From industrial gears to healthcare products to luxury goods, Alitheon’s FeaturePrint provides a link between physical objects and digital traceability without tags, labels, or stickers. (Alitheon Photo)
Bellevue, Wash.-based Alitheon raised $8 million in new funding to expand its FeaturePrint technology, which uses optical AI to create a unique digital “fingerprint” for physical objects — no barcodes, tags, or labels required.
FeaturePrint works by reading the microscopic surface variations every manufactured object naturally has using nothing more than a standard camera. Alitheon calls it “biometrics for things” and says it works on everything from designer purses to industrial gears to pharmaceutical packaging.
“We aren’t just identifying goods; we are powering the trust layer of the global economy, providing a level of security that additives and standard AI simply cannot match,” Alitheon CEO Roei Ganzarski said in a news release this week.
Founded in 2015, Alitheon has built a portfolio of 55+ patents and attracted customers across industries including aerospace, automotive, luxury goods and defense. Swiss precious metals company Argor-Heraeus is a customer.
Alitheron has landed $1.5 million in federal contracts, including work with the Pentagon’s Nuclear Weapons Center. Time magazine named FeaturePrint one of the 200 best inventions of 2023.
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In a 2024 GeekWire feature, Ganzarski illustrated the problem his company is trying to solve.
“Last year, auditors found that Lockheed Martin had lost a million parts in the F-35 program,” he said. “Lost? You don’t ‘lose’ parts. They just become unidentifiable. The barcode fell off, the sticker got erased.”
The Series A1 round was led by Emerald Technology Ventures, with participation from eBay Ventures. Alitheon, which employs 24 people, has raised a little over $40 million to date.
from the the-patient-died-on-the-operating-table dept
Trump-allied billionaire Larry Ellison hired blogtroller Bari Weiss to turn what was left of CBS News into a right wing safe space for oligarchs and autocrats like Trump and Netanyahu. If the patient died during surgery, I don’t think Ellison would lose any sleep. But I do think Ellison hoped that Weiss could at least turn CBS News into a viral, right wing propaganda vessel certain people actually wanted to watch.
But Weiss’ tenure has been a bumbling mess on all fronts. MAGA folks aren’t interested in CBS News’ bland agitprop. And most existing viewers have been running for the exits, resulting in CBS News recently seeing its worst ratings in a quarter century. Her clumsy attempted censorship of stories critical of the president have also caused a mass exodus of any actual remaining journalists.
Those who are left are even more pissed after Weiss recently fired 60 Minutes executive producer Tanya Simon, her deputy, and two correspondents (Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega). In her place she put Nick Bilton, a former tech journalist and documentary filmmaker with no broadcast experience.
Bilton’s a fairly typical fail upward type remembered by many in tech journalism for the time he tried to take credit for the Wall Street Journal’s coverage of Elizabeth Holmes and the Theranos scandal:
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His introduction as the new boss of 60 Minutes did not go well.
Leaked audio of a recent meeting between Bilton and CBS News staff was dropped in the lap of the New York Times and Status. In it, 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley accused Weiss of “murdering” the longstanding Sunday news program, told Bilton he had “slender” qualifications for his new job and questioned the network’s commitment to the future of the program:
“She is murdering ‘60 Minutes,’” the correspondent said. “She does not love this place. She was brought in to kill it, and she’s been doing exactly that.”
Mr. Pelley added: “She has no qualifications for her job; you have slender qualifications for this job. The changes that she’s made at the ‘Evening News’ have been catastrophic, so why should we expect that any of this is going to be any better?”
There are several parts of the meeting where Bilton and his staff clearly try to shut Pelley up, quite unsuccessfully:
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Oliver Darcy got the audio of the heated 60 Minutes meeting where Scott Pelley dressed Nick Bilton down!”You know what was rude? Black Thursday. That was the absolute definition of rudeness. Telling Tanya Simon she had to be out of here at five o’clock.”www.status.news/p/scott-pell…
CBS obviously didn’t take Pelley’s comments well and has now fired him. Pelley in response offered an even more blistering statement accusing Weiss and CBS News of “injecting falsehoods and bias” into his stories. After Weiss came in swinging an axe and dismantling 60 Minutes with a total disregard for journalism, history, or tact, she accused Pelley of creating a “hostile work environment”:
“They’re going to have to fire him. No amount of HR speak will have him retract what he said,” one CBS staffer just told me, adding: “For an anti-woke crusader, this is pretty woke of [Bari] to accuse Pelley of after firing the entire leadership of his show and two correspondent colleagues.”
