Lego's next release is a digital brick loaded with sensors that add new layers of interactivity to its play sets. WIRED got exclusive access to the Lego labs where the Smart Brick was born. The secretive division of 237 staff based here and in London, Boston, and Singapore is dedicated to thinking up what comes next for the world's largest toy brand. In front of me, on a plain white table, is a batch of prototypes of Lego's new Smart Brick, the final version of which is a small, sensor-laden 2-by-4 black brick with a big brain. No outsider has seen these prototypes, all of which represent stages of a journey Lego has been charting over the past eight years. Lego hopes this innovation, which lands in stores March 1, will safeguard the future of its plastic empire. The diminutive proportions of the finished Smart Brick belie the fact that the thing is exceedingly clever. Inside is a tiny custom chip running bespoke software that can communicate with onboard sensors to monitor and react to motion, orientation, and magnetic fields. It's also likely no exaggeration that the Smart Brick could represent the most radical product Lego has produced since Jens Nygaard Knudsen, the company's former longtime chief designer, created the minifigure nearly 50 years ago.

Using a magnet to connect the transmitting and receiving coils, electrons behave more consistently and the phone is less likely to overheat. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. In-car wireless chargers are notoriously finicky. Your phone can slide off the slippery charging pad at a sudden stop, or overheat and stop charging; the case can also prevent your phone from connecting. Often, it's a pain in the neck, not to mention an added distraction while you're behind the wheel.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This is the cutest USB-C charger in the world and it's only $17 right now The Ugreen Uno is so cute and convenient. Ever since I watched (what a great movie!), I've had a soft spot for cute robots. Is that why I adore this lovable Ugreen Uno charger block?

Abstract--The integration of Electric Buses (EBs) with renewable energy sources such as photovoltaic (PV) panels is a promising approach to promote sustainable and low-carbon public transportation. However, optimizing EB charging schedules to minimize operational costs while ensuring safe operation without battery depletion remains challenging - especially under real-world conditions, where uncertainties in PV generation, dynamic electricity prices, variable travel times, and limited charging infrastructure must be accounted for . In this paper, we propose a safe Hierarchical Deep Reinforcement Learning (HDRL) framework for solving the EB Charging Scheduling Problem (EBCSP) under multi-source uncertainties. We formulate the problem as a Constrained Markov Decision Process (CMDP) with options to enable temporally abstract decision-making. We develop a novel HDRL algorithm, namely Double Actor-Critic Multi-Agent Proximal Policy Optimization Lagrangian (DAC-MAPPO-Lagrangian), which integrates Lagrangian relaxation into the Double Actor-Critic (DAC) framework. At the high level, we adopt a centralized PPO-Lagrangian algorithm to learn safe charger allocation policies. At the low level, we incorporate MAPPO-Lagrangian to learn decentralized charging power decisions under the Centralized Training and Decentralized Execution (CTDE) paradigm. Extensive experiments with real-world data demonstrate that the proposed approach outperforms existing baselines in both cost minimization and safety compliance, while maintaining fast convergence speed. Recent advances in sustainable transportation have emphasized the critical role of Electric Buses (EBs) in mitigating urban pollution, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and improving public transit comfort [1], [2]. However, the electrification of bus fleets introduces significant challenges, including increased strain on local power infrastructures and rising charging costs. To address these issues, two key approaches have gained substantial attention in recent years.

It doesn't look or feel quite like a OnePlus phone, but with speed and battery life like this, who cares? Doesn't get too warm while gaming. Software update policy still doesn't match that of Apple, Google, or Samsung. Cameras are still a step below the top dogs. OnePlus has been churning out Android smartphones for over a decade, yet it still feels like the company is fighting an uphill battle to get a foothold in the US.

Whether you're shopping for your closest friend who has everything or a grumpy family member who criticizes every gift you've ever given, we have the best suggestions for you. We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Your friends and family deserve the best possible gifts. But, shopping can be tricky. You don't want to give them something impersonal, like a gift card, but you also can't resort to drawing them a card with a Christmas tree on it again. It's our job to find the best products and deals, so we've spent way too much time digging up a ton of products that pretty much anyone would like.

Porsche's much-anticipated 2026 EV has charging tech akin to a giant Qi puck. But what happens when Mittens or Fido gets in the way of 11 kilowatts invisibly flying through the air? Yes, it's still a prototype, but Porsche is finally letting people experience what it's next electric car will be like when it hits production next year. We got a briefing on the underpinnings of the new architecture for the Cayenne Electric, peeked at the very fancy finalized interior, and experienced a few hot laps being driven by one of Porsche's professional drivers. However, the highlight was, oddly, none the above, it was getting to try out the Cayenne Electric's party trick and experience exactly how Porsche's wireless charging system works for the EV, and how ridiculously similar the process is to plonking your phone down on a Qi charging puck .

As Electric Vehicle (EV) adoption accelerates in urban environments, optimizing charging infrastructure is vital for balancing user satisfaction, energy efficiency, and financial viability. This study advances beyond static models by proposing a digital twin framework that integrates agent-based decision support with embedded optimization to dynamically simulate EV charging behaviors, infrastructure layouts, and policy responses across scenarios. Applied to a localized urban site (a university campus) in Hanoi, Vietnam, the model evaluates operational policies, EV station configurations, and renewable energy sources. The interactive dashboard enables seasonal analysis, revealing a 20% drop in solar efficiency from October to March, with wind power contributing under 5% of demand, highlighting the need for adaptive energy management. Simulations show that real-time notifications of newly available charging slots improve user satisfaction, while gasoline bans and idle fees enhance slot turnover with minimal added complexity. Embedded metaheuristic optimization identifies near-optimal mixes of fast (30kW) and standard (11kW) solar-powered chargers, balancing energy performance, profitability, and demand with high computational efficiency. This digital twin provides a flexible, computation-driven platform for EV infrastructure planning, with a transferable, modular design that enables seamless scaling from localized to city-wide urban contexts.

If it can charge your devices, then Anker probably makes it and it's probably on sale at Amazon right now. We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Apparently drinking five espresso shots every morning to help you find better deals is a "bad idea," and " totally irresponsible," according to my doctor. But I'm determined to find the best deals. And right now, Amazon has Anker's excellent gadgets on sale across the board.

Amazon Prime Day is live. See the best deals HERE. Amazon Prime Day may get most of the attention, but The Home Depot's deals are worth your time and money--especially if you like tools or appliances. We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. You've almost certainly seen all of the Amazon Prime Big Deal Days coverage floating around, but Bezos isn't the only game in town right now when it comes to serious savings.