Thursday, January 30th, 2025Posted by Jim ThackerCheck out free Android and iOS 3D scanning app RealityScan 1.6html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"#RealityScan 1.6 is hereTransform everyday objects into high-quality 3D assetsright from your phone!New features to explore:Advanced Camera Control ModeNew Processing Options PanelDownload RealityScan 1.6 for free on your favorite app store!#RealityScan #3DScanning pic.twitter.com/2voda575o2 Capturing Reality (@RealityCapture_) January 28, 2025Epic Games has released RealityScan 1.6, the latest version of its free photogrammetry app for iPhones, iPads and Android devices.The update provides more control over the scanning process, with users able to generate 3D models with up to 1 million polygons and 8K textures.Free app makes photogrammetry available to anyone with a smartphoneFirst released in 2022, RealityScan is intended to make the 3D scanning capabilities of tools like Epic Games RealityCapture accessible to hobbyists as well as pros.The app turns photos of objects captured using the camera in a mobile phone or tablet into textured 3D models for use in AR, game development or general 3D work.Models are generated online in standard 3D file formats, and can be used in DCC apps and game engines like 3ds Max, Blender, Cinema 4D, Maya, Unity and Unreal Engine.RealityScan 1.6: more manual control over the scanning processRealityScan 1.6 introduces new options designed to provide more user control over scans.Launching a project in the new Camera Control mode gives full manual control over camera settings, making it possible to adjust focus, shutter speed, ISO values, white balance and flash.The original Augmented Reality mode provides a more guided experience, with a real-time display of the point cloud being generated, overlaid with camera positions.In addition, the new Processing Options panel makes it possible to choose processing options, including the resolution and filtering method for the 3D mesh and textures generated.Users can choose to generate meshes with up to 100,000 polygons or up to 1 million polygons, and with 4K or 8K textures.System requirements and availabilityRealityScan is compatible with Android phones and tablets that support ARCore, running Android 7.0+, and with iPhones and iPads running iOS 16.0+ and iPadOS 16.0+. The software is free, and can be used on personal projects, including commercial work. By default, the EULA gives Epic Games the right to use your scan data to train products and services, but you can opt out in the in-app settings.Read a full list of new features in RealityScan 1.6Download free Android 3D scanning app RealityScan from Google PlayDownload free iOS 3D scanning app RealityScan from the App StoreHave your say on this story by following CG Channel on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). As well as being able to comment on stories, followers of our social media accounts can see videos we dont post on the site itself, including making-ofs for the latest VFX movies, animations, games cinematics and motion graphics projects.Latest NewsCheck out free Android and iOS 3D scanning app RealityScan 1.6Update to Epic Games' free app provides more control over scans, with the option to create 1-million-poly models with 8K textures.Thursday, January 30th, 2025Chaos releases V-Ray 7 for HoudiniCheck out the new features in the renderer, including a new Houdini-specific volume shader and better integration with Solaris.Wednesday, January 29th, 2025Chaos releases V-Ray 7 for MayaCheck out the new features in the VFX renderer, including OpenPBR support and changes to USD support specific to the Maya edition.Wednesday, January 29th, 2025Adobe releases Substance 3D Modeler 1.19Check out the latest features in the VR modeling app, including the new Assets workflow, Shell parameter, and updates to Mesh to Clay.Wednesday, January 29th, 2025Red9 ProPack gets new tools created for Sonic the Hedgehog 3Maya animation toolkit for VFX and games gets new tools developed for Red9's character rigging work on the latest Sonic movie.Tuesday, January 28th, 2025JangaFX teases IlluGenThe EmberGen dev's new app will be a 'better way to create the majority of assets' for VFX in games. Here's what we know about it so far.Monday, January 27th, 2025More NewsCheck out the new features due in EmberGen 2.0Tutorial: Creating Runtime Cinematics in Unreal Engine 5PhotoLine 25 now reads Cryptomatte dataPolygonflow releases Dash 1.8.5After Effects' latest beta lets you preview HDR compsNew version of iOS and Android scanning app Kiri EngineRE:Vision Effects launches Twixtor StandaloneSee the new features due in Unreal Engine 5.6 and beyondLeft Angle releases Autograph 2025Check out this GPU-accelerated Houdini Skin Slide DeformerCheck out this free 2D Rim Light Tool for NukeCreate motion graphics in Nuke with the new Screen FX pluginOlder Posts

Post-training quantization (PTQ) focuses on reducing the size and improving the speed of large language models (LLMs) to make them more practical for real-world use. Such models require large data volumes, but strongly skewed and highly heterogeneous data distribution during quantization presents considerable difficulties. This would inevitably expand the quantization range, making it, in most values, a less accurate expression and reducing general performance in model precision. While PTQ methods aim to address these issues, challenges remain in effectively distributing data across the entire quantization space, limiting the potential for optimization and hindering broader deployment in resource-constrained environments.Current Post-training quantization (PTQ) methods of large language models (LLMs) focus on weight-only and weight-activation quantization. Weight-only methods, such as GPTQ, AWQ, and OWQ, attempt to reduce memory usage by minimizing quantization errors or addressing activation outliers but fail to optimize precision for all values fully. Techniques like QuIP and QuIP# use random matrices and vector quantization but remain limited in handling extreme data distributions. Weight-activation quantization aims to speed up inference by quantizing both weights and activations. Yet, methods like SmoothQuant, ZeroQuant, and QuaRot struggle to manage the dominance of activation outliers, causing errors in most values. Overall, these methods rely on heuristic approaches and fail to optimize data distribution across the entire quantization space, which limits performance and efficiency.To address the limitations of heuristic post-training quantization (PTQ) methods and the lack of a metric for assessing quantization efficiency, researchers from the Houmo AI, Nanjing University, and Southeast University proposed the Quantization Space Utilization Rate (QSUR) concept. QSUR measures how effectively weight and activation distributions utilize the quantization space, offering a quantitative basis to evaluate