Online Tech Degrees Go Global as OPIT Celebrates First Computer Science Graduates

A new generation of tech professionals gathered in Valletta this weekend as OPIT, Open Institute of Technology celebrated a major milestone in its rapid international growth story.

The online technology institution welcomed 111 graduates from more than 35 countries for its 2026 graduation ceremony at the historic Casino Maltese, marking the graduation of OPIT’s first-ever Bachelor of Science cohort in Computer Science.

Alongside the undergraduate students, graduates also completed Master of Science degrees in Applied Data Science and AI, Responsible Artificial Intelligence, Digital Business and Innovation, and Enterprise Cybersecurity, highlighting the growing global demand for specialist digital skills.

Founded by ed-tech entrepreneur Riccardo Ocleppo and led by former Italian Education Minister Francesco Profumo, OPIT was launched to help tackle the worldwide technology skills shortage through accessible online education focused on high-demand sectors.

And the growth has been rapid.

In just three years, OPIT has expanded to around 600 students across 92 countries, with ambitious plans to reach 1,000 students by 2027. The institution has also broadened its academic portfolio with the introduction of a Foundation Programme and what it describes as Europe’s first Professional Doctorate in Applied Artificial Intelligence.

The ceremony itself reflected OPIT’s increasingly international reputation, attracting graduates from countries including the UK, USA, Germany, India, Malta, Nigeria, Romania, Italy, and the Netherlands.

One of the biggest themes running through the event was the growing importance of practical, career-focused technology education. Around 70% of OPIT students are already working professionals employed across industries including finance, consulting, cybersecurity, software development, and global technology firms.

Every degree programme concludes with a hands-on capstone project tackling real-world challenges. Recent projects explored AI-driven anti-money laundering systems, predictive modelling for climate disasters, responsible AI governance, and cybersecurity risk management.

The event also featured contributions from several prominent figures in the global technology and education sectors, including Matt Symonds and Zorina Alliata, whose keynote focused on artificial intelligence, innovation, and digital transformation.

As businesses worldwide continue racing to adopt AI, automation, and cybersecurity technologies, institutions like OPIT are positioning themselves at the centre of the next wave of global digital education.

Best Image-to-Video AI Generators in 2026: Tested and Ranked

The AI video race is heating up fast, and in 2026, turning a static image into a slick cinematic clip is no longer futuristic wizardry. 

It is rapidly becoming an everyday tool for creators, marketers, ecommerce brands and social media teams trying to produce eye-catching video content at speed.

But while dozens of platforms now promise “Hollywood-quality AI video”, the reality is that not all image-to-video generators are built for the same job.

Some focus on cinematic motion and dramatic camera effects. Others prioritise realism, consistency or rapid content production for social platforms. And increasingly, creators are discovering that choosing the right tool depends less on hype, and more on workflow.

One of the biggest names gaining traction is Magic Hour, which positions itself as an all-in-one AI video and image platform. The appeal is clear for busy creators and marketing teams: fast generation, multiple export formats, built-in editing tools and even free daily access.

Rather than specialising in a single cinematic niche, Magic Hour focuses on scalable production. Users can quickly generate vertical TikTok clips, square Instagram videos or widescreen promo footage from the same source image without constantly switching apps.

The platform also integrates several major AI models including Veo, Kling and Seedance, giving users flexibility depending on the style of output they need.

Meanwhile, Kling AI continues to attract creators looking for dramatic cinematic movement from a single still image. Its strengths lie in camera motion, environmental animation and scene continuity — making it particularly attractive for music visuals, teaser trailers and stylised advertising campaigns.

For creators chasing narrative storytelling, Higgsfield AI has emerged as another serious contender. The platform focuses heavily on smooth transitions and cohesive visual sequences, helping transform static concept art and photography into short cinematic scenes.

Then there is Google Veo, which has rapidly become associated with high-end realism. Veo’s detailed lighting simulation and texture rendering make it especially attractive for premium product showcases and luxury brand campaigns where realism matters.

The biggest lesson from 2026’s AI video boom? Showcase demos rarely tell the full story.

