TECH

Round smartwatch with Bosch gas sensor and open-source software launches 2027

Next year, the Bangle.js 3 will hit the market as a brand-new smartwatch that combines a round color display with an open-source operating system and a modern design. The manufacturer has now confirmed the key specifications in advance.

The Bangle.js 2 from 2021 is finally getting a successor with a much more modern look. The team behind the open-source smartwatch has published images and extensive details about the Bangle.js 3's specifications ahead of its expected launch in summer 2027, although pricing details have yet to be announced.

The predecessor's small, rectangular display is being replaced by a round display with much thinner bezels, using a 1.2-inch LCD with a resolution of 240 x 240 pixels that can display 64 colors. Combined with a metal bezel, this makes the watch look significantly more modern than the Bangle.js 2. The watch features speakers, microphones, a vibration motor and a heart rate sensor.

The screen measures 1.2 inches across at 240 by 240, putting out 64 colors. It renders into a square frame buffer, so the corners of that buffer simply aren’t visible on the round panel. Williams sized the case to take the same straps as the Bangle.js 2 and to sit at the same height on the wrist. The new case runs slightly thicker and wider than the old one, though

One sensor stands out from the spec list. Bosch’s BME690 is a smart gas sensor that can fingerprint specific smells, detecting gases in the air around the watch, and no mainstream smartwatch offers anything like it.

Williams flags the catch himself, though: sourcing that sensor at a sensible price is still an open question this far out. He’s spent the whole project adding features without letting the price jump, and this is the one line item still fighting him

Nothing on the case is glued. The rear cover unscrews, and inside sit test points placed there so owners can bolt on custom hardware of their own. Williams also plans to release the CAD files for a deeper back, an open invitation for someone to print a case back with room for a much bigger battery.

A four-pin connector hides behind the top strap. It handles charging, SWD programming and debug UART output, plus two analog-capable GPIO pins and a switched 3-volt output. For a watch, that’s an unusual amount of access, and it’s there on purpose. It’s, in effect, a tiny bench supply and debug header riding under the strap

A Nordic nRF54L15 runs the watch, an Arm Cortex-M33 ticking at 128 MHz, with Bluetooth LE handling the phone link. Wi-Fi arrives through a separate ESP32-C2 chip at 2.4 GHz, and that chip can even turn its hand to 2.4 GHz SDR work. Storage is 32 MB of flash memory.

The sensor stack runs long: an accelerometer, a gyroscope and a magnetometer track motion, a barometer and an air temperature sensor watch the weather, and a heart rate sensor covers the wearer. Add a speaker, a microphone and a vibration motor. Then add a torch, an RGB indicator LED, and an infrared transmitter and receiver that can work a TV remote’s job.

While more advanced health sensors, a GPS module and an NFC chip are missing, the watch offers a Bosch gas sensor designed to detect certain smells. An LED flashlight is also said to be on board. The roughly 200 mAh battery is charged wirelessly. One distinctive feature of the Bangle.js 3 is that the watch uses an open-source operating system, allowing the community to expand its functionality.

In keeping with this, the case can be easily opened with a few screws, while four pins on the case provide both power and data connections for diagnostic and programming purposes. With an ARM Cortex M33 (nRF54L15) processor with clock speeds of up to 128 MHz, Bluetooth Low Energy and only 32 MB of memory, the smartwatch is not particularly powerful, but should offer relatively long battery life.

Display	1.2-inch round, 240 x 240, 64 colors
Processor	Nordic nRF54L15, Arm Cortex-M33 at 128 MHz
Wireless	Bluetooth LE, 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi via ESP32-C2
Memory	32 MB flash
Buttons	4 (1 left, 3 right)
Bezel	Metal front bezel
Sensors	Accelerometer, gyro, magnetometer, barometer, air temperature, heart rate
Gas sensor	Bosch BME690, not confirmed for the base model
Battery	Around 200 mAh, wireless charging
Case	Unscrewable rear cover, internal test points
Connector	4-pin: charging, SWD programming, debug UART, 2 analog GPIO, switched 3V output
Extras	Speaker, microphone, vibration motor, torch, RGB LED, infrared transmitter and receiver
Straps	Same straps as the Bangle.js 2
Availability	Summer 2027, expected

Compatibility work is already underway. Existing Bangle.js 2 apps are being brought across to the round screen, and widgets currently draw inside a square while the port settles. Most apps should just work once they’ve been updated for the round layout.

That’s the deal with this line: the  watches run Espruino, open-source software, and the app library owners have built up around the square  watch is the library the round one inherits. Keeping that library alive is a design goal here, not an afterthought.

An email signup is open now for anyone who wants an alert the day the watch goes on sale

Battery capacity lands around 200 mAh. That’s much the same as the current watch, and charging is wireless. Rain and hand washing are fine, per Williams. Swimming isn’t advised, and there’s no water resistance rating to quote, because he hasn’t published one.

Expect the watch in summer 2027, if the current plan holds. A pre-order is likely, but only once Williams has mostly final pre-production units in hand and trusts the timescales. Pricing isn’t set yet, and neither is the final sensor list. The one guide he’s offered is that it’ll land a little above the current model’s price.

mundophone

 

TECH

How can we harness the energy potential of sea water?

The oceans are a massive source of untapped energy potential – just 0.1% of the energy in ocean waves could be capable of supplying the entire world's energy requirements five times over. As part of the European Commission’s objective to reduce carbon energy consumption it has launched a new study into the energy potential of the oceans. Consulting firm Ecorys has been engaged to research the maturity and potential of tidal and wave energy generation.

As the use of carbon becomes unsustainable, human civilisation is exploring different – and more sustainable – sources of energy supply. One of these sources is the ocean, which covers almost 71% of the world’s surface. According to preliminary research the potential of the ocean as a source of energy is huge, with an estimate that harnessing 0.1% of the energy in ocean waves could be capable of supplying the entire world's energy requirements five times over.

