🥎 Major League Baseball could deploy robot empires, world’s first dual-tower solar thermal plant, US researchers pave way for extremely fast computer memory

Plus: Flexible lithium-ion battery that stretches 5000% to revolutionize wearables                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 July 18, 2024 | [Read Online]( INTERESTING ENGINEERING SHOP [[Keep Calm Stainless Steel Bottle] Keep Calm Stainless Steel Bottle $44.99 $34.99]( [[Engineer By Choice - Unisex Tee] Engineer By Choice - Unisex Tee $25.99]( [[Engineering Inspiration Mug ] Engineering Inspiration Mug $13.99]( [[F=MA Trucker Hat] F=MA Trucker Hat $24.99 $19.99]( Major League Baseball (MLB) is considering implementing robot umpires, known as the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) system, as part of a challenge system in spring training next year. If successful, this technology could be introduced in regular-season games by 2026. MLB has been testing the ABS in minor leagues since 2019, but it still faces challenges regarding the definition of a strike zone. Commissioner Rob Manfred recently discussed this during a meeting with the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, highlighting the importance of a spring training test before introducing ABS to the major leagues. For more on this development, check out today’s [Must-Read](. 🔥Today’s job of the day as featured on [jobs.interestingengineering.com](: > [ETS Engineer IV (ServiceNow Engineer)]( > [Software Engineer]( Reading Time: 4 mins Did a friend forward this e-mail to you? [Subscribe here.]( MUST READ 🥎[‘Good to 100th of an inch’: US baseball league could deploy robot empires by 2026]( MLB has made significant progress with the ABS, which is currently accurate to a [hundredth of an inch](. The technology effectively tracks the ball’s path, but [unresolved technical issues]( still surround the strike zone’s definition. Manfred noted, “We have made material progress. I think that the technology is good to a 100th of an inch. The technology in terms of the path of the ball is pluperfect.” The ABS system has been used in [Triple-A ballparks]( for two consecutive seasons, but MLB has been hesitant to implement the [strict cube-defined strike zone]( described in the rule book. Instead, MLB has experimented with modifications during minor league testing. 💾[US discovery paves way for extremely fast and compact computer memory]( Researchers from The University of Texas at Austin and the Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter have made a remarkable discovery that could [revolutionize the electronics sphere](, such as magnetic computer memory. They have discovered that the layered multiferroic material nickel iodide (NiI2) exhibits the [strongest magnetoelectric coupling ever observed]( in any known material of its kind. Magnetoelectric coupling is a unique phenomenon where changes in an electric field can influence a material’s magnetic properties, and vice versa. This finding could revolutionize the development of [ultra-fast, energy-efficient devices]( in various fields, including quantum computing. ☀️ [World’s 1st dual-tower solar plant unveiled, will make 1.8 billion kWh yearly]( China has reportedly developed the [world’s first dual-tower solar thermal plant]( near Guazhou County in Gansu Province to enhance efficiency and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The plant will use solar heat instead of coal to convert water to h[igh-pressure steam](, which is used to rotate turbines and generate electricity. To achieve that, power company China Three Gorges Corporation claims to have combined two adjacent heat-absorbing towers sharing a steam turbine generator. Nearly [30,000 heliostat mirrors]( are installed on the towers, covering an [800,000-square-meter]( light-collecting area. Love what you're reading, but too many emails? Sign up to IE+ to get Blueprint Weekly, our exclusive weekly premium newsletter that gives all the insights you love in a more digestible weekly format– plus, enjoy an Ad-Free experience on our website. Try IE+ today for just $1 in the first month. [Subscribe here]( HOT TOPICS OF THE DAY SCIENCE > A new fossil has been unearthed in Argentina—a glyptodont named Neosclerocalyptus, a giant relative of armadillos, which might answer some of the questions about the history of human occupation in South America that have puzzled scientists for centuries. ([More]() > Recent research reveals that ancient DNA segments in our genome, called endogenous retroviruses, can play a vital role in aiding cancer growth and survival. ([More]() > Physicist Alex Lupsasca plans to extend Earth's largest telescope network beyond the atmosphere with a space-based dish. It could spot part of a black hole we've never seen before – and perhaps discover new physics. ([More]() ENERGY > Researchers have created soft, stretchable “jelly batteries” that have potential applications in wearable technology, soft robotics, and even brain implants for drug delivery or treating conditions like epilepsy. ([More]() > A highly flexible lithium-ion battery made by researchers at the Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications in China can stretch a whopping 5000 percent. The researchers used stretchable components to make the battery flexible. ([More]() > The US Department of Energy has announced that it is funding 1,000 battery drop-off points across the country, where people will be able to hand in not just batteries but also electronic devices that are no longer worth anything on the resale or trade-in market. ([More]() INNOVATION > The world’s first hands-free car inspection powered by AI has been launched in Hawaii. Eliminating the need for humans, the system uses ‘MRI ’-like tech that performs a 360° scan of a vehicle to identify issues using AI. ([More]() > In a bid to revolutionize marine transportation, China has developed a bionic skin propeller, which it claims is inspired by dolphinskin. This propeller has been developed with the aim of reducing fuel consumption and emissions. ([More]() > Shenzhen plans to have 20 driverless buses on the road by the end of 2024, which comes amid safety and joblossconcerns over autonomous driving tech. ([More]() VIDEO > Japanese scientists have devised a way to attach living skin tissue to robotic faces and make them "smile," in a breakthrough that holds out the promise of applications in cosmetics and medicine. ([More]() > BBC reporter Paul Carter takes us inside both the real and virtualnewAquaticCentre in Paris and explains why digital twins are a "game changer" for athletes. ([More]() IE QUIZ: THE RESULTS In yesterday’s quiz, we asked you, The scale is balanced. What is the weight of the unknown object? The answer is: 35 lbs Ready for more brainy challenges? Gear up for future IE quizzes by following us on [Instagram]( and [Facebook!]( FROM THE WEB > DC lost a neighborhood fixture on Monday: a gargantuan oak tree thought to be older than the United [States]( > Docyt AI unveils GARY, the world's first AI [bookkeeper]( > AI models at Apple, Salesforce, Anthropic, and other major technology players were trained on tens of thousands of YouTube videos without the creators' consent, says new [report]( > A surprisingly simple solution has come to light to protect birds from wind turbines—painting one of the blades [black]( > Scientists inflict karaoke on young volunteers to find out what makes us [blush]( Additional Reads --------------------------------------------------------------- [⚙️ Mechanical:](Explore the wonders of mechanical engineering. [🛩️ Aerospace:]( The latest on propulsion, satellites, aeronautics, and more. [🧑🏻‍🔧 Engineer Pros:]( The latest in engineering news, career updates, and insider knowledge. 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