Science and technology strategy
The U.S. Department of Commerce will conduct an industrial base survey of the semiconductor supply chain
According to the U.S. Department of Commerce on December 21, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced on the same day that it will launch a new investigation in January 2024, focusing on the use and procurement of traditional Chinese-made chips in the supply chain of key industries in the United States, to more broadly analyze the capabilities and challenges of the U.S. semiconductor supply chain and defense industry base. The Commerce Department said it will use the results of the analysis to inform policymaking, while supporting U.S. companies in sourcing current-generation and mature semiconductors. It is reported that the investigation will be initiated by the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
The United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and other countries approved the launch of the "Tallinn Mechanism for Civilian Network Assistance to Ukraine"
According to the U.S. State Department on December 20, 11 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, approved the launch of the "Tallinn Mechanism for Civilian Network Assistance to Ukraine". The Tallinn Mechanism will coordinate and promote Ukraine's non-governmental cyber capacity building, help Ukraine "safeguard the basic right to self-defense in cyberspace", and support Ukraine's cyber capacity building needs in the long term. Within the framework of the mechanism, it will engage regularly with NATO and the EU on cyber issues. The specific members of the mechanism are: the United States, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
Information
South Korea's Ulsan Institute of Science and Technology has developed terahertz electromagnetic wave amplification technology, which can be applied to 6G
According to TechXplore on December 25, the research team of the Ulsan Institute of Science and Technology in South Korea has developed terahertz electromagnetic wave amplification technology, which can amplify terahertz electromagnetic waves by 30,000 times. The research team optimized the terahertz nanoresonator through an artificial intelligence reverse design method based on the physical theory model, which greatly improved its amplification efficiency. In the future, this research can be applied to 6G communication and other fields. The study was published in the journal Nano Letters.
creature
A team of researchers in the UK has created a new dataset that can be used to develop behavioural biometrics and speech synthesis systems
According to Biometric's official website on December 21, a research team from the University of Glasgow has developed a new multimodal dataset RVTALL based on radio frequency, vision, text, audio, laser and lip landmark information, which can be used to develop speech recognition systems. The team asked 20 participants to read 5 vowels, 15 words and 16 sentences, and recorded the signs of lips and voices using radio ultra-wideband and FM continuous-wave radar and a laser speckle detection system with a high-speed camera, obtaining about 400 minutes of annotated voice profiles. The dataset has been verified to have the potential to study lip language and multimodal speech recognition. This research will contribute to the development of contactless sensing, and in the future, it may be possible to use voice-controlled devices such as smartphones to read users' lips and improve the quality of calls in noisy environments. The research results were published in the journal Nature.
BARDA allocated US$117 million for the first clinical trial of a novel acute respiratory distress syndrome treatment
According to the official website of ASPR on December 21, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) under the Strategic Preparedness and Response Administration (ASPR) of the United States issued a contract worth $117 million to evaluate three new therapies for the treatment of hospitalized adult patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) for the first time. Under the contract, PPD, Thermo Fisher Scientific's clinical research business, will conduct a large Phase 2 clinical trial over a three-year period to evaluate the safety and efficacy of three host-oriented therapies at up to 60 U.S. sites, with specific drug candidates to be announced in early 2024.
U.S. Government Accountability Office reviews U.S. medical device cybersecurity
According to the official website of GAO on December 21, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) reviewed the cybersecurity of medical devices in the United States and put forward relevant work recommendations. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), medical device vulnerabilities are not typically exploited but still pose a risk to hospital networks and patients, and that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has primary responsibility for medical device cybersecurity. In the report, the GAO describes the challenges of the relevant non-federal entities in obtaining support for medical device cybersecurity, the challenges that have been addressed, the ongoing coordination of medical device cybersecurity, and the limitations of agency authority in medical device cybersecurity, and recommends that relevant agencies need to update protocols to ensure effective coordination.
British researchers have developed a spatiotemporal memory Xi model based on the insect brain, providing a new perspective on brain-inspired intelligence
According to the DeepTech official account on December 22, the research team of the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom proposed a Xi model based on spatiotemporal memory of the ant brain to provide a new perspective for understanding human brain intelligence. In terms of algorithm innovation, this technology uses the machine vision matching technology SeqSLAM to improve the matching accuracy. In terms of hardware innovation, the researchers used bio-visual event cameras to perform asynchronous sensing of pixel changes with ultra-high temporal accuracy (nanosecond level). By using the brain-inspired computer SpiNNaker, the system can increase the training and operation speed of the spiking neural network by 100 times, achieve real-time input and output, and greatly reduce power consumption, with a single chip power consumption of only about 1W, which is expected to play a role in extreme environments such as underground and underwater in the future, such as mining and deep-sea work.
