Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a compact water-cooled condenser using additive manufacturing (AM), demonstrating a significant performance improvement over conventional heat exchanger designs. Published in the International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, the study introduces a 3D-printed aluminum condenser for R134a refrigerant with internal features tailored to maximize heat transfer efficiency. The device achieved volumetric power densities of up to 6.2 MW/m³, outperforming traditional shell-and-tube designs by 30–50% while maintaining comparable pumping power. 3D printing enables advanced internal geometries The condenser was fabricated using laser powder bed fusion in AlSi10Mg alloy, enabling the creation of complex internal geometries unachievable with subtractive methods. These include chevron-shaped flow disruptors on the refrigerant side and cross-shaped wavy fins on the water side, designed to enhance turbulence and improve local heat transfer coefficients. Unlike conventional heat exchangers, which rely on stacked plates or finned tubes, this 3D printed architecture allows for precisely tuned internal structures that manage flow, pressure drop, and thermal resistance across multiple fluid paths. Cut-away CAD view of heat exchanger design, showing inset images of the chevrons in the refrigerant-side channels (top) and 3D wavy fins in the water-side channels (bottom). Image via William P. King. Multi-pass crossflow architecture for compact performance The condenser features a multi-pass, multi-channel crossflow architecture, designed to optimize heat exchange between water and refrigerant within a compact footprint. In a crossflow configuration, the two fluids, cooling water and refrigerant, flow perpendicular to one another, enhancing thermal contact across the heat exchanger’s internal surfaces.  Design of the AM crossflow refrigerant condenser. Image via William P. King. Multiple parallel flow paths within each fluid domain, increase surface area and improve flow distribution. Both the water and refrigerant are routed through the condenser in several sequential stages. In this design, the refrigerant flows through four passes, each with progressively narrower channels to compensate for increasing density as it condenses. Simultaneously, water flows through its own four-pass circuit in the opposite direction.  This architecture enables fine control over fluid velocity, pressure drop, and thermal gradients, ensuring efficient energy transfer between the two working fluids. Despite its internal complexity, the unit maintains a compact outer dimension of 260 × 235 × 39 mm. Simulation-guided optimization and machine learning integration To optimize water-side performance, the research team combined 2D finite element simulations with a machine learning model trained on 36,000 parameterized fin shapes. The model predicted fin efficiency and area enhancement factor as inputs to a physics-based segmented thermal model. Design candidates were filtered through parametric sweeps and refined using CFD simulations to verify local temperature, velocity, and pressure distributions. Segmentation procedure of the condenser. Image via William P. King Experimental verification in a custom vapor-compression loop The prototype was experimentally tested in a custom-built vapor-compression loop. The condenser demonstrated heat transfer rates between 3 kW and 8 kW, at refrigerant saturation temperatures ranging from 35°C to 49°C. Water-side flow rates were tested between 5 and 40 liters per minute. The physics-based model and CFD results matched experimental data within 5% accuracy, validating the reliability of the simulation framework. Compatibility with low-GWP refrigerants Although initially tested with R134a, the study evaluated performance with other refrigerants such as R1234yf, R32, propane, and isobutane. These refrigerants have lower global warming potential (GWP) compared to R134a and were assessed using the same geometry and comparable volumetric flow rates. Simulations showed that R32 achieved up to twice the heat transfer rate of R134a at higher flow rates, while propane and R1234yf showed similar or slightly improved performance. Outlook for additive thermal components The research provides a validated design methodology for compact, high-efficiency two-phase heat exchangers using AM. The ability to fine-tune thermal resistance, flow paths, and geometry at the segment level, combined with verified CFD and experimental results, positions this approach as viable for real-world applications in HVAC, automotive, data centers, and aerospace systems. The condenser design adds to a growing body of research and commercial development using 3D printing to reshape heat exchanger performance. A recent study by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), highlighted in MIT Technology Review, explored using metal 3D printing to fabricate miniaturized heat exchangers for use in electronics and aerospace. These devices incorporated folded geometries to maximize surface area, though performance gains in early testing remained modest. Meanwhile, companies like Conflux Technology,  In October 2024, Conflux raised €11 million in Series B funding to expand its production of  3D printed heat exchangers using laser powder bed fusion. The company has also partnered with Rocket Factory Augsburg to integrate 3D-printed heat exchangers into orbital rockets, demonstrating the applicability of AM in producing components capable of withstanding extreme conditions. The company also launched a high-performance cartridge-style heat exchanger designed for fluid control systems in automotive and industrial environments, characterized by its compact form and optimized internal geometry.  Other efforts include GE Research, which developed a grape-shaped 3D-printed heat exchanger capable of operating at 900°C, surpassing the temperature limits of existing solutions by over 200°C. These developments demonstrate the flexibility and application-specific design benefits of additive manufacturing in thermal management systems. The full research paper, Additively Manufactured Compact Water-Cooled Refrigerant Condenser, is available here via International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer. Subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter to keep up with the latest 3D printing news. You can also follow us on LinkedIn and subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry Youtube channel to access more exclusive content. Feature image shows Design of the AM crossflow refrigerant condenser. Image via MIT William P. King. Rodolfo Hernandez Rodolfo Hernández is a writer and technical specialist with a background in electronics engineering and a deep interest in additive manufacturing. Rodolfo is most interested in the science behind technologies and how they are integrated into society.

Hello! I’m Max, a VFX Artist from Italy. I’ve been a realtime VFX Artist for around 4 years now and have lurked a lot on these forums but it’s the first time actually posting here.I’d like to start this sketchbook as a way to show a bit of my works, receive feedback and for personal motivation. I wanna start with my latest piece, I would like to do more elemental/magic stuff like this as personal pieces in the near future: Darkness Spell I break it down a bit more (and have some more of my effects and materials as well) directly on my artstation Feedback is welcome always, thank you everyone for your time!