and improve PTQ methods. The metric leverages statistical properties like eigenvalue decomposition and confidence ellipsoids to calculate the hypervolume of weight and activation distributions. QSUR analysis shows how linear and rotational transformations affect quantization efficiency, with specific techniques reducing inter-channel disparities and minimizing outliers to enhance performance.Researchers proposed the OSTQuant framework, which combines orthogonal and scaling transformations to optimize large language models weight and activation distributions. This approach integrates learnable equivalent transformation pairs of diagonal scaling and orthogonal matrices, guaranteeing computational efficiency while preserving equivalence at quantization. It reduces overfitting without compromising the output of the original network at the time of inference. OSTQuant uses inter-block learning to propagate transformations globally across LLM blocks, employing techniques like Weight Outlier Minimization Initialization (WOMI) for effective initialization. The method achieves higher QSUR, reduces runtime overhead, and enhances quantization performance in LLMs.For evaluation purposes, researchers applied OSTQuant to the LLaMA family (LLaMA-1, LLaMA-2, and LLaMA-3) and assessed performance using perplexity on WikiText2 and nine zero-shot tasks. Compared to methods like SmoothQuant, GPTQ, Quarot, and SpinQuant, OSTQuant consistently outperformed them, achieving at least 99.5% floating-point accuracy under the 4-16-16 setup and significantly narrowing performance gaps. LLaMA-3-8B incurred only a 0.29-point drop in zero-shot tasks, compared to losses exceeding 1.55 points for others. In harder scenarios, OSTQuant was better than SpinQuant and gained as much as 6.53 points by LLaMA-2 7B in the 4-4-16 setup. The KL-Top loss function provided a better fitting of semantics and reduced noise, thus enhancing performance and lowering gaps in the W4A4KV4 by 32%. These outcomes showed that OSTQuant is more effective at outlier handling and ensuring distributions are more unbiased.In the end, the proposed method optimized the data distributions in the quantization space based on the QSUR metric and the loss function, KL-Top, improving the performance of large language models. With low calibration data, it diminished noise and preserved semantic richness compared to existing quantization techniques, achieving high performance in multiple benchmarks. This framework can serve as a basis for future work, starting a process that will be instrumental in perfecting quantization techniques and making models more efficient for applications requiring high computation efficiency in resource-constrained settings.Check out the Paper. All credit for this research goes to the researchers of this project. Also,dont forget to follow us onTwitter and join ourTelegram Channel andLinkedIn Group. Dont Forget to join our70k+ ML SubReddit. [Recommended Read] Nebius AI Studio expands with vision models, new language models, embeddings and LoRA (Promoted)The post Quantization Space Utilization Rate (QSUR): A Novel Post-Training Quantization Method Designed to Enhance the Efficiency of Large Language Models (LLMs) appeared first on MarkTechPost.

Jan 30, 2025Ravie LakshmananWeb Security / VulnerabilityThree security flaws have been disclosed in the open-source PHP package Voyager that could be exploited by an attacker to achieve one-click remote code execution on affected instances."When an authenticated Voyager user clicks on a malicious link, attackers can execute arbitrary code on the server," Sonar researcher Yaniv Nizry said in a write-up published earlier this week.The identified issues, which remain unpatched to date despite responsible disclosure on September 11, 2024, are listed below -CVE-2024-55417 - An arbitrary file write vulnerability in the "/admin/media/upload" endpointCVE-2024-55416 - A reflected cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the "/admin/compass" endpointCVE-2024-55415 - An arbitrary file leak and deletion vulnerability A malicious attacker could leverage Voyager's media upload feature to upload a malicious file in a manner that bypasses MIME type verification, and make use of a polyglot file that appears as an image or video but contains executable PHP code to trick the server into processing it as a PHP script, thereby resulting in remote code execution.The vulnerability could also be chained with CVE-2024-55416, elevating it into a critical threat that leads to code execution when a victim clicks on a malicious link."This means that if an authenticated user clicks on a specially crafted link, arbitrary JavaScript code can be executed," Nizry explained. "As a result, an attacker can perform any subsequent action in the context of the victim."CVE-2024-55415, on the other hand, concerns a flaw in the file management system that enables threat actors to wipe arbitrary files from the system, or exploit it in conjunction with the XSS vulnerability to extract the contents of the files.In the absence of a fix, users are advised to exercise caution when using the project in their applications.Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.SHARE

Jan 30, 2025Ravie LakshmananVulnerability / IoT SecurityA Mirai botnet variant dubbed Aquabot has been observed actively attempting to exploit a medium-severity security flaw impacting Mitel phones in order to ensnare them into a network capable of mounting distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks.The vulnerability in question is CVE-2024-41710 (CVSS score: 6.8), a case of command injection in the boot process that could allow a malicious actor to execute arbitrary commands within the context of the phone.It affects Mitel 6800 Series, 6900 Series, 6900w Series SIP Phones, and Mitel 6970 Conference Unit. It was addressed by Mitel in mid-July 2024. A proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit for the flaw became publicly available in August.Outside of CVE-2024-41710, some of the other vulnerabilities targeted by the botnet include CVE-2018-10561, CVE-2018-10562, CVE-2018-17532, CVE-2022-31137, CVE-2023-26801, and a remote code execution flaw targeting Linksys E-series devices. "Aquabot is a botnet that was built off the Mirai framework with the ultimate goal of distributed denial-of-service (DDoS)," Akamai researchers Kyle Lefton and Larry Cashdollar said. "It has been known since November 2023."The web infrastructure company said it detected active exploitation attempts against CVE-2024-41710 since early January 2025, with the attacks mirroring a "payload almost identical to the PoC" to deploy the botnet malware.The attack involves executing a shell script that, in turn, uses the "wget" command to retrieve Aquabot for different CPU architectures.The Aquabot Mirai variant spotted in the attack has been assessed to be a third iteration of the malware, sporting a