KIOXIA SPEARHEADS OPTICAL INTERFACE BROADBAND SSD FOR NEXT-GEN GREEN DATA CENTRES

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 7 (Bernama) -- Kioxia Corporation is showcasing a prototype of broadband solid state drive (SSD) with an optical interface for next-generation data centres at the “FMS: the Future of Memory and Storage” conference in Santa Clara, California from Aug 6 to 8.

By replacing the electrical wiring interface with optical, this SSD technology significantly increases the physical distance between the compute and storage devices, slims down wiring, while maintaining energy efficiency and high signal quality.

According to Kioxia in a statement, it also brings high flexibility to data centre system design and applications.

By adopting an optical interface, it becomes possible to aggregate individual components that make up systems, such as SSDs and Central Processing Units (CPUs), and seamlessly interconnect them.

This furthers the evolution of a "disaggregated computing system" that can efficiently utilise resources according to a specific workload.

This accomplishment is the result of the Japanese "Next Generation Green Data Center Technology Development" project, JPNP21029, subsidised by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization, under the "Green Innovation Fund Project: Construction of Next Generation Digital Infrastructure".

In this grant project, next generation technologies are being developed with the goal of achieving more than 40 per cent energy savings compared to current data centres.

As a part of this project, Kioxia, a world leader in memory solutions, is developing broadband SSDs with optical interface for data storage in next-generation green data centres.

-- BERNAMA

Duck Creek Technologies' Game-Changing Solution Eliminates Concept of an Upgrade

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 6 (Bernama) -- Duck Creek Technologies, the intelligent solutions provider defining the future of property and casualty (P&C) and general insurance, announced the general availability of Policy with Active Delivery.

Policy with Active Delivery is a revolutionary solution that eliminates the need for upgrades and enables P&C insurers to deliver insurance products at scale in an era of rapid customer-centric innovation and growth.

Duck Creek Technologies Chief Product & Technology Officer, Jess Keeney said with Active Delivery, insurers can free their information technology resources to focus on innovation rather than maintenance and respond to the evolving needs of their customers and agents with speed and agility.

“Policy with Active Delivery is the ultimate expression of our vision to simplify insurance technology and empower our customers to achieve their business goals," she said in a statement.

Policy with Active Delivery is a cloud-native solution that leverages the power, scalability, and security of the Azure cloud to provide bi-weekly product updates that are applied automatically, assuring there are no disruptions to an insurer's operations while eliminating the need for additional, costly resources to manage massive upgrades.

All updates are "feature flagged", allowing insurers to choose when to activate them, ensuring zero impact on their production environment.

This solution also offers low-code configuration tools, an integrated development environment for insurance products, and pre-built content for various lines of business, allowing insurers to go to market faster, increase operational efficiencies, and improve customer satisfaction.

To drive operational efficiencies, Policy with Active Delivery automates manual processes by leveraging low-code configuration tools for agile updates and enhanced speed to market for new products, which translate into reduced expense ratios, improved core operational performance, and enhanced scalability to handle higher volumes seamlessly.

The platform supports omnichannel access, catering to the self-service expectations of customers, agents, and brokers alike, as well as enhances underwriting performance by implementing rules-based processing and dynamic workflows, ensuring consistent and optimised outcomes.

-- BERNAMA

BASF Catalysts India Unveils RD&A Lab For Automotive Emissions Control Solutions

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 5 (Bernama) -- BASF Catalysts India Private Limited (BCIL), a subsidiary of BASF Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions (ECMS), has inaugurated a new Research, Development and Application (RD&A) lab at its site in Mahindra World City, Chennai.

According to a statement, the strategic investment is focused on the development of emissions control catalysts that are tailored to the unique needs of the Indian automotive market.

ECMS Senior Vice President of RD&A, Saeed Alerasool said this new RD&A lab will enable the development of market-specific catalyst formulations that meet the unique needs of the Indian market with agility and flexibility.

“With this investment, ECMS is well positioned to help our customers respond to changes resulting from fuel diversification as well as stricter tailpipe emissions requirements, and ensures our readiness to support future automotive technologies,” he said.

