al No changes involving animals came about in Colorado elections By www.foodsafetynews.com Published On :: Thu, 07 Nov 2024 05:02:00 +0000 On Tuesday, three of nine ballot issues Denver voters had to decide dealt with animals and animal products. But nothing changed because all of them were slaughtered at the ballot box. One of the ballot issues called for prohibiting any slaughterhouse from operating in the City or County of Denver. That... Continue Reading Full Article state legislation Ordinance 308 Ordinance 309 Proposition 127 slaughterhouse ban Superior Farms
al Poultry tops cost of illness estimates in Australia By www.foodsafetynews.com Published On :: Thu, 07 Nov 2024 05:03:00 +0000 Estimates on the cost of foodborne illness in Australia have revealed poultry is associated with the highest burden. In 2023, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) commissioned the University of Melbourne and the Australian National University to estimate the annual cost of foodborne illness caused by food commodities and pathogens.... Continue Reading Full Article Science & Research World Australia Campylobacter cost of illness Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) Listeria poultry products Salmonella Toxoplasma Yersinia
al Bird flu study findings have CDC calling for more testing of dairy farm employees By www.foodsafetynews.com Published On :: Fri, 08 Nov 2024 05:02:00 +0000 A new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that some dairy farm employees showed signs of infection, even when they didn’t report feeling sick. The CDC concluded that more bird flu testing of dairy farm employees is required. According to Dr. Nirav Shah, the CDC’s principal... Continue Reading Full Article Foodborne Illness Investigations bird flu CDC Study Dr. Nirav Shah H5N1
al Sandwiches made with Brie cheese recalled because of Listeria concerns By www.foodsafetynews.com Published On :: Fri, 08 Nov 2024 23:23:23 +0000 CIBUS Fresh of Noblesville, IN, is recalling CIBUS Fresh products containing Glenview Farms Spreadable Brie, 2/3lb because of a supplier notification of possible Listeria monocytogenes (products are listed below). More information regarding the recent Brie recall can be found here. The product was distributed under the following labels: CIBUS Fresh,... Continue Reading Full Article Food Recalls 2024 recalls brie CIBUS Fresh Glenview Farms Spreadable Brie Jack & Olive Listeria monocytogenes Sprig and Sprout
al FDA increases enforcement of import laws related to heavy metals, illegal colors and more By www.foodsafetynews.com Published On :: Sat, 09 Nov 2024 05:03:00 +0000 The Food and Drug Administration uses import alerts to enforce U.S. food safety regulations for food from foreign countries. The agency updates and modifies the alerts as needed. Recent modifications to FDA’s import alerts, as posted by the agency, are listed below. Use the chart below to view import alerts.... Continue Reading Full Article Enforcement Food Policy & Law World fish heavy metals illegal colors seafood undeclared coloros
al Australians urged to read labels as country marks Food Safety Week By www.foodsafetynews.com Published On :: Sun, 10 Nov 2024 05:03:00 +0000 Australians have been urged to look before they cook and read the safety advice on food labels. The Food Safety Information Council (FSIC) issued the call ahead of Australian Food Safety week from Nov. 9 to 16. Lydia Buchtmann, FSIC CEO, said the charity’s research shows that only 3 in... Continue Reading Full Article Consumer Education World Australia Australian Food Safety Week best before dates consumer survey food labeling Food Safety Information Council use by date
al Ready-to-eat meat and poultry recalled for Listeria By www.foodsafetynews.com Published On :: Sun, 10 Nov 2024 23:23:39 +0000 Yu Shang Food, Inc., a Spartanburg, SC, business, over the weekend recalled 4,589 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry products, which may have been adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The ready-to-eat meat and poultry items were produced from... Continue Reading Full Article Food Recalls FSIS Listeria recall effectiveness RTE meat and poultry
al Study finds that vulnerable communities are at higher risk of Salmonella linked to ground beef By www.foodsafetynews.com Published On :: Mon, 11 Nov 2024 05:01:00 +0000 Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have uncovered critical links between socioeconomic factors — such as income, education level, and poverty — and an increased risk of Salmonella infections linked to ground beef consumption. In a study published in the Journal of Food Protection, CDC researchers reported... Continue Reading Full Article Science & Research Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) food safety research ground beef Journal of Food Protection Salmonella
al Sweden reopens Salmonella outbreak investigation By www.foodsafetynews.com Published On :: Mon, 11 Nov 2024 05:03:00 +0000 An investigation into a Salmonella outbreak in Sweden has been restarted after more people fell sick. From August to October, 81 people from 18 regions contracted Salmonella Typhimurium with sequence type (ST) 36. Where information about the country of infection is available, all cases were infected in Sweden. Folkhälsomyndigheten (the Public... Continue Reading Full Article Foodborne Illness Outbreaks World 2024 outbreaks eggs Folkhälsomyndigheten Livsmedelsverket Salmonella Enteritidis Salmonella Typhimurium salmonellosis Sweden Ukraine
al Montana officials investigating new outbreak of Salmonella infections at schools By www.foodsafetynews.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 23:01:46 +0000 Montana public health officials are investigating an outbreak of infections caused by Salmonella. The Cascade City-County Health Department in Great Falls is reporting that six students at Sacajawea and Valley View elementary schools have tested positive for the pathogen. A staff member at another school has also tested positive. There... Continue Reading Full Article Foodborne Illness Investigations Foodborne Illness Outbreaks 2024 outbreaks Cascade City-County Health Department Montana Salmonella
al RFK Jr. and the Make America Healthy Again agenda could impact food safety By www.foodsafetynews.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Nov 2024 05:02:00 +0000 RFK Jr., a lawyer-politician, could replace lawyer-politician Xavier Becerra as Secretary of Health and Human Services. Or RFK Jr could be the next Secretary of Agriculture, replacing Tom Vilsack, a lawyer. Deputy FDA Commissioners are sometimes lawyers. Dr. Robert Califf, a cardiologist, is the outgoing FDA Commissioner. The fact that... Continue Reading Full Article Food Policy & Law Food Politics Food Safety Leaders Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Dr. Robert Califf Make America Healthy Again RFK Jr. Xavier Becerra
al Kraft Heinz pulls Lunchables from National School Lunch Program By www.foodsafetynews.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Nov 2024 05:03:00 +0000 Kraft Heinz has announced it is removing its Lunchables meal kits from the National School Lunch Program. With eight $1 billion+ brands, Kraft Heinz is North America’s third-largest food and beverage company and the fifth-largest in the world. The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is America’s second-largest food and nutrition... Continue Reading Full Article Consumer Education For Consumers Government Agencies Brian Ronholm cadmium Consumer Reports Kraft Heinz Company lead Lunchables school lunch program sodium
al Large EU-wide Salmonella outbreak linked to tomatoes from Italy By www.foodsafetynews.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Nov 2024 05:04:00 +0000 A multi-country Salmonella outbreak in Europe linked to tomatoes from Italy has sickened more than 250 people. From January 2023 to November 2024, 266 confirmed cases of Salmonella Strathcona have been identified in 16 European countries and the United Kingdom. Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, the... Continue Reading Full Article Foodborne Illness Outbreaks World 2024 outbreaks European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Italy Salmonella Strathcona salmonellosis tomatoes
al South Africa investigates local shops as death toll passes 20 By www.foodsafetynews.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Nov 2024 05:05:00 +0000 More than 20 people are believed to have died in one South African province after consuming food from local shops. Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi said the majority of deaths have been children aged between six and nine. “The first uniform approach across the province was to adopt a mechanism of... Continue Reading Full Article Foodborne Illness Investigations World 2024 outbreaks children food poisoning informal market snacks South Africa
al AIMCo expansion, Alberta's investment focus were sources of tension before purge, sources say By financialpost.com Published On :: Fri, 08 Nov 2024 22:55:04 +0000 Pension veterans say there was more going on behind the scenes than scrutiny of costs Full Article Investor News
al Donald Trump and Elon Musk: Could U.S. election's odd couple unleash a small-government revolution? By financialpost.com Published On :: Fri, 08 Nov 2024 20:04:45 +0000 The appointment of a political outsider like Musk could help Trump cut regulations and rein in government bureaucracy, even if the moves are unpopular Full Article Economy News
al Posthaste: These are the best buyers' markets in Canadian real estate — for now By financialpost.com Published On :: Mon, 11 Nov 2024 13:06:58 +0000 Listings outpace demand in Toronto and Vancouver Full Article News