novel "report_kill" function that reports back to the command-and-control (C2) server when a kill signal is caught on the infected device. However, sending this information hasn't been found to elicit any response from the server to date.This new version, besides triggering C2 communication upon detecting certain signals, renames itself to "httpd.x86" to avoid attracting attention and is programmed to terminate processes that match certain requirements, such as local shells. It's suspected that the signal handling features are likely incorporated to craft more stealthy variants or detect malicious activity from competing botnets.There is some evidence suggesting that the threat actors behind Aquabot are offering the network of compromised hosts as a DDoS service on Telegram under the monikers Cursinq Firewall, The Eye Services, and The Eye Botnet.The development is a sign that Mirai continues to plague a wide range of internet-connected devices that often lack proper security features, or have either reached end-of-life or left accessible with default configuration and passwords, making them low-hanging fruits ripe for exploitation and a key conduit for DDoS attacks."Threat actors commonly claim that the botnet is used only for DDoS mitigation testing purposes to try to mislead researchers or law enforcement," the researchers said."Threat actors will claim it's just a PoC or something educational, but a deeper analysis shows that they are in fact advertising DDoS as a service, or the owners are boasting about running their own botnet on Telegram."Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.SHARE

Continuity has been the success of the project, says Alex Ely, founding director of Mae. Were standing by the third phase of Agar Grove, the largest estate regeneration scheme in the UK to aim for the Passivhaus standard. As were shown around, the five of us including Ely and Hawkins\Brown partner Phil Catcheside are followed by a large cohort from contractor Hill Partnerships, whose excitement at seeing the latest phase realised is palpable, stopping for photographs at every key moment. The project team has largely remained the same throughout the estates 12-year-long phased development, so its no surprise that theyre delighted.A scheme not yet reviewed by the AJ until now, despite its lengthy programme, Agar Grove is a flagship (and largest) project for Camden Councils Community Investment Programme, an ambitious plan to invest in schools, homes and community facilities across the borough their answer to government spending cuts, as it says on the councils website. Its also part of a 2.3 billion programme of local authority-led investment in the borough intended to unlock the delivery of 4,850 homes.The 2.57ha masterplan of which just over half had been completed as of 2024 has been led by Hawkins\Brown with Mae, and with Grant Associates as landscape architect. It has involved the rebuilding of a 249-home estate dating from 1966, just north-east of Camden Town. This originally comprised a series of low to medium-rise blocks clustered around a 19-storey tower, built as part of the 1960s Camden Town Project under Sydney Cook, the borough architect from 1965 to 1973. Phase 1a of the regeneration masterplan reached completion in 2018 and families from the original estate moved into the first 38 new council homes that spring.AdvertisementThe 120 million development, once complete, will include 496 new homes double the number of the estates original 249. Of these, 205 are for social rent, 69 intermediate and 222 for private sale. A detailed planning application for the overhaul which also included retail, business and community space was submitted in 2014, with the aim of demolishing 112 of the existing houses, along with plans for retrofitting the central 56m-tall Lulworth House tower block. The 25,600m2 regeneration includes terraced family houses, maisonettes with gardens and flats. To date 220 homes have been built, mainly across perimeter blocks.Hawkins\Brown and Mae were selected for the job ahead of bids from BPTW, Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands, Pollard Thomas Edwards and PRP with BDP to land the significant scheme in 2013. Urban Splash was also appointed as development adviser to work on proposals for the tower refurbishment, drawing on its experience of working on the (twice) Stirling Prize-shortlisted Park Hill development in Sheffield.The Agar Grove scheme is notable for its Passivhaus ambitions but also for the extent of its engagement with residents. The existing tenants have all been retained, says Ely, adding that a government grant of 6.89 million has also enabled the council to acquire 29 more homes for refugees that were originally up for private sale. Residents were surveyed beforehand to ensure their new homes met their future needs. And the phased approach to the development has allowed them to watch their homes being built before moving in, in a single decant. It was a bit like a jigsaw to integrate the homes of returning residents, recalls Ely.Phase 1c consists of two buildings with courtyards to the north of the site and a new avenue connecting to the retained Lulworth House tower and Agar Childrens Centre and Family Hub. The blocks contain 125 one, two and three-bedroom flats and two-storey, two-bedroom maisonettes, in addition to three-bedroom wheelchair-accessible maisonettes. Space for a popular barbers shop also brings a vibrant use to the corner of the larger block.The blocks have active frontages with double-height shared entrances and single-height entrances to maisonettes which line the street-side elevations. Bedrooms are placed either at first floor level or facing onto the semi-private courtyard gardens. All entrances have a view to the courtyard, something emphasised by the architects as Im shown round, both Ely and Catcheside agreeing that transparency of the lobbies was a priority. The open visual connection between the courtyards, lobbies and streets makes these shared circulation spaces feel more generous and equitable for all tenants.AdvertisementExternally, the latest blocks are finished in a high-quality, purple-tinged brick laid in varying courses, plus glass-reinforced concrete faade materials to complement the Camden context and help unify the development. Attention has particularly been given to entrances, where the double-height brickwork steps back to form tapered reveals, creating a sense of grandeur. At a time when cost is the main limitation in housebuilding, simple but beautiful moves such as these add to the longevity of a building.There are a few nods to Camdens history of modernist architecture, including external columns and low-rise fences. Previous phases have also drawn on this heritage: one block, completed in an unusual tan brick, flips the maisonette around and steps back in the style of Neave Browns Alexandra Estate.Everything that has worked