Weiss ran a small blog full of trolls and c-tier columnists whose primary purpose is to blow smoke up the ass of wealth and power and punch down and left. I genuinely do think Ellison hired Weiss thinking she had the savvy to revolutionize and modernize CBS News for the social media era. But Weiss has shown repeatedly that she’s marginally competent and has the media savvy of a 90-year-old Conservative man.
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Rich Republicans certainly do love to destroy and attack journalism that critiques wealth and power. But they don’t just destroy their targets. They’ll purchase a traditional news brand or communications platform, then leverage any remaining reputation to seed the public with lazy, oligarch-friendly agitprop (see: Newsweek, The Baltimore Sun, The Las Vegas Review-Journal, Twitter, TikTok, CBS, and soon CNN).
In a country with fairly terrible media literacy standards, it takes most of the public years to notice anything has changed at these hijacked zombie publications and platforms, if they notice at all. If you are cogent enough to notice and vocalize any resistance, like Scott Pelley did, you’re treated as a problematic rabble rouser undermining company interests.
If Weiss was competent, she’d make changes with some amount of subtlety resulting in a propaganda outlet that isn’t quite so ham-fisted. If she was competent, the end product at CBS News, however partisan, would already be something that was at least grabbing ad eyeballs. She’s not competent, or subtle. And the backlash is proportional.
“While I want to thank CBS News for funding this generous gift towards my education, I want to also acknowledge how the recent direction of the outlet stains the legacy of Mike Wallace, the namesake of this scholarship,” Santiago Campos said onstage to enthusiastic applause from the audience.”
Management has already started to scale back Weiss’ responsibilities, and I strongly suspect she will be replaced by somebody worse (but better for ratings) by the end of the summer.
Finnish quantum start-up IQM has bolstered its pre-listing war chest to $146m with backing from pension giant Ilmarinen.
Finnish quantum computing company IQM has upsized its private investment in public equity (PIPE) financing to more than $146m ahead of its planned SPAC merger and US stock market listing, after securing a new commitment from Ilmarinen, one of Finland’s largest private earnings-related pension insurance companies.
The new commitment from Ilmarinen builds on the previously announced $134m private placement round tied to IQM’s planned merger with SPAC partner Real Asset Acquisition Corp and public listing. The total private placement commitment from new and existing institutional investors now exceeds $146m.
The transaction places IQM at a pre-money equity valuation of some $1.8bn, with a cash position expected to reach up to $477m. The company posted 2025 revenues of $36m.
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IQM plans to list its American depositary shares on the Nasdaq stock market and its ordinary shares on the Helsinki stock exchange on completion of the transaction. As SiliconRepublic.com reported in February, this would make IQM the first European quantum computing company to list publicly in the US.
Jan Goetz, co-founder and CEO of IQM, said the addition of Ilmarinen underscores confidence in the company’s technology roadmap and its ‘production quantum’ model, under which customers own, operate and build on their systems.
“This commitment signals that the market recognises our product readiness and the real value we’re delivering to customers tackling some of the world’s most complex problems,” he said.
Peter Ort, CEO and co-chair of Real Asset Acquisition, said: “We reopened the PIPE because the demand is there from institutional investors who recognise what IQM has built: operational quantum computers, active customer deployments and a commercial foundation that most of the quantum sector has yet to achieve.”
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IQM builds full-stack, open-architecture quantum computers that can be deployed at premises or accessed via the cloud. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Helsinki, the company employs more than 350 people and operates across Europe, Asia and North America. The additional capital will be used, it said, to accelerate its technology development toward fault-tolerant quantum computing.
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Looking for an easy way to track your key health data but don’t want to wear an unsightly wrist strap? A smart ring is an easy recommendation.
Not only are smart rings designed to blend in and not draw too much attention to themselves but, according to Oura, arteries in the finger give optical sensors a cleaner pulse signal that is up to 100 times stronger than at the wrist. With this in mind a smart ring is undoubtedly a great choice, but how do you choose between the options?
We’ve compared the recently announced Oura Ring 5 to the Ultrahuman Ring Pro, as both devices are promised to offer reliable, accurate and in-depth tracking. While we haven’t reviewed either yet, we’ve assessed their specs and noted the key differences (alongside any noteworthy similarities) between the two below.
