Eindhoven-based startup Photon IP has raised 4.75mn in seed funding as it looks to scale up its unique method for creating energy-efficient photonic chips.AI systems, data centres, fibre-optic networks, andeven some sensors rely on photonic chips to send and receive information using light. These chips are a big deal because theyre faster and use less energy than typical semiconductors, which transfer data through electricity.But to make these high-performance, light-speed chips you need special compounds called III-V materials, such as indium phosphide.These materials are relatively scarce and expensive though, so the industry has been looking at ways of using silicon, leveraging all the scale and capability from the world of electronics, Photons CCO John Anderton told TNW.However, combining III-V materials with silicon on one single chip is, simply put, bloody difficult. Thats exactly where Photon has found an attractive market opportunity.The of EU techThe latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!Founded in 2022, the startup has developed a way to integrate III-V materials and silicon onto a single chip that can handle light better, use less power, and be mass-produced for things like faster internet, smarter AI systems, and high-precision sensors. There are many companies making photonic chips, but the challenge is finding the best way to combine and integrate these materials onto a single chip, said Anderton. We bring to market a unique, revolutionary technology that allows us to deliver the lowest energy use and the best performance while being scalable.Photon is fabless, meaning it outsources the chipmaking to established manufacturers, who make the chips to the startups specifications. The commercial value lies in Photons secret sauce.Amsterdam-based deep tech VC Innovation Industries led Photons seed round,with participation from Faber and the Brabant Development Agency. The venture arm of PhotonDelta, a photonics industry body based in Eindhoven, was the fourth and final investor.Photon IP has already secured 2mn in grant funding from the European Innovation Council. Todays seed round is its second injection of private equity, following a 1.1mn investment in 2022 led by Polish early-stage photonics investment firm Vigo Ventures.Photon told TNW it will use the fresh funding to grow its team as it looks to announce its first photonic chip products later this year. Story by Sin Geschwindt Sin is a climate and energy reporter at TNW. From nuclear fusion to escooters, he covers the length and breadth of Europe's clean tech ecos (show all) Sin is a climate and energy reporter at TNW. From nuclear fusion to escooters, he covers the length and breadth of Europe's clean tech ecosystem. He's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. Sin has five years journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Get the TNW newsletterGet the most important tech news in your inbox each week.Also tagged with

The popular Opera web browser has just released a major update for its iPhone and iPad app. With the new version, Opera is making it easier for users to interact with Aria the companys built-in AI through new Home Screen widgets. Read on as we detail everything thats new with the latest Opera update for iOS.As detailed in a blog post, the latest version of Opera for iOS brings new Home Screen widgets. These widgets are fully customizable and let users access key features of the web browser in a single tap. For instance, you can use the widget to open a new tab in Private Mode or even Ask Aria.Theres more: if you long-press on the icon, youll find even more shortcuts. These additions speed up your daily browsing by giving you one-tap access to the features that matter most, Opera says.But theres another important change coming with this update. Operas Aria AI is now available for anyone to use, even when youre not signed in. With Aria, users can ask questions via text or voice input. Aria can search the web and is even capable of generating images using Googles Imagen 3 Fast model.According to Opera, all you need to do to use Aria without an account is update the iOS app to the latest version. The only thing to keep in mind is that image generation is limited to five images per day when youre not signed in, while registered users can generate up to 30 images per day.Opera also thanks iOS users for the significant growth recently.Innovative, user-focused updates like these have spurred Opera for iOS to some significant growth recently. Between September and November 2024, our flagship browser for iPhone recorded a 33% increase in new users across the European Union and a 31% rise around the world! So our thanks to you youre the reason we keep coming up with exciting new features as we look to craft the very best browning experience possible.The Opera browser for iOS is available for free on the App Store. It requires an iPhone or iPad running iOS 14 or later.Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