The opening of the new lab is a pivotal step aligned with India’s evolving automotive industry and the Indian government’s focus on diversifying fuel sources including further adoption of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and renewable biofuels and hydrogen.

This requires local Original Equipment Manufacturers to launch flex-fuel vehicles capable of running on any biofuel-gasoline mix.

Additionally, the upcoming stricter emissions requirements pose new challenges for automakers in India.

Starting its operations in 1998, BCIL was a pioneer in the automotive emissions industry with the first catalyst manufacturing plant in India. The R&D of mobile emissions catalysts is supported by six global RD&A centres across ECMS.

-- BERNAMA

Khanh Hoa Sets Two Guinness World Records, UAE Wins Drone Competition

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 5 (Bernama) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) team emerged champion at the Ever Glamour Nha Trang (EGN) 2024 festival after two nights of competition, which concluded on Aug 3 with a dazzling display of drone light performances.

Concurrently, the Korean, French, and Chinese teams won the awards for Best Technical Performance, Best Image, and Best Story, respectively, according to a statement.

The UAE team, nicknamed “Light Wizards”, combined the ultra-lightweight and superlight drones with pyrotechnics and in-depth local cultural understanding to highlight Vietnamese rich history and culture, from the Dong Son bronze drum to the symbolic Lac Bird, lotus flower, as well as the vibrancy of Nha Trang.

Meanwhile, the French team, nicknamed the “Sky Artists”, used 1,000 drones combined with fire magic performances. Previously, on the opening night held on July 13, the Korean and Chinese teams ignited the stage with their groundbreaking performances.

Dubbed the “King of Pyrodrone”, the Korean teams brought the first-ever drone performance with silent fireworks in Southeast Asia, whereas, the Chinese team brought stunning visuals and popular Vietnamese songs to illustrate Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa as a harmonious blend of heritage, modernity, and the aspiration for growth.

That same evening, Khanh Hoa made history as the first locality in the country to receive two prestigious Guinness World Records, namely, “The World's Biggest Light Show of Wonders” and “The World's Biggest Light Show of Vietnamese Cultural Symbols - Lac Bird”.

Besides contributing to increasing the number of Guinness records in Vietnam, Khanh Hoa also proved its name as one of the most beautiful bays in the world and the premier destination for light shows using unmanned aerial devices.

EGN 2024 attracted more than 50 million live views on media channels and more than five million interactions on social media, spreading the Khanh Hoa image to domestic and international tourists.

The event is directed by the Khanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee, organised by the Khanh Hoa Department of Tourism and Corex Business Solutions, and endorsed by renowned global and domestic brands such as Vinpearl, VinWonders, Agribank, VCN, Chicilon Media, and Shojiki.

-- BERNAMA

Oxford Nanopore To Improve Understanding Of Genetics In Singapore’s Multi-Ethnic Groups

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 5 (Bernama) -- Oxford Nanopore Technologies (Oxford Nanopore) has announced a landmark project with Singapore's National Precision Medicine (NPM) programme, led by Precision Health Research, Singapore (PRECISE).

In a statement, Oxford Nanopore said this project aimed at developing a comprehensive structural variant catalogue representing three major ethnic groups in the country including Chinese, Malay and Indian ethnicities.

These genetic variations have demonstrated significance in helping clinician scientists and researchers in understanding human genetic diversity and diseases.

This initiative underscores Oxford Nanopore’s commitment to advancing genetic research and healthcare outcomes on a global scale, particularly for ethnically diverse populations that are typically underrepresented in genomic databases.

“This collaboration not only enhances our commitment to precision healthcare but also strategically positions Singapore as a pivotal hub for genomics in the Asia Pacific, fostering significant advancements in medical research and healthcare outcomes,” said Oxford Nanopore Chief Executive Officer, Gordon Sanghera.

Oxford Nanopore’s portion of the project will focus on sequencing 10,000 genomes representing Singapore’s diverse population, including Malay, Indian, and Chinese communities participating in the PRECISE-SG100K population cohort.

This project which started in mid-2024 and will run for up to 12 months, will use the company’s fleet of high-output PromethION 48 sequencing devices to deliver detailed, comprehensive genomic data to advance research and support precision healthcare.

