Microlight3D, a manufacturer of high-resolution 2D and 3D printing solutions, and Eden Tech, a leader in microfluidic technologies, have announced a new partnership aimed at delivering advanced, high-precision microfluidic design tools to researchers and developers across the healthcare, diagnostics, and research sectors. The collaboration integrates Microlight3D’s Smart Print UV, a maskless lithography tool offering micron-level precision, with Eden Tech’s FLUI’DEVICE design platform. Together, these technologies reduce design cycles by up to 90% compared to traditional CAD workflows. The partnership also aims to improve the accessibility, customization, and scalability of microfluidic devices. “Microlight3D is excited to partner with Eden Tech, a recognized leader in microfluidics, to bring groundbreaking innovations to the healthcare and research sectors,” said Denis Barbier, CEO of Microlight3D. “We are now able to offer customers worldwide a solution for quickly and easily creating high-precision microfluidic designs compatible with the formats used by our machines. This will enable our users to integrate this tool into their current workflow, while streamlining the steps involved.” Microlight3D’s Smart Print UV. Photo via: Microlight3D Accelerating Microfluidic Design Key benefits include a 90% reduction in design time compared to traditional CAD tools. The software allows users to transition from concept to production-ready design in hours, rather than days. Its intuitive interface also minimizes the need for extensive training or external design services, leading to cost savings of 60%.  The platform supports faster iterations than traditional CAD software, resulting in higher precision in both design and simulation.It also offers compatibility with various export formats, ensuring smooth integration with production systems and minimizing errors during the manufacturing phase. Additionally, the solution is versatile, catering to both academic and industrial users, allowing projects to scale seamlessly from research to full production. The platform provides access to a comprehensive library of modules, enabling the creation of more sophisticated and customized designs. “We believe that this partnership will set a new benchmark in the field of microfluidics,” said Victor Morel Cahoreau, head of sales at Eden Tech. “With healthcare systems and research laboratories increasingly seeking efficient and reliable microfluidic devices, the demand for solutions that integrate precision, scalability and cost-effectiveness has never been greater. This partnership directly addresses these needs by offering solutions that streamline production processes and reduce time-to-market for critical healthcare technologies. Microlight3D booth. Photo: Microlight3D 3D Printing Microfluidic DevicesQueensland University of Technology evaluated resin 3D printing for the production of microfluidic components for cell-based applications. The study used MOIIN High Temp and MOIIN Tech Clear resins from DMG Digital Enterprises, along with ASIGA UV Max X27 DLP 3D printers, to fabricate common microfluidic designs, including 2D monolayer culture devices, pillar arrays, and constricting channels for droplet generators. The study concluded that MOIIN High Temp and MOIIN Tech Clear resins are effective at 3D printing microfluidic channels for cell-based applications. Both materials were confirmed to be biocompatible and visible through imaging platforms such as microscopes. Elsewhere, researchers from Stanford University developed a new high-resolution resin 3D printing process. This approach eliminates the risk of over-curing resin in negative spaces, such as channels or voids, making it particularly well-suited for 3D printing microfluidic devices. The paper was co-authored by Joseph M. DeSimone, Co-founder and former CEO of California-based 3D printer manufacturer Carbon. Now serving as a board member at the company, DeSimone played a key role in the development of Carbon’s patented Continuous Liquid Interface Production (CLIP) technology. The Stanford team utilized a modified version of CLIP, known as Injection CLIP (iCLIP), in their research. Who won the 2024 3D Printing Industry Awards? 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. Featured image shows Microlight3D booth. Photo: Microlight3D Paloma Duran Paloma Duran holds a BA in International Relations and an MA in Journalism. Specializing in writing, podcasting, and content and event creation, she works across politics, energy, mining, and technology. With a passion for global trends, Paloma is particularly interested in the impact of technology like 3D printing on shaping our future.

