Lifeboat Foundation

Semiconductor devices are small components that manage the movement of electrons in contemporary electronic gadgets. They are essential for powering a wide range of high-tech products, including cell phones, laptops, and vehicle sensors, as well as cutting-edge medical devices. However, the presence of material impurities or variations in temperature can interfere with electron flow, causing instability.

But now, theoretical and experimental physicists from the Würzburg-Dresden Cluster of Excellence ct.qmat—Complexity and Topology in Quantum Matter have developed a semiconductor device from aluminum-gallium-arsenide (AlGaAs). This device’s electron flow, usually susceptible to interference, is safeguarded by a topological quantum phenomenon. This groundbreaking research was recently detailed in the esteemed journal Nature Physics.

“Thanks to the topological skin effect, all of the currents between the different contacts on the quantum semiconductor are unaffected by impurities or other external perturbations. This makes topological devices increasingly appealing for the semiconductor industry. They eliminate the need for the extremely high levels of material purity that currently drive up the costs of electronics manufacturing,” explains Professor Jeroen van den Brink, director of the Institute for Theoretical Solid State Physics at the Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research in Dresden (IFW) and a principal investigator of ct.qmat.

Just like smartphone GPS has harmed our sense of spatial cognition and memory, artificial intelligence may soon impair our ability to make decisions for ourselves — an outcome that would be, one expert warns, “catastrophic.”

In an interview with PsyPost, neuropsychology expert Umberto León Domínguez of the University of Monterrey in Mexico said that his new research shows that AI chatbots may end up not just mimicking our speech patterns, but significantly harming our cognitive functioning in general.

Like many other educators, Domínguez said he’s concerned about how his students are using tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Spurred by those concerns, he told PsyPost, he began to explore ways AI chatbots “could interfere with higher-order executive functions to understand how to also train these skills.”

It’s useful, but it’s also thoroughly Google.

I don’t know how to say this, but sometimes the emotional labor of opening another app on my phone and typing in some text is just too much.

A smarter voice assistant has arrived on Android.

Apple Vision Pro has tremendous opportunity in the enterprise. However, version 1.0 of the visionOS software shipped without mobile device management support. That’s about to change with the upcoming visionOS 1.1 software update. Apple released the first developer beta version of the software today.

Mobile device management, of MDM, is critical for using Apple devices in business environments. For example, my pal Jeff Richardson from iPhone J.D. was unable to access his work email, contacts, and calendar on Apple Vision Pro without MDM support.

Starting in visionOS 1.1, Apple Vision Pro will treat MDM accounts just like on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. This will really unlock using Apple Vision Pro for work for a lot of folks.

A patent from Samsung also suggests the ring will contain a biometric sensor and two narrow screens on the ring’s outside edges to display notifications.

Apple is reportedly looking to use graphene to reduce thermal issues on the iPhone 16 Pro series.

The creation of an artificial intelligence (AI) system that can analyze retinal fundus images to detect chronic kidney disease (CKD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) represents a groundbreaking advancement in medical technology. This AI model, developed using a substantial dataset of retinal images and advanced convolutional neural networks, has demonstrated exceptional accuracy in identifying these conditions. Its capability extends beyond mere detection, as it also shows promise in predicting the progression of these diseases based on retinal imaging and clinical metadata.

A notable innovation of this AI system is its ability to analyze smartphone images. This feature significantly enhances the accessibility of sophisticated diagnostic tools, especially in regions with limited healthcare resources. The AI model paves the way for more widespread and convenient health screenings by enabling ubiquitous smartphone technology for medical imaging. This development is particularly impactful in enhancing healthcare delivery and access, as it brings critical diagnostic capabilities into the hands of more people, even in remote or underserved areas.

The AI’s proficiency in predicting the future development of CKD and T2DM is another aspect of its novelty. This predictive ability is crucial for timely intervention, potentially altering the trajectory of these chronic illnesses. Early detection and management are vital in battling CKD and T2DM, and this AI model’s predictive power could significantly improve patient outcomes.

Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) are miniature devices that integrate mechanical elements, sensors, actuators, and electronics on a single silicon chip. These systems serve diverse applications, such as accelerometers in smartphones, gyroscopes in navigation systems, and pressure sensors in medical devices. MEMS devices can detect and respond to environmental changes, enabling the creation of smart, responsive technologies. Their small size, low power consumption, and ability to perform various functions make MEMS crucial in fields like telecommunications, healthcare, automotive, and consumer electronics. Learn more about this tiny machines with this video!

#science #technology #microscopic #nanotechnology #robotics #engineering

Apple CEO Tim Cook today sent out a memo to employees, thanking them for their work on the Apple Vision Pro headset that was introduced today. In the memo, which was shared by Bloomberg, Cook compared the Vision Pro to the Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, and said that it is joining Apple’s “pantheon of groundbreaking products” that have both “defined Apple” and “redefined technology as we know it.”

Cook visited Apple Store Fifth Avenue in New York for the Vision Pro launch, and he said it was “incredible” to watch people try out the Vision Pro for the first time and see the “impossible become possible.”