Computer America

Ben Crossman

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

  1. 23h ago

    A New Era of Robotics and Sustainable Ocean Fuel w/ Ralph Bond

    Show Notes Story 1: A new frontier for marine robot communication: University of Florida scientists develop BlueMEDave SchlenkerUniversity of Floridahttps://www.eng.ufl.edu/news/research-innovation/a-new-frontier-for-marine-robot-communication-uf-scientists-develop-blueme/?utm_source=chatgpt.comhttps://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11506063Story 2: Scientists bred a fast-growing kelp that could fuel ships and aircraft without oilBrooklyn SmithThe Cool Down on MSN.comhttps://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/scientists-bred-a-fast-growing-kelp-that-could-fuel-ships-and-aircraft-without-oil/ar-AA239D7SStory 3: Introducing Argus, a robot with 20 legs and eyes built to move and see in any direction instantlyAllen G. Breed and Holly RamerAP News Servicehttps://apnews.com/article/robot-duke-argus-6ba9651ba6553ebc4405ffc07a26afedhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivufnqS3pRc&t=2sStory 4: Genetically Engineered Hookworms Developed to Produce and Deliver Therapeutic AgentsBioengineer.orghttps://bioengineer.org/genetically-engineered-hookworms-developed-to-produce-and-deliver-therapeutic-agents/Honorable MentionsStory: Robots Could Turn E-Waste into a Source of Legacy Chips - This startup wants to recover usable RAM before circuit boards are shreddedShannon CuthrellIEEE Spectrumhttps://spectrum.ieee.org/e-waste-recycling-robots-ramStory: Scientists Found a Remarkable Way to Help Kids Like VegetablesDavid NieldScienceAlert.comhttps://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-found-a-remarkable-way-to-help-kids-like-vegetablesStory: This Groundbreaking Hydrogen Engine Could Rival Diesel Power Without the EmissionsJonathan SayersBGR.comhttps://www.bgr.com/2167090/groundbreaking-hydrogen-engine-no-emissions-diesel/Story: New thermal imaging system detects early melanoma before it is visibleNews Medical Life Scienceshttps://www.news-medical.net/news/20260525/New-thermal-imaging-system-detects-early-melanoma-before-it-is-visible.aspx

    36 min

  2. Jun 12

    2000+ MPG Car, Fog Bacteria, Solar Breakthrough, and Age-Reversing Nasal Sprays w/ Ralph Bond

    Show NotesStudent-Built Car Hits 2,145 MPG And Beats Every Production VehicleRex SanchezAutoBlog.comhttps://www.autoblog.com/news/student-built-car-hits-2145-mpg-and-beats-every-production-vehicleSee YouTube video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tz84xF6tn-MBacteria Live in Fog Droplets and Clear Toxins from Earth’s AirKeith CowingAstrobiology.comhttps://astrobiology.com/2026/05/bacteria-live-in-fog-droplets-and-clear-toxins-from-earths-air.htmlSee also: https://futurism.com/science-energy/something-living-inside-fogSee research paper here: https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mbio.00463-26Solar cells just did the “impossible” with this 130% breakthrough - A new “spin-flip” breakthrough could let solar panels generate more energy than they receiveKyushu UniversityScienceDaily.comhttps://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260328024517.htmSee research paper here: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jacs.5c20500Scientists reverse brain aging, with a nasal spray - New therapy is turning back the clock in aging brains, healing inflammation, restoring memory and reshaping the future of brain age-related therapies.Zaid ElayyanTexas A&M Storieshttps://stories.tamu.edu/news/2026/04/14/scientists-reverse-brain-aging-with-a-nasal-spray/Scientists Create First-Ever ‘Smell Map’ - A detailed diagram of smell receptors in the nose fills in missing details of how olfaction worksCatherine CarusoHarvard School of Medicine Websitehttps://hms.harvard.edu/news/scientists-create-first-ever-smell-mapAI-powered spectrometer chip shrinks lab technology to the size of a grain of sand - Scientists built a grain-of-sand-sized AI chip that could turn future gadgets into powerful chemical and medical scanners.University of California DavisScienceDaily.comhttps://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260525000501.htmEach atom in the universe might be uniqueK. R. CallawayScientific Americanhttps://www.scientificamerican.com/article/each-

    39 min

  3. Jun 5

    Nintendo Switch 2 Turns One, Nvidia Spark Silicon, and Steam Machine's Return w/ Calcopia!