al Posthaste: Why the great Trump stock rally might not be what it seems By financialpost.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 12:59:49 +0000 Stocks have soared since Donald Trump was elected, but some say the run-up has more to do with bubbles than policy Full Article News
al Labour minister moves to end port lockouts in Montreal and British Columbia By financialpost.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 18:16:59 +0000 Dispute risks damage to Canada's reputation as reliable trade partner, says Steven Mackinnon Full Article Economy News
al Stephen Harper's name in mix as potential head of AIMCo, sources say By financialpost.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 23:48:18 +0000 Sources say Harper’s name has been in the mix for at least 10 months Full Article Finance Investor News
al Betsy DeVos joins Trump’s call to 'disband' the Department of Education and 're-empower' families By www.foxnews.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 20:40:40 -0500 Former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos discusses what a second Trump term could mean for U.S. education on "The Story with Martha MacCallum." Full Article 2426f898-56cb-51b3-9650-47f0ef4cf50e fnc Fox News fox-news/media fox-news/topic/fox-news-flash fox-news/us/education/dept-of-education fox-news/politics/elections/presidential/trump-transition fox-news/shows/v-full-ep-the-story fox-news/media article
al Mark Cuban runs to 'less hateful' social media platform after scrubbing X account of Harris support By www.foxnews.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 20:50:55 -0500 Dallas Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban returned to the Bluesky social media platform with a post after weeks of contentious X posts. Full Article 03659cc7-b9b2-59bb-a83a-a51c4f033588 fnc Fox News fox-news/sports/nba/dallas-mavericks fox-news/sports/nba fox-news/sports fox-news/politics fox-news/sports article
al SEAN HANNITY: America's massive bureaucracy will soon face a very heavy dose of reality again By www.foxnews.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 21:48:04 -0500 Fox News host Sean Hannity says the "decentralization of power as our founders intended is very much on its way to DC." Full Article db9b2382-87f4-598f-a2a5-f3e9d45fc8c8 fnc Fox News fox-news/shows/hannity fox-news/shows/hannity/transcript/hannitys-monologue fox-news/person/donald-trump fox-news/media/fox-news-flash fox-news/media fox-news/media article
al Georgia on outside of College Football Playoff bracket as wild week brings rankings shakeup By www.foxnews.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 21:52:18 -0500 Georgia's loss to Ole Miss Saturday brought a wild shakeup to the college football rankings, and the Bulldogs find themselves out of the playoff picture. Full Article be1a5b1e-e9fd-515d-8deb-af99e8d76913 fnc Fox News fox-news/sports/ncaa-fb fox-news/sports/ncaa fox-news/sports fox-news/sports/ncaa/georgia-bulldogs fox-news/sports/ncaa/oregon-ducks fox-news/sports article
al Republican Gabe Evans wins Colorado's 8th Congressional District, beating incumbent Yadira Caraveo By www.foxnews.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 22:01:40 -0500 The Associated Press has declared a winner in Colorado's 8th Congressional District which has been one of the most closely watched races in the country. Full Article a466e502-3378-573c-8ecc-0e628d1b45ea fnc Fox News fox-news/politics fox-news/us/us-regions/west/colorado fox-news/politics/elections fox-news/politics/house-of-representatives fox-news/politics article
al Republican David Valadao wins re-election to US House in California's 22nd Congressional District By www.foxnews.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 22:17:03 -0500 Incumbent Republican David Valadao is projected to emerge victorious in California's 22nd Congressional District. The highly contested race was considered to be a tossup. Full Article 4451eb0e-c159-5978-bbc9-ce2be1359320 fnc Fox News fox-news/politics fox-news/us/us-regions/west/california fox-news/us/congress fox-news/politics/elections/house-of-representatives fox-news/politics article
al Country star Darius Rucker donates to ETSU’s NIL fund after 'awkward' appearance at football game By www.foxnews.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 23:00:30 -0500 Country music star Darius Rucker paid the East Tennessee State University's NIL fund $10 for every minute he was on the field Saturday after what he called an "awkward" appearance. Full Article 322459dc-7f98-5929-8f3a-c2c829efc988 fnc Fox News fox-news/sports/ncaa/east-tennessee-state-buccaneers fox-news/sports/ncaa fox-news/sports fox-news/topic/trending-news fox-news/sports article
al Bev Priestman out as Canadian women's head soccer coach following Olympic drone scandal probe By www.foxnews.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 23:03:38 -0500 The Canadian women's soccer team was implicated in a drone scandal this past summer. But, an investigation determined drone use against opponents, predated the Paris Olympics. Full Article 784150bb-7367-54e1-a4e5-8ad141b4e55e fnc Fox News fox-news/sports/soccer fox-news/world/world-regions/canada fox-news/sports fox-news/sports article
al Atomically Thin Materials Significantly Shrink Qubits By spectrum.ieee.org Published On :: Mon, 07 Feb 2022 16:12:05 +0000 Quantum computing is a devilishly complex technology, with many technical hurdles impacting its development. Of these challenges two critical issues stand out: miniaturization and qubit quality.IBM has adopted the superconducting qubit road map of reaching a 1,121-qubit processor by 2023, leading to the expectation that 1,000 qubits with today’s qubit form factor is feasible. However, current approaches will require very large chips (50 millimeters on a side, or larger) at the scale of small wafers, or the use of chiplets on multichip modules. While this approach will work, the aim is to attain a better path toward scalability.Now researchers at MIT have been able to both reduce the size of the qubits and done so in a way that reduces the interference that occurs between neighboring qubits. The MIT researchers have increased the number of superconducting qubits that can be added onto a device by a factor of 100.“We are addressing both qubit miniaturization and quality,” said William Oliver, the director for the Center for Quantum Engineering at MIT. “Unlike conventional transistor scaling, where only the number really matters, for qubits, large numbers are not sufficient, they must also be high-performance. Sacrificing performance for qubit number is not a useful trade in quantum computing. They must go hand in hand.”The key to this big increase in qubit density and reduction of interference comes down to the use of two-dimensional materials, in particular the 2D insulator hexagonal boron nitride (hBN). The MIT researchers demonstrated that a few atomic monolayers of hBN can be stacked to form the insulator in the capacitors of a superconducting qubit.Just like other capacitors, the capacitors in these superconducting circuits take the form of a sandwich in which an insulator material is sandwiched between two metal plates. The big difference for these capacitors is that the superconducting circuits can operate only at extremely low temperatures—less than 0.02 degrees above absolute zero (-273.15 °C). Superconducting qubits are measured at temperatures as low as 20 millikelvin in a dilution refrigerator.Nathan Fiske/MITIn that environment, insulating materials that are available for the job, such as PE-CVD silicon oxide or silicon nitride, have quite a few defects that are too lossy for quantum computing applications. To get around these material shortcomings, most superconducting circuits use what are called coplanar capacitors. In these capacitors, the plates are positioned laterally to one another, rather than on top of one another.As a result, the intrinsic silicon substrate below the plates and to a smaller degree the vacuum above the plates serve as the capacitor dielectric. Intrinsic silicon is chemically pure and therefore has few defects, and the large size dilutes the electric field at the plate interfaces, all of which leads to a low-loss capacitor. The lateral size of each plate in this open-face design ends up being quite large (typically 100 by 100 micrometers) in order to achieve the required capacitance.In an effort to move away from the large lateral configuration, the MIT researchers embarked on a search for an insulator that has very few defects and is compatible with superconducting capacitor plates.“We chose to study hBN because it is the most widely used insulator in 2D material research due to its cleanliness and chemical inertness,” said colead author Joel Wang, a research scientist in the Engineering Quantum Systems group of the MIT Research Laboratory for Electronics. On either side of the hBN, the MIT researchers used the 2D superconducting material, niobium diselenide. One of the trickiest aspects of fabricating the capacitors was working with the niobium diselenide, which oxidizes in seconds when exposed to air, according to Wang. This necessitates that the assembly of the capacitor occur in a glove box filled with argon gas.While this would seemingly complicate the scaling up of the production of these capacitors, Wang doesn’t regard this as a limiting factor.“What determines the quality factor of the capacitor are the two interfaces between the two materials,” said Wang. “Once the sandwich is made, the two interfaces are “sealed” and we don’t see any noticeable degradation over time when exposed to the atmosphere.”This lack of degradation is because around 90 percent of the electric field is contained within the sandwich structure, so the oxidation of the outer surface of the niobium diselenide does not play a significant role anymore. This ultimately makes the capacitor footprint much smaller, and it accounts for the reduction in cross talk between the neighboring qubits.“The main challenge for scaling up the fabrication will be the wafer-scale growth of hBN and 2D superconductors like [niobium diselenide], and how one can do wafer-scale stacking of these films,” added Wang.Wang believes that this research has shown 2D hBN to be a good insulator candidate for superconducting qubits. He says that the groundwork the MIT team has done will serve as a road map for using other hybrid 2D materials to build superconducting circuits. Full Article Quantum computing 2d materials Ibm Qubits Hexagonal boron nitride Superconducting qubits Mit