before, weve done again, says Ely. Learning lessons from previous phases, the thermal envelope of the larger building has been simplified, reducing extremities that are exposed to the elements to aid airtightness. Any recessed balconies that are not at the buildings corners have glazing added to create what Catcheside calls solariums. Fitted with large, triple-glazed windows, two thirds of the window area in these spaces can be opened to create something halfway between a winter garden and a conservatory, but more adaptable and climate-resilient. Its a hybrid, says Catcheside. Simply delineated by a change in floor finish, this space is flexible, giving tenants options in how they use their flats, which have been designed to slightly higher space standards than the norm.These new homes, expected to achieve Passivhaus certification, will reduce heating bills by up to 70 per cent compared with the previous outdated stock all part of Camdens drive to tackle fuel poverty. Designing to Passivhaus principles keeps the learning curve up, Catcheside explains. He adds that, on the next phase, the heating system will change from a centralised system to individual dwelling systems, which only operate when individual homes need them.The rest of the masterplan, developed in collaboration with Agar Groves residents, is based on traditional streets and squares, with an emphasis on creating liveable spaces between homes and improving pedestrian routes across the site. The aim is to stitch the formerly disconnected estate into the wider urban grain of bustling Camden. The estate feels exceptionally safe and family-oriented as you walk around, with cooking facilities and trampolines dotted around the shared courtyards. Once fully complete, there will be a third more affordable floor space on the estate, helping to tackle overcrowding. Here as elsewhere, it has been the sale of private homes on the estate that has allowed the council to fund the build of more council homes for families on the councils waiting list an all too familiar tactic.All ground-floor flats and maisonettes have private gardens and some flats at 1-15 Milburn Lane have access to a roof terrace. Alongside the communal gardens and childrens playgrounds there are residents growing areas. Exterior planting has been developed to support a site-wide SuDs system and roof garden planting provides a mosaic of habitat types to promote biodiversity.Last to complete in the plan will be the revamp of Lulworth House, still served by its own shop and caf, at the centre of the site. First approved in 2014, this part of the scheme is still undergoing design changes affected by changes to the Building Regulations and isnt expected to finish until 2030.Agar Groves site is adjacent to two intersecting railway lines which run between it and the new neighbourhood at King's Cross. As part of Camdens drive not only to provide quality homes for borough residents but also to create communities that are economically and socially resilient, the borough is also regenerating two light industrial parks on Camley Street, which starts at Agar Grove and runs south towards one of Londons main transport hubs. The project is a commercial-led scheme featuring housing plus life sciences facilities to inject new employment opportunities into what will become a key route.Agar Grove is a high-quality scheme whose incremental and steady build has been efficient (luckily there have been few setbacks) as well as forward-looking. Keeping the same project team on the scheme throughout has allowed learnings to be applied at subsequent stages and open dialogue with residents has meant the jigsaw of homes has been effectively pieced together. Its a testament to a strong masterplan and vision that has been carefully planned. It shows that continuity really is essential for regeneration.Project dataStart on siteJanuary 2021CompletionJune 2024Gross internal floor area7,491m2Construction cost41.4 million (all works for this phase)ArchitectHawkins\Brown Architects and Mae ArchitectsExecutive architectHawkins\Brown ArchitectsClient London Borough of CamdenStructural engineerPeter Brett Associates (Stage 3), Price & Myers (delivery)M&E consultantMax FordhamQuantity surveyorArcadisProject managerArcadisApproved building inspectorLondon Borough of CamdenMain contractor Hill PartnershipCAD software usedRevitAnnual CO2 emissions 10.9 kgCO2/m2Passivhaus consultantMax FordhamPassivhaus certifierWarmPlanning consultantCMA PlanningSustainability dataOn-site energy generation 27,884 kWh/yr (calculated value)Heating and hot water loadBuilding I: 18.1 kWh/m2/yr; Building JKL: 14.6 kWh/m2/yr (calculated value, electrical input energy)Total energy load Building I: 48.8 kWh/m2/yr; Building JKL: 46.0 kWh/m2/yr (calculated values)Carbon emissions (all) 10.9 kgCO2/m2/yr (calculated value)Annual mains water consumption105 litres/person/day (estimated value)Airtightness at 50Pa Building I: 1.02 m3/hr/m2; Building JKL: 1.22 m3/hr/m2 (measured values)Overall thermal bridging heat transfer coefficient (Y-value) Building I: 0.04 W/m2/K; Building JKL: 0.03 W/m2/K(calculated values)Overall area-weighted U-value Building I: 0.25 W/m2/K; Building JKL: 0.27 W/m2/K (calculated values)Embodied/whole-life carbonNot assessedPredicted design life60 years

SIP Capital, a venture firm with a mandate centered on Japanese economic and industrial needs, is taking a measured approach to additive manufacturing (AM) investments. According to Jeffrey Smith, General Partner at SIP, the firms strategy is guided by two macroeconomic trends: reindustrialization and decarbonization. These trends influence SIPs selective approach, with Smith noting that, while important, additive manufacturing is not a core focus but fits into the broader thesis under specific circumstances. Our mandate is to identify billion dollar markets, as opposed to technologies that are two to five years down the road, that have the exceptional connectivity to the Japanese ecosystem, explained Smith.Reindustrialization is critical for economies like Japan, the UK, and the US, all at various stages of grappling with supply chain issues stemming from extensive outsourcing. Smith emphasized the direct impact on AM, noting that Chinese firms are making massive investments in large-scale additive systems, a development shaping Japans response to industrial challenges.SIP Capitals performance-driven approach includes working with Japanese corporate VCs such as NTT, Denso, and Fujitsu. Highlighting this focus, Smith pointed to SIPs investment in Seurat, a metal additive manufacturing startup, as emblematic of their criteria, which aligns tightly with the emphasis on reindustrialization and decarbonization, making it a standout investment that could remain SIPs only active bet in AM over the next three years.Japans engagement with additive manufacturing has been mixed. While Nikons acquisition of SLM Solutions marked