Computer America Self-Healing Circuit Boards and Sweating Data Centers w/ Ralph Bond
Aug 8, 2025
30:21
New liquid metal-infused circuit boards can self-heal and work after taking heavy damage
Source: LiveScience.com
Link: https://www.livescience.com/technology/electronics/unlike-conventional-electronics-liquid-metal-used-in-novel-circuit-boards-can-self-heal-and-work-after-taking-heavy-damage
Story 2: Cooling data centers is a multi-billion-dollar problem - now researchers want to use a common cooling mechanism found in animals to solve it
Source: TechRadar.com
Link: https://www.techradar.com/pro/cooling-data-centers-is-a-multi-billion-dollar-problem-researchers-want-to-use-a-common-cooling-mechanism-found-in-animals-to-solve-that-issue
See research paper here: https://www.cell.com/joule/abstract/S2542-4351(25)00156-4?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS2542435125001564%3Fshowall%3Dtrue
Story 3: Scientists invent weird, shape-shifting 'electronic ink' that could give rise to a new generation of flexible gadgets
Source: LiveScience.com
Link: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/scientists-invent-weird-shape-shifting-electronic-ink-that-could-give-rise-to-a-new-generation-of-flexible-gadgets/ar-AA1HAE0v
Story 4: A bionic knee integrated into tissue can restore natural movement
Source: MIT News
Link: https://news.mit.edu/2025/bionic-knee-integrated-into-tissue-can-restore-natural-movement-0710
See research paper “Tissue-integrated bionic knee restores versatile legged movement after amputation” here: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adv3223
Honorable Mentions
Story: Using AI to make lower-carbon, faster-curing concrete
Source: Engineering at Meta
Link: https://engineering.fb.com/2025/07/16/data-center-engineering/ai-make-lower-carbon-faster-curing-concrete/
Story: A mild spinal zap can cut brain-computer interface learning time in half
Source: Medicine.net
Link: https://www.medicine.net/news/Neurology/A-mild-spinal-zap-can-cut-brain-computer-interface-learning-time-in-half.html
Story: Scientists invent photosynthetic 'living' material that sucks CO2 out of the atmosphere
Source: LiveScience.com
Link: https://www.livescience.com/technology/engineering/scientists-invent-photosynthetic-living-material-that-sucks-co2-out-of-the-atmosphere
Story: Alzheimer’s gene therapy shows promise in preserving cognitive function
Source: University of California San Diego
Link: https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/alzheimers-gene-therapy-shows-promise-preserving-cognitive-function
Source: LiveScience.com
Link: https://www.livescience.com/technology/electronics/unlike-conventional-electronics-liquid-metal-used-in-novel-circuit-boards-can-self-heal-and-work-after-taking-heavy-damage
Story 2: Cooling data centers is a multi-billion-dollar problem - now researchers want to use a common cooling mechanism found in animals to solve it
Source: TechRadar.com
Link: https://www.techradar.com/pro/cooling-data-centers-is-a-multi-billion-dollar-problem-researchers-want-to-use-a-common-cooling-mechanism-found-in-animals-to-solve-that-issue
See research paper here: https://www.cell.com/joule/abstract/S2542-4351(25)00156-4?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS2542435125001564%3Fshowall%3Dtrue
Story 3: Scientists invent weird, shape-shifting 'electronic ink' that could give rise to a new generation of flexible gadgets
Source: LiveScience.com
Link: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/scientists-invent-weird-shape-shifting-electronic-ink-that-could-give-rise-to-a-new-generation-of-flexible-gadgets/ar-AA1HAE0v
Story 4: A bionic knee integrated into tissue can restore natural movement
Source: MIT News
Link: https://news.mit.edu/2025/bionic-knee-integrated-into-tissue-can-restore-natural-movement-0710
See research paper “Tissue-integrated bionic knee restores versatile legged movement after amputation” here: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adv3223
Honorable Mentions
Story: Using AI to make lower-carbon, faster-curing concrete
Source: Engineering at Meta
Link: https://engineering.fb.com/2025/07/16/data-center-engineering/ai-make-lower-carbon-faster-curing-concrete/
Story: A mild spinal zap can cut brain-computer interface learning time in half
Source: Medicine.net
Link: https://www.medicine.net/news/Neurology/A-mild-spinal-zap-can-cut-brain-computer-interface-learning-time-in-half.html
Story: Scientists invent photosynthetic 'living' material that sucks CO2 out of the atmosphere
Source: LiveScience.com
Link: https://www.livescience.com/technology/engineering/scientists-invent-photosynthetic-living-material-that-sucks-co2-out-of-the-atmosphere
Story: Alzheimer’s gene therapy shows promise in preserving cognitive function
Source: University of California San Diego
Link: https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/alzheimers-gene-therapy-shows-promise-preserving-cognitive-function