Jean-Philippe Encausse

Aujourd’hui, il est difficile d’imaginer la vie sans téléphone, tablette, ordinateur ou tout autre appareil connecté. Face à cette dépendance croissante à la technologie, le marché des fabricants de puces électroniques ne cesse de se développer.

Dans la plupart des cas, ces appareils toujours importants sont alimentés par des semi-conducteurs, de petites puces qui conduisent l’électricité. Au fil des années, les puces sont devenues de plus en plus puissantes, tout en devenant moins chères et plus petites.

Elles jouent un rôle important non seulement dans l’alimentation de nos appareils, mais aussi dans le fonctionnement de l’IA (intelligence artificielle). Au fil du temps, les semi-conducteurs ont également investi les voitures et les maisons.

Parallèlement à la croissance et à l’innovation des nouvelles technologies, les entreprises qui produisent des puces continuent de croître à un rythme soutenu.

Même avec les nombreux problèmes causés par le COVID-19, les fabricants de puces devraient avoir un taux de croissance annuel composé d’au moins 4 à 5 % par an d’ici à 2027. Cela représente une augmentation prévue de près de 315 milliards de dollars par rapport au chiffre d’affaires total de 2019 de ces entreprises.

Alors, qui sont les principales entreprises qui produisent ces appareils cruciaux ? Pour répondre à cette question, nous avons rassemblé une liste des 10 premiers plus grands fabricants de puces à travers le monde, sur la base de leur revenu total en 2020.

Comment l’IA et la géopolitique ont redéfini le top 10 en 2024-2025 ?

Le marché des semi-conducteurs a connu un bouleversement spectaculaire depuis 2020. L’IA a, en fait, propulsé de nouveaux leaders. Aujourd’hui, le classement se base sur les performances pour les datacenters.

Actuellement, l’américain NVIDIA rivalise avec les géants historiques. Il s’empare des premières places par le biais de ses GPU pour l’IA. Samsung Electronics et SK Hynix, quant à eux, profitent de la forte demande de puces mémoire.

Par ailleurs, la géopolitique impacte fortement la chaîne d’approvisionnement. TSMC (Taiwan), leader incontesté de la fonderie, conserve sa place d’acteur stratégique, mais sa position est sensible.

Cette dépendance accélère la relocalisation industrielle en Europe et aux États-Unis. En conséquence, les stratégies d’investissement déterminent la performance. Ce nouveau paysage justifie une lecture actualisée de notre top 10 des fabricants de puces électroniques.

Le top 10 des plus grands fabricants de puces électroniques : mise à jour 2025

Intel

• Chiffre d’affaires en 2020 : 77,87 milliards de dollars
• Actifs totaux : 153,09 milliards de dollars

Basée dans la célèbre Silicon Valley en Californie, Intel est une entreprise massive de semi-conducteurs. Elle emploie désormais plus de 110 000 personnes dans 46 pays. L’entreprise a été fondée en 1968. Depuis, elle est devenue la plus importante entreprise de semi-conducteurs au monde en termes de chiffre d’affaires.

La société américaine est le notamment développeur de la série de microprocesseurs x86. Un microprocesseur que l’on trouve souvent dans les ordinateurs portables et autres PC. L’entreprise fournit ces CPU aux grandes entreprises informatiques et technologiques, telles que Lenovo, HP et Dell.

Intel a récemment élargi sa gamme avec des CPU de nouvelle génération : Alder Lake (2021), Raptor Lake (2022) et Meteor Lake (2024-2025). Ces processeurs offrent des architectures hybrides combinant cœurs haute performance et cœurs à faible consommation, optimisées pour l’IA et les applications intensives.

Intel ne se limite plus aux CPU. L’entreprise produit également des chipsets pour cartes mères, GPU Arc, mémoires, FPGA, processeurs embarqués et circuits intégrés spécialisés. Avec l’expansion de sa division fonderie (Intel Foundry Services), elle propose désormais des services de fabrication pour d’autres concepteurs de puces, rivalisant directement avec TSMC et Samsung.

Samsung Electronics

• Revenu en 2020 : 52,2 milliards de dollars
• Actifs totaux : 304 milliards de dollars

Fondée en 1969, cette société sud-coréenne d’électronique est l’un des plus grands producteurs de semi-conducteurs au monde. À l’échelle mondiale, l’entreprise emploie près de 290 000 personnes et est présente dans 74 pays.

Les semi-conducteurs de Samsung sont souvent utilisés dans les smartphones et les tablettes, notamment dans la gamme d’appareils Samsung Galaxy.

Toutefois, les semi-conducteurs ne sont pas les seuls produits de Samsung. La société fabrique également des batteries lithium-ion, des capteurs d’image, des modules de caméra et des écrans, pour n’en citer que quelques-uns. Parmi les clients les plus importants de l’entreprise figurent Apple, Sony, HTC et Nokia.

Globalement, Samsung est le plus grand fabricant de téléphones mobiles et de smartphones. Ce qui en fait une entreprise extrêmement pertinente et importante en 2021.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC)

• Chiffre d’affaires 2020 : 45,5 milliards de dollars
• Actifs totaux : 89,87 milliards de dollars

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) se trouve parmi les plus grandes usines indépendantes de semi-conducteurs au monde.

Cette société a connu une croissance rapide depuis 1994, avec un taux de croissance annuel composé (TCAC) de 17,4 % en termes de revenus. Aujourd’hui, TSMC emploie plus de 50 000 personnes et produit plus de 10 millions de plaquettes de semi-conducteurs par an.

Les appareils les plus connus utilisant les semi-conducteurs de TSMC sont des produits Apple, du MacBook Air à l’iPhone 12.

SK Hynix Inc.

• Chiffre d’affaires en 2020 : 25,27 milliards de dollars
• Actifs totaux : 56,08 milliards de dollars

Spécialisée dans la production de semi-conducteurs de mémoire, SK Hynix Inc, anciennement connue sous le nom de Hyundai Electronics, est une entreprise sud-coréenne implantée en Corée, aux États-Unis, en Chine et à Taïwan. Rien qu’en Corée du Sud, la société emploie plus de 22 000 personnes.

Ces puces mémoires ont plusieurs grands consommateurs, dont Apple, Asus, Dell et HP.

En outre, l’entreprise fabrique également d’autres produits électroniques, des lecteurs de DVD aux téléphones portables.

Broadcom Corporation

• Chiffre d’affaires en 2020 : 23,89 milliards de dollars
• Actifs totaux : 75,93 milliards de dollars

Fondée en 1991, Broadcom est une entreprise publique américaine dont le siège social est situé à Irvine, en Californie. L’expertise de la société dans la production de semi-conducteurs va des ordinateurs aux smartphones. Elle vend notamment ses produits à des dizaines de grandes entreprises.

Parmi ses clients habituels figurent Apple, Motorola, IBM, Dell, Asus, Lenovo, Logitech, Nokia et même Nintendo.

Une grande partie de l’intérêt pour les produits de Broadcom provient de la capacité de leur puce à accélérer les tâches qui utilisent le cryptage. Pour de nombreuses entreprises, ces puces contribuent au commerce électronique et aux communications sécurisées.

Broadcom produit également les puces de la série « BCM43″ qui sont spécialisées dans la prise en charge du WiFi dans de nombreux smartphones. Contrairement aux autres entreprises de cette liste, les appareils Apple et Android utilisent ces puces.

Qualcomm

• Chiffre d’affaires 2020 : 23,53 milliards de dollars
• Actifs totaux : 35,59 milliards de dollars

Fondée et basée en Californie du Sud, Qualcomm est surtout une entreprise de semi-conducteurs. Elle se spécialise également dans les logiciels et autres technologies sans fil.

Par rapport à d’autres entreprises de semi-conducteurs, Qualcomm fabrique des semi-conducteurs pour une très large gamme d’appareils, des véhicules aux montres, des ordinateurs portables aux smartphones et au WiFi.

Qualcomm est connue pour être une entreprise plutôt innovante. En 2017, l’entreprise est sortie de sa zone de confort pour créer sa première puce pour serveur PC, appelée Centriq 2400. Cette puce a été un succès, ce qui a permis à l’entreprise de se développer pour fabriquer davantage de semi-conducteurs pour PC et d’autres produits électroniques.

Qualcomm a également été l’un des premiers à fabriquer la technologie 5G, avec plus de 20 appareils mobiles qui utilisent maintenant la technologie 5G de l’entreprise.

Micron Technology

• Chiffre d’affaires en 2020 : 21,43 milliards de dollars
• ·         Actifs totaux : 53,68 milliards de dollars

Micron Technology est la seule entreprise de semi-conducteurs basée dans l’Idaho de cette liste. Elle se spécialise dans la fabrication de mémoires et de stockage de données pour les ordinateurs. Actuellement, la société emploie environ 40 000 personnes et possède 18 sites dans le monde.

Au cours des deux dernières années, Micron a sorti pas mal de produits impressionnants. En 2019, l’entreprise a fabriqué la première carte microSD d’une capacité de stockage de 1 téraoctet (To). En fait, à partir de 2020, Micron produit le plus grand SSD au monde : le Micron 5210 Ion de 3,84 To.

Applied Materials

• Chiffre d’affaires en 2020 : 17,2 milliards de dollars
• Actifs totaux : 22,35 milliards de dollars

Applied Materials est un géant de la Silicon Valley spécialisé dans la production de semi-conducteurs pour l’électronique, les écrans d’ordinateur, les smartphones, les téléviseurs et les produits solaires. Cette entreprise américaine a été fondée en 1967 et emploie aujourd’hui plus de 20 000 personnes.

Selon toute vraisemblance, elle figurerait plus haut dans cette liste si elle n’avait pas abandonné en 2013 sa fusion avec Tokyo Electron, qui était alors le plus grand fabricant d’équipements à semi-conducteurs.

Applied Materials est non seulement spécialisée dans la fabrication de puces à semi-conducteurs, mais fournit également des équipements précieux utilisés pour les fabriquer. Par exemple, les équipements de la société aident à produire des revêtements pour l’électronique flexible.

