Starlink vs 5G; Water zinc batteries; What does ChatGPT do?
Elon Musk’s Starlink will be unusable under 5G
By: Ryan Clancy
When Elon Musk unveiled his vision for SpaceX’s Starlink, an ambitious global broadband service promising fast internet speeds and reliable connections, it sparked a flurry of excitement. However, new reports have emerged that 5G networks may render Starlink unusable — challenging Musk's much-hyped project and raising questions about its long-term viability.
But will 5G pose a real threat to the Starlink program or just a new challenge the technology will need to overcome?
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It’s all about the frequency
The battle between Starlink, a satellite internet service developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, and Dish Network’s 5G network is heating up over the 12 GHz frequency used by both services. In an announcement to customers, SpaceX declared that Dish Network's plans of utilizing the 12 GHz spectrum for its mobile service will cause disconnections for more than 75% of Starlink users.
The issue appears to be one of interference as both networks will utilize the same frequency band. According to a SpaceX-commissioned study submitted to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Starlink user terminals would become inoperable if Dish's terrestrial network is granted access to the same frequency ranges. While some have questioned whether this prediction is accurate, the fact remains that Starlink requires a large amount of bandwidth in the spectrum to work properly.
The 12 GHz frequency band is particularly important for SpaceX because it supports high-speed broadband signals from its constellation of satellites. These are necessary for the company to be able to offer a competitive internet service. The satellite internet provider currently has 2,400 satellites in orbit and will launch thousands more in the coming years. This means that any interference on this frequency could significantly alter SpaceX’s ability to provide reliable services to customers and drastically reduce their coverage area.
While Dish Network has yet to comment on the issue, they have stated that they will consider all options as they strive to build a nationwide 5G network. All eyes are now on the FCC as they determine whether to grant Dish Network access to this valuable frequency. Until then, both companies will continue to fight for their respective rights. With billions of dollars on the line, it’s clear that it’s all about the frequency when it comes to Elon Musk’s Starlink and its potential ‘unusability’ under 5G.
[Learn about?advanced beamforming and its impact on 5G.]
Why is 12 GHz important for 5G?
The 12 GHz band is an important frequency to consider when looking at 5G broadband communication. With the ability to provide higher data transmission rates compared to lower-frequency bands, it can become a key enabler for a variety of applications and services that depend on strong signal quality and high speeds. The 12 GHz band presents many advantages over its lower-frequency counterparts in terms of speed, range and throughput.
One of the main benefits of using the 12 GHz spectrum for 5G connectivity is its ability to provide greater industry competition. Due to its higher transmission rate, more companies can enter the market and compete with existing providers, as they can offer services that require a high-speed connection. This means that users have access to more options when selecting an internet provider, and prices are likely to become more competitive as well.
Another advantage of utilizing the 12 GHz band is faster and more efficient deployment. Deployment in this frequency requires fewer base stations than lower-frequency bands, making it suitable for rural areas where traditional infrastructure may be limited or not readily available. It also reduces the amount of time needed for network setup and configuration by providing better signal propagation over long distances and improved coverage even in obstructed environments.
The 12 GHz band also provides better signal propagation than lower frequencies, meaning that fewer base stations are required to cover a given area. Base station usage is reduced due to the higher frequency waveform characteristics of this spectrum — the waves can travel farther and more easily penetrate through obstructions such as walls or foliage. This allows for improved coverage and more reliable connections in urban environments where there is limited infrastructure available.
[Here's why?5G repeaters are being installed on streetlights.]
So, will Starlink be no more?
The debate over the 12 GHz band has been framed as a choice between 5G and the Starlink satellite system. However, it's important to note that the situation is much more complex than that. Whether or not Starlink will be affected by a move to open up the 12 GHz band for 5G use depends on several factors.
First, if the FCC does decide to open portions of the band for 5G deployment, stakeholders need to agree which parts of it can be used safely and without disrupting existing services. In this regard, there are two potential approaches: either allowing carriers access to a portion of the spectrum while creating guard bands (spaces) around existing users; or reserving certain chunks of frequency exclusively for current users.
Next, stakeholders must also consider the technical characteristics of 5G and Starlink when deciding where to draw the line between them. For example, 5G is designed to operate at higher power levels than Starlink satellites and this could potentially interfere with existing services if not managed properly. Furthermore, Starlink's broadband internet access relies on multiple LEO satellites communicating directly to provide service — something that could be disrupted by new 5G transmissions.
Ultimately, only time will tell if the FCC can find a way to open the 12 GHz band for 5G use without compromising Starlink. Therefore, it is essential that all stakeholders approach this issue with care and respect each other's needs. Only then will we be able to ensure that both 5G and Starlink can coexist in harmony.
Are water-based zinc batteries the next big thing?
By: Peter Brown
Cheap and powerful rechargeable batteries are used for anything from generating electricity in solar and wind farms to powering smartphones to the energy source of electric cars.
Currently, the batteries used in these devices are lithium-ion. The problem is that lithium prices are soaring, and they continue to have issues with being highly flammable.
Enter water-based zinc batteries.
As an alternative to lithium-ion batteries, these are designed to be more powerful, safer and even more environmentally friendly.
According to researchers from ETH Zurich, which is developing water-based zinc batteries, these batteries offer several advantages over traditional lithium-ion devices. These include:
However, there are some issues with these batteries.
When zinc batteries are charged at high voltage, the water in electrolyte fluid reacts on one of the electrodes to form hydrogen gas. Because of this, the electrolyte fluid dwindles and battery performance decreases. Other issues include excess pressure build up and the formation of spikey deposits of zinc during charging of the battery, known as dendrites that can pierce the battery.
