Some extremely fresh vintage workwear that I bought for entirely practical reasons aside, I’m not exactly a fashion person. I have nobody to impress most days but my cat, and the only item of clothing she appears to have an opinion on is my Oodie, which is very comfortable for both of us and also smells like a chicken shop, which I imagine is more pleasant for her than me.

This aside, I found myself taking a whole bunch of Dragon Age: The Veilguard screenshots as I played just to capture the RPG’s various outfits. They are ridiculous. Incredibly intricate and detailed, as well as being obscenely impractical for the most part. I do not like any of them in the sense I would wear them, but I like all of them in the sense that they display artists allowed to run free like caffeinated weasels and indulge their every whim.

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"A lot of puzzle games can leave you staring at the same static screen for ages, but here, I’m always pushing you forward," says Mark Brown of Game Maker’s Toolkit. For a decade now, Brown has been releasing accessible deep dives on game design for his popular YouTube channel, like "How Game Designers Protect Players From Themselves" and "The Two Types of Random in Game Design." This week, he’s releasing his own for the first time.

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Google DeepMind claims its AlphaChip AI method can deliver “superhuman” chip designs that are already used in its data centres – but independent experts say public proof is lacking

The end of Moore’s Law is looming. Engineers and designers can do only so much to miniaturize transistors and pack as many of them as possible into chips. So they’re turning to other approaches to chip design, incorporating technologies like AI into the process.

Samsung, for instance, is adding AI to its memory chips to enable processing in memory, thereby saving energy and speeding up machine learning. Speaking of speed, Google’s TPU V4 AI chip has doubled its processing power compared with that of its previous version.

But AI holds still more promise and potential for the semiconductor industry. To better understand how AI is set to revolutionize chip design, we spoke with Heather Gorr, senior product manager for MathWorks’ MATLAB platform.

How is AI currently being used to design the next generation of chips?

Heather Gorr: AI is such an important technology because it’s involved in most parts of the cycle, including the design and manufacturing process. There’s a lot of important applications here, even in the general process engineering where we want to optimize things. I think defect detection is a big one at all phases of the process, especially in manufacturing. But even thinking ahead in the design process, [AI now plays a significant role] when you’re designing the light and the sensors and all the different components. There’s a lot of anomaly detection and fault mitigation that you really want to consider.

Heather GorrMathWorks

Then, thinking about the logistical modeling that you see in any industry, there is always planned downtime that you want to mitigate; but you also end up having unplanned downtime. So, looking back at that historical data of when you’ve had those moments where maybe it took a bit longer than expected to manufacture something, you can take a look at all of that data and use AI to try to identify the proximate cause or to see something that might jump out even in the processing and design phases. We think of AI oftentimes as a predictive tool, or as a robot doing something, but a lot of times you get a lot of insight from the data through AI.

What are the benefits of using AI for chip design?

Gorr: Historically, we’ve seen a lot of physics-based modeling, which is a very intensive process. We want to do a reduced order model, where instead of solving such a computationally expensive and extensive model, we can do something a little cheaper. You could create a surrogate model, so to speak, of that physics-based model, use the data, and then do your parameter sweeps, your optimizations, your Monte Carlo simulations using the surrogate model. That takes a lot less time computationally than solving the physics-based equations directly. So, we’re seeing that benefit in many ways, including the efficiency and economy that are the results of iterating quickly on the experiments and the simulations that will really help in the design.

So it’s like having a digital twin in a sense?

Gorr: Exactly. That’s pretty much what people are doing, where you have the physical system model and the experimental data. Then, in conjunction, you have this other model that you could tweak and tune and try different parameters and experiments that let sweep through all of those different situations and come up with a better design in the end.

So, it’s going to be more efficient and, as you said, cheaper?

Gorr: Yeah, definitely. Especially in the experimentation and design phases, where you’re trying different things. That’s obviously going to yield dramatic cost savings if you’re actually manufacturing and producing [the chips]. You want to simulate, test, experiment as much as possible without making something using the actual process engineering.

We’ve talked about the benefits. How about the drawbacks?

Gorr: The [AI-based experimental models] tend to not be as accurate as physics-based models. Of course, that’s why you do many simulations and parameter sweeps. But that’s also the benefit of having that digital twin, where you can keep that in mind—it’s not going to be as accurate as that precise model that we’ve developed over the years.

Both chip design and manufacturing are system intensive; you have to consider every little part. And that can be really challenging. It’s a case where you might have models to predict something and different parts of it, but you still need to bring it all together.

