Technology

Google's classic Search button is gone in a new AI-first homepage

Engineer harnesses gravity to launch a 4-gram projectile at supersonic speeds

UK-based engineer Tom Stanton has successfully built a trebuchet that can send projectiles flying at supersonic speeds…

In the video, the projectile reached 776 mph (1,248 kph) or nine miles per hour faster than the speed of sound. The proof may be in the numbers but the loud crack and echo of the sonic boom did confirm that history was made that day.

Remembering the pre-Google web, when search was an experiment: “Most people have completely forgotten how chaotic it really was.”

Reddit forces login to access old.reddit.com

As of a few minutes ago old.reddit.com now seems to requre logging in to access it.

Shame as it was still the best place to browse for info about some niche interests.

Edit: Seems like they might be testing the change as it is hit or miss at the moment.

Edit: Adding this to My flilters in uBlock Origin seems to fix the issue for the time being:

||reddit.com^$header=referer:

France bans unsolicited telemarketing calls to protect consumers

cross-posted from: https://piefed.world/c/tech/p/1328527/france-bans-unsolicited-telemarketing-calls-to-protect-consumers

Bernie Sanders tells OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta to pause AI development or face Senate action

A common item in your house may now be illegal, according to US government

San Francisco company offers cleaning service using humanoid robots

Active Fire Safety Market: Growth, Trends, Opportunities, and Forecast 2026–2033

The Active Fire Safety Market is becoming increasingly important as governments, businesses, infrastructure developers, and energy operators place greater emphasis on fire prevention, rapid detection, emergency response, and asset protection. Rising urbanization, stricter fire safety regulations, expanding commercial infrastructure, and the rapid deployment of battery energy storage systems are creating new opportunities for active fire safety technologies.

According to the latest analysis from Metastat Insight, the global Active Fire Safety Market was valued at USD 41.9 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 70.2 billion by 2033, expanding at a CAGR of 6.7% from 2026 to 2033. The market is estimated at USD 44.6 billion in 2026.

Active Fire Safety Market Overview Active fire safety refers to systems and technologies that actively detect, notify, control, or suppress fire incidents. Unlike passive protection measures, active systems are designed to respond when a fire or hazardous condition is detected.

The market includes fire detection systems, fire suppression systems, integrated fire and gas monitoring panels, alarm and emergency communication systems, and battery-specific fire safety solutions.

The increasing complexity of modern buildings and industrial facilities is encouraging end users to adopt connected and automated protection technologies. Data centers, manufacturing plants, high-rise buildings, commercial properties, energy infrastructure, and battery storage facilities are among the key application areas.

The market is also benefiting from the integration of IoT sensors, building management systems, remote monitoring, analytics, and predictive maintenance. These technologies can improve detection accuracy, response coordination, and lifecycle management.

Active Fire Safety Market Size and Forecast The global market is expected to demonstrate steady expansion during the forecast period.

Year Market Size 2025 USD 41.9 Billion 2026 USD 44.6 Billion 2033 USD 70.2 Billion CAGR, 2026–2033 6.7% The market’s growth reflects increasing investment in fire detection and suppression infrastructure, modernization of aging systems, regulatory compliance requirements, and the emergence of new fire safety challenges associated with battery energy storage.

Key Market Growth Drivers Stricter Fire Safety Regulations Governments and regulatory bodies are strengthening fire safety requirements for commercial buildings, industrial facilities, high-rise properties, and critical infrastructure. Stricter codes and evolving insurance requirements are encouraging property owners to upgrade older fire protection systems.

ESG-related risk management is also contributing to investment in safety infrastructure. Businesses increasingly view fire protection as part of broader operational resilience and asset-risk management strategies.

Expansion of Battery Energy Storage Systems The rapid adoption of battery energy storage systems is creating a significant new opportunity for active fire safety providers. High energy density and the possibility of thermal runaway create specialized fire protection requirements.

Utility-scale battery installations, commercial and industrial storage facilities, residential battery systems, and microgrids increasingly require dedicated detection, monitoring, and suppression solutions.

The utility-scale battery energy storage segment is projected to reach USD 37.7 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 7.1% during the forecast period.

Growing Adoption of Smart Fire Safety Systems Digital technologies are transforming conventional fire protection systems. IoT-enabled sensors, remote monitoring platforms, analytics, and building management system integration can provide faster detection and more coordinated emergency responses.

Connected systems can also support remote diagnostics, automated testing, predictive maintenance, and continuous compliance monitoring.

Increasing Construction of Commercial and High-Rise Buildings Rapid urban development is increasing demand for sophisticated fire protection infrastructure. Commercial buildings, residential towers, hotels, hospitals, shopping centers, and transportation facilities require integrated systems capable of detecting and responding to fire events quickly.

