The Australian Solar Council is inviting abstracts for the Solar 2014 Scientific Conference to be held on 8/9 May 2014 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. The conference brings together and highlights the latest achievements by Australian research scientists and engineers across all aspects of solar energy, energy efficiency and other renewables. [ + ]

Driven by demand for increased security in computers, authentication and the machine-to-machine (M2M) market, global shipments of cybersecurity microcontrollers (MCUs) are set to nearly double by 2017. [ + ]

Worldwide sales of semiconductors reached $25.87 billion for the month of August 2013, an increase of 6.4% compared to August 2012, marking the industry's largest year-over-year growth since March 2011, according to The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA). [ + ]

Royal Philips and Accenture have announced the creation of a proof-of-concept demonstration that uses a Google Glass head-mounted display for researching ways to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of performing surgical procedures. [ + ]

An Australian researcher has developed a battery that could allow electric cars to run between cities with fewer stops to recharge. Dr Da-Wei Wang aims to produce a battery for electric cars that has much greater energy storage than the batteries available. [ + ]

The increasing volume of waste electrical and electronics equipment (WEEE) coupled with scarcity of precious metals, high cost of mining and limited landfill capacity have lent momentum to the European WEEE recycling market. [ + ]

Researchers at the Technische Universität München (TUM) have developed carbon nanotube-based gas sensors that rapidly detect and continuously respond to extremely small changes in the concentrations of gases including ammonia, carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide. [ + ]

Researchers have developed a new technique that allows microprocessors to use light, instead of electrical wires, to communicate with transistors on a single chip. The system could allow for increasingly faster electronics, from supercomputers to laptops to smartphones. [ + ]

National Instruments has opened registrations for its 2013 NI Technical Symposiums. Events will be held in Melbourne on 29 October, Sydney on 31 October and Auckland on 7 November. [ + ]

Physicists at the University of Utah have developed a new organic molecule shaped like rotelle, wagon-wheel pasta that emits light randomly in all directions - a necessary feature for a more efficient organic LED. [ + ]

The emphasis on screening and very early diagnosis is increasing, with healthcare fast focusing on ways to prevent high treatment costs. [ + ]

element14 has launched the Smarter Life Challenge, a global design competition which will encourage participants to develop forward-thinking products. [ + ]

Renesas, Murata and Ubiquitous have formed a technological collaboration for the development of high-speed network connection technology for automotive information devices. [ + ]

Stanford researchers have developed a microbial battery that generates electricity from sewage using naturally occluding ‘wired microbes’ as mini power plants, producing electricity as they digest plant and animal waste. [ + ]

CSIRO and Catapult Sports' program Tracking Elite Athletes, which uses revolutionary ClearSky Technology, has received the President's Award from Engineers Australia, Sydney Division. [ + ]