MILPITAS, Calif., Sept. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Seeking to strengthen the semiconductor industry’s resilience to cybersecurity threats, the global association SEMI today announced the creation of a strategic roadmap for cybersecurity implementation throughout the industry. The SEMI Semiconductor Manufacturing Cybersecurity Consortium (SMCC) has partnered with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop a semiconductor manufacturing industry profile for NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 (CSF 2.0) that will serve as the foundation for the aforementioned roadmap. NIST plans to publish the profile in mid-2025. 

According to research by the Identity Theft Resource Center, cyberattacks rose by 72 percentage points in 2023 over the previous all-time high in 2021. As semiconductor factories become increasingly connected and autonomous, the industry must respond to the growing security vulnerabilities associated with this next level of digital reliance and align with broader government efforts to secure the building blocks of technologies vital to society.
“Semiconductors are integral to both national security and the global economy – we need to do everything in our power to protect the industry,” said Cherilyn Pascoe, Director of the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE) at NIST. “NIST is pleased to partner with SEMI SMCC for the development and adoption of a NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 Profile for Semiconductor Manufacturing. This collaboration is important to identify and reduce cybersecurity challenges in semiconductor manufacturing.”
“It’s important to recognize and address the unique cybersecurity challenges facing the semiconductor industry,” said Jennifer Lynn, SMCC Working Group Chair and Semiconductor Cybersecurity Lead at IBM Research. “This community profile could allow us to better identify and execute a path forward.”
In support of the 2023 National Cybersecurity Strategy’s strategic objective to secure global supply chains for information, communications and operational technology products and services, the White House Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD) included a Cybersecurity Framework Profile as part of initiative 5.5.5 in the National Cybersecurity Strategy Implementation Plan Version 2. SMCC recognized the need for a cybersecurity community profile specific to semiconductor manufacturing and worked with the federal government to develop one.
“Unlike air, space, land, and sea, cyberspace is the only battle domain created entirely by human hands,” said Anjana Rajan, Assistant National Cyber Director for Technology Security at ONCD, during the Global Executive Cybersecurity Forum at SEMICON West 2024. “This means we have both the power and the responsibility to shape it. The future of cyberspace where defenders have an inherent advantage over attackers starts with preparation, and that preparation must begin with securing the building blocks.”
Prior to completion, the community profile will open for public review and commentary in accordance with NIST’s official process. The review period has yet to be announced. The community profile is part of a broader NIST strategy to further standardize cybersecurity protocols for the semiconductor sector, in line with profiles for other industries.
“With the committed resources and support from NIST to support SMCC working groups, we’ll be able to accelerate the development of this semiconductor manufacturing industry community profile creation,” said Brian Korn, Director for SMCC and Staff Technologist focused on Cybersecurity and Automation at Intel Foundry.
SMCC will provide cybersecurity recommendations for semiconductor manufacturing equipment, information on implementation, and updates on the development of the community profile. For more information, visit the project webpage or contact [email protected].
SMCC working groups are engaged with the SEMI Standards program to create a standards-based approach supporting the semiconductor ecosystem by leveraging the program’s 50-year history of industry alignment. SMCC is currently working on developments to two cybersecurity standards:
E187: Specification for Cybersecurity of Fab EquipmentE188: Specification for Malware-Free Equipment IntegrationAbout SMCC 
The Semiconductor Manufacturing Cybersecurity Consortium (SMCC) is a SEMI technology community founded in 2024 to develop and promote a standard based, semiconductor industry wide approach to improve cybersecurity and accelerate implementation of actionable solutions. The vision of SMCC is to strengthen cyber resilience and protection of the global semiconductor supply chain against evolving threats. SMCC’s reach extends all over the world and enables our members to connect and collaborate on specific cybersecurity issues and challenges affecting different regions. It focuses on important key topics and seeks to find solutions that will benefit the entire industry. 
About SEMI
SEMI® is the global industry association connecting over 3,000 member companies and 1.5 million professionals worldwide across the semiconductor and electronics design and manufacturing supply chain. We accelerate member collaboration on solutions to top industry challenges through Advocacy, Workforce Development, Sustainability, Supply Chain Management and other programs. Our SEMICON® expositions and events, technology communities, standards and market intelligence help advance our members’ business growth and innovations in design, devices, equipment, materials, services and software, enabling smarter, faster, more secure electronics. Visit  www.semi.org, contact a regional office, and connect with SEMI on LinkedIn and X to learn more. 
