Alphawave Semi has been awarded a research grant from the UK’s Advanced Research + Invention Agency (ARIA), to remove networking bottlenecks that are limiting AI’s growth. Data from Meta indicates that AI processors can be idle roughly two-fifths of the time waiting for data from the network, wasting costly resources. ARIA is driving a shift toward…
CHIPS Act monies to be finally distributed in this week’s R&D power index
The R&D World Index (RDWI) for the week ending February 2, 2024, closed at 3,450.55 for the 25 companies in the RDWI. The Index was up 3.03% (or 101.59 basis points). Twelve RDWI members gained value last week from 1.00% (Oracle) to 20.51% (Meta Platforms). Thirteen RDWI members lost value last week from -0.87% (IBM)…
ZFP: Fast, Accurate Data Compression for Modern Supercomputing Applications is today’s R&D 100 of the day
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s ZFP is a new compressed number format for floating-point and integer arrays intended to reduce in-memory and offline storage and transfer time of large data sets that arise in high-performance computing (HPC). ZFP effectively expands available CPU and GPU memory by as much as 10 times; reduces offline storage by one…
Bio-inspired Silicone Sealant for Wet Surface Adhesion is the R&D 100 winner of the day
Inspired by mussels adhering to wet rocks, Nano and Advanced Materials Institute (NAMI) has invented a catechol-grafted silicone sealant with excellent bonds on hard-to-attach surfaces. The unique catechol groups in the silicone sealant system designed by NAMI can repel water molecules and form strong chemical covalent and physical electrostatic bonds on wet surfaces. In particular,…
Slow economic growth forecast in 2024, in this week’s R&D Power Index
The R&D World Index (RDWI) for the week ending January 26, 2024, closed at 3,348.96 for the 25 companies in the RDWI. The Index was up 1.56% (or 51.40 basis points). Fifteen RDWI members gained value last week from 0.40% (Honda) to 9.30% (IBM). Ten RDWI members lost value the previous week from -0.22% (AbbVie)…
Incheon National University researchers enhance the safety of lithium batteries
From Incheon National University: Lithium-ion batteries face safety concerns due to internal separator issues that often lead to short circuits. Scientists have now developed a method to improve the stability and properties of separators with a layer of silicon dioxide and other functional molecules. Batteries employing these separators demonstrated improved performance and reduced growth of…
Shimadzu’s new mass spectrometer series provides eco-friendly elemental analysis
Shimadzu Scientific Instruments introduces the ICPMS-2040/2050 series of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometers that feature a proprietary advanced mini-torch system, a redesigned collision/reaction cell, and a high-performance quadrupole mass filter with enhanced resolution. The ICPMS-2040/2050 series is ideal for analyzing the concentration of inorganic elements in solution samples in environmental, pharmaceutical, clinical, food, chemical, and…
TSMC delaying U.S. chip plant startups, in this week’s R&D Power Index
The R&D World Index (RDWI) for the week ending January 19, 2024, closed at 3,297.56 for the 25 companies in the RDWI. The Index was up 0.70% (or 22.95 basis points). Fourteen RDWI members gained value last week from 0.22% (Merck & Co.) to 3.43% (IBM). Eleven RDWI members lost value last week from 0.40%…
New NPL neutron facility boosts UK’s nuclear energy, defense, and fusion research capabilities
The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) has announced a new neutron measurement facility that will play a critical role in the safe and secure operation and continued development of the U.K.’s nuclear energy, defense, and fusion research sectors. The facility consists of a new particle accelerator and is one of only a few known facilities worldwide…
Brabender becomes part of Anton Paar, maker of laboratory instruments
Anton Paar, a maker of laboratory and process measurement technology, announces a new chapter in the company’s journey. At the beginning of 2024, Anton Paar took over the global sales and service network of Brabender, a company it acquired in August 2023. Anton Paar’s 37 global sales and service centers adds value for customers. These…
Forecast 2024: Pharma industry grapples with regulatory hurdles and AI opportunities
Heading into 2024, the pharma industry finds itself in uncharted waters. On the one hand, the sector’s commitment to R&D investment and innovation output is likely to remain strong, with tools based on AI, automation, and real-world data promising more streamlined drug candidate optimization. Additionally, the pharma sector is typically resilient in economic downturns. Financial…
Quantinuum provides RIKEN large-scale hybrid quantum–supercomputing platform
Quantinuum, the world’s largest integrated quantum computing company, and RIKEN, Japan’s largest comprehensive research institution and home to high-performance computing (HPC) center, have announced an agreement in which Quantinuum will provide RIKEN access to its highest-performing H1-Series ion-trap quantum computing technology. Under the agreement, Quantinuum will install the hardware at RIKEN’s campus in Wako, Saitama. The deployment…
Shimadzu’s new next-generation GCMS provides sensitivity, stability, and speed
Shimadzu Scientific Instruments introduces its next-generation gas chromatograph mass spectrometer — the GCMS-QP2050. Powered by advanced automated technology in a compact footprint, the GCMS-QP2050 features exceptional reliability, sensitivity, stability, and speed in an easy-to-use system. It can be partnered with Shimadzu’s high-end Nexis GC-2030 or compact Brevis GC-2050 to meet customers’ performance and space requirements.…