At the time of writing, both the Oura Ring 5 and Ultrahuman Ring Pro are currently available to pre-order. The Oura Ring 5 will officially launch on June 4th, whereas the Ultrahuman Ring Pro will launch a bit later on July 15th.
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The Oura Ring 5 comes in a choice between six colours, with the cheapest options being Silver and Black which start at £399. Alternatively you can opt for Stealth, Brushed Silver, Gold and Deep Rose which starts at £499.
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In comparison, the Ultrahuman Ring Pro comes in a choice of four finishes: Bionic Gold, Raw Titanium, Space Silver and Aster Black – all of which start at £429.
Oura Ring 5 is hailed as the world’s smallest smart ring
If you want the lightest and thinnest possible ring, then the Oura Ring 5 is an easy recommendation. Weighing from a teeny 2g and at just 2.28mm thick, the Oura Ring 5 is hailed as being the “world’s smallest smart ring” – and it’s 40% smaller than the Oura Ring 4 too.
As we haven’t reviewed the Oura Ring 5 yet, we can’t verify how it really feels in use. However, considering we found the larger Oura Ring 4 sat well on the finger and felt light too, we expect the Oura Ring 5 to be even more comfortable.
Image Credit (Oura)
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However, that’s not to say the Ultrahuman Ring Pro is particularly hefty. In fact, it starts with a thickness of just 2.65mm.
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Oura Ring 5 requires a monthly subscription to see data
Unlike other fitness trackers, the Oura Ring 5 requires users to sign up to a subscription to really benefit from the data tracking. At £5.99/$5.99 a month, it’s one of the cheaper subscriptions, but it is still another cost to factor in.
An Oura membership allows you to actually see your health and fitness metrics, which are promised to be more accurate than ever before thanks to new signal architecture and more powerful LEDs. This means you should expect more consistent readings and more accurate activity detection than its predecessors.
Image Credit (Oura)
In addition, the Oura Ring 5 can reveal how well you slept and provide you with a relevant Sleep Score, alongside Readiness and Activity Scores. There’s also heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen sensing, stress levels and the ability to set personalised activity goals too.
In comparison, the Ultrahuman Ring Pro does not require an additional subscription to access its plethora of tracking features. This means you can access sleep and recovery data, activity results and more without needing to pay any extra fees.
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Image Credit (Ultrahuman)
However, you can pair third-party subscriptions with the Ring Pro which may charge you an additional fee. Not only that, but there are also Ultrahuman PowerPlugs which are add-on apps that you can pick and choose from, depending on your health and lifestyle. For example, you can track the effects of taking GLP-1s, use migraine management tools and even track your vitamin D too. Some PowerPlus are completely free, while others are an additional fee via the app.
Ultrahuman Ring Pro includes the Pro Charging Case
The Ultrahuman Ring Pro will be shipped with the Pro Charging Case which not only provides convenient wireless charging, but also stores up to one year of ring data too. In addition, the charging case is designed to preserve the long-term performance of the Ring Pro’s battery, as it uses an energy-efficient mechanism that generates less heat than conventional wireless charging.
The case can also be easily located via Find My Case in the Ultrahuman app, where you can also receive faster updates, diagnostics and troubleshooting too.
Otherwise, the Oura Ring 5 comes with a size-specific charger that’s powered via USB-C connection. While it does also support wireless charging, you will need to buy a compatible charger separately and that’ll set you back £99.
Ultrahuman Ring Pro supports the world’s first biointelligence AI
The Ring Pro is fitted with what Ultrahuman describes as the “world’s first real-time biointelligence AI”. Coined Jade, the AI connects ring data with markers from across the Ultrahuman ecosystem to produce “unprecedented insights”. Ultrahuman explains that unlike normal LLMs, Jade is able to pull “real-time actionable insights” such as or triggering Afib detection.
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Image Credit (Ultrahuman)
Ultrahuman also claims that, in the future, Jade will be able to order food, change your room temperature and flag health issues before they even occur – acting as an “autonomous health agent”. We’re intrigued to see how this really ends up working overtime, but we’ll have to wait and see.
Ultrahuman Ring Pro promises up to 15 days of battery life
Ultrahuman claims that the Ring Pro will see up to a whopping 15 days of battery life. That’s not even factoring in the Pro Charging Case which stores up to a whopping 45 days for topping up while you’re on the move.
That’s not to say the Oura Ring 5 is a slouch by any means. Sure, it’s a bit shy of the Ultrahuman Ring Pro’s promise of 15 days, but Oura’s claim of up to a week is still a solid effort. It’s just a shame the Oura Ring 5 doesn’t come equipped with a more convenient wireless charger.