Experienced creators increasingly recommend running identical tests across platforms using the same high-resolution image and prompt. Motion quality, lighting consistency, export speed and regeneration reliability often matter far more than a single polished promotional clip.

And with AI video tools evolving almost monthly, today’s “best” platform may look very different six months from now.

One thing is certain though: the era of static online content is fading quickly, and AI-generated motion is becoming the new digital battleground for brands, creators and businesses alike.

https://magichour.ai

ChatGPT Is Changing How Fans Discover Concerts and Football Matches

The rise of conversational AI is beginning to reshape one of the internet’s most familiar behaviors: search.

For years, discovering live events online has depended on structured interfaces built around filters, categories, and endless scrolling. 

And trying to avoid "sponsored" search returns that have zero relevance to the live event you are searching for! 

Whether users were searching for football matches, concerts, or major tournaments, they were expected to manually refine their intent step by step.

That model is now starting to evolve.

As conversational platforms become more widely adopted, users are increasingly interacting with services by simply asking for what they want rather than navigating traditional search systems.

One example of this shift is Seatpin, which recently launched its app inside ChatGPT.

The app allows users to discover live events conversationally through prompts such as:

“Find me football matches in Madrid this month”

“Show me concerts in London this weekend”

“Find ticket listings for the 2026 World Cup”

Instead of restarting searches or manually changing filters, users can continue refining results naturally through follow up prompts like “show cheaper options” or “find seats with the best atmosphere.”

The interaction reflects a broader transition happening across digital marketplaces, where conversational AI is increasingly becoming an interface layer between users and services.

This shift may be particularly significant for live events, where preferences are often subjective and difficult to capture through conventional filtering systems. Requests like “great atmosphere,” “best experience under €100,” or “good weekend concert” involve context that conversational systems can interpret more flexibly.

Seatpin’s ChatGPT integration connects users with live event marketplace listings, allowing them to explore current ticket availability and pricing through a conversational flow.

The company is part of a growing group of startups experimenting with how AI can move marketplaces away from static search experiences and toward more adaptive interaction models.

As conversational interfaces continue evolving, ticketing and live event discovery could become one of the clearest examples of how AI changes the way consumers navigate online platforms.

https://www.seatpin.com

Antigravity Launches “Project Eternal”: A Global Initiative to Preserve Cultural Memory Through Gaussian Splatting

Following the International Day for Monuments and Sites, Antigravity has announced the launch of Project Eternal.

This global initiative brings together advanced imaging technology, creators, and cultural institutions to digitally preserve humanity’s shared heritage.

Project Eternal is driven by two core missions. First, preservation without disruption. Traditional heritage documentation often relies on intrusive setups, but Antigravity’s 249g A1 drone enables high-fidelity capture with minimal human impact, safeguarding fragile sites while recording them in detail. Second, technology democratization.

By combining Insta360’s world-renowned panoramic cameras with Antigravity’s industry-leading 360 drone, the project creates a seamless air-to-ground ecosystem for full-sphere capture in a single pass. 

To make advanced 3D reconstruction truly accessible, Antigravity has partnered with leading 3D Gaussian Splatting platform Splatica to launch the world’s largest Gaussian Splatting UGC campaign, offering 1,000 free 10-minute uploads, so anyone can turn 360 footage into immersive 3D models with ease.

As part of Project Eternal, Antigravity is collaborating with CyArk to launch a pilot project in Italy to create high-fidelity 3D Gaussian Splatting models of Civita di Bagnoregio and Pompeii. 

Also known as the “Dying City,” Civita di Bagnoregio exemplifies the urgency of preservation in the face of erosion and time, while Pompeii, suspended in time by volcanic ash, offers a uniquely detailed record of ancient life. Together, they highlight both the fragility and enduring value of cultural heritage.

Beyond institutional collaboration, Antigravity is inviting creators worldwide to participate. Global influencers will use Gaussian Splatting to generate digital twins of sites such as Roman theaters and Jeju Island, sharing their creative processes and results across social platforms in the coming weeks.