Nvidia Corporation

• Revenu en 2020 : 14,78 milliards de dollars
• Actifs totaux : 26,88 milliards de dollars

Également basée dans la Silicon Valley californienne, Nvidia est une société de semi-conducteurs unique en son genre. Elle est surtout spécialisée dans les processeurs graphiques (GPU), qui sont particulièrement utiles pour les jeux vidéo.

La gamme de GPU de la société, connue sous le nom de “GeForce”, est le processeur graphique le plus populaire aux États-Unis. Le Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti est donc actuellement le GPU de jeu le plus puissant.

Si le jeu est l’un des principaux marchés de Nvidia, les GPU de la société sont également utilisés dans les sites de supercalculateurs du monde entier. Plus récemment, l’entreprise a également fourni des processeurs pour les smartphones, les véhicules et d’autres appareils.

Texas Instruments Inc.

• Chiffre d’affaires 2020 : 14,46 milliards de dollars
• Actifs totaux : 19,35 milliards de dollars

Texas Instruments (TI) est l’une des plus anciennes entreprises de semi-conducteurs de cette liste. Elle a effectivement été fondée il y a plus de 90 ans, en 1930. Aujourd’hui, l’entreprise compte près de 30 000 employés et développe principalement des puces analogiques et des processeurs embarqués.

TI est une entreprise de semi-conducteurs plutôt historique, qui a produit le premier transistor en silicium commercial au monde (1954), le premier circuit intégré (1958), la première calculatrice portable (1967) et la première puce DLP (1987).

En 2020, les produits de TI sont utilisés dans presque tous les appareils électriques, ce qui fait de la société un indicateur vital de la santé de l’industrie des semi-conducteurs.

Notre méthodologie de classement

Pour établir ce top 10 des plus grands fabricants de puces électroniques, nous nous sommes appuyés sur un critère simple et objectif : le chiffre d’affaires réalisé en 2020. Ce choix nous permet de comparer les entreprises sur une base financière concrète, en les regroupant selon trois seuils. Le premier seuil équivaut à plus de 40 milliards de dollars, le second, entre 20 et 40 milliards, et le troisième, moins de 20 milliards de chiffre d’affaires.

Mais au-delà des chiffres, nous avons aussi pris le temps d’examiner ce que fait chaque entreprise. Nous avons, par exemple, intégré leur spécialité (la mémoire, les GPU ou les processeurs), les marchés qu’elles servent, ou encore les grandes marques qui utilisent leurs technologies.

Pour que notre analyse soit plus pertinente, nous avons également tenu compte de leur présence internationale. Mais nous avons aussi pris en compte le nombre de personnes qu’elles emploient et de la valeur totale de leurs actifs. Toutes ces informations proviennent de sources publiques fiables et de rapports financiers accessibles.

Notez cependant qu’avec ce classement, notre but n’est pas de désigner « la meilleure » entreprise. Nous proposons juste de vous donner une vue d’ensemble des acteurs les plus influents de l’industrie des semi-conducteurs, à travers des données claires et vérifiables. 

Marché des puces électroniques 2025 : STMicroelectronics fait face à un grand défi !

STMicroelectronics, l’un des acteurs majeurs de l’industrie des semi-conducteurs, annonce des perspectives peu encourageantes pour le début de l’année 2025. Le géant franco-italien des puces électroniques anticipe un premier trimestre particulièrement difficile. La conséquence, entre autre, du ralentissement observé fin 2024.

L’une des principales causes est la faiblesse persistante de la demande dans plusieurs secteurs clés. Plus précisément, une réduction significative des commandes de ses clients. Pour rappel, STMicroelectronics fournit des composants essentiels à de nombreux constructeurs automobiles et fabricants d’appareils électroniques.

Les analystes du secteur soulignent que cette situation reflète une tendance plus large du marché des semi-conducteurs. Les fabricants doivent composer avec un déséquilibre entre l’offre et la demande. Après la pénurie mondiale qui avait marqué les années post-Covid, l’industrie fait désormais face à un excès de capacité de production. Ce phénomène entraine ainsi une pression à la baisse sur les prix en 2025.

Le chiffre d’affaires prévisionnel pour le premier trimestre 2025 devrait se situer en deçà des attentes initiales des investisseurs. On parle d’une baisse estimée entre 15 et 20% par rapport à la même période en 2024. Cette projection reflète non seulement les défis conjoncturels mais aussi les ajustements structurels en cours dans l’industrie.

Malgré ces perspectives moroses à court terme, le grand fabricant de puces électroniques maintient ses investissements stratégiques. Notament dans l’innovation et la modernisation de ses capacités de production. L’entreprise reste confiante dans ses fondamentaux à long terme, portés par des tendances de fond comme la transition énergétique et la digitalisation croissante de l’économie.

Fabricants de puces : Cerebras, consorts et d’autres startups bouleversent le secteur

Actuellement, une nouvelle génération de start-up vient bousculer l’ordre établi en misant sur des architectures de rupture. Des entreprises comme Cerebras Systems, Graphcore, Tenstorrent ou Rivos développent des technologies radicalement différentes. Ces dernières ont pour objectif, dès l’origine, de répondre aux besoins massifs de calcul moderne.

Cerebras, par exemple, a fait le pari audacieux de concevoir des puces de taille wafer-scale. Cette approche dépasse les limites traditionnelles du silicium. Du coup, elle permet d’accélérer des charges de travail autrefois gourmandes en ressources.

Graphcore mise de son côté sur une architecture maison pour le traitement parallèle intensif. Tenstorrent et Rivos quant à eux exploitent l’ouverture du standard RISC-V pour concevoir des processeurs sur-mesure, optimisés pour des performances ciblées.

Notons que ces acteurs émergents ne se contentent pas d’optimiser l’existant. Bien plus que cela, Ces fabricants de puces repensent entièrement les modes de construction, de programmation et d’intégration de celles-ci. Leur agilité technologique leur permet d’explorer des voies que les grandes entreprises, plus contraintes par leur inertie industrielle, hésitent à emprunter.

Au-delà des géants historiques, de nouvelles entreprises émergent ou se renforcent avec des technologies de rupture. Ayar Labs (San Jose, USA) est un spécialiste de l’interconnexion optique (co‑packaged optics) pour l’IA à très grande échelle. En 2025, la société a présenté un retimer optique UCIe à 8 Tbps lors du salon Hot Chips 2025. Elle a aussi dévoilé des collaborations stratégiques avec des acteurs taïwanais pour accélérer la production.

Ensuite, Lightmatter (Mountain View / Boston, USA) a levé de nombreux capitaux (valuation ≈ 4,4 milliards $) et vise à réduire l’énergie de transfert de données dans les centres de calcul. Ce leader dans la photonique appliquée à l’IA a dévoilé sa puce « Passage M1000 », un «3D photonic super‑chip».

Enfin, Axelera AI (Eindhoven, Pays‑Bas) est un spécialiste des processeurs d’inférence IA «edge» à haute efficacité énergétique. En mars 2025, elle a lancé la puce «Titania» et obtenu une subvention de jusqu’à 61,6 M€ dans le cadre du projet européen «DARE».

IA et semi-conducteurs : le succès de NVIDIA et Broadcom

L’IA transforme profondément le secteur des semi-conducteurs au point de propulser certaines entreprises comme NVIDIA et Broadcom vers de nouveaux sommets financiers.

D’un côté, NVIDIA, leader incontesté des puces graphiques et de l’infrastructure IA, a enregistré un chiffre d’affaires de 130,5 milliards de dollars pour l’exercice 2025. Ce qui désigne une hausse de 114 % par rapport à l’année précédente.

Sa division Data Center, alimentée par la puce Blackwell, a généré 39,3 milliards de dollars au quatrième trimestre. Ce chiffre colossal représente environ 50 % de son chiffre d’affaires global. De plus, la forte demande accrue des applications d’IA avancées ne fait qu’accentuer cette croissance. Nous observons notamment cette situation dans les domaines de l’apprentissage automatique et de l’inférence.

D’un autre côté,Broadcom a enregistré un revenu de 15 milliards de dollars au deuxième trimestre de l’exercice 2025. Cette hausse constitue en majorité des revenus liés à l’IA de 4,4 milliards de dollars. Une hausse de 46 % par rapport à l’année précédente.

Actuellement, la société prévoit que ses revenus liés à l’IA atteindront 5,1 milliards de dollars au troisième trimestre. Ce qui représente environ 60 % de la croissance de son activité de semi-conducteur . La firme connaît également une forte demande pour ses puces d’IA personnalisées. Leurs produits sont aujourd’hui utilisés par des clients tels que Google, Meta et ByteDance.

Semi-conducteurs en 2025 : enjeux éthiques et durables à ne pas négliger

Les puces électroniques transforment nos vies, mais leur fabrication durable de puces pose de vrais défis. En fait, produire des semi-conducteurs consomme beaucoup d’eau ultra-pure et d’énergie. Cela crée un impact environnemental semi-conducteur important, surtout dans les régions déjà sous tension hydrique. Les usines génèrent aussi des déchets chimiques qu’il faut gérer pour limiter les risques.

La dépendance à certaines zones géopolitiques pour les matières premières crée des tensions et des risques stratégiques. Les entreprises doivent réfléchir à l’usage éthique de leurs puces, notamment lorsqu’elles alimentent l’IA ou collectent des données sensibles. L’éthique dans l’industrie des semi-conducteurs devient un enjeu stratégique pour tous.

Des leaders comme NVIDIA et Broadcom, mais aussi des start-ups innovantes, investissent dans des procédés plus écologiques. Ils développent des circuits modulaires et un approvisionnement responsable semi-conducteur. L’éthique et la durabilité influencent donc le choix des investisseurs et la confiance des consommateurs. Et la consommation énergétique puces électroniques et l’IA et la responsabilité technologique sont au cœur de cette transformation.

FAQ sur les puces électroniques

Cet article Top 10 des plus grands fabricants de puces électroniques dans le monde est apparu en premier sur OBJETCONNECTE.COM.

