July 16, 2025 - The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) has received a substantial NSF grant to advance battery-less AI technology, aiming to create autonomous systems that operate perpetually without manual charging. This breakthrough could revolutionise healthcare, environmental monitoring and disaster response by enabling maintenance-free devices. The project, led by Dr. Xie, focuses on energy harvesting and AI integration to achieve continuous operation.
Dr. Xie explained: 'The ultimate goal is to create autonomous AI-enabled systems that can sense, learn and act continuously — without ever needing a battery.' UTSA's research combines hardware-software co-design with machine learning, preparing students for emerging tech demands. The initiative aligns with UTSA's new College of AI, Cyber and Computing, launching this fall.
This development addresses critical challenges in energy-constrained environments, offering sustainable alternatives to traditional battery-dependent systems. By integrating AI with energy harvesting, the project demonstrates how machine learning can optimise resource usage in real-time. The NSF's investment reflects growing recognition of AI's role in solving infrastructure limitations.
Our view: Battery-less AI represents a paradigm shift in sustainable technology. While promising, ethical considerations around continuous data collection and energy sourcing must be addressed. This innovation exemplifies how academic-industry collaboration can drive responsible AI advancements.
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