Project Eternal will also launch a global UGC campaign themed: “If you could preserve one place forever, what would it be?” Open to panoramic camera and drone users worldwide, the initiative invites 3DGS creators, architects, archaeologists and everyday users to capture meaningful locations, generate 3D models via Splatica, and share their stories online. 

A distinguished jury of experts across technology, art, and heritage will select outstanding submissions for global recognition and awards.

In the long-term, Project Eternal is envisioned to evolve into a global IP, uniting creators, technologies, and communities to collectively preserve the world’s memories before they fade.

For further details, visit: https://www.antigravity.tech

VidaBay’s Battery-Free E-Ink Magnet Might Be the Smartest Gadget of 2026

In a world obsessed with ever-more-powerful smartphones, smarter watches, and AI-packed gadgets, one of the most genuinely clever bits of consumer tech this spring costs just US$30 and sticks to your fridge.

VidaBay has created something refreshingly simple: a battery-free e-ink display that works like a reusable instant photo, but without chargers, cables, or disposable film. Called the E-Ink Instant Film, it looks like a minimalist fridge magnet, but it may quietly represent one of the smartest ideas in consumer electronics this year.

The magic lies in what VidaBay calls “power harvesting.” Its Classic Plus model has no battery, no charging port, and no need for plugs at all. Instead, it uses NFC, the same near-field communication technology found in smartphones for contactless payments.

When you hold your phone close to the display, the phone transfers both the image and just enough power to refresh the screen. Once the image appears, it stays there permanently thanks to the bistable nature of e-paper technology, which only uses power when changing the image, not while displaying it.

That means zero standby power, zero charging anxiety, and zero unnecessary tech clutter.

It’s a surprisingly elegant answer to a problem many gadgets create for themselves.

The idea also solves a long-standing issue in instant photography. Traditional instant film gives you a physical print, but once it is printed, that’s it — permanent, single-use, and often wasteful. Digital photos are endlessly editable, but they tend to disappear into phone galleries never to be looked at again.

VidaBay sits neatly in the middle.

It offers the tactile satisfaction of a physical object while allowing unlimited updates. Today it might display a family photo, tomorrow a shopping list, and next week a child’s drawing or a birthday message. It turns the image itself from a disposable object into a reusable physical canvas.

That flexibility has helped it spread quickly across social media, with users on Reddit, TikTok, YouTube and Instagram finding creative new uses well beyond the original “fridge magnet” concept. Some use it as a reusable greeting card, others as desk décor, gifts, or part of custom maker projects.

Even E Ink Corporation, the global leader in e-paper displays, publicly highlighted VidaBay’s design earlier this year — a notable endorsement for such a small consumer product.

Founder Nathan Chee, both an instant photography enthusiast and an e-paper industry veteran, says the goal was never to create a novelty gadget.

“We set out to build a platform, not a single-use product.”

And that may be the real story here.

In an industry often obsessed with adding more, VidaBay succeeded by taking things away, no battery, no waste, no complexity.

Sometimes the smartest technology is the one that simply gets out of the way.

https://www.vidabay.net

London tech firm named top Power BI company – then tells UK SMEs to ‘stop buying dashboards’

Kat Korson

Red Eagle Tech, a London-based bespoke software firm, has been named a London 2026 Top Power BI & Data Solutions Company by global B2B review platform Clutch. 

But rather than taking a traditional victory lap, the firm is using the moment to issue a warning to small and medium-sized businesses: stop wasting your budget on data dashboards.

Despite being recognised as a top London Business Intelligence provider, Red Eagle Tech is pushing back against the tech industry's obsession with passive data visualisation, a problem they call ‘expensive digital wallpaper’.

"We're really proud to be recognised by Clutch, but we think a lot of SMEs are being sold the wrong thing," Kat Korson, Director at Red Eagle Tech told That's Technology.

"Many tech agencies sell SMEs complex, beautiful walls of charts that most teams stop checking within a month. Dashboards don't make decisions. If your data isn't directly triggering an automated workflow or feeding an intelligent system, you've just bought very expensive digital wallpaper."