Early Verdict
As we’re yet to review the Oura Ring 5 and Ultrahuman Ring Pro, we’ll refrain from giving a conclusive verdict. However, as it’s the “world’s smallest smart ring”, has an easy-to-use app and promises to be the most accurate Oura ever, the Ring 5 is undoubtedly an exciting prospect. Having said that, it’s not cheap to purchase outright and you will need to factor in the monthly cost.
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In comparison, the Ultrahuman Ring Pro doesn’t need a monthly subscription fee, and still promises to deliver accurate tracking in a lightweight design. We also appreciate the inclusion of PowerPlugs, which allow you to track specific metrics depending on what’s really important to you.
For over 30 years I’ve been teaching teachers to engage in meaningful conversations with their students about real things. Strong teachers know how to pose thoughtful questions, elicit questions from students, and listen and engage respectfully with students.
And yet, 30 years in, there are still a shocking number of schools where adults and children fail to discuss important issues. For instance, according to findings recently released by RAND’s American Youth Panel, only about 1 in 3 students say their school has a school-wide policy on the use of AI. Many students say AI policy in their school varies by teacher, and 67 percent of students endorsed the statement, “The more students use AI for their schoolwork, the more it will harm their critical thinking skills.”
The RAND report recommends “direct conversations” with students about the use of AI. So let’s talk about how to do that.
Talking Directly About AI in Schools
According to the Center for Democracy and Technology, approximately 85 percent of teachers and students report using AI for schoolwork. If your school has a clear policy on AI use, great! Discuss it with your students. Ask them how they feel about it; what’s clear and what needs more explanation; what feels fair and what they might want to advocate to change.
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If your school does not have a clear policy on AI, talk with your colleagues, and talk with your students. Here are some questions to get those conversations started.
With colleagues, including teachers and school leaders:
Is it our goal to make things easier for students? For teachers? AI can simplify, increase efficiency, and in other ways do the work for us. Is this what we want?
If so, when is this a good thing?
In what types of situations might we want to avoid making things easier?
How can we implement AI and LLM tools in a way that benefits our learning community, i.e. increased efficiency, time savings, ability to gather and analyze more data, etc.?
What guardrails can we put in place to ensure we maintain the learning experiences we value, such as engaging in productive struggle; working through complex problems and devising, testing, and refining solutions?
How are we going to teach students to critically analyze information and “answers” provided by AI tools?
How skillful are our students at identifying bias? Will our students ask, “What’s the source for this information?” “What perspective does this source have?” Can they distinguish fact (i.e. the distance between the Earth and the sun) from opinion (i.e. the filibuster as a tool for promoting democracy)?
What skills do they – and we – need to strengthen in order to ensure that we are the drivers of AI innovation?
Are there other schools or people we trust, admire, and respect who have implemented AI policies? What can we learn from them?
What processes do we have in place (or can we put into place) to include student voice in determining when and how to use AI in our school?
With students:
What is valuable about the work we do together in school? How might AI tools increase this value? How might AI undermine it?
What does integrity mean to us, as individuals and as a school? How can we implement AI in a way that supports integrity in our school?
What do you know about AI? What do you want to know about it?
What are some ways we might use AI in our school? What are the potential benefits and drawbacks?
Aligning AI with School Values
If this seems like a lot of work, and a lot to talk about, that’s because it is. An AI policy isn’t something to overlay on a school, and then continue with business as usual. AI is a powerful tool. It has the power to disrupt. That disruption can be beneficial, such as disrupting inequitable access to information and learning tools. It can also be harmful: AI can fuel complacency and undermine critical thinking and curiosity. So a school’s AI policy needs to be deeply aligned with the school’s values. And that requires thoughtful, school-wide conversations about those values.
During these conversations, make liberal use of the phrase, “I don’t know.” Because we don’t have all the answers. There is so much we don’t yet know about what AI can, or should, do. How it might support, or undermine, critical thinking and curiosity.
When you engage in conversations based on the questions above, you are modeling to your students – and your colleagues – how to puzzle through complex issues. You’re building uncertainty tolerance. You’re teaching problem solving at the highest level.
And isn’t that what we teachers are here to do in the first place?
More images have surfaced of a black colorway for the Apple Vision Pro, this time showing more of the important parts of the headset sporting the hue. Though, you shouldn’t get excited about a potential release.