It's now been six weeks since Haliey "Hawk Tuah" Welch launched her disastrous and allegedly fraudulent meme coin and in the ensuing firestorm, it's been exactly that long since she last posted a podcast episode.The expectorating internet sensation's most recent podcast episode ironically titled "HOW TO AVOID GETTING CANCELLED" was posted to Spotify and YouTube on December 3.Since then, she's gone dark.The very next day after that episode was published, the 22-year-old viral vixen launched her "HAWK" meme coin, which crashed spectacularly and immediatelyin what many believe was some sort of scam. In a single day, the coin's total worth dropped from $490 million to just $24.6 million, leading to accusations of a pump-and-dump scheme.Though Welch initially insisted on X-formerly-Twitter that the team behind the HAWK coin hadn't sold any of their tokens, she appeared to change her tune after jilted investors filed suit against her and the coin's shady promoters."I take this situation extremely seriously," she posted on December 20, weeks after the debacle. "I am fully cooperating with and am committed to assisting the legal team representing the individuals impacted, as well as to help uncover the truth, hold the responsible parties accountable, and resolve this matter."Beyond that cooperation post and the bizarre instance in which she responded to criticism on an X spaces audio chat by announcing that she was going to bed Welch has been entirely absent from the web. Though we don't know exactly what accounts for her MIA status, it could well be under the advice of attorneys urging the young woman to avoid incriminating herself or fraternizing with people involved in the case.Still, it's a shame that Welch's "Talk Tuah" podcast which only has 13 episodes, and launched three months to the day before the last one has disappeared from the digital airwaves, because it was actually kind of hilarious.Depending on what happens with the lawsuit, this may not be the last we've heard from Hawk Tuah girl but her podcast may, unfortunately, be dead on arrival.Share This Article

See at Apple TV Plus Home of Severance Apple TV Plus See at Apple TV Plus See more details See at Expressvpn Best VPN for streaming ExpressVPN See at Expressvpn See more details Table of Contents Get ready for round two of this corporate thriller. AppleIt's a long-awaited moment for fans of the dystopian thriller Severance, which premiered on Apple TV Plus in 2022. At last, the second season of this unsettling and irresistible drama is slated to drop -- and Apple doesn't want you to forget it.On Tuesday, the company staged a pop-up at New York's Grand Central Terminal featuring Lumon-style workstations and computers. Soon enough, actors including Adam Scott, Britt Lower and Zach Cherry made an appearance, arriving at their desks in character. Director Ben Stiller posted a photo and video from the pop-up on X and Bluesky.Severance follows Mark Scout (Adam Scott) and his colleagues at a fictitious biotech company called Lumon, who have undergone a brain surgery that separates their work and personal lives. When they're in the office, they have no recollection of their lives outside and vice versa. But strange things start to happen, including the sudden axing of a longtime colleague, which pushes Mark and his colleagues to question the company they work for and its motives. It's a riveting commentary on work-life balance (or the lack thereof), made stronger by understated yet memorable characters and a focused storyline.Season 1 ends on such a compelling cliffhanger that you'll be desperate to jump right into season 2 at the earliest chance. And at last, the wait is almost over. So without further ado, here's everything you need to know about the next season of Severance, including how to watch the highly anticipated show with a VPN.Right now c xx[image or embed] Ben Stiller (@benstiller.redhour.com) January 14, 2025 at 1:35 PMHow to Watch Severance Season 2 on Apple TV PlusThe second season of Severance lands on Apple TV Plus on Friday,Jan. 17. There are 10 episodes, which will be released on a weekly basis -- likely leaving viewers on the edge of their seats in between airings. You also now have the option to access Apple TV Plus through another streamer: Prime Video. The retail and tech giants have struck a deal to offer Apple's streaming service as a $10 monthly add-on for Prime Video customers. That can make it easier to access the platform and give it added visibility -- therefore simplifying the process of binging Severance Season 2 (or whatever you're watching).And if you'd like to catch up on Season 1 before activating an Apple TV Plus subscription, you can do so for free on the Roku Channel (though you'll have to sit through ads). James Martin/CNET Subscribe to Apple TV Plus for $10 a month. If you'd like to give it a try before committing, you can sign up for a 7-day free trial. And if you've purchased a new Apple device, you'll get three months of Apple TV Plus free, as long as you redeem the offer within 90 days. See at Apple TV Plus How to watch Severance from anywhere with a VPNWhat if you're traveling abroad and want to stream Severance while away from home? With a VPN, you can virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the series from anywhere in the world. There are other good reasons to use a VPN