FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, an architect of Project 2025’s telecom agenda and President Trump’s pick to lead the agency, delivered a recent blunt message to Europe: adopt Elon Musk’s Starlink or inevitably align with Chinese tech. Accusing EU regulators of “anti-American bias,” Carr’s “time for choosing” ultimatum injects geopolitical tension into transatlantic tech policy. It…
Musk’s Starlink wins new FAA contract
SpaceX’s satellite internet system, Starlink, just scored a major win with the FAA. The mission? Deploy 4,000 terminals over the next 12 to 18 months to upgrade the agency’s IT networks. This rollout—part of the FAA’s “TDM X” program—goes beyond enhancing network capacity. By integrating Starlink’s phased array antennas and laser-linked satellite mesh into remote…
NEC’s AI-powered 5G delivers 6-fold boost to robot connectivity in tests
Japanese multinational NEC has announced a successful demonstration of its near real-time Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (Near-RT RIC) that uses AI to stabilize indoor 5G connectivity. They also showed it works even when managing multiple robots simultaneously. This pilot project, tapping open and virtualized Radio Access Network (vRAN) architectures aligned with O-RAN Alliance…
Nokia and Intuitive Machines to test 4G network on the Moon’s South Pole
When cell phones first became ubiquitous, they allowed people to call from previously inconceivable places — the park, the swimming pool, the car, and everywhere else — but calling on the Moon? That remained firmly in the realm of sci-fi fantasy… until now. Because while you were busy doomscrolling, something truly astronomical was happening. Nokia…
The U.S. leads with 1,300 Wi-Fi 7 patent families, outpacing China’s 786
The race to shape our wireless future just hit a major milestone. According to a new Wi-Fi 7 Patent Landscape Analysis from GreyB, the U.S. holds 1,300 patent families tied to the next-generation technology—outstripping China’s 786. Wi-Fi 7 promises blazing speeds (delivering theoretical maximum speeds of up to 46 Gbps compared to Wi-Fi 6’s maximum…
Terahertz vortex combs offer a new twist on light for faster communications
Researchers from Peking University and the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology have developed a novel method to generate multiple vortex beams of light simultaneously, potentially benefitting terahertz communication devices. The research, published in the journal Light: Advanced Manufacturing, introduces a new approach using metasurfaces to create “orbital angular momentum (OAM) combs” in the…
Explore the 2024 R&D 100 award winners and finalists
For six decades, the R&D 100 Awards have been a benchmark of achievement in science and technology, often referred to informally as “The Oscars of Innovation.” This year, we’re offering a new interactive experience, allowing you to explore the remarkable work of both winners and finalists across diverse fields. From advances in mechanical and material…
South Korean researchers pushing for 6G technology leadership
As the world rapidly adopts 5G technology, with nearly 1.5 billion global subscriptions by the end of 2023, researchers are already rushingi to develop 6G, the next evolution of mobile networks. While China and the U.S. lead in terms of 6G patents, South Korean scientists remain a strong contender in the global race for 6G…
Phononic breakthrough paves the way for compact, high-efficiency chips and enhanced quantum computing capabilities
One of the technological hurdles limiting the future of wireless technology is the reliance on bulky, power-hungry radio frequency processors. These processors require an unwieldy blend of piezoelectric- and transistor-based components, which add bulk and sap valuable energy. But a promising study published in Nature Materials offers a potential solution in phononics, a field of study that harnesses…