machines

The machines coordinate and decide when to attack

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The scene It took place a few weeks ago and was an unprecedented fact in military history. The Ukrainian forces announced that they had managed to capture Russian soldiers Without using infantry human Indeed, that was not a lantern. For the first time in history, they had used exclusively air drones and terrestrial robotic platforms, machines that were the immediate receptors of the surrender, an event that until now belonged to the science fiction. In fact, machines practically do not need the soldier. AI becomes strong. In the Ukrainian front has confirmed The routine use of dwellings of coordinated drones through artificial intelligence, a technological leap that for years was seen as prophecy and that today becomes In fact. Under software developed by the Swarmer local companysmall UAV groups are able to communicate with each other, assign functions, decide which one first attacks or adapt if one fails, all from a goal marked by the human operator. This ability to “Shared autonomy” It reduces from nine to three the number of people necessary for a mission and allows a single pilot to handle several devices, which helps Ukraine compensate for the inferiority of personnel against Russia. Although still far from a swarm of hundreds of drones, as some theorists anticipated, it is the first constant use of this technology in combat. From theory to practice. The Ukrainian army has used the system more than a hundred times, According to military sourcesusually in combinations of three drones (one of recognition and two bombers) To attack trenches, artillery positions or Russian equipment. The exploration drone traces the route and detects the target, while the other two distribute the attack autonomously. The proximity between devices reduces vulnerability to the Jamming Russiannot depending so much on easily interferible remote links. Swarmer has already tried swarms from Up to 25 drones And he prepares to experiment with more than 100, in line with parallel developments from the United States, China, France or South Korea. Unlike previous exercises (such as swarms launched by US fighters in 2016 or specific tests of Israel in Gaza), the novelty is persistence: Ukraine integrates these operations as routine In a high intensity conflict. Technical challenges and cost. The Wall Street Journal counted that the road has not been free of problems. In early stages, the drones exchanged too much information and saturated the network, forcing the refine the communication protocols. In addition, the incorporation of Ia makes each device more expensive in a country that already produces More than 1.5 million of drones a year and assumes that many will be consumables on the battlefield. Data management, link reliability and scalability to larger swarms They are still challenges. However, even with small groups, the advantage is palpable: speed in execution, savings of personnel and ability to attack simultaneously and flexible in multiple points. The new paradigm. Entry on stage of autonomous swarms Raises strategic and ethical issues of global scope. On the military, the possibility of launch dozens or hundreds Coordinated drones could saturate aerial defenses and transform the logic of deterrence: a single white, from a war ship to a critical infrastructure, can be overwhelmed by a volume of threats impossible to intercept one by one. It already happened With Spiderwebin fact. On the political level, software proliferation like Swarmer’s It marks a before and after: a company that works in a suburban garage, financed with US capital, produces a war capacity with international implications. The ethical dimension. Plus: the growing autonomy From weapons it generates a deep debate: to what extent does the decision to attack and kill? Swarmer He affirmed to the WSJ that a human continues to authorize The final shotbut the intermediate process (location, allocation of objectives and coordination) is already in the hands of machines. In fact, the United Nations He has asked for regulation On lethal autonomous weapons, while Washington and its allies maintain the requirement that there is a human operator in the “death chain.” Even so, the Ukrainian precedent accelerates the dilemma: the more effective these systems are shown, the greater the temptation to reduce human supervision to maximize speed and surprise. A border to redefine. In short, the conjunction of drones and algorithms It opens a land in which the quantity and artificial intelligence weigh more than individual sophistication. Ukraine, forced to innovate by necessity, is placed at the forefront of A historical change In the art of war, with implications that reach the great powers and the ethics of future conflicts. If you want also, the “swarm” has ceased to be a laboratory concept to become a real combat tool, transforming not only the tactic into the front, but also the worldwide reflection on how far the autonomy of machines should reach the machines in life or death decisions. Image | Ministry of Strategic Industries of Ukraine In Xataka | We had seen the drones of Ukraine do everything, but this is new: they are arriving lost to countries outside the war In Xataka | Ukraine has entered a phase so deranged with the drones that his drones are knocking themselves to themselves

We thought we had seen everything in washing machines, but no. DREame just presented one with three drums