Le GPD Pocket 4 est désormais sur le pas de tir d’un lancement sur Indiegogo. Comme d’habitude mon premier conseil est de bien réfléchir dans quoi vous mettez les pieds avec ce genre d’opération de financement participatif. Même si la solution est tentante n’oubliez pas que vous n’êtes pas client de GPD, vous êtes alors un investisseur et à ce titre vous ne faites que prendre des risques.

Aucune obligation de livraison ou de garantie, aucune action légale possible. Vous investissez dans ce qui peut être tout à fait légalement un échec de production ou une machine plein de défaut. Cela permet de d’économiser hypothétiquement quelques sous mais le risque à court, moyen et long terme est important.

Le prix de base du GPD Pocket 4 sera de 895 dollars et une quantité probablement minimale de machines seront proposées à 829$. Ces quelques pièces servant a amorcer la pompe d’une campagne autant publicitaire que commerciale. Le prix « en magasin » n’est pas indiqué. Il faut prendre en compte que ces sommes sont indiquées sans taxes ni frais de port. Il faudra ajouter en prime des frais de dédouanement facturés par le transporteur. Les 895 dollars se transforment en 1018€ avec juste 20% de TVA. Si on ajoute entre 50 et 80 € de frais de dédouanement et une quarantaine d’euros de frais de port la note arrive alors facilement à 1100€.

Pour ce tarif on aura droit à un netbook sous AMD Ryzen 7 8840U, une puce 8 cœurs Zen4 et développant 16 Threads associée à un circuit graphique Radeon 780M. Elle proposera 16 Go de LPDDR5x et un stockage SSD NVMe PCIe 4.0 x4 de 1 To.

Une version plus puissante sera équipée d’un Ryzen AI 9 HX 365 qui passe au Zen 5 d’AMD avec 10 cœurs au total et un circuit graphique Radeon 880M. Ce modèle équipé de 32 Go de mémoire vive toujours en LPDDR5 et avec un stockage qui grimpe à 2 To sera commercialisé à 1157$. Soit 1315€ avec juste 20% de TVA.

Enfin, la version « haut de gamme » est annoncé à 1466$ (1666€ avec 20% de TVA) et tournera sous processeur Ryzen AI 9 HX 370. Une puce aux 28 watts de TDP qui développe 12 cœurs et le double de threads. Un processeur de dernière génération avec 4 cœurs Zen 5 et 8 cœurs Zen 5C oscillant de 2 à 5.1 GHz. Avec un NPU 50 TOPS et un circuit graphique Radeon 890M offrant 16 cœurs RDNA 3.5 à 2.9 GHz. Ici on retrouvera jusqu’à 64 Go de LPDDR5x-7500 et le SSD NVMe pourra atteindre 4 To. 

Le GPD Pocket 4 confirme sa fiche technique

L’écran est donc bien un IPS 8.8 pouces qui gonfle en définition pour atteindre 2560 x 1600 pixels en 144 Hz. Soit, sur une dalle de cette taille, une densité impressionnante de 343 pixels par pouce. La luminosité atteint 500 nits et le choix a été porté sur une dalle à la colorimétrie maitrisée avec un DCI-P3 couvert à 97%. Le support d’un stylet actif MPP 2.0 et une capacité tactile 10 points de contact capacitif sont assurés. 

Le châssis mesurera bien 20.7 cm de large pour 14.5 cm de profondeur et 2.2 cm d’épaisseur. La batterie est une 44.8 Wh avec une charge rapide 100 Watts mais on n’a toujours aucune information quand à l’autonomie de la machine. Entre l’écran haute définition et la puce embarquée, il y a lieu de s’en inquiéter.

Pour le reste c’est bien un module Wi-Fi 6E et le Bluetooth 5.3 qui sera embarqué, un connecteur USB4 est prévu ainsi qu’un connecteur amovible compatible avec plusieurs options sur une base USB : un port RS-232, un lecteur de cartes MicroSDXC UHS-I, ou un module 4G LTE avec lecteur de cartes SIM.

Pourquoi développer des modèles aussi puissants et chers ?

J’ai posé cette question à plusieurs acteurs de ce marché particulier. Un marché qui a vu passer le format netbook d’un entrée de gamme ultra abordable et pratique à celui d’un très haut de gamme hyper élitiste. La réponse est toujours la même. Les marques qui s’intéressent encore à ce format n’ont pas les moyens de le développer en masse.

Des acteurs comme GPD ou One Netbook ont plus d’intérêt a développer des produits haut de gamme qu’ils vendront sur un marché de niche à une poignée d’utilisateurs dans la durée que de proposer une référence à bas coût plus difficile a rentabiliser pour des raisons évidente de service après vente. Sur  une machine à 1000€, le temps passé a la monter en usine et a la développer peut être long. La durée de vie du produit sera également plus importante que sur un modèle entrée de gamme. Ce qui a permis par exemple à GPD de lancer le Pocket 3 en 2021 et de continuer à le vendre trois ans plus tard.

GPD préfère de loin vendre 3000 appareils à 1000€ et que 10 000 appareils à 300€ parce qu’ils sont plus taillés pour cela d’un point de vue gestion technique et commerciale. 

Il aurait fallu qu’un acteur international se décide, par exemple au lancement du processeur Intel N100, a lancer un reboot du format netbook. Un acteur comme Lenovo, Acer, Asus ou HP aurait pu reprendre à son compte le format netbook avec un moteur mis à jour efficace et performant. On a tendance a oublier que le N100 est un processeur mobile tant il a été boudé par les fabricants sur ce segment. Mais cette puce à très faible TDP aurait fait une excellent candidat pour un engin basique de petite diagonale. Il est possible de construire une solution à moins de 500€ très bien équipé autour de cette puce. Mais il faut pour cela avoir les capacités logistiques et commerciale ainsi que le SAV nécessaire pour que l’opération soit rentable. Les « petits acteurs » comme GPD ne l’ont pas. 

Certains acteurs de second plan comme Chuwi ont tenté l’aventure d’un MiniBook X sous Intel N100 abordable. Avec du succès mais également avec pas mal de déboires. Certaines machines fonctionnant comme un charme et d’autres séries étant beaucoup, beaucoup, plus problématiques.

Est-ce qu’il est trop tard pour lancer un nouveau format netbook entre le 9 et le 10 pouces comme ce GPD Pocket 4 mais en version « simple », sans tactile, avec un processeur taillé pour le quotidien comme un Alder Lake N ? Je ne pense pas. Le problème est que les marques sont devenues frileuses sur ce segment. Elles préfèrent vendre des machines en 13 et 15″ mal équipées sous les 300€ mais bien plus rentable plutôt que de prendre un petit risque avec un format de ce type. Et c’est bien dommage.

J’ai fait un atelier « impression 3D » dans l’association Ateliers Geeks à une jeune fille qui avait le même genre de machine que ce qui est présenté ci-dessus par Acer ou HP, un Celeron de début 2021 avec 4 Go de mémoire vive et un stockage neurasthénique en eMMC. Le  tout sous Windows 11. Ces produits sont tout simplement une honte technique. Windows y est inexploitable et la gamine en question a du se rabattre sur un ordinateur d’occasion bien plus performant et moins cher acheté chez AFBshop par l’asso. J’ai lancé les outils utilisés dans cet atelier (Fusion360 et Cura) sur un MiniPC équipé d’un N100 avec 16 Go de mémoire vive et un SSD SATA. La  performance du N100 est sans commune mesure avec celle du Celeron. 

Voilà le triste constat que je peux faire aujourd’hui. Les marques préfèrent faire de l’argent avec des produits inexploitables vendus à des gens sans le sous plutôt que de vendre des netbooks corrects. Pour rappel quand les netbooks ont disparu de la circulation, la majorité des acteurs de leur marché m’expliquait qu’il était devenu impossible de gagner de l’argent avec des ordinateurs portables à 400€. On voit où ils en sont maintenant.

Le GPD Pocket 4 change d’envergure avec un écran 8.8 pouces

Minimachines.net en partenariat avec Geekbuying.com
GPD Pocket 4 : a partir de 829$ mais sous Indiegogo © MiniMachines.net. 2024.

Découvrez l’architecture et les technologies derrière le système de stockage de métadonnées de Reddit, conçu pour traiter des charges massives de 100 000 requêtes par seconde. Cet article explore les défis techniques, les solutions innovantes mises en œuvre, ainsi que les tendances actuelles en ingénierie logicielle, comme les alternatives aux modèles LLM, le fonctionnement d’Asyncio en Python, et l’automatisation de la gestion d’ingénierie chez GitLab. Une plongée dans les coulisses des systèmes hautement performants et leur impact sur l’industrie.

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Microsoft plans to roll out a slew of new AI features, capabilities, and agents for its 365 Copilot ecosystem starting in early 2025.

Lapz, the Apple Vision Pro app that puts Formula One races in mixed reality, is on hold after F1 asked it to stop using its content, as reported by UploadVR. In a message posted to its Discord channel, Lapz says it halted distribution through TestFlight while it explores “licensing opportunities with various racing leagues and tech partners.”

“F1® have respectfully asked us to discontinue the use of their F1®TV broadcast rights in our platform for the time being while we continue to advance our roadmap and enhance the beta experience,” the message says.

Lapz started out as just a concept video created by designer John LePore. However, the video garnered a lot of attention, leading LePore to work with a group of developers to create an...

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Trust between humans and robots is improved when the movement between both is harmonized, researchers have discovered.

Introduction

At SID Display Week in May 2024, MicroLED maker Jade Bird Display (JBD) had a large booth that showed their devices, a number of customer systems, and a “compensation demo.” JBD offered to loan me their compensation demo. After sending me one of the demos from SID and my taking many pictures to evaluate it, JBD informed me that they would be able to send me a newer demo in a couple of months, so I decided to wait for the newer system before reporting my results. Between the availability of the systems and my travel, many months have passed.