for streaming, too.A VPN is the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds by encrypting your traffic. Using a VPN is also a great idea if you're traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins. Streaming TV can be a bit smoother with a reliable, quality VPN that's passed our tests and security standards.You can use a VPN to stream content legally as long as VPNs are legal in your country and you have a valid subscription to the streaming service you're using. The US and Canada are among the countries where VPNs are legal, but we advise against streaming or downloading content on illegal torrent sites. We recommend ExpressVPN, but you may opt for another provider from our best list such as Surfshark or NordVPN. James Martin/CNET ExpressVPN is our current pick for the most secure and reliable VPN service. It's fast, works across multiple devices and offers stable streams. ExpressVPN is normally $13 a month, but you can save money with an annual plan. There's also a 30-day money-back guarantee.Read our review of ExpressVPN. See at Expressvpn Follow the VPN provider's instructions for installation and choose a country where Severance is streaming on Apple TV Plus. Before you open the streaming app, make sure you're connected to your VPN using your selected region. If you want to stream Severance on more than one device, it's possible you'll need to configure each one to ensure you are signed in. Go to settings and check your network connections to verify you're logged in and connected to your VPN account. Now you're ready to open Apple TV Plus to stream.If you run into issues with streaming, first make sure your VPN is up and running on its encrypted IP address. Double-check that you've followed installation instructions correctly and you've picked the right geographical area for viewing. If you still encounter connection problems, you may need to reboot your device. Close all apps and windows, restart your device and connect to your VPN first. Note that some streaming services have restrictions on VPN access.

The Sims 4 marking series' 25th anniversary with "huge" free update adding 70+ new itemsPlus, MySims bundle coming to PC.Image credit: EA News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on Jan. 14, 2025 Somewhat unbelievably, this February marks The Sims series' 25th anniversary - that's a whole two and a half decades of "yibs", "neibs", and mysterious "incidents" involving suddenly ladder-less swimming pools - and EA is celebrating the occasion with a whole bunch of activities, including free updates, limited-time events, paid DLC, and more.The Sims' quarter anniversary celebrations officially begin on 4th February, with a "huge" free The Sims 4 update introducing over 70+ new items spanning both Create a Sim and Build Buy modes. There's talk of turtlenecks and bodysuits, bike shorts, accessories, and hairdos. New furnishings, meanwhile, include "stylish" windows and doors, wood finishes for kitchen cabinets, and even a new playground pirate ship for the young 'uns.Additionally, 4th February sees the launch of The Sims 4's new limited-time Blast from the Past event, presenting players will four weeks of challenges unlocking "iconic items from the 2000s", including a milk carton, telephone, alarm clock, birthday cake, and inflatable chairs. The Sims FreePlay is getting a similarly themed event on mobile, then, to wrap up the series' 4th February festivities, EA is hosting a 25-hour livestream from 10pm GMT. This'll feature Simmers and other special guests for a nostalgic look at The Sims' impact over the years.Here's a video version of EA's latest The Sims announcements.Watch on YouTubeThat's not everything within The Sims' 25th anniversary orbit, however. Hurtling forward to 18th March, the recently released MySims: Cozy Bundle - which contains beloved Wii series spin-offs MySims and MySims Kingdom - is making the jump from Switch to PC. And before that, there's another free update out today.This one introduces a number of new features previously playtested as part of EA's relatively recent The Sims Labs initiative. There's a new main menu, for instance, putting your currently in-use Sims family front and centre, and all townie houses in Willow Creek and Oasis Springs - including those belonging to the Pancakes, Goths, Calientes, Landgraabs, and BFFs - have been rebuilt and renovated using some of the items added to the base game over the years. Full details of these latest improvements can be found in EA's patch notes.The Sims 4's latest update arrives ahead of three new paid Kit DLC packs, launching this Thursday, 16th February. There's the Secret Sanctuary Kit, providing a range of items players can use to build a "luxurious space tucked behind a secret passage in a bookcase", while the Casanova Cave Kit promises items Sims can use to "entertain and make an impression". Lastly, there's the Comfy Gamer Kit, incorporating items themed around creating a "warm, inviting gaming room with personal touches".EA says two additional kits are due this month, with more coming "later this year" - and further information on all the above is included in its 25th anniversary news post.

