Lightelligence announced the achievement of a commercialization milestone for optical computing by introducing the PACE 3 chip featuring a 256x256 photonic matrix. At the WAIC 2026 forum, the company demonstrated the world's first deployed photonic computation in real-world conditions using the Tianshu Light Cube access control system.
The PACE 3 chip is specifically designed for performing inference on large models, not for training them. It utilizes a photonic in-memory computing architecture to execute matrix-vector multiplications, which is the primary computational pattern during neural network inference. This architecture provides lower latency and better energy efficiency compared to electronic counterparts.
The hybrid photo-electric architecture addresses a fundamental problem: while photonic computing offers advantages such as high throughput, reduced transmission losses, and inherent parallel processing capability, its practical application requires integration with electronic systems for data conversion and control. The main obstacle to scaling was a contradiction: end-users saw no incentive to reconfigure software for unproven hardware, and suppliers lacked market demand to cover the costs of producing optical devices.
Lightelligence's method involves combining the capabilities of optical switching, optical interconnects, and the photonic computations themselves within its product line. This allows for the creation of integrated photo-electric solutions that do not require clients to completely overhaul their software stack. Co-founder and CTO, Dr. Meng Huaiyu, noted that the size of the photonic matrix was intentionally chosen to achieve an optimal balance, as large computations require effective coordination between matrices of different sizes, rather than one excessively large one.
Dr. Shen Yichen compared the current stage of development to creating a hardware lottery for future applications, drawing parallels with how NVIDIA's gaming processors spurred the development of neural networks. Lightelligence also places simulators in classrooms so that next-generation algorithms can evolve on photonic hardware. The company asserts that photonic computing is not a replacement for GPUs but forms an entirely new ecosystem, and the demonstration of the access control system confirms long-term operational stability.
In light of radical changes in the lifestyle and work patterns of South Africans, who have transformed living rooms into offices and residential areas into entertainment centers, Epson has unveiled its new set of innovations.
This collection includes a new line of Lifestudio projectors and next-generation EcoTank printers designed for home users, offices, and businesses. The launch of these products demonstrates the company's continuous investment in technologies aimed at making daily life simpler, more efficient, and greener.
Gareth Jay, Epson's Regional Sales Director for Africa, noted that the company's latest developments were inspired by how people interact with technology at home and at work. He emphasized that modern home and business spaces are no longer narrowly specialized; people are looking for technologies that integrate seamlessly into multifunctional zones and help them work, create, and enjoy entertainment with less complexity.
According to Jay, the new product lineup, which includes Lifestudio projectors, EcoTank printers, and Epson Creative Corner, meets the general demand from customers for simple, effective, and relevant solutions for modern living and working.
As hybrid work continues to shape consumer behavior, South Africans require technologies capable of adapting to various conditions rather than performing a single function. For instance, a living room might serve as a workspace during the day and a relaxation area in the evening.
To support this shift, Epson's Lifestudio projectors are equipped with 4K display technology, integrated Bose sound, and built-in Google TV™ with Gemini, providing an immersive experience that goes beyond traditional television. A study conducted by Epson in South Africa, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Morocco, and Turkey showed that over half of respondents prefer large projection screens over conventional televisions, indicating a growing demand for cinematic home entertainment.
In the business sector, the focus is on performance and cost-effectiveness. Gareth Jay explained that the EcoTank Business line is designed to reduce the total cost of ownership by decreasing energy consumption, minimizing maintenance downtime, and significantly cutting printing costs.
He clarified that economy extends beyond the initial price and includes the total cost of ownership, including ink, energy, maintenance, and downtime. The cartridge-free EcoTank system helps businesses reduce waste, with one set of ink bottles being able to replace up to 79 traditional cartridges. Epson asserts that users can print for up to three years without needing refills, reducing consumables.
Sustainable development remains a key element of Epson's innovation strategy. Heat-Free PrecisionCore technology eliminates the need for heating during the ink ejection process, which reduces energy consumption and ensures instant printing without warm-up time. Jay stressed that for Epson, performance and energy efficiency are interconnected priorities.
This approach is part of Epson's broader Environmental Vision 2050, which aims to reduce environmental impact while simultaneously providing practical, high-performance technologies for households, entrepreneurs, and businesses. Jay believes that as South Africans continue to adopt more flexible ways of living and working, technology must evolve alongside them so that consumers can seamlessly integrate these spaces into the Epson ecosystem.
NASA is implementing a distinct approach to study supermassive black holes using the Nancy Grace Roman telescope. This instrument will seek to identify these cosmic giants by analyzing the explosions that occur when stars are destroyed.
Black holes reside at the core of most galaxies, including the Milky Way, and some possess masses equivalent to millions or even billions of suns. However, a question persists among astronomers: how did these objects reach such vast sizes in such a short period?
According to a study published in The Astrophysical Journal, NASA's Nancy Grace Roman is scheduled for launch on August 30, 2026. Its function will be to observe supermassive black holes that existed approximately 11 billion years ago, aiding in reconstructing the formation trajectory of these celestial bodies.
Locating such entities is not trivial, given that black holes do not emit light themselves. Therefore, scientists rely on the light emitted by the material orbiting these objects before it is absorbed. Smaller ones attract less matter and consequently tend to go unnoticed.
In this context come the so-called Tidal Disruption Events (TDEs). When a star approaches a black hole too closely, it can be torn apart, generating a temporary flare that surpasses the brightness of an entire galaxy.
Mitchell Karmen, a graduate student at Johns Hopkins University and lead author of the study, stated that the Roman Space Telescope will be a transformative agent for transient event science. He emphasized that due to the equipment's high sensitivity, it will be possible to detect multiple TDEs at 'greater distances and in cosmically older epochs than ever before.'
The mission's methodology involves repeatedly returning to the same area of space during its research at high latitudes. The monitored region covers about 18 square degrees of the sky, which is equivalent to approximately 90 full moons. This tactic increases the probability of capturing ephemeral phenomena.
Among the central objectives of the mission are: identifying TDEs in distant galaxies; recognizing smaller and older supermassive black holes; investigating the evolution of these objects throughout cosmic history; and comparing various models regarding the genesis of the first black holes.
It is important to note that not all black holes cause this type of explosion. Those with more than a billion solar masses swallow stars before there is any disruption. Those with masses between 100 thousand and 100 million times that of the Sun are the ones that produce the luminous signals detectable by telescopes.
Roman will primarily focus on near-infrared light, while the Vera C. Rubin Observatory will conduct measurements in visible light, allowing each to reveal a distinct facet of the Universe's history.
Researchers project that Rubin could record thousands to tens of thousands of these events annually, while Roman should identify up to one hundred. Despite being less frequent, these records will provide information about a very primitive phase of cosmic evolution.
Suvi Gezari, an associate professor of astronomy at the University of Maryland and co-author of the study, stated that simply counting these events across different redshift values—a metric representing different eras of universal history—will already allow for establishing crucial limits for the population of black holes with about a million solar masses.
The current expectation is to verify whether the observations made by Roman and Rubin corroborate the study's predictions, contributing to elucidating how these giants arose and evolved over billions of years.
Observing the Universe means observing the past, since light, although it is the fastest known phenomenon, does not propagate instantaneously. The speed of light is approximately 300 thousand kilometers per second, allowing it to travel about 9.46 trillion kilometers in a period of one year. This vast distance is the focus of astronomical studies.
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