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Forecasting the Future: NASA and IBM Join Forces for AI in Weather

Oğuz Çakır — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 20:12:28 +0000

Artificial intelligence technologies are increasingly prevalent, finding applications across various industries. Many companies are incorporating AI into their products and services, enhancing overall quality and efficiency. While this trend brings about positive advancements, it also raises certain concerns.

You may have come across statements predicting that “AI will take over your job.” Recently, meteorologists have joined the ranks of those potentially facing unemployment, as NASA and IBM collaborate on an AI model designed to monitor the Earth’s climate 24/7. Here are the details…

NASA and IBM AI Partnership for Climate Observation

NASA and IBM are jointly developing an AI model focused on weather and climate observation. This technology is expected to bring revolutionary changes compared to existing meteorological applications. Although AI is already in use in this field, the current models are task-specific, akin to technologies like ChatGPT, functioning as simple emulators, as per IBM’s description.

NASA and IBM, however, aspire to go beyond accurate predictions. Their collaborative effort aims to create an AI system that continuously observes the Earth’s climate and weather conditions around the clock. Anticipated features of this AI model include predicting meteorological events, extracting high-resolution information from low-resolution data, and forecasting occurrences ranging from aircraft turbulence to forest fires.

The shared objective of both institutions is to enhance the accuracy of weather predictions and mitigate potential disasters. For instance, this technology could predict forest fires caused by extreme heat, prevalent in various parts of the world, including our country, during the summer months. While achieving 100% accuracy may be challenging, the AI model is expected to be highly beneficial for implementing preventive measures.

The integration of this technology into our daily lives, drawing on data from NASA satellites and IBM technologies, remains uncertain.

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IBM may have Found a Way to Fix Unreliability in Quantum Computing

Anubhav — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 03:11:23 +0000

Quantum is a big word, and it has only been getting mainstream over the past decade. Four years after Google‘s claim to achieve “quantum supremacy,” quantum computing’s unreliability problem persists. However, IBM has recently announced a breakthrough in managing the reliability of quantum computing, offering promising solutions. By mitigating the effects of noise and errors, IBM researchers have devised a method to produce reliable and practical outcomes. Their findings have been published in the prestigious scientific journal Nature, sparking excitement in the computing community.

600,000 calculations were performed on a 127-qubit quantum processor to showcase accuracy

Unlike classical computers that rely on binary units, quantum computers employ qubits capable of simultaneous states of 0 and 1, enabling fast data storage, multiple possibilities, and efficient problem-solving. Unfortunately, the fragile nature of qubits makes maintaining their superposition state challenging, resulting in calculation errors due to environmental disturbances. Consequently, creating a fault-tolerant, error-free quantum computer has remained next to impossible.

IBM‘s researchers have unveiled a new technique called “error mitigation,” demonstrating significant progress in managing quantum computing’s unreliability. By amplifying and varying the noise levels during calculations, the researchers can infer the characteristics of noise and correct for its impact. This approach effectively removes the effects of noise and improves the reliability of quantum computations. The team performed 600,000 calculations on a 127-qubit quantum processor, showcasing the accuracy of their methodology in solving complex problems.

While IBM’s achievement does not yet establish “quantum supremacy,” it is a vital step toward developing quantum algorithm design. With quantum computers showcasing accurate results in certain configurations, it becomes increasingly likely that quantum computing will outperform classical computing in accuracy in the near future. Although error correction methods are still in development, IBM’s error mitigation technique offers a temporary solution for solving complex problems. This advancement brings us closer to practical applications in material science, drug discovery, and simulating big-scale physical phenomena.

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IBM Employee on Sick Leave for Past 15 Years Sues Employer for Unfair Wages

Anubhav — Sat, 13 May 2023 04:46:24 +0000

In a David versus Goliath scenario, IBM employee Ian Clifford has taken on his employer in a battle over wages. After being on sick leave since 2008 due to illness, Clifford has recently come to the realization that his current wages are failing to keep up with the ever-increasing inflationary pressures. Frustrated by unsuccessful negotiations with IBM for a salary increase, he has taken the drastic step of taking his employer to court.