This article starts with quite a bit of “background information,” which I think is helpful in understanding the results. Perhaps the most controversial issue is that JBD says their compensation is based on both eyes. I felt the need to add some information on “Binocular Rivalry,” which discusses how human vision responds to seeing different content in each eye. Human vision is complex, to say the least, and while I think what JBD claims is mostly true, it oversimplifies what people see.

All images in JBD’s demo were pre-loaded into the demo system. JBD’s current devices have a more limited real-time correction built into the display and controller. The stills in the demo were pre-processed to demonstrate what will be possible in real-time with their new chipset. JBD allowed me to submit a series of test patterns that they added to their set of demo images, which I appreciate. Still, I couldn’t try any new test patterns based on my findings (which I often do with other headsets when I see an effect that I want to investigate further).

I should also note that the demo systems did not have the full heat-sinking capability that would be incorporated into a product. This limited the number of bright pixels, particularly red ones, that could be shown in a single image.

I also just realized that in all the back-and-forth with JBD on getting their demo system, which I thought would happen soon after Display Week, I missed reporting on MicroLED and other display technology at Display Week. I plan to make up for that soon. I also need to finish reporting on DLP’s use of “pixel shifting” for AR headsets using PoLight’s Twedge Concept. I want to get my backlog of information cleaned up before CES in January 2025.

Meeting at CES 2025

Speaking of CES 2025. If you or your company schedule a meeting with me at CES 2025, I can be reached at meet@kgontech.com).

JBD Dominates in MicroLED-Based AR Glasses

JBD is the only company I know of that is shipping MicroLEDs, and the only ones I have seen in any headset product or even prototype. At the same time, Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth stated in videos that Meta “designed” Orion’s MicroLEDs, and it is most likely that Jade Bird Display is making Orion’s MicroLEDs. It has been widely rumored that Meta’s 2020 MicroLED deal with Plessey fell apart (example: https://www.microled-info.com/meta-announces-10000-ar-glasses-powered-microled-microdisplays), and there are no other likely suspects. Perhaps Meta got a change in resolution to make it a custom part. It appears Meta “designed” the MicroLEDs in a similar way that Apple “designed” the Micro-OLEDs used in the Apple Vision Pro when it is known that Sony manufactured the Micro-OLEDs for Apple.

PlayNitride has demonstrated a full-color MicroLED display using blue MicroLEDs with Quantum dot red and green color conversion with a Lumus Waveguide (but not in a headset) at AR/VR/MR 2023 (see MicroLEDs with Waveguides (CES & AR/VR/MR 2023 Pt. 7)). PlayNitride has continued advancing its efforts with quantum dot color conversion MicroLEDs. Still, I have yet to see a headset.

JBD’s booth featured AR glasses from multiple companies, including TCL’s Ray New X2 (full-color 3-chip X-cube) Ray Neo X2 and several monochrome (green) AR glasses, including Vuzix Z100, LAWK’s Meta Lens, MyVu AR, and INMO’s Go. I have also seen JBD MicroLED-based monochrome AR glasses from Oppo and, more recently, Even Realities announced their small form factor AR glasses Even Realities G1: Minimalist AR Glasses with Integrated Prescription Lenses.

JBD’s Current and Future Lineup

All the JBD MicroLED-based AR glasses to date use its monochrome 640×480 MicroLEDs with a 4-micron pixel. JBD offers projector optics for both single devices and has gone through a few generations of 3-Chip with X-Cube color combiners. JBD has been talking about 1280×720 monochrome devices with 5-micron pixels and monochrome 1920×1080 devices with 2.5-micron pixels for a few years, and JBD states that they plan on shipping devices to headset companies with 2.5-micron pixels for use in prototypes in 2025. JBD JBD sells MicroLED panels, both with and without the optics, as shown below.

As I have discussed before, including in TCL and JBD X-Cube Color and our recent AR Roundtable Video Part 2: Meta Orion Technology and Application Issues, combining three monochrome panels to form a full-color image is a challenging alignment problem that is costly to manufacture. Most laymen will think about the horizontal and vertical alignment. Still, the more complex problem is aligning the panels in all dimensions, or the individual colors will not be in focus across the image. I think everyone in the industry believes that some form of “monolithic” approach will be required in the long run for MicroLEDs to be used in high volumes. I discussed the most well-known approaches to single-chip-full-color MicroLEDs in MicroLEDs with Waveguides (CES & AR/VR/MR 2023 Pt. 7). Among those approaches is the “stacked LED” method, which grows the various Red, Green, and Blue LED crystal layers on top of each other.

JBD Single Chip

JBD has developed and is sampling a stacked pixel device, but I have not personally seen it running. Unlike others that make the red, green, and blue LEDs all in variously doped Indium gallium nitride, JBD uses AlInGaN for the blue and green LEDs and AlInGaP for red. While red can be made in InGaN, it is generally not very efficient and high-yielding, whereas AlInGaP is more “natural” when making red. JBD is demonstrating that they have the process capability to mix the two types of LED crystal layers.

It’s not clear when the stack LED approach will be better than the 3-chip method, at least for the immediate future. Perfecting the manufacturing of the complex process will likely take some time. The stacked approach limits the emission area of all three LEDs, and light from the lower layers will be blocked/lost by the upper layers. Then, there is the major issue of heat being trapped by the middle layers and LEDs heating each other. I discussed the various approaches to making full color with MicroLEDs in MicroLEDs with Waveguides (CES & AR/VR/MR 2023 Pt. 7), and each approach has its advantages and issues.

Display Resolution and Utility

The waveguide (from an unspecified manufacturer) supports an approximately ~30-degree (diagonal) FOV. The JBD 640×480 3-Chip X-Cube projector has about 26.6 pixels per degree of angular resolution. This resolution is the same as a 1987 IBM PC VGA display. It is 1.5x more total pixels than a 44mm Apple Watch 10 (416 by 496 pixels), with that watch having about 10 degrees FOV and ~65 pixels/degree when held about 300mm (~12 inches) away from the eye.

With more and larger pixels, the display is arguably capable of displaying about twice the usable information as the 44mm Apple Watch. This may be mitigated due to the watch having a black background while the glasses are seen against whatever the user is looking it. Still, the contrast and overall image quality will be limited due to the fact that it will be a see-through display and due to color variation with the waveguide. The image quality is more than good enough for looking at messages, thumbnail photos, short videos, and limited web browsing. Still, it is no replacement for a smartphone’s much better display.

Demo Systems, Caveats, and Overall Impression

First, I want to give the usual warnings about this being a demo system. I was loaned one of a few demo systems, not a product bought at random. I have no idea whether the display projector and its displays were cherry-picked, what effort or degree of automation was applied to compensate, or whether it could be replicated in production.

It is important to understand that the displays and optics are going into optical see-through AR glasses. As such, the absolute image quality does not need to be perfect, as it will be seen using whatever is seen in the real world as the background/black.

For informational-type AR information, while perfect color is not essential, it is often important that colors don’t vary so dramatically that saturated colors cannot be recognized. With see-through displays, when colors are used to add meaning, they need to be saturated and bright to stand out reliably; subtle color variations are pointless against a real-world background. Commonly green=good, red=bad, and yellow=caution. It turns out that blue (~450-470nm) is almost invisible against anything in the real world as blue is low in “nits” (human perception of brightness) and is also low in human resolving power (there are relatively few blue cones in the eye). So, often, see-through displays use cyan (blue+green) instead of blue. Also, humans often have a hard time telling Magenta (blue+red) from red. If, as is common with many diffractive waveguides, the color transmission varies dramatically across the display, then if colors made up of multiple primaries (ex., yellow) are used to indicate something, they lose their meaning. In some areas of the FOV, some colors might not be reliably visible as they become dim.

Demura (display pixel correction) and Waveguide correction

Both OLED and LED display technologies have issues with each emitting element varying in brightness and color. The variations occur from pixel to pixel and across large regions of the display. Due to the way MicroLEDs are made, they are more susceptible to variation than OLEDs. A process called demura is used to correct for these inherent display variations (see, for example, OLED-Info’s Correcting OLED and MicroLED Display Quality to Improve Production Efficiency and Yields). Simply put, the methods typically use a camera to look at the display at various intensities and develop a table of corrections for each pixel. Things can get complicated with emissive displays where current and or heat (induced by current) across the display can also cause variations, which, in turn, are a function of content (a bright image generates more heat).

JBD’s compensation method tries to correct for the variation in MicroLEDs and color variation across the waveguides.

The diffractive waveguides have significant brightness and color variations

The waveguides inject light from temples or the upper left side of the left eye’s waveguide and the upper right side of the right eye, which results in a fall in brightness the farther the light travels from the injection corner. Complicating things further is that the light falloff varies by wavelength and is not completely symmetrical between the left and right. In particular, blue, while strong in the upper left corner of the left waveguide, becomes very dim in the lower right corner of the left waveguide. Below are pictures taken through the left and right waveguides for both the “original” and the compensated image, with the right-hand column showing the 50/50 combination of the left and right image simulating simple binocular fusion (averaging of the left and right view).

Generally, with these waveguides, the light falls off as it goes from top to bottom to the farthest corner of the waveguide. Blue and green are much brighter near the entrance and fall off significantly in the bottom corner opposite the waveguide. Blue and Green appear to fall off more than red (particularly on the Left waveguide).

Looking at the circle with the “11” in it, the left eye’s image is too cyan, and the right eye’s image is too red. Interestingly, in the corrected image, the left eye’s image has slightly less of a cyan tint, and the right eye’s image is redder than before the correction, as JBD’s algorithm is aimed at the fused/averaged image. Looking at the circle with “22,” which is in the darkest corner of the right eye (and farthest from the entrance grating), it is still a little reddish, even in the combined image. Loosely speaking, they can’t get enough light into that corner to compensate between both eyes.

Binocular Fusion and Rivalry

JBD said that their correction was based on binocular fusion. By this, they mean the simple average of the views of the left and right eye. Because the waveguides have somewhat left-to-right mirror symmetry, as shown in the previous set of images, it thus requires less correction to treat them as pairs. There is also so little light of various colors in the far corner from where the light enters the waveguides that it would mean driving the LEDs too hard in the corners or making the whole rest of the display much dimmer to try and balance the colors in a single waveguide. The somewhat mirror symmetry also allows them to add light to the areas of the left or right waveguide where it will be better transmitted.

