News and updates from our global community

The UK's Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (PTSI) Act: What our customers using Cellular/ Wifi/ Bluetooth modules need to know.

As a specialist provider of positioning and wireless communication modules for IoT applications, Alpha Micro is committed to keeping its customers informed about relevant regulations and their potential impact. The recently enacted Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (PTSI) Act in the UK introduces new cybersecurity requirements for manufacturers, importers, and distributors of internet-connected products. This blog aims to provide a clear understanding of the Act and its potential implications for their businesses.

Cambridge firms kick off commercial negotiations at SEMICON Korea

Government programme opens doors to Korean interest in innovative chip technologies

Preparing for the power of 6G

Enhanced connectivity is driving global innovation and improving efficiency, communication, and sustainability in almost every industry. As it expands its reach around the world, 5G is accelerating these developments and constantly generating new and exciting use cases. But with the path to 6G already in motion, what is the future of connectivity?

Data and AI: the key to improving network reliability and managing customer satisfaction

We all rely on broadband connectivity in our everyday lives, yet we so easily take it for granted. Whether it’s using social media to keep up with family and friends, or online shopping, banking, booking a table at our favourite restaurant, or even travelling by plane, Uber or train - we often don’t realise that this connectivity underpins so much of what we do. For businesses, it’s even more critical.

Combining Rigid and Flexible Materials with PolyJet Overmoulding

Create unique, complex geometries with overmoulds by leveraging PolyJet 3D printing

Glossary of patent terms – part 1

In this two-part glossary, Appleyard Lees partner and patent attorney Parminder Lally, and trainee patent attorneys Debora Dorn and Ryan Newcombe, take you through some of the key terminology you may come across when you’re going through the patent process.

How DMLS Can Be Used to Produce Reliable Metal Parts

Learn how metal additive creates complex, durable, lightweight metal parts

Unveiling 360Work’s Hire Smart: The Future of Tech Recruitment is Here

360Work introduces "Hire Smart," a cutting-edge AI-driven SaaS platform tailored for Talent Acquisition in the Deep Tech and Software domains. Think of it as a "Digital Headhunter" for tech enterprises. It adapts to your business needs, offering precise talent recommendations from a global pool, all without the high costs of traditional specialised services. Dive into the details below.

China’s new materials industry & UK-China collaboration

The development of materials and chemical products in China has been one of the most remarkable industrial and scientific transformations in recent history. Over the past few decades, China has rapidly evolved from being a consumer of materials and chemicals to becoming a major player in their production, research, and innovation. In recent years, the materials and chemical products industry in China is characterised by rapid growth, innovation, and a shift towards new materials under the circumstances of global economic and green development. This article focuses on China’s policies regarding new materials, describes the developments in the sector, and explores potential business opportunities between Chinese and UK enterprises.

China’s EV Market and Opportunities for UK-China Collaboration

China has emerged as a dominant player in the electric vehicle (EV) market, particularly in terms of supply chains, technology, and cost advantage, all of which have contributed to China’s rise in the industry.

Should European patent applications be opted-out of the Unified Patent Court?

The EU patent package establishing a Unitary Patent (UP) providing EU-wide patent coverage and a Unified Patent Court (UPC) to enforce such patents entered into force on 1 June 2023, and our clients are deciding whether or not to opt out their existing European patents from the jurisdiction of the UPC. To date most of the discussion has centred around opting out existing granted European patents. However, some of our clients have also been considering whether they should opt out their pending European patent applications. We therefore consider below some of the issues that should be considered in this regard.

GNSS Security Attack Vectors in Critical National Infrastructure

The four main Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) constellations (GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, BEIDOU) provide more than just navigation or positioning. They provide stable & accurate frequency, phase & time references for all manner of systems that underpin modern life. These include telecom networks, power & utility networks, financial services institutions, and radio/TV broadcast to name but a few. Many of these applications form part of a nation’s Critical National Infrastructure (CNI).

The Superhero SIM by Nick Hunn

What will Quantum Computers ever do for us?

By: Peter Debenham Senior Consultant, Plextek Quantum Computing is buzz phrase found across technical journals, websites and blogs. The phrase even escapes outside the scientific and technical domain into general newspapers and television. It is a recent concept; physicist Paul Benioff proposed a quantum mechanical model of the Turing machine only in 1980[1]

Waking up from the Maternity Leave dreamland

Written and illustrated by: Polly Britton Project Engineer, Plextek People sometimes want to know what it’s like being a female engineer, but it’s really just like being a male engineer who goes into a different bathroom. Becoming a mother and primary care giver adds a completely new dimension to the question, though. I just got back from six months of maternity leave, for the second time in my career, and it’s slightly surreal. As more women are encouraged to go into engineering as a field of study and a career, we may soon see more and more women going through this transformation of engineer into mother, and then into an engineer-mother hybrid.

T 0702/20: patentability of a sparsely connected neural network

In T 0702/20, the Board of Appeal considered the patentability of a sparsely connected neural network in EP 14882049.1 to Mitsubishi Electric Corporation. This is one of the first cases to consider the patentability of core AI at the EPO.

Developing Software Defined Radio applications with OpenCPI

By: Robert Littlejohns Consultant, Plextek Wireless technologies are always evolving and becoming more complex to meet the ever-increasing capacity, reliability and security demands of customers. The most prominent example of this is the ongoing rollout of the 5G mobile phone network. Over time, the 5G standard will improve and gain new features. With the cost of deploying such a network nationwide in the billions of pounds, the ability for a network operator to modify the functionality of their base stations with a software update is very attractive. This can be achieved using Software Defined Radios (SDRs).

Can Radar Detect Tennis Balls?

By: Dr Damien Clarke Lead Consultant, Plextek Large and expensive military radar systems, such as the Artisan Radar, are capable of detecting objects as small as tennis balls at great distances even while moving at high speeds:

Running engineering projects sustainably

By: Bede O’Neill Business Development, Defence, Plextek In this blog, I aim to show how we run projects in a sustainable way. This covers all ESG angles, from tackling economic inequality, equal opportunities, to fighting climate change.

AI: Diffusion models in art and beyond?

By: Josip Rozman Consultant, Plextek Science fiction has long played with the idea of a creative, and mostly benevolent AI which would be able to produce innovative works of literature and art of the highest quality. The hype is partially to blame for our extremely high expectations of said models, and to a degree of disappointment when our expectations are not completely met. There are currently two big areas of research for generative models: natural language and image (video).

Management Liability - Protect your people

It doesn’t matter whether you’re the director of a start-up, non-profit or FTSE100 listed firm, the day-to-day decisions you make, could leave you vulnerable to legal action. Not only that, your employees and even the business itself, are also subject to scrutiny and claims can also be made against them. However, you can protect your actions and those of your staff and organisation with management liability insurance, here’s what it covers and how it can help your business.

IP and AI – UK Government publishes response to second consultation

On 28 June 2022, the UKIPO published its response (here) addressing the second consultation on the interplay between artificial intelligence and intellectual property, which ran from October 2021 to January 2022.