a high-profile move, Smith characterized the broader industry as constrained by perceptions of limited transformative potential. Smith explained that theres a significant first-wave additive industry in Japan. However, as with the USA and UK, much of the broader basic production has been outsourced, leaving less impetus for large-scale domestic adoption.Jeffrey Smith. Photo via SIP Capital.Read more in this series:2024 Investment in 3D printing totals US$650mThe State of Investment in the 3D Printing IndustryNATO Innovation Fund and defense tech investingAM Ventures: how to get your 3D printing start-up fundedEarly Stage Investing with InnoSource VenturesNinepointfive founding partner on the new investment realityScaling Challenges and Financing GapsGovernment-led initiatives for reindustrialization, however, are beginning to reinvigorate interest. Over the past twelve months, policies aimed at reshoring manufacturing have sparked a nascent resurgence in AM applications, particularly where they intersect with sustainability goals.Another apparent shift is from over-priced enterprises to fairly valued ones. Since 2021, the investment landscape for hard tech, including AM, has remained grossly underinvested despite its strategic importance to supply chain resilience and decarbonization. Furthermore, according to Smith there are structural financing gaps, specifically in secondary and tertiary finance, and a mismatch between investor expectations and the realities of scaling complex technologies.He pointed out the absence of established playbooks for financing and scaling physical technologies, a stark contrast to well-trodden paths in software investments. If youre investing in B2B SaaS, theres a clear guide; its been done 50 times before. With additive manufacturing or advanced semiconductors, that playbook doesnt exist, he added.Scaling hard tech companies requires financing structures unfamiliar to many early-stage investors. He described a scenario involving a hypothetical additive manufacturing firm needing to produce 190 machines, each costing $5 million. Building that number of machines would result in a $2 billion bill like two years down the road and needs non-dilutive financing. If scaling isnt clearly financed, theres no conceivable way to make a return as an early-stage investor.The financing challenge extends to large-scale projects, such as hydrogen facilities, where initial proof-of-concept plants can cost upwards of $2 billion. Such costs are prohibitive for equity financing alone and risk crowding out early-stage investors. The need for finance thats not yet bankable is exceptionally large and critical, Smith said.Investor expectations around returns are another barrier. In software, traction and growth are often visible within the first year, while in hard tech, meaningful customer adoption can take seven to eight years. Deep tech returns can be better, but the timelines are longer, Smith explained, noting that this disparity often deters traditional venture investors accustomed to rapid growth trajectories.However, Smith sees a positive change on the horizon. Cross-border initiatives foster creativity in project financing, including new methods to secure bankable finance for early-stage ventures. Its not geographically specific, he said. People are starting to devise products and methods for financing projects before theyre technically bankable.Seurat Area Printing Process. Photo via Seurat.Network for success, investment discovery? Strategic Importance and ResilienceSIP Capitals investment strategy, while appearing broad with a portfolio spanning energy storage, manufacturing automation, and semiconductors, is rooted in a highly structured and disciplined approach. The General Partner emphasized a rigorous 25-point qualification metric applied to every potential investment.We start with market size and work through everything from bankability to returns profiles and decarbonization potential and applicability to Japan, Smith explained. This meticulous process narrows the pool of investable companies, ensuring a focused mandate. For instance, batteries were initially excluded due to supply chain concerns and volatility but were reconsidered with XL Batteries, a long-duration storage company. You can make this stuff in your backyard. Its non-volatile, unrelated to the volatile existing supply chain, and addresses a $4 trillion market over the next 20 years, he noted.The firm avoids component-level technologies in favor of near-complete solutions. Smith pointed to geothermal as an example of a sector that, despite its potential, fails their filter due to the longer timelines and high costs of production facilities. Were not going to invest in geothermal where a billion dollars of capex can crowd out early investors, he said.SIPs network is another critical asset in its investment process. The firm engages with approximately 30 corporate venture capital (CVC) groups regularly, primarily in Europe and Japan, alongside 40 co-investors and leading accelerators such as Activate and Greentown Labs. This connectivity ensures access to high-quality deal flow and insights across industries.The teams background in IP-intensive engineering, not pure software, further informs its focus on technologies with tangible industrial applications. Reflecting on past missteps, Smith noted, Where we made our biggest mistakes was on adoption curves that were slower than we anticipated.Three Dimensions of RiskHow does a firm like SIP Capital derisk investment? Smith described SIPs first area of focus as ensuring fundamental technology risk is minimized. The VC doesnt tend to take risks regarding whether the science works. We look for third-party validation, whether academic, scientific or from a customer, said Smith. This ensures that the technology is sound and operates as intended at the lab or bench scale.The second area is go-to-market viability, with a focus on unit economics and industrial transparency. Were obsessed with whether something can be 40% cheaper than its alternative at scale, Smith remarked. Transparent industries are particularly attractive because third-party validation spreads quickly, allowing the market to respond efficiently.The final and perhaps most critical area is production scalability. Scaling from several kilos of chemicals on a bench to 100,000 kilos a month in continuous batch is a completely different problem, Smith explained. Similarly, in additive manufacturing, producing hundreds of machines requires solving significant engineering challenges. This, he noted, is often where SIP feels it can add significant value.SIP is increasingly skeptical of traditional adoption models, particularly in selling advanced technologies to large corporations. Selling technology to large companies is exceptionally hard, and it looks to me like its getting harder, Smith said, citing long adoption timelines and complex