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We have already talked about The crazy trend to add more functionalities to the washing machine and thus charge us a fortune for them. Connected washing machineswith Integrated Voice Assistantswith Telephone functionwith one Extra door to add things halfway and now washing machines not with one, but with three drums. It is not a concept, it is called Tri-Drum and is one of the home products that Dreame has presented in Ifa. Three drums You have read well. Dreame’s new invention is a washing machine that has a large drum with 10kg capacity and two smaller additional In the upper part with capacity for 400 grams of clothes. Image: DREame For the large casting we will use the 10kg drum, but we need wash some loose garment that has been stainedwe can resort to the other two and thus use much less water. It can also come good If we don’t want to mix garments either because of the color, because they are very dirty, because we want to wear a different detergent or due to allergies or sensitive skin (for example washing the clothes of a baby). At the moment we do not know its price or if it will go on sale in Spain. It is not the first Although it seems a lie, there have been other similar ones. Hisense presented the triple washer at the IFA of 2017although we believe that It never got on sale. Here they bet on two additional drums at the top, one for baby clothes and one for underwear. This same year, Haier also presented his triple drum washing machine Within its Leader range with a design that reminds Mickey Mouse’s silhouette. This time, it is on sale in China by 4,999 yuan, some 600 euros to the current change. LG Twinwash. Image: LG A few years ago LG presented the Twinwashan additional drum that we can place our washing machine at the bottom and to which we access As if we opened a drawer. Here we talk about an accessory and the two drums are quite large, so it is different from the bet of Dreame, Haier or Hisense. In this case the idea is that we can put two large straps at the same timeone for light clothes and one for the color. It is not sold in Spain. Cover image | DREame In Xataka | We are experts in technology, but it is time to buy a washing machine and we suffer

Dreame has presented washing machines, refrigerators and even ovens. The vacuum brand wants to become a home giant

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If we look at Dreame’s catalog we will see vacuum cleanerssome Robot cleaninga hair dryer or water dispensers, but above all vacuum cleaners. That has just changed. There is a trend of Chinese brands entering the world of large appliances and in Dreame they seem to have said “hold me the cubata” because They just entered fifteen new home categoriesincluding large appliance. Thus, suddenly. How many appliances have Dreame presented? Yeah Washing machines, refrigerators, air conditioners, dishwasher, ovens … of everything. Dreame comes with a very ambitious home bet. Let’s see what everything they have presented: Audiovisual DREAME AURA MINI LED 4K TV S100 Dreame opens on audiovisual devices with DREAME AURA MINI LED 4K TV S100, a TV which stands out for the integration of more powerful speakers that, according to Dreame, is like having an integrated sound bar. There are also projectors, specifically three, all laptops. The Triple Laser Portable Projector T3 stands out for being able to become a screen of up to 100 inches with a very short run. They also have the T2 model that has a battery that lasts up to 2 hours and the T1, the most modest of the three. Within this category we also have the X4000 series monitor and the Home Cinema System Pano 5.1.2ch composed of twelve speakers, including sound bar and Subwoofer. Large appliances Tri-Drum Washer washing machine with three drums. PS: I love her. Xiaomi recently presented its range of large appliances And we already seemed ambitious, but Dreame goes even further. In the clothing washing section we have the L9 washing machine and dryer set, the Slimher washing machine, a mini washing machine and the craziest of all: A washer with three separate drums so that we can wash loose garments. DREAME Z-FERE refrigerator They have also presented not one, but two double door refrigerators, the Z-Fresh and Fizz Fresh. The two have A technology that reduces oxygen in the vegetable compartment To last longer. The Fizz Fresh also serves you water with fresh gas. I could not miss a dishwasher, the Z6000 that in addition to washing the dishes, the dry ones. There is even more. Two ovens, the Z6000Pro and Z6000 Steam-Boost, and two Airfryer, the Tasti AF30 and the Tasti DZ30, with double compartment. All ovens and airfryers have steam function so that the food is juicy and at the same time crispy. Air conditioning and others Dreame enters the air conditioning with the X-Wind, an air with a classic format, but with a dark gray design that does not go unnoticed. The most curious model is the Z Wind, a kind of tower that is attached to a corner, both vertically and horizontally. Although they already had some models in their offer, Dreame opens two new air purifiers, one of them with a humidifier function included. We also have a Organic garbage cube that adjusts the temperaturemoisture and avoid bad smells. Finally there is space for Home With home security cameras, smart locks, LED strips and connected bulbs. A blow to the table: here we are I do not remember a deployment of products as large as Dreame has just done in Ifa. We do not know how many of these products will arrive in Spainbut we talk about a brand that It began to be known in 2022 For selling vacuum cleaners in Amazon and suddenly sells dishwasher, ovens, washing machines and even air conditioners. A blow to the table. In addition to expanding their products, they have announced that by the end of the year They will open physical stores In several European cities, among which is Madrid. The truth is that Dreame has made a hole in the Spanish market in a short time and we can already find its products in most large areas. We will see how this bet comes out, but of course they are serious. Images | DREame In Xataka | A Chinese company that you do not know manufactures 35% of all microwaves in the world. Probably yours too