Red Eagle Tech, founded on the principle that SMEs deserve affordable bespoke technology built around their business operations, won the 2026 award by taking a different approach to data. Instead of building isolated reporting tools, the firm integrates Power BI directly into custom-built software, ensuring clients never sign a blank cheque by using a "Fixed-Price Agile" delivery model with no hourly billing.

In 2026, as AI adoption accelerates across UK businesses, Korson says many are rushing to adopt AI before their underlying data infrastructure is fit for purpose.

"Everyone wants the flashy AI workflow, but very few are fixing the disconnected SaaS tools and spreadsheets actually running their operations," Korson added. "We won this award because we don't just visualise broken data - we actually connect the systems so data flows automatically. We're shifting growing businesses away from just looking at their data, to letting their software act on it."

The 2026 Clutch Award recognises Red Eagle Tech as a leader in Business Intelligence and Data Analytics, highlighting the firm’s ability to turn complex data into useful, bespoke business tools for SMEs nationwide.

UK businesses can assess their own data maturity with Red Eagle Tech's free Data Maturity Assessment, designed to identify whether existing systems are connected and decision-ready, or simply acting as 'expensive digital wallpaper'.

https://redeagle.tech

Turn Your TV Into a Computer Monitor: How I Used a Sharp TV as a Giant Display

Learn how to turn a TV into a computer monitor using HDMI. A simple step-by-step guide that shows how to connect your PC, optimise picture settings, and improve text clarity.

Many of us have an older television sitting around the house that isn’t being used very often. But here’s a handy trick: you can often turn a modern TV into a perfectly usable computer monitor with nothing more than a simple cable.

I recently did exactly that with a Sharp LC-43CFE5111K,at the suggestion of my wife and the results were surprisingly good. 

If you have a similar TV, this could be an easy way to create a large workspace without buying an expensive new monitor.

Here’s how to do it.

Step 1: Connect the Computer Using HDMI

The easiest way to link a computer to a television is with an HDMI cable.

Plug one end of the HDMI cable into your computer’s HDMI port.

Plug the other end into one of the HDMI ports on the TV.

Turn on the television.

Most TVs have several HDMI inputs, usually labelled HDMI 1, HDMI 2, HDMI 3, and so on.

In my case, I had to cycle through three HDMI inputs before I found the correct one, so don’t panic if the screen doesn’t appear immediately.

Using your remote control, press Input or Source and select the HDMI port where your computer is connected.

Step 2: Tell Windows to Use the TV

If the screen doesn’t automatically appear:

Press Windows + P on your keyboard.

Choose one of the following options:

Duplicate – the TV shows the same screen as your computer

Extend – the TV becomes a second display

Second screen only – the TV becomes the main screen

For productivity, Extend is often the most useful.

Step 3: Set the Correct Resolution

To get the clearest picture:

Right-click on the desktop.

Select Display Settings.

Set the resolution to 1920 × 1080 (Full HD), which is the native resolution of many televisions.

You may also find that 125% scaling makes text easier to read on a large screen.

Step 4: Improve Text Clarity

Televisions are designed primarily for video, not desktop text, but a few adjustments make a big difference.

First, rename the HDMI input to PC in the TV’s input settings if the option exists. This tells the television to switch off extra video processing.

Next, adjust the picture settings:

Turn Game Mode ON to reduce input lag

Set the picture size to Just Scan or Full Pixel if available

Disable any unnecessary picture enhancements

Finally, run Windows ClearType to optimise text rendering.

Click Start.

Search for Adjust ClearType Text.

Follow the quick tuning process.

A Surprisingly Good Workstation

Using a 43-inch TV as a monitor creates a huge amount of screen space. You can comfortably place multiple windows side-by-side, which is ideal for writing, research, spreadsheets, or editing.

For many people, this can be an inexpensive way to build a large desktop workspace using equipment they already own.

Sometimes the best tech upgrades are simply about making better use of what’s already in the house.