In late May, images of what are believed to be components for a black-colored Apple Vision Pro came to light. A week later, that same source has released more images of the fabled headset.
The images, posted to X on Wednesday by a Hong Kong-based developer known as Pipfix or LusiRoy8, are a collection of shots of a headset that looks like the Apple Vision Pro. One is a close-up image of a grille and a camera on the side of the headset, confirming it to be an Apple Vision Pro.
Other shots include the connector for the battery pack, with the mechanism left uncolored. Another shot is of the top of that battery pack, as well as a black braided cable.
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One last image shows the knob used to adjust the band attached to the headset. Both the band and the knob are shown in black.
Previously, the account showed off images of the speakers on the side of the Apple Vision Pro, again in the black colorway.
The leaker does have a bit of a track record when it comes to colors, including those of the iPhone 17 Pro. While the previous leak briefly said that the Apple Vision Pro in black is “upcoming,” the new post simply asks readers if they like the color.
While the photographs are quite convincing, there’s no guarantee that Apple will actually release a version in that color. It’s equally plausible that they come from a prototype version that Apple made to test the color, but decided not to go through with the black model in the end.
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There are some inconsistencies in some of the images. The fabric surrounding the visor doesn’t quite match the pattern of Apple’s current version, and the battery pack appears wrapped in some kind of film.
Then there’s this odd black wire wrapping between the person’s fingers and yet another white wire further in the background of the battery shot. However, these don’t appear to be AI renders, but genuine photos of black components.
That said, the inconsistent design aspects suggest these are early prototype models.
Possible hardware
While we have had previous rumors going back to April 2025 on the topic, as well as a December shot of a black headset connector, Apple hasn’t slipped up or hinted at new color options for the Apple Vision Pro.
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Given the band appears to be the Solo strap, this is likely a prototype of the M2 model that never made it to production. Apple would have no reason to offer different colorways considering how few they sell.
There’s a remote possibility of a black option being introduced in a future model. Don’t expect any mention during WWDC.
Current rumors indicate that Apple Vision Pro won’t see a new hardware iteration for some time. Apple’s Vision Product Team has reportedly directed to focus on smart glasses development while technology for a thinner and lighter Apple Vision Pro can be developed.
Currently, the soonest a new model might be announced is 2028, but Apple hasn’t said as much to supply chains yet.
The catalytic converter in your car’s exhaust system has a complex emissions-related job to perform. Placed between the engine and the muffler, it reduces the amounts of the three primary pollutants found in the exhaust gases of internal combustion engines: nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons. By passing the engine’s exhaust through the catalytic converter’s honeycomb-like ceramic structure, which is coated with precious metals like palladium, platinum, and rhodium, these three pollutants are converted into less harmful substances. Catalytic converters have been mandated since 1975, with nearly every car required to have one.
Another major part of your car’s catalytic converter system is the oxygen sensor, which interfaces with your engine’s electronic control system to monitor its exhaust gas flow, preventing it from running either too rich or too lean. This keeps your emissions within the legal limits, while also balancing your car’s power and economy.
Catalytic converters can be susceptible to some common problems over their lifespan, which should normally be the vehicle’s entire life. Let’s look at these problems individually, going over why they may happen and what the best ways are to fix them.
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Your catalytic converter has been physically damaged
Anastasija Vujic/Shutterstock
Your catalytic converter hangs underneath your car with the rest of the exhaust system, so anything that can cause damage to your muffler or exhaust pipes can also “impact” your catalytic converter. That can mean debris on the road, as well as going over a curb while driving. Doing this type of damage to your catalytic converter can cause its ceramic internal structure to crack or break, affecting its ability to properly convert the toxic substances in your unfiltered exhaust gases.
Physical damage anything like what’s shown above is likely to require replacing your catalytic converter. This type of damage to your catalytic converter will probably also lead to the illumination of your Check Engine Light, since your emission control system will severely impacted by it.
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Be aware that certain states require CARB-compliant catalytic converter replacements, which meet the stricter standards set out by the California Air Resources Board. These standards apply to all cars replacing their catalytic converters in California, New York, and Colorado, including out-of-state vehicles. In addition, all CARB-compliant cars replacing their catalytic converters in the state of Maine that were made during or since the 2001 model year must be fitted with a CARB-compliant replacement unit. Be sure to check the local regulations in the state where you reside before replacing your car’s catalytic converter, and don’t even think about whether you should drive without a catalytic converter.