Binocular Rivalry, where each eye is presented with a significantly different image, color, or brightness between the two eyes. For a short article on the subject of human Biocular Rivalry, see FIGHT! Virtual Reality Binocular Rivalry, scroll down to part iv, and for more info, follow the links and their references.

Quoting from the study Humans Perceive Binocular Rivalry and Fusion in a Tristable Dynamic State:

The human visual system creates singular percepts from two monocular inputs. Small differences are “fused” into intermediate percepts, whereas larger differences are perceived from one eye at a time in a stochastic process called binocular rivalry (Wheatstone, 1838). These phenomena have provided insight to binocular combination effects (Blake and Fox, 1973; Blake et al., 1981) and perceptual suppression (Blake and Logothetis, 2002; Blake and Wilson, 2011) respectively.

This study concludes that “rivalry and fusion are multistable substates capable of direct competition rather than separate bistable processes.” In other words, the human vision system can switch between “fusion” and “rivalry.” The human vision system produces what people perceive as a single image based on a complex mixing of the left and right eye views where their views overlap.

From my study and personal experience, what is “seen” will vary with different people and factors, such as which eye is dominant, the luminosity (the vision will tend to see the brighter image), and what the person concentrates on in the image. When simply looking at the images in the demo with my own eyes, the color uniformity looked significantly better with both eyes than with just one eye or the other. Still, if I concentrated, I could see unique differences between the left and right eyes.

The blended average, while simplistic compared to the human vision system, is a reasonable approximation of what most people will see in terms of color variation when typically viewing images with modest color variation, which is what I will be using in this article.

JBD Appears To Do A Good Job of Correcting the MicroLEDs

From what I am seeing, JBD is doing a good job of correcting the MicroLEDs themselves. Below is a picture of a mostly white flower from the right (only) waveguide with both the original (uncompensated) and JBD’s compensation.

The next two images zoom in on the areas of the red squares above to show pixel-level detail with and without correction. Notice how all the pixel-level random “noise” is largely corrected.

Next, we have a pure green image, once again with the left and right, and a combined image with both the origin (top row) and compensated (bottom row). In this image, we can better see both the pixel-to-pixel corrections and how the compensation is trying (but partially failing) to correct the waveguide over the whole FOV. This shows how the green light is falling off in the corner diagonally across from the entrance grating.

JBD provided me with a 3-D visualization of the Merge Original and Corrected image (below). These seem to agree with my camera results (right hand column above).

If you click on the image above, you will see a bright dot in the corrected left waveguide image (lower left image). The image below zooms into the upper left corner of the left eye’s waveguide for both the original and corrected image. While not perfect, it does a very good job of removing the major pixel-to-pixel differences. There was one “bug” in their correction where they overcompensated for a dark pixel, pointed to by the red arrow below in the medium (below left) and very high (below right) zoomed-in image images. It is not a big deal as this is a prototype.

As discussed in the Binocular Rivalry section above, I could see the bright dot with my own eyes where it might not be visible in the Left+Right “averaged” image.

Below are the left and right waveguide images with and without correction for a flat blue image. This demonstrates how the blue light transmission varies through the waveguide. Compared to the flat green results above, the blue light seems to progress slightly worse from the input grating corner than the green.

Distinguishing Colors

As discussed earlier, it is common to assign meaning to certain colors, such as Green = Good, Red = Bad, and Yellow = Caution. On the right is a test pattern that puts primary colors and those with two primary colors (e.g., Yellow = Red + Green).

I submitted a flat red image to JBD, but for some reason, it was not loaded into the demo system. As is evident from the earlier test patterns with white circles, the pattern of the red light is somewhat different from that of the blue and green.

Below are the various combinations of left, right, original, corrected, and (Photoshop) averaged images for the color squares. Because of the differences in the waveguide’s response to red and green, yellow becomes problematical to disguise from green (see, for example, the squares with the red rectangle). Magenta (red+blue) is problematical to distinguish from red. Even though the dimming of blue and green is similar, as can seen with the Green and Cyan squares in the white squares, distinguishing green from cyan can be problematic.

While the ability to distinguish colors is better in the corrected average of the left and right images (lower right image), as discussed in the Binocular Rivalry section earlier, the average is not what the human visual system will “see,” at least dependably.

Human Facial Tones

Humans are very sensitive to facial tones. It is thought that it is primordial sense to tell if someone is sick. Humans are not generally good at any other colors. As I have said for years, if I only see cartoon images and no human faces in a display demo, then likely as not, they can’t control the colors well. I have used the test image (right) for years, as it combines facial tones with some near-primary RGB colors and some dull white.

Below are the left, right, original, corrected, and averaged images. As with the color squares, the way the various primary progress in X and Y through the waveguide causes color shifts across the images. JBD’s compensation for the MicroLEDs plus the Waveguide does a reasonably good job when the left and right are averaged (bottom right). Still, as discussed in the Binocular Rivalry section, this is not exactly what the human will see.

JBD had a larger image of a woman (right) that filled much of the screen. The images below show how the facial tones varied in a single picture.

Below is a close-up of the right waveguide’s image for both the original and corrected/compensated image.

Below is a close-in crop of one eye with the common six-way comparison.

The Demos System’s Waveguides and Camera Alignment

JBD informs me that the waveguide’s eyebox is 10mm by 12mm, which is reasonably good (I don’t have the optical measurement equipment to test this spec. Compared to other waveguide optical systems I have photographed, the demo system waveguides seem to have a small sweet spot, at least in terms of color, with my camera equipment. The colors will shift, and my camera moves a few millimeters up or down or a slight change in angle. For all the pictures taken in this article, I adjusted the camera position for what I judged to be the best overall image as viewed through the camera. Below is a series of four pictures where I slightly moved the camera up or down from what I judged to be the best location.

I checked that similar color changes occurred with my own eyes as I shifted my view slightly. I used a six-axis camera rig to try and align the camera in the sweet spots of the left and right waveguides.

Conclusions

Overall, I thought that JBD successfully demonstrated that they can correct the variations in their MicroLEDs. There didn’t seem to be any dead pixels or pixels that were so dim they could not be corrected. They also did a reasonably good job of aligning the color panels on the X-Cube (I plan to go into this more in the next article). The alignment and overall image quality were also good with TCL’s glasses using JBD’s MicroLEDs with an X-Cube (see TCL RayNeo X2 and Ray Neo X2 Lite). I want to repeat a caveat: my experiences are with one-off demo systems, and I have no idea whether they were cherry-picked.

The demo was not able to fully correct for waveguide variation due to the waveguide’s color non-uniformity (I don’t know whose waveguide was used). Additionally, the color shifts with the eye’s location relative to the waveguide. When you look at a photo of a person, you can tell who it is, but the person’s facial tones vary across the waveguide. For some applications where color is used to indicate warnings or other information, the non-primary color shift and dimming of primary colors across the waveguide could be an issue.

I would like to see JBD’s MicroLEDs coupled with different diffractive waveguides. As I noted in TCL RayNeo X2 and Ray Neo X2 Lite, I saw major differences between the RayNeo X2 and X2 Lite, which used waveguides from different companies. I would also like to see it with Lumus’s reflective waveguides, which are typically much more uniform in terms of color and brightness uniformity than the diffractive waveguides. Lumus also believes that they would be more than 5 to 7 times more efficient/brighter than a diffractive waveguide with MicroLEDs (I would like to see if this can be proven).

I have been following JBD’s developments since 2019, and they have made major progress in the manufacturing of MicroLEDs and the quality of the demo systems I have seen. Not to mention that they are the only company with customers shipping MicroLED-based AR glasses products. Below are macro photographs directly (no optics other than the camera’s macro lens) of a JBD green and blue display I took at CES 2020, where there were many dead/nearly dead pixels (click on the images to see the details).

Next Time on Jade Bird’s Compensation Demo

Next time, I want to discuss JBD’s X-Cube alignment and Jade Bird’s weight pulse width drive method.

Smart ring maker Oura announced on Tuesday that it has received a $75 million investment from glucose device maker Dexcom. The investment marks Oura’s Series D funding round and brings the company’s valuation to more than $5 billion. The partnership paves the way for the two companies’ devices and apps to be used together, which […]

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À la liste déjà fort longue d'entreprises françaises victimes de fuites de données, deux noms viennent de s'ajouter : le magazine Le Point et, surtout, l'enseigne de grande distribution Auchan.

OpenAI is expanding ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode feature to the web, letting users talk to the AI chatbot right from their browser. The company’s chief product officer, Kevin Weil, announced the launch on X. The feature, which makes ChatGPT more natural to speak with, is rolling out to ChatGPT’s paying customers this week, which means […]

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In September, Microsoft made an unusual combination of announcements. It demonstrated progress with quantum error correction, something that will be needed for the technology to move much beyond the interesting demo phase, using hardware from a quantum computing startup called Quantinuum. At the same time, however, the company also announced that it was forming a partnership with a different startup, Atom Computing, which uses a different technology to make qubits available for computations.

Given that, it was probably inevitable that the folks in Redmond, Washington, would want to show that similar error correction techniques would also work with Atom Computing's hardware. It didn't take long, as the two companies are releasing a draft manuscript describing their work on error correction today. The paper serves as both a good summary of where things currently stand in the world of error correction, as well as a good look at some of the distinct features of computation using neutral atoms.

Atoms and errors

While we have various technologies that provide a way of storing and manipulating bits of quantum information, none of them can be operated error-free. At present, errors make it difficult to perform even the simplest computations that are clearly beyond the capabilities of classical computers. More sophisticated algorithms would inevitably encounter an error before they could be completed, a situation that would remain true even if we could somehow improve the hardware error rates of qubits by a factor of 1,000—something we're unlikely to ever be able to do.

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Les chercheurs explorent des solutions innovantes pour rendre les essaims de robots plus efficaces. Inspirée du système nerveux humain, une nouvelle approche promet des avancées majeures.