In a brief executive order (EO) titled “Maintaining Acceptable Water Pressure In Showerheads” and dated April 9, 2025, President Trump “ordered” the repeal of the 13,000-word regulation defining “showerhead” as published in the Energy Department’s Energy Conservation Program. A supporting fact sheet declares that the White House is undoing “the Left’s war on water pressure” and is ending “the Obama-Biden war on water pressure” to “make America’s showers great again.” Notably, the EO does not outlaw the production or purchase of low-flow showerheads but just changes the federal government’s definition. The EO continues the administration’s heavy-handed editorial style: Its directive essentially recommends the distillation of a lengthy, multipart document that runs to 13,000 words down to a short sentence. If the OED’s definition is similar to that of the Cambridge Dictionary—ten words: “the part of a shower that water flows out of”—then the edict represents a stunningly muscular edit that removes 99.99 percent of the prior text in its new version. The fact sheet wagers that “overregulation chokes the American economy, entrenches bureaucrats, and stifles personal freedom.” The showerhead definition “served a radical green agenda that made life worse for everyday Americans.” With this EO, Trump also takes aim at water conservation: The prior standard set the “maximum water use allowed for any showerhead manufactured after January 1, 1994,” as 2.5 gallons per minute (GPM). The goal of this figure was to help reduce water use in American households. According to information published by the EPA that was last updated in 2024, showering accounted “for nearly 17 percent of residential indoor water use—for the average family, that adds up to nearly 40 gallons per day. That’s nearly 1.2 trillion gallons of water used in the United States annually just for showering.” These figures previously prompted the development of the WaterSense, a label awarded to products that use 2.0 GPM of water. Many low-flow showerheads use even less water, like 1.5 GPM, with some available models using as little as 0.625 GPM. As many parts of the country are experiencing intensified droughts due to climate change, low-flow devices that save both water and money seem like a smart option. Trump is recommending the same standard of 2.5 GPM but without all the other descriptions. This EO, according to the White House, “frees Americans from excessive regulations that turned a basic household item into a bureaucratic nightmare. No longer will showerheads be weak and worthless.” Products with multiple individual showerheads and a body spray (Courtesy Department of Energy) His Beautiful Hair When signing the EO this week, Trump said, “I like to take a nice shower to take care of my beautiful hair,” according to The New York Times. He continued, “I stand under the shower for 15 minutes until it gets wet. It comes out drip, drip, drip. It’s ridiculous.” Trump’s remarks echo prior comments on the subject. As reported by The New York Times, in 2023, he told a group of Republican leaders at dinner that he has “this gorgeous head of hair—when I take a shower, I want water to pour down on me. When you go into these new homes with showers, the water drips down slowly, slowly.” In a 2020 clip that aired on Fox News, he quipped, “You take a shower, the water doesn’t come out,” “You want to wash your hands, the water doesn’t come out. So what do you do? You just stand there longer or you take a shower longer? Because my hair—I don’t know about you—but it has to be perfect. Perfect.” Nozzlegate May Stimulate New Showerhead Designs At the core of the existential showerhead debate is the criteria for multinozzle showerheads. The “Obama administration ordered the 2.5-gallon limit to be applied to each shower head, not each nozzle,” per The New York Times, which meant that devices with multiple spray sources were counted as a single showerhead. Trump, during his first administration, changed the definition to mean that each nozzle was counted individually, so that each could allow a flow of 2.5 GPM. There were no limits on the nozzle count. In a proposed rule, Trump’s first administration released concept designs for potential arrangements with up to eight nozzles, which meant the device could emit up to 20 GPM. What would a multiheaded, gold-plated showerhead that spews dozens of gallons of water per minute look like? Here is one imagining, via ChatGPT. (OpenAI/ChatGPT) The sketches raise a potential brand collaboration: As more businesses and individuals seek to curry favor with Trump, what company might seek to deliver bathroom products that respond to Trump’s brief. What would a multiheaded, gold-plated showerhead that spews dozens of gallons of water per minute look like? Here is one imagining, via ChatGPT: Perhaps we can expect to see water-intensive devices like this as an early trend for 2026 bath products? Time will tell. No More Dumb Wars Trump has long had a problem with low-flow showerheads. During his first presidency, according to the fact sheet, “President Trump sought to undo this definition in his first term by publishing extensive analysis and a formal rule—however, Biden undid this progress and the shower wars continued. The government should not waste taxpayer time and money writing another elaborate definition for a term that has a simple definition. No market failure justifies this intrusion: Americans pay for their own water and should be free to choose their showerheads without federal meddling.” This latest EO continues Trump’s tirade against regulations for products used in buildings and interiors. Earlier in his term, he complained about light bulbs, among other household products. The fact sheet continued: “It’s not just showers—the Biden Administration aggressively targeted everyday appliances like gas stoves, water heaters, washing machines, furnaces, dishwashers, and more, waging war on the reliable tools Americans depend on daily. These appliances worked perfectly fine before Biden’s meddling piled on convoluted regulations that made those appliances worse. President Trump is slashing red tape and ending Biden’s dumb war on things that work.”