purchasing processes as significant barriers.Instead, SIP is focusing on companies that integrate advanced technologies into their own manufacturing to produce goods already in demand. Smith highlighted examples such as firms making small turbines for Tier One OEMs, medical device components, and sports equipment. If the technology is that much better, use it to make things, he urged. This approach ties directly to SIPs financial strategy. The only thing better than ARR is a 10-year supply contract, Smith quipped, underscoring the appeal of companies that can turn technological advantages into long-term product sales.Dont miss the upcoming articles in our State of Investing in 3D Printing series; subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter.To stay up to date with the latest 3D printing news, follow 3D Printing Industry on LinkedIn.You can also find us on Twitter, and Facebook.Featured image shows Londons Canary Wharf. Photo by Michael Petch.Michael PetchMichael Petch is the editor-in-chief at 3DPI and the author of several books on 3D printing. He is a regular keynote speaker at technology conferences where he has delivered presentations such as 3D printing with graphene and ceramics and the use of technology to enhance food security. Michael is most interested in the science behind emerging technology and the accompanying economic and social implications.

Satellite telecommunications company AscendArc has secured $3.95 million in pre-seed and seed funding to advance its satellite communications technology.Investors backing the round include Seraphim Space, Everywhere Ventures, Portland Seed Fund, Thermo, and Hunter Communications. This capital will drive efforts to develop small geostationary satellites designed for high-bandwidth communication across military and commercial sectors.This news follows a recent partnership with OPTISYS, an industrial engineering company aiming to develop a 4.5-meter dish equipped with a high-performance horn antenna. Integrating 3D printed radio frequency (RF) components from OPTISYS, the project combined precision engineering with advanced manufacturing techniques to enhance satellite signal performance.This funding and our official emergence from stealth mode represent a major milestone for AscendArc, said Chris McLain, Founder and President of AscendArc. We are excited to continue our innovative work with AFWERX and Portland State University, applying our technology to provide scalable, cost-effective solutions that address the U.S. militarys growing demands for advanced satellite systems.According to the company, McLain, a former Principal Engineer at SpaceX, has worked on GEO satcom solutions at Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Panasonic. His approach focuses on lowering the cost of geostationary satellite deployment through mass production and rapid deployment.AscendArc team photo. Photo via AscendArc.Advancing geostationary satellite technologyAlongside the funding, AscendArc has been awarded a $1.8 million Phase II Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) contract through the U.S. Air Forces (USAF) AFWERX program. This contract will allow the company to further develop its Rapid, Scalable Geosynchronous Bandwidth technology, an approach aimed at improving satellite data transmission efficiency.For this contract, the company will work with Portland State University (PSU) to refine its technology for U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) applications, particularly for secure and resilient military communications.Unlike Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations, which require vast networks to maintain coverage, AscendArcs scalable geostationary clusters remain fixed over designated locations.The company reports a tenfold improvement in cost per megabit per second (Mbps) compared to traditional GEO satellites, positioning its technology as a more cost-effective alternative to terrestrial microwave and fiber deployments in rural areas.Adaptability to DoD frequency bands, telemetry encryption, and anti-jamming requirements will be beneficial to place AscendArcs satellites in alignment with military communication needs, ensuring secure transmission capabilities that may not be available through third-party operators.With new funding in place, efforts will focus on accelerating technology development, expanding manufacturing capacity, and advancing satellite hardware toward production readiness. Progress in these areas will determine how effectively AscendArc supports both government and commercial customers in the evolving satellite communications landscape.Batch of 3D printed components for satellite communications. Photo via AscendArc.3D printing for satellite manufacturingMany companies are opting for 3D printing, to streamline the production of satellite parts.For instance, National Centre for Space Studies (CNES) announced that it is expanding its use of 3D printing to improve satellite assembly, testing, and tooling.As part of its Realization and Integration (RI) department, engineers focus on satellite integration, relying on Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) 3D printing with high-performance polymers to produce clean-room tools such as integration frames and multi-purpose trolleys.Adopting INTAMSYS FUNMAT PRO 610HT and FUNMAT PRO 410 3D printers has streamlined production, reducing tool fabrication time from weeks to a single day. Rapid prototyping and design iterations have made satellite testing more efficient, addressing previous delays caused by lengthy manufacturing cycles, according to the company.A year before that, in-space manufacturing deep-tech startup Orbital Composites secured a $1.7 million U.S. Space Force SpaceWERX Orbital Prime Direct-to-Phase-II SBIR contract to advance In-space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (ISAM) antennas. Funding came from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), with support from Axiom Space, Northrop Grumman, and Southwest Research Institute (SwRI).The project will focus on enhancing Satellite-Based Cellular Broadband (SBCB) and Space-Based Solar Power (SBSP) applications, aiming to cut costs and expand global broadband and clean energy access.A Space Factory module launch is planned within three to five years, alongside a Virtus Solis partnership to build the first MW-scale SBSP station. Research extends into Geostationary Orbit (GEO), where Northrop Grummans Space Logistics division is refining in-space antenna manufacturing and satellite servicing.To stay up to date with the latest 3D printing news, dont forget to subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter or follow us on Twitter, or like our page on Facebook.While youre here, why not subscribe to our Youtube channel? Featuring discussion, debriefs, video shorts, and webinar replays.Featured image shows AscendArc team photo. Photo via AscendArc.

