Computer America

Hosted by Ben Crossman

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679

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Oct 2026

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Computer America is the nation's longest running talk show on Computers and Technology, spanning 25+ years of industry guests and analysis.

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60 recent

October 24, 202626 min

How Train Tracks Could Generate Power & Poop Makes Concrete Stronger w/ Ralph Bond

(23 October 2026 Notes) Story 1: Electro-hydraulic platform converts rail-track vibrations into usable electricity Author: Mrigakshi Dixit Source: Interesting Engineering Link: https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/rail-track-vibrations-into-electricity Company Link: https://www.regentracks.com/ Story 2: Scientists Are Making Concrete with Human Poop – And It Gets 42% Stronger Author: Michelle Starr Source: ScienceAlert.com Link: https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-are-making-concrete-with-human-poop-and-it-gets-42-stronger Story 3: New Metal Foam Could Make Car Crashes Safer Author: David Mantey Source: Industrial Equipment News Link: https://www.ien.com/safety/video/22973779/new-metal-foam-could-make-car-crashes-safer Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWgNdURSsAc Story 4: AI virtual cell uses protein dynamics to predict personalized breast cancer treatments Author: Robert Egan Source: MedicalXpress.com Link: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-ai-virtual-cell-protein-dynamics.html HONORABLE MENTIONS AI translates ancient cuneiform tablets Author: Alexandru Micu Source: ZME Science Link: https://www.zmescience.com/science/ai-reads-translates-cuneiform-052352/ Experimental One-Dose Treatment Cuts 'Bad' Cholesterol by 52% in First Human Trial Author: David Nield Source: ScienceAlert.com Link: https://www.sciencealert.com/experimental-one-dose-treatment-cuts-bad-cholesterol-by-52-in-first-human-trial Engineered microbe speeds CO2 capture, recovers critical metals Author: Chris Dawson Source: Cornell University Link: https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2026/08/engineered-microbe-speeds-co2-capture-recovers-critical-metals Research Paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-63817-0 New, 50-ton Volvo EC500 Electric excavator never needs charging Author: Jo Borras Source: Electrek.com Link: https://electrek.co/2026/09/10/new-50-ton-volvo-ec500-electric-excavator-never-needs-charging/

October 16, 202632 min

AlphaGenome, AI Plasma Control, and Eggshell Space Shields w/ Ralph Bond

Podcast Show Notes – 16 October 2026 Story 1: DeepMind’s new genome ‘atlas’ charts effects of all nine billion human gene mutations Source / Attribution: Nature.com — Story by Ewen Callaway Link: Nature Article Story 2: AI can now control fusion plasma faster than humans can react Source / Attribution: ScienceDaily.com — Story from Princeton University Link: ScienceDaily Release Story 3: The secret to protecting next-gen spacecraft might be eggshells Source / Attribution: ArsTechnica.com — Story by Jennifer Ouellette Link: Ars Technica Story | Research Paper Story 4: New 'nanobone' could help body regrow bone Source / Attribution: University of Sydney — Story by Associate Professor Chun Xu Link: University of Sydney News | ACS Nano Research Paper Honorable Mention: Weighing 13.2 pounds, scientists build world’s smallest CT scanner that runs on 200 watts Source / Attribution: Interesting Engineering via MSN — Story by Munis Raza Link: MSN Article Honorable Mention: Your Body Has a 'Second Heart', And It's Crucial You Keep It Pumping Source / Attribution: ScienceAlert.com — Story by Esra Oz Link: ScienceAlert Article Honorable Mention: A New NASA Design Turbocharges Nuclear Spacecraft Source / Attribution: IEEE Spectrum — Story by Kurt Polzin and Robert Schleicher Link: IEEE Spectrum Article

October 9, 202637 min

Mars Fuel Breakthroughs, Sound Beams, Fast-Charging Batteries, and Light Wound Care w/ Ralph Bond

