EurekAlert! News by Subject: Tech & Engineering - News by Subject: Tech & Engineering

Tech & Engineering

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 14-Jan-2026 00:11 ET (14-Jan-2026 05:11 GMT/UTC)

Robots learn to 'see' and control themselves with simple 2D cameras, paving the way for greater autonomy

Journal Center of Harbin Institute of Technology
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A model of a robot is crucial for controlling, but it is always hard to obtain for a new robot. Researchers from Sun Yat-sen University have introduced "NeRFSim," a novel framework that enables robots to autonomously construct their own morphological and kinematic models using only standard RGB images. The resulting self-model enables robots to accurately predict poses, solve inverse kinematic problems, and generate trajectories for task execution, providing a cost-effective and highly adaptive solution for robotic self-awareness.

Journal: SmartBot

Kids’ reading apps failing to deliver educational value

Flinders University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Many mobile apps claiming to support early reading skills in children fail to deliver actual educational benefit, with positive app store reviews seemingly driven by aesthetics and functionality, a new Flinders University analysis has found. The first-of-its-kind study had an expert panel of speech pathologists appraise 309 mobile apps claiming to support the development of phonics and phonological awareness skills; foundational skills critical to early reading development. Almost 1 in 5 apps were found to be of poor quality, with expert reviewers only recommending 85 of the 309 apps appraised, for their potential to support development of foundational reading skills.

Journal: Early Childhood Education Journal
Funder: Flinders University

Six University of Tennessee faculty among world’s most highly cited researchers

University of Tennessee at Knoxville
Grant and Award Announcement

Six faculty members from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville — five from the Tickle College of Engineering and one from the College of Arts and Sciences — have been named to Clarivate’s Highly Cited Researchers list for 2025, an honor bestowed on only one in 1,000 of the world’s scientists and social scientists.

Biochar shows powerful potential to build cleaner and more sustainable cities worldwide

Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

As cities continue to expand and face rising environmental pressure, scientists are seeking innovative solutions that can help urban areas become cleaner, greener, and more resilient. A new perspective paper highlights biochar, a carbon rich material made from organic waste, as a transformative tool that could significantly improve the environmental future of cities around the world.

Biochar offers a new, sustainable tool for nuclear safety

Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University

A common, charcoal-like material made from plant waste could become an unexpected ally in making nuclear technology cleaner and safer, according to a new review in the journal Biochar. The study highlights how “biochar” can help trap radioactive elements, improve radiation shielding, and support cleaner nuclear processes, all while storing carbon in the ground.

Journal: Biochar

Unlocking the secrets of carbon storage in waterlogged pond fields

Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University

In an exciting exploration of environmental sustainability, researchers at Zhaoqing University, China, have uncovered groundbreaking insights into the carbon dynamics of waterlogged pond fields. Led by Dr. Guodong Yuan from the Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Eco-Environmental Studies and Low-Carbon Agriculture in Peri-Urban Areas and the Guangdong Technology and Equipment Research Center for Soil and Water Pollution Control, this study, titled "Unveiling Carbon Dynamics in Year-Round Waterlogged Pond Fields: Insights into Soil Organic Carbon Accumulation and Sustainable Management," offers a fresh perspective on how these unique ecosystems can contribute to carbon sequestration and sustainable land management.

Journal: Carbon Research

AI tool helps visually impaired users ‘feel’ where objects are in real time

Penn State
Reports and Proceedings

Over the last few years, systems and applications that help visually impaired people navigate their environment have undergone rapid development, but still have room to grow, according to a team of researchers at Penn State. The team recently combined recommendations from the visually impaired community and artificial intelligence (AI) to develop a new tool that offers support specifically tailored to the needs of people who are visually impaired.

Funder: U.S. National Science Foundation