Category Physics

Unified memristor-ferroelectric memory developed for energy-efficient training of AI systems

A unified memristor-ferroelectric memory for the energy-efficient training of AI systems
Credit: Dupouy/CEA

Over the past decades, electronics engineers have developed a wide range of memory devices that can safely and efficiently store increasing amounts of data. However, the different types of devices developed to date come with their own trade-offs, which pose limits on their overall performance and restrict their possible applications.

Researchers at Université Grenoble Alpes (CEA-Leti, CEA List), Université de Bordeaux (CNRS) and Université Paris-Saclay (CNRS) recently developed a new memory device that combines two complementary components typically used individually, known as memristors and ferroelectric capacitors (FeCAPs)...

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DeepMind introduces AI agent that learns to complete various tasks in a scalable world model

DeepMind introduces an AI agent that learns to complete various tasks in a scalable world model
Dreamer 4 learns to solve complex control tasks by reinforcement learning inside of its world model. We decode the imagined training sequences for visualization, showing that the world model has learned to simulate a wide range of game mechanics from low-level mouse and keyboard actions, including breaking blocks, using tools, and interacting with crafting tables. Credit: arXiv (2025). DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2509.24527

Over the past decade, deep learning has transformed how artificial intelligence (AI) agents perceive and act in digital environments, allowing them to master board games, control simulated robots and reliably tackle various other tasks...

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Physicists discover strange spinning crystals that behave like living matter

Spinning crystals that twist, shatter, and rebuild themselves may hold the key to next-generation materials.. Physicists have uncovered the fascinating world of “rotating crystals” — solids made of spinning particles that behave in strange, almost living ways. These odd materials can twist instead of stretch, shatter into fragments, and even reassemble themselves.

It may sound unbelievable, but crystals made of rotating particles are real. A group of physicists from Aachen, Düsseldorf, Mainz, and Wayne State University (Detroit, USA) has explored these unusual materials and their remarkable behavior. These crystals can easily split into separate fragments, form unusual grain boundaries, and display controllable structural defects...

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Ultracompact semiconductor could power next-gen AI and 6G chips

chip
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

A research team, led by Professor Heein Yoon in the Department of Electrical Engineering at UNIST has unveiled an ultra-small hybrid low-dropout regulator (LDO) that promises to advance power management in advanced semiconductor devices. This innovative chip not only stabilizes voltage more effectively, but also filters out noise—all while taking up less space—opening new doors for high-performance system-on-chips (SoCs) used in AI, 6G communications, and beyond.

The new LDO combines analog and digital circuit strengths in a hybrid design, ensuring stable power delivery even during sudden changes in current demand—like when launching a game on your smartphone—and effectively blocking unwanted noise from the power supply.

What sets this developmen...

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