When it comes to refreshing your home, few upgrades are as satisfyingor impactfulas new bedding and bath essentials. Whats more, the best bed and bath sales arrive like clockwork around this time of year so you can shop everything from luxurious sheets to premium bath towels at a discount. Whether it has to do with people welcoming change with the new year or wanting to keep warm when the chill of winter sets in, were not sure, but well always welcome a deal. Plus, you can instantly elevate your daily routine, making your bedroom and bathroom feel like a five-star retreat.At Architectural Digest, we spend the entire year testing piles of sheets, bath mats, and everything in between. This list is packed with our favorite brandsthink the luxe comfort of Saatva and the eco-friendly warmth of Buffythat are offering deals right now to help you make a little home indulgence more accessible than ever.From the plush, insulating comforters that trap warmth without feeling too bulky to the ultrasoft towels that make getting out of the shower bearable, weve rounded up the top bed and bath sales happening now. Prepare to snuggle upweve got you covered.Our Top Picks:Best Sheet Set: Coyuchi Organic Relaxed Linen Sheet Set, $538 $252Best Pillowcases: Cozy Earth Bamboo Pillowcases, $84 $67Best Duvet Cover: Homebird Soft & Cozy Sateen Reversible Duvet, $248 $186Best Mattress Pads: Sijo TempTun Cooling Mattress Pad, $175 $149Best Down Comforter: Brooklinen Down Comforter, $199 $159Best Bedding Sets: Buffy The Classic Set, $490 $345Best Bath Towel Set: White Classic Luxury Cotton Bath Towels, $48 $45ABC Carpet & Home: Over 20% OffIf youre looking for a well-curated selection of duvet cover sets, hand towels, bath mats, shower curtains, and more, ABC, a New York Citybased home decor brand, has you covered. Take over 20% off high-end bedding and bath finds through January 27.abcDNA Ruya Duvet SetabcDNA Layla Percale SheetsAmazon: Up to 45% OffSteep sales right this way: Check out Amazon for quality bath towels and sheet sets at a discount in the mega retailers daily deals page. If youre looking for a basic sheet at a bargain price, this sheet is a great pick, says contributor Kristi Kellogg of the Mellanni Hotel Luxury Sheet Set. Its also available in every size and basically every color you could want, so youll definitely be able to find an option that matches the rest of your bedding.AmazonBlake BakkilaWhite Classic Luxury Cotton Bath TowelsAmazonLauren ArzbaecherLauren ArzbaecherMellanni Hotel Luxury 1800 Sheet SetBrooklinen: Up to 20% OffBrooklinen has mastered the art of cozy. Known for its cloud-like comforters, this brand combines premium materialslike responsibly sourced down and lightweight down alternativeswith thoughtful details, like duvet loops, to keep your bedding in check. Now through January 21, theyre offering 20% off select items.Brooklinen Down ComforterBrooklinen Down PillowBrooklyn Bedding: Up to 25% OffBrooklyn Bedding is a one-stop shop for all things sleepfrom bed frames to memory foam pillows. Everything sitewide (with or without a mattress purchase and even on new arrivals) is currently 30% off when using the promo code MLK30 at checkout.Brooklyn Bedding Microcoil Mattress TopperBrooklyn Bedding Ecosleep MattressBuffy: Up to 30% Off Bedding Sets and 15% Off SitewideBuffy is famous for its silky, smooth eucalyptus sheets that are colored with plant dye (think turmeric, gardenia, and pomegranate). As part of its winter sale, Buffy is offering 30% off its earth-friendly, award-winning Classic and Cooling bedding sets and 15% off everything else sitewide, like pillows. Describing the cloud pillow, AD senior entertainment editor Rachel Wallace says its a soft yet supportive pick thats great for side sleepers.Buffy Breeze Sheet SetBuffy Cloud PillowCoyuchi: Up to 60% Off Bedding EssentialsIf you love the lived-in, slightly wrinkled look, Sam Cochran, AD's global features director, recommends the sturdy yet soft combo of Coyuchis best-selling organic relaxed linen sheets. Right now, theyre 35% off. Better yet, the matching duvet cover is marked down by 45%. Select other bath sets, duvets, and organic throw blankets, and bedspreads are also up to 57% off.Coyuchi Organic Relaxed Linen Sheet SetCoyuchi Temescal Organic Towels (Set of 6)Cozy Earth: Up to 20% OffCozy Earth is redefining luxury bedding with its ultrasoft, sustainable fabrics that are trending by ADs staff. Cozy Earth makes the best bamboo sheets, and their OG bedding is superlight and airy, says commerce editor Audrey Lee in her review. Beyond sheets, Cozy Earth has a slew of quilts, comforters, and even baby