    Computer America Stories 06/5/2026  Happy First Birthday, Switch 2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_Switch_2 Nvidia’s RTX Spark Silicon Brings Supercomputer Ambitions to Consumer Laptops  https://www.pcmag.com/news/nvidia-rtx-spark-in-consumer-laptops-computex-2026 Steam Machine and Steam Frame are coming 'this summer'  https://www.engadget.com/2187938/steam-machine-and-steam-frame-are-coming-this-summer/ Behind the Movie Claiming to Be the First Straight-to-VHS Release in 20 Years — And Why It’s a ‘Middle Finger’ to AI https://variety.com/2026/film/global/behind-the-fstraight-to-vhs-release-in-20-years-and-why-its-a-middle-finger-to-ai-1236767661/ Misc.

    1h 13m

  4. Jun 5

    New Picosecond Spintronic Switch, California Canal Solar Project, and Plant Hearing w/ Ralph Bond

    Show Notes 5 June 2026 Researchers built a switch 1,000 times faster than today's AI chips, and it barely generates any heat - University of Tokyo's antiferromagnetic spintronic switch operates at picosecond speedsKishalaya KunduTechSpot.com https://www.techspot.com/news/112430-researchers-built-switch-1000-times-faster-than-today.html https://www.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/press/11143/?utm_source=chatgpt.com https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adt3136?utm_source=chatgpt.com Solar [panels] on canals reduces water evaporation by 70% and algae growth by 85%Pilar Sanchez MolinaPV Magazine https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2026/05/04/solar-on-canals-reduces-water-evaporation-by-70-and-algae-growth-by-85/ https://www.tid.org/current-projects/project-nexus/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1yAxRxRpuc https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/solar-panel-covered-canals-have-their-day-sun-california https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtJzOtOpYdo Can plants hear? Latest research offers new insightsGaby Clark and Andrew ZininPhys.org https://phys.org/news/2026-05-latest-insights.html https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-44444-1 AI Tool in Radiotherapy Advances Global Fight to Eradicate Cervical CancerN/ABioengineering.com https://bioengineer.org/ai-tool-in-radiotherapy-advances-global-fight-to-eradicate-cervical-cancer/

    41 min

  5. May 29

    Smart Rings, AI Wildfire Detection, and Extraterrestrial Agriculture w/ Ralph Bond

    Show Notes 29 May 2026 This see-through smart ring translates sign language and almost works like magicRachit AgarwalDigital Trends https://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/this-see-through-smart-ring-translates-sign-language-and-almost-works-like-magic/ A Wireless Ring-Type Device for Sign Language TranslationScience Advances https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aec8995 This thumb ring translates sign language into textPopular Science https://www.popsci.com/technology/sign-language-translator-ring/ States Across the Wildfire-Prone Western US Are Using AI for Early DetectionAssociated PressWildland Firefighter https://www.wildlandfirefighter.com/2026/05/04/states-across-the-wildfire-prone-western-us-are-using-ai-for-early-detection/ Recycled human waste could turn the dust on Mars and the Moon into fertile soil for cropsEric RallsEarth.com https://www.earth.com/news/recycled-astronaut-waste-could-turn-moon-and-mars-soil-into-farmland-for-crops/ Scientists destroy COVID and flu viruses in the lab with sound wavesDavid NieldScienceAlert https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-destroy-covid-and-flu-viruses-in-the-lab-with-sound-waves Inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A viruses by high-frequency ultrasoundScientific Reports https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-37584-x Spelman Students Invent a Way for Plants to Talk with PlantGPTSpelman College https://www.spelman.edu/news/2026/05/spelman-students-invent-a-way-for-plants-to-talk-with-plantgpt.html Spelman College students create 'PlantGPT' AI tool to help people communicate with plantsMadeline MontgomeryCBS News Atlanta https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/spelman-college-plantgpt-ai-tool-people-communicate-plants/ A Hemp-based Plastic Offers a Greener Alternative to Plastic PackagingUniversity of Connecticut https://today.uconn.edu/2026/05/a-hemp-based-plastic-offers-a-greener-alternative-to-plastic-packaging/ Sugarcane waste concrete cuts CO₂ by up to 30% while boosting strengthRobert EganTech Xplore

    35 min

  6. May 22

    3D-Printed Brain Sensors, Internal Ultrasound Light, and Automated Neural Surgery w/ Ralph Bond