To explore the possibility of harnessing the world’s oceans for energy, a number of technologies have in recent years been further developed. These include tidal and marine energy, wave energy, difference of temperature and salinity energy. These different technologies however find themselves at different stages of maturity. Tidal energy generation is much like hydroelectric generation and has reached some maturity, while techniques that exploit waves are in the process of small and larger scale testing. Early stage development technologies include those that leverage the difference of temperature, between deep and shallow water, and of the difference in salinity, between salt and fresh water.

In the 1980s, supercomputers and satellite data revolutionized ocean wave prediction using a third-generation full spectral model that incorporated explicit physical processes for a comprehensive two-dimensional sea-state description (ERS-1; Topex-Poseidon). Operational challenges continue, particularly in accurately representing hypothetical sea-state scenarios. Komen et al., demonstrated that using a credible model for wind input and dissipation, along with an explicit Nrepresentation of nonlinear interactions, achieves a realistic steady-state solution.

Oceanic renewable energy, including 10 EJ from eddy energy and a total potential of 20 yottajoules, was analyzed to establish marine environmental protection guidelines in the IoT era of real-time data collection. Developing a smart ocean requires a new era of energy, with oceanic heat, currents, waves, and tides potentially exceeding global power demands many times over. Renewable energy studies have primarily examined solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal sources, suggesting that the technological hurdles of ocean energy are manageable. Governments promote ocean energy as a renewable resource to achieve climate targets and energy security. Consequently, reviewing the legal framework is crucial to understanding the existing legal context, identifying best practices, and addressing regulatory conflicts (Smith 2022; [7,8]). Ocean energy technologies improve energy security by diversifying sources and reducing fossil fuel dependence, particularly by aiding coastal and remote areas with localized energy production. Ocean energy technologies can stimulate economic growth by creating jobs and fostering innovation in coastal regions, potentially advancing the global ocean energy markets.

The regions in India that have been earmarked for the realization of ocean energy, the type of energy, status, and initiation. The Gulf of Khambhat and Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat are potential sites for tidal energy, although Khambhat announced plans for a 50 MW plant in 2011 that has yet to be realized owing to its high cost. Likewise, the Gulf of Kutch finalized in 2012 that there is an opportunity for tidal power in the country, but large-scale development is missing. In the Sundarbans, West Bengal, there was a proposed 3.75-Megawatt Tidal Project in 2007 that was not continued because of high costs and controversy of disturbing the environment. On the western coast (Maharashtra and Karnataka), wave energy has been explored since 2013 through pilot projects but without commercialization. The Laakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar Islands are two of the 17 States that can generate wave energy and ocean thermal energy- Exploratory studies have been conducted in these states in 2015 and 2016 respectively. These areas focus on India’s experimental nature in harnessing ocean energy as a renewable energy source and its associated technical and sustainable impacts.

Seas and oceans are brimming with untapped potential for producing energy. Two EPFL research groups are developing nanoscale devices for converting saltwater into electricity. 

Rising tides and rolling waves release massive amounts of energy from the seas and oceans every day. Attempts to harness this energy are nothing new: for decades, engineers have been building tidal power plants, marine turbines and wave energy systems in order to use the mechanics of water to produce electricity. But take-up of such technology has been marginal. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, the installed capacity of marine energy production worldwide is around 500 megawatts. For comparison, the equivalent figure for wind power is 1,100 gigawatts – or 2,200 times higher.

There are also other, less evident ways to produce energy from water: one is the salinity difference between saltwater and freshwater, and another is the evaporation that occurs at the surface of seas and lakes. Such natural phenomena are continuous and can be found everywhere. Researchers have long known how to describe them using physics – but concrete applications are thin on the ground. At EPFL, two research groups, each with its own approach, have taken major steps forward in developing systems for generating renewable marine energy at a nanometric scale.

Sliding ions...Osmotic power, also known as blue energy, is one of the promising options being explored. It can be produced anywhere freshwater comes into contact with saltwater, such as where a river pours into an ocean. In theory, osmotic power has huge potential – over 15,000 TWh per year, or 75% of total global energy use. But in practice, formidable technical constraints mean that only around 600–2,000 TWh per year of power can be harnessed, or between France’s annual electricity demand and that of India. The method for producing osmotic power has been around for decades. It entails separating freshwater and saltwater by a selective membrane and then, as ions naturally pass from the solution with a high salt concentration to that with a lower one, taking advantage of the voltage difference. The problem is that, with existing membranes, engineers must choose between speed and precision: either the ions pass rapidly but in a haphazard way, or they pass slowly but with good selectivity.

The research group led by Aleksandra Radenovic at EPFL’s Laboratory of Nanoscale Biology (LBEN) has found an elegant way to square this circle. In a study appearing in Nature Energy in February 2026, the scientists developed a device made of hafnium oxide nanopores that have been coated with a lipid biofilm – the same lipid molecules as those in our cell membranes. Water molecules are attracted to this biofilm and form a layer only a few molecules thick. This layer serves as a lubricant, enabling ions to slide through the pores quickly while maintaining a high degree of selectivity. As a result, the device containing 1,000 nanopores has a power density of around 15 watts/m², which is two to three times higher than that achieved by existing polymer systems.

These systems already use evaporation to turn saltwater into freshwater. So we can envisage creating a system that generates both drinking water and electrical power.

Tarique Anwar, doctoral assistant at LNET...The next challenge will be to scale up the technology. “We need to move from chips in a lab to large membranes with a high pore density, precise pore-size controls and a reliable coating – all at a reasonable cost,” says Yunfei Teng, a doctoral assistant at LBEN. The team must also demonstrate the device’s long-term stability and resistance to biofouling. However, the underlying concept can be applied universally. Such water-based lubrication could also improve the performance of membranes used for desalination and medical devices.