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - JUNE 13: UFC President Dana White (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC ... [+] via Getty Images)Zuffa LLC via Getty ImagesThe UFC Fight Night Mexico card at Arena CDMX on March 29 has a very strong main event in place.According to reliable MMA journalist Krazy Kevin, former UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno will return to the Octagon following a masterful performance against Amir Albazi in November 2024.Moreno will face former 125-pound title challenger Steve Erceg.EDMONTON, ALBERTA - NOVEMBER 02: Brandon Moreno of Mexico reacts after a unanimous decision victory ... [+] against Amir Albazi of Iraq in a flyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Rogers Place on November 02, 2024 in Edmonton, Alberta. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)Zuffa LLCIn Ercegs last fight, he was flattened by Kai Kara-France at UFC 305 in August. On the strength of that win, KKF is getting his second shot at Alexandre Pantoja and his first title shot overall.Erceg pushed Pantoja to the brink in May 2024 at UFC 301 but lost a unanimous decision. Suddenly, he finds himself on a two-fight losing streak and desperately in need of a victory.PERTH, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 15: Steve Erceg poses for a portrait during a UFC photo session on August ... [+] 15, 2024 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)Zuffa LLC via Getty ImagesIt wont come easy against the former champion. After enduring his own two-fight losing streak courtesy of split-decision losses to Pantoja and Brandon Royval, Moreno took nine months off to recover.MORE FOR YOUHe returned with a dominant win over Albazi. Because he has already faced and lost to Pantoja twice, he will need to string at least two more wins together to get back into position to face the champion again.The best scenario for Moreno is for KKF to dethrone Pantoja, thereby creating a new path to the title. Moreno has beaten KKF twice, so a third fight would be more likely for him.Before any of that happens, Moreno will have to handle Erceg in the wildly intriguing main event. Erceg was originally set to face Asu Almabayev on March 1, but he was pulled from that fight and injected into the UFC Mexico main event.Almabayev has been given Allan Nascimento to remain active as he chases his own title shot. The UFC Fight Night Mexico card hasnt been fully fleshed out, but so far, it looks strong on paper.Brandon Moreno vs. Steve Erceg - Mens Flyweight (125 lbs)Kelvin Gastelum vs. Joe Pyfer - Middleweight (185 lbs)Edgar Chirez vs. CJ Vergara - Flyweight (125 lbs)Ronaldo Rodrguez vs. Kevin Borjas - Flyweight (125 lbs)David Martinez vs. Saimon Oliveira - Bantamweight (135 lbs)Ateba Gautier vs. Jos Medina - Middleweight (185 lbs)Julia Polastri vs. Lupita Godinez - Strawweight (115 lbs)Im looking forward to seeing the other fights that will be on the card.Whats Next for the UFC?On Saturday, the promotion is in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for an event headlined by Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov. In the co-main event, Shara Magomedov will face Michael Venom Page. Here is a look at the entire updated card.Updated UFC Saudi Arabia Fight Card:Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov - Middleweight (185 lbs)Sharabutdin Magomedov vs. Michael Page - Middleweight (185 lbs)Sergei Pavlovich vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik - Heavyweight (265 lbs)Said Nurmagomedov vs. Vinicius Oliveira - Bantamweight (135 lbs)Ikram Aliskerov vs. Andr Muniz - Middleweight (185 lbs) - CANCELEDMuhammad Naimov vs. Kaan Ofli - Featherweight (145 lbs)Shamil Gaziev vs. Thomas Petersen - Heavyweight (265 lbs)Terrance McKinney vs. Damir Hadovi - Lightweight (155 lbs)Fares Ziam vs. Mike Davis - Lightweight (155 lbs)Jasmine Jasudavicius vs. Mayra Bueno Silva - Flyweight (125 lbs)Bogdan Grad vs. Lucas Alexander - Featherweight (145 lbs)Hamdy Abdelwahab vs. Jamal Pogues - Heavyweight (265 lbs)Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady vs. Bolaji Oki - Lightweight (155 lbs) - CANCELEDStay tuned for fight week coverage leading up to the event.

