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Toshiba and Naturenix Launch Demonstration Test of Battery Subscription Service for Electric Motorcycle Taxis in Bangkok

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1 year ago

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– Developing markets in emerging economies by utilizing SCiB™*1 with long life performance in hot environments –

TOKYO, Oct. 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Toshiba Corporation  and Naturenix Inc., a battery tech startup from Shimane University, have started a demonstration test of a battery subscription service for drivers of electric motorcycle taxis in Bangkok, Thailand on September 30, 2024.

In Bangkok, electric motorcycle taxis help people avoid traffic congestion, but face the problem of high temperatures that degrade battery performance and life. The demonstration test will use Toshiba rechargeable lithium-ion batteries “SCiB™”, known for reliable, long-life performance in high temperatures, to ensure extended stable operation of electric motorcycle taxis, eliminate the large initial investment in a battery, and to reduce running costs. Improved battery life will also reduce materials consumption and contribute to lower environmental impact.

Lithium-ion battery performance degrades in high temperatures. The problem is particularly pronounced in two- and three-wheeled vehicles, where it is difficult to add cooling mechanisms, especially in hot countries like Thailand. Expensive lithium-ion batteries often need to be replaced after only one or two years of use, making their use economically impractical and limited. There have also been accidents where batteries have caught fire, highlighting the need for batteries with high-level safety features.

While demand for lithium-ion batteries in emerging economies is expected to exceed 600GWh by 2035, only 2.8% of that is expected to be from lithium-ion batteries for motorcycles and three-wheeled vehicles, both widely used in daily transportation. The reasons for this low demand in a sector where batteries could play a major role degradation and safety issues. Solutions in these areas will help to unlock a significant market for batteries for motorcycles and three-wheelers.

Working with Windee International, a joint venture with a local parking management servicer, Naturenix will provide a battery replacement service for electric motorcycles. The demonstration test will use Toshiba’s battery SCiB™. It will be mounted with sensors that monitor its characteristics and the collected data will be transmitted to Naturenix for analysis with AI. User of the service will be asked to complete a questionnaire on the service. The company will also monitor carbon dioxide emissions and examine the effectiveness of the service in reducing environmental impacts. The data collected will determine the effectiveness of the service and support preparations for a wider roll out in FY2025.

The Toshiba’s battery SCiB™ used in the demonstration test is characterized by its long life and high level safety, with minimal performance deterioration even after over 20,000*2 charge-discharge cycles. This longevity is particularly important in hot environments like Thailand. It also has excellent safety features, making it less likely to experience abnormal heating or ignition, even in the event of an internal short circuit.

Naturenix’s packing and charging technologies minimize heat generation by reducing internal resistance to the extent possible. By utilizing these technologies, the company aims to achieve longer battery life and higher output, as well as faster recharging, in as short a time as six minutes. It also expects to reduce the number of batteries on standby for recharging, and by doing so cut the service operating costs.

This battery pack’s data analysis functions constantly monitor the state of the battery. This is communicated to AI that can provide highly accurate estimates of battery degradation. Depending on the degree of degradation, after use on e-motorcycles it can be reused in a number of applications, such as being converted to a stationary storage battery.

Through Fleet operators, Naturenix will lease batteries to its customers, electric motorcycle drivers, on a subscription model. It allows Fleet operators to provide electric motorcycles to their customers without the cost of the batteries, reducing initial costs that are high barrier to entry for electrification. As the battery manufacturer, Toshiba expects to generate sustained revenue from battery rentals, as well as from manufacturing and sales.

For this demonstration, Toshiba will supply SCiB™ and Naturenix will be responsible for development and manufacturing the battery packs. Both will work for asset management, system development, installation, and providing the subscription services to customers. Naturenix will also establish a subsidiary in Thailand in FY2025 to mass produce battery packs with SCiB™, with the aim of supplying batteries not only for electric motorcycles and three-wheeled vehicles, but also for forklifts and golf carts.