The Metropolitan Police is planning to install the UK’s first permanent live facial recognition (LFR) cameras in Croydon, continuing its pattern of deploying the technology in areas where the Black population is much higher than the London average. Local councillors have also complained that the decision to set up facial recognition cameras permanently has taken place without any community engagement from the force with local residents. In summer 2025, the force will deploy two fixed LFR cameras on buildings and lampposts in the area, which they claim will only be turned on when officers are in the area and ready to respond. Up until now, LFR has only been used by the force in an overt manner, with specially equipped cameras atop a visibly marked police van being used to scan public spaces and crowds to identify people in real time by matching their faces against a database of images compiled by police. According to The Times, the Met’s neighbourhood policing superintendent, Mitch Carr, told local Croydon leaders that the installation of permanent LFR cameras will enable the force to embed a “business as usual” approach to the technology that doesn’t rely on the availability of camera-mounted vans, which are in high demand. “The end result will see cameras covering a defined area and will give us much more flexibility around the days and times we can run the operations,” he said. Croydon MP Chris Philp – who is also shadow home secretary and argued in favour of greater police facial recognition use throughout his time as government minister for policing – said “using fixed cameras is the logical next step in the roll-out of this technology, which will ensure even more wanted criminals get caught”. He added: “Those few people opposing this technology need to explain why they don’t want those wanted criminals to be arrested. There are no legitimate privacy concerns given that the images of those people not on the wanted list are immediately and automatically deleted.” Responding to the announcement, local councillors and human rights groups have voiced concerns that the Met’s decision to place permanent LFR cameras in Croydon – as well as its use of the technology generally – is disproportionate and contributing to the ongoing over-policing of certain communities. Using fixed cameras is the logical next step in the roll-out of [LFR] technology, which will ensure even more wanted criminals get caught Chris Philp, Croydon MP According to data gathered by Green Party London Assembly member Zoë Garbett, who is actively campaigning against the pilot, LFR has been used on more than 30 occasions in Croydon since the start of 2024. During this time, figures show that while more than 128,000 people’s faces were scanned, just 133 arrests were made. On the wider use of LFR throughout London, Garbett said that over half of the 180 deployments that took place during 2024 were in areas where the proportion of Black residents is higher than the city’s average, including Lewisham and Haringey. While Black people comprise 13.5% of London’s total population, the proportion is much higher in the Met’s deployment areas, with Black people making up 36% of the Haringey population, 34% of the Lewisham population, and 40.1% of the Croydon population. “The Met’s decision to roll out facial recognition in areas of London with higher Black populations reinforces the troubling assumption that certain communities … are more likely to be criminals,” she said, adding while nearly two million people in total had their faces scanned across the Met’s 2024 deployments, only 804 arrests were made – a rate of just 0.04%. “Facial recognition subjects everyone to constant surveillance, which goes against the democratic principle that you shouldn’t be monitored unless there’s a suspicion of wrongdoing,” she said. “The Met claims live facial recognition has been a success in London, but how is treating millions of Londoners as suspects to be considered a success? The arrest figures are low, and it’s really just subjecting us to surveillance without our knowledge.” Writing in City AM, interim director at privacy group Big Brother Watch Rebecca Vincent said the move to deploy permanent LFR cameras in Croydon “represents an alarming expansion of the surveillance state, and a further slide towards a dystopian nightmare that could quickly take hold across the UK”. She added that the roll-out also underscores the urgent need for legislative safeguards on LFR, which to date has not been addressed in any Parliamentary legislation: “Police forces have been left to write their own policies on how they plan to use LFR, and can choose how and when to employ it. For its part, the Met’s ‘LFR watchlist’ expands beyond those suspected of criminal activity, including vulnerable persons and even victims of crimes.” Facial recognition subjects everyone to constant surveillance, which goes against the democratic principle that you shouldn’t be monitored unless there’s a suspicion of wrongdoing Zoë Garbett, Green Party London Assembly Computer Weekly contacted the Met about the concerns raised. “The Met is committed to making London safer, using data and technology to identify offenders that pose a risk to our communities,” said a spokesperson for the force. “Last year we made over 500 arrests using LFR – removing dangerous individuals who were suspected of serious offences, including strangulation, stalking, domestic abuse and rape. “Each deployment is based on intelligence, and we continue to engage with our communities to build understanding about how this technology works, providing reassurances that there are rigorous checks and balances in place to protect people’s rights and privacy.” Computer Weekly specifically asked whether the force believes its use of the technology is proportionate, given the huge disparity between the number of faces scanned and the number of arrests, but received no response on this point. The spokesperson did, however, challenge the “permanent” characterisation, adding that the use of LFR on street furniture in Croydon is a temporary pilot, and that the cameras are not fixed. They further added the Met has implemented robust safeguards in its use of LFR, such as people’s biometrics being immediately deleted if they are scanned but not wanted by police. They also said the system is exactly the same as that used in van deployments, but with the cameras on street furniture instead, and that each LFR deployment is based on an intelligence-led assessment of threat, harm and risk. In December 2023, senior police officers confirmed to a House of Lords committee that facial recognition watchlist image selection is based on crime categories attached to people’s photos, rather than a context-specific assessment of the threat presented by a given individual. In response to the Met’s announcement, the Sutton and Croydon Green Party has joined with human rights group Liberty in calling for the nationwide halt of LFR deployments. “There are no laws regarding live facial recognition, which means there are no safeguards to its use by law enforcement,” it said in a blog post, which also encouraged people to sign a petition created by Liberty opposing the use of LFR by UK police. “To Croydon residents, live facial