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Your catalytic converter has become clogged up
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There are numerous ways that your car’s catalytic converter can become clogged, and none of them have anything to do with the issue of external physical damage. If you have a leak of coolant or oil that makes its way into the exhaust system or into the cylinders, it can clog up the fine ceramic structure coated with those precious metals inside the convertor, rendering it ineffective. Clogging can also be the result of using substandard fuel, misfiring spark plugs, a fuel-air mix that’s too rich, or just wear and tear over time.
If you are facing the possibility of a clog, there are ways to clean your vehicle’s catalytic converter at home. It’s definitely worth a try if the only other alternative is replacing it out of pocket.
The symptoms of a clogged catalytic converter are pretty tough to ignore. You may experience much worse fuel economy as you drive, hard starting, high heat levels that can start fires under your car, a noticeable lack of performance from your engine, a rotten egg-like smell, and all of this will likely also trigger the Check Engine light on your dashboard to go on. Keep in mind that the clogged catalytic converter is creating an obstruction in your engine’s exhaust system that your engine has to work against, which can lead to leaking oil, seals blowing out in the engine, or even a blown engine if you wait too long to fix the problem.
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Your catalytic converter has been stolen
Romanets/Shutterstock
This unfortunate scenario has been happening to car owners across the country. California’s the leader in catalytic converter thefts nationwide, with New York, Illinois, Texas, and Florida rounding out the top five. A thief can cut off your catalytic converter in about a minute, making it unlikely they’ll be apprehended unless they are caught sawing it off. And while thieves get $50 to $500 for stolen converters, you’ll have to pay up to $4,000 to repair your car. While SUVs and pickup trucks, with their increased ground clearance, make the easiest targets, we have compiled a list of the cars most likely to have their catalytic converters stolen.
There are some ways to minimize the risk of having your car’s catalytic converter stolen. These include parking your car in a closed garage, the use of motion sensor lighting where you park your car, never failing to set your car’s alarm and locking your vehicle. If you must park in an area out in the open, be sure that it is at least lit very well.
Additional strategies for protecting your catalytic converter from theft involve making it tougher to remove or making it identifiable. Theft prevention devices include straps, clamps, or cages that make catalytic converter removal much more time-consuming, encouraging thieves to leave your car alone and move on to an easier, unhardened target. Another proactive way to discourage theft is to have your catalytic converter etched or engraved with your VIN or license number, making it easier to identify the owner.
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Your catalytic converter’s oxygen sensor goes bad
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A modern catalytic converter’s oxygen sensor measures how efficiently it is doing its job by monitoring the amount of oxygen present in the exhaust gases. Over time, and possibly due to some engine-related issues like coolant leaking into the cylinders, a bad gasket, or a too-rich fuel mixture, the oxygen sensor can become contaminated or just wear out. In addition to this “downstream” oxygen sensor connected to the catalytic converter, there is usually an “upstream” or “pre-cat” sensor that controls the fuel supply to the engine.
Some indications that your car’s oxygen sensor is failing can include rough engine operation, reduced fuel efficiency, and the Check Engine light on your dash lighting up to alert you there’s a problem. And while you can clean a car’s O2 sensor, it’s not a great long-term idea. To identify the problem with your oxygen sensor, a diagnostic device should produce some trouble codes to guide you along. Make sure that there are no leaks detectible in your fuel injection system or your exhaust manifold, also checking the state of your ignition system parts. Once that you have properly diagnosed the problem and identified which of these sensors is faulty, the bad one can be replaced and correct engine operation restored.
The role of the oxygen sensor in your car’s emission control system, when operating properly, cannot be overemphasized. By consistently monitoring the flow of your car’s exhaust gases, it keeps emissions in check, maximizes performance, and gives you the best possible fuel economy.
AI PCs have quickly become the hottest trend in the tech industry, and Asus doesn’t want to be left behind. As the tradition goes in Computex, the Taiwanese company announced a massive lineup of new AI-powered devices, including creator laptops, consumer notebooks, desktops, all-in-one PCs, and even a brand-new tablet. Here’s everything you need to know about them.
New RTX Spark Laptops
Leading the announcement are the new ProArt P16 and ProArt P14 creator laptops. These are the first ASUS laptops powered by NVIDIA’s new RTX Spark platform, which combines NVIDIA’s Blackwell GPU architecture with the Grace CPU platform for AI-focused workloads.
ASUS says these machines are designed for creators, developers, and anyone working with AI-heavy workflows. The company is also bundling AI tools like MuseTree, StoryCube, and ProArt Creator Hub to help users manage creative projects and optimize system performance.
