Chinese researchers create four-gram drone

🌈 Abstract

The article covers various technology and innovation news from Asia, including the development of a lightweight drone by Chinese researchers, a former Samsung employee's sentencing for sharing OLED technology secrets with a Chinese entity, the growth of Huawei's cloud operations in Singapore, Singapore's initiatives to adopt quantum and AI technologies in the financial sector, the introduction of robo-cabs in Shanghai, and the first bilateral meeting between NASA and the newly established Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA).

🙋 Q&A

[01] Chinese Drone Development

1. What are the key features of the drone developed by Chinese researchers?

• The drone weighs just over 4 grams, less than a sheet of printer paper.
• It uses an electrostatic motor that weighs only 1.52 grams and is powered by solar cells that produce 4.5V.
• The drone's design has a lift-to-power efficiency two to three times better than traditional drones.
• The authors suggest that if rechargeable batteries can be added, the drone could be capable of 24-hour flying operations.

[02] Samsung OLED Technology Leak

1. What happened to the former Samsung employee who shared OLED technology secrets with a Chinese entity?

• The former Samsung employee was sentenced to 6 years in jail for sharing secrets about OLED technology with a Chinese entity.
• He had spent a decade or more at Samsung before starting his own business that illegally used Samsung's intellectual property (IP).
• He also sold that knowledge to unnamed Chinese customers.

[03] Huawei Cloud Growth in Singapore

1. What are the key details about Huawei Cloud's growth in Singapore?

• Huawei Cloud's Singapore operations grew by over 100% in the last 12 months, but the baseline figure was not provided.
• In the last 5 years, Huawei Cloud has served over 1,000 customers in Singapore and collaborated with over 500 technology partners.
• Huawei's revenue in the Asia-Pacific region has increased twenty-fold in the past 4 years, making it the second-largest cloud provider in China and the fastest-growing in the Asia-Pacific region.

[04] Singapore's Initiatives in Quantum and AI

1. What initiatives has Singapore announced to support the adoption of quantum and AI technologies in the financial services industry?

• The Monetary Authority of Singapore announced grants worth S$100 million ($74 million) to help the local financial services industry adopt quantum and AI technologies.
• Singapore also signed a statement of intent for data analytics and artificial intelligence cooperation with the United States.

[05] Robo-Cabs in Shanghai

1. What is the situation with the introduction of robo-cabs in Shanghai?

• Shanghai has decided to allow robo-cabs to service passengers at Pudong International airport, angering local cabbies who stand to miss out on fares to the city's downtown areas, about 40km (25 miles) away.
• Elsewhere in China, cabbies are worried that robocabs offer rides at low prices they can't match.

[06] NASA and Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) Collaboration

1. What is the nature of the collaboration between NASA and KASA?

• NASA and the newly established Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) conducted their first bilateral meeting.
• KASA commenced operations in late May.
• The two space organizations pledged ongoing collaboration on NASA's Artemis program, as well as existing South Korean space efforts.