recognition represents a gross invasion of privacy, to which we’ve had no formal opportunity to object.” To Croydon residents, live facial recognition represents a gross invasion of privacy, to which we’ve had no formal opportunity to object Sutton and Croydon Green Party blog post Croydon councillor Ria Patel told Inside Croydon: “There has been no discussion of installing these cameras at Croydon Council and residents have been given no say whatsoever. We have not given our consent, and these plans must be stopped immediately.” According to meeting minutes of Croydon Council’s Scrutiny and Overview Committee – which is responsible for matters concerning crime and policing – LFR has only been referenced once in 2025. “Croydon continues to use this tactic to precisely target wanted offenders. To date, since inception in December 2023, over 200 arrests have been made as a direct result of this technology,” said the committee in its ‘community safety partnership annual review’, which was published on 25 March 2025. “This ensures a more efficient use of police officer time and seeks to improve public confidence through highly visible community crime fighting. In 2025, we will be seeking to evolve how this technology is used to build on the success seen to date.” Prior to this, the last time LFR was mentioned by the committee was during a meeting held in April 2024. A Met spokesperson said while the force will always engage with councils, business leaders and local community members, it is operationally independent, like all police forces. The Met Police’s roll-out of LFR in other boroughs has similarly taken place with little to no community engagement, and in some areas has occurred despite notable political opposition from local authorities. In December 2024, for example, community consultation documents obtained by Computer Weekly under Freedom of Information (FoI) rules revealed that – contrary to the Met’s claim that its LFR deployments in Lewisham are “supported by the majority of residents” – there has been little to no engagement with local residents. While the documents did show there was engagement with local councillors, the councillors themselves told Computer Weekly this engagement was very limited. They also expressed concern over both the force’s use of the technology and its characterisation of Lewisham deployments as having “wide” public support. Speaking with Computer Weekly in the wake of the Croydon announcement, Green Lewisham councillor Hau-Yu Tam highlighted how information around LFR deployments has been poorly communicated by the force, with deployments continuing against the express wishes of councillors, residents and advocates. “For example, on Lewisham’s Safer Neighbourhood Board, which I sat on when LFR was being introduced to Lewisham for the first time, most of us expressed the strong view that LFR would re-traumatise racialised people,” she said. Commenting on the Met’s decision to deploy permanent LFR in Croydon, Lewisham Labour councillor Liam Shrivastava – who is also chair of the borough’s Safer Stronger Communities Select Committee that is responsible for scrutinising police activity in the area – said on X that placing cameras on “The fact that the Met has chosen to roll out these cameras in the borough with the biggest Black population in London is at odds with its Race Action Plan and will not improve outcomes for Black Londoners,” he wrote. “With the largest Black Caribbean community in London, Lewisham residents will rightly be concerned that their borough will be the next subjected to a permanent assault on their rights and privacy without their consent.” Other councils have also passed motions rejecting the Met’s use of LFR in their local area, but to no avail. For example, while a LFR moratorium was brought by Haringey in March 2020, and a motion to suspend use of the technology in Newham was passed unanimously in January 2023 – at least until biometric and anti-discrimination safeguards are in place – the Met has elected to continue with its deployments in these areas. “Police do not care about policing by consent, they will enforce on our communities in the name of ‘safety’ whether we like it or not,” said Tam, adding that many informed advocates and residents she has spoken with are “disturbed” by the news of permanent LFR in Croydon: “I am furious with any politician and public servant who is giving police forces carte blanche to expand their spying on our neighbourhoods.” She added that installing LFR permanently is “dangerous for our communities” as “it normalises surveillance, re-entrenches community divisions and – due to its opacity and lack of legal safeguards – is wide open to being abused by officers.” Although the Home Office and policing bodies have repeatedly claimed that police use of biometrics is covered by “comprehensive legal framework”, there have also been repeated calls from Parliament and civil society for new legal frameworks to explicitly govern law enforcement’s use of facial recognition technology.  These include three separate inquiries by the Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee (JHAC) into shoplifting, police algorithms and police facial recognition; an independent legal review by Matthew Ryder QC; the UK’s Equalities and Human Rights Commission; and the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee, which called for a moratorium on LFR as far back as July 2019. Meanwhile, a report from the outgoing biometrics commissioner for England and Wales noted in December 2024 that millions of unlawfully retained custody images could still be used for facial recognition purposes by UK police. The National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) previously confirmed to Computer Weekly in November 2023 that a national programme between policing and the Home Office had been launched a month before to ensure consistency and coordination across how police retain, process and use custody images, particularly for facial recognition purposes. Commenting on the NPCC-Home Office custody image programme, the biometrics commissioner noted in his report that while work is “underway” to ensure the retention of images is proportionate and lawful, “the use of these custody images of unconvicted individuals may include for facial recognition purposes” in the meantime. Read more about police facial recognition technology Scottish police hold almost no data on facial recognition use: It is currently impossible to assess Police Scotland’s use of retrospective facial recognition for efficacy and fairness because the force does not collect meaningful information that would enable a proper evaluation. UK police continue to hold millions of custody images unlawfully: Millions of unlawfully retained custody images could still be used for facial-recognition purposes by UK police, says biometric commissioner of England and Wales Tony Eastaugh in wider warning about the rapid expansion of surveillance tools. Driving licence data could be used for police facial recognition: The government’s Crime and Policing Bill could allow police to access the UK driving licence database for use in facial recognition watchlists, but the Home Office denies biometric data would be repurposed in this way.