Evaporation as a continuous energy source...The research group led by Giulia Tagliabue at EPFL’s Laboratory of Nanoscience for Energy Technologies (LNET) is exploring an even more surprising energy source: evaporation. Their method uses the hydrovoltaic effect, which is based on a simple mechanism: when liquid evaporates at the surface of a nanodevice, that creates a continuous flow of liquid in the nanochannels – similar to the transpiration that causes sap to rise in a tree. If an electric charge is applied to the nanochannel walls, the ions start to move and generate an electric current. In an article published in Device in 2024, the LNET team reported an unexpected discovery: contrary to what scientists had previously thought, this process works with saltwater and not just purified water. That paves the way to concrete applications using evaporation at the ocean surface.

The team made another breakthrough in 2026, in a study published in Nature Communications. They developed a silicon nanodevice composed of three layers: one for evaporation, one for ion transport and one for collecting the electrical charge. The device uses sunlight and heat to not just speed evaporation, but also directly control the movement of ions and electrons. “This natural process has always occurred, but we’re the first to harness it,” says Tagliabue. Thanks to the device’s dual approach, it can generate five times more energy than systems employing evaporation alone.

One big advantage of LNET’s technology is that it can run continuously. Unlike the solar radiation needed for solar power, evaporation occurs day and night over a broad range of temperatures. The nanodevice can therefore be employed wherever there’s water, heat and light. For example, it can be used to run self-powered environmental sensors. Tarique Anwar, a doctoral assistant at LNET, also points to potential synergies with desalination systems. “These systems already use evaporation to turn saltwater into freshwater. So we can envisage creating a system that generates both drinking water and electrical power.”

Being able to produce both of these would bring massive benefits to coastal areas with little access to freshwater and electricity. For now, nanofluidic devices can’t compete with major power generators, but their ability to take advantage of continuous, ubiquitous phenomena at a small scale opens up exciting prospects.

The global energy potential of seawater and the oceans is estimated to be between 20,000 and 80,000 TWh/year (terawatt-hours per year)—far exceeding total global electricity consumption—though most of this resource remains in the research and development phase.

According to the Wikipedia entry on "Marine energy" and the IPCC’s Chapter 6 on Ocean Energy, ocean energy is categorized into several primary sources:

Key sources and technologies:

• Wave Energy:

• Captures the mechanical motion of surface waves using wave energy converters (WECs). 

• While the theoretical potential is massive, global installed capacity remains low (approximately 26.4 MW) due to high maintenance costs and the challenges posed by harsh weather conditions.

• Tidal and Current Energy:

• Utilizes barrages (tidal lagoons/dams) or submerged turbines driven by tidal currents. 

• This is one of the most commercially mature marine technologies (Technology Readiness Level, or TRL, 7).

• Salinity Gradient (Osmotic Energy):

• Generated by the difference in salt concentration where freshwater from rivers meets saltwater from the sea, utilizing processes such as Pressure-Retarded Osmosis (PRO). 

• The global potential exceeds 1,600 TWh/year, with operational plants in locations such as the Fukuoka Desalination Center in Japan. Technical details can be found on the OES portal under "What is Ocean Energy | Salinity Gradient."

• Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC):

• Converts the temperature difference between warm surface water (~80°F) and cold deep-ocean water (~40°F) into continuous electricity. 

• The estimated potential is approximately 90,000 TWh/year.

• Electrochemical Cells and Nanodevices:

• Redox reactions based on sodium and chloride ions (NaCl), or novel nanofluidic devices that combine continuous evaporation, heat, and light to generate small-scale energy for powering sensors.

To deepen your understanding of ocean energy harvesting, you may explore the following advanced topics:

• OTEC Thermodynamics: How closed and open Rankine cycles function using low-boiling-point fluids.

• Semipermeable Membranes: Challenges related to biofouling and durability in Pressure-Retarded Osmosis (PRO) systems.

• Ecological Impact: How tidal turbines and wave energy converters affect marine fauna and coastal sediment dynamics.

We can harness the energy potential of seawater through five primary marine renewable technologies, each capturing a different physical property of the ocean. Because oceans cover over 70% of the Earth's surface, they act as massive reservoirs of kinetic, thermal, and chemical energy.

Mechanical energy (Kinetic and potential)...These technologies capture the physical movement of water caused by wind, gravity, and the Earth's rotation.

• Wave Energy: Surface waves created by wind carry immense kinetic energy. Devices like oscillating water columns, point absorbers, and attenuators bob or flex with the waves to drive hydraulic pumps or air turbines.

• Tidal Range (Barrages and Lagoons): The gravitational pull of the moon and sun causes predictable daily rises and falls in sea levels. Tidal barrages act like low-head dams, trapping water at high tide and releasing it through underwater turbines as the tide recedes.

• Tidal Stream and Ocean Currents: Underwater turbines, similar to submerged wind turbines, are placed in narrow straits or fast-moving ocean currents (like the Gulf Stream). The flowing seawater spins the rotor blades directly to generate electricity.

Thermal and chemical energy...Beyond physical motion, seawater stores energy in its temperature differences and salt content.

• Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC): OTEC exploits the temperature gradient between warm surface water and cold deep water (requiring a difference of at least 20°C / 36°F). Warm water vaporizes a low-boiling-point fluid (like ammonia) to spin a turbine, while cold water pumped from the depths condenses the vapor back into a liquid.

• Salinity Gradient Power (Osmotic Power): Where freshwater rivers meet salty seawater, a natural chemical pressure builds up due to osmosis. Technologies like Pressure Retarded Osmosis (PRO) and Reverse Electrodialysis (RED) use semi-permeable membranes to capture the energy released as fresh and salt water mix.

Comparison of Marine Energy Technologies

Technology	Energy Source	Key Advantage	Primary Challenge
Wave Energy	Wind-driven surface motion	High energy density globally	Extreme storm survivability
Tidal Energy	Gravitational pull (tides)	100% predictable power generation	Limited to specific coastal geographies
OTEC	Temperature differences	Provides continuous 24/7 baseload power	High capital cost and deep-water piping
Salinity Gradient	Salt concentration differences	Zero visual impact and steady output	Expensive, easily fouled membranes

Emerging and indirect applications:

• Offshore Floating Solar: Calm coastal waters provide vast, unobstructed areas for floating photovoltaic panels, which also stay cooler and operate more efficiently than land-based panels.