Show Notes – October 9, 2026 Main Stories Story 1: Making rocket fuel out of Mars' thin air: New breakthrough could make it happen Source: Space.com (Story by Keith Cooper) Link: https://www.space.com/astronomy/mars/making-rocket-fuel-out-of-mars-thin-air-new-breakthrough-could-make-it-happen Research Paper: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acscatal.5c09141 Story 2: New Speaker Could Send Music to Listener Without Disturbing Others Source: Knowridge.com Link: https://knowridge.com/2026/09/new-speaker-could-send-music-to-listener-without-disturbing-others Research Paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-73604-0 Story 3: Scientists develop next-gen zinc-iodine batteries with 60,000+ cycles that charge in 3 minutes — and they won't catch fire either Source: TechRadar.com (Story by David Nield) Link: https://www.techradar.com/home/energy-saving/scientists-develop-next-gen-zinc-iodine-batteries-with-60-000-cycles-that-charge-in-3-minutes-and-they-wont-catch-fire-either Story 4: Ambient light activates wearable patch for wound treatment Source: Woundcareweekly.com Link: https://woundcareweekly.com/2026/09/06/ambient-light-activates-wearable-patch-for-wound-treatment/ Honorable Mentions Story: Deep learning refines how bionic eyes communicate with the brain Source: UC Santa Barbara [The Current] (Story by Debra Herrick) Link: https://news.ucsb.edu/2026/022739/deep-learning-refines-how-bionic-eyes-communicate-brain Story: This battery is powered by algae Source: Fast Company (Story by María José Gutiérrez Chávez) Link: https://www.fastcompany.com/91589823/this-battery-is-powered-by-algae Story: Robot valet parking at Gatwick Airport promises safer, easier long‑stay car storage Source: Euro News

October 2, 202635 min

AI Cancer Screening, Stroke-Predicting Chips, and Real-Time Stroke Monitoring w/ Ralph Bond

Show Notes – October 2, 2026: All Medical Tech Special Main Stories Story 1: New imaging combines light and sound to watch brain oxygen supply in real time Source: MedicalXpress.com (Story by Gaby Clark) Link: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-imaging-combines-brain-oxygen-real.html Research Paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-75603-7 Story 2: Mini 'arteries-on-a-chip' could help predict a person's risk of stroke Source: LiveScience.com (Story by Victoria Atkinson) Link: https://www.livescience.com/health/heart-circulation/mini-arteries-on-a-chip-could-help-predict-a-persons-risk-of-stroke Story 3: Vara receives CE mark for first autonomous breast cancer screening Source: MedTechDive.com (Story by Elise Reuter) Link: https://www.medtechdive.com/news/vara-receives-ce-mark-for-first-autonomous-breast-cancer-screening/829696/ Story 4: Ukrainian and US developers are building AI tools for wounded troops when there is no medic nearby Source: Business Insider (Story by Kelsey Baker) Link: https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-tools-aim-to-help-troops-treat-wounds-2026-9 Honorable Mentions Story: New Brain-Inspired AI Chip Solves Motor Control Tasks Using 10,000x Fewer Calculations Source: The Science Times (Story by Glanze Patrick) Link: https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/62364/20260813/new-brain-inspired-ai-chip-solves-motor-control-tasks-using-10000x-fewer-calculations.htm Story: China's New Solar Breakthrough Makes Desalinated Water Cheaper Than Bottled Source: BGR (Story by Noelle Corbett) Link: https://www.bgr.com/2222172/china-solar-breakthrough-desalinate-water-cheaper/ Story: Princeton startup raises $16M to scale brine-based lithium production Source: Interesting Engineering (Story by Maria Mocerino) Link: https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/princeton-startup-raises-16m-to-scale-brine-based-lithium-production <

September 18, 202632 min

Stratospheric Telecom, Sound-Powered Micro-Robots, and Blender-Made Graphene w/ Ralph Bond

US stratospheric craft flies 9,300 miles to Japan in world-first sky data network Aamir Khollam Interesting Engineering via MSN https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/us-stratospheric-craft-flies-9300-miles-to-japan-in-world-first-sky-data-network-test/ar-AA2bwVb1 Scientists build tiny robots without motors that can fly using sound waves alone Olivia Maule LiveScience.com https://www.livescience.com/technology/robotics/scientists-build-tiny-robots-without-motors-that-can-fly-using-sound-waves-alone The 'wonder material' graphene can be made using a kitchen blender, a mobile phone and a newspaper Conor Boland Phys.org https://phys.org/news/2026-08-material-graphene-kitchen-blender-mobile.html These Hearing Aids Will Tune in to Your Brain Shruthi Raghavendra IEEE Spectrum https://spectrum.ieee.org/hearing-aids-biosignals Making trains and airplanes recyclable - Empa and Elantas develop a sandwich material for aircraft and train interiors combining lightweight performance, fire protection and end-of-life component recovery Ann Ettlin Empa.ch https://www.empa.ch/web/s604/brandschutz-fuer-flugzeug-und-zug-dank-recycelbarem-faserverbundwerkstoff Researchers develop electronic skin for prosthetics to sense temperature and pressure Tina Hilding Washington State University https://news.wsu.edu/press-release/2026/08/20/researchers-develop-electronic-skin-for-prosthetics-to-sense-temperature-and-pressure/ Unprecedented: Scientists Have Built Miniature Brains That Experience the Passage of Time Ivan Farkas ScienceAlert.com https://www.sciencealert.com/unprecedented-scientists-have-built-miniature-brains-that-experience-the-passage-of-time Heartbeats power a battery-free pacemaker designed to last a lifetime Gaby Clark MedicalXpress.com https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-heartbeats-power-battery-free-pacemaker.html

