Researchers have developed a prototype electronics-free smart contact lens that can track glaucoma in real time and deliver drugs in response. https://spectrum.ieee.org/smart-contact-lens-glaucoma-microfluidics?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=fedica-Mastodon-Daily-Pipeline

Scientists developed a way of analyzing the vibrations of existing fiber cables buried underground alongside railway tracks to successfully identify a number of issues associated with train safety, including faulty train wheels and broken sound barriers. https://spectrum.ieee.org/distributed-acoustic-sensing-trains-railways?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=fedica-Mastodon-Daily-Pipeline

In response to Iran’s unprecedented, nationwide internet blackouts beginning in January 2026, NetFreedom Pioneers used its Toosheh system to secretly deliver news, tools, and educational content via ordinary satellite TV broadcasts to millions of people. https://spectrum.ieee.org/iran-internet-blackout-satellite-tv?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=fedica-Mastodon-Daily-Pipeline

The team at Google Quantum AI published a whitepaper showing that the size of a quantum computer that would pose a cryptographic threat is approximately twenty times smaller than previously thought. Those computers don't exist yet, but the need for post-quantum cryptography just got a whole lot stronger. https://spectrum.ieee.org/quantum-safe-crypto?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=fedica-Mastodon-Daily-Pipeline

This March, A cyberattack on backend systems on a breathalyzer device prevented drivers across the U.S. from accessing their vehicles. A new problem is emerging in connected vehicles: Systems can fail and render perfectly functional vehicles useless. https://spectrum.ieee.org/connected-vehicle-risks?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=fedica-Mastodon-Daily-Pipeline

Boston Dynamics’ quadruped robot Spot is now equipped with Google DeepMind’s Gemini Robotics-ER 1.6. This enables Spot to better process and react to its environment, making it ideal for inspection tasks. https://spectrum.ieee.org/boston-dynamics-spot-google-deepmind?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=fedica-Mastodon-Daily-Pipeline

University of Washington researchers have created VueBuds, a wearable device that adds a camera to your earbuds. Instead of glasses, earbuds are easy to remove when you want privacy and are less intrusive on your face. https://spectrum.ieee.org/smart-earbuds-smart-glasses-privacy?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=fedica-Mastodon-Daily-Pipeline

Stanford University’s AI Index is out for 2026, tracking trends and noble developments in artificial intelligence. This year, China has taken a notable lead in AI model releases and industrial robotics compared to previous years. AIs are rapidly reaching benchmarks and achieving high levels of compute, but public trust in AI and confidence in government regulation of AI is mixed. https://spectrum.ieee.org/state-of-ai-index-2026?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=fedica-Mastodon-Daily-Pipeline

In order to get efficient photonic devices, we need to manipulate light using only light, without electricity. Scientists have developed a new way of doing exactly that using very low light intensities and without changing any of the physical properties of their materials. https://spectrum.ieee.org/soft-photonics?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=fedica-Mastodon-Daily-Pipeline

Cryptographers create a browser extension password manager that only requires you to remember one password and stores none of your passwords, allowing you to log in to as many sites as you require. People reported feeling more secure and found the system easier to use. https://spectrum.ieee.org/storeless-password-manager?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=fedica-Mastodon-Daily-Pipeline