TechMobility Topics

The world’s oceans contain enormous quantities of magnesium, lithium, and other critical minerals needed for electric vehicles, batteries, and advanced manufacturing. New research is exploring how those materials could be extracted from seawater, potentially through systems integrated with existing desalination plants.

In this episode of TechMobility Topics, I examine how seawater extraction could supplement traditional mining...

My past experiences with the Jeep Wrangler have ranged from frustrating to unexpectedly expensive, so I approached the 2026 model ready to be disappointed. Instead, I found a more comfortable and livable Wrangler that retains the features that define its purpose-built personality: removable doors and roof panels, a fold-down windshield, and mechanical four-wheel-drive engagement.

For this episode of TechMobility Topics, I explain wh...

For years, sedans and wagons lost ground to pickups, trucks, and crossover SUVs. Now, high fuel prices, buyer fatigue with oversized vehicles, and a new generation of electric models could be giving traditional cars another chance.

In this episode of TechMobility Topics, I examine why sedans and wagons may be poised for a comeback—and how electrification could make their efficiency, lower profile, and everyday practicality att...

Manual transmissions now account for roughly 1% of the new-vehicle market, signaling that the stick shift is nearing the end of the road. Automatics are faster and more efficient; electric vehicles do not need conventional multi-speed transmissions, and fewer drivers are interested in learning how to operate a clutch.

During this episode of TechMobility Topics, I offer a personal, gearhead goodbye to the manual transmission and refl...

Reported ICE plans to acquire electric-shock gloves introduce a controversial new form of close-range force. Unlike a conventional conducted-energy weapon used from a distance, electrified gloves could deliver a shock during direct physical contact—potentially making it harder to determine when force was used, how long it was applied, and whether its use was justified.

For this episode of TechMobility Topics, I examine the med...

China is turning to large-scale battery storage banks to manage the enormous and fluctuating electricity demands created by its rapidly expanding data center industry. By storing power when supply is plentiful and releasing it when demand surges, these systems can reduce pressure on the electrical grid, improve reliability and make better use of renewable energy.

In this episode of TechMobility Topics, I examine how China is pairing...

Frontier AI has been built around a costly assumption: better performance requires bigger models, enormous computing resources and premium token prices. But emerging Chinese open-weight models such as Kimi K3 could challenge that equation by delivering competitive, “good enough” performance at dramatically lower costs.

In this episode of TechMobility Topics, I examine how cheaper open-weight AI could reshape developer ch...

The artificial intelligence boom requires enormous data centers—but who should pay for the water, electricity, and infrastructure they consume? In this episode of TechMobility Topics, Ken Chester examines the growing policy fight over data center taxes and the financial risks facing the small towns recruited to host these massive facilities.

Supporters promise investment, construction, and economic growth. Communities, however...

What if the next generation of wearable technology could draw power from moisture—and disable itself when someone tries to tamper with it? In this episode of TechMobility Topics, Ken Chester explores a stretchable, moisture-powered battery designed for wearable electronics and Internet of Things devices.

Its flexible design could support health sensors, smart clothing, and connected devices that must bend and move with the hum...

When is a Toyota not really a Toyota? In this episode of TechMobility Topics, Ken Chester reviews the 2026 Toyota GR Supra Coupe and examines how its shared engineering with the BMW Z4 shapes its performance, personality, and value.

The discussion covers the Supra’s turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six, the differences between the manual and automatic transmissions, and the everyday considerations that matter once the excitement ...

Waymo is expanding its robotaxi operations across 15 U.S. cities and growing its autonomous fleet from hundreds to thousands of vehicles. In this episode of TechMobility Topics, Ken Chester examines why rapid expansion is bringing the self-driving industry’s biggest challenge into sharper focus: unpredictable real-world “edge cases.”

Construction zones, fireworks, power outages, and traffic disruptions surrounding ...

Could one housing model help address both rising rents and America’s loneliness epidemic? For this episode of TechMobility Topics, Ken Chester explores how college students are moving into retirement communities and exchanging time, conversation, and companionship for more affordable housing.

The intergenerational arrangement offers students financial relief while helping older residents build meaningful social connections and...

A laboratory-built synthetic cell that grows, divides, and responds to natural selection could mark a turning point in synthetic biology. In this episode of TechMobility Topics, Ken Chester explores the SpudCell breakthrough and what its life-like behavior could mean for medicine, biotechnology, and our understanding of life itself.

Recreating biological functions from nonliving chemical components offers enormous scientific promise...

A massive Pacific Ocean marine heatwave is more than just a story about warmer water. During this episode of TechMobility Topics, Ken Chester explains how rising ocean temperatures can disrupt weather patterns and intensify heat domes, severe storms, drought, and wildfire conditions across vast regions.

The discussion connects marine heat waves to greenhouse gas emissions and examines why oceans play such an influential role in the ...

TELO wants to challenge the electric pickup market with a compact, potentially more affordable alternative to today’s oversized and increasingly expensive trucks. In this episode of TechMobility Topics, Ken Chester examines TELO’s plan to combine a Mini-sized footprint with seating for five adults, a practical cargo bed and useful real-world driving range.

The discussion explores how contract manufacturing could help the...

Drive-throughs represent speed and convenience—but some California cities say their broader costs are becoming impossible to ignore. During this episode of TechMobility Topics, I examine the growing movement to restrict or prohibit new drive-through businesses and the concerns driving it, including traffic congestion, vehicle noise, air pollution, pedestrian safety, and neighborhood quality of life. The debate exposes a large...

What happens when most internet activity is no longer human? In this episode of TechMobility Topics, I examine the growing relevance of the “dead internet theory,” as bots reportedly generate 57.5% of web requests and AI agents increasingly search, communicate, and take action online. This shift threatens the foundations of the ad-supported web, challenges traditional SEO strategies, and raises urgent questions about wh...

 The 2026 Kia K4 Hatchback GT-Line Turbo combines sharp design, useful technology, and everyday practicality—but how well does it perform in the real world? For this episode of TechMobility Topics, I share my impressions after a week behind the wheel, examining its 1.6-liter turbocharged engine, driving dynamics, camera visibility, straightforward controls, generous rear legroom, cargo capacity, and welcome full-size spa...

The McMurtry Spéirling Pure can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in just 1.55 seconds—and generate enough fan-powered suction to theoretically drive upside down. In this episode of TechMobility Topics, I examine how its “downforce on demand” produces more than 4,400 pounds of suction, delivering extraordinary grip and braking performance without depending on speed or conventional aerodynamics. This radical electric ...