September 13, 20261 hr 28 min

Transformers 40th Anniversary, Apple iPhone Duo, and LG TV LAN Scanning w/ Calcopia.com

Calcopia.com. Nathan Evans, Managing Editor. Calcopia is your place for unique and interesting analyses on the best of gaming, movies, tech, books, a regularly updated Podcast, and original content you won’t find anywhere else. 100 percent independent and agenda-free, our diverse editorial staff is committed to keeping things interesting and always entertaining. A veritable cornucopia of editorial excellence, if you will. Topics: Remembering September 11 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11_attacks Apple unveils iPhone Duo https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/09/apple-unveils-iphone-duo LG TV shown scanning LAN for third-party phones and other devices https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/09/lg-tv-shown-capable-of-tracking-user-activity-even-when-offline Google brings Gemini for desktop app to Windows Google brings Gemini for desktop app to Windows Nintendo Offers Rare Discounts For American Customers—Thanks To Tariff Refunds https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2026/09/10/nintendo-offers-rare-discounts-for-american-customers-thanks-to-tariff-refunds-company-says Transformers: The Movie 40th Anniversary Screenings to Feature New Optimus Prime: Awakening Short https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/latest/2026/9/1/transformers-the-movie-optimus-prime-awakening-short

September 13, 202636 min

Biological Data Center, Gold E-Waste Recovery, and Smartphone Blindness Navigation w/ Ralph Bond

World-First Biological Data Center Uses 16 Million Living Human Neurons to Process Data Georgina Jedikovska [via Interesting Engineering] Technocracy.com https://www.technocracy.news/world-first-biological-data-center-uses-16-million-living-human-neurons-to-process-data/ Scientists built an electrically controlled molecular ‘clamp’ that recovered 89% of the gold from electronic waste, using 100 times fewer separation chemicals while turning old phones into a more practical urban mine Adrian Villellas Earth.com https://www.earth.com/science/electrically-controlled-molecular-clamp-gold-waste-recovery/ Harvard engineers develop smartphone app to aid navigation for people with blindness News-Medical.net https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260824/Harvard-engineers-develop-smartphone-app-to-aid-navigation-for-people-with-blindness.aspx First patient in live AI-assisted sight-saving brain surgery [world-first procedure] NHS University College London Hospitals https://www.uclh.nhs.uk/news/first-patient-live-ai-assisted-sight-saving-brain-surgery Noninvasive AI-based system translates brain signals into written text Lisa Lock TechXplore.com https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-noninvasive-ai-based-brain-written.html JetZero Develops World's First Blended Wing Jet with 5,000 Nautical Miles Range and 50% Fuel Savings Georgina Jedikovska via Interesting Engineering RobotToday.com https://robottoday.com/industry-briefing/jetzero-develops-world-s-first-blended-wing-jet-with-5-000-nm-range-and-50-fuel-savings/9174 Electrocatalytic method could purify wastewater by converting pollutants into recoverable polymers Robert Egan Phys.org https://phys.org/news/2026-08-electrocatalytic-method-purify-wastewater-pollutants.html New recyclable yarn is as stretchy as spandex and could help tackle fashion's plastic waste problem Olivia Maule LiveScience.com https://www.livescience.com/chemistry/new-recyclable-yarn-is-as-stretchy-as-spandex-and-could-help-tackle-fashions-plastic-waste-problem

September 4, 202638 min

Mimic Robotics AI Audi Factory, Ocean Mineral Mining, Fuel-Free Space Thrusters w/ Ralph Bond