Taking the Chinese machines out of their factories

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TSMC and the US government have been stormy relationship for many years. Probably since this Taiwanese chips manufacturer, The Major on the Planetsnatched the leadership of the semiconductor production industry to Intel. “Our goal is to be number 1. Without exception. And to be it you have to spend three times more than your next competitor. ” Morris Changthe founder of TSMC, He pronounced these words In 1997. Intel dominated the chips industry. Currently the market share of this Asian company Broken 60% And in its client portfolio Nvidia, Apple, AMD, Broadcom or Qualcomm, among other US companies are sheltered. This is the reason why the US market is very important for TSMC. However, today This country cannot do without this company. Intel It has advanced lithography nodesbut the competitiveness of his Taiwanese rival is difficult to match. Even so, the Trump administration is exerting pressure on TSMC difficult to support. TSMC has decided to stop using Chinese machines in its avant -garde nodes He has just confirmed it Nikkei Asia. According to this means of Japanese communication, the TSMC Board of Directors has decided to stop using wafering processing equipment of Chinese origin in its most advanced lithography nodes. Its integrated circuit manufacturing plants are full of machines of the Dutch company ASMLthe Japanese Tokyo Electron and the American Apply materialsbut TSMC also uses Chinese equipment. TSMC is a customer at least of the Amyc and Mattson Technology companies Pulin Technology, Naura Technology, Amec (Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment Inc. China), Mattson Technology or Piotech Inc. are some of the Chinese manufacturers of lithography equipment and most important wafering processing machines. TSMC is customer At least from Amec and Mattson Technologybut it seems that it will not be for a long time. The decision to dispense with their machines seeks to avoid possible US restrictions that could in interrupt the production of semiconductors. Until now the US government He is doing everything in his hand to prevent the most advanced chip manufacturing equipment from arriving in China, but, according to Nikkei AsiaHe is about to take another step. And it is that several US legislators led by Senator Mark Kelly have proposed to put a law that will prohibit companies that receive federal support and tax loans buy teams of “worrying foreign entities.” There is no doubt that they are very serious. Otherwise TSMC, which He has received subsidies of the US administration, I would not have made this decision even before Senator Kelly’s law thrives. More information | Nikkei Asia In Xataka | Intel was about to snatch Apple as a client from TSMC. Having achieved its story would be another

A giant is ready to get into the market of chips manufacturing machines: LG Electronics

