Author: Tyler Brooks P.E

Tyler Brooks P.E. brings a distinctive engineering perspective to technology journalism, blending rigorous technical analysis with practical industry insights honed through years of hands-on system integration work. His expertise spans industrial computing ecosystems, automation architectures, and the convergence of IoT with legacy industrial systems, offering readers a unique vantage point on how emerging technologies transform physical operations. Drawing from field experience across multiple sectors, he specializes in demystifying complex technological shifts while maintaining professional engineering standards in his technical assessments.
BusinessSoftwareTechnology

UK Regulator Grants Apple and Google Strategic Market Status for Mobile Ecosystems

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority has officially designated both Apple and Google with strategic market status for their mobile platforms. This landmark decision gives regulators extensive powers to oversee how the tech giants operate their app stores and mobile ecosystems.

Regulatory Designation and Oversight Powers

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has officially designated both Apple and Google with “strategic market status” (SMS) for their mobile platforms, according to reports from the regulatory body. This new legal classification under the UK’s Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 grants the watchdog far-reaching authority to regulate how the technology companies operate their mobile ecosystems and app stores.

by Tyler Brooks P.E
AIScienceTechnology

Wearable Brain Scanners Reveal Social Media’s Immediate Cognitive Toll on Students

A groundbreaking study using wearable brain scanners has documented how brief social media exposure immediately alters prefrontal cortex activation patterns in college students. Researchers found significant declines in executive function tasks following social media use, with neural changes suggesting increased cognitive effort and reduced inhibitory control. The findings provide the first real-time evidence of social media’s direct impact on brain function during naturalistic use.

Immediate Cognitive Changes Detected

Researchers using wearable functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) systems have documented measurable changes in brain activity and executive function following brief social media exposure, according to a new study published in Scientific Reports. The research represents one of the first attempts to monitor brain activity in naturalistic settings while participants engaged with social media platforms.

by Tyler Brooks P.E
AIInnovationScience

Cortical Layering Holds Key to Perceptual Switching Mysteries, Study Reveals

Scientists have identified how the brain’s layered architecture explains why we switch between interpretations of ambiguous stimuli. The findings reveal two specific mechanisms within cortical layers that maintain perceptual flexibility under increased stimulation.

Breakthrough in Understanding Perceptual Switching

Researchers have uncovered how the brain’s layered cortical structure enables the phenomenon where our perception spontaneously flips between different interpretations of the same stimulus, according to a new study published in Scientific Reports. This breakthrough addresses a long-standing puzzle in neuroscience about why perceptual switching increases when stimulus intensity grows, contrary to what traditional models predicted.

by Tyler Brooks P.E
BusinessInnovationManufacturing

Canadian Firm MST Rebar to Launch $15.5M Fiberglass Manufacturing Plant in North Carolina, Creating 83 Jobs

A Toronto-based company is set to revolutionize construction materials in the U.S. with a new North Carolina plant. MST Rebar’s fiberglass composite rebar promises superior strength and sustainability while boosting local employment.

Major Investment in North Carolina Manufacturing

A Canadian composite materials company is making a significant move into the United States market, according to recent reports. MST Rebar, headquartered in Toronto, will invest more than $15.5 million to establish its first U.S. fiberglass rebar manufacturing facility in Bladenboro, North Carolina. Sources indicate this strategic expansion will create 83 new jobs in Bladen County, representing a substantial economic development for the region.

by Tyler Brooks P.E