Fast charging, high performance
In the development of the water-based zinc battery, ETH Zurich didn’t use any environmentally harmful salts opting instead for environmentally friendly salts of acetic acid, called acetates.
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“With an ideal concentration of acetates, we were able to minimize electrolyte depletion and prevent Zinc dendrites just as well as other scientists previously did with high concentrations of toxic salts,” said Dario Gomez Vazquez, a doctoral student at ETH Zurich involved in the research. “Moreover, with our approach, the batteries can be charged and discharged much faster.”
Researchers tested the battery at a small laboratory scale and the next step will be to scale up the approach and see if it can be translated for large batteries.
This could be used one day as storage units in the power grid to help with power outages or in the basements of single-family homes to allow solar power produced during the day to be used in the evening.
The full research can be found in the journal?Royal Society of Chemistry.
[More content like this in our Power Supplies and Devices Newsletter]
What does ChatGPT do, exactly?
By: Marie Donlon
It might be easier to answer what ChatGPT cannot do — which GlobalSpec will attempt to do in a forthcoming feature.
In the meantime, an earlier feature from GlobalSpec discussed ChatGPT — the natural language processing tool that is driven by artificial intelligence (AI) — examining what ChatGPT is and briefly touching upon what it is being used for. This follow-up will take a deeper dive into what the chatbot can accomplish.
Created by OpenAI,?ChatGPT?enables human users to have realistic, human-like conversations with the chatbot. But, according to OpenAI, ChatGPT can do so much more. Follow along with GlobalSpec as we explore some of the tasks that ChatGPT is taking on.
Writing
Perhaps the number one use of ChatGPT, at least according to all the coverage surrounding the topic of ChatGPT, is writing.
According to its developers, ChatGPT can be used to write anything: movie scripts, notes, lists, code,?essays, poems and even music.
Entering a prompt with some keywords and instructions could result in the creation of some written final product that could potentially get past professors and teachers. Recently, a?Twitter user?reported using the chatbot to write his Harvard application essay based on the following input: "Write a college essay to get into Harvard as an Asian American, but don't make me too Asian." This resulted in a well-written five-paragraph essay on the topic that was returned almost instantly.
Similarly, students accessing the free chatbot services are using ChatGPT to write school essays. However, OpenAI warns that although the results are well written and coherent, the essays produced by ChatGPT don’t necessarily demonstrate a lot of originality — at least for now.
Further, the information contained in ChatGPT-generated essays can sometimes return incorrect information but in a convincing way. Additionally, some seasoned professors report that they can detect such AI-assisted essays just by reading them while GPT detectors like GPTZero are becoming more sophisticated at detecting such works. OpenAI suggests that in the future, any ChatGPT-generated content will be watermarked, alerting professors to these AI-generated works.
Interestingly, ChatGPT is reportedly sophisticated enough to also convert writing into different styles and voices, like Shakespeare, for instance.
Testing
In the same vein as creating essays, ChatGPT has also reportedly been used to take tests. Specifically, a team of researchers from?Illinois Institute of Technology’s Chicago-Kent College of Law?had ChatGPT take the Uniform Bar Exam back in July of 2022. According to reports, ChatGPT passed the bar exam with a score in the 90th?percentile. Likewise, ChatGPT has passed 13 out of 15 AP exams, an MBA exam and the verbal component of a Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
On the flip side of that coin, teachers and professors can reportedly use ChatGPT to help grade tests and essays.
Job-seeking/hiring
Chat GPT isn’t only being used by students to formulate essays in mere minutes. Job seekers are also reportedly using the AI-content generator to assist with writing resumes and cover letters or making edits to existing resumes and cover letters. The technology could also be used to prep job seekers for interviews,
Further,?human resource?departments are also using ChatGPT to create interview questions based on the role to be filled within a company and to create searches, of LinkedIn for instance, for particular candidates for a specific job. Additionally, ChatGPT could also be instructed to write job advertisements or outreach copy.
Healthcare
The?healthcare?applications for ChatGPT are potentially endless, according to countless reports. In addition to possibly paving the way for a shift toward remote healthcare management, ChatGPT is also being eyed for enhancing medical education, remote patient monitoring, medication management, disease surveillance, medical writing, medical recordkeeping, patient triage and more.
Specifically, ChatGPT could possibly be used to flag potential drug interactions or suggest treatment options for patients. Further, ChatGPT could be used to translate medical terms and jargon into layman’s terms.
Although experts caution against it, reports suggest that users are also treating ChatGPT as a therapist. Although ChatGPT is knowledgeable about mental health, it was not designed for this purpose. However, users are turning to the chatbot for mental health applications based on its easy availability and zero cost.
Coding
Programmers beware! ChatGPT, according to its developers, can write useful?code?— which is the set of instructions, or a system of rules, written in programming languages such as JavaScript, Python, C#, PHP and Java.
Consequently, this is expected to free up programmers to focus on other components of software development, including testing and debugging. As such, faster development times and more efficient software development processes could be expected to follow.
ChatGPT could potentially improve code quality because humans make mistakes, and mistakes can lead to errors in the code, according to experts. Likewise, ChatGPT can detect holes in code, thereby ensuring its security.
Workplace use
ChatGPT is expected to automate repetitive tasks in the workplace, such as data entry, or customer service tasks like answering common questions about product information, product availability, delivery and returns. Businesses believe that ChatGPT could potentially reduce the workload on human workers, freeing them up to complete higher value tasks.
Personal use
Importantly, ChatGPT can alleviate day-to-day burdens on individual users who can offload tasks like list making to the chatbot. Individual users can use the technology to create recipes, customize workout routines, play games, serve as a travel advisor, summarize books, answer philosophical questions, make grocery and other lists, write sick notes for children or to simply chat.
[More content like this in our Software Engineering and Programming Newsletter]