• Green Hydrogen Production: Marine energy systems can power offshore electrolyzers that split desalinated seawater into hydrogen and oxygen, creating a storable clean fuel without needing expensive subsea power cables to shore.

If you'd like to explore this topic further, we can look into: The thermodynamic cycle behind Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC)How semi-permeable membranes function in Reverse Electrodialysis (RED)The engineering challenges of biofouling and saltwater corrosion on marine turbines

mundophone

 

DIGITAL LIFE

How can you use your phone less? 7 science-backed strategies to reduce screen time

You pick up your phone to reply to a message, and before you know it, half an hour has passed while you’ve been scrolling through social media. This behavior is becoming increasingly common, turning minor distractions into hours spent in front of a screen. However, science shows that cutting back on smartphone use isn’t just a matter of willpower. Certain changes to your environment, device settings, and daily routine can help you regain control over your time.

While these devices can enhance learning and build community, they can also interfere with everything from sleep to creativity.

Pediatrician Michael Rich, MD ’91, MPH ’97, wants to understand how—and help children and parents manage their online behavior in this ever-changing digital landscape.

“It’s not how long we’re using screens that really matters; it’s how we’re using them and what’s happening in our brains in response,” says Rich, director of the Center on Media and Child Health at Boston Children’s Hospital, associate professor of pediatrics at HMS, and associate professor of social and behavioral sciences at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

The growing human brain is constantly building neural connections while pruning away less-used ones, and digital media use plays an active role in that process, according to Rich. Much of what happens on screen provides “impoverished” stimulation of the developing brain compared to reality, he says. Children need a diverse menu of online and offline experiences, including the chance to let their minds wander. “Boredom is the space in which creativity and imagination happen,” he says.

A good night’s sleep is also key to brain development, and HMS researchers have shown that using blue light-emitting screen devices like smartphones before bedtime can disrupt sleep patterns by suppressing secretion of the hormone melatonin. Many teens who stay up late texting are not only getting less shut-eye, they’re also lacking the deep REM sleep essential for processing and storing information from that day into memory. “So even if they stay awake in algebra class,” Rich says, “they may not remember what happened in class yesterday.”

The center’s Clinic for Interactive Media and Internet Disorders treats young people whose excessive gaming, social media, and other online activities are affecting their health and daily lives at home and school. Rich says these seductive digital pursuits appear to activate the brain’s reward system. “Virtually all games and social media work on what’s called a variable reward system, which is exactly what you get when you go to Mohegan Sun and pull a lever on a slot machine. It balances the hope that you’re going to make it big with a little bit of frustration, and unlike the slot machine, a sense of skill needed to improve.” A young person’s brain lacks a fully developed self-control system to help them with stopping this kind of obsessive behavior.

The experience of growing up today, as youth move seamlessly between online and offline environments, is the focus of an international research project that Rich is leading. The Growing Up Digital (GUD) Study is now underway in Canada, with plans to expand to Australia, Finland, and eventually all six populated continents in partnership with the nonprofit Sesame Workshop. The investigators plan to follow 3,000 to 5,000 youths over 10 years, examining the impact of digital technology on their physical, mental, and social well-being. Because this technology is evolving so rapidly, findings from the Global GUD participatory research will be released in an ongoing way so that health and educational professionals, parents, and youth can implement positive changes in real time.

In the meantime, Rich urges a balanced approach to screen use. “We have to be flexible enough to evolve with the technology but choose how to use it right. Fire was a great discovery to cook our food, but we had to learn it could hurt and kill as well,” he says. “We don’t want to be in a moral panic because kids are staring at smartphones. We need to be asking, what’s happening when they’re staring at their smartphone in terms of their cognitive, social, and emotional development? As with most things, it will probably be a mix of positive and negative. 

One of the more intriguing strategies is to remove color from your screen.

1- Turn your phone screen black and white...Apps use vibrant images, animations, and visual elements to make the user experience more engaging. By switching to grayscale, your phone may lose some of that appeal.

A study from the University of Amsterdam, published in 2024 in the journal *Mobile Media & Communication*, tracked 84 participants over the course of two weeks.

The results showed that using a smartphone in black and white reduced daily screen time by an average of approximately 20 minutes.

Participants also reported a greater sense of control over their own usage. However, the number of times they unlocked their devices did not decrease significantly.

The study is available in the University of Amsterdam’s scientific repository.

2- Disable non-essential notifications...Every alert can interrupt what you are doing and trigger an urge to check your device.

A practical step is to keep notifications enabled only for essential apps—such as those for important messages, appointments, or security services. However, science reveals an unexpected detail.

An experiment involving 205 participants, published in the journal *Media Psychology*, found that disabling notifications for a week did not significantly reduce screen time or the frequency with which people checked their phones.

The researchers did note, however, that participants perceived their own behavior as being more intentional. Therefore, silencing alerts may help manage interruptions, but it does not necessarily eliminate the habit of checking your smartphone.

3-Set time limits for apps...Tools available on both Android and iPhone allow you to track how much time you spend in each app and set daily limits. The first step is to identify which platforms consume the most of your time.

Next, it is worth setting realistic goals. For instance, if you use a particular social media platform for two hours a day, you could start by gradually reducing that time.

An experiment published in the journal *Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking* compared strategies for limiting usage against changes to a phone’s visual settings.

The research showed that digital interventions can help modify habits, though their effectiveness varies depending on the specific strategy and the individual’s behavior.

4-Keep your phone away from your bed...Sleeping with your smartphone within reach makes it easier to give in to the temptation to check messages before going to sleep or immediately upon waking up.

One alternative is to leave the device on another piece of furniture or outside the bedroom, whenever possible.

Researchers at the University of Kentucky investigated an intervention that combined several changes, including moving the phone away from the bed, removing social media icons from the home screen, and enabling grayscale mode.

