The hottest Engineering Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Business Topics

Optimising costs to enhancing UX - it is all engineering

system bashing • 117 implied HN points • 18 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Cost Optimization User Experience Cloud Services Engineering System Design
  1. In a tech company, engineering involves balancing cloud costs and user interface to optimize costs and enhance user experience.
  2. Reducing costs significantly is crucial for a company's profitability regardless of other measures like discounts or marketing strategies.
  3. Engineering decisions impact user experience constraints and cloud costs, requiring a balance between the two for system efficiency.
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GPT-4 Doesn't Have "Gender Bias." It's Just Bad At Language (Still)

jonstokes.com • 154 implied HN points • 18 May 23
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Software Language processing Engineering Data Analysis
  1. Different approaches to evaluating AI performance have practical implications in development, deployment, and regulation.
  2. Language models like GPT-4 struggle with resolving ambiguity in human language due to limitations in understanding context.
  3. Using an engineering approach, providing relevant context, and improving language parsing can help mitigate language model biases and inaccuracies.

Erika Update #5: DNA detective

Erika’s Newsletter • 137 implied HN points • 18 Apr 23
🔬 Science Biology Genetics Research Engineering Biotechnology
  1. It's important to keep good track of custom DNA programs in biology for engineering purposes.
  2. Current DNA management lacks clear nomenclature and annotation, making it challenging to work with DNA sequences.
  3. Challenges in DNA management highlight the complexity of biological functions and the importance of handling sequences carefully and thoughtfully.

Blast from the Past: The Supersonic Comeback Tour

Startupology • 19 implied HN points • 09 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Aerospace Innovation Engineering Environment Regulation
  1. Supersonic flight is making a comeback after facing challenges like high operation costs and noise complaints.
  2. Exciting projects by NASA and private companies aim to bring back supersonic flight with advancements like 'sonic thumps' and sustainable fuels.
  3. The future of supersonic flight faces challenges like technical limitations, environmental concerns, safety precautions, and regulatory hurdles.

3 quick tips on how to build more scalable systems [System Design Sundays]

Technology Made Simple • 119 implied HN points • 17 Apr 23
🕹 Technology System Design Scalability Engineering Software Architecture
  1. Location matters: Place software close to clients for faster response times using CDNs, edge computing, or geo-replication.
  2. Cache wisely: Optimize speed by using in-memory caching, database caching, or web caching to avoid repeated actions.
  3. Async is key: Improve efficiency with asynchronous processing through message queues, event-driven architectures, or microservices.

How things fail

Only Wonder Knows • 39 implied HN points • 03 Nov 23
🕹 Technology Testing Reliability Engineering
  1. Testing things to failure can reveal weaknesses and help improve reliability.
  2. The HALT test is an effective method to stress test products and discover design flaws.
  3. Each weakness identified in the HALT test presents an opportunity to enhance product reliability.

A psychology PhD's journey from academe to human factors engineering

The Recovering Academic • 59 implied HN points • 12 Sep 23
💼 Business Psychology Engineering Academia Career transition
  1. Ashley Ruba transitioned successfully from academia to the industry, showcasing the value of building online professional relationships.
  2. The academic job market can be challenging and unmeritocratic, leading to difficulties in securing faculty positions despite impressive achievements.
  3. Ashley Ruba's journey highlights the importance of exploring career options outside of academia, especially when facing challenges like limited job prospects and the impact of external factors.

Manufacturing PCBs with controlled impedance

Only Wonder Knows • 98 implied HN points • 02 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Manufacturing Engineering Quality control
  1. Manufacturing PCBs with controlled impedance involves extra cost and needs to be well understood and justified.
  2. To determine when controlled impedance of PCB traces is needed, consider factors like trace width, dielectric material thickness, and manufacturing tolerances.
  3. Measuring characteristic impedance in PCBs involves complex processes, manual testing, and cost implications that should be discussed with the manufacturer.

Self vs Self

davidj.substack • 95 implied HN points • 07 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Engineering Team Management AI
  1. Individual Contributor roles in technology allow technically skilled individuals to advance without moving into management.
  2. Specialized IC roles, like Staff or Principal, are crucial for making better technical decisions and preventing engineering issues.
  3. Having fewer hard-to-hire line managers and more experienced ICs can lead to better support and scaling in technical teams.

Transmission line explorations - deeper investigations

Only Wonder Knows • 39 implied HN points • 20 Oct 23
🕹 Technology Electronics Manufacturing Materials Simulation Engineering
  1. Establish a close relationship with the PCB manufacturer to discuss concerns and ask for expected ranges.
  2. Consider ordering a PCB carefully as design complexity increases, requiring more aspects to be taken into account.
  3. Copper roughness, dielectric materials, and DK uniformity are crucial factors to consider in PCB design for high-speed signals.

Randomness- A billion dollar problem in Software Engineering [Math Mondays]

Technology Made Simple • 59 implied HN points • 22 Aug 23
🕹 Technology Software Math Computing Engineering Programming
  1. Randomness in software engineering introduces unpredictability and can be used for various reasons like generating different outputs and introducing randomness into systems.
  2. Careful consideration is needed when using randomness in software engineering to avoid security risks and unnecessary complexity.
  3. To test the randomness of a system, consider using Diehard tests, which are intuitive and effective in evaluating randomness.