Active Fire Safety Market Trends AI, IoT, and Intelligent Detection Fire safety systems are increasingly moving toward intelligent, connected architectures. Advanced sensors can monitor smoke, heat, gas, and environmental conditions, while analytics can help identify abnormal patterns and potentially reduce nuisance alarms.

Predictive Maintenance Instead of relying entirely on scheduled maintenance, connected fire safety platforms can monitor system performance and identify potential equipment issues. Predictive maintenance can help reduce downtime and improve system reliability.

Integration With Building Management Systems Integration with building management systems allows fire detection, alarms, ventilation, access control, emergency communications, and other building functions to operate as part of a coordinated safety ecosystem.

Battery-Specific Fire Protection Battery storage is creating demand for specialized detection and suppression technologies designed around thermal runaway risks and the characteristics of lithium-ion and emerging battery chemistries.

Compliance-as-a-Service A growing opportunity exists for service-based business models involving remote system testing, automated compliance reporting, diagnostics, and predictive maintenance. Such models can create recurring revenue while helping customers manage increasingly complex regulatory requirements.

Active Fire Safety Market Segmentation By Type The market is segmented into:

Fire Detection Systems Fire Suppression Systems Integrated Fire & Gas Monitoring Panels Alarm & Emergency Communication Systems Battery-Specific Fire Safety Solutions Fire Detection Systems Fire detection systems represent the leading type segment. The segment was valued at USD 24.9 billion in 2026 and is projected to reach USD 38.9 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 6.6%.

Increasing deployment of smoke, heat, and gas detection technologies across commercial buildings, industrial facilities, electrical infrastructure, and battery storage installations is supporting segment growth.

Fire Suppression Systems The fire suppression systems segment is projected to increase from USD 10.4 billion in 2026 to USD 16.2 billion by 2033, representing a CAGR of 6.5%.

Water mist, aerosol, and inert gas-based technologies are expected to gain attention where rapid response and minimized equipment damage are important considerations.

Integrated Fire and Gas Monitoring Panels This segment is projected to grow from USD 4.4 billion in 2026 to USD 6.7 billion by 2033.

Integrated panels can provide centralized monitoring and improve coordination between fire detection, gas monitoring, alarms, and emergency response systems.

Alarm and Emergency Communication Systems The segment is forecast to grow from USD 1.9 billion in 2026 to USD 3.5 billion by 2033, achieving a CAGR of 9.2%.

The increasing focus on rapid evacuation, emergency communication, network resilience, and real-time alerts is expected to support adoption.

Battery-Specific Fire Safety Solutions Battery-specific solutions are expected to grow from USD 3.0 billion in 2026 to USD 4.9 billion by 2033, at a CAGR of 7.3%.

The segment is being driven by the growing deployment of energy storage infrastructure and the need to address thermal runaway and other battery-related fire risks.

By Battery-Specific Fire Safety Application The market includes:

Utility-Scale Battery Energy Storage Systems Commercial & Industrial Battery Storage Installations Residential Battery Storage Units Microgrid & Off-Grid Battery Storage Other Renewable Energy Integration Applications Commercial and industrial storage installations are projected to reach USD 18.7 billion by 2033, while residential battery storage units are expected to reach USD 4.0 billion. Microgrid and off-grid applications are projected to reach USD 6.9 billion by 2033.

Regional Analysis The Active Fire Safety Market spans North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, and the Middle East & Africa.

North America North America represented approximately 25% of the market in 2025, with the United States leading the region. The regional market is projected to reach USD 15.9 billion by 2033.

Stringent safety requirements, infrastructure modernization, smart building investment, and energy storage deployment are supporting market development.

Asia-Pacific Asia-Pacific presents significant growth potential as urbanization, industrialization, infrastructure development, and energy storage deployment continue to expand. Increasing awareness of life-safety compliance and investment in modern fire protection technologies are expected to create additional opportunities.

Europe Europe’s market is supported by established fire safety regulations, modernization of commercial infrastructure, and growing emphasis on building safety and operational resilience.

Middle East & Africa Infrastructure development, commercial construction, industrial expansion, and modernization of fire safety standards are expected to support demand, although adoption rates vary considerably between countries.

South America South America represents an emerging opportunity as commercial and industrial infrastructure develops and organizations increasingly prioritize fire safety compliance and asset protection.

Market Restraints and Challenges Despite positive growth prospects, several challenges could limit market expansion.

High upfront costs remain a major barrier, particularly for small and medium-sized organizations. Retrofitting older buildings can require significant modifications to electrical, structural, and communication infrastructure.

Another challenge involves maintenance requirements and skilled labor shortages. Active fire protection systems require regular inspection, testing, calibration, and maintenance to remain reliable.