Participants reported improvements in sleep quality, productivity, and face-to-face interactions.

Because these changes were implemented together and the results were based on participant self-reports, it is not possible to attribute the benefits solely to the distance between the phone and the bed. The study was published in the *American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education*.

5-Make accessing social media more difficult...The easier it is to open an app, the greater the tendency to use it automatically. One strategy is to remove social media icons from your home screen, disable automatic login, or use these platforms only at specific, designated times.

These small barriers are known as "behavioral frictions." The idea is to interrupt the automatic gesture of opening an app and create a moment to decide whether it is truly worth using.

The goal is not to abandon technology, but to transform an impulsive action into a conscious choice.

6-Replace screen time with enjoyable activities...Reducing mobile phone use can be more difficult when there is no engaging alternative to fill the time.

Going for a walk, reading, cooking, exercising, or meeting up with friends are all ways to replace some of your digital consumption.

The importance of this shift is highlighted in a study published in February 2025 in the journal *BMC Medicine*.

The researchers conducted a randomized clinical trial to investigate the effects of reducing screen time on mental health.

The results indicated improvements in indicators of psychological well-being among participants who reduced their smartphone use.

This does not mean that any use of a mobile phone is harmful, but it does suggest that cutting back on excessive use can be beneficial for some people.

7-Start with small changes and track the results...Trying to give up your phone completely overnight may be unrealistic, especially for those who rely on it for work, study, or communication.

One alternative is to begin with short periods without the device—for example, during meals or in the first few minutes after waking up. It is also worth keeping an eye on your weekly screen-time reports to identify any changes.

The most important thing is to set goals that are sustainable.

There is no universal number of hours that defines when smartphone use becomes harmful. One must also consider the context, the activities being performed, and the impact on sleep, work, and personal relationships.

The key takeaway from this research is that reducing mobile phone use does not necessarily mean using less technology, but rather using it more mindfully.

Scientific research and public health organizations—such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and Harvard Medical School—recommend a combination of age-based limits, behavioral boundaries, and environmental modifications to manage and reduce screen time effectively.

Recommended limits by age:

• Under 2 years: Zero screen time (except for live video-chatting with family).

• Ages 2 to 5: Maximum of 1 hour per day of high-quality, co-viewed programing.

• Ages 5 to 17: Maximum of 2 hours per day of recreational screen time (excluding schoolwork).

• Adults: General public health guidance points to keeping recreational use around 2 hours or being mindful of heavy use (exceeding 7 hours daily), which correlates with physical and mental strain.

Science-backed strategies to reduce screen time:

• Establish Screen-Free Zones: Keep phones, tablets, and TVs out of bedrooms to protect sleep quality, as blue light and evening stimulation suppress melatonin production.

• Set Tech-Free Curfews: Turn off or put away all screens at least 1 to 2 hours before bedtime.

• Enforce Mealtime Rules: Make dining areas completely device-free for both children and adults to encourage face-to-face communication.

• Turn Off Non-Essential Notifications: Disable alerts from social media and non-critical apps to prevent continuous cognitive interruptions and "doomscrolling".

• Use Behavioral Friction: Hide social media apps off the main home screen, set screen-time tracking timers, or turn device displays to greyscale to make phone use less rewarding and engaging.

• Encourage Alternative Activities: Replace idle scrolling with physical exercise, outdoor time, hobbies, or unstructured boredom, which science links to higher creativity and better emotional well-being

mundophone

LG

Samsung Rollable reportedly expands compact 16:9 display at the touch of a button

Samsung is reportedly developing a smartphone with a rollable display that could be significantly more compact than the LG Rollable. An exceptionally reliable leaker has now revealed the first details about this Samsung Rollable.

Samsung is reportedly developing a handset whose OLED panel extends vertically rather than horizontally when unrolled, a design that would let the device stay pocketable while offering a much taller canvas for video and multitasking.

The claim comes from the well-known leaker Ice Universe, who said the screen shifts from a 16:9 aspect ratio in its rolled-up state to 21:9 when fully extended. Partial unrolling is also said to be possible, meaning users could stop the panel at an intermediate size instead of choosing between two fixed formats.

The approach differs from earlier attempts at the category. LG's long-teased Rollable, shown off in prototype form in 2021, was designed to widen sideways; LG pulled out of the smartphone business entirely just before that product was due to reach shelves, and no rollable handset has reached the market since. Foldables have filled the gap instead, and the form factor has become a fixture of premium lineups.

According to the leak, the engineering hurdle is interior space. The mechanism that extends the display is said to consume a substantial amount of room inside the chassis, leaving Samsung with the task of packaging a battery large enough to keep runtime competitive when the screen is fully stretched out. A larger panel draws more power, so the trade-off between the roll mechanism and cell capacity is likely to shape the final design.

Timing remains unclear. The information is described as very early, and a commercial launch could be years away if the plans hold at all. Samsung has not commented on the report.

Separately, Samsung continues to push the boundaries of large-format flexible screens in tablets. SamMobile reported on a development model that unfolds from an 8-inch slate into a 17-inch tablet, with two designs under consideration. One folds outward, producing screens on both the front and back of the folded device, with one side switching off when closed; the other folds inward in the manner of current foldable phones and pairs the main panel with an 8-inch cover display. The outward design raises durability questions because the display is always exposed, while the inward version adds cost, thickness and weight by requiring two panels.

Samsung's display arm has built a deep portfolio of folding and bending technologies, work that underpins the company's multi-fold phones and has fueled speculation about devices with even more hinges. The 17-inch tablet concept and the rollable phone sit at different points on that roadmap, but both depend on the same underlying flexible-panel capability.

For the market, a vertically extending phone would represent a third path alongside book-style foldables and clamshells. A compact 16:9 device that becomes a tall 21:9 screen could appeal to users who want a bigger viewing area without the width that makes foldables awkward to hold. Any commercial launch would also test whether consumers will pay a premium for a motorized mechanism whose long-term durability is unproven.