Des essaims de robots plus intelligents et mieux organisés

Des équipes de robots pourraient accomplir des tâches complexes plus rapidement, comme lors de catastrophes naturelles. L'auto-organisation est essentielle pour les interventions où une coordination rapide sauve des vies. Des chercheurs de l'Université Libre de Bruxelles ont développé un cadre innovant. Cette architecture, inspirée du système nerveux humain, facilite la coopération entre robots en simulant des interactions neuronales. Ainsi, les robots se regroupent en sous-essaims et analysent leur environnement pour mieux planifier leurs actions. Cela améliore grandement leur efficacité, même dans des situations imprévisibles.

A nervous system-inspired framework to deploy self-organizing robot swarms https://t.co/kWkMdTJcIj #OODA

— OODA (@ooda) November 18, 2024

Le défi réside dans la transition des laboratoires aux applications réelles. Les comportements programmés individuellement compliquent l'auto-organisation. Cependant, le nouveau système surmonte ces obstacles. D'ailleurs, il combine contrôle centralisé et autonomie locale. Cette union aide ainsi à optimiser l'organisation des robots.

Un cadre qui imite le système nerveux humain

L'architecture SoNS permet aux robots de s'auto-organiser comme un système nerveux ad hoc. Chaque robot devient un neurone communiquant uniquement avec ses voisins. Cela évite les ralentissements d'un centre de contrôle unique. Dans ce réseau, le rôle de « cerveau » se déplace en fonction des besoins de la mission. Cette hiérarchie flexible permet une meilleure réactivité collective, même sous pression. La gestion des informations reste dynamique en assurant un bon équilibre entre autonomie et coordination.

Le système SoNS agit comme un middleware en facilitant la programmation des essaims. De plus, il améliore l'efficacité des missions de détection et d'action. Cela pourrait transformer l'utilisation des robots en équipe dans le monde réel. L'avantage principal réside dans la flexibilité, car les robots peuvent s'adapter sans dépendre d'une structure rigide.

Des tests prometteurs pour l'avenir des robots en essaim

Les simulations réalisées par l'équipe incluaient jusqu'à 250 robots. Ceci confirme d'ailleurs la robustesse de leur cadre. Les expériences menées ont montré une coordination réussie, même dans des environnements exigeants. Cela marque un pas important vers le déploiement des essaims dans des missions pratiques, comme les opérations de secours ou la surveillance environnementale. L'équipe prévoit d'améliorer cette architecture en la rendant encore plus performante.

Les chercheurs envisagent aussi des cerveaux SoNS plus sophistiqués. Ainsi, en intégrant l'apprentissage en ligne, les robots pourraient devenir encore plus autonomes. Cela ouvrirait la voie à des missions planifiées de manière proactive. Ces avancées augurent un avenir où les robots en essaim réaliseront des prouesses inimaginables. D'ailleurs, ce fait révolutionnerait de nombreuses industries.

https://twitter.com/robotframework/status/1843234563922800665

Cet article Ce système inspiré du cerveau humain peut gérer des robots en essaim est apparu en premier sur OBJETCONNECTE.COM.

The post Microsoft is Launching Automatic Quest 3 Pairing on Windows 11 PCs in December appeared first on Road to VR.

The UK healthcare system is transforming rapidly, driven by technological advancements and evolving patient needs. As the sector expands — both in infrastructure and resources — opportunities arise for organisations across various industries to contribute meaningfully to this changing landscape.

The question for Healthcare business leaders then becomes: How can business leaders harness these transformations to make a valuable impact in UK healthcare?

To understand where organisations can add value, we need to consider three perspectives: looking in at the patient experience, looking outward at the wider healthcare ecosystem, and looking beyond to future innovations driving the sector’s growth and sustainability.

Looking In: Empowering Patients Through Personalised Care

One of the most significant trends transforming healthcare is the rise of personalised care, fuelled by the increasingly sophisticated use of data. Virtual wards and telehealth solutions are increasingly being implemented as part of its strategic shift towards integrated care. These wards allow patients to receive hospital-level care at home, supported by remote monitoring technology. This shift towards patient-centred care prioritises the patient’s experience, making it a central focus for new healthcare models.

The latest GP Patient Survey highlights a growing emphasis on metrics around patient satisfaction. Yet, for patients to fully embrace these innovations, work must be done. Streamlined processes for accessing help and scheduling appointments, along with support for users with limited digital access or specific needs, are a growing area of focus. Only when these elements are optimised do they ease the strain on the broader healthcare system.

Our team at Magnetic recently helped Xyla, a leading global healthcare provider, to develop product visions for digital health solutions such as Virtual Wards and patient flow management systems. By articulating a clear, value-driven vision, we helped Xyla prioritise the customer experience, ensuring that patient needs remain at the forefront.

Looking Out: The Role of Private Providers in Expanding Access

As the UK healthcare system evolves, private providers are playing an increasingly prominent role. Private healthcare use is rising, with a 7% increase in private admissions from 2022 to 2023 (Financial Times). Many new entrants are addressing pain points in traditional healthcare, offering services that were once available only in hospitals.

Bupa, one of the biggest Global Healthcare companies, cares for over 50 million customers. Bupa’s flexible offerings, such as pay-as-you-go healthcare and subscription models, provide affordable options for individuals without private coverage, improving access and enabling faster healthcare support. At Magnetic, we’re proud to have worked with Bupa to look at customer needs and develop products and services to meet those needs — from rethinking new patient onboarding experiences to developing a new wellbeing proposition, now called the Workplace Mental Health Advantage.

While there are concerns about the potential for more doctors to move into the private sector, the trend also relieves pressure on the public system. Balancing private and public involvement is complex, but successful partnerships can expand access and help meet growing demand. Mapping the dynamically evolving ecosystems is crucial to identifying opportunities for shared responsibilities and ensuring patient needs are met efficiently and responsibly.

Looking Beyond: Adopting a Holistic Approach to Health

As the UK’s population ages, the future of healthcare will increasingly focus on long-term care, preventative measures and healthy living to manage this demographic shift effectively. The NHS long-term plan emphasises the need for preventative care, where education and early interventions can improve health outcomes and reduce the need for hospital care.

Magnetic’s CEO Jenny Burns, recently attended the Fast Company Innovation festival in New York. One of the insights from a panel talk on the Future of Food shared by Instacart’s Dani Dudeck was ‘food as medicine’ as a transformative concept for the food and healthcare industries. This vision reimagines patient recovery by prescribing customised, ultra-healthy meals in the same manner as pharmaceutical treatments. Imagine patients returning home from the hospital to find tailored, nutrient-rich meals waiting for them, designed to promote healing and long-term health.

This reflects a broader trend in healthcare focused on preventative and personalised care — as we’ve discussed above; from AI powered diagnostics to the expansion of telehealth and the rise in mental health and wellbeing platforms.

A recent report from the Centre for Mental Health equates the economic burden of mental ill health to twice the entire NHS budget in 2022 (£153bn), likening its impact to that of a pandemic every year. To build a resilient healthcare system, it’s essential to integrate sustainability practices, linking health, well-being, and environmental factors to ensure a healthier, more sustainable future.

The Role of the Private Sector

By looking in, out, and beyond, business leaders can better understand the opportunities for their organisations in healthcare. From developing personalised digital health solutions to forming partnerships with established providers, the private sector can bring agility and innovation to a system that needs both. By focusing on patient experience, improving access, and supporting holistic health approaches, businesses have a unique chance to drive change in UK healthcare.

Interested in discussing healthcare insights to shape a better future? Get in touch: toby.debelder@wearemagnetic.com.

Authors: Toby de Belder and Maria Zielinska.

Magnetic is a design and innovation company that helps design better futures. We’ve worked with global organisations to build capabilities, products, services and transform organisations. To find out more get in touch: toby.debelder@wearemagnetic.com.

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Transforming Healthcare: Looking in, out and beyond was originally published in Magnetic Notes on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

La première Developer Preview d’Android 16 vient d’être lancée, dévoilant des nouveautés prometteuses pour l’année prochaine. Parmi elles, une mise à jour importante de Health Connect, qui introduira le support des dossiers médicaux au format FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources). Cela inclut notamment les certificats de vaccination, et d’autres types de données pourraient suivre à […]

L’article Android 16 : Vos dossiers médicaux disponibles dans Health Connect au format FHIR ! est apparu en premier sur BlogNT : le Blog des Nouvelles Technologies.

On November 6th, Northwestern University introduced a groundbreaking leap in haptic technology, and it’s worth every bit of attention now, even two weeks later. Full details are in their original article. This innovation brings tactile feedback into the future with a hexagonal matrix of 19 mini actuators embedded in a flexible silicone mesh. It’s the stuff of dreams for hackers and tinkerers looking for the next big thing in wearables.

What makes this patch truly cutting-edge? First, it offers multi-dimensional feedback: pressure, vibration, and twisting sensations—imagine a wearable that can nudge or twist your skin instead of just buzzing. Unlike the simple, one-note “buzzers” of old devices, this setup adds depth and realism to interactions. For those in the VR community or anyone keen on building sensory experiences, this is a game changer.

But the real kicker is its energy management. The patch incorporates a ‘bistable’ mechanism, meaning it stays in two stable positions without continuous power, saving energy by recycling elastic energy stored in the skin. Think of it like a rubber band that snaps back and releases stored energy during operation. The result? Longer battery life and efficient power usage—perfect for tinkering with extended use cases.

And it’s not all fun and games (though VR fans should rejoice). This patch turns sensory substitution into practical tech for the visually impaired, using LiDAR data and Bluetooth to transmit surroundings into tactile feedback. It’s like a white cane but integrated with data-rich, spatial awareness feedback—a boost for accessibility.

Fancy more stories like this? Earlier this year, we wrote about these lightweight haptic gloves—for those who notice, featuring a similar hexagonal array of 19 sensors—a pattern for success? You can read the original article on TechXplore here.

TikTok is letting some creators add product links from third-party affiliate networks, including Amazon, Walmart and Target, directly to their posts through a new integration. 

