Charging cables, while a necessity, are something we’d like to never have to use again. That means batteries too. Battery technology, despite the increasing need in the auto industry, is only slowly advancing, but the results show potential. Researchers have been investing resources into annihilating cables; not long ago researchers from the University of Washington presented a system they named Power over Wi-Fi (PoWiFi). More recently, scientists from MIT and the Technical University of Madrid are looking into a new way of converting energy from Wi-Fi signals into electricity that could power electronics. Their latest study involves a new kind of rectenna: a device that converts alternative current electromagnetic waves into direct current (DC) electricity. The rectenna uses a flexible radio-frequency antenna which captures electromagnetic waves, including those carrying Wi-Fi, as alternative current (AC) waveforms. This antenna is then connected to a novel device called rectifier, for which the researchers used a two-dimensional semiconductor just three atoms thick (called molybdenum disulfide—MoS2), one of the thinnest semiconductors in the world. The AC signal travels into the semiconductor, which converts it into a DC voltage that can be used to power electronic circuits or recharge batteries. In short, this battery-free device passively captures and transforms ubiquitous Wi-Fi signals into useful DC power. Furthermore, the device is flexible and can be set up to cover very large areas. “What if we could develop electronic systems that we wrap around a bridge or cover an entire highway, or the walls of our office and bring electronic intelligence to everything around us? How do you provide energy for those electronics?” asked Tomás Palacios, a professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science & director of the MIT/MTL Center for Graphene Devices and 2D Systems in the Microsystems...

A little over two hours were needed for Microsoft to showcase its latest products and software upgrades, putting a call out to “creators” now, meaning everybody. The giant unveiled the new version of Windows 10, dubbed Creator Update—which includes plenty of 3D-focused features, as well as an updated Surface Book and a jumbo all-in-one PC called Surface Studio. The underscoring theme was all about a mixed reality, a futuristic combo of holograms, virtual reality and three-dimensional emoji. Windows 10 Creators Update The operating system is getting a major update for early 2017. Highlights include the addition of new 3D creation tools, live-streaming and custom tournaments for the Xbox app, as well as a focus on communicating with close contacts by placing “people at the center of the Windows experience.” Terry Myerson, executive vice president of Microsoft’s Windows and devices group said he wants Windows 10 to “have the effect of the Gutenberg press on the next wave of computing.” Microsoft’s long-forgotten Paint is getting a revamp. Named Paint 3D, the software makes it easy to create 3D objects and environments. The philosophy behind it is to simplify as much as possible 3D creation, to the point where it becomes as easy as taking a photo or video with a smartphone. The update will impact Microsoft PowerPoint as well. The classic options will still be there, but a new feature will enable users to add a 3D rendering to their presentation. Moreover, users will be able to search from within the community of Remix3D.com, as well as their own. The insert process is actually the same for 3D models as is for 2D photos or videos today. Perfectionists will be happy to discover that they can rotate the 3D object in PowerPoint. Microsoft’s ambitious augmented...