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The Future of Acoustical Engineering

Since we first learned to record sounds on wax tubes that could be played back on phonographs, humanity has come a long way. While setting up one of these antique music players and hearing what audio enthusiasts listened to in the late 1800s is interesting, it pales in comparison to the advances we've made. What are some of the most exciting recent acoustic engineering advances, and what does the future of acoustic engineering look like?

Recent Audio Engineering Advances

Inflatable concert halls have appeared in the most unexpected places, providing sound engineers with the perfect canvas to create the ideal stage for musical acts. Once the structure has been inflated and is ready to go, sound engineers can manipulate the interior acoustics in the same way.

Acoustic engineers can use 3D impulse response management to create a 3D visualization of a room's acoustics using a set of microphones. This makes it easier to identify problem areas that would otherwise be difficult to identify with the human ear.

Adding augmented or virtual reality to the mix introduces the practice of acoustic holography, which allows engineers  to create a picture of the sound patterns in real-time. This could be useful for engineers concerned about noise pollution as well as those attempting to create the ideal acoustics for a musical performance or play.

What Does the Future Hold for Acoustical Engineering?

It's exciting to see how far the acoustical engineering industry has come, and even more exciting to see what the future may hold. What do acoustical engineers hope to achieve?

  • Acoustic Metamaterials
  • Gesture Control
  • 3D Audio
  • Music Recordings

Although many people are unfamiliar with the term "acoustic engineering," it is a type of engineering that most people are likely to encounter on a daily basis. The future of acoustical engineering is bright, and we'll most likely see a lot of changes that make it easier to immerse ourselves in the perfect audio experience over the next few decades.

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July 20, 2022

5G is the next quantum leap in mobile and wireless communication, providing unprecedented speed, capacity, and capabilities. In the 5G world, networks will serve trillions of connected things, and each person will be supported by hundreds of connected devices.

In addition to these opportunities, the combination of new capabilities and virtualisation in 5G introduces new threats. 5G has significantly more network end-points that cyber criminals can exploit, and 5G virtualisation means that the entire connection is based on software, which is inherently hackable.

Transforming society by reconceptualising the “network”

Understanding where the vulnerabilities exist is a critical first step toward protecting 5G networks from cyber threats.

This entails implementing a process that involves identifying, profiling, and assessing the health of each component before allowing it to connect to the network, and, if necessary, restricting access to the 5G service based on this assessment. It's known as a zero-trust approach, and it will assist organizations throughout the 5G ecosystem in striking the right balance between business risk and 5G security.

5G Expands Cyber Risks

  • The network is transitioning away from centralized, hardware-based switching and toward distributed, software-defined digital routing . However, in the 5G software defined network, that activity is pushed outward to a web of digital routers spread throughout the network, removing the possibility of chokepoint inspection and control.
  • 5G adds to its cyber vulnerability by virtualizing higher-level network functions previously performed by physical appliances in software. These activities are based on the Internet Protocol common language and well-known operating systems.
  • Even if it were possible to secure the network's software vulnerabilities, the network is also managed by software—often early generation artificial intelligence—that is vulnerable.
  • The dramatic increase in bandwidth that enables 5G opens up new attack vectors. Low-cost, short-range small-cell antennas deployed throughout urban areas become new physical hard targets.
  • Finally, there is the vulnerability created by connecting tens of billions of hackable smart devices (actually, small computers) to the Internet of Things network. Plans are in the works for a diverse and seemingly endless list of IoT-enabled activities, ranging from public safety to battlefield to medical to transportation—all of which are both wonderful and uniquely vulnerable.

In this paper, we argue that a zero-trust approach, combined with company leaders focusing on three key pillars—trust, resilience, and enablement—will form the foundation of a sound cyber strategy, allowing companies to roll out 5G quickly and safely.

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July 14, 2022

Most buildings, whether residential, commercial, or industrial, consume a significant amount of energy over their lifetime, whether for lighting, heating, ventilation, or plugged-in devices. Buildings consume approximately 40% of global energy, 25% of global water, 40% of global resources, and emit approximately one-third of global greenhouse gases.

The energy required to power these structures has risen precipitously in recent decades, putting an increasing strain on national power grids. This has increased the pressure to generate power by burning fossil fuels, contributing to the current climate change. This lethal cause and effect has compelled many engineers and policymakers to consider how we can reduce energy consumption in the buildings we build.