TikTok hasn’t posted about the integration on any official channels, but creators who were invited to participate posted about it on social media. It was also spotted by expert marketing consultants, who wrote about the update on LinkedIn. TechCrunch was the first to report that TikTok had rolled out an integration with the social commerce app LTK. But the integration also lets creators add shopping links from other affiliate partners, including Amazon, Walmart, Target, Rakuten, Impact, CJ, Expedia, Clickbank, Flexlink and Temu, according to in-app notifications received by eligible creators. 

TikTok declined to provide an on-the-record statement for this story, but a company spokesperson said the new integration is part of a test available to a limited number of creators. As such, it is not an official program, but TikTok is collecting feedback from the initiative. TikTok declined to provide additional information, including whether it was receiving a commission on sales from these links.

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Découvrez comment les fenêtres photovoltaïques transparentes d'inQs transforment l'énergie solaire tout en gardant la luminosité de votre intérieur. Une innovation écologique qui allie esthétique et production d'électricité.

Into the SETIverse

Scientists suggest that the reason why we have yet to find aliens could be that they're hiding in a parallel universe.

As detailed in a new paper published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, a team led by Durham University astrophysicist Daniele Sorini devised a new take on the Drake equation.

The equation was formulated by astronomer Frank Drake in the 1960s to estimate the number of active and detectable alien civilizations in our galaxy. It takes a number of factors into consideration, including the average rate of star formation, the potential number of habitable planets, and the proportion of them that could develop intelligent life.

Sorini and his team, however, suggest reframing the equation by considering the possibility of parallel universes that may be more likely to host intelligent life than our own — a galaxy-brained concept that could help explain why we have yet to make first contact.

Darkest Timeline

Sorini's team suggests that some universes would have a more optimal density of dark energy, the mysterious stuff that scientists believe is driving the accelerated expansion of the universe.

Specifically, they found that a universe where the density of dark energy allows for 27 percent of ordinary matter to be turned into stars would be most likely to allow for alien life to develop. That's compared to just 23 percent in our universe, meaning our universe is at a disadvantage for developing life.

"Surprisingly," Sorini said in a statement about the paper, "we found that even a significantly higher dark energy density would still be compatible with life, suggesting we may not live in the most likely of universes,"

Sure, the idea that aliens are hiding out in the multiverse is preposterous on its face, like the premise to a last-ditch Marvel sequel. But Sorini and his collaborators frame it as an effort to reconcile the more exotic implications of modern physics with the search for life beyond Earth — and you have to admit that, at the very least, it's a fun idea.

"Understanding dark energy and the impact on our universe is one of the biggest challenges in cosmology and fundamental physics," Sorini said. "The parameters that govern our universe, including the density of dark energy, could explain our own existence."

"It will be exciting to employ the model to explore the emergence of life across different universes and see whether some fundamental questions we ask ourselves about our own universe must be reinterpreted," coauthor and Université de Genève cosmology professor Lucas Lombriser added.

More on the multiverse: Dark Matter May Be a Deformed Mirror Universe, Scientists Say

The post Scientists Say Aliens May Be Hiding in the Multiverse appeared first on Futurism.

Knightscope innove en matière de sécurité publique avec des robots autonomes connectés. D'ailleurs, la technologie permet de réduire la dépendance humaine dans des tâches de surveillance longue et monotone. Verizon connecte ces dispositifs pour garantir leur efficacité.

Une vision née d'une tragédie

Tout a commencé après la fusillade de Sandy Hook en 2012. Stacy Stephens, ancien policier, et son ami William Li voulaient améliorer l'efficacité des forces de l'ordre. Ils imaginaient des solutions pour mieux gérer ce genre de situations. Ainsi, ils ont fondé Knightscope pour offrir des technologies innovantes.

https://twitter.com/ExecutiveGov/status/1857514179625681074

L'entreprise propose diverses solutions, comme des cabines d'appel d'urgence et des systèmes de détection des coups de feu. Leur robot autonome K5 imite les sens humains grâce à des technologies de pointe. Il intègre des caméras, de l'imagerie thermique, et des capteurs sophistiqués.

Une solution à la pénurie de main-d'œuvre

Les robots Knightscope patrouillent des zones souvent peu attractives pour les humains. Ces machines effectuent un travail précis sans distraction ni fatigue. De plus, les robots peuvent détecter des anomalies, comme la présence suspecte de personnes ou de sources de chaleur.

Stacy Stephens, vice-président de Knightscope, souligne l'intérêt des robots pour des tâches longues. Personne ne veut passer huit heures à surveiller un parking, explique-t-il. Ainsi, l'entreprise a créé une alternative efficace et autonome pour renforcer la sécurité.

Une technologie avancée pour des missions critiques

Le K5, cinquième génération de robots Knightscope, bénéficie de nombreuses évolutions. D'ailleurs, il mesure 165 cm, pèse plus de 180 kg, et se déplace jusqu'à 5 km/h. Ses caméras capturent des visages avec précision. Sa coque blanc et noir s'inspire de la navette Discovery.

https://twitter.com/Semiotis/status/1857357058170921072

Le robot possède des capteurs pour éviter les obstacles et détecter les mouvements. Par exemple, il s'arrête si une personne lui bloque le chemin. Cela garantit la sécurité de tous. De plus, Verizon connecte ces robots avec sa solution Frontline pour assurer leur réactivité.

Des robots offerts en service continu

Knightscope propose ces robots sous forme de service. Cela améliore d'ailleurs leur flotte au fil des innovations. Les clients bénéficient ainsi des dernières avancées en matière de sécurité. Le design évolue en intégrant de nouvelles fonctionnalités pour répondre aux besoins des utilisateurs.

Avec un partenariat comme celui avec Verizon, Knightscope continue de repousser les limites. La sécurité publique entre dans une nouvelle ère, où l'autonomie robotique optimise les ressources humaines. Le futur est déjà là, et il est plus connecté que jamais.

https://twitter.com/FierceNetwork_/status/1772713344325017667

Cet article Des robots pour la sécurité publique, un partenariat stratégique est apparu en premier sur OBJETCONNECTE.COM.

Perplexity is rolling out a new feature that will let Pro subscribers purchase a product without leaving its AI search engine. When searching for a product using Perplexity, Pro members based in the US can now choose a “Buy with Pro” button that will automatically order the product using saved shipping and billing information.

Perplexity says all products purchased through Buy with Pro come with free shipping. For products that don’t support Buy with Pro, Perplexity will redirect users to the merchant’s website to complete their purchase.

Screenshot: Perplexity

When asked whether Perplexity gets any kickback from sales made through its Buy with...

Continue reading…

In a review paper published recently in Science Robotics a cognitive roboticist, cognitive psychologist and a psychiatrist discuss the concept of "sense of self" in humans, and they explore how robots can be used to better understand the phenomenon.

People write with personal style and individual flourishes that set them apart from other writers. So does AI, including top programs like Chat GPT, new Johns Hopkins University-led research finds.

Les agents générateurs de code informatique, reposant sur l'IA, devraient prendre en charge une grande partie du développement de (...)

Entretien avec Laëtitia Girard, fondatrice et CEO de Vendôm Talents, une plateforme qui transforme le processus de recrutement dans l'industrie du luxe.

Ikea Switzerland, in partnership with the Ikea Retail (Ingka Group) global digital development team, has launched JobBot, a recruitment tool designed to enhance the candidate experience and streamline recruiter processes.

JobBot automates administrative tasks, allowing applicants to apply through WhatsApp without leaving the app.

The way it works is that the chatbot is pre-written, and it guides candidates through the process, and filters positions based on the information the candidate has given to the bot when creating their profile (and by providing consent). This ensures candidate information is kept secure and manageable.

Ananda Buchmüller, Project and Employer Branding & Talent Sourcing Leader, and her team in Ikea Switzerland, aimed to create a tool that would allow recruiters to focus more on understanding the individuals behind the applications, assessing their role fit, and exploring their broader career aspirations. 

“We believe that people make the difference. We recruit based on values, focusing on the person rather than just the CV,” says Buchmüller. “JobBot bridges the gap between people and technology, enhancing communication and providing access to a valuable, interactive talent pool.” 

The JobBot technology operates without AI driven decision-making, giving Ikea complete control over the interaction and allowing it to fully align with GDPR requirements, and guided by the company’s Global Digital Ethics Policy.

“The JobBot aligns with our values of accessibility and simplicity,” says Parag Parekh, CDO at Ikea Retail (Ingka Group). “Through solutions like these, we are reimagining our digital tools to create connections that matter. Our omnichannel approach is about meeting people where they are, ensuring their IKEA experience is seamless and valuable across every touchpoint.” 

2024 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Omnichannel retail is a key focus area for the sixth edition of the RTIH Innovation Awards, which are now closed for entries.

The awards, sponsored by Vista Technology Support, Scala, CADS, 3D Cloud, Brightpearl by Sage’s Lightning 50, Business France, and Retail Technology Show 2025, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Check out our finalists here.

Key 2024 dates

Friday, 25th October: Award entry deadline 

Tuesday, 29th October: 2024 shortlist revealed

30th October-6th November: Judging days

Thursday, 21st November: Winners announced at the 2024 RTIH Innovation Awards ceremony, to be held at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London.

Doctor out of town? No problem — they can be beamed in as a 3D image.

Crescent Regional Hospital outside Dallas, Texas, has become the first in the country to offer doctor appointments with a holographic machine, allowing overworked medical specialists, who often have to visit multiple medical centers in a week and sometimes even a day, to see more patients.

It also comes with the added bonus of turning your typically dreary telehealth visit into something a bit more lifelike and personable — though of course, there's no beating the real thing.

"I can see the three dimensions of the anesthesiologist's head, legs, and torso in lifelike detail," wrote journalist Mark Dent of his holographic doctor experience in an article for Texas Monthly magazine. "Only the background — a white void — reveals she's not with us."

The holographic device is called a Holobox, designed by the Netherlands startup Holoconnect. With the stature of an oversized vending machine, the Holobox more or less functions as an enormous booth that can display a life-sized image of a physician or anyone else calling in.

