Quantum computing a reality soon?
IBM scientists have unveiled two critical advances towards the realisation of a practical quantum computer. For the first time, they showed the ability to detect and measure both kinds of quantum errors simultaneously, as well as demonstrated a new, square quantum bit circuit design that is the only physical architecture that could successfully scale to larger dimensions. With Moore’s Law expected to run out of steam, quantum computing will be among the inventions that could usher in a new era of innovation across industries.
Tesla brings clean energy home
Elon Musk’s Tesla has launched Tesla Energy, a suite of batteries for homes, businesses and utilities, fostering a clean energy ecosystem and helping wean the world off fossil fuels. The company is already working with utilities and other renewable power partners around the world to deploy storage on the grid to improve resiliency and cleanliness of the grid as a whole. The Tesla Powerwall is a rechargeable lithium-ion battery designed to store energy at a residential level for load shifting, backup power and self-consumption of solar power generation.
Robot performs kidney surgery
A 51-year-old father of five has had his cancerous kidney removed in the first ever robotic-assisted procedure in South Africa. Da Vinci Si robotic technology was used to assist in the surgical removal of the patient’s cancerous kidney, a procedure known as a radical nephrectomy, at Netcare Waterfall Hospital in Midrand last Monday. Just three days later the patient, a consultant who prefers not to be named, was discharged home where he was able to quietly celebrate his 51st birthday with his family.
NASA tests new tech
NASA researchers, together with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and FlexSys, have successfully completed initial flight tests of a new morphing wing technology that has the potential to save millions of dollars annually in fuel costs, reduce airframe weight and decrease aircraft noise during takeoffs and landings. The test team at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, flew 22 research flights during the past six months with experimental Adaptive Compliant Trailing Edge (ACTE) flight control surfaces that offer significant improvements over conventional flaps used on existing aircraft.
APTs set to take off in 2015
2015 is gearing up to be the year that advanced persistent threats (APTs) become mainstream – and they have the potential to dangerously affect millions of people. Sergey Lozhkin, senior security researcher at Kaspersky Lab’s global research and analysis team, points out that we live in a world for everyone spies on other people. Kathy Gibson reports from Kaspersky Labs’ conference in Lisbon.