al Explore Virtual Solutions for A&D By www.ansys.com Published On :: Mon, 28 Oct 2024 19:37:17 +0000 Prepare yourself for the challenges of creating cutting-edge A&D autonomous tech. Download the e-book to explore how autonomy is transforming the aerospace & defense industry.Download this free whitepaper now! Full Article Aerospace Autonomous technology Autonomy Type:whitepaper
al Honor a Loved One With an IEEE Foundation Memorial Fund By spectrum.ieee.org Published On :: Thu, 31 Oct 2024 18:00:03 +0000 As the philanthropic partner of IEEE, the IEEE Foundation expands the organization’s charitable body of work by inspiring philanthropic engagement that ignites a donor’s innermost interests and values. One way the Foundation does so is by partnering with IEEE units to create memorial funds, which pay tribute to members, family, friends, teachers, professors, students, and others. This type of giving honors someone special while also supporting future generations of engineers and celebrating innovation. Below are three recently created memorial funds that not only have made an impact on their beneficiaries and perpetuated the legacy of the namesake but also have a deep meaning for those who launched them. EPICS in IEEE Fischer Mertel Community of Projects The EPICS in IEEE Fischer Mertel Community of Projects was established to support projects “designed to inspire multidisciplinary teams of engineering students to collaborate and engineer solutions to address local community needs.” The fund was created by the children of Joe Fischer and Herb Mertel to honor their fathers’ passion for mentoring students. Longtime IEEE members, Fischer and Mertel were active with the IEEE Electromagnetic Compatibility Society. Fischer was the society’s 1972 president and served on its board of directors for six years. Mertel served on the society’s board from 1979 to 1983 and again from 1989 to 1993. “The EPICS in IEEE Fischer Mertel Community of Projects was established to inspire and support outstanding engineering ideas and efforts that help communities worldwide,” says Tina Mertel, Herb’s daughter. “Joe Fischer and my father had a lifelong friendship and excelled as engineering leaders and founders of their respective companies [Fischer Custom Communications and EMACO]. I think that my father would have been proud to know that their friendship and work are being honored in this way.” The nine projects supported thus far have the potential to impact more than 104,000 people because of the work and collaboration of 190 students worldwide. The projects funded are intended to represent at least two of the EPICS in IEEE’s focus categories: education and outreach; human services; environmental; and access and abilities. Here are a few of the projects: The Engineering Outreach at San Diego K–12 Schools project aims to bridge the city’s STEM education gap by sending IEEE members to schools to teach project-based lessons in mechanical, aerospace, electrical and computer engineering, as well as computer science. The project is led by the IEEE–Eta Kappa Nu honor society’s Kappa Psi chapter at the University of California San Diego and the San Diego Unified School District. Students from the Sahrdaya College of Engineering and Technology student branch in Kodakara, India, are developing an exoskeleton for nurses to support their lumbar spine region. Volunteers from the IEEE Uganda Section and local engineering students are designing and fabricating a stationary bicycle to act as a generator, providing power to families living in underserved communities. The goal of the project is to reduce air pollution caused by generators and supply reliable, affordable power to people in need. The IEEE Colombian Caribbean Section’s Increasing Inclusion of Visually Impaired People with a Mobile Application for English Learning project aims to ensure visually impaired students can learn to read, write, and speak English alongside their peers. The section’s members are developing a mobile app to help accomplish their goal.IEEE AESS Michael C. Wicks Radar Student Travel Grant The IEEE Michael C. Wicks Radar Student Travel Grant was established by IEEE Fellow Michael Wicks prior to his death in 2022. The grant provides travel support for graduate students who are the primary authors on a paper being presented at the annual IEEE Radar Conference. Wicks was an electronics engineer and a radio industry leader who was known for developing knowledge-based space-time adaptive processing. He believed in investing in the next generation and he wanted to provide an opportunity for that to happen.Ten graduate students have been awarded the Wicks grant to date. This year two students from Region 8 (Africa, Europe, Middle East) and two students from Region 10 (Asia and Pacific) were able to travel to Denver to attend the IEEE Radar Conference and present their research. The papers they presented are “Target Shape Reconstruction From Multi-Perspective Shadows in Drone-Borne SAR Systems” and “Design of Convolutional Neural Networks for Classification of Ships from ISAR Images.” Life Fellow Fumio Koyama and IEEE Fellow Constance J. Chang-Hasnain proudly display their IEEE Nick Holonyak, Jr. Medal for Semiconductor Optoelectronic Technologies at this year’s IEEE Honors Ceremony. They are accompanied by IEEE President-Elect Kathleen Kramer and IEEE President Tom Coughlin.Robb Cohen IEEE Nick Holonyak Jr. Medal for Semiconductor Optoelectronic Technologies The IEEE Nick Holonyak Jr. Medal for Semiconductor Optoelectronic Technologies was created with a memorial fund supported by some of Holonyak’s former graduate students to honor his work as a professor and mentor. Presented on behalf of the IEEE Board of Directors, the medal recognizes outstanding contributions to semiconductor optoelectronic devices and systems including high-energy-efficiency semiconductor devices and electronics. Holonyak was a prolific inventor and longtime professor of electrical engineering and physics. In 1962, while working as a scientist at General Electric’s Advanced Semiconductor Laboratory in Syracuse, N.Y., he invented the first practical visible-spectrum LED and laser diode. His innovations are the basis of the devices now used in high-efficiency light bulbs and laser diodes. He left GE in 1963 to join the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as a professor of electrical engineering and physics at the invitation of John Bardeen, his Ph.D. advisor and a two-time Nobel Prize winner in physics. Holonyak retired from UIUC in 2013 but continued research collaborations at the university with young faculty members. “In addition to his remarkable technical contributions, he was an excellent teacher and mentor to graduate students and young electrical engineers,” says Russell Dupuis, one of his doctoral students. “The impact of his innovations has improved the lives of most people on the earth, and this impact will only increase with time. It was my great honor to be one of his students and to help create this important IEEE medal to ensure that his work will be remembered in the future.” The award was presented for the first time at this year’s IEEE Honors Ceremony, in Boston, to IEEE Fellow Constance Chang-Hasnain and Life Fellow Fumio Koyama for “pioneering contributions to vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) and VCSEL-based photonics for optical communications and sensing.” Establishing a memorial fund through the IEEE Foundation is a gratifying way to recognize someone who has touched your life while also advancing technology for humanity. If you are interested in learning more about memorial and tribute funds, reach out to the IEEE Foundation team: donate@ieee.org. Full Article Ieee awards Ieee foundation Ieee products and services Memorial fund Type:ti
