DAILY INNOVATION BRIEF by Maryanne Kane, Journalist

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DAILY INNOVATION BRIEF 

By Journalists Edward Kane & Maryanne Kane


NEXT-G SOLAR CELLS: LOWER COST & MORE EFFICIENT SOLAR ENERGY


                                                            Source:  University of Colorado & Stock

  • University of Colorado Boulder engineers and researchers have revealed an innovative method to manufacture solar cells that may revolutionize solar energy. They're using perovskite semiconductors. Here's what we know:
  • Many experts consider this the next gen of solar tech
  • It could lead to more efficient, lower cost means to power homes, cars, boats, drones & more 
  • The new solar cells are known as perovskite cells
  • The innovative method to manufacture perovskite cells is considered critical to commercialization
  • Until now nearly all solar panels have been made of silicon, which are expensive to make, have 22% efficiency and only convert 20% of the sun's energy to electricity
  • Perovskite cells can potentially increase efficiency by 50%
  • More tests are needed to show how the new cells hold up over time
  • But many think this will be a gamechanger that could eventually dominate the market.

NVIDIA'S GENERATIVE AI POWERED ROBOTS




                                                                    Source:  Nvidia

  • Chipmaker Nvidia just unveiled several AI powered humanoid robots, including a foundation model for humanoid robot to learn by watching humans do the task.  Here's what we know:
  • This is part of Nvidia's Project GROOT, which is a major upgrade to the company's AI initiatives
  • GROOT is a technology system to handle the operation of robots and enable them to learn skills and tasks by watching humans do them
  • The new robot has a new computer system called Jetson Thor that enables it to interact naturally and fluidly with people and machines
  • It includes a "system on a chip" to handle the massive demand on processors to run AI models.
  • The goal is to enable robots to quickly add to their skill sets and do so in multiple environments
  • The company says its next robots will be "self-reliant" and capable of doing a breadth of skills & tasks
  • Nvidia is also working on "true, general purpose embodied autonomy" for robots, which it says is further out.

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"Daily Innovation Brief"© By Edward Kane


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