The LG Rollable was supposed to demonstrate back in 2021 that rollable displays were ready for the market and were a genuine alternative to foldables. However, LG exited the smartphone market entirely shortly before this model's launch. Since then, foldables such as the Motorola Razr Fold ($2,299 on Amazon) have become increasingly popular, but a smartphone with a rollable display still does not exist.

That could soon change, according to information from leaker Ice Universe, as Samsung is reportedly developing a smartphone with a rollable OLED display. Unlike the LG Rollable, this smartphone is said to become taller rather than wider when the panel is unrolled. This has the advantage that the device could be relatively compact when rolled up. The display's aspect ratio reportedly increases from 16:9 when rolled up to 21:9 when the device is fully unrolled, although it should also be possible to unroll the screen only partially.

However, the mechanism for unrolling the display is said to take up a lot of space inside the chassis. For this reason, Samsung reportedly faces the challenge of fitting a sufficiently large battery into this rollable to deliver competitive battery life even with the display fully unrolled. It is not yet known when this rollable will hit the market. Since these are still very early rumors, the launch could still be years away, assuming Samsung's plans do not change.

Battery space could be the biggest compromise...Ice Universe identifies battery capacity as a potential obstacle. The sliding mechanism would reportedly occupy a substantial amount of internal space, leaving less room for the battery.

That could become a defining engineering challenge. Samsung would need to accommodate both the expandable display hardware and the components expected in a modern smartphone without making an unacceptable compromise on battery capacity.

No battery specification has been disclosed, so the warning should not be interpreted as evidence of poor endurance. It instead highlights a possible trade-off that the company would need to address if the design reaches production.

Earlier report pointed to Galaxy Z Slide 2028 launch...The latest rumour follows a June report suggesting Samsung was targeting the first half of 2028 for its first rollable-screen smartphone. That report said Samsung Display was discussing the supply of rollable panels with Samsung Electronics.

Galaxy Z Slide was mentioned as a possible product name. Samsung has also previously trademarked Z Roll, providing another potential branding option. Neither name confirms what the finished device would be called, and the trademark alone does not establish a launch plan.

It also remains unclear whether the vertically expanding phone described in the latest rumour is the same project discussed in June. The two reports should not be treated as confirmation of a single device or a fixed release schedule.

Samsung has also explored side-expanding designs...A Samsung patent reported earlier this year described a different approach: a rollable smartphone that expands sideways and includes a movable rear camera module. The camera assembly would shift as the screen extended, with sensors monitoring changes in the device’s configuration.

That concept differs from the vertically extending design now attributed to Ice Universe. Together, the reports suggest Samsung is examining more than one way to build an expandable smartphone, rather than necessarily working towards a single settled form factor.

A patent, however, is evidence of an explored concept—not proof that the hardware will become a commercial product.

The appeal of Samsung’s rumoured design lies in its ability to offer different screen proportions within one handset. The challenge is making that flexibility useful enough to justify the space occupied by the mechanism.

For now, the vertical expansion system, proposed aspect ratios and battery concerns all remain part of an unconfirmed report. Earlier coverage provides a possible 2028 timeframe for Samsung’s rollable ambitions, but there is no confirmed connection between that schedule and this particular design.

 

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TECH

A new modelling approach could make it easier to predict home energy use

Residential energy consumption plays a crucial role in the overall energy landscape, and it accounts for a significant portion of global energy demand. This sector encompasses various energy-intensive activities, including space heating, water heating, lighting, and the operation of electric appliances and devices in millions of households worldwide. The global population continues to grow, which leads to an increase in the number of residential units, and subsequently to higher energy requirements in meeting basic living needs. Additionally, rapid urbanization and improved living standards in many regions have resulted in increased energy consumption per household. The sector’s energy demand is further influenced by factors such as population density, climate conditions, building characteristics, and socio-economic factors. It is therefore crucial to understand and address the complexities of energy consumption to transition to a low-carbon future.

Energy fuels economic growth by powering industries, transportation, and essential services. As societies continuously evolve and technology becomes more pervasive, energy needs continue to increase. Nevertheless, the world is grappling with the adverse consequences of excessive energy use, such as greenhouse gas emissions, climate change, and resource depletion. It is therefore imperative to recognize that energy use is inextricably linked to global challenges, which makes it vital to explore diverse sustainable practices to find those that balance economic growth with environmental responsibility.

Improving energy efficiency and promoting sustainable energy practices have emerged as critical global priorities to reduce energy consumption in the residential sector. The understanding of residential energy consumption patterns is a crucial step to design effective policies, implement targeted interventions, develop sustainable energy systems, and reduce our environmental footprint. Mitigating energy consumption in the residential sector requires a multi-faceted approach. Key strategies include the promotion of energy-efficient technologies, behavioral changes, and policy interventions. Adopting energy-efficient appliances, optimizing heating and cooling systems, implementing better insulation, and utilizing renewable energy sources are all effective measures through which to reduce energy consumption.

Researchers studied many tools and technologies that facilitate the reduction in energy consumption in households. For example, smart meters can, depending on the technology and legal situation, enable real-time energy monitoring, which empowers homeowners to track and improve their consumption. Home energy management systems  allow for the automatic control and adjustment of energy demand and price signals based on electrical equipment. In addition, the development of energy storage and distributed energy resources offer opportunities to efficiently integrate renewable energy sources in residential systems.

Modeling plays an important role in shaping our understanding of energy use patterns and potential pathways toward sustainability. It also provides a systematic framework through which to analyze the complex interplay of the various factors influencing residential energy use. The developed mathematical and computational models that simulate energy use offer a systematic and structured approach in studying this field.

Predicting how much energy individual homes consume is a persistent challenge for researchers and urban planners. Models often group houses into broad categories based on their age or other characteristics, overlooking differences in their size, construction and energy performance.

A new approach developed by Concordia researchers with colleagues at McGill University, Natural Resources Canada and the National Research Council Canada, could make these predictions considerably more accurate. As described in the journal Energy & Buildings, the model offers a better way to assess energy use across residential neighbourhoods and identify opportunities for reducing consumption.