blankets that feel like a warm hugand theyre all 20% off.Cozy Earth Bamboo Duvet CoverCozy Earth Silk PillowcaseCrate & Barrel: Up to 60% OffWith up to 60% off bedding on sale items on Crate & Barrels website, now is the perfect time to upgrade your sleep sanctuary without breaking the bank. Items like duvet covers and pillowcases and shams fall under this limited-time discount event.Crate & Barrel New Natural Hemp Merrow Stitch Duvet CoverCrate & Barrel Organic Cotton Percale Tuxedo Stripe Pillow ShamHomebird: Up to 25% OffWith dreamy duvets and sheets so cozy youll never want to leave bed, Homebirds got your snooze style covered and likely has the colorway to match your bedroom. For a limited time, you can get 25% off orders over $150 by using the code BOXINGDAY25 at checkout.Homebird Soft & Cozy Sateen Reversible Duvet SetHomebird Cool & Crisp Percale Flat SheetLeesa: Up to 20% OffLeesa describes its cotton blend sheet set as luxuriously soft and naturally breathabletwo descriptors we can get behind (or under, rather) when it comes to bedding. Now until 8 a.m. ET on February 4, Leesa is offering 20% off all bedding (including pillows, blankets, sheets, and memory foam mattress toppers) and its award-winning mattresses.Leesa Cotton Blend Sheet SetLeesa Original MattressParachute: Up to 15% Off Bed and Bath BundlesThis Portugal-based organic bedding retailer is a favorite among AD staffers. Commerce director Rachel Fletcher says the sheet sets have more of a grown up and tucked-in kind of vibe (which is a lot to say about a set of sheets). Currently, all bedding sets (plus bath towel bundles) are 15% off.Parachute Heirloom TENCEL Linen BundleParachute 4+4 Waffle Bath BundleRest: Up to $70 OffYoud think a name like Rest would say it all. However, beyond a good nights rest, this company also strives to ensure a sweat-free sleep with its cooling bedding. Right now, they are offering $70 off sheet sets, $50 off comforters, $20 off pillowcases, and more.Rest Evercool+ Cooling Sheet Set

NiceRelax, Stardew Valley Switch players who've been stuck in unhappy marriages for months, it looks like your divorce may go through in time for the Switch 2 revealYou're not as lucky as the PlayStation and Xbox folks who were able to get lawyers in right after Christmas (think of the kids), but it's still something.Image credit: ConcernedApe News by Mark Warren Senior Staff Writer Published on Jan. 14, 2025 Have you been sick of your spouse in Stardew Valley for a little while now? Have you tried to divorce them, and found that you can't do it because the game keeps crashing? Well, if you're on console, that shouldn't have been an issue since about Christmas, and if you're on Nintendo Switch, a solution is still coming, and looks like it might rock up before the Switch 2.Yep, that's the Switch 2 that seems likely to be revealed in the next couple of days, so the clock's definitely ticking on your unholy matrimony.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. This issue with Stardew, known as the "divorce crash" because it, well, makes the game crash every time you try to peace out of your marriage, started cropping up late last year. Cue a bunch of threads with titles like "Can't divorce", "Is anybody having trouble divorcing their spouse?", "Divorce + game crashing", and just "Divorce".Luckily, it was fixed for Xbox and PlayStation players via a patch that SV developer Eric ConcernedApe Barone casually dropped in the early hours of December 26 UK time, seemingly because he throught it'd make a nice prezzie to shove under the tree at the last minute. The Switch wasn't included though, with Barone promising it'd be soon to follow.Well, if you've been waiting, good news. It's not been forgotten about. "The patch for Switch that fixes the divorce crash and the raccoon shop (among other fixes) is still coming," reads Barone's latest tweet, "It will be released as soon as possible." To see this content please enable targeting cookies.The race, it seems, is on. What'll happen first, your Switch Stardew divorce, or the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal? Which is the more life-changing? Which will leave the most people you know crying with happiness, frustration, sadness, or just because they're overcome with all of the above? Which will cost you more money in the long-term?It's ok, I'm sure you'll get on just fine in both cases. It's tough adjusting to seeing a new face you've made a sizeable financial commitment to every day, regardless of whether that face has joy-cons and a button that might activate a camera. But life moves on. Sorry, Harvey. It's not you. It's Switch 2.