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The HBM memories market (High Bandwidth Memory) that work side by side with the GPUs for artificial intelligence (IA) Three companies lead it clearly: Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron Technology. Interestingly, memory chips are The South Korean economy engine Trade dependent. And Samsung and Sk Hynix are Companies that support this industry In this Asian country. In fact, these two South Korean companies compete with each other to master the lucrative HBM memory chips. AND They do not supply when it comes to manufacturing as many integrated circuits as their customers demand. The most important of all of them is, as we can intuit, Nvidia. The export of semiconductors in South Korea increases, but its chips stocks 33.7% fell in April of 2024 compared to the same period of 2023 according to the National Statistics Office. In any case, another South Korean company is ready to enter the market for integrated HBM memory circuits, although it will not compete with SK Hynix and Samsung. LG is preparing a unique machine to produce HBM memories Manufacturing integrated VAGUARD HBM circuits is not simple. The processes involved in the production of these chips are complex, and in them very advanced technologies are involved. SK Hynix, Samsung and Micron are manufacturing on a large scale, although with different success12 -layer HBM3E memories. The two South Korean firms will produce large -scale HBM4 chips during the second semester of 2025, and Micron will do so in 2026. However, CXMT (Changxin Memory Technologies), one of the Chinese companies specialized in the production of memoirs, will launch Your first HBM3E chips in 2027. The main quality of this equipment will be its ability to allow the stack of integrated circuits in a much more efficient way China has several memories manufacturers Important, but they currently do not have solutions capable of competing with the best of SK Hynix or Micron. This circumstance reminds us of how complex it is to manufacture latest generation HBM chips. LG Electronics is going to enter this marketbut you will not compete from you to you with memory chips manufacturers. The opposite; aspires to be your customers. Koo Kwang-Mo, the president of this company, has confirmed That its strategy is to participate in the hardware industry for AI, but it will make it marketing its own chips manufacturing equipment. In fact, LG is developing a machine that will be specifically designed to produce avant -garde HBM memories. According to this company, the main quality of this equipment will be its ability to allow the stack of integrated circuits in a much more efficient way than with the technologies currently available. In theory, the innovation in which LG engineers are working will contribute to the tuning of HBM memories of more capacity and with a lower heat dissipation index. LG plans go to make their HBM memories production team in 2028. The main manufacturers of these machines are the American company Applied Materials and the Dutch Besi, so these are The companies with which LG will compete If finally its memory semiconductor production machine comes to fruition. If so, it is likely that Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron are interested in their team, although it is also possible to apply materials or kiss forward to LG. In fact, SK Hynix and Samsung plan to introduce this technology this year. More information | Economic Seoul In Xataka | Chinese memory chips manufacturers are a nightmare for the US and South Korea. There is a lot at play

“Chatbots are nothing more than Plagiar machines”

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In 2021 the world had not yet learned about what was coming, but Emily Bender – linguist and professor at the University of Washington – was very clear. That was when he copied A famous study in which he described the existing AI models as “Stochastic parrots“That expression since then became one of the best ways to define the basic functioning of Chatgpt. And four years later this expert is reaffirmed in its position: it is a skeptic with arguments. Stochastic parrots. The fundamental idea of ​​his analogy was to compare the models that were then (among them GPT-3, precursor to the used in chatgpt) as stochastic parrots. The “parrots” is clear, since models basically repeat what they are told through training. The “stochastic”, a not so well -known term, refers to the fact that the LLM do not repeat deterministicly or fixedly, but probabilistically predicts what the following word is most likely in a sequence based on the context. Aren’t humans? Sam Altman picked up the glove a year later, when the expression was already known. He did it on December 4, 2022, four days after Chatgpt was released. He wanted to try to make us see that according to him the human beings were also stochastic parrots. In a sense we are: We learn language patterns And we repeat phrases that we hear in addition to predicting what comes next in a conversation. However, there are critical differences with AI models. We understand what we say, while the LLM no We have awareness and intentionality when we speak, we not only produce probable sequences We have abstract reasoning and we are able to adapt reason, generalize and correct our errors in a flexible way: our thought is not purely statistical Declared skeptics. Emily Bender has not changed his mind in all these years. In fact, he has just published his book, ‘The ai with‘(Something like’ The Timo of AI ‘) in which he precisely develops the arguments on which he bases his reserves and skepticism regarding artificial intelligence. In a recent interview With Financial TimesBender stressed that the chatbots of AIs are nothing more than “plagiarism machines” and that the great language models (LLMS) on which they are based “have been born as shit.” They have sold us a lie. This expert believes that generative companies have sold us a lie. His models, he says, They will not fulfill those promisesbut they will not end the human race, as some have wanted to warn. In spite of all the expectation generated, in their opinion the chatbots are bad in most tasks and even the best models of today still have something similar to intelligence. And of “reasoning”, nothing. The new modes of “reasoning” that raise models such as O1, O3 or Deepseek R1 They are another lie in his opinionand that statement that they understand the world makes no sense. We are “imagining a mind behind the texts (generated),” he explains, “but all that understanding comes from our side,” not that of AI. It is not intelligence, it is automation. Bender, who is currently 51 years old, spent his first academic years in Stanford and Berkeley, and ended up working as a teacher at the University of Washington, where it has specially seen in how computers model in human language. In his opinion, the artificial intelligence name itself is exaggerated – an old debate – and should simply be called automation. Chatbots controlled by power. In her book ‘The AI ​​with’ She and her co -author, Alex Hanna, warn of the danger of current AI models. Especially since they are controlled by large companies with certain interests. “Thanks to the huge sums invested, a tiny camera clique has the ability to influence what happens to great stripes of society, he explains. Too much Hype. And in front of Altman or Amodei’s speeches and promises, which promise that We will arrive at the AGI soon or that the AI ​​replace Millions of workersBender’s vision is much more skeptical. For her it is nothing more than a “beautiful wrapping for spreadsheets”, but there is neither magic nor an emerging mind. A magical 8 ball with pretensions. His skeptical vision goes against personalities such as Sam Altman or Elon Musk, who do not stop promising all kinds of revolutions. “That everyone believes that this (AI) is a thinking entity goes to your benefit And very powerful, “he explains,” instead of making people think that this is nothing more than a magic ball with pretensions, “pointing to this toy that agitas asking a question and answers you with a” yes “,” no “,” depends “or some more options. Image | Wikimedia | Village Global In Xataka | Chatgpt is taking some people to the edge of madness. Reality is less alarmist and much more complex

