Technology

‘Bubbles’ turn air into drinkable water

Source

MIT Technology Review

Published

Aug 26, 2025

TL;DR

AI Generated

MIT engineers have developed an atmospheric water harvester using an absorbent hydrogel to extract drinkable water from vapor in the air. The hydrogel has high vapor-carrying capacity and is molded into a pattern of small domes to increase surface area for water absorption. The system operates autonomously without the need for external power sources and can produce up to 160 milliliters of clean water per day. Researchers aim to deploy this technology in resource-limited areas to provide a sustainable source of drinking water, even in desert regions.

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Fiber internet provider says it can detect leaking water pipes using existing infrastructure, prevented loss of 2 million liters a day over three months — Lightsonic tech detects underground vibrations, machine learning isolates the source

Openreach, the UK's largest full-fiber network operator, has developed a technology in collaboration with Lightsonic that can detect water leaks near its fiber infrastructure by analyzing vibrations. This technology, Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS), uses machine learning to pinpoint the exact location of leaks and differentiate them from background noise. Openreach and Affinity Water have conducted a successful pilot project in five locations, detecting and repairing over 100 leaks and preventing the loss of 2 million liters of water daily. The system, which utilizes existing fiber optic cables, has the potential to revolutionize utilities monitoring and conservation efforts.

Tom's Hardware•

2 months ago

SemiEngineering

How Semiconductor Fabs Use Water

Semiconductor fabs rely heavily on water for chip production, with ultra-pure water loops essential for various processes. While reports of high water usage raise concerns, most water is treated, recirculated, and reused internally, with evaporation being the primary loss pathway. Engineers focus on balancing water demand, investing in mitigation strategies, and being transparent about tradeoffs. The quality of water is crucial, with industrial reclaim plants and on-site filtration becoming standard. Segregation, reuse, and heat recovery are key strategies to optimize water usage and minimize true consumption, primarily driven by evaporation in cooling towers. Municipal planning and long-term water supply strategies play a significant role in supporting semiconductor facilities.

SemiEngineering•

9 months ago

Dr. L.C. Lu on TSMC Advanced Technology Design Solutions

Dr. L.C. Lu, a key figure at TSMC, focuses on design-technology co-optimization, packaging innovations, and AI-driven methodologies for next-gen semiconductor systems. TSMC emphasizes DTCO and DDCL innovations for scaling from N5 to A14 nodes, with NanoFlex and NanoFlex Pro architectures offering efficiency gains. N2P and N2U nodes incorporate advanced DTCO and power delivery optimizations, with hybrid dual-rail architectures achieving significant energy savings. TSMC collaborates with EDA partners for AI integration, enhancing productivity and design quality. Advanced packaging technologies like CoWoS and SoIC play a crucial role in enabling AI scaling, with memory bandwidth and interconnect performance scaling aggressively. TSMC addresses power delivery and thermal management challenges in AI systems through advanced solutions. TSMC's advancements in design methodologies and AI-driven automation promise improved productivity and scalability in chip-package co-design.

SemiWiki•

8 hours ago

MindsEye's sabotage mission is being slammed as dull and pointless

Build A Rocket Boy accuses individuals of sabotaging MindsEye's launch, spending over €1 million on damaging efforts. The studio integrates the controversy into a new in-game mission, Blacklist, to showcase evidence of sabotage to players. However, reports describe the mission as lackluster and failing to deliver a compelling narrative. Critics attribute the launch issues to internal problems, such as management and design decisions, casting doubt on the sabotage claims. The saga continues as MindsEye's post-launch turmoil unfolds.

TweakTown•