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AUGUST 2023 I DESIGN007 MAGAZINE 9 Andy Shaughnessy is managing editor of Design007 Magazine. He has been covering PCB design for 23 years. To read past columns, click here. As we learn in this month's issue, AI is already making inroads into the design cycle—and learning from its successes and missteps. Today's simulation tools are now benefiting from machine learning and artificial intelligence. We're still a long way from "push-button" operation, but as AI becomes more "intelligent" and learns from its design mistakes, there's almost no limit to what AI could potentially offer PCB designers and engineers in the not- too-distant future. In his feature column, Barry Olney and guest Charles Pfeil discuss the integra- tion of AI into the PCB design flow. David Wiens explains the relationship between PCB design and the digital twin, and why designers have been using digital twin for decades—whether they realize it or not. Sheldon Fernandez lays out the potential that AI holds for PCB design tools, and the difference between AI and machine learn- ing. Brad Griffin di scusses se veral changes that he would like to see in the PCB design flow, especially in signal and power integ- rity tools. Yuriy Shlepnev walks us through some of the latest advances in 3D electromagnetic analysis tools and the challenges that they address. John Watson discusses the future of AI for circuit simulation tools, and he provides details of Altium's SPICE tool, which the company launched several years ago. Steve Watt focuses on the simulation and analysis challenges of today. Finally, Chris DeMartino explains the business "model" for Modelithics, which provides proven simulation models and services. Who knows? Maybe AI in simulation tools will bring us closer to zero respins. DESIGN007 Two of humanity's most ubiquitous historical materials, cement and carbon black (which resem- bles very fine charcoal), may form the basis for a novel, low-cost energy storage system, according to a new study. The technology could facilitate the use of renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and tidal power by allowing energy networks to remain stable despite fluctuations in renewable energy supply. The two materials, the researchers found, can be combined with water to make a supercapaci- tor—an alternative to batteries—that could provide storage of electrical energy. As an example, the MIT researchers who developed the system say that their supercapacitor could eventually be incorpo- rated into the concrete foundation of a house, where it could store a full day's worth of energy while add- ing little (or nothing) to the cost of the foundation and still provide the needed structural strength. The researchers also envision a concrete roadway that could provide contactless recharging for electric cars as they travel over that road. Initial uses of the technology might be for isolated homes or buildings or shelters far from grid power, which could be powered by solar panels attached to the cement supercapacitors, the researchers say. (Source: MIT News) MIT Engineers Create An Energy-storing Supercapacitor from Ancient Materials