Category: Technology

EnergyManufacturingTechnology

Ascent Solar Ships Flexible CIGS Panels for Extreme Environment Testing in Ocean and Space Applications

Ascent Solar Technologies has delivered its flexible CIGS thin-film photovoltaic technology to an autonomous underwater vehicle developer and a space power beaming company. The testing aims to validate the technology’s performance in extreme pressure and space environments, potentially enabling persistent ocean monitoring and satellite power transmission.

Thin-Film Solar Technology Enters Extreme Environment Testing

Ascent Solar Technologies Inc has delivered test samples of its lightweight, flexible copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) thin-film photovoltaic modules to two companies operating in extreme environments, according to company reports. The Thornton, Colorado-based manufacturer reportedly shipped its specialized solar technology to an ocean monitoring technology firm and a space power lasing company for rigorous testing in challenging operational conditions.

by Megan Carter
AIHardwareTechnology

Alibaba Launches AI Chat Assistant and Smart Glasses in Major AI Push

Alibaba has unveiled its Quark AI Chat Assistant and announced pricing for AI-powered smart glasses. The tech giant continues its aggressive AI investment strategy with new consumer-facing products integrating its latest Qwen models.

Alibaba Expands AI Ecosystem with New Chat Assistant and Smart Glasses

Alibaba has launched significant new artificial intelligence products through its Quark application, according to recent reports. The Chinese tech giant unveiled the Quark AI Chat Assistant and announced pricing for its first AI-powered smart glasses, marking another step in the company’s substantial AI investment strategy.

by Megan Carter
HardwareSemiconductorsTechnology

AMD Zen 5 Desktop APUs Near Launch as New BIOS Support Emerges

Fresh BIOS updates containing support for AMD’s Krackan Point Zen 5 desktop APUs have surfaced, indicating the long-awaited processors are entering testing phases. The AGESA 1.2.7.0 firmware includes new microcode specifically for these accelerated processing units. Industry observers suggest this development points toward a late 2025 launch window for AMD’s next-generation desktop APUs.

BIOS Update Reveals Impending Zen 5 APU Launch

The appearance of AGESA ComboAM5PI 1.2.7.0 firmware with specialized microcode suggests AMD’s Zen 5-based desktop APUs are progressing toward market release, according to industry reports. Sources indicate this BIOS update contains CPU microcode 00B60Fxx and SMU version 101.55.0, both specifically tied to AMD’s Krackan Point architecture currently powering the Ryzen AI 300 mobile series.

by Megan Carter
BusinessStartupsTechnology

Microsoft Reportedly Sets Aggressive 30% Profit Target for Xbox Division, Exceeding Industry Norms

According to reports, Microsoft has implemented an ambitious 30% profit margin goal for its Xbox gaming division, a figure that sources indicate far exceeds the industry standard. This directive, reportedly set by Microsoft’s CFO, has allegedly influenced decisions to cancel projects and shift resources, raising questions about the division’s strategic direction.

Ambitious Financial Targets

Microsoft has reportedly set a challenging profit margin goal for its Xbox gaming division, a target that sources indicate is significantly higher than the industry average. According to a Bloomberg report, the tech giant implemented an “across-the-board goal” of 30 percent profit margins in 2023. The report states that Microsoft refers to these internally as “accountability margins.”

by Tyler Brooks P.E
InnovationScienceTechnology

Google’s Quantum Breakthrough: Willow Chip Shows 13,000-Fold Speed Leap in Practical Applications

Google Quantum AI has reportedly achieved a verifiable quantum advantage with its Willow processor, executing an algorithm 13,000 times faster than classical supercomputers. This breakthrough marks the first practical application of quantum computing for real-world enterprise challenges in chemistry and materials science.