Built c.1805 for Elisha Payne, this architecturally distinguished Federal style mansion in Canturbury, Connecticut is one of the most significant buildings in the state, not only for its architecture but historical significance. In 1831, a young white woman, Prudence Crandall, was asked to open a boarding school for girls in Canterbury. She purchased this mansion and began operations for the school, which was attended by many wealthy girls in town. In 1832, Ms. Crandall was approached by a young Black girl who worked as a servant in town, named Sarah Harris, asking to attend the school. Encouraged by conversations with both Harris and Maria Davis, a Black woman who worked for Crandall and shared copies of the abolitionist newspaper The Liberator with her, Crandall agreed to admit Harris. Almost immediately, residents protested the school’s admission of a Black girl and parents threatened to withdraw their students, Crandall undeterred, closed her school and reopened in 1833, solely for Black and Brown students. Young girls traveled from several states to attend the school. The legislature of Connecticut responded by passing the “Black Law,” which prevented out-of-state Black and Brown people from attending school in Connecticut towns without local town approval. Crandall was arrested, spent one night in jail, and faced three court trials before the case was dismissed. In September 1834, a nighttime mob of men attacked the house, smashing the windows, leading Crandall to close the school out of fear for her students as no protections were afforded to them. These events made national and international news in the 1830s and galvanized the burgeoning abolitionist movement. Crandall would later marry and left Connecticut, never to return. For her vision and brave actions at this school, Prudence Crandall is Connecticut’s official state heroine and the house was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1991.

Atstock Productions - stock.adob News Work-life balance biggest barrier for women in tech, says survey A lack of work-life balance and discrimination are among the biggest challenges for women in tech, finds Lorien By Clare McDonald, Business Editor Published: 11 Apr 2025 16:04 Maintaining work-life balance has been the biggest challenge many women in the technology industry have come up against, according to a survey. Recruitment firm Lorien surveyed women in the technology sector and found 45% claimed to have had difficulties with work-life balance in their role, making it the biggest barrier they have faced in their career. Almost 30% said their biggest roadblock as women in the sector is gender bias and discrimination. “While the proportion of women in technology is steadily increasing, we can’t afford to become complacent,” said Darren Topping, director of enterprise solutions, insights and partnerships for Lorien’s parent company Impellam Group. “The next hurdle is ensuring that women feel they have equal opportunities for career progression, with greater representation at senior levels. Creating a truly inclusive workplace means recognising that work-life balance is not a luxury, but a necessity.” The number of women choosing a technology career is increasing, but slowly, with research from BCS finding in the four years to 2022 the number of women in the UK tech sector increased by just 4% – from 16% in 2018 to 20% in 2022. The reasons for this slow growth are many, though one of the most cited reasons is a lack of inclusive culture in the tech workplace putting women off joining or forcing them to leave.  Lorien found that 75% of women in the technology sector believe their current work environment is inclusive and offers them support. But when it comes to career development, only a quarter think they have the same career advancement opportunities as their male counterparts. Inequality between men and women in society leads to difficulties for women in the tech workplace – women are more likely than men to have care responsibilities, for example, meaning the ability to work flexibly is increasingly important for women when looking for tech roles. Almost 30% of those who answered Lorien’s survey believe flexible working is a trend that will significantly affect