About NIST 
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) was founded in 1901 and is now part of the U.S. Department of Commerce. NIST is one of the nation’s oldest physical science laboratories. Congress established the agency to remove a major challenge to U.S. industrial competitiveness at the time — a second-rate measurement infrastructure that lagged behind the capabilities of the United Kingdom, Germany and other economic rivals.  
The National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE) under NIST is a collaborative hub where industry organizations, government agencies, and academic institutions work together to address businesses’ most pressing cybersecurity challenges. This public-private partnership enables the creation of practical cybersecurity solutions for specific industries or broad, cross-sector technology challenges. Working with technology partners—from Fortune 50 market leaders to smaller companies specializing in IT security— the NCCoE develops modular, easily adaptable example cybersecurity solutions demonstrating how to apply standards and best practices using commercially available technology. 
About ONCD
The Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD) advises the President of the United States on cybersecurity policy and strategy. Established by Congress in 2021, ONCD is a component of the Executive Office of the President at the White House. The Office spearheaded the development of the President’s National Cybersecurity Strategy, which President Biden issued on March 2, 2023. ONCD coordinates a whole-of-government approach to implement the National Cybersecurity Strategy.
ONCD’s mission is to advance national security, economic prosperity, and technological innovation through cybersecurity policy leadership. In carrying out its directive, ONCD works closely with White House and interagency partners, as well as with all levels of government, America’s international allies and partners, non-profits, academia, and the private sector, to shape and coordinate federal cybersecurity policy. Guided by the President’s vision, as articulated in the National Cybersecurity Strategy, ONCD is working to create a more equitable, safe, and resilient interconnected world in which every American can thrive and prosper.
Association Contact Samer Bahou / SEMIPhone: 1.408.943.7870Email: [email protected]
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Unlimited access to training materials empowers enterprise customers to accelerate time-to-market for AI and data-driven applications
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Sept. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — MinIO, the leader in high-performance object storage for AI, today announced the MinIO Learning Subscription, featuring unlimited access to MinIO’s full portfolio of training content. Through the subscription, training is delivered through a combination of videos, practical exercises and hands-on labs, designed to help customers accelerate onboarding for new staff and shorten time-to-market.

The MinIO Learning Subscription learners will soon have more than 250 videos organized into courses for MinIO administrators, developers, and Kubernetes operators. The content is indexed and searchable, allowing for targeted, just-in-time performance support. Additionally, students can also choose to learn on the go using the mobile app.
“Enterprises seeking to leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning to transform their business need infrastructure at a level of scale and performance previously unthinkable,” said Pete Hnath, Head of Training and Certification at MinIO. “The MinIO Object Store is integral to reach petabyte and even exabyte scale while delivering the performance AI/ML requires. The MinIO Learning Subscription offers an accelerated on ramp to prepare teams to deploy and manage object storage at scale.”
Validation of skill transfer and job role readiness is critical for project leaders. The MinIO Learning Subscription includes a voucher for each named learner to attempt the MinIO Certified Administrator – Practitioner exam.
The MinIO Learning Subscription enables users to learn by doing with comprehensive, hands-on labs. Learners progress through lab-focused video demos, followed by hands-on guided exercises, and then outcome focused end-of-module labs to build the applied skills needed to take full advantage of MinIO’s powerful capabilities in production environments. Lab exercises can be completed on the student’s local system using basic Docker compose scripts. Subscribers also receive exclusive access to a trial license of MinIO Enterprise Object Store  to learn about features including caching, catalog, firewall, observability, and Key Management Server (KMS) that are unique to the enterprise offering.
Similarly, interacting with others is integral to the learning experience. The MinIO Learning Subscription includes an engaging peer-to-peer learning model where students can ask questions, get answers, and see others’ contributions inline with the course content. The MinIO curriculum engineers are also directly accessible to students. This provides a fluid and integrated model for collaborative learning missing from many other online learning experiences. 
Technical enablement is critical to customer success. At $700 per learner (with volume discounts available starting at just 10 learners), the MinIO Learning Subscription is priced to encourage customers to invest in their team in preparation for project success. To learn more, visit the MinIO training at https://min.io/training.
