2021 Media Watch Archives

Anew young billionaire has taken the mantle as the “world’s youngest self-made billionaire” after his self-driving technology company Luminar Technologies Inc. (LAZR) went public in December 2020. Some have taken to calling 26-year-old Austin Russell the "next Elon Musk." … The Newport Beach, California, native applied for his first patent at 13 and worked at a laser institute at the University of California at Irvine instead of going to high school. Luminar has a market capitalization of just over $6 billion. Shares of Luminar have taken a hit in the past year. On Dec. 29, 2020, shares of Luminar closed at $32.36. On Tuesday, shares of Luminar closed at $17.10. Read More

Leave the wallet at home, soon you may be able to pay for items with a swipe of the sleeve. In a recently published paper, UC Irvine researchers detailed how they developed a flexible textile that allows clothing to communicate with nearby devices. The technology advances near-field technology, which is how people are able to use their smartphones to pay for items in a store. Aside from no-touch payments, the new technology could have a number of applications. People could no longer need a key or separate device to unlock their cars. Employees could also use their clothes rather than a badge to unlock facility gates. [Subscription required, you can request an electronic copy of the article by sending an email to communications@uci.edu.] Read More

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) have created a novel, high-tech sort of material that foreshadows a future in which clothing gadgets may “talk” to one other and purchases can be made with a high-five or a wave of the arm. … “You’ve used near-field signaling applied sciences if you’ve held your smartphone or credit card near a reader to pay for a purchase order,” says co-author Peter Tseng [assistant professor of electrical engineering and computer science]. “Our materials work on the same principle, but we’ve broadened the range dramatically.” This means that you may keep your phone in your pocket and transfer energy and data to and from your device just by brushing your body against different textiles or readers.” Read More

“If you’ve held your smartphone or charge card close to a reader to pay for a purchase, you have taken advantage of near-field signaling technologies. Our fabrics work on the same principle, but we’ve extended the range significantly,” said Peter Tseng, UCI assistant professor of electrical engineering and computer science. “This means you could potentially keep your phone in your pocket, and just by brushing your body against other textiles or readers, power and information can be transferred to and from your device.” Read More