A critical component of current chips manufacturing machines

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The teams of extreme ultraviolet photolithography (UVE) that manufactures the Dutch company ASML are extraordinarily sophisticated. In fact, they are those currently using TSMC, Samsung, Intel, Sy Hynix and Micron Technology for produce integrated avant -garde circuits. They are so complex that during the first phases of their design in the early 90s of the last century, ASML engineers They believed it was impossible. However, everything changed in 1997. That year Jos Benschop, the leader of the research department, reassess whether UNVE technology was a viable option. After the first tests he realized that The German company Zeiss He was able to develop extraordinarily sophisticated mirrors that would be necessary to transport ultraviolet light. And he was not wrong. That was the real starting point of technology that has made it possible for our mobile phones and computers to have such advanced chips. Zeiss’s feat arrived in the 90s One of the most complex elements of UVE lithography machines is The ultraviolet light source. The company of American origin Cymer, although since 2013 it is not an independent company. That year ASML executives decided to buy it to accelerate the development of the technologies involved in UVE lithography. An interesting note: the ultraviolet light is responsible for transporting the geometric pattern described by the mask so that it can be transferred with a lot of precision to the surface of the silicon wafer. Understanding what is the mask is simple: it is nothing other than a physical template that contains the design of the integrated circuit that is necessary to transfer to the Silicon wafer. In any case, there is another component without whose intervention It is not possible to carry out this crucial task. Other components, in plural, in reality, although all of them are of the same type. It is precisely the mirrors that Jos Benschop suspected in 1997 that Zeiss could produce. The light of 11.4 nm was discarded because it forced to use beryllium in the mirrors and is a toxic chemical element The role of the optical elements of this company in these lithography equipment is crucial. And it is because they are responsible for moving the UVE light with a wavelength of 13.5 nm from the source that is responsible for its emission to the mask contained in the geometric pattern that is necessary to translate into the silicon wafer. If the mirrors involved in the propagation of the UVE light are not manufactured with enormous precision the geometric pattern defined by the mask will be altered, and the chips will be damaged. Interestingly, the choice of the wavelength of the UVE light used by these machines was a very delicate decision. Initially the engineers involved in their tuning had four possible options: 13.5 nm, 11.4 nm, 6.6 nm and 4.8 nm. These last two wavelengths were finally ruled out due to the limitations they imposed Organic photorestoning materials. The light of 11.4 Nm was also discarded because it forced to use beryllium in the mirrors, and is a toxic chemical element. The wavelength of 13.5 Nm required to introduce molybdenum and silicon mirrors, but these elements do not pose any problem. This is the reason why UVE machines work with this light. In any case, this data clearly reflects the extraordinary level of precision with which it is necessary to manufacture the mirrors: Zeiss uses argon ions and other elements to polish layer per layer at the atomic level the mirrors, and then identifies and corrects the defects using a subnustric analysis technique. This last tool is capable of detecting defects with a lower precision than a nanometer (less than a millmillonieth part of a meter). * Some price may have changed from the last review Image | Zeiss BIBLIOGRAPHY | ‘Focus: The Asml Way’by Marc Hijink More information | Zeiss | Asianometry In Xataka | 2024 has been a year full of uncertainty for chip designers. So much that the market has changed leader

