TechCapsules

Kiefer, formerly a renewable‑energy developer, is shifting its focus to artificial intelligence and robotics, announcing a €175 million investment plan. €25 million has already been spent, with the remaining €150 million earmarked for the next two years via equity, bank loans and Recovery Fund funds. The company will build a vertically integrated ecosystem, including computing infrastructure, proprietary AI models, and robotic systems, with a new AI facility in Megalopolis, Greece, slated to house the country’s first Nvidia SuperPOD. Expansion into [...]

Pakistan is preparing to launch its first astronaut aboard China’s Tiangong space station as a payload specialist. Two candidates, Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud, have entered training at China’s Astronaut Centre following a 2025 cooperation agreement. The selected astronaut will conduct experiments in biology, materials science, biotechnology, and microgravity, and participate in routine crew activities during a short‑duration mission. The flight is part of Pakistan’s broader space agenda, which includes Earth‑observation satellites and a planned lunar rover on [...]

VisionPower Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (VSMC), a joint venture between Vanguard International Semiconductor and NXP Semiconductors, opened its first 12‑inch fab in Tampines, Singapore. The ceremony, attended by Singapore’s Trade Minister, EDB Chairman, and JTC CEO, marked the completion of 22 months of construction. The fab, now in risk production, will begin volume output in Q1 2027, targeting 44,000 wafers monthly by 2029. It supports 130‑nm to 40‑nm processes for mixed‑signal, power, analog, and interposer applications across HPC, mobile, [...]

Indian startup TakeMe2Space plans to launch its MOI‑1A satellite on SpaceX’s Transporter‑18 rideshare mission on October 1. The sub‑50‑kilogram spacecraft will carry Nvidia Orin NX edge‑computing processors, enabling customers to upload AI models that analyze data in orbit. Instead of transmitting raw imagery, the satellite will send processed insights, reducing bandwidth and ground‑processing costs. The company has secured 23 customers, including GIS firms and educational institutions, targeting sectors such as agriculture, mining, supply‑chain management, and insurance. The launch marks [...]

UCL’s Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health has partnered with Bristol start‑up Siloton to adapt the company’s quantum‑enabled OCT device for paediatric use. The NIHR‑funded project will modify Siloton’s compact Akepa system—adjusting lenses and casing—to fit children’s eyes and faces, enabling safe, high‑resolution imaging outside hospitals. The goal is to allow community or home monitoring of sight‑threatening conditions, reducing clinic visits and improving early detection and treatment for young patients. [...]

Microsoft Teams will discontinue the Copilot chat list shortcut effective next month, a change announced by Microsoft’s product team. The shortcut, which allowed users to quickly access AI‑powered chat summaries, was part of the broader Copilot integration aimed at boosting productivity. The removal follows user feedback indicating limited adoption and a shift toward more streamlined AI features within the Teams interface. Microsoft will replace the shortcut with alternative navigation options in upcoming updates, maintaining Copilot’s core functionality. [...]

Hyderabad‑based TakeMe2Space plans to launch India’s first orbital data centre mission in 2028 aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9. The company will deploy two 100‑kg MOI satellites under a rideshare with RIDE! Space, forming the initial nodes of a six‑satellite constellation that will provide networked computing in orbit. Each satellite will carry 10 Nvidia Thor GPUs, 100 TB of storage, and optical inter‑satellite links, enabling workload sharing and data processing close to the source. The launch, part of the Waymaker 2 mission, [...]

Path of Exile co‑creator Chris Wilson expressed tentative optimism that Diablo 5 will return to the series’ early roots, citing clues from the BlizzCon 2026 announcement. Wilson highlighted the flame‑etched logo, distinct item sizes, and a linear world structure as signals of a classic ARPG feel. He also noted the game’s planned procedural dungeons and a shift away from Diablo 4’s enemy scaling. Wilson remains cautious about online‑only play, item trading, and combat design, but hopes Blizzard honors the [...]