women in the future, and the Tech Talent Charter recently found that almost 12% of women in tech have dropped out in their roles to be able to better fulfil their care responsibilities. TTC also found that 40% of women said whether they plan to stay in their role depends on their current care responsibilities. Topping said: “Flexible working policies, equal parental support and clear career progression pathways are essential. When companies prioritise mental health, implement fair workload management and foster supportive leadership, they empower women to advance and succeed in their careers.” When it comes to ways women have been assisted with their technology careers, 31% felt their biggest support came from in-house training sponsored by the company they are working for, closely followed by professional networks. While 12% of women claiming a lack of mentorship is the biggest barrier they’ve faced in their tech career, only 17% said their biggest career support had come from mentorship programmes. Emphasis is often put on the need for role models in the technology sector – the more people are able to see others like themselves treading a certain path, the more confident and inspired they will feel to go in the same direction. But when it comes to the reasons behind choosing a career in IT, almost half said it was an interest in technology that drove them to pursue their roles, with only 6% saying their drive to go into tech was influenced by role models and mentors – however, it is not specified what the driving factor was for those with an interest in technology from a young age. A quarter of women claimed their interest in a tech role was guided by the large number of job opportunities available in the sector, while 20% were drawn by the sector’s high salaries. But women are still underrepresented in the technology sector, and 54% of women believe other women are often discouraged from considering a career in tech. There are various factors that discourage women from technology roles – 49% of women said they were more likely to join an organisation if they had heard about the career stories of other women in that organisation, and 56% said the same if a firm had evidence of an equally gender-balanced workforce. Equality initiatives, female professional support networks and good representation of women in leadership positions are all qualities that would make more than 50% of women more likely to choose to join an organisation. Around a fifth of women advised others looking into a tech career to look for mentors in the industry, and 22% advised focusing on professional network. Keeping skills up to date was the most popular career advice (39%) women would give to others looking for a job in the tech sector. Meanwhile, 40% of women said increased representation of women in leadership positions is vital for encouraging more women into the technology sector, with a quarter also saying the same of properly developed gender equality practices in organisations. “These findings make it clear that companies cannot afford to be passive about gender diversity in tech,” said Annelise Smith, managing director, workforce solutions at Impellam Group. “Women are confident and capable, yet systemic barriers continue to hold them back. Businesses that fail to address these issues risk losing top talent to competitors who prioritise inclusion and equal opportunity.” Read more about women in technology A dedicated Women in Tech Week event, coffee roulette, and boosting knowledge, confidence and connections – the women in tech work at Dunelm is building momentum. A combination of the types of jobs women perform and biases influencing the development of artificial intelligence leaves them in more danger of AI disruption. In The Current Issue: Interview: The role of IT innovation at Royal Ballet and Opera ‘Bankenstein’ and a cold calculation means banking crashes will continue Download Current Issue No Complaints About Automating Compliance – Networks Generation NTT details AI ‘inference chip’, enables real-time 4K video processing – CW Developer Network View All Blogs

With Recall now in preview mode for Windows Insiders on Copilot+ PCs, Microsoft is testing the waters for an official release.