Lester Mapp / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET54.6%! That's how much organic click-through rates drop when Google adds an AI overview to a search query. 😲 I'll give you a second to finish clutching your pearls. In a recent comprehensive study by Tracy McDonald from Seer Interactive, Tracy analyzed 10,000 keywords with informational intent ranking in the top 20 positions. The research showed a significant decline in engagement. To validate these findings, the data sources included Google Ads for paid click-through rate (CTR), Google Search Console for organic CTR, and ZipTie AIO data to track whether an AI overview was present. The data was then grouped into two sets. Group one had queries where an AI overview appeared. Group two had queries where an AI overview was absent. Based on my research, Tracy's findings align with what I've been seeing. 🧠 As a matter of fact, Google's most recent 10-K filing mentioned that Google Network impressions were down 11%. Google doesn't directly say AI overviews are the cause, but it's safe to assume that if users see an overview, get the answer, and never land on a site, they never see an ad. In this article, we're breaking down the challenges Google faces, how it directly affects you, and what steps you should take ASAP before it's too late. If you're new to my work, my name is Lester, but feel free to call me Les. 👋 I'm a founder with a successful exit, executive chairman of several DTC brands, and an award-winning performance marketer. If you like data-driven marketing insights, check out my free newsletter, No Fluff Just Facts.I break down what's working in marketing right now and the AI innovations you need to pay attention to. This isn't a "Google is doomed" piece. Trust me, they'll be fine. But if your business relies on organic traffic to drive revenue, you should pay attention to this. What's just annoying for Google could be detrimental for us, ya feel me? Let's drop straight into what's going on and what you need to do ASAP. 🤓☝️ Understanding the landscapeTo bring you up to speed, an AI overview (AIO) is when Google provides what it thinks is the best answer to your question using an AI-generated summary at the top of the results. No scrolling. No clicking. No visiting a site. AI search engines like Perplexity, along with platforms like TikTok, are changing how users interact with the internet. 😔 Users want answers fast. So Google is being forced to fundamentally change how it operates, even if that means putting its core business at risk… Yikes. The internet is free and packed with valuable information because blogs get paid for their knowledge through banner ads. That ad revenue covers the cost, so users don't have to pay. It's easy to forget that even if the content feels free, someone is footing the bill. Running a website in a real way isn't cheap. Paying staff to create content and storing it online adds up fast, and honestly, advertising gets a bad rap for covering those costs. 😩 AIO also takes away from everyday people who provide helpful information for free online and are compensated for their hard-earned expertise through a banner ad on their website. This shift in behavior could break the internet as we know it. It forces creators with helpful information to move their content behind a paywall, making the internet pay-to-play or, in this case, pay-to-know. 👎 Also: Microsoft is offering free AI skills training for all - and it's not too late to sign upImagine a world where you had to pay for the answer to every single question, from product reviews to how to fix a sink. It may seem extreme but think about all the blogs that now require you to subscribe just to read a story. While some websites paywall their content for different reasons, the core of what's happening is still the same. With fewer people seeing banner ads, users will pick up the tab, and AIO is only accelerating that shift.Your next moveThat 54.6% drop in CTR when an AIO is present is a massive drop, but the crazy part is that I think this is the lowest it will be for the foreseeable future unless something fundamentally changes. As Google competes with other AI search engines and users look to social media for answers to their questions, it presents a unique challenge for those who rely on organic traffic, making "our next" move critical. "Experts" will usually tell you to do one of two things. Number one is to focus more on bottom-of-funnel keywords than top-of-funnel ones. 🙄 For example, top-of-funnel search terms are: How to [Blank]What is [Blank]Why does [Blank]Based on current evidence, these terms are being cannibalized by AI. Instead, experts recommend you focus more on bottom-of-funnel search terms: Buy [Product][Service] pricing[Service] near meThis is undoubtedly a good strategy, but you can bet your bottom dollar that it's only a matter of time before these terms are also under siege by AI. "Experts" also suggest you focus on LLM Engine Optimization (LEO), which is basically SEO for AI search. Instead of optimizing your content for traditional search engines like Google, you optimize it for AI tools. You do this by: Write like a trusted expert: LLMs are trained on content from high-authority, high-trust sources. You're already ahead if your content sounds credible, reads clearly, and isn't trying to game the system. Be clear: LLMs don't like vague language. Use plain language, break things down clearly, answer questions directly, and structure your content so AI can easily find what it needs. Use Q&A formatting: Think "question, then answer." That's how most LLMs are prompted. Structure your content with question-style headings followed by clear, direct answers to increase your chances of being picked up. Stick to facts and cite sources: LLMs rely on content supported by facts or well-researched information. The model sees you as trustworthy if you cite sources, show data, or explain your reasoning clearly. Use clean content structures: Well-structured HTML (like clear headings, lists, and semantic tags) helps LLMs parse your site better. Think of it like speaking their language. Get mentioned by trusted sources: If other high-quality sources reference you, that boosts your content's credibility, just like backlinks help in SEO. It shows up in the training data and reinforces trust.In many ways, your content is now formatted and tailored to a machine rather than a person. I would tell you exactly how I feel about this approach, but Aly (my editor) says I'm not allowed to swear, so rather than tell you how I feel about LEO using a collection of my favorite four-letter words, I'll share this with you instead. LEO is an interesting short-term solution, but it doesn't fix the problem of not owning our audience. Pivoting to LEO, regardless of what the "experts" or "agencies" say, is like putting a bandaid on a broken arm. I've been in this game long enough to know if it isn't AIO threatening our traffic source, it would be an update named after an animal or a privacy policy change. The only way forward That said, the only way forward is to own your audience; as business professionals, we can no longer kick that can down the road. 📌 When I say own your audience, I'm not just talking about having a newsletter or SMS list. It's about building an authentic connection the way creators do with their followers. That means showing the human side of your business, not just sending out cold, robotic messages. Talk to people in a way that feels real. Brands that are winning today feel more approachable. They build community by talking with their audience, not at them. They involve people in decisions, share behind-the-scenes moments, and make their audience feel like part of the process. This shift toward approachability might seem subtle, but it has a real impact. Studies show that 82% of people are more likely to trust a company when its senior execs are active on social, and 77% are more likely to buy when the CEO shows up online. 🚨 As we move into this new era of the internet, I will focus on 3 things: Growing my audience via my newsletter: The goal is to build that connection with the audience and own that relationship without being beholden to the algorithm. Get more social: Until this point in my career, I haven't been much of a "social media guy," but that will change this year as I put myself out there more. My platforms of choice are Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. There are more channels like Facebook, TikTok, etc., but I'm one man lol. I'll expand to new channels as I get more comfortable. Helping my audience: Ultimately, business is about solving a problem. While I think I'm hilariously entertaining, I can appreciate no one is joining my newsletter because they find me mildly funny. They sign up because they have a problem and believe I can help them solve it. So, I will lean into that "problem solving" as the internet evolves.I'm building my audience so I don't have to rely on platforms I can't control. 🤓☝️ Once you've built an audience, it's like having a firehose. You can point it at a piece of content, an email, or your site and drive attention exactly where you want it. Having direct access to people who know, like, and trust me lets me solve real problems, which naturally leads to revenue. It's a win-win. The key difference is the personal connection. Your next move is simple. Own your audience and build a real relationship with them. People do business with people. If you do it right, users won't need to search for a solution. They will already know you're the one who can help. 🤝 My two centsAt the risk of sounding like a broken record, own your audience. I promise Google will be fine, but AI could be detrimental to us, so we need to act sooner rather than later. 😇 Hope this helps.P.S. If you want more easy and helpful AI tips and tricks, sign up for my free newsletter, No Fluff Just Facts. Plus, you'll see behind the scenes as I pay my penance for not creating content ten years ago. Get the morning's top stories in your inbox each day with our Tech Today newsletter.Artificial Intelligence