One of the other things to think about too is that you need the data to build the models. You have to incorporate data from all sorts of different sensors and different sorts of teams, and so that heightens the challenge.

How can engineers use AI to better prepare and extract insights from hardware or sensor data?

Gorr: We always think about using AI to predict something or do some robot task, but you can use AI to come up with patterns and pick out things you might not have noticed before on your own. People will use AI when they have high-frequency data coming from many different sensors, and a lot of times it’s useful to explore the frequency domain and things like data synchronization or resampling. Those can be really challenging if you’re not sure where to start.

One of the things I would say is, use the tools that are available. There’s a vast community of people working on these things, and you can find lots of examples [of applications and techniques] on GitHub or MATLAB Central, where people have shared nice examples, even little apps they’ve created. I think many of us are buried in data and just not sure what to do with it, so definitely take advantage of what’s already out there in the community. You can explore and see what makes sense to you, and bring in that balance of domain knowledge and the insight you get from the tools and AI.

What should engineers and designers consider when using AI for chip design?

Gorr: Think through what problems you’re trying to solve or what insights you might hope to find, and try to be clear about that. Consider all of the different components, and document and test each of those different parts. Consider all of the people involved, and explain and hand off in a way that is sensible for the whole team.

How do you think AI will affect chip designers’ jobs?

Gorr: It’s going to free up a lot of human capital for more advanced tasks. We can use AI to reduce waste, to optimize the materials, to optimize the design, but then you still have that human involved whenever it comes to decision-making. I think it’s a great example of people and technology working hand in hand. It’s also an industry where all people involved—even on the manufacturing floor—need to have some level of understanding of what’s happening, so this is a great industry for advancing AI because of how we test things and how we think about them before we put them on the chip.

How do you envision the future of AI and chip design?

Gorr: It’s very much dependent on that human element—involving people in the process and having that interpretable model. We can do many things with the mathematical minutiae of modeling, but it comes down to how people are using it, how everybody in the process is understanding and applying it. Communication and involvement of people of all skill levels in the process are going to be really important. We’re going to see less of those superprecise predictions and more transparency of information, sharing, and that digital twin—not only using AI but also using our human knowledge and all of the work that many people have done over the years.

A collaboration between a space company and a fashion company yields something elegant.

A voyage in this kind of spacecraft — while still conceptual — would take multiple lifetimes, crossing unimaginable gulfs of interstellar space. The theoretical exercise puts aside technical problems, including the propulsion system, and focusses on the design of the habitat and society.

A dome-shaped device floating in Halifax’s Northwest Arm could easily be confused with a buoy, but it is actually a contraption meant to turn ocean water into fresh water. Two Dalhousie University researchers hope it can help with water scarcity in the real world.

Rode has announced the Wireless Micro, a two-mic kit with a smartphone receiver and charging case that costs just $149. The idea is to help TikTok and other creators capture much better-quality audio than their smartphone's microphone can offer. 

The receiver unit connects to the bottom of your smartphone via a USB-C or lightning port. Meanwhile, the microphones (aka transmitters) attach to the subject via integrated clips or magnetic attachments, then capture what Rode calls "pristine" quality sound. Specifically, they offer a 20-20 kHz frequency range and 73 dB signal-to-noise ratio, with a transmission range around 330 feet.

To use it, simply connect the receiver to your iOS or Android device and it will take over as the system microphone. From there, everything is automatic, as the transmitter mics are automatically paired to the receiver and sound will be captured to your camera app of choice. Levels are automatically controlled with the company's GainAssist technology. 

The omnidirectional transmitters weigh just 12 grams (0.42 ounces) and are tiny enough to be discreet when clipped onto your subject. The built-in microphones use what Rode calls "acoustic chambers" with a patent-pending design. That supposedly lets you capture clear and intelligible audio while reducing wind noise, though a pair of windmuffs is also included in the kit. 

The Wireless Micro also includes a charging case that delivers two full recharges for up to 18 hours of battery life, while giving you a secure place to store everything. 

There are a few things missing, though. You can't connect an external mic to the transmitters, unlike with other Rode wireless mics or the DJI Mic 2. There's no smartphone Bluetooth capability, and it doesn't offer a 3.5mm connection for cameras — a feature that will supposedly exist on the rumored DJI Mic Mini. Still, this looks like a great option for creators who primarily use smartphones. It's now available in a two mic kit with a receiver and charging case for $150. 

This article is part of our exclusive IEEE Journal Watch series in partnership with IEEE Xplore.

