- Home
- Tech for Change
About
Every day, we humans dream up more and more ways to use technology to make the world a better place. Whether its solar panels that generate green energy, 3d printed prosthetics, or gene editing tools that eradicate diseases; there’s no shortage of world-changing tech out there. But it’s also easy for all those good things to get buried beneath all the bad news on the Internet. That’s why we started Tech For Change: an ongoing series in which we shine a spotlight on positive uses of technology, and showcase how they’re helping to make the world a better place.
Digital Trends’ Tech For Change CES 2023 Awards
Of all the world-changing technologies and innovative ideas on display at CES 2023, these ones impressed us the most.
Gaming to boost mental health: 5 tips from a clinical psychologist
Clinical psychologist and video game designer Dr. Kelli Dunlap shares how to reap the mental health benefits of gaming while avoiding the pitfalls.
Sensor breakthrough brings us closer to blood glucose monitoring on wearables
A medical breakthrough courtesy of Kennesaw State University promises a smartphone-connected device offering a noninvasive method of blood sugar analysis.
When will we know if NASA’s asteroid defense test was a total success?
When will we know if NASA’s asteroid defense test was a total success?
NASA has successfully crashed a spacecraft into an asteroid in a planetary defense test. But when will we know if the impact has altered the asteroid's path?
How the Galaxy Z Flip 4 fixed my unhealthy phone habits
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4's outer display has helped me fight the urge to get lost in the flurry of unwanted notifications and social media posts.
Big Tech’s superficial support is undermining the right-to-repair movement
Big names like Google, Samsung, and Apple are all starting to get on board with right to repair, but how substantial are their latest programs?
Samsung lays out plan for net zero emissions by 2050
Samsung lays out plan for net zero emissions by 2050
Samsung has detailed a decades-long road map to sustainability across its many business arms.
Jeep is launching its first two electric SUVs in the U.S. in 2024
Jeep is launching its first two electric SUVs in the U.S. in 2024
Jeep plans to launch four electric SUVs by 2025, with two confirmed for the U.S.
Meta wants to supercharge Wikipedia with an AI upgrade
Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook, has proposed a surprisingly simple way to make Wikipedia articles more transparent and trustworthy
Xbox again teams up with the Special Olympics for inclusive esports event
Xbox again teams up with the Special Olympics for inclusive esports event
Gaming for Inclusion 2022 will once again feature Special Olympics athletes and Unified partners in online competitions in Rocket League.
Meet the startup that gives wheelchairs aftermarket superpowers
Rather than starting from scratch and building a cutting-edge wheelchair from the ground up, these inventors built a high-tech wheelchair upgrade kit.
How ChromeOS Flex turns old PCs into Chromebooks for free
Google's ChromeOS Flex is now out of beta and can help you repurpose your old computer to a Chromebook.
Beer maker transforms brewing waste into denim jeans
Beer maker transforms brewing waste into denim jeans
A Japanese beer maker is using upcycling technology to turn waste products from the brewing process into blue jeans, winning the company new fans.
8BitDo created a console-agnostic controller for players with limited mobility
8BitDo created a console-agnostic controller for players with limited mobility
8BitDo is launching a Bluetooth controller for gamers with limited mobility, which was made thanks to the father of a young gamer with a rare muscular disorder.
Five must-have eco-friendly products for your smart home
Five must-have eco-friendly products for your smart home
Make your life a little greener with these eco-friendly smart home devices. We look at everything from bidets to smart composters.
Meta to offset use of NFTs by ‘buying renewable energy’
Meta to offset use of NFTs by ‘buying renewable energy’
There are valid environmental concerns about Meta's recent inclusion of NFTs in apps like Instagram. Here's what we know about how Meta plans to address them.
Finishing touch: How scientists are giving robots humanlike tactile senses
Finishing touch: How scientists are giving robots humanlike tactile senses
Giving robots sight and hearing is fairly straightforward these days, but equipping them with a robust sense of touch is far more difficult.
This is how NASA measures rising sea levels from space
This is how NASA measures rising sea levels from space
NASA has been monitoring Earth's sea levels from orbit for over 30 years. Here's why measuring from space is actually easier than doing it terrestrially.
Greener techniques could help find rare minerals for phones
Greener techniques could help find rare minerals for phones
Researchers say they have removed valuable rare earth elements from waste at high yields in a method that could also help save the environment.
Can a robot vacuum work as an air purifier?
Can a robot vacuum work as an air purifier?
Is there a future where robot vacuums and air purifiers are the same device? Not likely, but they might be able to work together.
Scientists call for environmental protections for space
Scientists call for environmental protections for space
Scientists are calling for environmental protections of space to be put in place to account for the increasing number of satellite launches.
How to responsibly recycle old and unused phones
How to responsibly recycle old and unused phones
Your old phones have had a good life, and now it's time to recycle them responsibly. Let's run through the steps.
Apps that plant trees for you are booming. But are they actually helping?
Apps that plant trees for you are booming. But are they actually helping?
There are dozens of apps that promise to plant trees in exchange for your usage, but critics say not all of them are making a positive impact on the climate.
How Grid Studio transforms forgotten tech into works of art
How Grid Studio transforms forgotten tech into works of art
Grid Studio is on a mission to give discarded tech a second lease on life by transforming it into a work of art. Here's how.
Why crypto’s eco-friendly pivot is perpetually delayed
Why crypto’s eco-friendly pivot is perpetually delayed
Switching cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum to a proof of stake system could cut their energy use by 99 percent, but doing so is easier said than done.
Samsung launches eco-friendly phone case line for Earth Day
Samsung launches eco-friendly phone case line for Earth Day
Samsung is celebrating Earth Day 2022 with sustainably sourced Galaxy accessories in a partnership with plant-based designer Sean Wotherspoon.
Can a smart sprinkler system help you use less water?
Can a smart sprinkler system help you use less water?
Saving water is crucial in a shifting climate. Can smart sprinkler systems ensure you're only using as much as you need?
Create the ultimate home energy solution with EcoFlow’s Smart Home Panel
Create the ultimate home energy solution with EcoFlow’s Smart Home Panel
The new EcoFlow Smart Home Panel can harden your home against extended power outages, while also making it easy to monitor and manage your energy use.
How much toilet paper do bidets actually save?
How much toilet paper do bidets actually save?
Is the best option for a squeaky clean butt also the best option for the environment? Let's learn about bidets.
Alexa launches Grow a Tree Skill for Earth Day
Alexa launches Grow a Tree Skill for Earth Day
Amazon teams up with One Tree Planted to help Alexa users easily donate money to the reforestation charity organization.
Analog A.I.? It sounds crazy, but it might be the future
Analog A.I.? It sounds crazy, but it might be the future
Digital transistors have been the backbone of computing for much of the modern era, but Mythic A.I. makes a compelling case that analog chips may be the future.
Sentinel-6 spacecraft becomes official ocean-monitoring satellite
Sentinel-6 spacecraft becomes official ocean-monitoring satellite
We have a new tool for monitoring Earth's oceans: The Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich spacecraft.
The UX Pioneer: Louisa Heinrich’s quest to humanize tech
The UX Pioneer: Louisa Heinrich’s quest to humanize tech
Louisa Heinrich was thinking about user experience long before UX was part of the popular vernacular -- and she has some big ideas on how we can do it better.