Gravity-free brassiere using bio-inspired shock-absorbing materials is the R&D 100 winner of the day
Developer: Nano and Advanced Materials Institute ( Co-Developer: Super Rich Moulders Limited Four K Knitters Limited NAMI has developed an innovative material that emulates spider silk, offering both flexibility for comfort and resistance to movement. The material features soft and hard segments, with the soft part providing elasticity and the hard portion delivering energy-absorbing capabilities.…
Overcoming the machine learning paradox: How the Allen Institute is scaling its computational research
Despite the buzz surrounding AI in the past decade, its implementation within scientific research organizations isn’t as pervasive as one might think. One of the reasons for this is that research organizations often face a staffing dilemma when it comes to managing large-scale computational research and computational analysis. Historically, most research organizations have employed scientists…
PMOs: Changing the center of gravity in project management
In March of last year, the Project Management Institute (PMI) released its annual “Pulse of the Profession” report. Considered the world’s leading authority on project management, its 2021 report, “Beyond Agility,” documented that amid a global pandemic, a diverse range of companies around the world achieved successful project outcomes, comparable to or better than previous…
“Faster, please”: Key challenges in chemicals and materials R&D
The chemical and materials industry contributes roughly $5.7 trillion to global GDP and supports an estimated 120 million jobs according to a recent report published by the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA). To meet the massive demand, chemicals and materials R&D teams face many challenges including the need to move quickly. These teams need…
Pusan National University researchers boost signal amplification in perovskite nanosheets
Perovskite nanosheets show distinctive characteristics with significant applications in science and technology. In a recent study, researchers from Korea and the U.K. achieved enhanced signal amplification in CsPbBr3 perovskite nanosheets with a unique waveguide pattern, which enhanced both gain and thermal stability. These advancements carry wide-ranging implications for laser, sensor, and solar cell applications and…
Rydberg Technologies demonstrates first long-range atomic RF communication with quantum sensor at US Army event
Rydberg Technologies Inc., a maker of Rydberg quantum technologies and a pioneer in radio frequency (RF) quantum sensing, has announced its low-size weight and power (SWaP) atomic receiver and the successful demonstration of the world’s first long-range radio communications with an atomic quantum sensor at the recent U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) C5ISR…
Qnovo’s SpectralX: Intelligent lithium-ion battery management software, R&D 100 winner of the day
Qnovo Inc.’s SpectralX makes it possible to deploy electric vehicles quickly and safely for both passenger and commercial use in developed and developing markets. Once deployed, cars, trucks, and buses can be driven for longer distances and kept on the road for more extended periods of time thanks to fast-charging and extended-life batteries. Also, by…
CEA-Leti develops new gallium nitride/silicon process technology
CEA-Leti has developed a 200 mm gallium nitride/silicon (GaN/Si) process technology compatible with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) cleanrooms that preserves the high performance of the semiconductor material and costs less than existing GaN/SiC technology. In one of nine presentations at IEDM 2023, the institute said that current GaN high-electron-mobility-transistor (HEMT) technologies used in telecom or radar…
Nokia unveils plans for new state-of-the-art R&D facility in New Jersey tech hub
Nokia has announced plans to relocate its campus in Murray Hill, New Jersey, by 2028 to a new state-of-the-art R&D facility in the burgeoning innovation and technology hub in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The new leading-edge R&D facility will propel Nokia Bell Labs to adapt and evolve to remain at the forefront of cutting-edge technology…
Thermo Fisher Scientific sets 2030 renewable goal with solar developer ib vogt
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has announced a 15-year virtual power purchasing agreement (VPPA) with international solar developer ib vogt. Thermo Fisher’s 91-megawatt portion of the Serbal solar project will deliver approximately 192,000 megawatt hours of renewable electricity annually. Eurofins Scientific, a bioanalytical testing company, collaborated in the aggregated deal for a 36-megawatt portion of the…
AI becoming embedded in R&D, in this week’s R&D Power Index
The R&D World Index (RDWI) for the week ending December 1, 2023, closed at 3,080.37 for the 25 companies in the RDWI. The Index was down -0.51% (or -15.68 basis points). Fourteen RDWI members gained value last week from 0.23% (Cisco) to 14.83% (General Motors) Eleven RDWI members lost value last week from -0.01% (Novartis)…
Brain-computer interface gives patient with ALS control of home devices
Researchers say they observed the successful translation of brain signals into computer commands with a brain-computer interface (BCI) implant. A team at Johns Hopkins surgically implanted the BCI on the brain of an ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) patient. They published their results, which showed the accurate translation of computer commands from brain activity, in Advanced Science.…