A new light-based method lets tiny quantum dots release perfectly controlled photons, opening doors to faster and cheaper quantum technology.
Category: computing – Page 3
Windows 11 KB5064081 update clears up CPU usage metrics in Task Manager
Microsoft has released the KB5064081 preview cumulative update for Windows 11 24H2, which includes thirty-six new features or changes, with many gradually rolling out. These updates include new Recall features and a new way of displaying CPU usage in Task Manager.
The KB5064081 update is part of the company’s optional non-security preview update schedule, which releases updates at the end of each month to test new fixes and features coming to the next month’s Patch Tuesday.
Unlike regular Patch Tuesday cumulative updates, monthly non-security preview updates do not include security updates and are optional.
Microsoft says recent Windows update didn’t kill your SSD
Microsoft has found no link between the August 2025 KB5063878 security update and customer reports of failure and data corruption issues affecting solid-state drives (SSDs) and hard disk drives (HDDs).
Redmond first told BleepingComputer last week that it is aware of users reporting SSD failures after installing this month’s Windows 11 24H2 security update.
In a subsequent service alert seen by BleepingComputer, Redmond said that it was unable to reproduce the issue on up-to-date systems and began collecting user reports with additional details from those affected.
A Review of Light-Emitting Diodes and Ultraviolet Light-Emitting Diodes and Their Applications
This paper presents an extensive literature review on Light-Emitting Diode (LED) fundamentals and discusses the historical development of LEDs, focusing on the material selection, design employed, and modifications used in increasing the light output. It traces the evolutionary trajectory of the efficiency enhancement of ultraviolet (UV), blue, green, and red LEDs. It rigorously examines the diverse applications of LEDs, spanning from solid-state lighting to cutting-edge display technology, and their emerging role in microbial deactivation. A detailed overview of current trends and prospects in lighting and display technology is presented. Using the literature, this review offers valuable insights into the application of UV LEDs for microbial and potential viral disinfection.
Tianjin trials brain-computer interface for neurocritical care
China initiated its first multi-center clinical trial for brain-computer interface technology in neurocritical care on Sunday, marking a significant expansion of BCI applications beyond the rehabilitation of motor and cognitive functions.
The trial, launched in Tianjin, aims to explore new therapeutic approaches for severe neurological conditions.
Led by the Haihe Laboratory of Brain-Computer Interaction and Human-Machine Integration at Tianjin University and Tianjin Huanhu Hospital, the project brings together leading medical institutions from Beijing, Tianjin, Henan province, and other regions.
“This initiative will pave the way for broader medical applications, offering Chinese technologies, standards, and protocols for precise management of neurocritical conditions,” said Liu Xiuyun, deputy director of the Haihe Laboratory.
Engineers send quantum signals with standard Internet Protocol
In a first-of-its-kind experiment, engineers at the University of Pennsylvania brought quantum networking out of the lab and onto commercial fiber-optic cables using the same Internet Protocol (IP) that powers today’s web.
Reported in Science, the work shows that fragile quantum signals can run on the same infrastructure that carries everyday online traffic. The team tested their approach on Verizon’s campus fiber-optic network.
The Penn team’s tiny “Q-chip” coordinates quantum and classical data and, crucially, speaks the same language as the modern web. That approach could pave the way for a future “quantum internet,” which scientists believe may one day be as transformative as the dawn of the online era.
A low-cost protocol enables preparation of magic states and fault-tolerant universal quantum computation
Quantum computers, systems that perform computations leveraging quantum mechanical effects, could outperform classical computers in some optimization and information processing tasks. As these systems are highly influenced by noise, however, they need to integrate strategies that will minimize the errors they produce.
One proposed solution for enabling fault-tolerant quantum computing across a wide range of operations is known as magic state distillation. This approach consists of preparing special quantum states (i.e., magic states) that can then be used to perform a universal set of operations. This allows the construction of a universal quantum computer—a device that can reliably perform all operations necessary for implementing any quantum algorithm.
Yet while magic state distillation techniques can achieve good results, they typically consume large numbers of error-protected qubits and need to perform many rounds of error correction. This has so far limited their potential for real-world applications.
Tiny defects deliver big gains: Controlling oxygen vacancies boosts thermoelectric efficiency by 91%
A research team has dramatically enhanced the efficiency of converting heat into electricity. The key lies in controlling tiny defects known as oxygen vacancies.
Their findings were published as a front cover article in the journal Advanced Science. The team was led by Professor Hyungyu Jin and Dr. Min Young Kim from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at POSTECH, in collaboration with Professors Donghwa Lee and Si-Young Choi from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and Professor Joseph P. Heremans from the Ohio State University.
Each day, enormous amounts of heat are lost around us: hot steam from factory chimneys, heat from car engines, and even the warmth generated by smartphones and computers. This waste heat is typically left unused, but if it could be converted back into electricity, it would offer a powerful solution to both energy inefficiency and environmental challenges.