False alarms can also create operational disruptions and increase lifecycle costs. Manufacturers are therefore focusing on improved sensor accuracy and intelligent analytics to minimize nuisance alarms.

Opportunities in the Active Fire Safety Market One of the strongest opportunities lies in the combination of connected fire detection, automated suppression, analytics, and remote monitoring.

Service providers can develop recurring-revenue models around:

Remote system testing Predictive maintenance Automated compliance reporting Cloud-based monitoring Digital fire safety audits AI-assisted anomaly detection Battery storage safety monitoring Lifecycle fire protection management The retrofit market also presents substantial potential because aging commercial and industrial buildings require modernization to meet evolving safety requirements.

Read Report Insights: metastatinsight.com/…/active-fire-safety-market Competitive Landscape The global market includes established fire protection and industrial technology companies such as Johnson Controls, Siemens AG, Honeywell International Inc., Kidde-Fenwal, Minimax Fire Solutions International, Fike Corporation, Firetrace International, Saval, SFFECO Global, Hochiki America, Fireaway, SEVO Systems, and The Protectowire Company.

Competition is increasingly focused on intelligent detection, specialized suppression technologies, integration capabilities, system reliability, and lifecycle services.

Future Outlook The future of the Active Fire Safety Market will increasingly center on intelligent, connected, and proactive protection rather than standalone alarms or suppression equipment.

Digital twins, predictive analytics, remote diagnostics, continuous compliance monitoring, and automated emergency response could become important components of next-generation fire protection architectures. These capabilities can help organizations move from reactive fire response toward proactive risk management.

Battery energy storage is likely to remain a particularly important growth area. As energy storage capacity expands, fire safety providers will need to develop solutions capable of identifying thermal events earlier, limiting fire propagation, and supporting safe facility operations.

Conclusion The Active Fire Safety Market is positioned for sustained growth as regulatory requirements, urban development, infrastructure modernization, and battery energy storage expansion increase demand for advanced fire protection technologies.

With the market projected to rise from USD 41.9 billion in 2025 to USD 70.2 billion by 2033 at a CAGR of 6.7%, opportunities are emerging across detection, suppression, emergency communications, connected monitoring, and battery-specific fire safety solutions.

Companies that combine reliable hardware with IoT connectivity, analytics, remote monitoring, predictive maintenance, and compliance services are likely to be well positioned as the industry shifts toward intelligent and lifecycle-oriented fire safety.

Why Is Everyone In Tech So Sad?

Linus Torvalds says AI has made 'huge' Linux kernel updates the new normal

New Pass-ta-key attack reveals all the things we didn't know about passkeys

A cybersecurity researcher covered a Toyota in an AI-generated pattern to confuse Flock cameras

Inside Swiff: An Interview with NaviVani on Bringing Flash Games Back to Android

Open-source stealth USB hides an encrypted partition behind an 8GB decoy drive Phantom Drive appears as a regular USB stick until you create a text file to unlock the hidden data

How Claude marks AI-generated content: (1) watermarks embedded in text, and (2) signed provenance metadata attached to files.

YouTube announces monetization changes that make it harder for new creators to make money

cross-posted from: https://piefed.world/c/tech/p/1327151/youtube-announces-monetization-changes-that-make-it-harder-for-new-creators-to-make-mone

New creators applying for YouTube Partner Program (YPP) will need 8,000 qualified watch hours in the last 365 days, or 20 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days. The entry thresholds for our Fan Funding and shopping products remain unchanged.

Old requirements for comparison:

1,000 subscribers with 4,000 watch hours in the past year or 10 million Shorts views in the past 90 days.

Top economist warns that the AI math doesn’t make sense: 'Profits are currently being funded by investors rather than earned from customers'

Quebec apple grower using anti-hail cannon to protect crops from icy weather

NOTE: See the comment section for discussion on these devices. They might not actually do anything

cross-posted from: lemmy.ca/post/69184297

A “anti-hail cannon” could be a Canadian first, as a Quebec apple orchard says the device could protect its crops from icy weather.

The cannon has been deployed at Verger des Bois-Francs southeast of Montreal by Maxime Brie. Hail has long been an agriculture producer nightmare as it can bring significant crop damage.

Anti-hail cannons aren’t a new invention for farming, having originated in Europe but are now manufactured in various countries such as New Zealand and Germany.

The Spanish-made one used by Brie is one that he claims has never been used in Canada before. The device cost them $160,000.

They work by causing controlled explosions near the base that then blast shockwaves into the air, which turn hail into harmless water.

By being connected to a weather station run by SPAG, with meteorologists monitoring conditions at all times from a facility in Brazil, it allows the device to better respond to storms.

Microsoft's Weather App Eats More RAM Than Most Browsers – and Serves You Ads