November 7, 2025

Physical AI Era: Machines Must Learn to See Before They Can Think AI can think, but machines still struggle to perceive the world. The physical AI era demands scalable, affordable & precise sensing. Next-gen chip-based LiDAR delivers compact, durable, velocity-aware perception, enabling billions of autonomous systems to see, understand & act. EE Times

Sponsor "Flying" SMD Components This paper deals with the fundamentals of heat transfer and the test procedures show how the SOD323 can be processed given a suitable selection of solder paste and oven settings. Read more. Rehm Thermal Systems

Apple is planning to use a custom version of Google Gemini for Apple Intelligence Apple will reportedly pay Google about $1 billion a year to power its revamped Siri with a custom Gemini AI model. The 1.2-trillion-parameter system will run on Apple's Private Cloud Compute, boosting Siri's planning and summarization capabilities ahead of its 2026 launch. The Verge

Unlocking the Potential of Nanoscale Conformal Coatings Revolutionary Plasma Coating as Conformal Coating - discover it now! PlasmaPlus® enables ultra-thin, solvent-free functional coatings under atmospheric pressure - without post-treatment. Ideal for corrosion protection, insulation and adhesion improvement. Technical Paper

How Fast Can Germany Shift To Software-Defined Vehicles? China's rapid "software-defined vehicle" pace is pressuring Germany's automakers. Legacy OEMs must integrate software, rethink hardware-software co-design, and adopt agile, data-driven processes to compete with China's speed, scale, and software-first EV strategies. Semiconductor Engineering

Sponsor SEHO@productronica: Innovations up close Designed for demanding applications and focused on efficiency. Experience what is already possible today to make your production future-proof. Meet SEHO at productronica: A4-578! SEHO

Tesla says shareholders approve Musk's $1 trillion pay plan with over 75% voting in favor Tesla shareholders approved CEO Elon Musk's nearly $1 trillion pay plan with 75% support, despite opposition from proxy advisors. The package could boost his stake to 25% if Tesla hits ambitious market, profit, and product milestones, including $8.5 trillion in value. CNBC

Technical Papers ■ PCB Rework Evolves, With X-ray a Constant Support ■ How pH Cleaning Agents Affect Production Performance ■ A Universal AI-Powered Segmentation Model for PCBA & Semiconductor ■ RAIG Minimizes Corrosion, Allows Higher Gold on ENEPIG ■ High Reliability Lead-Free Solder Paste with Rosin and Anti-Crack Resin ■ Understanding Solder Dross: Causes and Control Strategies ■ Optimizing BGA Rework: Challenges, Techniques and Quality Control ■ Maintenance: The Basics of Cleaning Series Part 4 ■ The Economics of Electronic Component Salvage and Reuse ■ Cutting Without Contact: How Laser Depanelling Redefines PCB Manufacturing MORE TECHNICAL PAPERS

Sponsor Optimizing BGA Rework: Challenges, Techniques and Quality Control The complexity of BGA packages introduces challenges during rework requiring innovative methods and inspection practices to ensure performance and reliability. Read more. BEST Inc.

A new bipartisan bill would force companies to reveal how AI is impacting jobs A new bipartisan Senate bill seeks to reveal AI's true impact on U.S. jobs by requiring major employers to report quarterly on AI-related layoffs. Sponsored by Senators Josh Hawley and Mark Warner, the measure aims to replace speculation with transparent data. TechSpot

How Starting a Side Project Can Help Cool Off Burnout A veteran engineer urges peers to reignite their creative spark through side projects, calling them a powerful way to rediscover passion, explore new technologies, and advance careers. With modern AI tools simplifying development, there's never been a better time to build. IEEE Spectrum

Sponsor EZ-FLO High Precision Ceramic Dispense Tips The ceramic molding process allows for smaller more precise inner diameters with a glass-like finish, giving you the ultimate control. Learn more. DL Technology

AI and Cost-Cutting Lead to the Worst October Layoffs in 22 Years U.S. companies announced 153,074 layoffs in October, the highest for the month in 22 years, driven by rapid AI adoption and aggressive cost-cutting, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas—nearly triple last year's figure and the worst fourth-quarter total since 2008. Entrepreneur

Applied Brain Research Demos First Silicon For State-Space Models Applied Brain Research launched its first commercial state-space network accelerator, delivering real-time speech recognition at only 35 mW. The neuromorphic chip processes time-series data with fewer parameters than transformers, enabling low-latency, on-device AI for voice interfaces. EE Times

Sponsor Eliminate Traditional Masking Methods SpeedMask® maskants protect parts from surface finishing. Cure fast with UV or LED light and replace time-consuming tape, wax, lacquer application. Dymax

Sam Altman says he wants an AI to replace him as OpenAI CEO OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said he hopes his company becomes the first major firm run by an AI, admitting he'd feel "ashamed" if it didn't happen. Altman predicts AI could manage departments within years and acknowledges it will eliminate many jobs before creating new ones. TechSpot

New data shows companies are rehiring former employees as AI falls short of expectations New data from workplace analytics firm Visier shows companies are increasingly rehiring laid-off employees as AI fails to replace workers at scale. The trend highlights rising costs, limited automation benefits, and management misjudgments over the true returns of AI deployment. TechSpot

Sponsor Malcom Paste Mixers Unlike hand mixing, the Malcom SPS Solder Paste Mixer is a non-contaminating mixer which utilizes pseudo planetary motion to stir the solder paste. The SPS-1 provides uniform consistency. Seika

Nvidia's Jensen Huang softens his 'China will win the AI race' remark to FT Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang reportedly told the Financial Times that China will win the AI race due to lower energy costs and fewer regulations but later softened his remarks, stressing that America must race ahead by winning global developers. CNBC

Solder Paste Life on the Stencil Our solder paste has a specified life for exposure on the stencil at 10 hours. We run our stencil operation continuously for 40 hours, adding 250g of new paste every 2 hours. The addition paste thus becomes mixed with the existing paste. Circuit Insight - Ask the Experts

China bolsters rare earth export controls with major hiring push China's Ministry of Commerce has launched its biggest recruitment drive in nearly a decade, planning to hire about 60 new officials in 2026. The expansion includes adding staff to its rare earth control and export oversight divisions amid ongoing trade tensions. Digitimes

Sponsor Keeley Pedals Perfected with Manncorp Keeley Electronics revolutionizes production with Manncorp pick & place machines, achieving unprecedented speed, precision, and innovation in the guitar pedal industry. Manncorp Inc.

Thermal Cycling Profile on Thermal Fatigue Performance of a 192-Pin Chip Array BGA This paper summarizes the findings from a thermal cycling test to evaluate the effect of thermal cycling profile on thermal fatigue performance of low temperature solders. Circuit Insight - Analysis Lab

What is HDR? HDR, or High Dynamic Range, enhances display quality by expanding contrast and color range, preserving fine details in shadows and highlights that SDR often loses. It delivers richer visuals in photos, videos, and graphics, though typically at higher cost. TechSpot

Memory Safety Will Be Key to Tackle Fundamental Cyber Security The U.K.'s Digital Security by Design initiative showcased CHERI, a memory-safe hardware technology, in London. Experts praised its cybersecurity potential but noted adoption challenges. With 160+ companies involved, standardizing memory safety remains a key priority. EE Times