoming a doctor – no medical school training required.

In a recent interview, Steve Surhigh, the vice president and general manager of automotive cloud services for Samsung-owned Harman, explained how a car could monitor the driver’s health.

Eyes On The Driver. Keeping an eye on the driver is nothing new; millions of cars already do it. Mercedes-Benz inaugurated Attention Assist technology on the 2009 E-Class, and the on-going race toward autonomy has created vehicles that literally look you right in the eyes.

Cadillac’s Super Cruise system relies on a driver-facing camera to tell whether the driver is paying attention. If it notices you’re looking down at a smartphone or looking nowhere because you’re dozing off, it emits visual and audible warnings prompting you to stay focused and wake up. In some cases, the automated system might even take control.

Surhigh says Harman can build wellness monitoring technology on these foundations.

Teledoctors. “Some carmakers are talking about a teledoctor-type service. So, if there is a system that monitors the driver’s vital signs, and it detects something is noticeably wrong, having a teledoctor available could be part of the vehicle’s connectivity package,” Surhigh explained. “Not only can you monitor vitals, but you can also be proactive in terms of responding to an issue, whether that’s something that would be heart rate-based or based on blood sugar levels.”

Are you curious about how your car can monitor your heart rate? Look no further than the nearest gym. Sensors in the steering wheel, similar to those found on treadmills or stationary bikes, could track your pulse. Alternatively, Surhigh says, your car could receive this information from wearable devices, like smartwatches and fitness trackers. Data could be shared via Bluetooth or in-car 5G. Ford has even floated the idea of burying six pulse sensors in the driver’s seat.

“Carmakers are already integrating technology that monitors driver attentiveness. Once you get some of those foundational use cases built, the incremental costs of being able to do other things are very manageable. At that point, it’s more of a software type of build than one related to hardware,” explained Surhigh.

The possibilities don’t end at being able to track the driver’s heart rate. It’s not far-fetched to imagine mandatory breathalyzer-based ignitions for motorists who have a long history of driving under the influence, for example.

Whether you’ll tick the “heart rate monitor” box on an options list depends on your profile. If you’re a 24-year old buying a Volkswagen GTI, there’s a good chance you’re more interested in a surround-sound system and Amazon Alexa compatibility. If you’re an 84-year old in the market for a Ford Expedition? Well, I’m not going to generalize, but there’s a better chance you’ll be concerned about your pulse than someone born 60 years after you.

Although pulse tracking isn’t for everyone, it’s one of several dozen functions car companies are looking at integrating into their infotainment systems.
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“The digital experience is replacing a lot of what previously differentiated carmakers, whether it was horsepower or some other vehicle experience linked to the engine, the braking system, or other components,” Surhigh said. “Now, they’re largely looking at the car’s digital components for differentiation.”