About Toshiba

Toshiba Corporation leads a global group of companies that combines knowledge and capabilities from almost 150 years of experience in a wide range of businesses—from energy and social infrastructure to electronic devices—with world-class capabilities in information processing, digital and AI technologies. These distinctive strengths support Toshiba in building infrastructure that everyone can enjoy, and a connected data society, and in achieving the Company’s ultimate goal, a future that realizes carbon neutrality and a circular economy. Guided by the Basic Commitment of the Toshiba Group, “Committed to People, Committed to the Future,” Toshiba contributes to society’s positive development with services and solutions that lead to a better world.

For more information, visit https://www.global.toshiba/ww/top.html or follow Toshiba Corporation on  LinkedIn.

About Naturenix

Naturenix is a start-up company that aims to create a world where nature and electronics coexist through the provision of battery longevity technologies and next-generation energy platforms. By collecting dynamic data on batteries in actual use and analyzing it with AI technology, the company promotes open innovation in batteries and ensures long-term use across multiple applications by guaranteeing asset value based on an understanding of battery use and degradation. For more information, please visit www.naturenix.co.jp

Note 1: SCiB™ is a trademark of Toshiba Corporation.

Note 2: Characteristics may vary with conditions of use.

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SOURCE Toshiba Corporation

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DJI Launches Beginner-Friendly Camera Drone Series with Lito X1 and Lito 1

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56 minutes ago

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April 25, 2026

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Creators now have an accessible option for filming high-quality aerial photography while flying safely with omnidirectional obstacle sensing.

SHENZHEN, China, April 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — DJI, the global leader in civilian drones and creative camera technology, today launches the Lito series. Designed for aspiring creators exploring aerial photography for the first time, this new lineup of entry-level aerial camera drones makes high-altitude aerial photography accessible and beginner-friendly from day one. With its affordable price point and well-rounded features, the Lito X1 and Lito 1 strike the perfect balance between high performance and value. It’s an ideal camera drone for young newcomers to aerial photography who want to capture campus life, outdoor adventures, and creative moments without compromise.

Leading the range, the premium Lito X1 features a 1/1.3″ CMOS sensor with 48MP effective pixels for lifelike detail capture. It’s equipped with advanced 5-lux omnidirectional obstacle sensing and forward-facing LiDAR for enhanced precision—ensuring safer flight in complex environments. The intelligent filming tools, such as ActiveTrack, QuickShots, MasterShots, Hyperlapse, and Panorama, lower the learning curve and ensure professional results from a creator’s first takeoff. Meanwhile, the Lito 1 offers a 1/2″ CMOS 48MP sensor and comprehensive 5-lux omnidirectional obstacle sensing, bringing safety and tracking capabilities to an even more accessible package.

Smarter Sensing for Safer Flying

The Lito Series features a multi-layered safety system designed with beginners in mind. The built-in omnidirectional vision system actively avoids obstacles like cliffs, and walls, allowing creators to focus on the joy of flying from takeoff to landing. The premium Lito X1 takes this a step further, enhanced with forward-facing LiDAR for highly precise perception in complex environments.

Captures Crisp Imaging, Rich in Detail

The Lito Series makes it possible to capture stunning visuals – from rich daytime details to clean, low-noise nightscapes. Lito 1 is equipped with a 1/2-inch CMOS sensor and an f/1.8 aperture to capture up to 8K-resolution photos and 4K-resolution video, retaining crisp detail even when zoomed or cropped. The premium Lito X1 uplevels the camera with a 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor and an f/1.7 aperture, supporting HDR video recordings with up to 14 stops of dynamic range and 10-Bit D-Log M. 

Get High-Quality Shots with ActiveTrack and Smart Modes

The Lito Series delivers stable subject tracking via ActiveTrack, even at speeds up to 12 m/s. Combined with QuickShots, MasterShots, Hyperlapse, and Panorama modes, beginners can automatically execute complex camera moves and capture high-quality footage with ease.

Fly Farther with a Stable View

The Lito Series offers up to 36 minutes of flight time with the standard Intelligent Flight Battery. It also features wind resistance up to 10.7 m/s, allowing the camera drone to hover and fly stably in windy conditions.