What is a Zero-Energy Building?

A zero-energy building (ZEB) is one in which the total energy used over the course of a year is equal to the amount of renewable energy produced - in other words, it produces enough energy to meet its own annual requirements. This means it does not require energy from the power grid, lowering greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to mortgage or bank repayments, utility bills are one of the most expensive running costs for these homes, offices, and manufacturing plants. So there are financial as well as environmental reasons for having ZEBs.

The scope and approach of these terms vary, but the fundamental goal of reducing energy usage, improving building energy performance , and lowering greenhouse gas emissions applies to all definitions.

Components of A Zero-Energy Building:

A ZEB has two main components: reducing the building's energy consumption and producing renewable energy for on-site use. The first key element (lowering the total amount of energy used in a building) can be achieved through the use of energy-efficient lighting systems, insulation, better water management, improved ventilation systems, and smart meters. Even changing occupant behavior can have an impact on a building's energy efficiency. The second component (on-site generation of renewable energy) could include installing solar panels, small wind turbines, or micro combined heat and power systems to meet a building's electricity, heating, or cooling needs. Any excess energy generated by the building can be transferred to the national grid, allowing the building's owners to profit from their own thriftiness.

Zero energy cities are an engineered extension of zero energy buildings. As more buildings become energy self-sufficient, communities and cities may become zero energy. This means that the total energy consumed by a city's infrastructure will be equal to the amount of renewable energy generated. Engineering solutions that create zero-energy buildings, whether residential, commercial, or industrial, are the first steps toward achieving zero energy cities - a transition that will be critical in slowing rampant climate change and that we must now accelerate.

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LTIMindtree, a global technology consulting and digital solutions company, has announced a strategic partnership with GitHub to accelerate AI-driven software engineering. This collaboration aims to integrate GitHub's advanced DevOps and AI-powered pair programming capabilities with LTIMindtree's expertise in digital engineering and AI transformation, creating a robust ecosystem to drive enterprise innovation at scale. As IT complexities grow, the demand for superior software quality, security, and speed becomes increasingly critical. While Generative AI holds immense potential, many organizations struggle to fully leverage it for software development. Recognizing this challenge, LTIMindtree is committed to driving agile transformation by embedding Generative AI into the software delivery process through shift-left, shift-right, and shift-down practices. The LTIMindtree-GitHub partnership is set to enhance organizations by scaling AI-enabled capabilities and reimagining the software development lifecycle. By combining LTIMindtree's proficiency in delivering digital programs with GitHub's Copilot-powered platform, this alliance will streamline development processes and provide AI-powered developer solutions tailored to enterprise needs. Developers will benefit from improved collaboration tools, automated workflows, and reduced manual effort, leading to faster time-to-market and elevated software quality. Additionally, the GitHub ecosystem will boost productivity by offering early access to innovative tools and fostering co-innovation.

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December 10, 2024

Biomemory, a Paris-based innovator in DNA-based data storage solutions, has successfully secured $18 million in Series A funding. This investment aims to advance the development of their groundbreaking storage appliance designed for data centers. Funding Details The Series A round was led by Crédit Mutuel Innovation, with participation from existing investor Bpifrance and new investors including Blast, Paris Business Angels, Sorbonne Venture, Adnexus, Prunay, Next Sequence, and Accelerem. Innovative Storage Technology Founded in 2021, Biomemory is pioneering the use of synthetic DNA for data storage, offering a medium with unparalleled density and longevity. Their technology enables the production of long, bio-sourced, biocompatible, and bio-secure DNA fragments that can be stored as inert polymers for thousands of years without any energy input.  Environmental Impact Data centers currently have a carbon footprint greater than civil aviation. Biomemory's DNA storage technology is thousands of times less energy-intensive than current electronic systems, addressing the environmental challenges posed by traditional data storage methods. Future Plans With this funding, Biomemory plans to recruit additional talent in molecular biology and engineering, accelerate product development towards commercialization, and build partnerships with industry leaders and cloud providers. The company aims to release a 100-petabyte storage device for data center use by 2026 and scale up to exabyte capacity by 2030.  Company Background Biomemory was founded in 2021 and is based in Paris, France.