Race to the microchip



Does the name Elisha Gray ring a bell? In a fair world, it should. Now how about Alexander Graham Bell? Most will instantly recognise him as the inventor of the telephone. Few, however, realise that Gray and Bell patented the telephone on the same day.

The history of science is strewn with examples of almost simultaneous inventions. Many an innovator has watched his or her invention - with just that little addition - reap acclaim worldwide while they wallow in anonymity.

Alfred Russel Wallace and Charles Darwin, Glenn Curtiss and the Wright brothers, William E Sawyer and Thomas Edison, the Winklevoss brothers and Mark Zuckerberg: some of these runner-ups have faded into the annals of history, while others are suing everybody in sight.

As The National reported yesterday, two groups of UAE students are in a race to complete work on what will be the Gulf's first domestically engineered microchip. Regardless of who wins, it is a credit to both the American University of Sharjahand UAE Universitythat their students have taken up the gauntlet.

The commercial applications are still speculative, although Abu Dhabi's Advanced Technology Investment Company will fabricate the winning chip. And so innovations are forged on the shoulders of shared research - even sometimes the research of competitors.

THE LIGHT

Director: Tom Tykwer

Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger

Rating: 3/5

BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE

Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega

Director: Tim Burton

Rating: 3/5

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The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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Section 375

Cast: Akshaye Khanna, Richa Chadha, Meera Chopra & Rahul Bhat

Director: Ajay Bahl

Producers: Kumar Mangat Pathak, Abhishek Pathak & SCIPL

Rating: 3.5/5