Why did my wife hit on this idea? Whilst watching the Artemis II mission (a cousin of hers works at mission control) she saw the large monitors the mission control staff were using, thought about our rarely used 43 inch Sharp TV and thought "My husband needs a larger monitor!"

Other modern TV sets will also work as monitors, though you'll need to refer to their handbooks.

Robots on the Rise: Global Automation Race Accelerates

Automation is rapidly reshaping the world’s factories, and the latest global figures show just how quickly robotics is becoming essential to modern manufacturing. 

New data from the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) reveals that robot density, the number of industrial robots per 10,000 manufacturing workers, is climbing across Europe, Asia and the Americas as economies compete to boost productivity and efficiency.

According to the IFR’s World Robotics 2025 report, Western Europe now leads the automation race among major regions, with 267 robots per 10,000 manufacturing employees in 2024. That puts it ahead of North America, which recorded 204 units, and Asia, which stands at 131 units.

Robot density is a key metric for comparing automation levels between economies. By measuring the number of robots relative to the size of a country’s manufacturing workforce, analysts can assess how deeply automation has been integrated into industrial production.

Europe Leads the Pack

Western Europe’s robot density rose by 3% year-on-year, with several countries ranking among the most automated manufacturing economies in the world. Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Austria, Italy, France, Spain and the Belgium–Luxembourg region all feature within the global top 20.

Across the EU-27, robot density now averages 231 robots per 10,000 workers, comfortably above the global average of 132.

North America Continues to Grow

North America is also accelerating its adoption of robotics. The region saw a 4% increase in robot density, with the United States ranking eighth worldwide at 307 robots per 10,000 employees. Canada follows with 241, while Mexico stands at 62, reflecting differing levels of industrial automation across the continent.

Asia’s Rapid Automation Drive

Asia remains a major force in global robotics adoption. Regional robot density climbed 11%, led by automation powerhouses such as South Korea, Singapore, Japan and Chinese Taipei.

China, meanwhile, continues to dominate in sheer scale. With around 2 million industrial robots in operation, the country holds the world’s largest operational stock, roughly 4.5 times more than Japan, the next largest. In 2024 alone, 54% of all robots installed worldwide were deployed in China, highlighting the country’s aggressive push towards automated manufacturing.

The Most Automated Countries

South Korea remains the world leader in robot density, with a remarkable 1,220 robots per 10,000 employees. Singapore ranks second with 818, followed by Germany with 449 and Japan with 446.

Rounding out the global top ten are Sweden, Denmark, Slovenia, the United States, Chinese Taipei and Switzerland.

As global competition intensifies, the message is clear: automation is no longer optional. For manufacturers seeking to remain competitive, robots are becoming a fundamental part of the modern industrial toolkit.

www.ifr.org

World Amateur Radio Day: Why Ham Radio Still Matters in the Digital Age

Celebrate World Amateur Radio Day by exploring how amateur radio connects the world, supports emergency communications, and inspires technology innovation.

Every year on 18 April, radio enthusiasts around the world celebrate World Amateur Radio Day, a day dedicated to recognising the innovation, community spirit, and technological legacy of amateur radio operators.

The date marks the founding of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) in 1925, an organisation created to support and represent amateur radio operators globally. Nearly a century later, amateur radio, often known as “ham radio”, remains one of the most fascinating and enduring communication technologies ever developed.

A Technology That Connects the World

Amateur radio allows licensed operators to communicate across towns, continents, and even into space using radio frequencies allocated for non-commercial experimentation and communication. Unlike internet-based communication platforms, amateur radio works independently of the digital infrastructure most people rely on today.

Operators use specially designed radio equipment and antennas to transmit voice, Morse code, digital signals, and images across the airwaves. Many hobbyists enjoy experimenting with radio propagation, antenna design, and new digital communication modes. 

For technology enthusiasts, amateur radio offers a unique blend of engineering, physics, and hands-on experimentation. It’s one of the few hobbies where individuals can build their own equipment, modify antennas, and directly explore how radio waves behave in the real world.