Sarla Aviation launched one year ago with a pitch built for Indias congested streets. The electric air taxi startup, named after Indias first woman pilot, Sarla Thukral, would focus on aircraft that can carry more weight even if that means shorter ranges.In India, a shorter range is fine, as long as you can offer it at an attractive price point. And thats what were trying to achieve with this higher payload, said Adrian Schmidt, co-founder and CEO of Sarla Aviation, in an interview.Its a pitch that has landed with investors. The startup said Tuesday it raised $10 million in a fresh funding round led by Accel.The all-equity Series A1 round included angel investors such as Binny Bansal (Flipkart co-founder), Nikhil Kamath (Zerodha co-founder), and Sriharsha Majety (Swiggy co-founder). The startup previously raised a seed round of around $1.7 million led by Accel and included participation from angels, including Tata Motors CTO Rajendra Petkar.Sarla Aviation plans to use the funds to build an R&D center in Bengaluru, scale its team three or four times greater than its current headcount of 30, and create new prototypes to get better data and validate it.Unlike most flying taxi concepts that have two- to four-passenger capacity, the Bengaluru-based startup is looking at a vehicle carrying six passengers and a pilot weighing up to 680 kilograms (1,500 pounds). Increasing the payload reduces the range to 160 kilometers (99 miles) per battery charge. In contrast, a typical flying taxi concept offers a range between 120 and 160 miles.Schmidt, a German citizen, co-founded Sarla Aviation in January 2024 with longtime colleague Rakesh Gaonkar and software engineer Shivam Chauhan after spending over a couple of years at Lilium. The Munich-based outfit was building regional electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for over a decade but after raising more than $1 billion and going public, it shut down its operations last year only to be resurrected soon after by a consortium of investors. Schmidt also initially worked at automobile companies including Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen before joining Lilium in 2020.In the middle of 2023, Schmidt and Gaonkar left Germany and came to Bengaluru to set up Sarla Aviation after seeing India as a potential market for their flying taxi venture. Chauhan, who was back in India after spending time in the U.S., joined them, and the trio incorporated the startup in January 2024.Schmidt told TechCrunch that Indias geopolitical position, which he believes would play a major role in how power dynamics shift, convinced him to begin his venture in the country.Sarla Aviation co-founders Shivam Chauhan, Rakesh Gaonkar, and Adrian Schmidt (left to right)Image Credits:Sarla AviationThe one-year-old startup is set to showcase its first air taxi prototype, called Shunya (zero in Hindi), at an industry event in New Delhi on January 17. The company will start testing prototypes later this year and plans to launch its first commercial air taxi sometime in 2028.Schmidt said Sarla Aviation will start its commercial operations for airport transfers in Bengaluru, one of the worlds most congested cities, and gradually roll into Mumbai, Delhi, and Pune. It also plans to launch a free air ambulance service parallel to commercial ride-sharing services in its first phase.Sarla Aviations air taxi ticket would be priced similarly to the top-line of an Uber or Ola cab, which will come down to the fare Indian riders typically pay for an auto-rickshaw over time, the executive claimed.The startup relies on a third-party supply chain for producing its prototypes. Schmidt, however, told TechCrunch it aimed to have 80% of its supply chain fully indigenous around the time of starting commercial operations.Sarla Aviation will compete with well-funded Archer Aviation, which partnered with InterGlobe Enterprises in 2023, and ePlane, which raised $14 million in November at a $46 million valuation. Both aim to launch flying taxis in India next year.

