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Tech for Change

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Every day, we humans dream up more and more ways to use technology to make the world a better place. Whether its solar panels that generate green energy, 3d printed prosthetics, or gene editing tools that eradicate diseases; there’s no shortage of world-changing tech out there. But it’s also easy for all those good things to get buried beneath all the bad news on the Internet. That’s why we started Tech For Change: an ongoing series in which we shine a spotlight on positive uses of technology, and showcase how they’re helping to make the world a better place.

Himiway C5

I had written off bicycles, until e-bikes unlocked an entire world for me

E-bikes weren't even on my radar until the Himiway C5 came along and turned me into an e-bike enthusiast over the course of my very first ride.
Honor Magic 6 Pro eye-tracking screen with a car in the background.

I moved a car with my eyes, and it blew me away

A person sitting in a Honda Uni-One wearing a VR headset with their arms outstretched in pretend-flying position.

Honda puts VR tech on wheels with its personal mobility device

Honda believes its Uni-One personal mobility device could be a lot of fun when combined with VR tech.
TCL Linkkey IK511 5G Dongle against a blue background.

This tiny dongle will change 5G connectivity forever

TCL's new Linkkey IK511 is small dongle with 5G connectivity, and it's a pretty big deal. Here's why.
Original Series
Intuitive Machines' Odysseus lander heads to the moon.

U.S. spacecraft lands on the moon for the first time in over 50 years

NASA and the company Intuitive Machines have made a historic landing on the moon, the first landing there by a commercial entity.
The CHAPEA mission 1 crew (from left: Nathan Jones, Ross Brockwell, Kelly Haston, Anca Selariu) exit a prototype of a pressurized rover and make their way to the CHAPEA facility ahead of their entry into the habitat on June 25, 2023.

NASA is looking for volunteers for yearlong simulated Mars mission

If you've ever wanted to visit Mars, then NASA has an offer for you. The agency is running a simulated mission to Mars, and it's looking for volunteers.
A person wearing the Oura Ring.

The Oura Ring showed me how months of stress destroyed my sleep

The Oura Ring showed me how stress ruined my sleep, and prompted me to take action. It also made me realize too much data isn't always a good thing.
Google Gemini app on Android.

Google is launching a powerful new AI app for your Android phone

Google’s latest mobile app is Gemini, which leverages generative AI tricks. But t the same time, it also aims to double as a Google Assistant replacement.
Brilliant Labs CEO models the company's new Frame smart glasses.

These 39-gram AR glasses have me excited for the future

You can get AI help with Brilliant Labs low-cost, multimodal smart glasses that accept input from voice or camera and display results on a display.
Using Browse for Me feature in Arc Search browser.

Arc Search is one of the best iPhone apps I’ve ever used

Arc Search tones down the clutter your average browser, but serves a breathtaking formula for looking up information on the web that will easily win you over.
Front three quarter view of a 2024 Mercedes-Benz eSprinter electric van.

Mercedes’ electric eSprinter isn’t just greener, it’s better

Mercedes-Benz is finally bringing its all-electric eSprinter van to the United States, and delivery drivers will find that it was worth the wait.
Everything you need to know about Neuralink

Neuralink implants brain chip in first human, Elon Musk reveals

Elon Musk’s Neuralink firm has performed its first implant in a human brain as part of early tests of a technology designed to help those with severe paralysis.
CSIRO's ASKAP antennas at the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory in Western Australia, 2010.

What it takes to build a next-generation observatory

From rats to snow, building massive scientific instruments in harsh environments requires money, brilliant engineering, and good old-fashioned human sweat.
AI features see in a graphic for Google Chrome.

Google brings AI to every text field on the internet

Starting today Google is planning to bring three new AI powered features to its popular Chrome browser.
A graphic showing a Proto hologram.

Holograms are coming to university classrooms

Hologram technology has been breathing new life into music legends dead and alive for years, but now there are plans to use the same system for teaching.
An illustration of a black hole.

Scientists want your help to search for black holes

Black Hole Hunter invites members of the public to search through data collected by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite to look for signs of a black hole.
The Lenovo Mechanical Harvesting keyboard and mouse combo on a white background.

