as well as the defense industrial base, called the Joint University Microelectronics Program 2.0 or JUMP 2.0. The program will support high-risk, high-payoff research that addresses existing and emerging challenges in information and communication technologies (ICT). JUMP 2.0 builds on the agency’s history of supporting long-term, pathfinding university research through public-private partnerships that drive disruption in #microelectronics. https://www.darpa.mil/news-events/2021-12-22
Tesla uses LFP battery cells in models across the globe, and just recently started using them in the US, though there’s no LFP cell production on our shores.
Japan and U.S have agreed to Tokyo’s contribution for hosting U.S. military forces to 9.2 Billion dollars over the five-year period from fiscal 2022, which starts in April, government sources said.
Roughly 5% increase in so-called host nation support came in response to calls from the administration of U.S president Joe Biden for the Japanese government to foot more of the cost, given the need for U.S. forces to deal with China.
The two sides have agreed to reduce Tokyo’s financial contribution for utility costs, with the increased amount to be allocated to funding expenses such as maintenance of facilities used by both Japan’s self-Defence Forces and the U.S. military as well as their joint exercise.
Quantum effects in superconductors could give semiconductor technology a new twist. Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI and Cornell University in New York State have identified a composite material that could integrate quantum devices into semiconductor technology, making electronic components significantly more powerful. They publish their findings today in the journal Science Advances.
Our current electronic infrastructure is based primarily on semiconductors. This class of materials emerged around the middle of the 20th century and has been improving ever since. Currently, the most important challenges in semiconductor electronics include further improvements that would increase the bandwidth of data transmission, energy efficiency and information security. Exploiting quantum effects is likely to be a breakthrough.
Quantum effects that can occur in superconducting materials are particularly worthy of consideration. Superconductors are materials in which the electrical resistance disappears when they are cooled below a certain temperature. The fact that quantum effects in superconductors can be utilized has already been demonstrated in first quantum computers.
It overcame three significant challenges.
A team of researchers from the University of Technology Sydney’s Faculty of Engineering and IT has created a biosensor that clings to the skin of the face and head to detect electrical signals transmitted by the brain. Then, these signals are translated into commands to control autonomous robotic systems.
The novel biosensor has overcome three major challenges of graphene-based biosensing: corrosion, durability, and skin contact re… See more.
And kick off a new cosmic economy.
NASA’s probe knows where it’s going, but it has no idea what it’s going to find.
That’s the crux of the challenge for Psyche, a spacecraft slated to blast off in 2022. Its target? An asteroid of the same name. Called “16 Psyche,” it’s one of the 1.1 million to 1.9 million large asteroids we know are in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. But information about 16 Psyche is scant. Scientists know it’s shaped like a potato, and the light that reflects off its surface suggests the asteroid is “unusually rich in metal,” according to a recent press release from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
That makes it an attractive scientific target because it could be a relic of our solar system’s earliest days. The uncertainty is a huge challenge for the mission. Without much information about its density, mass, or spin, the mission team is depending on data from Psyche to plan its encounter with the asteroid.
And it can stay submerged for a very long time.
The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded Phase 2 contracts for its unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) program called Manta-Ray, the agency said in a press release.
When it comes to drones, usually aerial vehicles come to our minds. We have covered aerial drones of all sizes, shapes, those that can be recovered, those that are dispensable, and much more. The risk to a soldier’s life in naval operations is no different and therefore, in 2020, DARPA began its Manta-Ray Program.
As DARPA states in the press release, the aim of the program is to develop underwater vehicles that can operate without the need for human intervention, even for purposes of logistical support or maintenance. The UUVs are meant to stay underwater for extended periods of time and therefore also need to have extremely high endurance.
A multipurpose electric truck with a 400-mile range.
Wolfgang, a creative agency based in Los Angeles, California has recently unveiled the Thundertruck, an electric off-roader concept with dashing, futuristic features including bat wing-shaped solar panels.
The company says that the multipurpose EV offers superior on and off-road performance and an entirely new level of versatility and functionality without zero emissions.
The team behind Thundertuck figured that since there aren’t charging stations out in the desert, a solar roof to power the vehicle would come in handy. Since the sun is an endless power source, the bat wing-shaped collapsible solar awnings provide the vehicle with the necessary battery energy while also doubling as an auxiliary shade for when you’re camping or fishing.
The 800-horsepower Thundertruck EV boasts a 180 kWh battery, a 400-mile range, and an 800 lb-ft of torque. What’s more, it can go from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds. The truck comes in two models, 4×4 and 6×6. The company website states that “Our state-of-the-art TT Range Extender easily converts the Thundertruck into a 6WD monster that quietly delivers unparalleled power and performance.”
As the holidays approach, gifts are being bought, and plans are being made with family and friends. These typical holiday activities are contributing to the growth of e-commerce — which has already been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Food now represents an important part of the e-commerce landscape. Chances are if you are planning to see some friends and family, you may already be thinking about where to eat, what to eat, and how best to plan it all. The good news is that there are many more options today than there were even 5 years ago.
Food delivery — from restaurant food to groceries to well-designed ingredient bundles that remove the hassle of meal planning are all available with ‘one click’. Due to COVID and the various restrictions, concern for public health, and even lockdowns millions of people have taken the leap and ordered food online for the first time.
Coming from a mobility perspective, it is interesting to note what is happening in the food industry because at the end of the day it will require new innovations and solutions to deliver the food to people’s doors. And even better will be when those mobility solutions are more sustainable and efficient than what is being used today. With the boom in this sector, it isn’t just about switching from internal combustion engines to zero-emission, but also pushing for new form factors that can further increase efficiency (lowering the cost and energy demand).
Two decades after ‘The Matrix,’ technologies have emerged that make us question what is real—in ways stranger, if less sinister, than the movie imagined.