Clifford was not required to work at all for the past 15 Years

Clifford’s annual salary of £72,037 (approximately $89,671) seems substantial on the surface. However, when considering IBM’s health plan, which entitles him to 75% of his salary, his actual take-home pay amounts to £54,028 (around $67,254). What’s more, Clifford, who has remained an IBM employee for the past 15 years under the health plan, has not been required to perform any work during this time.

In his lawsuit, Clifford contends that he has not received a raise since 2013. With the ever-rising inflation rates, he argues that his current income is fast becoming inadequate, stating, “It will soon be beyond our means.” The median salary for full-time employees stands at £33,000 ($41,078) per year, while for all employees, it is £27,756 ($34,550).

According to IBM’s health plan, Clifford is entitled to this payment until the age of 65, which amounts to a total of £1.5 million (approximately $1.86 million). While the figures may seem substantial, Clifford’s argument lies in the erosion of his purchasing power over time. However, the judge dismissed his case, stating that “Even if the value of the £50,000 ($62,240) a year halved over 30 years, it is still a very substantial benefit.”

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IBM plans to expand chip business in Canada

Joane — Mon, 27 Mar 2023 22:22:46 +0000

IBM plans to expand its chip business in Canada which will help in creating a bilateral semiconductor corridor between US and Canada.

During his visit to Canada, U.S. President Joe Biden made a joint commitment with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to unite against authoritarian regimes by reducing their reliance on other nations for critical minerals and semiconductors.

The Canadian government has pledged to invest $181.94 million in its domestic semiconductor industry to boost the research and development for advanced semiconductor technology and increase domestic manufacturing.

IBM on the other hand will provide significant investment to develop new and expanded packaging and testing capabilities at its Bromont facility, in Quebec. Though both governments have confirmed the IBM expansion plan, they have not revealed the actual investment made by the company.

IBM (International Business Machines Corporation) is an American multinational technology company that specializes in computer hardware, software, and related services. When it comes to semiconductors, the company provides chip technologies, products, and services throughout the value chain from product development and manufacturing, to supply chain, marketing, sales, and service.

The company has already announced its plans to invest $20 billion to manufacture semiconductors in New York’s Hudson Valley. With the latest expansion plan in Canada, the company is supporting the US government’s ambitions to become the global leader in the semiconductor business and disrupt China’s technological development.

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IBM and Rapidus Partner to Unleash the Power of 2 nm Technology in Japan

Oğuz Çakır — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 14:03:57 +0000

BM and Rapidus have announced a strategic partnership to build advanced semiconductor technology and ecosystem in Japan. As part of the agreement, Rapidus and IBM will further develop IBM’s breakthrough 2 nanometer (nm) node technology for implementation by Rapidus at its fab in Japan.

IBM and Rapidus Partner to Develop Advanced Semiconductor Technology in Japan

IBM and Rapidus have announced a strategic partnership to build advanced semiconductor technology and ecosystem in Japan. As part of the agreement, Rapidus and IBM will further develop IBM’s breakthrough 2 nanometer (nm) node technology for implementation by Rapidus at its fab in Japan.

Rapidus Corporation is a leading developer and manufacturer of advanced logic semiconductors, and was established with the endorsement of major Japanese companies. The company’s partnership with IBM will leverage the latter’s decades of expertise in semiconductor research and design. In 2021, IBM announced that it had developed the world’s first 2 nm node chip, which is projected to achieve 45% better performance or 75% more energy efficiency than leading 7 nm chips.

“It is my great pleasure to announce today that Rapidus has officially partnered with IBM for the joint development of 2 nm node technology,” said Atsuyoshi Koike, President and CEO of Rapidus. “This is a long-desired international collaboration, truly essential for Japan to once again play a vital role in the semiconductor supply chain. I am fully confident that this collaboration will pave the way for our goal of contribution to the well-being of humanity through advanced logic semiconductors produced with technologies jointly developed with IBM.”

The partnership is part of Japan’s initiatives to become a global leader in semiconductor research, development, and manufacturing. As part of the agreement, Rapidus scientists and engineers will work alongside IBM Japan and IBM researchers at the Albany NanoTech Complex owned and operated by NY CREATES in Albany, New York – one of the world’s most advanced semiconductor research facilities.

Rapidus is planning to deploy differentiated strategies in manufacturing, including automation and efficiency, to ensure speed to market and competitiveness. The company expects to start mass-production of its 2 nm technology in the latter half of the 2020s.

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IBM and Samsung unveil new transistors for super-efficient future chips

Jeet — Tue, 14 Dec 2021 00:42:18 +0000

International Business Machines (IBM) and Samsung have announced during the IEDM conference in San Francisco revealed a breakthrough in semiconductor design by unveiling a new design for stacking transistors vertically on a chip, reports Engadget.

In the new Vertical Transport Field Effect Transistors (VTFET), transistors sit perpendicular to one another and the current flows through them vertically. For those who are unaware, in the current processors and system-on-chips, transistors lie flat on the surface and the electric current flows from side to side.

This new kind of transistor could allow for a greater density of these components per chip compared to anything that is available at present. Thus, there’s potential for improved power efficiency or performance.

With this new design, IBM and Samsung hope to extend Moore’s Law beyond the nanosheet threshold and waste less energy. The companies also say that it will double the performance or use 85 percent less power than chips designed with FinFET transistors.

However, IBM and Samsung aren’t the only ones working on these new types of transistors. The chipset giant Intel is also experimenting with chips stacked above each other to save area, reduce interconnect lengths, and save energy to make the chips more cost-efficient and better performing. Intel aims to finalize the design for angstrom-scale chips by 2024 using its new “Intel 20A” node and RibbonFET transistors.

Samsung is using Artificial Intelligence to design its new Exynos chips

Jeet — Tue, 17 Aug 2021 06:39:14 +0000

Samsung has confirmed that the company will be using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create its new chips and added that it will be using new software from Synopsys, a leading chip design software firm.

A spokesperson for Samsung has confirmed to Wired that the company is using Synopsys AI software to design its Exynos chips. However, the company did not confirm whether the AI-designed chips have gone into production yet, or what products they may appear in.

While Samsung is among the first companies to design its chips using artificial intelligence, other companies like Google and NVIDIA have talked about designing chips using AI. The tool from Synopsys, called DSO.ai, could have a larger footprint given that the company already works with dozens of other companies.

A couple of months ago, Google researchers described using AI to arrange the components on the Tensor chips that it uses to train and run AI programs in its data centers. Google’s next smartphone, the Pixel 6 series, will feature a custom chip manufactured by Samsung.

As noted, apart from Samsung and Google, other companies are also dabbling in AI-driven chip design, including NVIDIA and IBM. Then there’s Cadence, a competitor to Synopsys, which is also developing AI tools to aid with mapping blueprints for new chips.

The current artificial intelligence approach used by Synopsys and all the other companies use a machine-learning technique called reinforcement learning to work out the design of a chip. It involves training an algorithm to perform a task through reward or punishment.

The technology can automatically draw the basics of a design, including placement of components and wiring them together. This is achieved by trying different designs in simulation and learning which ones produce the best results.

The world’s first 2nm chip isn’t from TSMC or Samsung but IBM!

Jed John Ikoba — Fri, 07 May 2021 21:54:34 +0000

Global business solutions provider IBM has announced that it has created a 2nm chip using Gate-All-Around (GAA) nanosheet device architecture. The new transistor setup will enable IBM to fit 50 billion transistors in a tiny space the size of a fingernail. Current high-end chips like Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 and Apple’s A14 Bionic, use the 5nm process. However, the number of transistors that these chipsets can pack in a fingernail space does not exceed 12 billion.

This milestone by IBM could prove to be a game-changer in the semiconductor industry. The company says battery life in smartphones deploying the 2nm technology will be greatly improved up to four times the current lifespan of batteries inside phones using the 7nm process. The implication is that, according to IBM, your smartphone will only need charging once in four days, on average.

The number of transistors that can fit in a square-mm space is an indicator of the strength and efficiency of the chip. The more powerful and energy-efficient chipset is the one that has a higher rating in this regard. There is a substantial performance increase and power savings using chips with a higher number of transistors per square mm.

The IBM concept is driven by the Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography technology. The process produces lines outside the visible light spectrum, which are used to create the patterns used to build circuits. The GAA architecture also enables superior electrical signals to pass through and between other transistors on a single chip.

IBM also says that it is actively pursuing research along the 2nm process and a rollout of the chips produced through the process is not likely in the next few years. TSMC last year revealed it is working on 2nm chips but the rollout is scheduled for 2025.

IBM patents a smartwatch that can unfold into a phone or tablet

Habeeb Onawole — Tue, 09 Jul 2019 10:47:11 +0000

Foldable displays are far from taking over the world but with what we have seen with respect to real devices, we have barely scratched the surface when it comes to designs. Last week, we saw a Google patent for a phone with several displays and a design similar to a book. Today, it is IBM’s turn to show us another unusual device – a smartwatch with multiple displays that can unfold into a phone or a tablet.

According to LetsGoDigital who discovered the patent titled “Variable Display Size For an Electronic Display Device”, IBM filed the application back in 2016 but didn’t get it approved until last month.

The patent says the electronic device is designed to operate in one or more display configurations with varying screen sizes. In the default mode, it is a smartwatch with a significantly thick case. This case houses secondary displays stacked in layers behind the main display. These secondary displays can then be extended from the housing and positioned adjacent to the main display.

The patent says each display measures 3” x 2”. When you switch to the second configuration, the display size becomes 6” x 4” which means three more displays are added in the second configuration. A third configuration brings the dimension to 12” x 8” which is really big for a tablet. However, based on the patent images shown above, the third configuration will actually be 6” x 8” as only the width seems to have doubled.

LetsGoDigital has made 3D renders of the device which provide an idea of what it may look like as a final product. Though we are pretty sure the device will never be used in the positions shown as there is no way the strap can support the weight of the extended displays. It will definitely have to lay down flat when needed to be used as a phone or tablet.

(Sources: 1, 2)

UP NEXT: Microsoft planning a dual-screen Surface device for Q1 2020, will support Android apps

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Apple is Most Valuable Brand for The 5th Time in A Row

Habeeb Onawole — Wed, 27 Sep 2017 14:13:21 +0000

Apple Inc. has been awarded the most valuable brand for the 5th time by Interbrand, a consultant firm. The tech company with its headquarters in Cupertino, California is valued at $184 billion, 3% up from last year. This is Apple’s 5th win in a row.

Google which marks its 19th anniversary today comes in at $141.7 billion, 6% up from last year’s figure. Microsoft comes in at third place with a value of $80 billion and a 10% annual growth. Jeff Bezos’ led Amazon which is based in Seattle comes after Coca-Cola ($69.7 billion, a 5% drop), the only non-tech company in the top 4, with a value of $64.79 billion.

Apple’s biggest rival in the smartphone industry, Samsung is at the sixth position with a $56.2 billion value, a 9% increase from 2016. Facebook is the tech company with the biggest increase in brand value – a 48% increase to bring it to $48 billion.

Toyota and Mercedes Benz are the only two automobile companies on the list, valued at $50 billion and $47 billion value respectively. IBM (excluding the PC and server business owned by Lenovo) is the 10th with a value of $48 billion.

Huawei is far below at number 70 with a value of $6.67 billion and a 14% growth from last year. Netflix makes it into the top 100 for the first time with a value of $5.69 billion at number 78 and Lenovo closes the top 100 list with a value of $4 billion.

Want to know if your favorite company made it to the top 100 list? Check the full list in the source link.

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IBM Makes 5nm Chips Possible, Two To Three Times Better Battery Life!

Jed John Ikoba — Mon, 05 Jun 2017 14:14:29 +0000

IBM has announced that it has achieved a major breakthrough in the development of a process to build silicon nanosheet transistor which would enable the manufacture of 5nm chips. The process which is an industry first was developed in collaboration with its research alliance partners Global Foundries and Samsung. Although details of the process employed in the manufacture are yet to be revealed, it won’t be long before we’ll get to find that out. IBM will unveil the process at te 2017 Symposia on VLSI Technology and Circuits Conference in Kyoto, Japan.

When the 7nm node manufacturing process capable of housing 20billion transistors was developed less that two years ago, it would ordinarily have been thought to be a revolutionary process. We are yet to even see a processor built on the 7nm process and now we have a 5nm chip which would enable even more transistors (up to 30 billion switches) on a smaller silicon wafer. The new chip is just about the size of a fingernail. When also compared to the 10nm which is the leading edge technology presently available in the market, the 5nm technology is capable of delivering 40 percent performance enhancement at fixed power, or 75 percent power savings at matched performance.

More transistors will translate to an increase in performance which would help accelerate cognitive computing, the Internet of Things (IoT), virtual reality, AI systems and other data-intensive applications delivered in the cloud. The chips would also be able to manage power up to two to three times more efficiently. This power savings property means smartphones’ batteries and those of other mobile products could last two to three times longer than the models availabe presently, before needing to be charged.

The research team achieved the breakthrough by using stacks of silicon nanosheets as the device structure of the transistor, instead of the standard FinFET architecture, which is the blueprint for the semiconductor industry up through 7nm node technology. It is not known when this technological breakthrough will reach the point where it can be commercialised as it has only been shown to be possible. We are yet to even see smartphones with chips built on the 7nm process. However, IBM thinks its commercialization is not too far off in the future.

(source)

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IBM Files Patent for Pet-Sitting Drone

Habeeb Onawole — Sun, 26 Mar 2017 10:52:42 +0000

IBM seems to be taking the functionality of drones up another level with their new patent filing. The application, which was published on Thursday is for a drone that serves as a pet-sitter that monitors and cares for your pet when you are away from home.

Like regular drones, this will also have a camera but for monitoring your pet(s). It will check for abnormal behaviors and take preset actions depending on what it sees. The drone will have a number of additional hardware such as a temperature sensor and a treat dispenser.

Apart from its own built-in functionalities, IBM says the drone can be paired to other IoT devices in the house such as the thermostat, pet feeder and pet door. So the drone will be able to control the temperature of the house, dispense food, and grant access to the pet door if your dog needs to go relieve itself or get some fresh air.

IBM says the drone will also have a calorie counter so it doesn’t overfeed the pet. And when your pet is naughty, it will issue out vocal warnings (probably in the voice of the owner) to caution it. It can also be paired to a web-connected collar that controls the dog. Another feature will be the ability for owners to pair to the drone via their smartphone or computers and see in real time what their pet is up to.

While the idea is nice, it remains to see how pets will react to a non-human monitoring them. Owners may have to train their pets to recognize the drone as an extension of their authority.

Does this mean IBM is working on a drone for pets? It is too early to tell. Chances are they are building up their patent library and may license it to another manufacturer for use. It is not unusual for corporations to file patents for random technologies, some which may not even be used until years later.

Another way to look at is that, IBM probably saw a problem in the pet industry which is lucrative by the way and put together a team of researchers to tackle it. It is left for companies in the pet industry to pick up the idea and see to the manufacturing of the drone. All IBM has to do is sit back and watch the money from royalties roll in.

(Source)

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