This wireless mouse and keyboard are powered by mechanical energy

The Mechanical Energy Harvesting Combo uses mechanical movement to power a mouse and a keyboard, eliminating the need for external charging.
Wing's new, larger delivery drone.

Check out Wing’s largest delivery drone yet

Drone specialist Wing has announced plans to add a bigger drone to its delivery fleet that it says will simplify and streamline larger orders.
SpaceX's Super Heavy and Starship.

Flights to any city in less than 60 minutes? Musk still thinks it’s possible

It currently takes nearly 15 hours to fly from New York to Shanghai, but a Starship passenger service would be able to do it in a mere 39 minutes.
The Supernal S-A2 features a glassy cockpit and room for up to four passengers.

Supernal wants the S-A2 to deliver us from gridlock with quiet, electric aviation

The SA-2 will take off vertically and cruise at up to 120 mph on electricity alone, delivering the comfort of a plane and the agility of a helicopter.
Data readout from the Lamborghini Telemetry X concept.

Lamborghini Telemetry X can monitor your driving and your stress level

At CES 2024, Lamborghini showed a prototype system that gives supercar drivers real-time coaching.
A driverless Waymo car drives along a freeway.

Waymo’s robotaxis head for the highway

Waymo is about to send its fully driverless cars onto freeways for the first time, marking a notable expansion of its robotaxi efforts.
Hyundai's press conference at CES 2024 focused on hydrogen fuel cells.

Hyundai bets big on hydrogen from sewage, plastic

Batteries aren't going anywhere, but Hyundai will invest $1.4 billion in hydrogen for everything from big rigs to ships.
Hey Siri

How Siri helped me out in an almost impossible situation

Siri, Apple's voice assistant, doesn't always get much attention. But I recently found its help invaluable in a really difficult situation.
Calling interface of Pi Digital assistant on Android.

This is Pi — one of the most amazing Android apps I used in 2023

AI chatbots are nothing new in late 2023. But the Pi app for Android takes a radically different approach to it — and it's nothing short of amazing.
festive drone show flies straight into the record books

Watch this festive drone show fly straight into the record books

A Texas-based drone entertainment firm achieved two Guinness World Records recently during a festive display involving nearly 1,500 of the flying machines.
The Kinmoku SHark sits on a table in Videoverse.

My favorite game of 2023 is a secret Twitter eulogy

While 2023 was full of huge games, no game was more on the pulse of current events than the oddly prophetic Videoverse.
Astronaut Loral O’Hara sets up an exercise cycle.

In a gym 250 miles above Earth, astronauts sweat for science

With the demands of gravity absent, astronauts must spend hours per day exercising to maintain the muscles they'll still need back on Earth.
Woman wearing Sony CRE-C10 OTC hearing aids.

How to buy over-the-counter hearing aids

After years in the making, over-the-counter hearing aids are now available for purchase without a prescription: Here's what to you need to know.
Digital Trends picked the most innovative products of 2023.

The most innovative tech products of 2023

They're bold, unique, and sometimes wildly impractical. But the the most innovative tech products of 2023 all dared to be different.
An Orsted drone drops off a delivery onto a wind turbine's platform.

It’s drone delivery, but not as we know it

While Amazon and Wing are trialing customer deliveries using mid-size drones, a firm in Europe is using a much bigger drone for its own special purpose.
A person wearing the TCL RayNeo Nxtwear S XR glasses.

I wore smart glasses that made me excited for the future

I'm really looking forward to having true smart glasses on my face, and wearing the TCL RayNeo Nxtwear S reminded me why I'm so excited.
An old TV set.

How to dispose of your old AV equipment and tech gear

Tossing your old TVs and soundbars in a regular dumpster is bad for the environment, so here's a few other ways you can properly dispose of your AV equipment.
NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter made a record-breaking 25th flight on April 8, 2022.

NASA’s Mars drone just set another flight record

NASA's Ingenuity helicopter has surpassed all expectations during its time on Mars and just recently it set a new flight record.