Driving fans

Only Wonder Knows • 98 implied HN points • 25 May 23
🔬 Science Physics Engineering Devices Specifications
  1. Understanding basic physics is crucial when dealing with fan systems.
  2. The relationship between air flow and air pressure in fan systems is not always linear.
  3. When selecting a fan for a system, consider factors like power consumption, flow specifications, and current consumption.

Phage-assisted evolution and protein engineering yield compact, efficient prime editors

Axial • 37 implied HN points • 20 Oct 23
🔬 Science Biotechnology Genetics Research Evolution Engineering
  1. New optimized prime editors called PE6 variants improve editing outcomes in mammalian cells
  2. Phage-assisted continuous evolution enhances the efficiency of compact reverse transcriptases
  3. Combining evolved Cas9 domains with engineered RTs creates efficient prime editors for installing DNA sequences in vivo

Runway Project

De Novo • 66 implied HN points • 27 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Gaming Aerospace Engineering Art Design
  1. Runway Project is a combat tournament and art show based in Kerbal Space Program
  2. Craft design in Runway Project requires balancing firepower, thrust, maneuverability, resilience, and artistic potential
  3. Important design tips for Runway Project include considering round rules, incorporating art into craft design, testing designs, ensuring craft resilience, and tuning AI

The Metaverse is a good business move[Finance Fridays]

Technology Made Simple • 179 implied HN points • 22 Oct 22
🕹 Technology AR/VR Social media Data Collection Engineering Skills Development
  1. The Metaverse is viewed as a beneficial business move, despite criticism from some sectors. It offers potential for immersive AR/VR experiences that could transform various industries.
  2. Critics raise concerns about the Metaverse's impact on mental health, utility versus costs, and accessibility to all. However, these challenges might not be as significant as initially perceived.
  3. Investing in the Metaverse could help Meta address its major challenges, create new revenue streams, and establish a unique position in the tech industry. Developing skills related to AR/VR and technology can potentially lead to opportunities in this evolving landscape.

Chopper amplifiers: history and present

Only Wonder Knows • 19 implied HN points • 15 Dec 23
🔬 Science Electronics Engineering Physics Circuits
  1. Chopper amplifiers are a technique to reduce DC offset and low frequency noise in amplifiers.
  2. Historically, chopper amplifiers have been implemented using innovative methods like optical chopping with cadmium sulfide light-dependent resistors.
  3. Contemporary engineers can refer to Jim Williams' design for an ultrahigh performance instrumentation amplifier that resembles the old chopper amplifier concept.

An Fc engineering approach that modulates antibody-dependent cytokine release without altering cell-killing functions

Axial • 7 implied HN points • 17 Feb 24
🔬 Science Research Engineering Antibodies
  1. An innovative Fc engineering approach can adjust antibody-dependent cytokine release without impacting cell-killing functions. This shows that manipulating cytokine release independently is possible.
  2. Different IgG isotypes have varying abilities to stimulate proinflammatory cytokine release. This indicates the importance of isotype selection beyond just cytotoxicity.
  3. Engineering antibodies to selectively engage FcγRs can potentially enhance immune responses. This opens up new possibilities for optimizing antibody immunotherapies against cancer.

Truth in Inconvenience

Breaking Smart • 90 implied HN points • 25 Feb 23
🕹 Technology AI Data Engineering Knowledge Reality
  1. Real-world friction connects big zeitgeist things and teaches about truth in inconvenience.
  2. Meccano vs Lego: Meccano models offer higher realism, messiness and inconveniences, while Legos offer convenience and smoothness.
  3. AI entering the world may encounter a real, high-interest world like a Meccano world, where knowledge shock requires adjusting ambitions to balance design knowledge and friction knowledge.

Prompt Engineering? Try "Prompt Vibing"

AI and Experience Design • 78 implied HN points • 24 May 23
🕹 Technology AI Engineering Intuition Machine Learning
  1. Prompt Engineering involves scientific, methodical, and measurement-oriented approaches to creating AI prompts.
  2. Prompt Engineering may not be enough due to the inscrutability of Large Language Models and the need for intuition when working with AI.
  3. Prompt Vibing suggests leveraging intuitive sensibilities and balancing engineering mindset with intuition when interacting with AI.

SpaceX's 5-Step Design Process

SatPost by Trung Phan • 79 implied HN points • 22 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Space Exploration Innovation Engineering Memes AI
  1. SpaceX is working on a 5-step design process for their Starship rocket, focusing on rapid failure and iteration.
  2. SpaceX has achieved significant cost reductions in space travel through reusable rockets and plans to further reduce launch costs with their new Starship rocket.
  3. SpaceX's approach to rapid iteration and innovation differs from NASA's more conservative approach, allowing for quicker progress in space exploration.

S&T - New Horizons: The UK’s Global Science Strategy Beyond Horizon Europe (Jan 2023)

James W. Phillips' Newsletter • 78 implied HN points • 18 Feb 23
🔬 Science Technology Research Innovation Engineering Global
  1. The UK needs to benchmark itself against global science leaders for investment and performance.
  2. Science and technology have become more interdisciplinary and institutions need to adapt to support this.
  3. Identifying niches for exploitation and creating new institutions focused on empowering junior researchers is crucial for UK's success.