Sea turtles are remarkable creatures for a number of reasons, including the way they hear underwater—not through openings in the form of ears, but by detecting vibrations directly through the skin covering their auditory system. Inspired by this ability to detect sound through skin, researchers in China have created a heart-monitoring system, which initial tests in humans suggest may be a viable for monitoring heartbeats.

A key way in which doctors monitor heart health involves “listening” to the heartbeat, either using a stethoscope or more sophisticated technology, like echocardiograms. However, these approaches require a visit to a specialist, and so researchers have been keen to develop alternative, lower cost solutions that people can use at home, which could also allow for more frequent testing and monitoring.

Junbin Zang, a lecturer at the North University of China, and his colleagues specialize in creating heart-monitoring technologies. Their interest was piqued when they learned about the inner workings of the sea turtle’s auditory system, which is able to detect low-frequency signals, especially in the 300- to 400-hertz range.

“Heart sounds are also low-frequency signals, so the low-frequency characteristics of the sea turtle’s ear have provided us with great inspiration,” explains Zang.

At a glance, it looks like turtles don’t have ears. Their auditory system instead lies under a layer of skin and fat, through which it picks up vibrations. As with humans, a small bone in the ear vibrates as sounds hit it, and as it oscillates, those pulses are converted to electrical signals that are sent to the brain for processing and interpretation.

iStock

But sea turtles have a unique, slender T-shaped conduit that encapsulates their ear bones, restricting the movement of the similarly T-shaped ear bones to only vibrate in a perpendicular manner. This design provides their auditory system with high sensitivity to vibrations.

Zang and his colleagues set out to create a heart monitoring system with similar features. They created a T-shaped heart-sound sensor that imitates the ear bones of sea turtles using a tiny MEMS cantilever beam sensor. As sound hits the sensor, the vibrations cause deformations in its beam, and the fluctuations in the voltage resistance are then translated into electrical signals.

The researchers first tested the sensor’s ability to detect sound in lab tests, and then tested the sensor’s ability to monitor heartbeats in two human volunteers in their early 20s. The results, described in a study published 1 April in IEEE Sensors Journal, show that the sensor can effectively detect the two phases of a heartbeat.

“The sensor exhibits excellent vibration characteristics,” Zang says, noting that it has a higher vibration sensitivity compared to other accelerometers on the market.

However, the sensor currently picks up a significant amount of background noise, which Zang says his team plans to address in future work. Ultimately, they are interested in integrating this novel bioinspired sensor into devices they have previously created—including portable handheld and wearable versions, and a relatively larger version for use in hospitals—for the simultaneous detection of electrocardiogram and phonocardiogram signals.

This article appears in the July 2024 print issue as “Sea Turtles Inspire Heart-Monitor Design.”

Even with support from the government, serious threats against Bhutto will persist.

Deputy Director Shen acknowledged the message but offered no further comment.

The �Design Smart, Live Beautifully� Home Tour coincides with the launch of the 2014 model of Blu�s award-winning�Breezehouse, which is�packed with luxurious features and an even more spacious floor plan

Northwestern Mutual, presenting sponsor of the Rose Bowl Game�, revealed renderings of its Tournament of Roses� Parade float, inspired by Peyton Richardson, a teenage ballerina who is fighting cancer.

Eden Party by Perrier-Jou�t

Genesis Reveals Hybrid Sports Sedan Concept At New York International Auto Show

Get a sneak peak at the industry�s smallest and smartest bone conduction sound processor. Now the first hearing implant with Made for iPhone� technology.

Years ago, NASA�s Hubble Space Telescope launched with an error in the telescope�s mirror, which blurred its images for its first years in orbit. For NASA�s upcoming James Webb Space Telescope that is traveling much farther out in space, there can�t be a mistake. Abbott scientists created a technology to calibrate the mirrors on NASA�s new James Webb Space Telescope, which is now the same technology used in the iDesign System that allows ophthalmologists to map the human eye with great precision for a highly personalized LASIK treatment.

Purple Purse PSA

A mermaid lady in a green circle. What about this makes me hungry for a nice cup of joe?

LG has introduced a new stretchable display that can expand by 50% from its original size. This innovative technology allows the screen to grow from 12 inches to 18 inches with a simple pull. The display is designed to endure up

Sara Little Turnbull used materials science to invent and design products for the modern world

If you have a project to show - this is great chance...

Amazing showreel as always...

Interesting redesign for TAK flour...