Their method, called Three-Layer Filtering, progressively refines how buildings are represented in urban building energy modeling. These computer models help researchers understand energy consumption across neighbourhoods and cities, and can inform decisions about building efficiency and decarbonization, the researchers say.

The team tested their model on 100 randomly selected detached houses in Montreal that use electric baseboard heating. They found their approach reduced the average error in predicting individual homes' annual electricity consumption from 80.7 per cent when using existing methods to just 4.3 per cent, providing more accurate data for urban planners and utility officials.

Analysis by archetype...The first step narrows the analysis to comparable buildings, avoiding comparisons between fundamentally different types of homes. The second groups houses according to several characteristics, including construction year, floor area, number of storeys, volume and estimated energy performance, rather than relying on age alone. The houses are then grouped into seven distinct clusters based on their similarities, with each cluster representing an archetype.

In the final step, the researchers adjust the model for individual houses based on their corresponding archetypes. Machine-learning tools help identify the building characteristics that most influence energy consumption, while a simplified version of the model learns from detailed energy simulations to quickly estimate energy consumption under different parameters. Together these measures significantly reduce the computing power needed to make these adjustments.

After the initial grouping, the average prediction error fell to 23.3 per cent. Following individual calibration, 83 per cent of the houses had predictions within five per cent of their measured annual electricity consumption.

This approach avoids having to build and run a separate, resource-intensive model for each property. This could make detailed, building-level energy estimates more practical for municipalities working with large housing stocks, rather than limiting them to small samples or broad neighbourhood averages.

The simplified computational approach offers an additional speed advantage. In a test involving one representative house, the researchers' streamlined model performed almost 22 times faster than conventional simulations, while producing comparable results.

A scalable model for a diverse country...The findings suggest that more accurate, building-specific energy estimates could eventually help municipalities identify homes with high energy consumption, prioritize retrofits and plan the transition to more efficient buildings.

“A city like Montreal is made up of many different neighbourhoods, and each one has a unique energy consumption pattern,” says lead author Wei Zhou, a PhD candidate at the Centre for Zero Energy Building Studies (CZEBS) in the Department of Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering.

“With our model, urban planners can do a speedy and accurate analysis of specific areas and determine which retrofit scenario is most appropriate.”

While the study remains a proof of concept, Zhou says it is scalable to other cities, building stocks, heating systems and climates.

A new modeling approach called Three-Layer Filtering developed by researchers at Concordia University, McGill University, Natural Resources Canada, and the National Research Council Canada significantly improves the prediction of home energy use.

How the tree-layer filtering approach works:

• Progressive Refinement: Instead of building heavy, separate computer models for every single house, the method progressively refines how buildings are represented within urban housing stocks.

• Archetype Grouping: Buildings are initially grouped and adjusted based on corresponding architectural archetypes.

• Machine Learning & Simplification: Machine-learning tools identify which specific building traits drive energy use the most, while a streamlined model learns from detailed energy simulations to evaluate different parameters quickly.

Performance and results:

• Accuracy: Tested on 100 detached homes in Montreal using electric baseboard heating, the method cut the average error in predicting annual electricity consumption from 80.7% down to 4.3%.

• Individual Calibration: After individual adjustments, 83% of the homes had predictions within 5% of their actual measured annual electricity consumption.

• Speed: The streamlined computational approach performed nearly 22 times faster than conventional energy simulations.

Researchers at Concordia University, alongside partners at McGill University, Natural Resources Canada, and the National Research Council Canada, have developed a new urban building energy modeling approach called Three-Layer Filtering.

As detailed in the journal Energy & Buildings, the method significantly improves how residential electricity and energy consumption are predicted across neighborhoods.

Key details of the model:

• Three-Layer Filtering: The method progressively refines how individual buildings and entire housing stocks are represented in computer models, avoiding the need to run heavy, separate simulations for every single property.

• Accuracy Improvement: In a test of 100 randomly selected detached houses in Montreal with electric baseboard heating, the approach cut the average error in predicting annual electricity consumption from 80.7% down to 4.3%.

• Calibration Milestones:

• After initial grouping by archetype, average prediction error dropped to 23.3%.

• After individual calibration via machine-learning and simplified simulation tools, 83% of the houses had predictions within 5% of their actual measured annual electricity use.

• Scalability: While tested in Montreal, researchers note the proof-of-concept framework is designed to scale across different cities, building types, heating equipment, and climates to assist urban planners and utility companies with retrofit planning.

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TECH

Fabric molds could bring material-saving concrete beams within reach

Topology optimization is a computer design method that can help engineers design beams using reduced amounts of concrete and steel. But those intricate shapes produced from the tool are often too complex or expensive to pour into conventional rigid molds. The few that have been built have mostly relied on specialized equipment, such as concrete 3D printers or machine-carved molds, equipment that is out of reach in regions where new construction is expected to grow.  

Now, MIT engineers have shown that highly efficient beams can be cast in something more accessible: sewn fabric. In a paper published in the Journal of Building Engineering, the team designed and built a 3-meter (about 10-foot) test beam using fabric molds created through an automated pattern-making process. Compared with a conventional beam designed to carry the same weight, the optimized beam used about one-third as much concrete and half as much steel reinforcement. When tested, its measured response was within about 2 percent of what the team's computer model predicted.

Fabric formwork, in which concrete is poured into a mold made of textile, has been explored for years to create beams that vary in depth, rather than in rectangular shapes common in construction. But because fabric deforms under the weight of wet concrete, that flexibility has made the final shape hard to predict.

“The key realization was that this flexibility is not just a limitation to manage; with the right computational pattern design, it can become a way to produce optimized structural forms,” says Josephine Carstensen, the Gilbert W. Winslow (1937) Career Development Professor in Civil Engineering and senior author of the study.