A team of researchers in Singapore has developed an AI method to accurately predict the 3D structure of RNA
According to phys on December 21, the research team of the National University of Singapore and the Singapore Institute of Cancer Sciences used artificial intelligence and deep Xi technology DRfold to model the 3D structure of atomic-scale RNA according to the primary RNA sequence, improving the accuracy of the RNA model by more than 70%. DRfold creates two complementary deep Xi networks, one focusing on end-to-end Xi and the other on geometrically constrained Xi, which help improve the accuracy of latent functions and RNA model predictions. In the future, the team will expand the AI strategy to the field of protein-RNA interactions to facilitate RNA functional annotation and RNA drug discovery. The research results were published in the journal Nature Communications.
energy
The International Energy Agency (IEA) released its "Coal 2023" report, saying that global coal demand will decline in the next few years
According to the dual carbon intelligence on December 21, the International Energy Agency (IEA) released the "Coal 2023" report. Global coal demand grew 1.4% in 2023, surpassing 8.5 billion tonnes for the first time, reaching a record high, but global coal demand will still fall 2.3% from 2023 levels to about 8 billion tonnes by 2026, driven by a significant expansion of global renewable energy capacity over the next three years, the report said. Regionally, coal consumption in most of the world's developed economies has declined to a large extent, with the European Union and the United States each falling by about 20%. Coal demand remains strong in emerging and developing economies, with India growing by about 8% and China by about 5% in 2023 due to increased demand for electricity and weak hydropower. Although China accounts for half of the world's coal demand, it is also a major contributor to the expansion of renewable energy capacity, with more than half of the new capacity being installed in China. The International Energy Agency forecasts that China's coal demand will decline in 2024 and level off by 2026.
ocean
The Netherlands is investing 250 million euros to strengthen intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities in the North Sea
According to the reference news network on December 23, the Netherlands plans to invest up to 250 million euros to enhance the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities in the North Sea to protect its cables and pipelines crisscrossing the North Sea seabed. According to reports, the Dutch Ministry of Defense will install cameras, radar systems and automatic identification system trackers on drilling platforms and offshore wind turbines, as well as purchase satellite equipment to improve the ability to observe the movement of ships. In addition, the Netherlands plans to purchase two vessels with underwater monitoring technology.
Japan will develop new submarines and equip them with new cruise missiles
According to the Maritime Defense Frontier on December 25, Japan's Kawasaki Heavy Industries introduced the concept of a new submarine designed for the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force in the recently released "2030 Vision Report", replacing the "Big Whale" class submarine currently in service. According to Kawasaki Heavy Industries' report, the new submarine will be built around high underwater mobility, high underwater detection capabilities, high stealth technology and carbon dioxide removal technology, with a focus on a vertical launch system to launch a new standoff cruise missile.
aviation
The U.S. Center for Strategic and International Affairs released the report "On the Right Track: Space and Airborne Sensors for Hypersonic Missile Defense" to support the Indo-Pacific Command's hypersonic defense decision-making
According to the InterestingEngineering website on December 19, the U.S. Center for Strategic and International Affairs released the report "On the Right Track: Space and Airborne Sensors for Hypersonic Missile Defense" to provide support for the Indo-Pacific Command's hypersonic missile warning, tracking, and defense decisions. According to the report, the U.S. Department of Defense needs to use hypersonic missile tracking satellites to prioritize providing all-weather hypersonic fire control monitoring data for the Indo-Pacific region. The report identifies three requirements for effective hypersonic weapons to effectively defend against network sensors: first, to use diversified architectures to increase coverage density in critical areas, second, to provide fire control capabilities that match interceptor missiles of various services, and third, to accelerate low-, medium-, and high-orbit satellite coverage in the Pacific platform theater.
The U.S. Air Force plans to award a contract for the development of the Next Generation Air Domination program in 2024 to support production by 2030
According to the DefenseNews website on December 24, the U.S. Air Force plans to award the "Next Generation Air Domination" (NGAD) project development contract in 2024 to support the production of production before 2030. In May 2023, the U.S. Department of Defense launched a classified tender for NGAD engineering and manufacturing development contracts to the industry, officially launching the NGAD fighter research and development process. In addition, the U.S. Air Force plans to increase investment in the Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion System (NGAP) engine in 2024, increasing the allocation from $375 million in fiscal year 2023 to $595 million, laying the foundation for the high maneuverability of NGAD fighters.
space flight
The US Space Force's anti-satellite early warning satellite has officially been put into operation, which will be used to collect data on potential threats in orbit
According to the news of national defense science and technology news on December 22, the U.S. Space Rapid Capability Office said that the U.S. Space Force's three anti-satellite early warning satellites in geosynchronous orbit have been officially launched and will be used to collect data related to potential threats in orbit. As one of the 17 classified projects led by the U.S. Space Force, the satellite is equipped with a new cryptographic payload that can be reprogrammed, which can improve the ability to reprogram keys and on-orbit software, and provide support for enhancing on-orbit network security. At present, the U.S. Space Rapid Capability Office is planning to adjust the position of satellites in an orderly manner and further supplement the deployment of satellites in low-Earth orbit to support the U.S. military's comprehensive access to in-orbit data.