al Why the Art of Invention Is Always Being Reinvented By spectrum.ieee.org Published On :: Fri, 01 Nov 2024 14:00:03 +0000 Every invention begins with a problem—and the creative act of seeing a problem where others might just see unchangeable reality. For one 5-year-old, the problem was simple: She liked to have her tummy rubbed as she fell asleep. But her mom, exhausted from working two jobs, often fell asleep herself while putting her daughter to bed. “So [the girl] invented a teddy bear that would rub her belly for her,” explains Stephanie Couch, executive director of the Lemelson MIT Program. Its mission is to nurture the next generation of inventors and entrepreneurs. Anyone can learn to be an inventor, Couch says, given the right resources and encouragement. “Invention doesn’t come from some innate genius, it’s not something that only really special people get to do,” she says. Her program creates invention-themed curricula for U.S. classrooms, ranging from kindergarten to community college. This article is part of our special report, “Reinventing Invention: Stories from Innovation’s Edge.” We’re biased, but we hope that little girl grows up to be an engineer. By the time she comes of age, the act of invention may be something entirely new—reflecting the adoption of novel tools and the guiding forces of new social structures. Engineers, with their restless curiosity and determination to optimize the world around them, are continuously in the process of reinventing invention. In this special issue, we bring you stories of people who are in the thick of that reinvention today. IEEE Spectrum is marking 60 years of publication this year, and we’re celebrating by highlighting both the creative act and the grindingly hard engineering work required to turn an idea into something world changing. In these pages, we take you behind the scenes of some awe-inspiring projects to reveal how technology is being made—and remade—in our time. Inventors Are Everywhere Invention has long been a democratic process. The economist B. Zorina Khan of Bowdoin College has noted that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has always endeavored to allow essentially anyone to try their hand at invention. From the beginning, the patent examiners didn’t care who the applicants were—anyone with a novel and useful idea who could pay the filing fee was officially an inventor. This ethos continues today. It’s still possible for an individual to launch a tech startup from a garage or go on “Shark Tank” to score investors. The Swedish inventor Simone Giertz, for example, made a name for herself with YouTube videos showing off her hilariously bizarre contraptions, like an alarm clock with an arm that slapped her awake. The MIT innovation scholar Eric von Hippel has spotlighted today’s vital ecosystem of “user innovation,” in which inventors such as Giertz are motivated by their own needs and desires rather than ambitions of mass manufacturing. But that route to invention gets you only so far, and the limits of what an individual can achieve have become starker over time. To tackle some of the biggest problems facing humanity today, inventors need a deep-pocketed government sponsor or corporate largess to muster the equipment and collective human brainpower required. When we think about the challenges of scaling up, it’s helpful to remember Alexander Graham Bell and his collaborator Thomas Watson. “They invent this cool thing that allows them to talk between two rooms—so it’s a neat invention, but it’s basically a gadget,” says Eric Hintz, a historian of invention at the Smithsonian Institution. “To go from that to a transcontinental long-distance telephone system, they needed a lot more innovation on top of the original invention.” To scale their invention, Hintz says, Bell and his colleagues built the infrastructure that eventually evolved into Bell Labs, which became the standard-bearer for corporate R&D. In this issue, we see engineers grappling with challenges of scale in modern problems. Consider the semiconductor technology supported by the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act, a policy initiative aimed at bolstering domestic chip production. Beyond funding manufacturing, it also provides US $11 billion for R&D, including three national centers where companies can test and pilot new technologies. As one startup tells the tale, this infrastructure will drastically speed up the lab-to-fab process. And then there are atomic clocks, the epitome of precision timekeeping. When researchers decided to build a commercial version, they had to shift their perspective, taking a sprawling laboratory setup and reimagining it as a portable unit fit for mass production and the rigors of the real world. They had to stop optimizing for precision and instead choose the most robust laser, and the atom that would go along with it. These technology efforts benefit from infrastructure, brainpower, and cutting-edge new tools. One tool that may become ubiquitous across industries is artificial intelligence—and it’s a tool that could further expand access to the invention arena. What if you had a team of indefatigable assistants at your disposal, ready to scour the world’s technical literature for material that could spark an idea, or to iterate on a concept 100 times before breakfast? That’s the promise of today’s generative AI. The Swiss company Iprova is exploring whether its AI tools can automate “eureka” moments for its clients, corporations that are looking to beat their competitors to the next big idea. The serial entrepreneur Steve Blank similarly advises young startup founders to embrace AI’s potential to accelerate product development; he even imagines testing product ideas on digital twins of customers. Although it’s still early days, generative AI offers inventors tools that have never been available before. Measuring an Invention’s Impact If AI accelerates the discovery process, and many more patentable ideas come to light as a result, then what? As it is, more than a million patents are granted every year, and we struggle to identify the ones that will make a lasting impact. Bryan Kelly, an economist at the Yale School of Management, and his collaborators made an attempt to quantify the impact of patents by doing a technology-assisted deep dive into U.S. patent records dating back to 1840. Using natural language processing, they identified patents that introduced novel phrasing that was then repeated in subsequent patents—an indicator of radical breakthroughs. For example, Elias Howe Jr.’s 1846 patent for a sewing machine wasn’t closely related to anything that came before but quickly became the basis of future sewing-machine patents. Another foundational patent was the one awarded to an English bricklayer in 1824 for the invention of Portland cement, which is still the key ingredient in most of the world’s concrete. As Ted C. Fishman describes in his fascinating inquiry into the state of concrete today, this seemingly stable industry is in upheaval because of its heavy carbon emissions. The AI boom is fueling a construction boom in data centers, and all those buildings require billions of tons of concrete. Fishman takes readers into labs and startups where researchers are experimenting with climate-friendly formulations of cement and concrete. Who knows which of those experiments will result in a patent that echoes down the ages? Some engineers start their invention process by thinking about the impact they want to make on the world. The eminent Indian technologist Raghunath Anant Mashelkar, who has popularized the idea of “Gandhian engineering”, advises inventors to work backward from “what we want to achieve for the betterment of humanity,” and to create problem-solving technologies that are affordable, durable, and not only for the elite. Durability matters: Invention isn’t just about creating something brand new. It’s also about coming up with clever ways to keep an existing thing going. Such is the case with the Hubble Space Telescope. Originally designed to last 15 years, it’s been in orbit for twice that long and has actually gotten better with age, because engineers designed the satellite to be fixable and upgradable in space. For all the invention activity around the globe—the World Intellectual Property Organization says that 3.5 million applications for patents were filed in 2022—it may be harder to invent something useful than it used to be. Not because “everything that can be invented has been invented,” as in the apocryphal quote attributed to the unfortunate head of the U.S. patent office in 1889. Rather, because so much education and experience are required before an inventor can even understand all the dimensions of the door they’re trying to crack open, much less come up with a strategy for doing so. Ben Jones, an economist at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, has shown that the average age of great technological innovators rose by about six years over the course of the 20th century. “Great innovation is less and less the provenance of the young,” Jones concluded. Consider designing something as complex as a nuclear fusion reactor, as Tom Clynes describes in “An Off-the-Shelf Stellarator.” Fusion researchers have spent decades trying to crack the code of commercially viable fusion—it’s more akin to a calling than a career. If they succeed, they will unlock essentially limitless clean energy with no greenhouse gas emissions or meltdown danger. That’s the dream that the physicists in a lab in Princeton, N.J., are chasing. But before they even started, they first had to gain an intimate understanding of all the wrong ways to build a fusion reactor. Once the team was ready to proceed, what they created was an experimental reactor that accelerates the design-build-test cycle. With new AI tools and unprecedented computational power, they’re now searching for the best ways to create the magnetic fields that will confine the plasma within the reactor. Already, two startups have spun out of the Princeton lab, both seeking a path to commercial fusion. The stellarator story and many other articles in this issue showcase how one innovation leads to the next, and how one invention can enable many more. The legendary Dean Kamen, best known for mechanical devices like the Segway and the prosthetic “Luke” arm, is now trying to push forward the squishy world of biological manufacturing. In an interview, Kamen explains how his nonprofit is working on the infrastructure—bioreactors, sensors, and controls—that will enable companies to explore the possibilities of growing replacement organs. You could say that he’s inventing the launchpad so others can invent the rockets. Sometimes everyone in a research field knows where the breakthrough is needed, but that doesn’t make it any easier to achieve. Case in point: the quest for a household humanoid robot that can perform domestic chores, switching effortlessly from frying an egg to folding laundry. Roboticists need better learning software that will enable their bots to navigate the uncertainties of the real world, and they also need cheaper and lighter actuators. Major advances in these two areas would unleash a torrent of creativity and may finally bring robot butlers into our homes. And maybe the future roboticists who make those breakthroughs will have cause to thank Marina Umaschi Bers, a technologist at Boston College who cocreated the ScratchJr programming language and the KIBO robotics kit to teach kids the basics of coding and robotics in entertaining ways. She sees engineering as a playground, a place for children to explore and create, to be goofy or grandiose. If today’s kindergartners learn to think of themselves as inventors, who knows what they’ll create tomorrow? Full Article Invention Patents R&d Startups Type:cover