Fabric molds can also be inexpensive, lightweight, and fast compared to wood or steel molds. “You could sew a formwork together off site, pack it into a box, and bring it to a job site very easily,” says Jackson Jewett PhD ’25, co-author of the study. “We joke that we are developing the H&M of the construction industry.” 

Less material, lower carbon...Cement production accounts for roughly 8 percent of human-caused carbon emissions. 

“This work addresses concrete’s climate footprint primarily by reducing material demand,” Carstensen says. “Cement production is highly carbon-intensive, so using less concrete is an important part of decarbonizing construction.”

Where new construction happens matters, too. The world’s number of buildings is expected to nearly double by 2050, with about 85 percent of that growth in developing countries, where access to advanced construction equipment is often limited. That is why, Carstensen says, the team focused on an accessible, cost-conscious fabrication approach.

Designing the beam...Concrete is strong when compressed, but weak when pulled, so it’s reinforced with steel that can handle the pulling forces. The researchers first mapped a path for the steel reinforcement using a method called graphic statics, which can generate structural designs almost instantly. They used it to shape the steel bar so that it carries an equal share of the weight along its entire length to keep the reinforcement simple enough for builders to make. Topology optimization, which works more slowly but can place material freely, was used to determine where concrete was needed and where material could be removed from areas where it contributes little to the structural performance.

“Both methods are good at different things, so we tried to combine the strengths of both into a single methodology,” says Jewett.

The resulting beam has a top section, narrow angled legs, and a thin bottom section for the steel reinforcement. The team’s automated process translated the 3D beam design into flat fabric pieces that can be cut and sewn into a mold, accounting for how the fabric will deform once concrete is poured in. A simple timber frame supported the finished fabric mold.

Mark Hellrich SM ’26, lead author of a new study on fabric molds for concrete, scans fabric-formed beams in the lab to compare their shape with the original computer design. Credits: Emily Whiting

Watching the beam take shape...For Mark Hellrich SM ’26, the study’s lead author, the main hands-on challenge was getting the concrete mix right. Woven cotton fabric lets water seep through, so a mix that is too runny loses water through the mold. It also presses harder against the fabric, pushing it away from the intended shape.

The team used a moderately wet, sand-rich mix with only small stones, so the concrete could flow through the beam’s narrow, angled legs and thin bottom section without getting stuck. They then packed it in by hand, prodding each layer and tapping and kneading the fabric from the outside.

“This is where the flexibility of the mold becomes an advantage: you can work the concrete through the interconnected passages without a vibrator, which a rigid mold of this shape would need,” says Hellrich. A concrete vibrator is a tool typically used to shake air pockets out of freshly poured concrete in rigid molds. 

Once the concrete was in place, the wet fabric revealed the beam’s final shape. “All three beams were free of wrinkles and creases,” says Hellrich. The top surface stayed close to the design, while the main difference was a downward sag along the bottom, with the angled legs folding slightly inward.

Finding the right fabric mold...To find out how much sewing precision the beam needs, the team built three molds for the same design, made from 36, 56, and 76 fabric pieces. Comparing the 3D scans of the cast beams with the target design, the researchers found that more seams gave finer control over the details, but did not necessarily make the beam’s overall shape more accurate.

“More seams improve local control because they divide the fabric into smaller, more constrained panels. But a more complex pattern also has more pieces to align and more seam length, so small cutting, sewing, and assembly inaccuracies can accumulate across the mold, explains Carstensen.

The 56-piece mold demonstrated the best balance, capturing the important design geometry without the added time, effort, and potential errors associated with the most complex pattern.

The researchers then load-tested one of the beams, gradually stacking 36 water-filled buckets on top of it, up to about 30 percent of its design load to reflect everyday service conditions. Weighted lines hung from the beam’s underside to precise measuring gauges below, tracking how far the beam bent as the load was added and removed. At the beam’s center, the measured deflection — its downward movement under the load — was within about 2 percent of the computer model’s prediction.

Where it fits in the real world...The team also compared the cost of a single fabric-formed beam with a conventional one and found that location makes all the difference. In the Global South, where materials tend to cost more relative to labor, all three fabric versions were cheaper, with savings of about 10 to 20 percent. In the Global North, higher labor costs for sewing reversed that advantage, making the fabric versions about 16 to 55 percent more expensive.

The findings suggest that fabric formwork is most promising for custom-shaped concrete components produced as a one-off or in small batches, such as exposed beams, roof or long-span framing, pedestrian structures, and landscape elements. For the repetitive, rectangular beams found in most buildings, conventional reusable molds remain the more economical choice where labor is expensive.

“To get started, a builder would need the digital pattern for the target component, a sewing machine and suitable fabric, and a simple timber support frame,” Carstensen says. “That is a much lower equipment threshold than robotic fabrication, concrete 3D printing, or CNC-milled molds.”

The researchers describe the 3-meter beam as a proof of concept comparable to a short building span. It is also a big step up from the 1.2-meter beam the team built in a previous project, Jewett notes.

Building bigger isn’t just a matter of enlarging the design, Carstensen notes. As a beam gets longer, its own weight and the pressure on the fabric mold change, so a larger beam would need a new design. The next step, Carstensen says, is “to test multiple beams to failure.”  

“The nice thing about these optimization methods is they generate structures that look organic,” Jewett says. “Their geometries are clear expressions of how the forces move through the structural system. There is elegance to them. It makes you ask why we don’t design all our structures in this way.”

MIT News engineers have developed a method that uses sewn fabric formwork to create computer-optimized concrete beams.

Project details:

• Material savings: The 3-meter test beam uses about one-third the amount of concrete and half the steel of a conventional beam with the same load-bearing capacity.

• Technology: The researchers used topology optimization—a computational design method—combined with an automated process for creating fabric formwork.

• Practical advantage: Instead of relying on expensive rigid molds, 3D concrete printing, or machining equipment—which can be difficult to access in rapidly growing regions—the use of flexible, sewn fabric makes the process more affordable and accessible.

• Ideal applications: The method shows promise for unique or small-batch components, such as exposed beams and pedestrian structures.

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