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Apr 27, 2021

Toyota develops high-efficiency ‘free piston’ no-crankshaft combustion engine… to power an EV

Posted by in category: futurism

Circa 2014 o.o!


A new design for a piston-free linear engine generator has just been released by Toyota. With remarkable efficiency, the device might be scaled up to compete with electric power plants used in cars today.

Continue reading “Toyota develops high-efficiency ‘free piston’ no-crankshaft combustion engine… to power an EV” »

Apr 27, 2021

Deepfake satellite imagery poses a not-so-distant threat, warn geographers

Posted by in categories: military, robotics/AI, satellites

Deepfakes from above.


Deepfakes are usually associated with imagery of AI-generated people, but what about fake satellite imagery? Geographers say such deepfakes could be used to spread misinformation and even mislead the military.

Apr 27, 2021

Intel’s Mexico unit sees ‘light at end of tunnel’ in chip shortages

Posted by in categories: computing, transportation

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) — A global semiconductor chip shortage, which has hurt Mexico’s auto industry, could improve but still not be fully resolved by the end of the year, said the head of Intel Corp’s Mexico unit, Santiago Cardona.

Intel in late March said it will greatly expand its advanced chip manufacturing capacity with plans to spend as much as $20 billion to build two factories in Arizona and open its factories to outside customers.

Apr 27, 2021

DoD wants new ideas for real-time spectrum sharing

Posted by in category: robotics/AI

WASHINGTON — The Department of Defense wants to see a prototype that can ensure spectrum is available whenever it’s needed for aerial combat training, according to an April 26 request from the National Spectrum Consortium.

The effort, focused specifically on the Operational Spectrum Comprehension, Analytics, and Response (OSCAR) project, is part of a larger portfolio included in the DoD’s office of research and engineering’s Spectrum Access Research & Development Program. That program hope to develop near real time spectrum management technologies that leverage machine learning and artificial intelligence to more efficiently and dynamically allocate spectrum assignments based on operational planning or on operational outcomes, a release said.

“I think of this set of projects as a toolset that’s really the beginning of starting to move toward pushing those fundamental technologies into more direct operational application,” Maren Leed, executive director of the National Spectrum Consortium, told C4ISRNET. It’s “starting to bridge from just sharing with commercial into capabilities that are going to enable warfighting much more directly.”

Apr 27, 2021

High-Altitude Clouds Likely Enabled Early Lakes And Rivers On Mars

Posted by in categories: climatology, space

New Mars climate simulations point to ancient warming facilitated by high, cirrus-like clouds of water ice.

Apr 27, 2021

New groundbreaking implant designed to correct presbyopia

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, computing

A team from the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), the Universitat de València (UV) and the Aiken Ophthalmic Clinic (through its Research Foundation) have designed and assessed in their laboratories a new groundbreaking implant, the only one in its kind, to correct presbyopia. As a result of the work of five years of research, they have created the first trifocal corneal inlay that is also fully transparent. Such an inlay would allow good eyesight to presbyopic people of objects located at several distances: far, intermediate (computer, mobile devices) and near. Their work has been published in Nature group’s Scientific Reports journal.

This inlay could be an alternative for those suffering from presbyopia who would rather not use glasses or contact lenses. Furthermore, it would be fully compatible with laser refractive surgery in myopic and hyperopic patients, as well as possible subsequent cataract interventions. We are suggesting something totally new that is also not incompatible with any other ocular therapy.

Apr 27, 2021

FDA lifts clinical hold on uniQure’s gene therapy amid cancer concerns; shares jump

Posted by in category: biotech/medical

After four months of hand-wringing and a deep investigation into how a patient was diagnosed with cancer after getting uniQure’s hemophilia gene therapy, the FDA is allowing the trial to continue.

In December, the FDA put uniQure’s hemophilia B gene therapy on clinical hold in response to a case of hepatocellular carcinoma (a form of liver cancer) in a patient in the pivotal trial of etranacogene dezaparvovec.

UniQure and partner CSL Behring had already completed dosing in the affected studies, but the safety concern threatened the chances of the therapy in an indication targeted by Pfizer and Spark Therapeutics’ fidanacogene elaparvovec.

Apr 27, 2021

Saudi Arabia’s Shift To Renewables Could Save It $200 Billion

Posted by in categories: economics, energy, finance

Saudi Arabia could save some $200 billion over the next ten years by switching from crude oil to natural gas and renewables for electricity production, Reuters reports, citing the Kingdom’s Finance Minister.

“Instead of buying fuel from the international markets at $60 and then selling it at $6 for Saudi utilities, or using some of our quota in OPEC to sell at $6, we’re going to actually displace at least 1 million barrels a day of oil equivalent in the next 10 years and replace it with gas and renewables,” Mohammed al-Jadaan said.

OPEC’s largest oil producer and world’s largest exporter of crude is on a desperate quest to reduce its dependence on oil revenues by diversifying its economy away from the flagship export stock. Earlier this year, Crown Prince Mohammed, who appears to be the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, announced yet another investment program with a view to this diversification that he said would “unlock new local investments valued at SAR 5 Trillion through the end of 2030.”

Apr 27, 2021

Weed-killing robot is 20 times faster than humans

Posted by in categories: food, robotics/AI

The Autonomous Weeder, developed by Carbon Robotics, uses a combination of artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and laser technology to safely and effectively drive through crop fields – identifying, targeting and eliminating weeds.

Unlike other weeding technologies, the robot utilises high-power lasers to eradicate weeds through thermal energy, without disturbing the soil. This could allow farmers to use less herbicides, while reducing labour costs and improving the reliability and predictability of crop yields.

“AI and deep learning technology are creating efficiencies across a variety of industries and we’re excited to apply it to agriculture,” said Paul Mikesell, CEO and founder of Carbon Robotics. “Farmers, and others in the global food supply chain, are innovating now more than ever to keep the world fed. Our goal is to create tools that address their most challenging problems, including weed management and elimination.”

Apr 27, 2021

Energy-saving gas turbines from the 3D printer

Posted by in categories: energy, materials

3D printing has opened up a completely new range of possibilities. One example is the production of novel turbine buckets. However, the 3D printing process often induces internal stress in the components, which can, in the worst case, lead to cracks. Now a research team has succeeded in using neutrons from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) research neutron source for non-destructive detection of this internal stress—a key achievement for the improvement of the production processes.

Gas turbine buckets have to withstand extreme conditions: Under and at high temperatures they are exposed to tremendous centrifugal forces. In order to further maximize energy yields, the buckets have to hold up to temperatures which are actually higher than the melting point of the material. This is made possible using hollow turbine buckets which are air-cooled from the inside.

These turbine buckets can be made using , an additive manufacturing technology: Here, the starter material in powder form is built up layer by layer by selective melting with a laser. Following the example of avian bones, intricate lattice structures inside the hollow turbine buckets provide the part with the necessary stability.