The holographs are created using a transparent LCD screen, which is practically invisible, housed behind a layer of anti-glare glass. As such, the images aren't being projected into 3D space, but instead create the illusion of three-dimensionality.

It's not quite "Star Wars," but the effect is apparently compelling. Dr. Olayinka Adepitan, the anesthesiologist interviewed by Texas Monthly, called the tech a "game changer." She found that patients were more attentive during her Holobox call-ins than during typical telehealth visits (like over Zoom).

"The longer we talk, the more I forget that in reality Adepitan is at a clinic in Farmers Branch, about thirty miles north," Dent wrote.

As the first hospital to deploy the technology this way, Crescent is currently using the Holobox for pre-surgery and post-surgery consultations. Adepitan told Texas Monthly that it allows her to discharge patients sooner than if she had to wait to drive to the county, a trip she's only scheduled to make twice a week.

Thanks to the tech, Adepitan simply reports to the nearby medical center she normally works at, and sits in front of a camera and white screen to beam herself in remotely. She views patients through a TV monitor, while a local nurse does the work of physically examining the patient.

As Texas Monthly notes, rural areas across the country are chronically short-staffed of medical professionals. Rural Texas has suffered dozens of hospital closures in the past decade. Among doctors, there is enthusiasm for telehealth, tech-inflected or otherwise, as one way of relieving the shortage — but some stress that it's not the be-all and end-all.

"We see telehealth as a very important innovation for rural communities," John Henderson, CEO of Texas Organization of Rural and Community Hospitals, told Texas Monthly. "We do not see it as a silver bullet."

It's also not cheap. The Holobox costs Crescent hospital $65,000 upfront, on top of $1,200 a month in maintenance. But the hospital's CEO Raji Kumar, who pushed for the tech, argues that offering holographic appointments may be a way for struggling rural hospitals to retain patients — and therefore make money — who may forego a local medical center since it can't attract top specialists.

More on medical tech: Neuralink Competitor Restores Vision in Blind Patients With Eye Implant

The post Rural Hospital Installs Holograph Machine So Doctors Can Appear From Elsewhere appeared first on Futurism.

"How can UK businesses streamline their logistics operations while keeping up with rising consumer expectations for faster and more reliable deliveries?"

As e-commerce continues to flourish and customer demands for quick delivery times intensify, the pressure on freight and shipping companies to innovate has never been greater.

To meet these evolving demands, businesses are embracing cutting-edge strategies that optimise inventory management, reduce costs, and enhance efficiency. This article delves into the innovative solutions reshaping the logistics industry, empowering UK businesses to stay competitive in a rapidly changing market.

Freight forwarders: streamlining the supply chain

Freight forwarders play a vital role in simplifying logistics for businesses, acting as intermediaries to manage the complexities of both domestic and international shipping. Their expertise in handling customs clearance, multimodal transport, and regulatory compliance is crucial in ensuring that goods reach their destinations on time.

Freight Forwarders as Logistics Orchestrators

Freight forwarders act as logistics orchestrators, negotiating with carriers, managing shipping schedules, and ensuring that shipments are optimised for speed and cost-efficiency. By leveraging digital freight platforms, forwarders can automate the booking process, track shipments in real-time, and provide transparency throughout the supply chain.

For instance, companies use cloud-based platforms to provide end-to-end visibility, helping businesses make data-driven logistics decisions and optimise shipping routes. By integrating retail shipping freight solutions into their services, freight forwarders can further streamline operations, reducing costs and enhancing delivery efficiency for businesses in the retail sector.

Key benefits:

●      Streamlined logistics through automation and real-time tracking.

●      Reduced shipping costs through optimised carrier negotiations.

●      Enhanced visibility and control over the supply chain.

Managing Compliance and Customs Clearance

One of the most significant challenges in international shipping is navigating customs regulations.

Freight forwarders use blockchain technology to securely manage documentation, reducing the risk of delays and ensuring compliance with international trade regulations. Blockchain's transparency also helps reduce fraud and errors in customs paperwork.

Digital solutions are being increasingly adopted to automate customs documentation, which speeds up the clearance process and reduces administrative burdens. This is especially critical for time-sensitive goods, where delays could result in significant financial losses.

Key Benefits:

●      Faster customs clearance with automated documentation.

●      Reduced compliance risks with accurate, transparent records.

●      Lower risk of shipment delays and penalties.

Embracing Multimodal Solutions for Flexibility

Freight forwarders excel in creating multimodal transport solutions, effectively integrating road freight shipping, sea, and air freight to achieve optimal logistics strategies.

By leveraging AI driven tools, they can optimise transport modes based on cost, speed, and environmental impact, ensuring businesses meet customer expectations without compromising efficiency. The inclusion of road freight shipping allows for greater flexibility, particularly for short-haul routes, while maintaining the balance between speed and cost-effectiveness.

Key benefits:

●      Greater flexibility in transport options based on cargo needs.

●      Cost savings through optimised multimodal strategies.

●      Reduced carbon footprint by selecting eco-friendly transport modes.

Innovations in shipping and inventory management: driving efficiency and speed

The logistics industry is undergoing a transformation driven by advancements in automation, data analytics, and IoT technology. These innovations are not only improving efficiency but also enhancing the accuracy and speed of freight operations.

Smart Warehousing and Automation

To optimise inventory management, many companies are investing in Automated Warehouse Management Systems (WMS).

These systems streamline inventory tracking, reduce human errors, and speed up order fulfilment. By using robotics and automation, warehouses can handle tasks such as sorting, picking, and packing with increased precision. This not only cuts down on labour costs but also shortens processing times.

Additionally, Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) and drones are being used within warehouses to move goods seamlessly between storage areas and packing stations. For example, Ocado, a British online supermarket, uses robotics to automate its warehouses, allowing it to process thousands of orders daily with minimal human intervention.

Key benefits:

●      Reduction in operational costs due to automation.

●      Enhanced accuracy in order processing and inventory management.

●      Faster turnaround times, leading to improved customer satisfaction.

Leveraging IoT for Real-Time Tracking and Monitoring

The Internet of Things (IoT) is revolutionising the logistics sector by providing real-time visibility into every stage of the supply chain. IoT enabled devices and RFID sensors allow companies to monitor shipments, track inventory levels, and receive alerts if any issues arise, such as temperature deviations or delays.

These technologies not only enhance the transparency of shipments but also enable proactive decision-making. For instance, pharmaceutical companies use IoT sensors to monitor the temperature of perishable goods during transit, ensuring they remain within the required range.

Key benefits:

●      Real-time tracking improves visibility and reduces shipment delays.

●      Sensors help monitor the condition of sensitive or perishable goods.

●      Data driven insights enable more accurate inventory forecasts.

Smart Locker Systems and Micro-Fulfilment Centres

Smart locker systems and micro-fulfilment centres are helping retailers reduce delivery times by bringing inventory closer to consumers. By strategically placing these facilities in urban areas, businesses can fulfil orders faster and reduce transportation costs.

These innovations are especially beneficial for the booming e-commerce market, where consumers expect same-day or next-day delivery. Retail giants like Tesco and Sainsbury’s are investing in micro-fulfilment centres to optimise their delivery networks.

Key benefits:

●      Reduced delivery times through decentralised inventory management.

●      Lower transportation costs with local fulfilment centres.

●      Enhanced customer convenience with flexible delivery options. 

Conclusion

The logistics landscape is rapidly evolving, with businesses embracing innovative technologies to stay competitive. By investing in automation, IoT, and AI driven analytics, UK companies can streamline their shipping and inventory processes, reduce costs, and enhance customer satisfaction.

Freight forwarders, smart warehousing, and last mile delivery innovations are transforming the way goods move from warehouse to doorstep, ensuring that businesses can meet the demands of a fast-paced market.

La miniaturisation des ordinateurs quantiques progresse rapidement, et des chercheurs viennent de franchir une nouvelle étape en développant un ordinateur quantique basé sur un seul photon,...

A new study has found that one of the top names in the groundbreaking new class of weight loss drugs may not only be good at treating diabetes, but could actually help prevent the disease.

In a new study published in the New England Medical Journal, researchers found that tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Eli Lilly's Mounjaro diabetes treatment and Zepbound weight loss injectable, cut the risk of developing diabetes by a whopping 94 percent in people who are at high risk of the disease.

Funded by Lilly as part of a Phase 3 trial into the efficacy of its flagship glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist — which, like Novo Nordisk's chemically similar semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, mimics the body's feeling of fullness — this more than three-year-long study involved over 2500 subjects who were overweight and considered pre-diabetic.

In a randomized and double-blind experiment, the researchers from an international consortium of medical schools had patients take weekly injections of either a placebo shot or one with either 5, 10, or 15 milligrams of tirzepatide.

As they found at the end of the 176-week trial, those who took the tirzepatide not only lost a significant amount of weight, but also seemed to be far less likely to develop diabetes. Of the overall group taking the tirzepatide, only 1.3 percent received a diabetes diagnosis by the end of the lengthy trial, whereas 13.3 percent of the placebo group developed it.

While some studies have suggested that people who lose weight on GLP-1 drugs are likely to gain it back after they stop taking it (though the data is somewhat mixed on that point) this trial found that the apparent protective benefits for developing diabetes seemed to last. After 17 weeks, only 2.4 percent of those who took active tirzepatide were diagnosed with diabetes — which as the New York Times notes, suggests that the drug helped the pre-diabetic and overweight trial participants keep their blood sugar under control.

That same NYT writeup points out that other studies conducted with Novo's Ozempic and Wegovy suggest that the active ingredient in those drugs, semaglutide, may offer similar protective benefits.

Should these results bear out in future trials, it may be yet another health benefit provided by these drugs — though their sky-high prices and spotty insurance coverage means that most people still can't afford them.

More on GLP-1s: Semaglutide So Effective at Treating Arthritis That Patients Were “More or Less Were Treated Out of the Study”

The post Mounjaro Appears to Be Extremely Effective at Preventing Diabetes appeared first on Futurism.