al Katherine Bennell-Pegg: Australia’s First Astronaut Makes History By spectrum.ieee.org Published On :: Mon, 04 Nov 2024 15:24:40 +0000 This is a sponsored article brought to you by BESydney. In July 2024, Sydney woman Katherine Bennell-Pegg made history as the first astronaut to graduate under the Australian flag and the first female astronaut in Australia. Her journey, marked by determination and discipline, showcases Australia’s growing prominence in space exploration and research. From her academic achievements at the University of Sydney (USYD) to her rigorous training at the European Space Agency (ESA), Bennell-Pegg’s success has paved a path forward for aspiring space and aerospace professionals in Australia and globally. A journey to the stars begins in Sydney Katherine Bennell-Pegg was born in Sydney, New South Wales, and grew up in the Northern Beaches area. Her fascination with space began at an early age. “I always dreamed of being an astronaut,” Bennell-Pegg shared in her “Insights from an Australian Astronaut” Space Forum Speech in July 2024. “When I was young, it was for the adventure, but after more than a decade working in space, it’s now because I know the role it plays in tackling real-world problems and developing new knowledge that can benefit our society, environment and science.” Sydney: A Hub for Space InnovationSydney, the vibrant heart of the state of New South Wales (NSW), stands at the forefront of aerospace innovation in Australia. With its world-class research facilities, leading academic institutions and strategic geographic positioning, Sydney is not only Australia’s gateway to the Indo-Pacific but also a burgeoning hub for international aerospace endeavours.NSW is home to more than 40 per cent of Australia’s aerospace industry. Substantial investments from both the state and federal governments support this concentration of capabilities, underpinning Sydney’s role as a leader in aerospace. From advanced manufacturing and cybersecurity to quantum technologies and space exploration, this progressive city is truly thriving.Sydney’s appeal as a desirable location for hosting aerospace conferences and business events is bolstered by its comprehensive infrastructure, vibrant startup community and strategic position as a transport hub.Sydney’s track record of successfully hosting events highlights the city’s ability to organise impactful international gatherings, including:Australian Space SummitNew Horizons SummitCubeSatPlus2024 - NEW SPACE: Unbounded SkiesSydney will also host the 76th International Astronautical Congress from 29 September to 3 October 2025 and the 34th Congress of the International Council for the Aeronautical Sciences (ICAS) to be held 13 to 17 September 2026. Both will take place at ICC Sydney, further solidifying Sydney’s status as a central hub for aerospace events.Would you like to know more about Sydney’s credentials in Aerospace? Download our Aerospace eBook or visit besydney.com.au Sydney proved to be the ideal location for Bennell-Pegg’s journey to begin. She studied at the University of Sydney, where she earned a Bachelor of Engineering (Honors) in Aeronautical Engineering (Space) and a Bachelor of Science (Advanced) in Physics. Sydney’s universities are at the forefront of aerospace education and research. Institutions such as the University of Sydney (USYD), the University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney) and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) attract students from around the world. UNSW Sydney, with its School of Aerospace, Mechanical, and Mechatronic Engineering, is renowned for its innovative research in space technology and satellite systems, while UTS provides cutting-edge programs in aerospace engineering and physics, emphasizing practical applications and industry partnerships. USYD excels in aeronautical engineering and space science, supported by advanced facilities and strong ties to major aerospace organisations. Together, these universities offer comprehensive programs that integrate theoretical knowledge with hands-on experience, preparing students for dynamic careers in the rapidly evolving aerospace and space sectors. Having excelled in her studies at USYD, Bennell-Pegg was awarded the Charles Kuller Graduation Prize for her top-placed undergraduate thesis. Subsequently, her quest for knowledge took her to Europe, where she earned two Master of Science degrees: one in Astronautics and Space Engineering from Cranfield University and another in Space Technology from Luleå University of Technology. Reflecting on her educational path, Bennell-Pegg stated, “With the encouragement of my parents, I researched what it would take to become an astronaut and worked hard at school, participating in everything from aerobatic flying lessons to amateur astronomy.” Inside the rigorous training regimen of an astronaut Bennell-Pegg’s professional career began with roles at Airbus UK, where she contributed to numerous space missions and concept studies, such as Martian in-situ resource utilisation and space debris removal. Her expertise led her to the Australian Space Agency, where she became the Director of Space Technology. In 2021, Bennell-Pegg was invited by the European Space Agency (ESA) to undertake Basic Astronaut Training at the European Astronaut Centre in Germany. When the ESA application opened in 2021, it was the first opening in 15 years. Bennell-Pegg jumped at the opportunity to apply alongside over 22,000 others from 22 countries. She endured six knock-out rounds, including medical, psychometrics, psychology and technical tests and made it to the group of 25 who passed. This historic invitation marked the first time an international astronaut candidate was offered training by the ESA. “The training was demanding, but it was also an incredible opportunity to learn from some of the best minds in the field and to be part of a team that is pushing the boundaries of human exploration.”—Katherine Bennell-Pegg Bennell-Pegg’s training regimen was intense, encompassing physical conditioning, complex simulations, and theoretical classes designed to prepare candidates for long-duration missions to the International Space Station (ISS) and beyond. This included: Studies in biology, astronomy, earth sciences, meteorology, materials, medical and fluids, both in theory and in labs. Radiation research – an area of expertise for Australia. This will increase as humans travel back to the Moon. Medical operations: Astronauts need to be able to perform medical procedures on themselves and others. Training for expeditions: This included honing team dynamics through behavioral training, ocean and winter survival training, rescue and firefighting. Sharing her thoughts on this transformative experience, Bennell-Pegg said, “The training was demanding, but it was also an incredible opportunity to learn from some of the best minds in the field and to be part of a team that is pushing the boundaries of human exploration.” In April 2024, Bennell-Pegg completed her training, graduating with her ESA classmates from “The Hoppers” group. Upon graduation, she became fully qualified for assignments on long-duration missions to the ISS, making her the first Australian female astronaut and the first person to train as an astronaut under the Australian flag. “I want to use this experience to open doors for Australian scientists and engineers to utilize space for their discoveries,” Bennell-Pegg said. “I hope to inspire the pursuit of STEM careers and show all Australians that they too can reach for the stars.” Elevating Australia’s role in space exploration Katherine Bennell-Pegg’s achievements represent a significant milestone. Her journey from the University of Sydney to the rigorous training programs at the European Astronaut Centre showcases the potential of Australian talent in the global space community. “Being the first astronaut trained under the Australian flag is an incredible honor,” Bennell-Pegg said. “I’m grateful for the support that has fueled me through intense training and opened doors for more Australians in space exploration. Whether I fly or not, there is much to accomplish here on Earth. I’m excited to leverage this experience to inspire future generations in STEM and elevate Australia’s presence in the global space community. Becoming an astronaut is just the beginning.” Bennell-Pegg’s dream to become an Australian astronaut is more than just a personal triumph; it is a win for anyone who aspires to a career in space or aerospace. Sydney, with its world-class educational institutions, advanced manufacturing facilities scheduled for the Western Sydney Aerotropolis and expanding opportunities in aerospace and defence, is an ideal starting point for anyone looking to make their mark in these sectors. Would you like to know more about Sydney’s credentials in Aerospace? Download our Aerospace eBook or visit besydney.com.au Full Article Astronauts Australia Space Space flight Type:sponsored