Show Notes 4 September 2026 Mimic Robotics introduces ‘frontier video-action models’ to the factory floor at AudiStory by David EdwardsRobotics & Automation News https://roboticsandautomationnews.com/2026/07/29/mimic-robotics-introduces-frontier-video-action-models-to-the-factory-floor-at-audi/103705/ The Ocean is Teeming with Critical Minerals: Here’s How We Could Get ThemStory by JoAnna WendelPacific Northwest National Laboratory https://www.pnnl.gov/news-media/ocean-teeming-critical-news-heres-how-we-could-get-them Acceleration without fuel: Revolutionary superconducting device harnesses Earth's magnetic field to move a spacecraftStory by Tereza PultarovaSpace.com https://www.space.com/technology/acceleration-without-fuel-revolutionary-superconducting-thruster-harnesses-earths-magnetic-field-in-1st-orbital-test Endless Supply of Cancer-Fighting Immune Cells Unlocked by USC ScientistsStory by Cristy LytalSciTechDaily.com https://scitechdaily.com/endless-supply-of-cancer-fighting-immune-cells-unlocked-by-usc-scientists/ This glaze-inspired ceramic coating repairs its own cracks inside superheated jet enginesStory by Munis RazaInteresting Engineering via MSN.com https://www.msn.com/en-us/technology/general/this-glaze-inspired-ceramic-coating-repairs-its-own-cracks-inside-superheated-jet-engines/ar-AA2a1Kmt?ocid=BingNewsSerp Goodbye, cavities? New gel could regrow tooth enamelStory from University of NottinghamScienceDaily.com https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260717033046.htm Strange 'magnetoelastic' tent generates electricity from wind, body movement and sound to power small devicesStory by Alan BradleyLiveScience.com https://www.livescience.com/technology/new-magnetoelastic-tent-generates-electricity-from-wind-body-movement-and-sound-to-power-small-devices 3 teens win global prize for tamarind-seed powder that pulls microplastics from waterStory by Morgan TaylorThe Cool Down on MSN.com https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/lifestyle-buzz/3-teens-win-global-prize-for-tamarind-seed-powder-that-pulls-microplastics-from-water/ar-AA29DIh1

August 21, 202634 min

Wind-Power Cargo Ship, Superhot Geothermal, AI Lab, and mRNA Cancer Vaccine w/ Ralph Bond

Oceanbird Wing Sail InstallationSource: Interesting Engineering https://interestingengineering.com/videos/giant-150-foot-wing-just-set-sail-on-a-754-foot-cargo-ship-and-it-runs-on-wind https://www.theoceanbird.com/press-releases/oceanbird-completes-installation Quaise Energy Superhot Geothermal PlantSource: ESG Today / Fast Company https://www.esgtoday.com/quaise-energy-raises-134-million-to-build-first-ever-superhot-geothermal-power-plant/ https://www.fastcompany.com/91572753/this-houston-geothermal-startup-is-betting-it-can-beat-fossil-fuels-on-cost https://quaiseprojectobsidian.com/ AI-Driven Optical TweezersSource: Phys.org / Nature https://phys.org/news/2026-06-ai-driven-optical-tweezers-hundreds.html https://www.nature.com/articles/s41592-026-03129-3 Moderna and Merck Melanoma Vaccine TrialSource: Reuters https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/merck-moderna-say-melanoma-skin-cancer-vaccine-meets-goals-large-trial-2026-08-19/ Solar-Powered Plastic RecyclingSource: University of Cambridge / Nature https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/scientists-demonstrate-solar-powered-plastic-recycling-at-real-world-scale https://www.nature.com/articles/s44286-026-00406-y Copper Drug for Alzheimer's TreatmentSource: Monash University / ACS Chemical Neuroscience https://www.monash.edu/news/articles/copper-drug-restores-memory-and-clears-toxic-alzheimers-proteins <

August 7, 20261 hr 23 min

Daily Top Tech Picks w/ Calcopia!

Calcopia is your place for unique and interesting analyses on the best of gaming, movies, tech, books, a regularly updated Podcast, and original content you won’t find anywhere else. 100 percent independent and agenda-free, our diverse editorial staff is committed to keeping things interesting and always entertaining. A veritable cornucopia of editorial excellence, if you will. https://calcopia.com/the-state-of-gaming-july-2026-valves-steam-machine-disc-free-playstation-xbox-backwards-compatibility/ https://calcopia.com/gaming-historian-kurt-kalata-talks-pc-engine-box-art/ https://www.samsung.com/us/brand-new-day/ https://www.engadget.com/2230202/bmw-is-forcing-a-weird-spider-man-ad-onto-its-dashboard-displays/ https://blog.playstation.com/2026/08/06/celebrate-30-years-of-quake-with-a-brand-new-episode-available-today/ https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/grand-theft-auto-6-extended-first-look https://www.engadget.com/2232108/openai-s-ring-shaped-smart-speaker-will-reportedly-cost-between-300-and-400/