Create with Ease and Efficiency

With QuickTransfer, files can be transferred up to 50 MB/s via Wi-Fi 6. Additionally, the premium Lito X1 includes 42GB of internal storage.

Price and Availability

DJI Lito 1 and DJI Lito X1 are available for order starting today through store.dji.com and authorized retailers. Pricing and configurations are as follows: 

DJI Lito 1

DJI Lito 1 retails for 339 EURDJI Lito 1 Fly More Combo (DJI RC-N3) retails for 479 EUR

DJI Lito X1

DJI Lito X1 retails for 419 EURDJI Lito X1 Fly More Combo (DJI RC 2) retails for 579 EUR

DJI Care Refresh

DJI Care Refresh, the comprehensive protection plan for DJI products, is now available for DJI Lito 1. The replacement service covers accidental damage, including flyaway, collisions and water damage. For a small additional charge, you can have your damaged product replaced if an accident occurs.

DJI Care Refresh (1-Year Plan) includes up to two replacements in one year. DJI Care Refresh (2-Year Plan) includes up to four replacements in two years. Other services of DJI Care Refresh include official Warranty and free shipping. For a full list of details, please visit: https://www.dji.com/support/service/djicare-refresh

For more information, please refer to:
https://www.dji.com/lito-x1
https://www.dji.com/lito-1

1 All data was measured using a production model of the DJI Lito 1 and DJI Lito X1 in a controlled environment; actual experience may vary. For more information, please refer to https://www.dji.com/lito-x1 and https://www.dji.com/lito-1

.

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SOURCE DJI

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Silicon Valley Stars Gather for Dreame’s San Francisco Debut

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2 hours ago

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April 25, 2026

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SAN FRANCISCO, April 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Dreame Technology, a global high-end technology company, confirmed the guest lineup for DREAME NEXT, the company’s largest-ever international launch event, running April 27 to 30, 2026, in San Francisco. The roster brings together figures who have shaped the trajectory of autonomous driving, personal computing, and professional sports: Sebastian Thrun, Steve Wozniak, and Dwyane Wade will all attend.

The breadth of expertise on the guest list reflects the reach of DREAME NEXT itself. Over four days, Dreame will stage product launches across smart mobility, smart home appliances, personal devices, and premium personal care, the first time a single event from the company has spanned its full product ecosystem. The event is organized around five themed segments: Drive Next, Living Next, Connect Next, Self Next, and Humanity Next.

Over the course of the four-day launch event, DREAME NEXT will bring together leading voices from across technology, academia, investment, and innovation to explore the next stage of industry transformation. Discussions will center on how AI-driven applications are reshaping products from the ground up, whether the age of AI requires products to be fundamentally reimagined, how intelligent technologies will redefine the foundations of manufacturing productivity, and what the next decade of human technological evolution may look like.

Featured speakers include AI pioneer Sebastian Thrun (Google X, Udacity), tech futurist Robert Scoble (Microsoft), Meta design leader Julie Zhuo, AI strategist William Fong (Microsoft), and business veteran James W. Keyes (7-Eleven, Blockbuster). The lineup also features Turing Award winner David Patterson, NASA rocket scientist Sylvia Acevedo, Stanford GSB’s Yossi Feinberg, economist Barry Eichengreen, tech journalist Rebecca A. Fannin, engineering leader Jim Chen, and Fremont Mayor Emeritus Lily Mei, alongside former Google DeepMind AI researchers and the co-founders of Robot Launch. These global leaders will share insights on AI, technology, innovation, economics, and entrepreneurship.

Demonstrating Dreame’s growing global influence, the event will also welcome standout guests from beyond the technology sector, including Apple co-founder and personal computing pioneer Steve Wozniak; and three-time NBA champion Dwyane Wade.

The guests in attendance at DREAME NEXT reflect where the company is headed; that leaders from autonomous driving, personal computing, and professional sports are all in the same room for a single company’s launch event speaks to the scale and ambition of what Dreame is building. DREAME NEXT is not just a product launch but the opening chapter of the company’s next ten years.

