While electricity is an integral part of our daily lives, some modern technologies do not require electricity to function. These technologies rely on other energy sources, such as mechanical energy, solar energy, or kinetic energy, to operate. In this article, learn how seven modern technology examples work without electricity. Solar-powered calculators One typical instance of technology that does not require electricity is solar-powered calculators. These calculators are run on solar cells, which transform sunshine into electricity. The calculator can be powered in low light thanks to the solar cells, which are typically integrated into the calculator’s display. Calculators powered by …

Interest in the metaverse is accelerating at a global rate, with countries all over the world joining in the rush to get involved. In Japan, a country often associated with its legacy technology sector, a group of well-known tech companies entered into an agreement on Feb. 27 to forward the creation of the “Japan Metaverse Economic Zone." Along with creating the Japan Metaverse Economic Zone, the agreement's focus is on building an open metaverse infrastructure called “Ryugukoku," which will spark the next wave of metaverse development. This open metaverse infrastructure will help create interoperable tools available for users and developers …

Hardware wallet manufacturer Trezor is accelerating the production of new Trezor wallets by producing its own wallet silicon chips. Trezor officially announced on Feb. 27 that the firm will start facilitating the production of its own key component, the chip wrapper, in its flagship product, Trezor Model T. The move aims to significantly optimize Trezor wallets’ production, reducing lead times in the supply cycle from two years to several months. The optimization will also eliminate delays in shipping finished products and protect consumers from exposure to price fluctuations based on component supply and demand, Trezor said. As previously reported, demand …

A proposal seeking to create a $200 million fund dedicated to early-stage Web3 startups was submitted on Feb. 26 by Mantle Core on BitDAO's governance forum. The ecosystem fund aims to boost the adoption of Mantle's network among developers and Dapps. Mantle is an Ethereum layer-2 network developed by the BitDAO ecosystem. According to the proposal, a capital pool of $200 million would be deployed within the Mantle ecosystem over the next three years. BitDAO's treasury would provide $100 million USD Coin (USDC), while another $100 million would be supplied by external matching capital from "strategic venture partners". Funds that …

Creating an information technology (IT) strategy is essential for any business that wants to stay competitive in today’s digital world. An effective IT strategy can help you leverage technology to improve efficiency, productivity and profitability. This article explains six steps to create an IT strategy for your business. Step 1: Define your business goals Setting up a clear definition of your business goals is the first step in developing an IT strategy. Business owners must comprehend their company’s goals and how IT may help them achieve them. For instance, if increasing income is one of your company’s goals, you might …

The Financial Stability Board (FSB), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) will deliver papers and recommendations establishing standards for a global crypto regulatory framework, announced on Feb. 25 the group of the 20 biggest economies of the world, collectively known as G20. According to a document summarizing the outcomes of the meeting with finance ministers and central bank governors, the FSB will release by July 2023 recommendations on the regulation, supervision and oversight of global stablecoins, crypto assets activities and markets. The next guidance is expected for September 2023, when the FSB and the …

Grayscale Investments CEO Michael Sonnenshein “can’t imagine” why the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) “wouldn’t want” to protect Grayscale investors and return the true asset value to them, in a recent podcast interview. In an interview with What Bitcoin Did, a popular podcast hosted by Peter McCormack, on Feb. 25, Sonnenshein explained that the SEC “violated the administrative procedures act” by denying Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) as an approved spot Bitcoin (BTC) exchange-traded fund (ETF), in June 2022. He explained that this act ensures the regulator doesn’t show “favoritism,” or act “arbitrary,” adding that by approving Bitcoin Futures …

Having emerged as a movement in the research community, Decentralized Science (DeSci) initiatives are progressing at a pace even big pharma cannot ignore. In fact, Pfizer is now the first pharmaceutical to vote on decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) proposals of German blockchain-based organization VitaDAO. The collaboration is part of VitaDAO's latest fundraising disclosed in late January from strategic members, including Pfizer Ventures, Shine Capital and L1 Digital, among other longevity enthusiasts. The $4.1 million raised will be used to fund longevity research projects and accelerate the spinout of VitaDAO's first biotech startups, with two more in development for 2023. "Pfizer …

It might be difficult to find a blockchain developer, particularly if one is unfamiliar with the technology and its range of uses. Employing knowledgeable developers who can assist organizations in creating and deploying blockchain-based solutions that match their objectives is becoming more and more crucial due to the growing demand for blockchain solutions across industries. In this article, we will outline five easy steps to hire a blockchain developer. Step 1: Understand your business needs Understanding a company’s needs and the kind of blockchain solution it wants to construct is crucial before recruiters or hiring managers start looking for a …

The final vote on the European Union’s much-awaited set of crypto rules, known as the Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) regulation, was recently deferred to April 2023. It was not the first delay — previously the European lawmakers rescheduled the procedure from November 2022 to February 2023. The setback, however, was caused solely by technical difficulties, and thus, MiCA is still on its way to becoming the first comprehensive pan-European crypto framework. But that will happen only in 2024, whereas during the second half of last year, when the MiCA text had already been mostly written, the industry was shaken …

In a joint statement released by three United States federal agencies, the banking sector was advised against creating new risk management principles to counter liquidity risks resulting from crypto-asset market vulnerabilities. The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) released a statement reminding banks to apply existing risk management principles when addressing crypto-related liquidity risks. The joint statement highlighted the key liquidity risks associated with crypto-assets and related participants for banking organizations. The risks highlighted concern the unpredictable scale and timing of deposit inflows …

During the first G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) meeting under India’s presidency, the members were invited to discuss key financial stability and regulatory priorities, among other policy approaches. India urged member nations to build and understand the macro-financial implications of crypto assets and recommended formulating a coordinated global policy. India’s Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, has historically supported the idea of creating crypto regulations in partnership with other jurisdictions — given the global reach of crypto assets. Under India's G20 Presidency, this narrative is now a part of mainstream discussions. During the FMCBG meeting held on Feb. 24 …