    Show Notes 3D-printed brain sensors may unlock personalized neural monitoring Ty Tkacik Penn State website https://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/3d-printed-brain-sensors-may-unlock-personalized-neural-monitoring Researchers use ultrasound to create light inside the body Stanford University Report https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2026/04/researchers-use-ultrasound-to-create-light-inside-the-body Neuralink builds surgical robot to speed up brain implant procedures for patients Mrigakshi Dixit Interesting Engineering https://interestingengineering.com/science/neuralink-unveils-surgical-robot-to-automate-bci MIT Laser Breakthrough Lets Scientists Watch Drugs Enter the Brain in Real Time Adam Zewe SciTechDaily.com https://scitechdaily.com/mit-laser-breakthrough-lets-scientists-watch-drugs-enter-the-brain-in-real-time/ Helium-3 mining on the lunar surface The European Space Agency https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Preparing_for_the_Future/Space_for_Earth/Energy/Helium-3_mining_on_the_lunar_surface No batteries, just body heat: Demonstrating the potential of battery-free sensing Lisa Lock TechXplore.com https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-batteries-body-potential-battery-free.html Scientists think a hidden source of clean energy could power Earth for 170,000 years — and they've figured out the 'recipe' to find it Sascha Pare LiveScience.com https://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/geology/scientists-think-a-hidden-source-of-clean-energy-could-power-earth-for-170-000-years-and-theyve-figured-out-the-recipe-to-find-it Evolution Favored Genes Linked to Red Hair – And Vitamin D May Be Why David Nield ScienceAlert.com https://www.sciencealert.com/evolution-favored-genes-linked-to-red-hair-and-vitamin-d-may-be-why

    36 min

  7. May 8

    Shapeshifting Wings and Artificial Neurons w/ Ralph Bond

    Show Notes 8 May 2026 This 'gas battery' turns CO2 and NOx pollution into electricitySungkyunkwan UniversityTechXplore.com https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-gas-battery-pollution-electricity-air.html https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2026/ee/d5ee06789h Humanoid robot takes first steps on construction siteMark GloverConstruction Management https://constructionmanagement.co.uk/humanoid-robot-takes-first-steps-on-construction-site/ AI-controlled morphing wings take flight as DLR tests aircraftJay MenonAerospace Global News https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/dlr-ai-controlled-morphing-wings-aircraft/ Scientists invent artificial neurons that 'talk' to real brain cellsMarianne GuenotLiveScience.com https://www.livescience.com/health/neuroscience/scientists-invent-artificial-neurons-that-talk-to-real-brain-cells-paving-way-to-better-brain-implants https://www.nature.com/articles/s41565-026-02149-6.epdf The next big thing in sustainable construction: Iron-fortified wood?Anthropocene Magazine https://www.anthropocenemagazine.org/2025/05/the-next-big-thing-in-sustainable-construction-iron-fortified-wood/ Scientists Discover an Amazing New Use for Your Leftover Coffee GroundsMichael IrvingScienceAlert.com https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-discover-an-amazing-new-use-for-your-leftover-coffee-grounds Implantable ‘living pharmacy’ produces multiple drugs inside the bodyAmanda MorrisNorthwestern University https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2026/03/implantable-living-pharmacy-produces-multiple-drugs-inside-the-body Sound Waves Could Be Used to Remotely Reprogram Material StiffnessLiezel LabiosUC San Diego Website https://today.ucsd.edu/story/sound-waves-could-be-used-to-remotely-reprogram-material-stiffness-study-shows https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAIvkSN_N1c

    33 min

  8. May 1

    Sustainable Tech: From Century-Long Plane Parts to Glow-in-the-Dark Streets w/ Ralph Bond

    Show Notes 1 May 2026New Self-Healing Material Could Extend Life of Planes, Cars by Centuries Soo Kim Newsweek https://www.newsweek.com/self-healing-material-could-extend-life-planes-cars-centuries-11833122Chinese Scientists Bioengineering Plants with Firefly Genes to Glow Frank Landymore Futurism.com https://futurism.com/science-energy/bioengineering-plants-glow-light-cities https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1FAPvC123Q&t=1sScientists use AI to create ultra-strong, rust-proof steel for 3D-printed parts Christopher McFadden InterestingEngineering.com https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/ai-creates-rust-proof-steel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMRDl64Ixq4&t=9sSmart contact lens monitors eye pressure and delivers glaucoma drugs Annalisa Merelli Statnews.com https://www.statnews.com/2026/04/08/glaucoma-smart-contact-lens-combines-monitoring-drug-delivery/ https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scitranslmed.ads9541Low-frequency wireless sensor tracks artery stiffening in real time BioTechToday.com https://biotech-today.com/low-frequency-wireless-sensor-tracks-artery-stiffening-in-real-time-with-less-interference/A Bizarre Worm Could Teach Humans to Regenerate Darren Orf Popular Mechanics https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/animals/a69047453/stem-cell-worm-regeneration/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNQK2-XdZD0Common Vitamin May Reduce Buildup of Alzheimer's Proteins David Nield ScienceAlert.com https://www.sciencealert.com/common-vitamin-may-reduce-buildup-of-alzheimers-proteins-study-findsScientists Found a Way to Grow Potatoes Under Solar Panels Now Solar

    31 min
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Ratings & Reviews

2.3
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

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

Information

  • Creator
    Ben Crossman
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    662
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Computer America
  • Show Website
    Computer America

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