The laptops also come with ASUS’s latest Lumina Pro OLED displays that can hit up to 1,600 nits of HDR brightness and feature a 120Hz refresh rate. Interestingly, ASUS is introducing two new color options called Nano Black and Neo White, marking the first major design refresh for the ProArt lineup.
Zenbook and Vivobook Get the AI Treatment
For everyday users, ASUS refreshed the Zenbook 14 with a clear focus on portability. The laptop weighs just 1.1kg and uses ASUS’ Ceraluminum construction, which combines aluminum with ceramic-like durability. ASUS claims the laptop can deliver over 21 hours of battery life, making it one of the longest-lasting devices in the company’s lineup. Buyers can choose among Intel, AMD, and Snapdragon variants, with AI performance up to 50 TOPS, depending on the configuration. ASUS has also added new Arctic Blue and Komodo Coral color options to make the laptop feel less corporate than previous Zenbook generations.
Other highlights include a 1.7mm travel keyboard, an ASUS OLED display, Windows Hello support, Microsoft Pluton security, and adaptive privacy features that automatically dim or lock the screen when users step away.
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Meanwhile, ASUS is also betting heavily on Snapdragon-powered Windows laptops with the new Vivobook S14 and Vivobook S16. Unlike previous Vivobook generations, these models exclusively use Snapdragon X processors and deliver up to 45 TOPS of AI performance. The laptops are clearly aimed at students and young professionals. ASUS says battery life can exceed 25 hours, while fast charging can take the battery from 0 to 60 percent in under 50 minutes.
The larger S16 model offers a 16-inch OLED display with an 89% screen-to-body ratio, while the S14 opts for a more compact 14-inch design. Both feature 100% DCI-P3 color coverage, TÜV-certified low-blue-light technology, and military-grade durability certification.
ASUS Is Back in the Tablet Business
One of the more surprising announcements from the event was the ASUS Pad, marking the company’s return to the tablet category. The tablet features a 12.2-inch 2.8K OLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate and runs on the MediaTek Dimensity 8300 chipset.
ASUS has equipped the tablet with a 9,000mAh battery, Dolby Atmos-powered quad speakers, Google Circle to Search, and GlideX integration for easier cross-device workflows. At just 6.5mm thick and weighing 523g, the company is positioning it as both an entertainment device and a productivity companion.
New Desktops and AiOs Join the Lineup
Beyond laptops, ASUS also announced the new V700 Mini Tower desktop and V200/V400 all-in-one PCs. The V700 desktop stands out for its unusual home-inspired design, featuring wood-grain finishes and softer aesthetics rather than the aggressive styling usually seen in desktop PCs. It can be configured with up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 processor and NVIDIA RTX 50-series graphics. The V400 AiO, meanwhile, uses Snapdragon-powered hardware and AI capabilities in a larger 27-inch all-in-one form factor aimed at family and home users.
Rounding out the announcements was ASUS Zenni Claw, a new AI assistant designed to simplify access to AI-powered workflows across work, travel, and everyday tasks. ASUS hasn’t revealed extensive details yet, but it appears to be the company’s attempt at creating a more unified AI experience across its devices.
Greenvolt Next also plans to allocate funding for the development of its Waterford headquarters.
Greenvolt Next Ireland – which is part of Greenvolt Group, a specialist in renewable energy solutions for the commercial and industrial sector – has today (3 June) announced the creation of 90 new jobs. 50 are to be made available at its Waterford headquarters and the remaining 40 will be based in the UK.
Over the next 12 months, the company will be recruiting mid-level to senior managers for roles including project engineers, senior project engineers, project managers and site managers. In expanding the team, the organisation aims to work on additional large-scale projects to support developers and landowners in advancing renewable assets and meet the UK and Irish demand for green energy solutions.
Greenvolt Next is also allocating funding for the further development of its Waterford headquarters, which is being increased by 2,176 sq ft and will be equipped with new technologies.
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Commenting on the announcement, Owen Power, the CEO of Greenvolt Next Ireland & UK, said: “Our success to date has been driven by our ability to deliver the most reliable and cost-effective energy solutions to customers, underpinned by unmatched resources and expertise. Looking to the future, which will only see greater demand for such projects, we want to continue making a tangible impact for businesses and the environment.
“That means investing in operations, growing the team and innovating for customers. As well as marking the next stage in our own journey, this will allow us to make renewable energy easy for more organisations across Ireland and the UK. In turn, they will not only be more sustainable but also more successful.”