al Wireless Signals That Predict Flash Floods By spectrum.ieee.org Published On :: Mon, 04 Nov 2024 19:00:04 +0000 Like many innovators, Hagit Messer-Yaron had a life-changing idea while doing something mundane: Talking with a colleague over a cup of coffee. The IEEE Life Fellow, who in 2006 was head of Tel Aviv University’s Porter School of Environmental Studies, was at the school’s cafeteria with a meteorological researcher. He shared his struggles with finding high-resolution weather data for his climate models, which are used to forecast and track flash floods.Predicting floods is crucial for quickly evacuating residents in affected areas and protecting homes and businesses against damage.Hagit Messer-YaronEmployer Tel Aviv UniversityTitle Professor emeritaMember grade Life FellowAlma mater Tel Aviv UniversityHer colleague “said researchers in the field had limited measurements because the equipment meteorologists used to collect weather data—including radar satellites—is expensive to purchase and maintain, especially in developing countries,” Messer-Yaron says.Because of that, she says, high-resolution data about temperature, air quality, wind speed, and precipitation levels is often inconsistent—which is a problem when trying to produce accurate models and predictions.An expert in signal processing and cellular communication, Messer-Yaron came up with the idea of using existing wireless communication signals to collect weather data, as communication networks are spread across the globe.In 2006 she and her research team developed algorithms that process and analyze data collected by communication networks to monitor rainfall. They measure the difference in amplitude of the signals transmitted and received by the systems to extract data needed to predict flash floods.The method was first demonstrated in Israel. Messer-Yaron is working to integrate it into communication networks worldwide.For her work, she received this year’s IEEE Medal for Environmental and Safety Technologies for “contributions to sensing of the environment using wireless communication networks.” The award is sponsored by Toyota.“Receiving an IEEE medal, which is the highest-level award you can get within the organization, was really a surprise, and I was extremely happy to [receive] it,” she says. “I was proud that IEEE was able to evaluate and see the potential in our technology for public good and to reward it.”A passion for teachingGrowing up in Israel, Messer-Yaron was interested in art, literature, and science. When it came time to choose a career, she found it difficult to decide, she says. Ultimately, she chose electrical engineering, figuring it would be easier to enjoy art and literature as hobbies.After completing her mandatory service in the Israel Defense Forces in 1973, she began her undergraduate studies at Tel Aviv University, where she found her passion: Signal processing.“Electrical engineering is a very broad topic,” she says. “As an undergrad, you learn all the parts that make up electrical engineering, including applied physics and applied mathematics. I really enjoyed applied mathematics and soon discovered signal processing. I found it quite amazing how, by using algorithms, you can direct signals to extract information.”She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in EE in 1977 and continued her education there, earning master’s and doctoral degrees in 1979 and 1984. She moved to the United States for a postdoctoral position at Yale. There she worked with IEEE Life Fellow Peter Schultheiss, who was known for his research in using sensor array systems in underwater acoustics.Inspired by Schultheiss’s passion for teaching, Messer-Yaron decided to pursue a career in academia. She was hired by Tel Aviv University as an electrical engineering professor in 1986. She was the first woman in Israel to become a full professor in the subject.“Being a faculty member at a public university is the best job you can do. I didn’t make a lot of money, but at the end of each day, I looked back at what I did [with pride].”For the next 14 years, she conducted research in statistical signal processing, time-delay estimation, and sensor array processing.Her passion for teaching took her around the world as a visiting professor at Yale, the New Jersey Institute of Technology, the Institut Polytechnique de Paris, and other schools. She collaborated with colleagues from the universities on research projects.In 1999 she was promoted to director of Tel Aviv University’s undergraduate electrical engineering program. A year later, she was offered an opportunity she couldn’t refuse: Serving as chief scientist for the Israeli Ministry of Science, Culture, and Sports. She took a sabbatical from teaching and for the next three years oversaw the country’s science policy.“I believe [working in the public sector] is part of our duty as faculty members, especially in public universities, because that makes you a public intellectual,” she says. “Working for the government gave me a broad view of many things that you don’t see as a professor, even in a large university.”When she returned to the university in 2004, Messer-Yaron was appointed as the director of the new school of environmental studies. She oversaw the allocation of research funding and spoke with researchers individually to better understand their needs. After having coffee with one researcher, she realized there was a need to develop better weather-monitoring technology. Hagit Messer-Yaron proudly displays her IEEE Medal for Environmental and Safety Technologies at this year’s IEEE Honors Ceremony. She is accompanied by IEEE President-Elect Kathleen Kramer and IEEE President Tom Couglin.Robb CohenUsing signal processing to monitor weatherBecause the planet is warming, the risk of flash floods is steadily increasing. Warmer air holds more water—which leads to heavier-than-usual rainfall and results in more flooding, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Data about rainfall is typically collected by satellite radar and ground-based rain gauges. However, radar images don’t provide researchers with precise readings of what’s happening on the ground, according to an Ensia article. Rain gauges are accurate but provide data from small areas only.So Messer-Yaron set her sights on developing technology that connects to cellular networks close to the ground to provide more accurate measurements, she says. Using existing infrastructure eliminates the need to build new weather radars and weather stations.Communication systems automatically record the transmitted signal level and the received signal level, but rain can alter otherwise smooth wave patterns. By measuring the difference in the amplitude, meteorologists could extract the data necessary to track rainfall using the signal processing algorithms.In 2005 Messer-Yaron and her group successfully tested the technology. The following year, their “Environmental Monitoring by Wireless Communication Networks” paper was published in Science.The algorithm is being used in Israel in partnership with all three of the country’s major cellular service providers. Messer-Yaron acknowledges, however, that negotiating deals with cellular service companies in other countries has been difficult.To expand the technology’s use worldwide, Messer-Yaron launched a research network through the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST), called an opportunistic precipitation sensing network known as OPENSENSE. The group connects researchers, meteorologists, and other experts around the world to collaborate on integrating the technology in members’ communities.Monitoring the effects of climate changeSince developing the technology, Messer-Yaron has held a number of jobs including president of the Open University of Israel and vice chair of the country’s Council for Higher Education, which accredits academic institutions.She is maintaining her link with Tel Aviv University today as a professor emerita.“Being a faculty member at a public university is the best job you can do,” she says. “I didn’t make a lot of money, but at the end of each day, I looked back at what I did [with pride]. Because of the academic freedom and the autonomy I had, I was able to do many things in addition to teaching, including research.” To continue her work in developing technology to monitor weather events, in 2016, she helped found ClimaCell, now Tomorrow.io, based in Boston. The startup aims to use wireless communication infrastructure and IoT devices to collect real-time weather data. Messer-Yaron served as its chief scientist until 2017.She continues to update the original algorithms with her students, most recently with machine learning capabilities to extract data from physical measurements of the signal level in communication networks.A global engineering communityWhen Messer-Yaron was an undergraduate student, she joined IEEE at the suggestion of one of her professors. “I didn’t think much about the benefits of being a member until I became a graduate student,” she says. “I started attending conferences and publishing papers in IEEE journals, and the organization became my professional community.”She is an active volunteer and a member of the IEEE Signal Processing Society. From 1994 to 2010 she served on the society’s Signal Processing Theory and Methods technical committee. She was associate editor of IEEE Signal Processing Letters and IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing. She is a member of the editorial boards of the IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Signal Processing and IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing.In the past 10 years, she’s been involved with other IEEE committees including the conduct review, ethics and member conduct, and global public policy bodies.“I don’t see my career or my professional life without the IEEE,” she says Full Article Climate change Climate tech Ieee awards Ieee member news Signal processing Type:ti