PeakXV's managing director Shailendra Singh signalled a push into making investments in the United States with the hire of Y Combinator investor Arnav Sahu.TechinAsia Nearly two years ago venture capital’s biggest global brand Sequoia Capital split up with its China and India funds. Now, its former India and Southeast Asia arm, rebranded as Peak XV, is back home in Silicon Valley. The $9 billion venture fund has hired partner Arnav Sahu to make investments as part of a new San Francisco-based team. Peak XV’s managing partner Shailendra Singh said that the fund needed a permanent presence in the United States to work with the best founders and help them scale globally. Peak XV had been investing globally, but a recent migration of international founders moving to the Bay Area to build their startups has shifted its focus. “We are partnering with more and more companies that are born outside the U.S. but their target market is the U.S.,” he told Forbes. The plan to expand to the Bay Area with an initial focus on seed stage and growth stage deals had been on Peak XV’s timeline since its split from Sequoia Capital but the explosion of investment in artificial intelligence has expedited its schedule, said Singh. “The minute we became independent, we were transparent with other leaders at Sequoia that it would be critical for us to start to build out a U.S. team,” he told Forbes in an interview. Peak XV’s first partner hire in the United States will be Arnav Sahu. Sahu started his investing career at Spark Capital after working for networking giant Cisco, and earlier this year joined Peak XV from Y Combinator where he focused on growth investments in startups like ScaleAI, Vanta, and Rippling. “Arnav fit our bill perfectly because he had seen a lot of seed at Y Combinator and growth with YC Continuity,” Singh explained. Peak XV has slowly been building a team in the United States since the split from its Sand Hill Road-based parent. It hired former Sequoia talent partner Jaime Bott in 2023; Operating partners Chris Merritt, and Dini Mehta joined over the last year. Sequoia Capital and its former China and India funds split in June 2023. The decision to do so was largely driven by how best to manage diverging funds and competition between rival startups in each portfolio. Rising tensions between the United States and China also played a role. Sequoia was one of a number of venture funds that drew attention from the Biden Administration over its backing for Chinese technology companies. A number of other global venture funds like DCM Ventures, Matrix Partners and GGV Capital also moved over the last two years to spin out China-focused teams. Since the split, Hongshan Capital (formerly Sequoia China) has opened offices in London and Singapore, potentially putting it in competition with Sequoia’s Europe team, and Peak XV’s Southeast Asia unit based in the city-state. Peak XV itself has made a string of investments in U.S.-based companies like database startup Supabase, AI agent platform Atomicwork and marketing unicorn Hightouch. Singh doesn’t anticipate any friction with his former partners in the U.S. “We don’t have any crazy bold plans for the U.S. where we will be investing billions,” he told Forbes. “The average successful company has 10 to 20 investors on the cap table and they can have Sequoia, or another top U.S. VC, and us as a complimentary strength.” Peak XV’s new international focus comes amid an investment boom in its home market in India. Pitchbook reported that VC fundraising in India grew 77% last year defying a global slump. That surge follows a record number of initial public offerings on Mumbai’s National Stock Exchange in 2024. The bull run on India’s public markets has led to 16 IPOs from Peak XV’s portfolio over the last five years, with around $1.2 billion in exits over the last 12 months alone. While the IPO window in the United States, and Europe seems to have been slammed shut by President Donald Trump’s trade war, Peak XV has at least three Indian unicorns including payments platform Pine Labs preparing to go public. “We have three big IPOs we are very excited about and another 15 or 20 companies preparing for IPOs,” said Singh. Despite this several senior partners have left Peak XV since its split with Sequoia, and the fund has trimmed its fund size and fees in its last fund raising in 2024, according to TechCrunch.

A hot potato: Many users already understand that buying a digital game typically grants a license to access the software – not true ownership. However, it's rare for publishers to revoke access to titles that customers have paid for, even after those games are delisted. Ubisoft's The Crew stands out as a particularly egregious case, sparking a legal battle over what it truly means to "buy" a game. Ubisoft's response to a lawsuit over a recently shut-down online game argues that paying customers never truly owned the title. The case has sparked renewed calls for legislation to protect players when games reach end-of-life status. Two California plaintiffs filed suit against Ubisoft last year after the company shut down servers for The Crew, citing licensing restrictions. Publishers often delist driving games like The Crew and Forza Horizon when licensing agreements with car manufacturers expire. Users typically retain access to games they purchased prior to delisting, and physical discs often continue to function. However, The Crew is an online-only title, and once Ubisoft deactivated its servers, launching the game merely starts a restricted demo version. Additionally, Ubisoft removed the game from customers' Ubisoft Connect libraries, offering refunds only to those who purchased it recently. The California plaintiffs, who bought physical copies of the 2014 title years ago, allege that Ubisoft misled customers. They also point to other games that received offline modes when they reached end-of-life as a fairer precedent. In response, Ubisoft argued that The Crew's packaging clearly states that purchase only grants a temporary license, and that the statute of limitations for the claim has passed. Still, the company has pledged to introduce offline modes for The Crew 2 and The Crew Motorfest. // Related Stories The plaintiffs then pivoted to argue that The Crew's in-game currency qualifies as a gift certificate under California law, which prohibits expiration. They also pointed to the game's packaging, which states that activation codes remain valid until 2099, implying that the game should remain downloadable until then. Additionally, the plaintiffs contended that the statute of limitations only began in 2023, when Ubisoft announced its plans to shut down the servers. In response to Ubisoft's decision, a petition urged the Canadian government to introduce protections for online games. The petitioners are calling for legislation that would require game companies to remove server dependencies and override End User License Agreements. The Stop Killing Games Initiative is directing similar demands at multiple governments. As digital purchases and live-service games become more prevalent, the issue remains far from resolved. Ubisoft, while promoting its subscription service, has previously suggested that consumers should get used to not owning their games. Valve has acknowledged the legal pressure by updating Steam's language to clarify that customers are not purchasing permanent ownership of games, in accordance with California law. In contrast, GOG mocked Valve's notice by emphasizing its policy of offering DRM-free offline installers for all titles.