freelancers offer specialized expertise on demand without the financial commitment of full-time ... More employmentgetty A silent revolution is taking place in today’s rapidly evolving work landscape. According to new research from Remote, 91% of companies have maintained or increased their use of freelancers over the past three years. This isn’t just a passing trend—it’s the future of work materializing before our eyes, with 52% of businesses explicitly increasing their freelance utilization and nearly half turning to contract workers to fill roles they can't staff permanently. As companies struggle to implement hybrid work policies that satisfy everyone, leaders should remember that “distributed” work doesn’t just mean place to place. It can also mean crossing organizational boundaries with an increasingly freelance workforce. The Rise Of The Fluid Workforce What’s driving this freelance surge? Remote’s “State of Freelance Work 2025” report demonstrates a change in how companies operate and how workers want to contribute. The data represents insights from 1,900 leaders with talent responsibilities across five countries (UK, USA, Netherlands, Germany, and Australia), alongside 3,300 freelancers from desk-based industries in ten countries. The research was conducted in November 2024. For businesses, freelancers offer specialized expertise on demand without the financial commitment of full-time employment. Engineering and IT lead the charge, with 37% of surveyed companies hiring freelancers in these domains, followed closely by creative roles (34%), customer support (32%), and marketing (31%). Why are workers seeking more freelance and contract employment? 41% want to be their own boss 31% need supplemental income 28% desire greater flexibility than traditional employment allows Only 6% say return-to-office mandates were their reason for going freelance; this implies a deeper desire for autonomy, not office policy resistance, is the real driver. MORE FOR YOU A "silver freelance" trend is also emerging across the market. Remote’s report reveals that 45% of employers have observed an increase in freelancers aged 55 and over, with 43% explicitly preferring this demographic. Companies cite experience, reliability, and mentorship capabilities as key advantages, especially in consulting roles where institutional knowledge creates immediate value without extensive onboarding. Digital Environments: Where Work Lives This shift toward a more fluid workforce demands reconsideration of how we structure work environments. Companies excelling in this new paradigm are those creating clear digital destinations for work—"work where the work is," as the author has written. Despite the clear benefits of freelance relationships, 27% of companies report communication issues as a significant obstacle. This shouldn't surprise us when nearly half (49%) are managing these vital relationships through makeshift in-house systems, often rudimentary spreadsheets and disjointed processes that create friction. Organizations succeeding with blended workforces are implementing digital work environments with explicit agreements about which tools host which types of work. They designate specific channels for formal communications, collaborative documents for shared editing, and project templates that organize multiple information types while maintaining flexibility. Clearly documented and transparent business rhythms can also help freelancers see how broader decision making and communication cadences influence the work they are doing, and the schedule required to do it. These approaches mirror best practices for distributed internal teams but become even more critical when engaging external contributors who lack the luxury of absorbing workplace norms through osmosis. The Freelance Administrative Burden The Remote report highlights a serious issue: administrative tasks are hurting productivity for freelancers. A surprising 85% of freelancers say their invoices are paid late at least sometimes, while only 24% of full-time employees face similar delays. This payment priority gap points to inadequate operational systems for managing contractors—an area where improvement could yield significant competitive advantage. Companies that streamline contractor payments don't just reduce administrative overhead; they gain preferred access to top freelance talent who value reliable clients. Many freelancers worry about being labeled incorrectly. About 40% feel they should be recognized as employees instead of contractors. At the same time, 36% of companies admit they sometimes misclassify employees as contractors. Today, this confusion can lead to legal problems and erode trust. For tomorrow, it indicates a lack of preparedness for a time when workers may be engaged on an even wider array of contract types. Freelance Beyond Borders and Boundaries The freelance model is also expanding the talent pool for many companies, with 37% of of them hiring freelancers internationally. The primary drivers? Quality of work (59%) Reliability (54%) Skill level (51%) For companies newer to global hiring, it can introduce new challenges such as payment processing and cultural differences. For instance, the report highlights that clients may praise Italian freelancers for their creativity but sometimes find them "too social" because they have different communication styles. Organizations making this work aren't just adept at navigating cultural differences—they're developing robust systems that create consistency across geographical boundaries and contractor relationships. In doing so, they're building the infrastructure necessary for tomorrow's workforce, whether employed, contracted, or some hybrid arrangement yet to emerge. Building The Integrated Workforce Model For business leaders wrestling with today's hybrid work challenges, there's a compelling case for seeing those efforts as investments in future capabilities. The infrastructure required for effective hybrid work—clear digital environments, consistent meeting practices, shared documentation systems—creates the foundation for successfully engaging a more fluid workforce. Leading organizations are taking a structured approach to policies, which they view as tools to help coordinate work, not as ways to control workers. Instead of enforcing strict attendance rules, they create agreements that explain when, where, and how different types of work can be done effectively. They are also investing in technology that simplifies how they onboard, manage, and pay contractors. Most importantly, they're developing leaders capable of managing outcomes rather than activities, evaluating value over presence, and fostering connection across distance and contractual boundaries. The Path Forward The freelance future isn’t coming—it’s already here. The distributed workplace isn’t a temporary pandemic adaptation but a permanent evolution of how work happens. Organizations that view these realities as opportunities rather than inconveniences are positioning themselves for sustainable competitive advantage. The question for leaders isn’t whether to prepare for a more fluid and freelance workforce but how quickly they can build the systems, processes, and culture to thrive with one. The talent they attract—and keep—may depend on it.