Oxford Nanopore has made strategic investments in Singapore, which it has positioned as a commercial hub for the Asia Pacific region where it recently expanded its laboratory facilities in the country to support increased activities in training, knowledge transfer, and the up-skilling of local technical staff.

There are also other partners in this project, including NovogeneAIT, that demonstrate a strong collaborative effort to leverage innovative technology in genomics.

-- BERNAMA

UAE Police Support Team Lends A Hand To Safeguard Paris 2024 Olympics

KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 (Bernama) -- The Emirati Police Support Team initiated its mission to assist the French Police in securing the Paris 2024 Olympics, launched recently by France’s President Emmanuel Macron.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE)’s participation in securing the Olympic Games, dubbed “the biggest sporting event ever”, underscores its commitment to international cooperation and support for large-scale events, to ensure security, safety, and stability of global communities.

According to the UAE Ministry of Interior in a statement, the participation also marks a strategic pillar in the UAE’s vision for advancing international peace and security.

The Emirati police team members underwent extensive training ahead of their deployment to Paris, as they assist the French Police in securing stadiums, access roads and sites for teams and large crowds expected to attend the Olympic Games, which bring people together worldwide.

Police dog units (K9) inspected the designated areas, based on intensive training and thorough mapping of the areas. Specialised teams carried out foot patrols across various parts of Paris, as part of their assigned duties, which reflects the deep bilateral cooperation and distinguished relations between the UAE and France.

The UAE’s involvement in securing the Paris 2024 Olympics underscores the efficiency and professionalism of Emirati police personnel, under the guidance and support of the higher leadership, which provides its forces with advanced equipment and world-class training to enhance their skills as per the highest international standards.

This will allow the UAE police forces to exchange expertise and best practices with their international counterparts, further boosting their capabilities in various fields.

The Emirati police team consists of experienced female officers from the Ministry of Interior and qualified and trained specialists representing the various police sectors, K9, and security support teams.

Their participation will also help to consolidate the UAE's good reputation and its leading role in joint international cooperation and action.

-- BERNAMA

CAVLI’S GAME-CHANGING IOT MODULE OFFERS SEAMLESS CONNECTIVITY, TRACKING SOLUTIONS

KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 (Bernama) -- Cavli Wireless, one of the first truly Internet of Things (IoT)-ready cellular module manufacturers, has unveiled the new C11QM LTE Cat 1 IoT module.

According to a statement, this latest addition to the flagship C-Series line leverages advanced LTE Cat 1 technology and the inbuilt global navigation satellite system (GNSS) tracking to deliver seamless global connectivity and tracking solutions.

“We have designed this module to address the evolving needs of the IoT industry, combining advanced LTE capabilities and in-built GNSS in a compact form factor.

“With the C11QM, we are not just launching a product; we are empowering businesses to innovate faster and deploy IoT solutions more efficiently across a wide range of industries,” said Cavli Wireless Chief Executive Officer & Chief Technology Architect, John Mathew.

Designed with versatility in mind, the C11QM caters to a wide range of applications across industries such as agriculture, healthcare, retail, smart cities, and manufacturing. The C11QM's compact size and efficient hardware make it perfect for smart home devices and city infrastructure, from connected appliances to intelligent lighting systems.

Its robust feature set empowers developers to create sophisticated IoT solutions without compromising on size or efficiency, which significantly reduces the time-to-market for IoT deployments, allowing businesses to scale their operations rapidly and efficiently.

With the C11QM, Cavli Wireless reaffirms its commitment to driving IoT innovation. This module represents a leap forward in cost-effective cellular IoT technology, offering unparalleled performance, reliability, and flexibility for the evolving demands of the connected world.

Cavli Wireless's C11QM module sets a new benchmark in global cost-effective LTE IoT deployments with its powerful features and compact design, offering original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) an accessible gateway to enable smart connectivity for their devices at a disruptive price point while implanting itself as an ideal option for compute-heavy IoT-enabled applications.

As the demand for connected devices continues to grow, the C11QM stands ready to power the next wave of innovation, enabling businesses to create smarter, more efficient solutions across industries worldwide.

-- BERNAMA