As AI strides on, it inevitably finds its way onto our personal devices, with tech giants announcing new features that rely on accessing our private information and media to serve us better. While some might find this useful, others are bound to find it creepy, and one such feature is Microsoft’s controversial AI Recall, which takes screenshots of everything you do on a Copilot+ PC so it’s easier to trace back your steps and find something specific later. After being announced last year, and then witnessing a few delays, Recall is finally rolling out to a broader group of Windows 11. Microsoft recently announced Recall is coming to Windows 11 with the latest Release channel update with build 26100.3902 (KB5055627). The feature’s availability in the Windows 11 Release Preview channel, which succeeds the Beta channel in the Windows Insider program, means it is in the initial phases of being available to a wider audience of folks who own Copilot+ PC. This category of PCs currently includes a whole wide range of laptops with specialized hardware in the form of a neural processing unit (NPU) dedicatedly for running AI tasks, though we might see desktops joining the club soon. Recommended Videos Recall was originally set to go live in October last year, but was only limited to Insiders in Windows 11’s Developer Preview and Beta channels. Related Microsoft Microsoft describes Recall as a tool to utilize “AI capabilities of Copilot+ PCs” and enables you “to quickly find and get back to any app, website, image, or document just by describing its content.” It does so by collecting “snapshots” of your activities on the PC, which can be later referenced in the dedicated app for its feature. All of this information is presented on a timeline that you can scrub like a video track. It easily tops other divisive features, be it Windows 8’s full-screen Start menu or switchover from Control Panel, we have witnessed over the last few generations of Windows. While Microsoft says this is “done on your PC securely” and screenshots cannot be accessed without physical access to a laptop, there have been several concerns about the company snooping on its users. From initial unrest right after its announcement in the summer of ’24 to the UK’s data and privacy watchdog perking up its ears, Recall has led to several — warranted — concerns. More annoyingly, you can’t uninstall Recall on your Copilot+ PC, though you will have the option of not opting in to the snapshot functionality. If that’s any consolation, it won’t be available on desktops or older laptops that don’t quality for the Copilot+ badging. Along with Recall, Microsoft is also bringing a “Click to Do” functionality, which lets you work with any text or media on the screen by offering an extra set of options, much like Google’s Circle-to-Search when using Windows + mouse-click together. Additionally, the update is bringing enhanced search for settings or files stored on your Windows PC by typing search queries remotely similar to what you need instead of having to using in the exact keyword. While these features roll out to the Insider’s Release Preview channel, we have yet to learn of a more concrete timeline for the stable channels. We will share those details as soon as we learn then, just in case you are as eager to try the debatable Recall feature as Microsoft is to roll it out. Editors’ Recommendations

a sticky situation Hands-on: Handwriting recognition app brings sticky notes into the 21st century Rocketbook Reusable Sticky Notes are an excessive solution for too many sticky notes. Scharon Harding – Apr 10, 2025 2:48 pm | 12 Credit: Scharon Harding Credit: Scharon Harding Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only   Learn more For quick reminders and can’t-miss memos, sticky notes are effective tools, and I'd argue that the simplicity of the sticky note is its best attribute. But the ease behind propping up sticky notes also means that it’s easy for people to find their desks covered in the things, making it difficult to glean critical information quickly. Rocketbook, a Boston-based company that also makes reusable notebooks, thinks it has a solution for sticky note overload in the form of an app that interprets handwriting and organizes reusable sticky notes. But not everyone has the need—or time—for a dedicated sticky notes app. Rocketbook’s Reusable Sticky Notes Like Rocketbook’s flagship notebooks, its Reusable Sticky Notes rely on erasable pens that allow you to use the paper repeatedly. The Reusable Sticky Notes work with the Rocketbook app (available for iOS or Android), which transforms the sticky notes into images that are automatically stored in the app and can be emailed to specified people (as a PDF) or shared with third-party apps. The $30 starter kit I used comes with weeks', if not months', worth of materials: That includes 15 3×3-inch reusable sticky notes, a case for said notes, a small microfiber towel for wiping the text off of the sticky notes, and a pen from Pilot’s FriXion line of erasable pens, markers, and highlighters. Rocketbook claims that any FriXion writing utensil will write and erase on its sticky notes. I only tried the pen included in the starter kit, a FriXion Ball gel pen with a 0.7 mm tip. Using the built-in eraser, I could usually remove enough ink from the notes so that only a faint imprint of what I wrote remained. For total clarity, I’d need to whip out the included microfiber cloth and some water. The notes seemed able to withstand water well and without getting flimsy. The gray tip on the right side of the open pen is the eraser. Credit: Scharon Harding The gray tip on the right side of the open pen is the eraser. Credit: Scharon Harding Rocketbook claims that the adhesive on its sticky notes is so strong that they can be stuck and re-stuck hundreds of times. I didn’t get to put that to the test but can confirm that the notes’ adhesive area is thicker than that of a normal sticky note. The paper is thicker and smoother than a normal sticky note, too, while still being lightweight and comfortable enough to write on. A picture of the back of an unused Reusable Sticky Note (left) and the back of a used one with the adhesive covering removed (right). Credit: Scharon Harding A picture of the back of an unused Reusable Sticky Note (left) and the back of a used one with the adhesive covering removed (right). Credit: Scharon Harding Sticky note software The Reusable Sticky Notes are among the most technologically advanced scraps of paper you can find. In my experience, the technology, including the optical character recognition, worked reliably. For example, scanning a sticky note was seamless. The camera in the iOS app quickly identified any sticky notes in the shot and snapped an image (or images) without me having to do much aligning or pressing more buttons. Afterward, it was easy to share the image. I could send it to frequently used emails I saved in the app or send it to other apps, like AirDrop, Google