What just happened? Google is making a bold move to challenge Microsoft's dominance in federal government software contracts by significantly slashing prices on its Workspace suite. Under a new government-wide agreement, the company is offering its productivity tools to US agencies at a steep 71 percent discount. Tony Orlando, GM of specialty sales for Google Public Sector, positioned Workspace as a secure, AI-powered alternative to Microsoft's offerings. Google also confirmed that Workspace has achieved FedRAMP High authorization, a critical requirement for federal IT systems. This certification extends to Gemini, which recently became the first AI assistant to receive FedRAMP High approval. The accreditation ensures that transitioning to Workspace won't require costly AI add-ons or complex configurations. Google is no stranger to government work. Hundreds of thousands of employees across the Department of Energy and the Air Force Research Laboratory already use its tools. Google highlights its success at the Air Force labs, where it claims to have created a "flexible, synergistic enterprise" by streamlining digital workflows. However, the new discount is clearly a push to expand that footprint. The pricing – available through September 30, 2025 – applies to both Google Workspace Enterprise Plus and Assured Controls Plus editions. The company estimates that a widespread switch could save federal agencies up to $2 billion over three years. The timing is no coincidence. The discount aligns with President Trump's initiative to centralize federal IT procurement by treating the government as a single buyer. The effort is part of a broader cost-cutting campaign led by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which aims to reduce redundancy and streamline IT acquisitions. // Related Stories Beyond cost savings, Google is pitching Workspace as a modern, collaborative alternative. It emphasizes features such as real-time editing, 99.9 percent uptime guarantees, and integrated AI tools like Gemini and NotebookLM. With AI becoming a growing priority for federal agencies, Gemini's FedRAMP High certification could serve as a major selling point. Integrated directly into core Workspace apps like Docs, Gmail, and Meet, Gemini enables features such as summarizing, drafting, and information retrieval.

After far too long a wait, the final patch for Baldur’s Gate 3 will hit consoles and PC on April 15. Larian Studios says Patch 8 is the final major patch for the beloved title and adds in a ton of new content, including multiple subclasses, an evil ending, new Cantrips, spells, and more. Patch 8 has undergone stress testing for a long time now to work out all the bugs, and it seems like it’s finally ready to be set free into the world like a (slightly) benevolent Elder Brain. The news comes from Larian’s official YouTube channel, appropriately titled the Channel From Hell. On April 16, Larian will host a livestream that will take a “closer look at Patch 8, including the new subclasses” and touch on the future of the game now that all major updates have been released. Recommended Videos While we know the patch is coming on April 15, Larian hasn’t announced an exact time for the rollout. Most likely, the patch will drop in sections depending on geographic location and time zone, but we will update this story if a more specific window is announced. While Patch 8 is supposedly the final major update for Baldur’s Gate 3, that doesn’t mean the game is going to stop being popular any time soon. Larian Studios recently released a full suite of modding tools, and the community has already started work on brand-new custom campaigns, new races and classes, and much more. Considering that Baldur’s Gate 2 is still popular 25 years after launch, fans of the sequel have nothing to worry about. Related If you’ve never played Baldur’s Gate 3 before, now is a great time to dive in. The expansive RPG will keep you hooked for dozens of hours, and it also makes a great couch co-op title to play with friends or your significant other. The game is not expected to get any DLC at this point, so it is, for all intents and purposes, complete. But with an estimated 17,000 different endings, there’s enough content to keep you exploring Faerun for years to come. Editors’ Recommendations

Ireland’s data privacy watchdog said it is looking into whether Grok has been illegally trained on European user posts on Musk’s X social media platform.

The options at the supermarket have proliferated, and the quality is off the charts. Even as tariffs loom, butter remains an accessible luxury. Here, a guide to getting the most out of your investment.