Quantum Milestone Reached with Real-World Applications

Google Quantum AI has demonstrated what sources indicate is a verifiable quantum advantage, with its Willow processor running algorithms that reportedly outperform classical supercomputers by a factor of 13,000. According to reports, this represents the first time a quantum computer has executed a verifiable algorithm with practical applications, potentially accelerating enterprise workloads in computational chemistry, molecular modeling, and materials engineering that are currently constrained by classical computing limitations.

by Megan Carter
EngineeringScienceTechnology

Advanced AI and 3D Imaging Unlock Secrets of Rock Fractures for Geological and Engineering Applications

Scientists are leveraging 3D X-ray tomography and a U-Net AI model to automatically characterize rock fractures and their infillings. The approach, validated with mineralogical techniques, provides critical data on fluid pathways and rock mass stability. This methodology promises advancements in fields ranging from geology to civil engineering.

Breakthrough in Rock Fracture Analysis

Geoscientists and engineers are gaining unprecedented insights into the internal structure of rock masses, thanks to an automated approach combining 3D X-ray computed tomography (CT) with artificial intelligence. According to a report published in Scientific Reports, this methodology enables the precise determination of fracture aperture (FA) in open joints and the infilling thickness (IT) in mineral-sealed discontinuities. The ability to accurately characterize these features is crucial, analysts suggest, as the presence or absence of filling material strongly influences both the hydraulic conductivity and the mechanical behavior of rock formations, with implications for resource extraction, tunneling, and slope stability assessments.

by Tyler Brooks P.E
EngineeringScienceTechnology

Scientists Engineer Gallium Oxide Crystal Properties Through Dual Alloying Technique

Breakthrough research demonstrates how simultaneous aluminum and indium alloying can stabilize and tune the properties of monoclinic gallium oxide. The study reveals unprecedented control over crystal structure parameters and bandgap engineering in this important semiconductor material.

Novel Approach to Semiconductor Engineering

Researchers have developed a sophisticated method for tuning the crystal structure and electronic properties of monoclinic gallium oxide (β-Ga2O3) through simultaneous alloying with aluminum and indium oxides, according to recent scientific reports. The study, published in Scientific Reports, demonstrates how this dual-substitution approach enables unprecedented control over material properties in the Ga2O3-Al2O3-In2O3 pseudoternary system.

by Tyler Brooks P.E
InnovationScienceTechnology

Scientists Develop Optimized Peptide Decoy with Broad Coronavirus Therapeutic Potential

A rationally designed 23-residue peptide mimicking human ACE2 demonstrates significant antiviral activity against multiple SARS-CoV-2 strains. The optimized helical peptide shows promise as a therapeutic platform against coronaviruses using ACE2 for cellular entry.

Breakthrough in Coronavirus Therapeutics

Scientists have developed an optimized peptide decoy that effectively mimics the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein’s natural binding partner, ACE2, according to recent research published in Scientific Reports. The 23-residue helical peptide demonstrated a Therapeutic Index exceeding approximately 20 in authentic viral cell challenge assays, including against both wild-type and Omicron variants, sources indicate.

by Megan Carter
BusinessManufacturingTechnology

Corporate America’s $1 Trillion Investment Dilemma Amid Policy Uncertainty

American corporations are grappling with a massive capital expenditure decision as policy uncertainty creates divergent investment patterns. While big tech surges ahead with spending, traditional sectors are cutting back significantly, according to financial analysis.

Corporate Profits Defy Expectations

American big business continues to demonstrate remarkable financial strength, with analysts suggesting that net profits have grown for the ninth consecutive quarter. According to reports, the S&P 500 index has risen by 14% this year, creating nearly $8 trillion in shareholder value. Sources indicate that short-sellers who had bet against corporate performance amid policy concerns have found themselves on the losing side of these trades.

by Megan Carter
BusinessStartupsTechnology

Quantum Computing Stocks Surge on Government Interest, Earnings Drive Premarket Moves

Quantum computing stocks surged Thursday following reports of potential U.S. government investment in the sector. Meanwhile, mixed earnings results created wide divergences among major companies in premarket trading.

Quantum Computing Sector Gains on Government Interest

Quantum computing stocks experienced significant premarket gains Thursday following reports that the U.S. government is considering equity investments in several quantum computing firms, according to Wall Street Journal coverage. IonQ and Quantum Computing shares reportedly rose nearly 9%, while Rigetti Computing gained approximately 8% as investors reacted to the potential government backing in this emerging technology sector.

by Tyler Brooks P.E