Syntilay, a footwear company that merges artificial intelligence (AI) with 3D printing, has introduced a line of custom-fit slides aimed at streamlining how consumers experience comfort and design. Founded by entrepreneur Ben Weiss, the firm has drawn backing from Joe Foster, co-founder of Reebok, and Kevin Harrington, an original Shark on Shark Tank. This collaboration began about 18 months ago and combines traditional footwear expertise with a technology-driven approach to both design and manufacturing.This new footwear is produced using AI to generate intricate 3D shapes and patterns. Human designers sketch initial concepts, and AI platforms like MidJourney refine these ideas into more detailed forms. Another AI tool, Vizcom, then converts the sketches into 3D models. Syntilay partners with Zellerfeld, a company specializing in advanced 3D printing, to fabricate the slides. Zellerfelds equipment creates a fully formed shoe from layers of material, eliminating most assembly steps and delivering a seamless product.Syntilay new 3D printed Footwear. Photo via Syntilay.Syntilays flagship model is priced at $150 and offered in five colors: blue, black, red, beige, and orange. Buyers scan their feet with a smartphone camera to produce an accurate model for sizing, thereby addressing common fit issues. According to Kevin Harrington, influencers deserve their own shoe lines, and he views Syntilays approach as a pathway to expand creative possibilities for new apparel collaborations.Joe Fosters history in footwear complements Ben Weisss inclination toward tech-driven solutions. Fosters experience informs decisions about materials and product development, while Weiss focuses on scaling AI-based design. David Meltzer, former CEO of Leigh Steinberg Sports & Entertainment, has observed significant demand for innovative footwear within professional networks. I have relationships with many of the most accomplished and talented across industries, he said, noting that Syntilays methodology might offer fresh opportunities in sports and entertainment markets.Cornelius Schmitt, CEO of Zellerfeld, remarked on the significance of merging AI with 3D printing: AI unlocks never-before-seen design capabilities that our 3D printers are uniquely equipped to produce. His statement underscores a growing trend of using automation and machine learning to reimagine product manufacturing processes.Showcasing the AI + 3D printing design. Photo via Syntilay.Broader Developments in 3D-Printed FootwearLast year, Nike showcased tthe potential of advanced 3D printing with their new Air Max 1000, presented at ComplexCon in Las Vegas. The shoe, developed in collaboration with Zellerfeld, was Nikes first nearly fully 3D printed model. It features a single flexible material for the outsole and upper, eliminating traditional assembly and lacing. The precision and customization achieved through 3D printing were highlighted by Nikes Chief Innovation Officer, John Hoke, who noted the possibilities this technology opens for design and production.Similarly, Elastium partnered with LaLaLand Production & Design to introduce a hybrid production model known as No-MMOQ. This model merges 3D printing with conventional mass manufacturing, aiming to facilitate localized and sustainable mass production. The collaboration focuses on integrating Elastiums pellet-based 3D printing with LaLaLands high-volume manufacturing capabilities. Their approach, which produced the Orca sneaker, combines a TPU foam 3D-printed midsole with traditional elastane and 3D printed TPU uppers.A side view of the 3D-printed Nike Air Max 1000 highlights its intricate detailing and flexible structure. Photo via Nike.Ready to discover who won the 20243D Printing Industry Awards?What will the future of 3D printing look like?Which recent trends are driving the 3D printing industry, as highlighted by experts?Subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter to stay updated with the latest news and insights.Stay connected with the latest in 3D printing by following us on Twitter and Facebook, and dont forget to subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry YouTube channel for more exclusive content.Feature image shows Syntilay new 3D printed Footwear. Photo via Syntilay.

Hi there !Im Snokay, artist and Vtuber ! Recently i decided to start my journey as a Game VFX artist after following a few courses for 2 month i finally decided to fly solo and do my own thing outside of following the Course tutorials and making the courses effects !My goals is to recreate Old anime/Video game Attack/skill/spells and also make original ones in UE5 as a hobby !For now i have no personal work aside the Tutorials/Course VFX i made but as soon i have a few things to show i,ll be sure to present thoses to you ! Thank you all for this community it helped a lot for inspiration and learning too, and it made me want to be part of it !In hope to share and chat with you all soon !