More and more young in Spain turn to laser machines to erase tattoos

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There are situations that are no longer forever, even if you record them with ink. Although a third of the young Spaniards carries at least one tattooa trend in social networks It is showing that it is increasingly common to erase what one day was permanent. The “forever.” That is one of the most common phrases when you get a tattoo: “Are you sure? It’s forever.” In recent years, tattoos have popularized so much that Spain occupies The sixth place in the world With more tattooed people, and any event It looks like a good idea. However, according to A study by Lutronic PBSManufacturer of medical-aesthetic laser devices, in our country 60% of the people who tattoo regret it. The most common profile in this trend are women between 35 and 50 years old. And it is not an isolated phenomenon: An American investigation Pew Research showed that one in four people regrets at least one of his tattoos. Examples. This is the case of Natalia, 35, who has asked not to reveal her real name. She decided to erase the micropigmentation eyebrows due to the misinformation about this treatment. When he made them, they told him that it would be semi -permanent, but in the end it turned out to be like a tattoo. As she herself, there is no harm that for good does not come: when looking for a center where to eliminate micropigmentation, she also took the opportunity to erase her first tattoo, which “had nothing to do with it.” The story of that first tattoo dates back to his 18 years: “He was too young, it was more as a impulse of rebellion,” he explained. Over the years, more tattoos were made, but he has assured that “it has nothing to do with my style.” It is easier to do so than eliminate it. “The tattoos ink is deposited in the dermis, the second layer of the skin, because its molecules are too large for the body to break down,” Expert Goergen explains CNN. Laser devices emit rapid energy pulses that fragment the ink into smaller particles, which the body processes through the lymphatic system. In safe hands. So it is essential to have a good professional when making a tattoo. In the case of Sara, 30, who also wants to preserve her identity, her tattoo was performed by a person who considers “a bit inexperienced.” He does not like how he looks or how the tattoo feels in his ankle: “In the background I feel sorry to erase it. I did it with 21 years with money that I had saved, but it is like bulky, as if I had not healed well.” Sara consulted with a dermatologist who told him that the ink could have crossed the surface layer of the skin and that it would be advisable to eliminate it as soon as it could. This situation resembles a Swedish preliminary study, conducted with 11,000 people, which suggests that those who have tattoos They have 21% more risk of developing lymphomas compared to those who do not understand it. A good team. It is important to keep in mind that the process of removing laser tattoos, such as Q-Switched, requires specialized training. Natalia was clear: he thoroughly investigated and specifically sought that team, considered one of the most effective for erase. According to the Spanish Society of Aesthetic Medicinethe incorrect use of these equipment, poorly regulated or applied by unprepared people, can cause serious adverse effects, such as burns or scars. In addition, the organization complaint work intrusion and lack of regulation in these cases and others of aesthetic medicine. How many sessions do you need? Although there are clinics that promise to eliminate a tattoo in a single session, experts from the IML Dermatological Clinic They have warned that this is only possible in very specific cases (very small, old tattoos, with black and shallow ink). The most common is to require several sessions, separated by weeks or months. And yet the process is not exempt from complications. The least visible of the process. Jayne Foo, Singapore financial consultant, is part of a growing tendency of Influencers that shares your experience with aesthetic clinics to show the “before and after.” In his account he explains that he has had open wounds, huge blisters and extreme itching. In his networks he confirms that it is not so simple since you have to take precautions and avoid the sun. In addition, she warns that many videos in networks can be misleading, since they show what is known as frosted effect, which seems to clarify the ink immediately, it is only a temporary reaction that lasts about 15 minutes. An explosion to reverse the ink. Under him Hashtag #Tattoremoval on Instagram and Tiktok, more and more people show their tattoo elimination process. The influencer Claudieta, with more than two million followers, He has confessed: “Never make a tattoo at a time that you are bad psychologically.” In this context, and recently, A fans account of the actress Amanda Bynes a video has uploaded how a tattoo of the face is being erased, adding to the Trend viral. In the end a tattoo is an choice of life. A study revealed that the most impulsive people tend to tattoo more. But, as the interviewees have told us, what hurts is not so much impulse, but the process of reverse. Be that as it may, decisions are free and there is always time to change. Sometimes, erasing a tattoo is not forgetting the past, but accepting that it is no longer part of the present. Image | The Dame and Jayne Foo Xataka | The tattoos were always among us. And the European kings gave a Japanese dragon on their arm

