Amazon now offers same-day delivery for PacSun, Diesel, Superdry, and GNC in 10 cities across the US. The service will be free for Prime members when they spend $25 or more, or $2.99 if they spend less than $25. Some participating retailers will allow customers to pick up items from physical stores. Amazon now has thousands of items that can be delivered in a few hours.
Google is launching a new effort called the Simplicity Sprint to improve efficiency and employee focus. CEO Sundar Pichai told employees at a meeting last Wednesday that Google's productivity as a company isn't where it needs to be with the headcount it has. The company recently reported its second consecutive quarter of weaker-than-expected earnings. The Simplicity Sprint aims to crowdsource ideas for quicker product development through an internal survey.
Scientists from the UK have used a form of Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) to capture the motion of single atoms through a liquid. TEM uses a beam of electrons to generate images. The team developed a double graphene liquid cell capable of working with existing TEM technology to image a saltwater solution containing platinum atoms moving on a solid surface of molybdenum disulfide. The images revealed that atoms move faster in liquid and choose different places to rest on solid surfaces.
Researchers from MIT have created artificial synapses that are 1,000 times smaller and 10,000 times faster than their biological counterparts. This was achieved by integrating a material that tolerates extreme electric fields, dramatically improving the speed with which ions can move. There are still issues with scaling the technology that need to be solved. The speed and size of the device suggest that the research could eventually develop into hardware that could match or exceed the power of the human brain.
Docusaurus is a static site generator that can quickly ship documentation websites. It can generate optimized websites that can be hosted anywhere using Markdown files. Docusaurus can adapt the UI to match branding and its usage of React allows users to build interactive documentation. Version 2.0 of Docusaurus is now available.
Lyra is a fast, in-memory, typo-tolerant full-text search engine written in TypeScript. It can work on both clients and servers. Lyra can perform searches through millions of entries in microseconds. It is now available in beta.
Dell is exploring the ability to wirelessly charge devices on a laptop's surface. It filed a patent which describes a wireless charging clip that can be attached to computers and used to charge devices on top of it. The patent was filed in early 2021 and published last Thursday. The filing doesn't guarantee a future product. Diagrams from the patent filing are available in the article.
Synchron is a company that makes Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs). Its devices can read brain signals and convert them into commands like moving a cursor on a screen. Unlike other BCIs currently in development, Synchron's device doesn't require cutting open the scalp and drilling into the skull. It can be implanted through the jugular vein in the neck in a procedure that could send the patient home the very same day. Most neurosurgeons are already up to speed on the basic approach required to put it in.