Lifeboat Foundation

Micro-electromechanical systems or MEMS are tiny integrated devices that combine mechanical and electrical components. Traditional manufacturing techniques such as milling, turning, and molding become impractical at small scales so MEMS devices are fabricated using the same batch processing techniques used to fabricate integrated circuits. These devices can range in size from a few microns to several millimeters.

Because MEMS devices are a hybrid of mechanical and electronic mechanisms, they’re generally fabricated using a combination of traditional integrated circuit technologies and more sophisticated methods that manipulate both silicon and other substrates in a manner that exploit their mechanical properties.

Continue reading “The World Of Microscopic Machines” »

AMD to offer five Ryzen Threadripper Pro 5000WX CPUs for workstations.

Dual-processor workstations are the stomping grounds of companies like Dell, HP, and Lenovo. They tend to cost as much as a car and are aimed at the most performance-demanding professionals with very deep pockets. It is hard to expect motherboard makers to offer dual-socket sWRX8 platforms at this time since 128-core/256-thread machines are complete overkill even for the workstation segment (which is why this capability might be canned if AMD feels that it is easier to offer Epyc platforms for the same market segment instead). Meanwhile, the report also says that Asus and Gigabyte intend to release all-new single-socket motherboards for the upcoming Ryzen Threadripper Pro 5000WX CPUs.

AMD’s Ryzen Threadripper Pro retains eight memory channels to provide loads of bandwidth and support for plenty of memory for professional applications. The CPUs will continue to use the sWRX8 socket, though we do not know whether the new products will be drop-in compatible with the existing sWRX8 platform (probably they will, albeit with a BIOS update).

Continue reading “Threadripper Pro 5000WX’s Secret Weapon: Up to 128 Cores per Workstation” »

PENA, the division of Panasonic which produces lithium-ion batteries at the Sparks Gigafactory, will move into an existing building at 645 E. Plumb Lane, about half a mile east of the Reno-Tahoe International Airport. PENA’s headquarters will move from the Gigafactory to the Plumb Lane campus.

“Our new facility in Reno underscores our commitment to evolving and growing to stay at the forefront of the mobility market,” Allan Swan, president of PENA, said in a news release. “Investing in innovation and workforce initiatives in the local community supports our mission of creating a future powered by sustainable energy.”

And soon it will even dock automatically.

X Shore, the Swedish sustainable boat firm responsible for the Eelex 8,000 recently opened two new offices in the U.S. as part of its plans for expansion, following its U.S. debut at the Palm Beach International Boat Show in March.

Continue reading “X Shore: The ‘Tesla of the Seas’ Is Now Selling Its Luxury EV Boat in the U.S.” »

Taiga Motors announced that it has manufactured its first production electric snowmobiles and deliveries are expected to start early next year following regulatory approval.

Like the auto industry, the powersports world is being electrified, and Quebec-based Taiga Motors is one of the companies leading the way for electric snowmobiles and jet skis. Earlier this year, Taiga made waves when it went public and raised $100 million to bring its electric vehicles to production.

Most of the money is going to be used for a big new factory in Shawinigan, but in the meantime, the company is starting low-volume production at a smaller facility in Montreal.

Australian researchers have struck a deal to commercialise a new next-generation graphene material they say could unlock cheaper and better performing lithium-ion batteries.

Researchers at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science (ACES), based at the University of Wollongong, say they have discovered a new form of graphene, called ‘Edge Functionalised Graphene’ (EFG), which is both highly conductive and processable for use in a range of electronics.

This includes lithium-ion batteries, with the innovative graphene material promising to improve the efficiency and lower the cost of battery technology used in energy storage devices and electric vehicles.

It seems Tesla has already produced at least a few Model Ys in Germany, though they may have been shipped there. Some reports say Tesla has produced many more.

A multipurpose electric truck with a 400-mile range.

Wolfgang, a creative agency based in Los Angeles, California has recently unveiled the Thundertruck, an electric off-roader concept with dashing, futuristic features including bat wing-shaped solar panels.

The company says that the multipurpose EV offers superior on and off-road performance and an entirely new level of versatility and functionality without zero emissions.

Continue reading “A New Off-Road Electric Truck Concept Boasts Bat Wing-Shaped Solar Panels” »

The new vehicle is being developed by the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA), expected to debut in 2023.