Within the most advanced chips manufacturing machines there is something incredible: small supernovae

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Identifying a Supernova is an event that astronomers usually celebrate with enthusiasm. And it is not for less if we consider that they are One of the most violent events with which we can run into the cosmos. Knowing them better is very important because it can help us understand more precision How are the latest stages of The life of mass starsand also the mechanisms that explain how the material caused by stellar synthesis can lead to new star systems. The mathematical tools handled by astrophysics current nuclear fusion that take place in the nucleus of mass stars. During the stage known as the main sequence, stars obtain their energy from the fusion of hydrogen nuclei. As this chemical element is consumed, the star begins to produce helium nuclei, and, of course, its composition begins to evolve. During this process a huge amount of energy is released and the star is forced to continuously readjust to maintain hydrostatic balance, a phenomenon that is the result of the coexistence of two opposite forces capable of compensating. One of them is the gravitational contraction, which compresses the subject of the star, pressing it without rest. And the other is the radiation and gase pressure, which is the fruit of the ignition of the nuclear oven and tries to expand the star. The small supernovae of the extreme ultraviolet lithography equipment As we have anticipated from the holder, this article does not go only from Supernovas; It is also starred by the semiconductors. A priori we can intuit that these cosmic events and integrated circuits have nothing to do, but, curiously, they do have something in common. This is the reason why I found a good idea to start this text reviewing what a supernova is and why they occur. Otherwise we could not understand in all its extension the idea in which we are about to investigate. The ultraviolet radiation generation process used by UVE lithography equipment is very similar to what happens during a Supernova In the teams of extreme ultraviolet lithography (UVE) that manufactures the Dutch company ASML, high power lasers instantly heat tens of thousands of tiny tin drops in a single second until they reach a temperature of half a million Celsius degrees. This interaction produces An extremely hot plasma that emits ultraviolet light with a wavelength of 13.5 nm. This light must later be transported to the wafer thanks to a very precise mirrors and lenses system with the purpose of capturing the patterns that define the integrated circuits on a layer of photorers. Very broadly this is the strategy used by the most advanced semiconductor manufacturing machines that currently exist. And, as we have just seen, high -power lasers interpret an unquestionably protagonist role. As Jays Stewart, Chief of Research at ASML, explains in the very interesting article he has published in IEEE Spectrumthe ultraviolet radiation generation process used by UVE lithography equipment to produce avant -garde chips is very similar to what happens during a supernova. When a massive star exhausts its fuel and stops nuclear fusion processes, radiation pressure and gases is no longer able to counteract gravitational contraction. This phenomenon causes the star iron core It suddenly contracts under the enormous pressure that all layers of material that it has above. The star has lost the hydrostatic balance. At this moment all this matter loses the support that the nucleus exercised, which is now much more compact, and falls on it with enormous speed. When all that star material touches the surface of the nucleus there is a rebound effect that causes it to be fired with a huge energy towards the stellar medium, being disseminated. A supernova has just been produced. Some of them are so energetic that for a few seconds they emit more light than the entire galaxy that contains them. The tiny explosions that take place inside the UVE lithography equipment when a laser affects a tin drop produce a shock wave similar to that originating in the stellar medium, although much smaller scale. Surprisingly the mathematical equations that describe the evolution of these two types of explosions are the same. ASML engineers use them to calculate very precisely how the evolution of the shock wave that triggers plasma balls within the UVE equipment will be. And astrophysicians use them to describe the remains of the supernovas and deduce the properties of the star explosion that originated them. A Supernova has 10⁴⁵ times more energy That an explosion of tin, but thanks to this parallel, ASML engineers have been able to solve the complex problem derived from tin residues inside their most advanced lithography equipment. Image | ASML More information | IEEE Spectrum In Xataka | ‘Focus: The Asml Way’: The book that reveals the secrets of the most powerful European company in the chips industry

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