PICA

Bruker Alicona has added the FocusX a bench-mounted measuring system for dimensions, position, shape and roughness assessment complete with automated five axis measurement. Using a purpose designed rotation and tilt device, the FocusX allows the detailed 3D measurement of an object, making all areas accessible but also allowing for the automation of measurement components. Designed to give its best performance for small and high-precision parts, its UX allows the instrument to be used by operators with minimal metrology experience, the speed of data acquisition is significantly faster and its promises a much denser measurement point density. Capable of capturing millions … Read more

It’s funny when a major company starts leaking information about Nintendo’s next-generation platform.   Lately, not a day goes by without a leak about the Nintendo Switch 2. This time around, the leak includes the logo, which is presumably what the big N has christened its next hardware. Pictures of the Switch 2 case and a tempered glass display protector have also appeared on Alibaba. This is a huge Chinese e-commerce company, and they also own AliExpress, so it’s not a small company… Since not all components are made in Vietnam, for example, there are also manufacturers in China that … Read more

Casio has been making some of the best non-touchscreen smartwatches for several years now, and my favorite was available for a great price in this year’s Amazon Black Friday deal promotion. It’s still live today, too. It’s the G-Shock DW-H5600. Normally, you’ll pay $299 for one, but at the moment, it’s $170. For that price, it’s an absolute steal. What’s more, while you can get the ordinary black version for this price, the attractive blue model is also available. I love colorful G-Shock watches and quite liked this color when I reviewed the watch, so this would be the one … Read more

Microsoft’s plans to enable Xbox game purchases directly within its Android app have been delayed due to a legal impasse involving Google. A temporary court stay, issued on October 17, halted the rollout of features initially scheduled for November. The stay is part of Google’s appeal against an October 8 antitrust ruling that mandated significant changes to its Play Store policies. Xbox executive Sarah Bond confirmed the delay, stating, “Due to a temporary administrative stay recently granted by the courts, we are currently unable to launch these features as planned. Our team has the functionality built and ready to go … Read more

A strange set of marks in the Australian outback is actually the footprint of a huge twister that went unnoticed until now, according to a team that recently reviewed satellite imagery of the marks. Twisters, or tornadoes, or vehicles by which girls from Kansas get transported to the magical land of Oz—whatever you call them—are narrow, rapidly rotating columns of air that can cause devastating damage on the ground. Tornadoes are especially common in the central United States’ Tornado Alley, but have been reported on every continent but Antarctica. The recent finding is a cycloidal twist in the tale of … Read more

Meltio has launched its Engine Blue technology, which it says opens up its wire-fed Directed Energy Deposition (DED) 3D printing capabilities to new materials with greater speed and simpler operation. Engine Blue features a 1.4 kW blue laser head in a more compact and lightweight unit, making it compatible with a wider range of robotic arms Its blue lasers melt the metal material – stainless steel, titanium, copper, aluminium, and nickel among others – making it possible to print metal parts with high reliability and optimal density, suitable for a wide range of industrial applications. The new Engine Blue features … Read more

Artificial intelligence (AI)  is becoming increasingly integral to modern society, transforming how individuals and businesses operate.  The rise of GenAI has captivated audiences with its potential to revolutionize industries, drive productivity, and fuel creative breakthroughs. Yet, despite the impressive capabilities, there are concerns about GenAI’s lack of a true understanding of the world and the underlying principles that govern it.  A team of scientists from MIT, Harvard, and Cornell have found that large language models (LLMs), like OpenAI’s GPT-4 and Anthropic Claude 3 Opus, fail to generate an accurate representation of the real world. An LLM model that seems to … Read more

CSIS issued a new report that says Intel is “not too big to fail, but too good to lose.” The report noted that Intel is needed for national security, and that it must be viewed in a geopolitical context rather than from a purely business standpoint when it comes to funding the company. Japan‘s government is creating a 10 trillion yen (~$65 billion) fund for next-gen technologies, including AI and semiconductors. U.S. government funding: TSMC Arizona’s CHIPS Act direct funding of up to $6.6B was finalized, with funds to be disbursed based on completion of milestones. The Department of Commerce … Read more

It’s a bit funny to describe, but the new patch for Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Remaster has taken something from the mobile versions…   Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition has received a new update that brings the first three 3D episodes of the franchise to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. No mention of the iOS and Android versions, as the consoles and PC have been lifted from there. It’s funny to even write that down, let alone the … Read more

The New York Times has introduced the next title coming to its Games catalog following Wordle’s continued success — and it’s all about math. Digits has players adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing numbers. You can play its beta for free online right now. In Digits, players are presented with a target number that they need to match. Players are given six numbers and have the ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide them to get as close to the target as they can. Not every number needs to be used, though, so this game should put your math skills to the … Read more