al U.S. Chip Revival Plan Chooses Sites By spectrum.ieee.org Published On :: Tue, 05 Nov 2024 18:51:46 +0000 Last week the organization tasked with running the the biggest chunk of U.S. CHIPS Act’s US $13 billion R&D program made some significant strides: The National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC) released a strategic plan and selected the sites of two of three planned facilities and released a new strategic plan. The locations of the two sites—a “design and collaboration” center in Sunnyvale, Calif., and a lab devoted to advancing the leading edge of chipmaking, in Albany, N.Y.—build on an existing ecosystem at each location, experts say. The location of the third planned center—a chip prototyping and packaging site that could be especially critical for speeding semiconductor startups—is still a matter of speculation. “The NSTC represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the U.S. to accelerate the pace of innovation in semiconductor technology,” Deirdre Hanford, CEO of Natcast, the nonprofit that runs the NSTC centers, said in a statement. According to the strategic plan, which covers 2025 to 2027, the NSTC is meant to accomplish three goals: extend U.S. technology leadership, reduce the time and cost to prototype, and build and sustain a semiconductor workforce development ecosystem. The three centers are meant to do a mix of all three. New York gets extreme ultraviolet lithography NSTC plans to direct $825 million into the Albany project. The site will be dedicated to extreme ultraviolet lithography, a technology that’s essential to making the most advanced logic chips. The Albany Nanotech Complex, which has already seen more than $25 billion in investments from the state and industry partners over two decades, will form the heart of the future NSTC center. It already has an EUV lithography machine on site and has begun an expansion to install a next-generation version, called high-NA EUV, which promises to produce even finer chip features. Working with a tool recently installed in Europe, IBM, a long-time tenant of the Albany research facility, reported record yields of copper interconnects built every 21 nanometers, a pitch several nanometers tighter than possible with ordinary EUV. “It’s fulfilling to see that this ecosystem can be taken to the national and global level through CHIPS Act funding,” said Mukesh Khare, general manager of IBM’s semiconductors division, speaking from the future site of the NSTC EUV center. “It’s the right time, and we have all the ingredients.” While only a few companies are capable of manufacturing cutting edge logic using EUV, the impact of the NSTC center will be much broader, Khare argues. It will extend down as far as early-stage startups with ideas or materials for improving the chipmaking process “An EUV R&D center doesn’t mean just one machine,” says Khare. “It needs so many machines around it… It’s a very large ecosystem.” Silicon Valley lands the design center The design center is tasked with conducting advanced research in chip design, electronic design automation (EDA), chip and system architectures, and hardware security. It will also host the NSTC’s design enablement gateway—a program that provides NSTC members with a secure, cloud-based access to design tools, reference processes and designs, and shared data sets, with the goal of reducing the time and cost of design. Additionally, it will house workforce development, member convening, and administration functions. Situating the design center in Silicon Valley, with its concentration of research universities, venture capital, and workforce, seems like the obvious choice to many experts. “I can’t think of a better place,” says Patrick Soheili, co-founder of interconnect technology startup Eliyan, which is based in Santa Clara, Calif. Abhijeet Chakraborty, vice president of engineering in the technology and product group at Silicon Valley-based Synopsys, a leading maker of EDA software, sees Silicon Valley’s expansive tech ecosystem as one of its main advantages in landing the NSTC’s design center. The region concentrates companies and researchers involved in the whole spectrum of the industry from semiconductor process technology to cloud software. Access to such a broad range of industries is increasingly important for chip design startups, he says. “To design a chip or component these days you need to go from concept to design to validation in an environment that takes care of the entire stack,” he says. It’s prohibitively expensive for a startup to do that alone, so one of Chakraborty’s hopes for the design center is that it will help startups access the design kits and other data needed to operate in this new environment. Packaging and prototyping still to come A third promised center for prototyping and packaging is still to come. “The big question is where does the packaging and prototyping go?” says Mark Granahan, cofounder and CEO of Pennsylvania-based power semiconductor startup Ideal Semiconductor. “To me that’s a great opportunity.” He points out that because there is so little packaging technology infrastructure in the United States, any ambitious state or region should have a shot at hosting such a center. One of the original intentions of the act, after all, was to expand the number of regions of the country that are involved in the semiconductor industry. But that hasn’t stopped some already tech-heavy regions from wanting it. “Oregon offers the strongest ecosystem for such a facility,” a spokesperson for Intel, whose technology development is done there. “The state is uniquely positioned to contribute to the success of the NSTC and help drive technological advancements in the U.S. semiconductor industry.” As NSTC makes progress, Granahan’s concern is that bureaucracy will expand with it and slow efforts to boost the U.S. chip industry. Already the layers of control are multiplying. The Chips Office at the National Institute of Standards and Technology executes the Act. The NSTC is administered by the nonprofit Natcast, which directs the EUV center, which is in a facility run by another nonprofit, NY CREATES. “We want these things to be agile and make local decisions.” Full Article Chips act Euv Chip design Semiconductors
al Students Tackle Environmental Issues in Colombia and Türkiye By spectrum.ieee.org Published On :: Tue, 05 Nov 2024 19:00:04 +0000 EPICS in IEEE, a service learning program for university students supported by IEEE Educational Activities, offers students opportunities to engage with engineering professionals and mentors, local organizations, and technological innovation to address community-based issues.The following two environmentally focused projects demonstrate the value of teamwork and direct involvement with project stakeholders. One uses smart biodigesters to better manage waste in Colombia’s rural areas. The other is focused on helping Turkish olive farmers protect their trees from climate change effects by providing them with a warning system that can identify growing problems.No time to waste in rural ColombiaProper waste management is critical to a community’s living conditions. In rural La Vega, Colombia, the lack of an effective system has led to contaminated soil and water, an especially concerning issue because the town’s economy relies heavily on agriculture.The Smart Biodigesters for a Better Environment in Rural Areas project brought students together to devise a solution.Vivian Estefanía Beltrán, a Ph.D. student at the Universidad del Rosario in Bogotá, addressed the problem by building a low-cost anaerobic digester that uses an instrumentation system to break down microorganisms into biodegradable material. It reduces the amount of solid waste, and the digesters can produce biogas, which can be used to generate electricity.“Anaerobic digestion is a natural biological process that converts organic matter into two valuable products: biogas and nutrient-rich soil amendments in the form of digestate,” Beltrán says. “As a by-product of our digester’s operation, digestate is organic matter that can’t be transferred into biogas but can be used as a soil amendment for our farmers’ crops, such as coffee.“While it may sound easy, the process is influenced by a lot of variables. The support we’ve received from EPICS in IEEE is important because it enables us to measure these variables, such as pH levels, temperature of the reactor, and biogas composition [methane and hydrogen sulfide]. The system allows us to make informed decisions that enhance the safety, quality, and efficiency of the process for the benefit of the community.”The project was a collaborative effort among Universidad del Rosario students, a team of engineering students from Escuela Tecnológica Instituto Técnico Central, Professor Carlos Felipe Vergara, and members of Junta de Acción Comunal (Vereda La Granja), which aims to help residents improve their community.