Amateur Radio in Space

One of the most exciting aspects of amateur radio is its connection with space exploration. Through the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station programme (ARISS), students and radio operators can communicate directly with astronauts aboard the International Space Station.

These live contacts inspire students to explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, while demonstrating the enduring value of radio communication technology.

And for over 70 years a dedicated sub-group of radio hams have used the moon as a reflector to communicate back to other radio hams. It's known as moonbounce or EME (Earth-Moon-Earth communications).

But there's more to amateur radio than admittedly fun experiments. Because it's also a lifeline during emergencies.

Despite the rise of mobile networks and the internet, amateur radio still plays a vital role during emergencies. When natural disasters damage communication infrastructure, radio operators often step in to provide vital links between communities, emergency responders, and relief organisations.

Because amateur radio networks can operate independently using portable equipment and batteries, they remain resilient when other systems fail.

Innovation from the Grassroots

Historically, amateur radio operators have contributed significantly to technological innovation. Advances in radio propagation studies, digital communication modes, satellite communication, and even early wireless experimentation all owe something to amateur radio experimentation.

Many professional engineers, broadcasters, and telecommunications specialists first discovered their passion for technology through amateur radio.

Why Amateur Radio Still Matters

In a world dominated by smartphones and instant messaging, amateur radio continues to offer something unique: direct, human-to-human communication powered purely by technology and curiosity.

World Amateur Radio Day is a reminder that innovation often begins with passionate individuals experimenting, learning, and connecting with others. From backyard antennas to contacts with astronauts orbiting the Earth, amateur radio proves that the spirit of exploration is still alive on the airwaves.

For anyone fascinated by communication technology, electronics, or experimentation, amateur radio remains one of the most rewarding hobbies in the world, and a powerful reminder that sometimes the most exciting connections still travel through the air.

https://www.iaru.org

Innomotics Accelerates Electrification and Efficiency in Next‑Generation Data Centres

Innomotics, a globally leading supplier of electric motors and large drive systems, is strengthening its role as a strategic partner for the rapidly growing data centre industry.

As AI and high-performance computing drive unprecedented increases in power density, cooling demand, and energy consumption, Innomotics is expanding its portfolio of high-efficiency motors, medium-voltage drives, and generator systems tailored for mission-critical data centre environments.

The global data center market is entering a major investment cycle, with spending expected to reach up to USD 3 trillion by 2030. Electricity demand is projected to grow from ~415 TWh in 2024 to nearly 945 TWh by 2030, while AI racks already require 40–100 kW per rack, with next‑generation systems exceeding 130 kW. 

Cooling alone accounts for up to 40% of total energy consumption, and approximately 55% of all energy entering a data center is ultimately dissipated as heat, highlighting the need for highly efficient infrastructure solutions.

Innomotics provides a comprehensive portfolio of high- and low-voltage motors, medium-voltage drives, and high-voltage generators that ensure reliable and efficient operation of cooling systems, power generation, UPS, and safety infrastructure. Designed for continuous operation, these systems enable precise load control, high energy efficiency, and maximum availability in demanding environments.

High-efficiency motors and variable-speed drives reduce operating costs, improve energy efficiency, and enhance system reliability. At the same time, low harmonic distortion and high power quality protect sensitive equipment, while robust, long-life components ensure continuous 24/7 operation.

Michael Reichle, CEO of Innomotics, highlights the company’s strategic vision with That's Technology. “Data centres are becoming the backbone of the global digital economy and their infrastructure must be engineered with the same rigor as high‑performance industrial plants. 

"Our vision is to be the leading partner for reliable and efficient data center infrastructure, enabling operators to secure uptime in an increasingly complex and high‑density environment.”

He continues, “Operators face the challenge of balancing availability, scalability, and sustainability. With our high‑efficiency motors, drives, and generator systems, we help customers reduce energy consumption, improve power quality, and ensure the reliability required for 24/7 operation. This is how we support the next wave of AI‑driven growth.”

For more information, visit

https://www.innomotics.com/hub/en/applications/data-center

Follow them on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/innomotics