Dreame’s product portfolio now spans categories that, until recently, belonged to entirely separate industries. DREAME NEXT is designed to demonstrate that these categories are connected by core technologies, including high-speed motors, intelligent algorithms, and bionic robotic arms, which are now being applied across smart mobility, personal devices, home appliances, and personal care. It represents not only the next generation of products and lifestyles, but also the beginning of Dreame’s vision for the next decade.

DREAME NEXT runs April 27 to 30, 2026, in San Francisco. Media, partners, and invited guests are welcome to attend.

Please stay tuned for the latest updates from the event through the official website or the social accounts on X: @DreameGlobal, Facebook: Dreame Tech, and Instagram: @dreame_tech.

About Dreame Technology

Founded in 2017, Dreame Technology is a global high-end technology brand built on a foundation of high-speed digital motors, intelligent algorithms, and bionic robotic arms. The company’s product portfolio spans smartphones, smart vehicles, smart home appliances, intelligent cleaning appliances, outdoor smart devices, and personal care, designed to simplify daily life and give users more time for what matters. Dreame operates in more than 120 countries and regions with over 6,500 offline stores and serves more than 42 million households globally. As of December 31, 2025, the company has filed more than 10,000 patents worldwide and holds over 3,000 granted patents.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/silicon-valley-stars-gather-for-dreames-san-francisco-debut-302753481.html

SOURCE Dreame Technology

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WisPaper Enables Parallel Scientific Exploration, Moving Research Beyond Sequential Workflows

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2 hours ago

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April 25, 2026

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SINGAPORE, April 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — WisPaper, an AI-powered academic research agent, today introduced a new approach to scientific workflows that supports concurrent research execution. The development addresses a longstanding constraint in research—the reliance on sequential, step-by-step processes—by enabling multiple lines of inquiry to progress in parallel, allowing researchers to expand both the speed and scope of exploration.

Breaking the Limits of Sequential Research

Traditional research follows a linear structure, where literature review, hypothesis formation, experimentation, and validation are carried out sequentially. This model limits researchers to advancing a single direction, as each stage requires manual effort.

WisPaper shifts this structure by reducing dependencies between stages. Tasks that once required sequencing can now proceed more independently, allowing different research threads to move forward without waiting for earlier steps.

Enabling Concurrent Exploration

With this approach, WisPaper supports a more parallel mode of research. Researchers can initiate multiple hypotheses or problem statements simultaneously, while the system advances processes such as literature analysis, experimental setup, and result generation across these directions.

This enables a higher density of exploration within the same time frame. Instead of focusing on a single hypothesis over an extended period, researchers can evaluate multiple possibilities, compare outcomes, and adjust direction more efficiently.

Redefining the Researcher’s Role

As execution becomes less constrained by manual coordination, the role of the researcher shifts toward higher-level decision-making. Researchers can focus on defining questions, setting priorities, and interpreting results across multiple ongoing investigations.

This model mirrors how larger research teams operate, where parallel efforts are coordinated toward shared objectives. By enabling similar capabilities at the individual level, WisPaper expands how research can be structured and managed.

Implications for Knowledge Production

Parallel exploration introduces a different rhythm to scientific work. By allowing more research paths to be tested within a given period, it may influence how quickly new findings emerge, particularly in areas where validation is time-intensive.

As research workflows continue to evolve, approaches that balance depth with broader exploration may play an increasing role in shaping how knowledge is produced.

About WisPaper

WisPaper is an AI-powered academic research agent designed as a full-chain research accelerator. It supports literature retrieval, analysis, experiment design, execution, and paper writing within a unified workflow, helping researchers manage complex scientific tasks more efficiently across disciplines. For more information, visit http://wispaper.ai/?utm_source=news.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wispaper-enables-parallel-scientific-exploration-moving-research-beyond-sequential-workflows-302753499.html

SOURCE Wispaper.ai

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