“It’s been a great experience to see how individuals pursuing different fields of study—from engineering to electronics and computer science—can all work and learn together on a project that will have a direct positive impact on a community.” —Vivian Estefanía BeltránBeltrán worked closely with eight undergraduate students and three instructors—Maria Fernanda Gómez, Andrés Pérez Gordillo (the instrumentation group leader), and Carlos Felipe Vergara-Ramirez—as well as IEEE Graduate Student Member Nicolás Castiblanco (the instrumentation group coordinator).The team constructed and installed their anaerobic digester system in an experimental station in La Vega, a town located roughly 53 kilometers northwest of Bogotá. “This digester is an important innovation for the residents of La Vega, as it will hopefully offer a productive way to utilize the residual biomass they produce to improve quality of life and boost the economy,” Beltrán says. Soon, she adds, the system will be expanded to incorporate high-tech sensors that automatically monitor biogas production and the digestion process.“For our students and team members, it’s been a great experience to see how individuals pursuing different fields of study—from engineering to electronics and computer science—can all work and learn together on a project that will have a direct positive impact on a community. It enables all of us to apply our classroom skills to reality,” she says. “The funding we’ve received from EPICS in IEEE has been crucial to designing, proving, and installing the system.”The project also aims to support the development of a circular economy, which reuses materials to enhance the community’s sustainability and self-sufficiency.Protecting olive groves in TürkiyeTürkiye is one of the world’s leading producers of olives, but the industry has been challenged in recent years by unprecedented floods, droughts, and other destructive forces of nature resulting from climate change. To help farmers in the western part of the country monitor the health of their olive trees, a team of students from Istanbul Technical University developed an early-warning system to identify irregularities including abnormal growth. “Almost no olives were produced last year using traditional methods, due to climate conditions and unusual weather patterns,” says Tayfun Akgül, project leader of the Smart Monitoring of Fruit Trees in Western Türkiye initiative.“Our system will give farmers feedback from each tree so that actions can be taken in advance to improve the yield,” says Akgül, an IEEE senior member and a professor in the university’s electronics and communication engineering department.“We’re developing deep-learning techniques to detect changes in olive trees and their fruit so that farmers and landowners can take all necessary measures to avoid a low or damaged harvest,” says project coordinator Melike Girgin, a Ph.D. student at the university and an IEEE graduate student member. Using drones outfitted with 360-degree optical and thermal cameras, the team collects optical, thermal, and hyperspectral imaging data through aerial methods. The information is fed into a cloud-based, open-source database system.Akgül leads the project and teaches the team skills including signal and image processing and data collection. He says regular communication with community-based stakeholders has been critical to the project’s success. “There are several farmers in the village who have helped us direct our drone activities to the right locations,” he says. “Their involvement in the project has been instrumental in helping us refine our process for greater effectiveness. “For students, classroom instruction is straightforward, then they take an exam at the end. But through our EPICS project, students are continuously interacting with farmers in a hands-on, practical way and can see the results of their efforts in real time.”Looking ahead, the team is excited about expanding the project to encompass other fruits besides olives. The team also intends to apply for a travel grant from IEEE in hopes of presenting its work at a conference.“We’re so grateful to EPICS in IEEE for this opportunity,” Girgin says. “Our project and some of the technology we required wouldn’t have been possible without the funding we received.”A purpose-driven partnershipThe IEEE Standards Association sponsored both of the proactive environmental projects.“Technical projects play a crucial role in advancing innovation and ensuring interoperability across various industries,” says Munir Mohammed, IEEE SA senior manager of product development and market engagement. “These projects not only align with our technical standards but also drive technological progress, enhance global collaboration, and ultimately improve the quality of life for communities worldwide.”For more information on the program or to participate in service-learning projects, visit EPICS in IEEE.On 7 November, this article was updated from an earlier version. Full Article Climate tech Epics in ieee Ieee member news Stem Students Type:ti
al Comment on Preventing Hair Loss: How Diwali Commitments Disrupt Women’s Hair Care Routine by Emlakçılık Belgesi By www.thehealthsite.com Published On :: Fri, 01 Nov 2024 07:17:59 +0000 https://maps.google.co.in/url?q=https://yukselenakademi.com/kurs/detay/emlakcilik-belgesi-seviye-5 Full Article
al Comment on Diwali Gift Ideas: Feasts For Everyone On Your Checklist by Emlakçılık Belgesi By www.thehealthsite.com Published On :: Fri, 01 Nov 2024 07:23:46 +0000 https://images.google.co.uk/url?q=https://yukselenakademi.com/kurs/detay/emlakcilik-belgesi-seviye-5 Full Article
al Comment on Are You Breathing More Than Just Festive Cheer This Diwali? Beware Of The Air Pollution by Emlakçılık Belgesi By www.thehealthsite.com Published On :: Fri, 01 Nov 2024 07:24:16 +0000 https://maps.google.co.uk/url?q=https://yukselenakademi.com/kurs/detay/emlakcilik-belgesi-seviye-5 Full Article
al Comment on Are You Breathing More Than Just Festive Cheer This Diwali? Beware Of The Air Pollution by Samsun Perdeci By www.thehealthsite.com Published On :: Fri, 01 Nov 2024 07:35:46 +0000 Bütün ihtiyaçlara en iyi şekilde karşılık veren Samsun perde modelleri bütçe dostu fiyatlarla sunulmaktadır. Fon perde, tül perde, stor perde, güneşlik ve plise SAMSUN Ucuz Perde Modelleri ve Fiyatları. Siz hemen şimdi maviperde.com'dan güvenle alışveriş yapın, biz SAMSUN'un her yerine ucuz perde modellerini imalattan Samsun Perde Mağazaları ve PERDES Brillant Şubeleri: İlkadım, Atakum, Bafra, Çarşamba, Canik, Vezirköprü, Terme, Tekkeköy, Havza, 19 Mayıs, Alaçam perdeci, Samsun bölgesi zebra perdeci, zebra perdeci, perdeciler Samsun, perdeci adres Samsun, perde servisi. Samsun zebra perde montajı montajcısı. https://asrtekstil.com/ Full Article
al Comment on Keep Your Heart Safe This Chhath Puja: Expert Fasting Tips For A Healthy Celebration by Blue Techker By www.thehealthsite.com Published On :: Thu, 07 Nov 2024 23:49:34 +0000 <a href="https://bluetechker.com/" rel="nofollow ugc">Blue Techker</a> naturally like your web site however you need to take a look at the spelling on several of your posts. A number of them are rife with spelling problems and I find it very bothersome to tell the truth on the other hand I will surely come again again. Full Article
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al Comment on Unmasking Confidence: 5 Reasons Why Skin Health Can Impact Your Emotional And Mental Health by eco flow By www.thehealthsite.com Published On :: Sun, 10 Nov 2024 12:28:47 +0000 helloI really like your writing so a lot share we keep up a correspondence extra approximately your post on AOL I need an expert in this house to unravel my problem May be that is you Taking a look ahead to see you Full Article
al Consumers won’t be offered all three years of extended Windows 10 security updates By arstechnica.com Published On :: Thu, 31 Oct 2024 16:44:25 +0000 Home users can opt in for a single year of updates at $30 per PC—not 3 years. Full Article Tech microsoft windows 10
al Pixel phones are getting an actual weather app in 2024, with a bit of AI By arstechnica.com Published On :: Thu, 31 Oct 2024 17:27:42 +0000 Pixel 6 and newer can try out an app that has AI summaries, but no frog. Full Article Google Tech android google pixel Weather weather app
al Microsoft delays rollout of the Windows 11 Recall feature yet again By arstechnica.com Published On :: Fri, 01 Nov 2024 14:31:18 +0000 Microsoft works to make Recall "secure and trusted" after security complaints. Full Article Tech microsoft windows 11 windows 11 24h2 windows recall
al Charger recall spells more bad news for Humane’s maligned AI Pin By arstechnica.com Published On :: Fri, 01 Nov 2024 17:33:44 +0000 Humane first reported overheating problems with the portable charger in June. Full Article AI Tech recall wearables
al Allies providing Sudan's warring parties with weapons are 'enabling the slaughter,' UN official says By www.yahoo.com Published On :: 2024-11-13T04:30:29Z Full Article
al Voting underway in Somalia's breakaway region of Somaliland By www.yahoo.com Published On :: 2024-11-13T06:18:14Z Full Article
al How Did Two Bowhead Whales That Were 60 Miles Apart Sync Their Diving? By www.smithsonianmag.com Published On :: Wed, 02 Oct 2024 12:00:00 +0000 Researchers suspect the marine mammals may have been communicating across the vast distance Full Article