About MinIOMinIO is pioneering high-performance object storage for AI/ML and modern data lake workloads. The software-defined, Amazon S3-compatible object storage system is used by more than half of the Fortune 500. With 1.7B+ Docker downloads, MinIO is the fastest-growing cloud object storage company and is consistently ranked by industry analysts as a leader in object storage. Founded in November 2014, the company is backed by Intel Capital, Softbank Vision Fund 2, Dell Technologies Capital, Nexus Venture Partners, General Catalyst and key angel investors.
Media Contact: Tucker Hallowell, [email protected]
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SHANGHAI, Sept. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Fourier, the Shanghai-based robotics company, announces the launch of GR-2, the latest addition to its GRx humanoid robot series. With remarkable upgrades across hardware, design, and software, GR-2 marks a new milestone in the field of humanoid robotics.

Next-Level Hardware Design 
GR-2 builds upon the success of its predecessor, GR-1 — the world’s first mass-produced humanoid robot. Standing at 175 cm and weighing 63 kg, GR-2 offers 53 degrees of freedom and a single-arm load capacity of 3 kg, enabling it to tackle more complex tasks.
The new robot features a detachable battery with the capacity doubled, extending runtime by an hour. This upgrade boosts GR-2’s adaptability, making it capable of handling a broader range of challenges, such as long-distance walking.
Engineering Breakthroughs for Developers
GR-2 features integrated cabling design for power and communication transmission, allowing concealed wires and more compact packaging. The efficient layout optimizes space for easier modularization and greater adaptiveness for application-oriented customization.
To simplify the control system and reduce maintenance, Fourier re-designed GR-2’s joint configuration, shifting from a parallel to a serial structure. It improves debugging, lowers manufacturing costs, and enhances the robot’s ability to rapidly learn and transition from AI simulation to real-world applications.
12-Degrees-of-Freedom Dexterous Hands: Precision in Motion
GR-2 introduces 12-DoF dexterous hands—double the dexterity of previous models. Designed to mirror the flexibility of human physiology, these hands adapt seamlessly to complex tasks with greater precision.
Equipped with six array-type tactile sensors, GR-2 can sense force, identify object shapes and materials, and adjust its grip in real time for optimal manipulation in dynamic settings.
Supporting multiple upper-limb teaching modes—VR remote control, lead-through programming, and direct command—GR-2 can record a comprehensive set of operational data, from motion paths to tactile responses. The robust data collection expects to bridge the gap between virtual models and real-world applications, pushing the boundaries of robot training and deployment further.
FSA 2.0: Powering Dynamic Mobility
Fourier breaks new ground in humanoid robotics by incorporating human-like motion into GR-2’s design. To optimize its movement, the company developed seven distinct FSA actuators for GR-2, each tailored to meet the specific torque demands of every joint.
With peak torques exceeding 380 N.m, FSA 2.0 boosts GR-2’s agility and dynamic capabilities. The dual-encoder system doubles control accuracy, ensuring precise movements even in high-pressure environments. Designed for both speed and precision, FSA 2.0 empowers GR-2 to navigate complex tasks with greater flexibility.
Optimized Tools for Innovative Development
Fourier prioritizes the developer’s experience. The company optimized GR-2’s development platform by introducing a new software development kit compatible with mainstream programming languages such as ROS. Developers can have easy access to a robust suite of pre-optimized modules for machine vision, path planning, and force feedback control through intuitive APIs. 
Supporting frameworks such as NVIDIA Isaac Lab and Mujoco, the new platform empowers developers to focus on innovation, streamlining their workflow and elevating the robotics development experience.
“GR-2 is a big step into the future of humanoid robotics,” said Alex Gu, CEO of Fourier. “We’re passionate about building the most intuitive embodied agent for AI, allowing it to engage with the physical world in ways like never before. Fourier is excited to have developers, researchers, and enterprises join us on this incredible journey.”
Fourier GRx series sets new standards in humanoid robotics with its emphasis on AI integration. In view of the future evolution of humanoid robot entities, the company outlines six key areas for development—locomotion, manipulation, cognition, bionic design, user experience, and commercial viability. The launch of GR-2 marks a new step toward future breakthroughs in human-robot collaboration.
About Fourier
Founded in 2015, Fourier is a leading general-purpose robotics company. At Fourier, our mission is to leverage full-stack robotics technology to enrich people’s lives. We’re headquartered in Shanghai, China with a team of over 500 employees globally. For more information about Fourier, please visit: www.fftai.com.  
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