In 2024, Greenvolt Group announced a partnership with Enerpower, with both organisations agreeing to a joint commitment to install up to 500MW of renewable energy between 2024 and 2029 and create 100 new jobs. The strategy was designed to impact the Irish and wider European markets.
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Springboard+ research found that adults often face financial difficulties when attempting to upskill or change the direction of their careers.
Educational platform Springboard+ has released the results of a survey exploring some of the challenges learners face as they aim to progress personally and professionally. The organisation commissioned an independent national survey collecting data from 1,000 Ireland-based adults across a wide range of ages, genders, regions and social backgrounds.
What was discovered is that almost half (46pc) of surveyed adults in Ireland struggle to afford learning and study opportunities to upskill and change the trajectory of their careers. The survey, which was part of Springboard’s ‘2026 Year of Me’ campaign, also identified which groups of people are typically more affected than others.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, women were found to be disproportionately impacted, as 53pc of women surveyed who were under the age of 45 agreed that they have very little time to invest in career growth. Half of parents also responded that time is a limited resource, while 54pc of women said that financially speaking, it is difficult to engage with upskilling opportunities.
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Decision time
More than 40pc of people surveyed said that they are afraid of making the wrong decision when choosing a new career direction. This sentiment was particularly prominent among younger cohorts, with 32pc of adults aged between 18 and 24 responding that they would struggle with the stress associated with learning new skills.
The report found, however, that despite the barriers, Ireland’s professionals still value learning and self-development, as 93pc of respondents believe learning new skills as an adult can change the trajectory of one’s life; 93pc also agree that learning new skills opens doors that otherwise would remain closed.
Commenting on the findings of the report, Dr Vivienne Patterson, the head of skills, engagement and statistics at the Higher Education Authority, said, “The findings highlight that many adults across Ireland want to invest in their future and develop new skills, but are often held back by practical pressures such as time, affordability and uncertainty about returning to learning.
“Flexible and affordable learning opportunities can play an important role in helping people overcome some of these barriers. Many Springboard+ courses are delivered on a part-time or online basis, allowing people to balance learning with work, family and other commitments, while the significant financial support available through the programme helps make higher education more accessible.
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“The strong demand we are already seeing for Springboard+ 2026 courses reflects the growing demand for flexible learning opportunities that can help people build confidence, develop new skills and explore new career opportunities.”
So far in 2026, a number of organisations and institutions have engaged in offering opportunities to boost skills among the Irish workforce.
In May, South East Technological University announced it is getting a new €11.5m computer system. The IBM z17 mainframe will support students and researchers in developing their skills. In April, the Government launched AIReady.ie, a national AI skilling platformdesigned to provide people across Ireland with the means to learn essential AI skills.
Similarly, in March of this year, Technological University of the Shannon launched its Regional Skills Horizon and Pathways to Employment (ReSHAPE) initiative, an AI-powered digital platform developed to support professionals based in Ireland’s midlands region, supporting economic development in counties such as Laois, Offaly, Longford and Westmeath.
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For those who have never played the hit video games Undertale and Deltarune, the games are partially known for their interesting characters, many of which have eerie, surreal, and expressive designs. One of the more memorable characters from Deltarune is Tenna, a game show host of sorts whose distinguishing feature is an old television as a head, as well as a colorful suit. As a result he’s been the subject of a number of recreations by various cosplayers and makers like [BigRig Creates].
This version of the character was actually inspired by a previous build by [BunnyBii] which used an iPad as the interactive screen/face. Inside the television, though, the actual human found this to be front heavy and limiting in the ways that it could be used interactively, especially since the only way to see the outside world in this version was with a small endoscope and screen. [BigRig Creates]’s version builds on this idea but swaps out the iPad for a Raspberry Pi, allowing for much more customization, and uses a pair of Xreal glasses instead of a screen for the view of the outside world from in the television.
To get the whole costume together, the head is 3D printed with all of the electronics inside, and a game controller integrated into a handheld microphone controls the animations shown on the screen. A vibrant, custom-tailored suit with white gloves rounds out the ensemble, along with a pair of 3D-printed shoe covers since actual yellow shoes were a bit pricy. There were some interesting problems to solve along the way, specifically with regards to power management for all the electronics, but in the end it all seems to have come together quite well. [BigRig Creates] is no stranger to builds with unusual displays, though; one of our favorites was the world’s largest Nintendo 3DS.
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