Rocket Lab was awarded a $515 million contract to develop 18 satellites for U.S. government agencies
According to the SpaceNews website on December 23, the United States Rocket Laboratory was awarded a contract worth $515 million to design, build, deliver and operate 18 satellites for U.S. government agencies. At this time, Rocket Lab has not disclosed who awarded the contract. According to U.S. media, the contract grantor or the U.S. Space Development Agency, the 18 satellites in the contract may be the second phase of the "transport layer" test satellite (Tranche 2 Beta). The head of the U.S. Space Development Agency, Derek Tournier, said at the National Security Space Association that the U.S. Space Development Agency plans to add 18 more test satellites, but has not disclosed specific information about the suppliers. It is reported that the second phase of the "transport layer" satellite is planned to be launched in 2026-2027 and will carry ultra-high frequency radio waves (UHF) and S-band payloads to provide ultra-long-distance low-speed voice and data transmission services for military and intelligence units on the ground.
SpaceX launched the 129th batch of 23 micro-version "Starlink" v2.0 satellites
According to the news on the Space website on December 23, the American company SpaceX used the "Falcon"-9 rocket to successfully launch the 129th batch of 23 micro-version of the "Starlink" v2.0 satellites at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Base in Florida. After this launch, the number of SpaceX's "Starlink" satellites launched reached 5,627, including 890 micro-version of "Starlink" v2.0 satellites. Currently, there are about 5,248 Starlink in orbit. According to statistics, this launch is SpaceX's 94th launch mission in 2023 and the 42nd launch of the micro-version of the "Starlink" v2.0 satellite.
Materials
Chinese researchers have developed a new type of aerogel fiber that can be used to make warm clothing
According to phys.org.com on December 22, researchers at Zhejiang University in China have developed a new type of aerogel fiber, which is better than similar down jackets, wool or cotton sweaters for thermal protection when woven into sweaters. Mimicking the thermal properties of polar bear fur, researchers address aerogel fragility and poor processing performance by encapsulating aerogel fibers in stretchable layers. Despite the material's internal porosity of more than 90%, the material has a tensile strain of 1000%, which is much higher than that of conventional aerogel fibers (about 2% strain). In addition, the material has good mechanical strength and retains stable thermal insulation properties after 10,000 tensile cycles (100% strain). The researchers produced a batch of filament fibers and woven them into sweaters, which were similar in warmth to down jackets, but only 1/5 the thickness of down jackets. The findings were published in the journal Science.
Swedish researchers have developed a conductive polymer cellulose aerogel that transmits and regulates terahertz waves
According to the Linköping University website on December 20, researchers at Linköping University in Sweden have developed an aerogel made of cellulose and conductive polymers that can transmit and regulate terahertz waves. The terahertz range covers the wavelength between microwave and infrared light on the electromagnetic spectrum and has great potential for applications in areas such as space exploration, security technology and communication systems, and can also be an alternative to X-ray examination in the field of medical imaging. The researchers used conductive polymers, PEDOT:PSS, and cellulose to make aerogels, and then treated the conductive polymer cellulose aerogels with chemical vapors to change them from their original oxidized (conductive) state to a reduced (insulating) state. The material is biocompatible, durable, waterproof (highly hydrophobic), and has strong terahertz wave regulation (13%-91%), while maintaining specular reflection loss of less than -30dB, and can be heated by sunlight for natural defrosting in outdoor application conditions, making it suitable for the next generation of smart terahertz devices. The findings were published in the journal Advanced Science.
Advanced manufacturing
Tesla's new energy storage gigafactory project in Shanghai was officially launched
According to the Financial Associated Press on December 25, Tesla has purchased land in Shanghai for the construction of a large-scale battery manufacturing plant, which is expected to start production in the fourth quarter of 2024. The project, which has the capacity to produce 10,000 Megapack stationary battery banks per year, is scheduled to start construction in the first quarter of 2024 and production in the fourth quarter. Megapack is a commercial energy storage battery launched by Tesla in July 2019, which can store and supply energy in the shape and size of a container container, mainly serving public utility projects and large enterprise customers.
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