Drive, ToDoist, or a search engine. The app can read the sticky note images as text, but it doesn't convert the images to text. So, while Google could interpret an image of a sticky note as text via Google Lens, for example, ToDoist only saw a JPEG. The app uses optical character recognition to convert handwriting into machine-readable text. This enables you to use the app to search uploaded sticky notes for specific words or phrases. I initially feared that the app wouldn’t be able to read my cursive, but even when I scribbled quickly and deviated from writing in a straight line, the app understood my writing. Don’t expect it to pick up chicken scratch, though. My handwriting didn't need to be perfect for the app to understand it, but the app couldn't comprehend my sloppiest notes—the type that only I could read, or ones that are common when someone is quickly jotting something on a sticky note. Further, I didn't always notice which notes I wrote neatly enough for the app to read. That made it confusing when I searched for terms that I knew I wrote on scanned notes but that were scrawled, per the app, illegibly. A screenshot of the Rocketbook app. Credit: Scharon Harding/Rocketbook Perhaps most useful for sticky note aficionados is the app’s ability to quickly group sticky notes. Sure, you could put sticky notes with to-do list items on the left side of your computer monitor and place notes with appointments to remember on the right side of your monitor. However, the app offers superior organization by letting you add tags to each scanned note. Then, it’s easy to look at all notes with the same tag on one page. But because each scanned note shown on a tag page is shown as a thumbnail, you can’t read everything written on all notes with the same tag simultaneously. That’s a con for people who prefer seeing all relevant notes and their contents at once. There are additional ways that the Rocketbook app can help bring order to workstations containing so many posted sticky notes that they look like evidence boards. Typically, I denote titles on sticky notes by trying to write the title larger than the rest of the text and then underlining it. In the Rocketbook app, you can manually add titles to each sticky note. Alternatively, if you physically write “##” before and after the title on the actual Sticky Note, the app will automatically read the words in between the pound signs as a title and name the image as such. This is a neat trick, but I also found it distracting to have four pound signs written on my notes. Another Reusable Sticky Notes feature lets you turn scanned notes into to-do lists that are accessible via the companion app. If you write a list on a note using square boxes at the start of each line, the app will read it as a “Smart List.” Once scanned, the app converts this into a to-do list with boxes that you can check off as you complete tasks. This is easier than trying to check off items on a sticky note that’s, for example, dangling on your computer screen. But it's not always possible to fit every to-do list item on one line. And numerous times, the app failed to read my Smart List properly, as you can see in the gallery below. This could be due to my handwriting being unclear or misaligned. But as someone merely trying to write down a to-do list quickly, I lack the time or patience for thorough troubleshooting. I tried making this note a Smart List... Scharon Harding I tried making this note a Smart List... Scharon Harding ... and this is how it looked in the app. Scharon Harding/Rocketbook ... and this is how it looked in the app. Scharon Harding/Rocketbook I tried making this note a Smart List... Scharon Harding ... and this is how it looked in the app. Scharon Harding/Rocketbook I tried to make these sticky notes part of my "To Do Today" Smart List. Scharon Harding I tried to make these sticky notes part of my "To Do Today" Smart List. Scharon Harding This is how it looked in the app. Scharon Harding/Rocketbook This is how it looked in the app. Scharon Harding/Rocketbook I tried to make these sticky notes part of my "To Do Today" Smart List. Scharon Harding This is how it looked in the app. Scharon Harding/Rocketbook Organizing your organizational tools Sticky notes can help you stay on schedule, but it’s easy to accumulate so many that the memos become a distracting crutch rather than handy organizational tools. For people who live by sticky notes, Rocketbook’s solution is excellent for grouping related tasks, appointments, and reminders and preventing things from getting overlooked. However, leveraging Reusable Sticky Notes to their maximum potential requires scanning notes into the app. This doesn’t take long, but it is an extra step that detracts from the instant gratification of writing something down on a note and slapping it somewhere visible. For people who just like to write it down and post it, the Rocketbook app can feel cumbersome and unnecessary. The problems I had using Smart Lists hindered the product's helpfulness, simplicity, and productivity as well. Rocketbook’s sticky notes are also more beneficial to people who are more likely to look at an app on their phone than a bunch of papers surrounding them. There's also a distinct advantage to being able to read your notes via an app when you're not near the physical pieces of paper. Going further, it would be beneficial if the app could further leverage the phones that it's on by being able to set alarms, for example, to correspond with scanned notes. Much like with their app-free counterparts, for me, the best part of Rocketbook's Reusable Sticky notes lies within its simpler features. The ability to easily reuse notes is more helpful than the ability to catalogue and archive memos. And while the handwriting recognition was mostly impressive, it seems more advantageous in something like a reusable notebook than a sticky memo. But if you find yourself drowning in crumpled, flailing pieces of sticky paper, Rocketbook offers an option for organizing your organizational tools. Scharon Harding Senior Technology Reporter Scharon Harding Senior Technology Reporter Scharon is a Senior Technology Reporter at Ars Technica writing news, reviews, and analysis on consumer gadgets and services. She's been reporting on technology for over 10 years, with bylines at Tom’s Hardware, Channelnomics, and CRN UK. 12 Comments