Okumura to work as freelance artist while studying drawing/writing

This piece of literary mayhem is exclusive to Smart Bitches After Dark, but fret not. If you'd like to join, we'd love to have you! Have a look at our membership options, and come join the fun! If you want to have a little extra fun, be a little more yourself, and be part of keeping the site open for everyone in the future, we can’t wait to see you in our new subscription-based section … Continue reading Let’s Talk About Some of the Latest Cover Re-Designs →

The post Designer Jonathan Lee appeared first on Zeldman on Web and Interaction Design.

If you’re finding today a bit stressful for some reason, grab a respite by sinking into any of these web design inspiration websites.

The post Web Design Inspiration appeared first on Zeldman on Web and Interaction Design.

US Food and Drug Administration has granted breakthrough therapy designation for two experimental drugs for rare diseases conducted by the biotechnology company Shire.

For most of us, life is completely hectic with the families, jobs and homes, taking most of our time and leaving us with no time to relax. That leaves the little time to enjoy the outdoors or look for peaceful natural surroundings for...

Design Hotels, the community-driven portfolio of nearly 300 independent hotels, announced 29 signed agreements and 10 percent growth of its global portfolio within the last 12 months. From the under-the-radar Black Sea coast of Batumi, Georgia, to the bustling, residential neighborhood of Tribeca, New York, each of the new and upcoming Design Hotels properties embodies the values of the brand and the singular vision of the property owner.

Jewelries are ornaments used for decorative purposes. However, there are lots of other uses of jewelries. The use of jewelries depends largely on the dispensation in which you are taking reference to and also the culture. For instance,...

The purpose of any website is to earn profit for the owner. The website not only upholds the brand value of the products, it attracts customers for the business. For that reason the website must be attractive, user-friendly, well...

In a heartfelt tribute to the late Rohit Bal, Ananya Panday donned a 21-year-old suit designed by the iconic designer for her mother, Bhavana Pandey. Ananya's mother Bhavana commented, "It looks great on you !!!!!."

Modern CAD resources such as AutoCAD, Microstation, Tekla and Revit has changed the way technicians prepare documents and drawings for any given project. Computer Aided CAD or Design tools are widely popular across construction,...

Sahmyook University this week showcased some of the ongoing work the Seoul-based research institute is doing with Samsung on the robot exosuit front. There aren’t a ton of details surrounding EX1 (not to be confused with an old Samsung digital camera by the same name) at the moment, but there are some promising results here. […]

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Available space, weather and air traffic volume are key factors that go into airfield design. Robert Hoxie, who helped redesign Chicago O’Hare’s airfield, explains how runways are mapped out. Photo Illustration: Adele Morgan/The Wall Street Journal

As we inch closer to the ASUS ROG Phone 9 series launch on November 19, there's a growing buzz around what this latest addition to ASUS's gaming smartphone lineup will bring. With rumors swirling about some interesting upgrades, here's a look

ASUS has introduced the Wireless Mouse MD102 in India, offering a blend of durability and wireless dependability in an ergonomic design. Available in Dark Grey and White, this stylish mouse is priced at Rs 1799 and will be available from September

At its 2024 Partner Summit, Snap Inc. introduced a range of AI and augmented reality (AR) features aimed at evolving how users interact with the Snapchat platform. With updates to both hardware and software, the company continues to push forward in

A home or space can be designed and styled into a specific design style. One of the most popular design styles that gained a lot of popularity since its inception in the early 20th century is nothing but Modern Interior design!

Hero is set to showcase another motorcycle at EICMA which is based on the 2.5R Xtunt bike. This is another 250cc motorcycle that they will include in their lineup. The teaser of this has also been revealed on their social media

With a victory at the 2023 Africa Eco Race, Aprilia's Tuareg 660 solidified its place in the adventure bike game. The success story was created by riders like Chris Birch, Pol Tarres, and Jacopo Cerutti. Recognizing a growing demand in ADV

Honda Cars India Ltd. (HCIL) has heightened excitement for its upcoming model by unveiling teaser sketches of the third-generation Honda Amaze. Scheduled to launch on 4th December 2024, this compact sedan aims to elevate style and sophistication in its class, challenging

The Kia Seltos, launched in August 2019, has become a key player in the mid-size SUV market. Its modern design and extensive features have made it a standout model. This vehicle accounts for over 48% of Kia's sales in India, highlighting

Durham : Duke University Press, [2023]

San Francisco, California : Maker Media, Inc., 2017.

Manchester : Manchester University Press, [2020]