Quantum computing has moved from theoretical concept to business reality, with major corporations ... [+] already implementing quantum solutions and a rapidly growing quantum-as-a-service market.Adobe StockLike many business leaders and professionals, you might have heard of quantum computing and assumed its something that wont affect you for years.I think this would be a mistake. While it is still in the early days, development is accelerating rapidly, and it might not be too long until it starts impacting industries and creating opportunities for innovation.In fact, quantum computing, along with AI, will be one of the most transformative technologies of the century.(Just in case you arent sure what Im talking about, heres a one-sentence primer: Quantum computers are super-fast computers that leverage the strange properties of the sub-atomic quantum universe, such as superposition and entanglement, to perform some tasks millions of times more quickly than normal classical computers.)I think weve reached the stage where everyone needs to be aware of how this potentially world-changing technology will impact their business, profession or field of expertise. So, to keep you ahead of the curve, here are five facts about where we are now:Quantum computers are already here It sounds super-futuristic or even a bit magic. After all, quantum computers operate using qubits, which are like the binary 1 and 0 bits of classical computing but are weirdly able to exist in more than one state simultaneously.However, its very much a reality, and were already seeing it being put to work. Early use cases are generally hybrid, involving elements of quantum and classical computing working together. Financial institutions like JP Morgan Chase are using it to solve complex risk assessment problems and optimize investment portfolios. Its also being used in bioscience to help engineer new proteins to create targeted medicines. Daimler AG has partnered with Google and IBM to apply quantum computing to designing improved electric vehicle batteries. And Volkswagen, working with leading quantum computing startup D-Wave, has piloted quantum solutions for optimizing traffic flow in chaotic, busy urban environments.Theres Already A Quantum Skills ShortageThe availability of technology isn't the biggest problem for businesses wanting to use quantum computing it's the availability of people with the skills to use it.In fact, analysts at McKinsey calculate that there is currently one qualified quantum computing professional for every three job vacancies.Colleges and universities are rolling out programs that they hope will create the first generation of quantum-trained graduates, and forward-thinking companies are already starting to figure out how they will attract and retain the engineering and development professionals who will be critical to success in the quantum age.The Quantum-As-A-Service Market Is Quickly Taking ShapeDont worry; you wont have to find somewhere to put a big, bulky quantum computer. This is lucky, as they have to be kept in super-cold environments at a temperature just above absolute zero. Most people who use quantum computing will access it through cloud services, which is already a fast-growing market.Big tech companies including IBM, Microsoft, Google and Amazon, all offer quantum-as-a-service, meaning companies of any size with an innovative idea can access it and only pay for the compute power they use. Theres also an emerging ecosystem of software companies offering industry-specific quantum applications, which we will undoubtedly see grow in size as adoption accelerates.Investment In Quantum Computing Is Gathering PaceJust like weve seen with AI, no one wants to be left behind in the race to unlock the huge potential of quantum computing. This means that investors are queuing up to throw money at software and hardware developers working on developing new solutions.The market for quantum computing services was valued at around $1 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to over $18 billion by 2035, so there are clearly expectations of a lot of money being made. And investment is coming from the public sector as well as the private sector, with Germany committing Euro 2 billion since 2002 and Australia putting A$ 1 billion into startup PsiQuantum.It's Not Too Early To Prepare For The Quantum Security ThreatImagine a world where all forms of encryption and digital security are rendered ineffective by super-powerful quantum computers that can crack any protection with ease. In an age where everything is online and connected, this could have devastating consequences for both personal privacy and national security. Sounds dramatic? Well, while its unlikely to happen any time soon, experts are already preparing for a post-quantum world, and its never too soon to start getting ready.In the US, the government has already warned businesses that they should act now to identify possible vulnerabilities in their IT infrastructure and assess the need for quantum-resistant security. This is particularly critical for industries such as healthcare, finance and defense, where quantum-readiness should already be a priority.The quantum revolution is no longer a distant possibility it's unfolding now, and its impact will be profound. While we're still in the early stages, the convergence of increasing investment, expanding applications, and growing accessibility through quantum-as-a-service platforms means that business leaders who start preparing today will have a significant advantage tomorrow. The question is no longer whether quantum computing will transform business but rather how quickly organizations can position themselves to harness its revolutionary potential.

Amazon Music is the latest streaming company to announce a price increase. In an email sent to subscribers, Amazon indicated that the price for an individual Amazon Music Unlimited subscription will be going up by one dollar, on the first billing date on or after March 5, 2025.This means that Prime members will now pay $11 per month (or $110 annually) instead of $10, while non-Prime members will pay $12 instead of $11. The price of family memberships is also set to rise by $3 per month at the same time, bringing the new subscription fee to $20 per month (or $199 annually).Recommended VideosThe changes affect subscribers in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K., though Canadians will see larger increases on their next bill: Individual plans go from $10 to $11.54 (Prime) and $11 to $12.60 (non-Prime). The Canadian family plan moves from $17 to $21, and theres also an increase to the Canadian single device plan of 30 cents to $6.29.Please enable Javascript to view this contentThese are the first price hikes to Amazon Music Unlimited since 2023. The company didnt cite increasing costs. Instead, it provided the same rationale as it did two years ago: Were updating the price [] so we can continue to bring you new content and features.The new prices put Amazon Music Unlimiteds non-Prime price on par with Spotifys individual Premium membership, which increased in 2024 to $11 per month. This is also the same price charged by Tidal and Apple Music for individual plans.Amazon arguably still offers one of the best values, especially at its Prime member price. The service has a similar catalog size to the other players and offer most of its tracks in lossless and hi-res audio. It also has a strong collection of albums in the spatial audio Dolby Atmos Music format.In 2024, it added Amazons Audible service, giving subscribers access to one audiobook per month as part of their fee.According to stats site Yaguara, Amazon Music has over 80 million users worldwide, with 52.5 million users residing in the U.S. This gives Amazon Music a reported 11.11% share of the global music streaming market.Editors Recommendations