This week, golf's greatest stars descend on the tiny city of Augusta, Georgia, in pursuit of the famous green jacket awarded to winners of the Masters Tournament.It's also time for photographer Whitney Boykin and her family to pile into their camper to make way for the guests renting their home in North Augusta, South Carolina."I'm one of the rare locals who says I love Masters week. I just want visitors to see how amazing it is here," Boykin told Business Insider.Boykin and other locals rent out their properties to golfers and visitors directly, on Airbnb, or via other platforms. In the city of Augusta alone, the number of rentals jumped from 725 in March 2024 to 1,700 in April 2024, data from short-term-rental analytics site AirDNA shows. The average revenue for rentals in the city jumped from $2,700 in March 2024 to $5,300 in April 2024, AirDNA found.While Boykin declined to share exactly how much she makes, she said it's enough to cover the family's mortgage payments for a year. This is the seventh year the family is renting out their house for the Masters.As of April 4, homes similar to Boykin's listed on Airbnb were available to rent from about $9,000 a week to $28,000 a week.For Boykin, one week of sleeping in a camper with her husband, their two kids, their cat, and their dog is more than worth it. Take a look inside the home they rent out during the Masters. Whitney Boykin and her family moved into their North Augusta, South Carolina home in December 2020. Boykin and her family rent out the home to a company in Texas. Courtesty of Whitney Boykin The house, just over the state line from Georgia, has five bedrooms, three full bathrooms, two half bathrooms, and a large outdoor space designed for entertaining. The home is a 12-minute drive to Augusta National Golf Course. But during Masters week, traffic adds up to about 30 minutes. Boykin and her family have been renting out their home for seven years. Courtesty of Whitney Boykin Boykin said she passes the Augusta National Golf Club when she drives her kids to school."The rest of the year, it's just not that big of a deal," she said. Boykin said many North Augusta locals rent out their homes for the Masters and use the money to go on vacation for a week. Boykin says most residents of North Augusta rent out their homes for the Masters. Courtesty of Whitney Boykin Area schools typically schedule spring break to sync up with the tournament."Everyone looks forward to this because it's great money," Boykin told Business Insider.In the past, Boykin has used Airbnb and Vrbo to rent out the home. There is even a local rental agency dedicated to the event called the Masters Housing Bureau. For the past two years, Boykin's family has rented their house to a Texas company that brings its employees to the tournament. A putting green at Boykin's home. Courtesty of Whitney Boykin Boykin was connected with the company through a local friend. Boykin stores all her seasonal Masters gear in a section of the attic that's off-limits to the rest of the family. A patio of Boykin's home. Courtesty of Whitney Boykin She keeps paraphernalia including flags, pillows, and golf supplies with the Masters logo locked away for most the year, along with special sets of crisp, white linens for the bedrooms."My kids know which sheets are Masters ones. We don't touch them," she said. Guests arrive the Sunday before the tournament begins and pay for an eight-day stay that includes the Monday after the finals. The backyard grill at Boykin's home. Courtesty of Whitney Boykin Local schools have extended spring break, Boykin added, with kids returning to the classroom on the Tuesday after the tournament. Boykin likes to check on the home twice during the week to clean and make sure everything is OK. Boykin picks up news Masters paraphernalia each year to use as decor. Courtesty of Whitney Boykin Boykin said cleaning visits are more for her peace of mind because they've rarely had issues. Visitors in town for the Masters often try to maximize their time at the golf course."They're not spending a lot of time in our home," Boykin said. "They take care of our things better than we do." Other families renting out their homes travel, but Boykin's family stays in an RV for Masters week. Boykin's husband bought the RV online from a seller in Myrtle Beach. Courtesty of Whitney Boykin Boykin's husband, who works in the car industry, is especially busy in early April.This year, the family will park the RV at a local equestrian facility that has dozens of walking trails. Boykin's family first stayed in a camper one year when their home was still accidentally listed for rent in July. This year, Boykin's family is taking the RV to a nearby park. Courtesty of Whitney Boykin Out-of-towners rented their house for a youth basketball tournament called Peach Jam.Even though the family had no plans to rent out their house for any time other than the Masters, Boykin said her husband felt it was worth it.He drove to Myrtle Beach to pick up an RV he found online so the family could honor the booking.Boykin added that he told her it would allow them to take "an extra vacation."

Twisted House / Stefano LarotondaSave this picture!© Simone Bossi•Anzano del Parco, Italy Architects: Stefano Larotonda Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2023 Photographs Photographs:Simone Bossi, Nicole Gaia Construction: Respedil More SpecsLess Specs Save this picture! Text description provided by the architects. The villa was built in the late 1960s with features that take inspiration from modernist architecture: pure volumes, compact shape, and typical materials of the period. Contemporary living needs have required the transformation of the villa into new apartments and energy efficiency works.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!The intervention on the shell led to redefining hierarchies in the building's facades, working on solids and voids that emphasize the power of volumes and the rotation between the two levels.Save this picture!The works in the interiors involve the design of two new apartments, where the living areas are oriented toward the pre-alpine lakes and the more intimate rooms toward the garden.Save this picture!The chromatic choice is reduced to two colors: green, characterized by a smooth and continuous texture in continuity with the surrounding colors, and grey, which is emphasized by a material finish that highlights the volumetric subtractions. The chromatic synthesis involves every part of the building: floors, walls, windows, and doors, with the exception of the acid-yellow doors that characterize the entrances to the apartments. Yellow and green are used to characterize the main furnishing elements of the apartments, which are floored with strips of solid oak wood.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!The design process ends with a site-specific artistic intervention on the large terrace overlooking Lago di Alserio, which is accessible only to those who live in the house. The project enhances the existing building, defining a language that involves interiors and exteriors in a continuous experience.Save this picture! Project gallerySee allShow less About this officeStefano LarotondaOffice••• MaterialConcreteMaterials and TagsPublished on April 11, 2025Cite: "Twisted House / Stefano Larotonda" 11 Apr 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1028838/twisted-house-stefano-larotonda&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save世界上最受欢迎的建筑网站现已推出你的母语版本!想浏览ArchDaily中国吗?是否 You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream