Apple halts online sales of Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

As promised, Apple has officially removed the Watch Series 9 from its online shop. News of the surprise move came earlier this week, when the company admitted that an ongoing patent dispute had forced it to temporarily suspend sales of its flagship smartwatch. When you click to visit the site, instead of a “Buy” button you’ll see the words “Currently Unavailable.”

Apple Watch Ultra 2 is similarly unavailable. However, you can purchase his entry-level Apple Watch SE. This is likely due to the product’s relatively limited onboard health metrics. You can also get Series 9 through other online sources. Amazon, for example, still promises pre-Christmas delivery in some areas.

The wearable device will continue to be available at brick-and-mortar Apple Stores until Christmas Eve. If you’ve already ordered the watch online and want to pick it up in-store, you can still do so until December 24th, the company confirmed to TechCrunch.

The patent battle between Apple and health tech company Masimo has been well documented over the past few years. But even though Apple lost some important rulings, Monday’s announcement still came as a surprise to many given its unprecedented nature.

In a statement provided to TechCrunch earlier this week, the company said it intends to continue to contest the decision.

A presidential review period is underway regarding an order from the U.S. International Trade Commission regarding a technical intellectual property dispute regarding Apple Watch devices with blood oxygen capabilities. The review period doesn’t end until December 25th, but Apple is taking preemptive steps to comply if the ruling stands. This includes suspending sales of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 on Apple.com starting December 21st, and at Apple retail stores starting December 24th.

Apple’s teams work hard to develop products and services that provide industry-leading health, wellness, and safety features for our users. Apple strongly opposes this order and is pursuing various legal and technical options to ensure customers have access to Apple Watch.

If this order remains in effect, Apple will continue to take all steps to return Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 to U.S. customers as quickly as possible.

At the heart of the battle is an optical imaging sensor used to monitor the wearer’s heart rate. Apple adopted similar technology back in 2020 with the introduction of his Series 6. Among other things, Masimo accused the hardware giant of poaching key talent. Apple claims it has “begun hiring Masimo employees, starting with Masimo’s Chief Medical Officer.”

There’s never a perfect time to stop selling your biggest products, but the holiday season is especially problematic. Apple has been able to keep sales completely open, but some people may be opening rain checks this year.

Source: techcrunch.com

The Top Animal Photos of 2023: From Hyenas to Southern Rays

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Spotted Hyena

This spotted hyena (Crokuta Crokuta) is a natural in front of the camera, while its mother and siblings watch closely in the background. This playful shot was taken by Wim van den Heever in Amboseli National Park in southern Kenya.

Southern Stingray

As the sun rises over the coast of the Cayman Islands, southern rays (Dashatis Americana) are captured in this striking split-level snap by the photographer, Alex Mustard, as they wander on a sandy beach.

Slug Sucking Sap

A brightly fluorescent animal known as the sap-sucking slug (Costasiella crocimae) is captured by Mustard, crawling on green algae just off the coast of northern Indonesia. This sea slug has a special ability to preserve the chloroplasts of the algae they feed on, allowing them to photosynthesize.

Eurasian Brown Bear

Deep in the forests of Finland, Andy Rouse took an action shot of a Eurasian brown bear (Ursus Arctos Arctos) after a short soak in the pond, the body trembles dry. These mammals can weigh up to 480 kilograms and are common in Eastern Europe and Russia.

Spotted Fritillary Larva

In the grasslands of the Rhodope Mountains in Bulgaria, Guy Edwards took a colorful photo of a spotted fritillary (Melitaea Didyma) larvae. It eventually transforms into a butterfly, its wings becoming bright orange with brown spots.

White Winged Snowfinch

The majestic white-winged snowfinch (Montifringilla Nivalis) is captured braving a snowstorm in the Swiss Alps by Mateusz Piesiak. It is a relatively large and sturdy bird, reaching up to 19 centimeters in height.

Fruit Bat

This bewildered fruit bat has its nose and throat swabbed as part of an effort in the Republic of Congo to better understand how zoonotic diseases such as Ebola are transmitted to people. Researchers from the Wildlife Conservation Society and Congo Medical Research Foundation collected blood and saliva samples from about 100 fruit bats.

Source: www.newscientist.com

National Laboratory Simulates Core Deflection of Armageddon-Type Asteroid

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Last year’s successful double asteroid redirection experiment, which involved firing a satellite bomb into an asteroid, has been followed by a detailed simulation of a nuclear deflection scenario, similar to the plot of the 1998 space disaster movie Armageddon.

Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, led by Mary Varkey, have published a paper advancing the active field of research on planetary defense against asteroid threats. They propose that detonating a nuclear explosive device as close as possible to an incoming asteroid may be the best strategy, considering that using satellites as missiles is not always practical.

The challenge, however, lies in precisely deflecting the asteroid’s nucleus to avoid potential impact with Earth, as depicted in the movie Armageddon, or the widespread destruction scenario depicted in the film Deep Impact.

In their paper published in the Planetary Science Journal, Burkey et al. explain the complexities involved in simulating the energy storage and the interaction of X-rays from a nuclear explosion with the asteroid’s surface, emphasizing the high computational cost and the need to break down the problem into stages for accurate modeling.

The team’s efforts have resulted in a comprehensive simulation of the nuclear deflection scenario, offering insight into the potential outcomes of such an event. The team also highlights the need for faster simulations, potentially utilizing machine learning to optimize response times for specific threats.

Image credits: Varkey et al.

By simulating the nuclear deflection scenario, the team aims to further advance the understanding of potential strategies for planetary defense against asteroid threats and minimize response times for future events.

Source: techcrunch.com

NASA Transmits Cat Video 31 Million Kilometers into Space

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Video of cat Taters chasing laser light sent from space

NASA

NASA has broken its own record by transmitting ultra-high-definition video from deep space to a distance of 31 million kilometers. The video was not of a distant celestial body or spaceship, but of a cat called Tater chasing the light from a laser pointer.

Abhijit Biswas NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) speaks new scientist Taters were selected for the first transmission at that distance.
first television test broadcast Also featured was a cat, Felix, a cartoon feline. Lasers He says the inclusion of his pointers is a visual reflection of the use of lasers in transmission.

“Apparently this cat really likes chasing laser pointers, and somehow it all came together in this video,” Biswas said.

The 15-second video was sent by NASA.
Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) The experiment was carried out aboard the Psyche spacecraft, which was launched in October to intercept the asteroid of the same name.

DSOC is really a proof of concept and I hope everyone believes that this can be done. This technology is already being used to transmit data between the Moon and Earth, but only over a distance of 384,400 kilometers. He said it should be possible to test longer distances than the Taters test in the future.

One problem is making sure the laser light is aimed precisely at the receiving station. “It’s a very narrow beam. At the distance Psyche is now, it [is] just a few hundred kilometers [wide by the time it reaches Earth]” says Biswas. “So if you take the slightest turn, you’ll end up in the Pacific Ocean or somewhere else. You’ll miss it completely. So there was a lot of anxiety about that.”

The video was transmitted at near-infrared wavelengths by a laser transceiver and took 101 seconds to travel from the spacecraft to Earth. The 267 Mbit/s message was received by the following equipment:
hale telescope After being filmed at Palomar, it was transmitted via the Internet to JPL in Southern California, where the video was played in real time. This data rate makes DSOC faster than most national broadband connections.

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

SpaceX and Intuitive Machines delay lunar lander launch to February

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

intuitive machine The company announced earlier this week that it was working with launch provider SpaceX to postpone its first lunar lander mission to mid-February.

The Houston, Texas-based company said the new launch window “comes as a result of changes to SpaceX’s launch manifest due to adverse weather conditions.”

The new target launch date, one month later than the original January 12-16 date, is due to the mission profile. Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C spacecraft aims to land near the moon’s south pole and requires specific lighting conditions, including: There are only a few days each month.

The company is also constrained by launch infrastructure availability. The Lunar Module must be refueled with oxygen and methane propellant before liftoff, so it must launch from a specific launch site at NASA Kennedy Space Center, Launch Complex 39A. This pad is the only one equipped with a tower to provide access for refueling the lander.

In the original launch window, Nova-C was scheduled to land on the lunar surface on or shortly after January 19, as it was on a direct orbit to reach lunar orbit. Intuitive Machines has not disclosed the exact launch date, but it is increasingly likely that it will coincide with plans to land another privately developed lunar lander. The lander, Astrobotic’s Peregrine, aims to land on the moon on February 23rd. That means we could see two privately developed American spacecraft land on the moon in the same week.

Both landers were developed as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Lander Service (CLPS) program. This program is an effort to recruit commercial landers to transport science and research payloads to the lunar surface. Nova-C will carry her six payloads for NASA as part of this initial mission, and he has been awarded two additional CLPS contracts for her to deliver cargo to the Moon.

All in all, the new launch window is a negligible delay for Intuitive Machines, which aims to base its business on access to the moon’s surface.according to Presentation released last Septemberwhen the company announced it would go public through a merger with a blank check company, Intuitive Machines expected to generate $279 million in revenue from its lander services next year alone.

Intuitive Machines is also launching a business unit related to orbital services, such as maintaining and refueling satellites, providing data services to the moon, and selling other space products.

Source: techcrunch.com

Chinese AI Startup Profoundly Committed to Advancing Humanity through Science Looks to Expand into the US Market

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Amid rising geopolitical tensions, many Chinese tech companies are recalibrating their overseas operations, often avoiding mention of their origins. A bold startup DP technology Stand out in the crowd. Working on the application of artificial intelligence to molecular simulations, DP (short for “Deep Potential”) believes that the collective power of “scientific research for humanity” will pave the way for its global expansion.

Founded in 2018 with renowned mathematician Weinan E as an advisor, DP provides a set of tools for performing scientific calculations. A process in which “computer simulations of mathematical models play an essential role in technology development and scientific research.” according to Definition by University of Waterloo. Areas that can benefit from scientific computing include: From biopharmaceutical research and automobile design to semiconductor development.

While the world is currently focused on using AI to generate text, images, and videos, DP is focusing on machine learning, which allows computers to automatically learn from the data they are given, and the real world. We found ourselves in a less developed field of combining molecular simulations for analysis. Products and systems via virtual models. Machine learning can be applied in combination to improve the speed and accuracy of simulations to solve problems in the physical world.

“Until now, in the absence of good computing or AI platforms, everyone relied on empirical trial and error. The process was often referred to as ‘cooking’ or ‘alchemy.'” DP CEO and founder Sun Weijie said in an interview with TechCrunch.

“This approach was relatively effective in the early stages of industrial development, when user expectations for iteration were not very high, but now [technological] “It’s progress,” he continued. “For example, consumers expect increased battery capacity every year and performance improvements with each new generation of vehicles. Traditional R&D models can no longer withstand these rapid market changes. you can’t.”

“Meeting the expectations of these rapid iterations will require breakthrough advances in research and development approaches,” he added.

To this end, DP has devised a software suite to help industry players discover and develop new products more efficiently. One is that we run a scientific computing platform that allows us to simulate physical properties such as magnetism, optics, and electricity. As a result of running these models, materials such as semiconductors and batteries can be designed faster and cheaper. He also operates his SaaS platform focused on preclinical research for drug discovery.

DP goes one step further by not only supplying software to industrial researchers and designers, but by selling services tailored to their needs and carrying out research and development processes for customers who cannot fully exploit the potential of their tools. I’m here.

This combination of SaaS and services business model has proven some early success in China. DP is expected to win contracts worth around 100 million yuan ($14 million) in 2023, up from “tens of millions of yuan” last year. The company is now preparing to bring that strategy to Western markets, where deep-pocketed giants like DeepMind dominate the space.

“There’s an old saying in China: ‘Children from poor families grow up early.’ We’re the poor kids compared to the likes of DeepMind and OpenAI because we have much less money on hand.” Sun said.

To date, the DP has focused on the following issues: $140 million Selected from a lineup of top Chinese VC firms, including Qiming Venture Partners and Hillhouse Ventures. For reference, 13-year-old DeepMind was acquired by Google in 2014 for over $500 million. The London-based AI giant made a whopping £477 million ($650 million) in 2020, reporting a profit of £44 million ($60 million). ) losses in 2019.

Sun claimed that despite having its physical headquarters in Beijing, DP was conceived with a global mindset thanks to the open source scientific and technical computing community it founded. deep modeling. Early stops in China were also more accidental than intentional. “Since international exchange has stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we decided to stop and work on monetization.” [in China] “For the first two years,” Sun said.

DP’s international expansion begins in the United States, where it opens offices and works with partners to market its products and services. The startup, which is looking to establish a presence in new markets, is looking to boost its reputation by leveraging the open source community and participating in what Sun describes as a relatively “close-knit” basic research exhibition. There is.

On the other hand, the DP’s international ambitions may run into obstacles from the ongoing decoupling that divides the United States and China in many areas, including scientific research. For example, back in August, Biden administration stretched narrowly The scientific partnership has underpinned U.S.-China relations since 1979.

But Sun exuded confidence in science’s resilience in the face of geopolitical complexity. “Both the fields of basic science and biopharmaceuticals are shared by all of humanity and are relatively open and inclusive. Relatively speaking, I think these regions are doing okay,” he said.

Source: techcrunch.com

The Role of Microorganisms in Creating Cheddar Cheese’s Distinctive Flavor

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Cheddar cheese often has a creamy, nutty flavor, but can also have fruity, meaty notes.

Julian Eales/Alamy

Cheddar cheese’s nutty, creamy flavor depends slightly on a delicate balance of bacteria that scientists have now identified. Understanding how these bacteria interact can help cheesemakers achieve the specific flavor they are trying to create, and even help create starters with the right balance of microbes. This could lead to computer simulations for formulating cultures.

All fermented foods and beverages, including cheese, kimchi, and kombucha, rely on complex interactions between microorganisms. To make cheese in particular, a starter culture is added to milk to begin fermentation, acidifying the dairy product and giving it a slightly tangy taste.

Cheese makers have long known that some of the important bacteria involved in this process are: thermophilus and types LactococcusHowever, little was known about how these interact and whether those interactions affect the flavor of cheese.

Kratz Melkonian Researchers from Utrecht University in the Netherlands focused on cheddar cheese, one of the world’s most popular cheeses.

They used variations of four starter cultures to create different cheese samples. One was from an industrial producer of such starters and included both. thermophilus bacteria and types Lactococcusmainly seeds L. lactis and its variants L. cremoris. Others were made by researchers and either contained the same bacteria as before or not. thermophilus bacteria or there is no type Lactococcus.

After a year, the research team found that the cheese made from the starter thermophilus bacteria The population of the type of ~ was much smaller Lactococcus Better than anything else, even a starter of nothing Lactococcus The type to start with.this suggests thermophilus bacteria important to strengthen Lactococcus It will grow, Melkonian said.

When it comes to taste, L. cremoris It seems to control the production of diacetyl and acetoin, the chemicals that give buttery flavor, but in too high a quantity can cause an “unpleasant” taste.

L. cremoris It also increased the concentration of compounds that add subtle meaty, fruity notes, the researchers wrote in the paper. Without this variant, cheese tended to contain high levels of chemicals that add nutty and creamy flavors.

There was no difference in the microbial activity or taste of cheeses using the same starter bacteria, regardless of whether the starter was made industrially or by the team.

Overall, these findings indicate that the flavor within cheddar cheese is easily influenced by various bacterial interactions. This could help cheesemakers fine-tune the taste of the cheese they’re making, Melkonian says. “We now have targets whose interactions can affect different bacteria.” Computer simulations can help you formulate starters with the right proportions of different bacteria to achieve the desired flavor. You could do that, he says.

topic:

microbiology/
Eating and drinking

Source: www.newscientist.com

Engineers’ Provocative Role in Product Innovation

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Jarrett Webb He is the Technology Director at argodesign, where he leads a cross-disciplinary team that designs and builds digital products and experiences.

Product design is at a moment of profound change and redefinition, as technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and spatial computing dramatically impact the computing experience. AI in particular may have only a small impact on interface design, but it will have a huge impact on the overall product and ecosystem experience. Spatial computing, on the other hand, changes human-computer interaction and disrupts our understanding of what a computer is.

In this innovation cycle, product design requires a broader view of the interconnections between platforms and technologies, and there is a strong need for engineers and designers to participate in the process together.

Innovation is permanent for any successful product or business. There is a never-ending search to find the next new thing that enhances the user experience, expands product range, increases revenue, or all three at once. Product design is a multidisciplinary process with structures and frameworks to foster innovation, making it less difficult to innovate and increasing your chances of success. Engineers have a role in the process that goes beyond their normal responsibilities of simply validating a technology or concept. Before we discuss non-traditional ways for engineers to participate in product innovation, let’s consider innovation and product design conceptually.

Rather than forcing technology onto the product, the design process flows into the technology. In this way, technology becomes a natural solution.

Product design is a process, not a discipline or a product. It’s easy (understandably) to limit product design to color selection, content layout, and aesthetics. Design is often reduced to just the act of beautifying the user’s interface. Product design is much deeper and broader than visual design assets. For example, product design can provide direction and focus to business strategy, user experience strategy, or technology exploration.

This process establishes guide rails throughout any innovation effort. At the heart of product design is intuitive decision-making to make the best decision at the most appropriate time. Product design reduces risk and leads to more effective innovation through quality decision making.

The progressive role of engineers

Engineers play a strategic role in product innovation, and in addition to being methodical, they need to bring a metaphysical perspective. Our job is to communicate the essence of technology and think strategically about applying technology to problem areas. We are most constructive when we translate the technology “how to make X into Y” into “the types of products and services that can be achieved with technology X.”

For most technology leaders and software developers, this is a reversal of mode from traditional tactical, direct interaction with technology. Switching context from everyday construction and operation is difficult, but paramount to developing successful and innovative products. We are uniquely positioned to generate strategic insights from dense technical details that drive innovative business cases and product experiences.

Innovations must solve business problems such as improving operational efficiency, expanding existing revenue streams, or creating new revenue streams. Problem areas can be customer-facing (e.g., how can we deliver new functionality?) or internally-facing (how can we make processes more efficient?). The problem is of greatest concern. The specific technology or innovation used to solve a problem is often not that important. You can’t lose perspective on your business needs. Otherwise, the activity becomes too academic or a paid hobby.

A common household analogy is hanging pictures. The hole size, bracket, or tool used to hang the picture doesn’t matter as long as the picture is hung straight on the wall. The details of your processes and technologies are important because they relate to how well they solve problems, the cost of doing so, and the overall end-user experience.

Product innovations are experimental and cannot always be expected to yield productive results. It requires a learning curve and patience, as the results are often ambiguous and unclear. Business leaders sometimes struggle with this perspective. This is because this perspective is indeterminate (in terms of results and timelines) and it is difficult to translate pure technology innovation into value creation. A gap develops between technology and product teams, and technology teams struggle to articulate the capabilities and value of technology innovations, resulting in unfulfilled promises, a perception of “technology for technology’s sake,” and a lack of “search for problems.” This gives rise to jokes like “The solution to this problem”. ”

The current hype cycle in AI serves as a great concrete example. The challenge for technology and product executives is how to do more than check the box for AI – how to meaningfully incorporate AI into products. Rather than forcing technology onto the product, the design process flows into the technology. In this way, technology becomes a natural solution.

As technology or technology stack experts, we can convey abstract insights or contribute in a more conceptual context. Engineers add value to the product design process by sharing their expertise on technology properties. Designers use this information to shape and leverage technology in the visual and interaction design process. In this way, engineers inform new interaction models, interface metaphors, and product channels. This commitment creates confidence and conviction in the promise of the design.

Think of digital technology as a material like paint, stone, or wood. In order for craftsmen to create using materials, they need to understand the ontology and phenomenology of the materials. Artists should understand the difference between oil, acrylic, and watercolor paints. This is because each material has different properties that affect how it is created and what it contains. Engineers need to “find the essence” of technology. In this way, they become intermediaries between the abstract nature of design and the pedantic nature of technology. This philosophical perspective is especially important when your product is in a growth stage or uses new technology.

Whether your product is in a growing or stable stage, employing established or emerging technologies, integrating engineers into your product strategy and design process will improve your bottom line. There is a technology perspective that goes beyond the code “factory floor” operations and mechanics, and that sparks innovation. Sometimes this leads to small, impactful moments of innovation, and sometimes it’s a great revolution.

Source: techcrunch.com

Overcome the lava flow and rebuild from the ashes

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Above: Photo taken from an astronaut aboard the International Space Station on February 13, 2016 (before the eruption). Below: Photo taken from astronauts aboard the International Space Station on August 18, 2023.

Two years after the Cumbre Vieja eruption in the Canary Islands, some roads have been rebuilt.

astronaut on board international space station (ISS) took these photos of La Palma Island while in orbit over the North Atlantic Ocean. La Palma is part of Spain’s Canary Islands, approximately 480 kilometers (300 miles) off the coasts of Morocco and Western Sahara. The island is basalt shield volcano This volcano consists of two volcanic centers. One is the old collapsed Caldera de Taburiente and the other is the young and active Cumbre Vieja.

From September to December 2021, eruption Lava flows, lava fountains, and volcanic ash clouds occurred on the southwest flank of Cumbre Vieja. The mission lasted about 85 days and gave astronauts on the space station the opportunity to take photos of plumes and glowing lava flows at night.

In total, the lava flow and ash covered more than 12 square kilometers (5 square miles) of La Palma and extended 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the fissure to the coastline.Ash and lava damaged Over 3,000 buildings and some banana plantations, caused yellowing of pine forests.

These photos were taken in February 2016 (top) and August 2023 (bottom) and show the landscape several years before and after the eruption. In the two years since the eruption, some roads have been rebuilt and are visible as thin, brightly colored lines cutting through the lava flow. This road will reconnect the town of Los Llanos de Aridane with Puerto Naos and other nearby communities. In this photo, the eruption crack is clearly visible as a brighter, linear feature halfway down the side of the volcano.

Although not noticeable in the spatial resolution of these images, sparse trees and shrubs continue to grow within the deposited volcanic ash. canary islands pine (Pinus canariensis).This fire resistance serotinic Coniferous trees, endemic to the Canary Islands, use the heat from fires to melt the resin surrounding their pine cones and produce viable seeds.

Astronaut photo ISS069-E-62382 was acquired on August 18, 2023 with a Nikon D5 digital camera using a focal length of 400 millimeters. Astronaut photo ISS046-E-40929 was acquired on February 13, 2016 with a Nikon D4 digital camera using a focal length of 400 millimeters. Images provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observation Facility and the Johnson Space Center Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit. The images were taken by Expedition 69 crew members and Expedition 46 crew members. Images have been cropped and enhanced to improve contrast and lens artifacts have been removed. The International Space Station Program supports this laboratory as part of the ISS National Laboratory, allowing astronauts to take the most valuable photographs of Earth to scientists and the public, and to make those images available on the Internet. We support it so that it can be used freely. Caption by Cadan Cummings, Jacobs, JETS II Contract NASA-JSC.

Source: scitechdaily.com

Navigating the 2024 Venture Environment: Strategic Insights for Technology Founders from Seed to Series A

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

mike cardamom
Contributor

Mike Cardamone is CEO and Managing Partner. forum venturesAt , we’re focused on developing the Forum’s investment strategy, with a mission to make the B2B SaaS journey easier, more accessible, and more successful for early-stage founders.

I do not have any questions 2023 was a tough year for the venture and technology ecosystem. Carta revealed that the total number of funding rounds and total investments have decreased dramatically. 64% decrease in Q1 2023 Total investment was down 86% from its peak in Q4 2021. Forum Ventures has invested in more than 100 B2B SaaS companies across accelerators and seeds this year, and we’ve seen first-hand how difficult the funding environment can be for founders at every stage of this market. funds. Michael Cardamone, his CEO and managing partner at Forum Ventures, spoke to up-and-coming executives about the state of the market, saying, “This has been the most difficult to raise money in a long time.”

in recent reports, Forum Ventures surveyed 70 funds and 167 closed pre-seed and seed funds between January and October 2023 to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of the early-stage B2B SaaS investment landscape. We analyzed the round data.

Key findings from this report include:

Data across these rounds shows a 10% decrease from the same survey conducted last year, with 75% of respondents citing a decrease in valuations from 2022 onwards.
The average valuation at pre-seed was $9 million post, and the same for pre-revenue until the ARR (Annual Recurring Revenue) for the entire round for which data was collected was $250,000.
Companies with an ARR of $250,000 or more raised at an average valuation cap of $15 million.

seed round

As a founder, manage your cash flow wisely, convince top talent to join your company, and focus on building the product your customers want.

While seed valuations remain stable from 2022 to 2023, it has become more difficult to achieve the traction needed for these rounds, which can create false expectations for founders. In 2020-2021, it is relatively common for $3-5 million seed rounds to close with little if any traction, depending on the space and founder. They were typically completed at a valuation of $12 million to $25 million. ‘Background.

While there are exceptions, today’s market is looking for big traction early on, and companies typically need $250,000 to $1 million in ARR to raise a $3 million+ seed round, and these rounds is typically completed with about 20% to 25% dilution (i.e. $12 million post $3 million, $1 million to $15 million post, or $16 million to $20 million post $4 million). The hurdles to raising an institutional seed round are much higher, and founders and companies often need to prove more of a track record in today’s market than ever before. This dynamic means that many founders must first raise a pre-seed round to reach those milestones, and thus multiple rounds to reach Series A. To do.

Source: techcrunch.com

Intrinsic, supported by Y Combinator, is developing essential infrastructure for trust and safety teams

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Karine Mellata and Michael Lin met several years ago while working on Apple’s Fraud Engineering and Algorithmic Risk team. Both Mellata and Lin were involved in addressing online fraud issues such as spam, bots, account security, and developer fraud among Apple’s growing customer base.

Despite their efforts to develop new models to respond to evolving patterns of abuse, Melata and Lin feel they are falling behind and stuck in rebuilding core elements of their trust and safety infrastructure. I did.

“As regulation puts increased scrutiny on teams that centralize somewhat ad hoc trust and safety responses, we are helping modernize this industry and build a safer internet for everyone. We saw this as a real opportunity to do that,” Melata told TechCrunch in an email interview. “We dreamed of a system that could magically adapt as quickly as the abuse itself.”

Co-founded by So Mellata and Lin essentialis a startup that aims to give safety teams the tools they need to prevent product fraud. Intrinsic recently raised $3.1 million in a seed round with participation from Urban Innovation Fund, Y Combinator, 645 Ventures, and Okta.

Intrinsic’s platform is designed to moderate both user-generated and AI-generated content, allowing customers (primarily social media companies and e-commerce marketplaces) to detect and take action on content that violates their policies. We provide the infrastructure to do so. Intrinsic focuses on integrating safety products and automatically orchestrates tasks like banning users and flagging content for review.

“Intrinsic is a fully customizable AI content moderation platform,” said Mellata. “For example, Intrinsic can help publishers creating marketing materials avoid giving financial advice that carries legal liability. We can also help marketplaces discover listings such as:

Mellata notes that there are no off-the-shelf classifiers for such sensitive categories, and even for a well-resourced trust and safety team, adding a new auto-discovered category can take weeks of engineering. They claim it can take several months in some cases. -House.

Asked about rival platforms such as Spectrum Labs, Azure, and Cinder (almost direct competitors), Mellata said Intrinsic is superior in terms of (1) explainability and (2) significantly expanded tools. I said I was thinking about it. He explained that Intrinsic allows customers to “ask questions” about mistakes they made in content moderation decisions and provide an explanation as to why. The platform also hosts manual review and labeling tools that allow customers to fine-tune moderation models based on their own data.

“Most traditional trust and safety solutions were inflexible and not built to evolve with exploits,” Melata said. “Now more than ever, resource-constrained trust and safety teams are looking to vendors to help them reduce moderation costs while maintaining high safety standards.”

Without third-party auditing, it is difficult to determine how accurate a particular vendor’s moderation model is or whether it is susceptible to some type of influence. prejudice It plagues content moderation models elsewhere. But either way, Intrinsic appears to be gaining traction thanks to its “large and established” enterprise customers, who are signing deals in the “six-figure” range on average.

Intrinsic’s near-term plans include increasing the size of its three-person team and expanding its moderation technology to cover not just text and images, but also video and audio.

“The widespread slowdown in the technology industry has increased interest in automation for trust and safety, and this puts Intrinsic in a unique position,” Melata said. “COOs are concerned with reducing costs. Chief compliance officers are concerned with mitigating risk. Embedded helps both. , to catch more fraud.”

Source: techcrunch.com

Uncovering the Impact of Climate Change on Exoplanets: Transitioning from Temperate to Fear

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Researchers have conducted a new study on the runaway greenhouse effect, revealing how a critical threshold of water vapor could cause catastrophic climate change on Earth and other planets. This study reveals key cloud patterns contributing to this irreversible climate change and provides insight into exoplanets’ climates and their potential to support life. Credit: SciTechDaily.com

The UNIGE team, in collaboration with CNRS, successfully simulated an entire runaway greenhouse effect that could render Earth completely uninhabitable.

Earth is a wonderful blue and green dot covered with oceans and life, Venus It is a yellowish sterile sphere that is not only inhospitable but also sterile. However, the temperature difference between the two is only a few degrees.

A team of astronomers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and members of the National Center for Research Competence (NCCR) PlanetS achieved a world first by managing the entire simulation, with support from the CNRS laboratories in Paris and Bordeaux. Achieved. A runaway greenhouse process that could change Earth’s climate from an idyllic environment perfect for life to a harsh and more than hostile place.

Scientists have also demonstrated that from the early stages of the process, atmospheric structure and cloud cover change significantly, making reversing the nearly uncontrollable and runaway greenhouse effect extremely complex. On Earth, an increase in the average temperature of the Earth by a few tens of degrees after a slight increase in the sun’s brightness is enough to start this phenomenon and make our planet habitable.

A runaway greenhouse effect could transform a temperate, habitable planet with oceans of liquid water on its surface into a planet dominated by hot steam hostile to all life. Credit: © Thibaut Roger / UNIGE

Greenhouse effect and runaway scenario

The idea of a runaway greenhouse effect is not new. In this scenario, the planet could evolve from an Earth-like temperate state to a true hell with surface temperatures exceeding her 1000 degrees. Cause? Water vapor is a natural greenhouse gas. Water vapor prevents solar radiation absorbed by the Earth from being re-emitted into space as thermal radiation. It traps some heat like a rescue blanket. A little greenhouse effect would be helpful, but without it, the average temperature of Earth would drop below the freezing point of water, making it a ball of ice and hostile to life.

Conversely, if the greenhouse effect is too strong, it increases evaporation in the oceans and increases the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere. “There is a critical threshold for this amount of water vapor, beyond which the Earth can no longer cool down. From there, everything ramps up until the oceans completely evaporate and temperatures reach hundreds of degrees.” , explains Guillaume Chabelo, a former postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Astronomy at the Faculty of Science at UNIGE and lead author of the study.

Groundbreaking research on climate change

“Other important studies in climatology to date have focused solely on either temperate states before the runaway or habitable states after the runaway,” says a study from the CNRS Institute in Paris and Bordeaux. Martin Tarbet, author and co-author of this paper, explains: study. “This is the first time a research team has used a 3D global climate model to study the transition itself and see how the climate and atmosphere evolve during the process.”

One of the key points of the study explains the emergence of very unique cloud patterns, increasing the runaway effect and making the process irreversible. “From the beginning of the transition, we can observe the development of very dense clouds in the upper atmosphere. In fact, the latter are responsible for the separation of the Earth’s atmosphere and its two main layers, the troposphere and the stratosphere. It no longer exhibits the characteristics of a temperature inversion. The structure of the atmosphere has changed significantly,” points out Guillaume Chavelot.

Serious consequences of searching for life elsewhere

This discovery is an important feature for studying the climate of other planets, especially exoplanets orbiting stars other than the Sun. “By studying the climates of other planets, one of our most powerful motivations is to determine the likelihood of them harboring life,” said Dr. said Emmeline Bolmont, director and co-author of “Extraterrestrial Research” study.

LUC leads cutting-edge interdisciplinary research projects on the origins of life on Earth and the search for life elsewhere in the solar system and beyond planetary systems. “After previous studies, we had already suspected the existence of a water vapor threshold, but the appearance of this cloud pattern is a real surprise!” reveals Emmeline Bolmont. “We also studied in parallel how this cloud pattern produces specific signatures, or ‘fingerprints’, that can be detected when observed. exoplanet atmosphere. The next generation of equipment should be able to detect it, ”he reveals Martin Turbet. The team also doesn’t aim to stop there. Guillaume Chabelo received a research grant to continue this work at the Grenoble Institute for Planetary Observation and Astrophysics (IPAG). This new phase of the research project will focus on specific cases from Earth.

Earth in fragile equilibrium

Using a new climate model, scientists have shown that a very small increase in solar radiation of just a few tens of degrees, leading to a rise in global temperatures, is enough to trigger this irreversible runaway process on Earth. I calculated that. It would make our planet as inhospitable as Venus. One of the current climate goals is to limit global warming caused by greenhouse gases to just 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2050. One of the problems with Guillaume Chavelot’s research grant is to determine whether a small increase in greenhouse gases could cause a runaway process. The brightness of the sun may be enough. If so, the next question becomes determining whether the threshold temperatures for both processes are the same.

Therefore, Earth is not far from this apocalyptic scenario. “Assuming this runaway process begins on Earth, evaporation of just 10 meters of ocean surface would raise atmospheric pressure at the surface by 1 bar. Within just a few hundred years, surface temperatures would exceed 500°C. Then the surface pressure would rise to 273 bar, the temperature would exceed 1500 degrees, and eventually all oceans would completely evaporate,” concludes Guillaume Chavelot.

Reference: “First Exploration of Runaway Greenhouse Transitions Using 3D General Circulation Models” by Guillaume Chaverot, Emeline Bolmont, and Martin Turbet, December 18, 2023. astronomy and astrophysics.

Exoplanets in Geneva: 25 years of expertise wins Nobel Prize

The first exoplanet was discovered in 1995 by two University of Geneva researchers, Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz, who won the 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics. With this discovery, Department of Astronomy, University of Geneva The construction and installation of has put us at the forefront of research in this field. harp upon ESO3.6 meter telescope at La Silla in 2003.

For 20 years, this spectrometer was the world’s most powerful at determining the masses of exoplanets. However, HARPS was surpassed in 2018 by ESPRESSO, another Earth-based spectrometer built in Geneva. very large telescope (VLT) Paranal, Chile.

Switzerland is also working on space-based exoplanet observations with the CHEOPS mission. This is the result of the expertise of two countries. University of Bern, the on-ground experience of the University of Geneva in collaboration with the universities of Geneva and with the support of the universities of the Swiss capital. These two areas of scientific and technical expertise are PlanetS National Center for Research Capability (NCCR).

Life in the Universe Center (LUC): A pillar of interdisciplinary excellence

of Life in the Universe Center (LUC) is an interdisciplinary research center at the University of Geneva (UNIGE), established in 2021 following the 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics awarded to Professors Michel Mayor and Didier Quelot. Thanks to advances over the past decade in both the fields of solar system exploration, exoplanets, and the organic structure of life, it is now possible to address the question of the emergence of life on other planets in a concrete way. Ta. It’s no longer just a guess. Located at the intersection of astronomy, chemistry, physics, biology, and the earth and climate sciences, LUC aims to understand the origin and distribution of life in the universe. Led by the Department of Astronomy, LUC brings together researchers from numerous institutes and departments at UNIGE, as well as from our international partner universities.

Source: scitechdaily.com

Medallion Platform Raises $13.7 Million to Connect Artists Directly with Fans

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

medallion is a platform for artists to have a dedicated digital hub to promote album releases, tour dates and merch drops, as well as sell digital collectibles and share exclusive content to connect deeper with fans. You can also foster connections. The company announced today that it has closed $13.7 million in Series A funding, co-led by Dragonfly and Lightspeed Faction.

Musicians are increasingly seeking direct ownership in their communities and avoiding third-party platforms that can complicate managing interactions with fans. From a fan perspective, there are many ways to follow and connect with artists, but with minimal online interaction.

Matt Jones, co-founder and CEO of Medallion, said: “Streaming has opened up access to music and social media, creating new channels for direct distribution, but artists and fans “The full potential of direct connections has not been exploited.” “Medallion’s artist-centric approach and focus on digitally native fan experiences are helping usher in a new era of transformation for artists.”

Medallion hopes to use this significant funding to address what many artists consider to be a major gap in the music industry: the lack of control and lack of direct connection when it comes to online relationships with fans. I am. The company plans to use this new capital to introduce new early access opportunities such as listening to previously released music and offering advance tickets, among other member benefits such as “video premieres and new updates.” He explained. Artists will soon be able to sell new exclusive and limited edition digital collectibles/NFTs such as poster bundles and trading cards.

Medallion recently introduced a new earning opportunity for artists in the UK, Australia and Germany: ‘Digital Deluxe’. This allows artists to sell digital versions of their music albums with built-in music players and downloadable audio, images, and videos. Artists can also sell physical items through an integration with Shopify.

Medallions are free for artists to use, but will account for a portion of all sales on the platform, an amount that was not disclosed. It is built on blockchain and allows users to sign in using email or their wallet provider (Rainbow, Coinbase, WalletConnect).

Additionally, Medallion is a white-label platform, meaning artists can customize their digital spaces with their own color themes, backgrounds, and more. When fans set up an account, they claim something like a unique digital collectible or membership card called a “medallion” that grants free access to the community. For example, Greta Van Fleet’s symbol is her spinning 3D gold ring.

Artists communicate with fans through social media posts, and fans can respond with comments. Some artists may also request that the community submit concert footage, photos, etc. to share with the community and further encourage fan engagement.

There are currently 20 artists using Medallion to power their fan communities. jungle, Greta Van Fleet, Illenium, disclosure, Tiga, mount joy, Tycho, my morning jacket, girl in red clothesand Sigur Ros,especially

“We have partnered very closely with a small number of select artists over the past year to help us test and refine core product features. This platform is not yet open to all artists. However, we continue to invest in technology and platforms that will ultimately allow us to expand across the industry. At the moment, we are primarily focused on being among the top 10,000 artists on streaming platforms and being highly engaged. I work with independent-minded artists who have huge fan bases,” Jones said.

The company plans to expand the platform’s availability to hundreds more artists in 2024, but it won’t be widely available until 2025 or later.

The medallions are presented by Jones, Mark McIntyre (CTO), Josephine Yu (CPO), Jesse Belin (VP of Operations), Adam Ray (CFO and General Counsel), Ash Pampati (VP of GTM), Co-founded by Tom Milway (Vice President). Design) are all technology, e-commerce, and music industry veterans with experience at Songkick, Instagram, YouTube, Spotify, Grailed, Warner Music Group, and Live Nation.

Other investors in the round include Coinbase Ventures, Infinite Capital, J17, The Chernin Group, Third Prime, and Zeal Capital, as well as music industry investors Bill Silva Entertainment, Black Squirrel, Foundations Artist Management, Method; Includes TAG Music. Medallion also has support from top artists such as Jungle, Mount Joy, Guy Lawrence (Disclosure), and Tiga.

The company has raised $22 million to date.

“Artists are beginning to understand that they are brands, not just content creators, and as a result, they are building multimodal businesses that go beyond just music and content,” said Dragonfly General Manager Partner Rob Haddick said in a statement.

Source: techcrunch.com

Kosmik: A Visual Canvas Equipped with PDF Reader and Web Browser Functionality

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

In recent years, tools like Figma, TLDraw, Apple’s Freeform, and the Easel feature in the Arc browser have tried to sell the idea of using an “infinite canvas” to capture and share ideas.french startup cosmic builds on that general concept with knowledge acquisition tools that don’t require users to switch between different windows or apps to retrieve information.

Kosmik was founded in 2018 by Paul Rony and Christophe Van Deputte. Prior to that, Ronnie worked as a junior his director at a video production company, but instead of files and folders on which he could place videos, PDFs, websites, notes, and drawings, Ronnie used a single whiteboard as his type of canvas. was needed. And that’s when he started building his Kosmic, Ronnie told his TechCrunch. He draws on his background in the history and philosophy of computing.

“It took us almost three years to create a working product that included baseline features like data encryption, offline-first mode, and built a spatial canvas-based UI,” Rony explained. “We built all of this on top of his IPFS, so when the two of us collaborate, everything is peer-to-peer instead of relying on a server-based architecture.”

Image credits: cosmic

Kosmik offers an infinite canvas interface where you can insert text, images, videos, PDFs, and links, which can be opened and previewed in the side panel. It also has a built-in browser, so users no longer have to switch between windows to find relevant links on his website. Additionally, the platform also features a PDF reader that allows users to extract elements such as images and text.

This tool helps designers, architects, consultants, and students to build information boards for various projects. This tool is useful because it doesn’t require you to open numerous Chrome tabs and enter details in documents. Documents are a less visual medium for many different types of media. Some retail investors use apps to monitor stock prices, and consultants use apps for project boards.

Image credits: cosmic

Ronnie emphasized that bringing these different tools together in one place is a core selling point for Kosmik.

“I think it all revolves around the idea that we don’t have the best web browser or text editor or the best thing. It’s a PDF reader,” Ronnie said. “But being able to have them exist together in the same place, and being able to drag and drop items between them, makes this tool very powerful.”

Available via the web, Mac, and Windows, Kosmik comes with a basic free tier, which has a limit of 50 MB of files and 5 GB of storage with 500 canvas “elements.” For more storage and unlimited elements, the company offers a monthly subscription of $5.99, and eventually he offers a “one-time” subscription for those who only want to use the software on one device. We are planning to offer a “pay-as-you-go” model.

double down

Cosmic also announced today that it has raised funds. $3.7 million in seed round of funding led by Creandum. Alven, Kima Ventures, Betaworks, Replit and Quizlet founders participated.

Hanel Baveja, a principal at Creandum, told TechCrunch that the company decided to invest in Kosmik because Kosmik is a bit like Notion or Miro, and the potential to build something that completely changes an organization’s workflow. He said this is because there is. But Babeja said that like any consumer tool in this space, the startup needs to create immediate value for users.

“The time to value for any product must be immediate. Especially if it aims to become a commodity, you only have one chance to attract users,” Babeja said. “Finding a balance between a rich feature set and ease of deployment is certainly one of the challenges and is an area where the Kosmik team continues to strive.”

This cash injection is also timely given the product iterations in the pipeline.As expected of Cosmic is consolidating its codebases and Kosmik 2.0 will bring feature parity. The new app will be web-based and the desktop client will essentially be a wrapper app.

Additionally, the new version includes features such as multiplayer collaboration and AI-powered automatic tagging of items in images.

Ronnie said that in multiplayer mode, you can collaborate with someone on just a portion of the canvas using “cards,” which are like folders with objects dropped into them, rather than sharing the entire board. .

Kosmik opened to users in March and currently claims to have around 8,000 daily users, but the product can work completely offline, making it difficult to determine exactly how many people are actively using it. said it was difficult.

It’s worth noting that Kosmik isn’t the only startup active in the personal whiteboard space. Berlin-based Deta is building a new cloud OS for this problem and solution. sanity Building a social knowledge sharing platform. These companies must compete in some way to capture users’ attention and persuade them to try new paradigms for acquiring knowledge.

Source: techcrunch.com

Cloudline, supported by Schmidt Futures, secures $6 million to promote aviation autonomy for a sustainable future.

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

South African aerospace startup Cloudline is aiming to lead the global frontier of carbon-free autonomous flight and has secured $6 million in funding. The funding comes from supporters including philanthropic venture Schmidt Futures, founded by former Google CEOs Eric Schmidt and Wendy Schmidt. Other supporters include Pan-African Funds such as Raba Partnership, Verod-Kepple Africa Ventures, and 4Di, as well as other venture companies.

The founder and CEO of Cloudline, Spencer Horne, originally intended to build a transportation system that would use lighter-than-air unmanned aerial vehicles to deliver large payloads and connect isolated communities to global supply chains. His interest in the Moonshot project stems from his childhood fascination with trains and passion for transportation technology, particularly aviation.

After spending time at McKinsey and establishing a professional network, Horne returned to Africa to contribute to the field of aeronautics. In 2016, he founded Cloudline at the intersection of technology, transportation, and community impact. The company has since developed an autonomous airship that provides a cost-effective alternative to drones, helicopters, and satellites for real-time data collection in hard-to-reach locations.

Cloudline’s airships can travel more than 400 km with a full payload of 40 kg and fly for up to 10 hours using helium gas and solar power, producing zero emissions and significantly reducing operating costs. The company also combines various sensor data in a single flight, offering solutions for utilities, conservation efforts, and more.

The company has seen a significant increase in revenue and is expected to experience substantial growth in the coming years after signing multi-million dollar enterprise deals. The first-mover advantage and integration of software and hardware give Cloudline a strong market position, particularly in development for the African continent’s specific needs.

Source: techcrunch.com

NASA makes “Christmas tree clusters” come alive

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

The Christmas Tree Cluster, NGC 2264, is a young star cluster in the Milky Way galaxy, about 2,500 light-years from Earth. Enhanced by specific color selection and rotation, this composite image depicts these stars of varying sizes as part of a cosmic Christmas tree. Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO. Optics: TA Rector (NRAO/AUI/NSF and NOIRLab/NSF/AURA) and BA Wolpa (NOIRLab/NSF/AURA). Infrared: NASA/NSF/IPAC/CalTech/University of Massachusetts. Image processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/L.Frattare & J. Major

NGC 2264, also known as the “Christmas Tree Cluster,” milky way depicted with a new enhanced image to resemble a cosmic Christmas tree.

NGC 2264 is a cluster of young stars that has been colored and rotated to emphasize its nickname, the “Christmas Tree Cluster.”
This composite image includes X-rays from Chandra (blue and white), optical data from WIYN (green gas), and infrared data from 2MASS (white star).
The stars in this cluster are between 1 and 5 million years old, while the Sun is 5 billion years old.
Young stars are volatile and produce strong flares of X-rays and other types of light, but not in the coordinated way shown in the animation.

A cosmic Christmas tree: NGC 2264’s starscape

This new image of NGC 2264, also known as the “Christmas Tree Cluster,” shows the shape of a cosmic tree with a glow of starlight. In fact, NGC 2264 is a cluster of young stars, about 1 million to 5 million years old, located in the Milky Way about 2,500 light-years from Earth. The stars in NGC 2264 are smaller and larger than the Sun, ranging from those with masses less than a tenth of the Sun’s mass to those containing about 7 solar masses.

Festive composite image: color and rotation

This new composite image enhances the resemblance of a Christmas tree through color and rotation choices. The blue and white light (flashing in the animated version, see video below) is a young star that emits X-rays, and the X-rays are detected. NASAChandra X-ray Observatory. Optical data from his National Science Foundation-supported WIYN 0.9-meter telescope at Kitt Peak shows gas nebulae in green star clusters that correspond to the “pine needles” of trees. Finally, the infrared data from the Two Micron All Sky Survey shows foreground and background stars as white. The image has been rotated 160 degrees clockwise from astronomers’ standard north-up orientation, so the tops of the trees appear to be toward the top of the image.

This composite image shows a Christmas tree cluster. The blue and white light (blinking in the animated version of this image) is her X-ray-emitting young star detected by NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. Optical data from the National Science Foundation’s WIYN 0.9-meter telescope at Kitt Peak shows gas in the nebula in green, corresponding to the “pine needles” of trees, and infrared data from the 2-micron all-sky survey shows foreground and background shows the stars. White. The image has been rotated about 160 degrees clockwise with astronomers’ standard of north at the top, so the tops of the trees appear to be near the top of the image.

Star dynamics and observation techniques

Young stars like NGC 2264 are highly volatile, causing strong flares in X-rays and other types of fluctuations seen in different wavelengths of light. However, the coordinated blinking variation shown in this animation was done artificially to emphasize the position of the star seen in the X-rays and to emphasize the resemblance of this object to a Christmas tree. . In reality, the changes in the stars are not synchronized.

The fluctuations observed by Chandra and other telescopes are caused by several different processes. Some of these are associated with activity involving magnetic fields, such as flares like those experienced by the Sun (but much more powerful), and hot spots and spots on the star’s surface that move in and out of view as the star rotates. dark areas etc. Other possibilities include changes in the thickness of the gas obscuring the star, and changes in the amount of material falling onto the star from the surrounding gas disk.

NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center manages the Chandra program. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s Chandra X-ray Center manages scientific operations from Cambridge, Massachusetts and flight operations from Burlington, Massachusetts.

Source: scitechdaily.com

India’s New Telecommunications Law raises Privacy Concerns as it Clears the Way for Musk’s Starlink

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

With more than 1.17 billion phone connections and 881 million internet subscribers, India aims to modernize connectivity and introduce new services such as satellite broadband just months before general elections. Congress passed a telecommunications bill that replaced the 100-year-old rule.

India’s upper house of parliament on Thursday approved the Telecommunications Bill 2023 by voice vote, with many opposition leaders absent due to suspension, just a day after the bill was passed by the lower house. The bill would repeal rules dating back to 1885 during the telegraph era, giving Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government a mandate to use and manage telecommunications services and networks in the interest of national security, and to It gives the authority to monitor data. There is also a basis for the Indian government to intercept communications.

A newly passed telecommunications bill also allows spectrum to be allocated to satellite-based services without participating in an auction, and OneWeb wants to launch satellite broadband services in the world’s most populous country. The move is to give preferential treatment to companies such as , Starlink, and Amazon’s Kuiper. A long-standing demand for a “management process” surrounding spectrum allocation auctions. India’s Jio is trying to compete with three global companies with its homegrown satellite broadband service, but has relatively limited resources and has previously faced administrative opposition to its spectrum allocation model. Ta.

The bill also requires biometric authentication for subscribers to limit fraud and limits the number of SIM cards each subscriber may use. Additionally, it includes provisions for civil monetary penalties of up to $12,000 for violations of certain provisions and up to $600,400 for violations of conditions established by law.

The bill includes amendments to the Indian Telecom Regulatory Authority Act, 1997, targeting the telecom regulator, as the Indian government seeks to attract foreign investors by increasing private participation. These amendments would allow executives with more than 30 years of private sector experience to be appointed to regulatory agency positions. The chairman can become a member if he or she has served for 25 years or more. The country previously allowed only retired civil servants to serve as chairmen and commissioners of regulators.

“This is a very comprehensive and very large-scale structural reform born out of the vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji. The legacy of old fraudsters in the telecom sector will remain and this bill Arrangements will be made to make the telecom sector a rising sector through this,” said Ashwini Vaishno, India’s Telecom Minister, while introducing the bill in Parliament.

Interestingly, the Telecommunications Bill excludes the term “OTT” that was used in the first draft last year, setting out regulations for over-the-top (OTT) messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Signal, and Telegram. . Industry groups such as the Internet and Mobile Association of India, whose members include Google and Meta, have praised the changes. However, the scope of the regulation is not clearly defined throughout the document. Shivnath Thukral, head of India public policy at Meta, warned in an internal email that the government may have the power in the future to classify OTT apps as telecommunications services and subject them to licensing regimes. report By Indian outlet Moneycontrol.

Digital rights activists and privacy advocates have also raised concerns about the ambiguity surrounding the regulations and the lack of public consultation on the final version of the bill.

Apal Gupta, founding director of the digital rights group Internet Freedom Foundation, said at a public event earlier this week that the bill lacks safeguards for those targeted.

“The Ministry of Telecommunications still refuses to create a central repository on internet shutdowns, thereby reducing transparency. We are completely ignoring the core of the required telecommunications rules.” he emphasized.

Digital rights group Access Now called for the bill to be withdrawn and a new draft to be drafted through consultation.

“This bill is regressive because it strengthens colonial-era governments’ powers to intercept communications and shut down the internet. It undermines end-to-end encryption, which is critical to privacy.” said Namrata Maheshwari, Asia-Pacific policy advisor at Access Now, in a prepared statement.

The bill is currently awaiting approval from the President of India to become an official law.

Source: techcrunch.com

SpaceX Dragon packed up by ISS crew for return to Earth

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

The SpaceX Dragon supply ship (photographed from the window of the SpaceX Dragon Freedom crew ship) carrying more than 5,800 pounds of new scientific experiments and crew supplies approaches the International Space Station in the South Atlantic Ocean in July 2022. Credit: NASA

The crew of Expedition 70 finished packing the U.S. cargo ship before departure Wednesday. International space station. The seven orbiting residents also collaborated on various human studies to learn how to keep humans healthy in space.

On Wednesday, the four astronauts worked together to coordinate the final cargo transport inside the spacecraft. Space X Dragon cargo spaceship. The Dragon had been berthed at the station since November 11 and was scheduled to unberth at 9:05 p.m. EST Wednesday from the forward port of the Harmony module’s orbital outpost. Due to weather conditions, we are scheduled to depart on Thursday, December 21st at 5:05pm ET.

The agency will provide live coverage of Dragon’s undocking and departure starting at 8:45 p.m. NASA+via streaming services web or NASA app. The coverage will also be broadcast live on NASA Television. YouTubeand the agency’s Website.learn how Stream NASA TV Through various platforms including social media.

SpaceX’s Dragon supply ship approached the International Space Station in April 2023 carrying more than 6,200 pounds of scientific experiments, crew supplies, and other cargo to replenish the crew for Expedition 68. At the time this photo was taken, both spacecraft were flying 429 miles above the Indian Ocean near Madagascar. Credit: NASA

Astronauts Jasmine Mogberg and Andreas Mogensen began their science return mission in the morning, transferring frozen research samples from the station’s science freezer to an insulated Dragon science transport bag. Astronauts Loral O’Hara and Satoshi Furukawa continued handing over samples in the Destiny, Kibo, and Columbus experimental modules and packed them into Dragon. NASA aeronautical engineers O’Hara and Mogbeli concluded their study by storing fresh astronaut blood samples inside Dragon for recovery and analysis on Earth. Mogbeli will be the last crew member to leave the Dragon and close the hatch several hours before departure.

Seven Expedition 70 crew members take portraits inside the Kibo laboratory module on the International Space Station. Front row (from left) are ESA (European Space Agency) Commander Andreas Mogensen, NASA flight engineers Jasmine Moghberg and Loral O’Hara. Behind him are Roscosmos aeronautical engineers Nikolai Chubut, Konstantin Borisov and Oleg Kononenko. Satoshi Furukawa, flight engineer at JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency). Credit: NASA

All four crew members went to work and had blood and saliva samples taken. Cryptography A suite of 14 experiments examining how living in zero gravity affects the human body. O’Hara also took cognitive tests to understand how the brain works in space. Moghbeli downloaded the medical data stored on the health monitoring vest and headband. After all, Furukawa and Mogensen JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) and ESA (european space agency) Each used an ultrasound 2 machine to scan the veins in each other’s necks, shoulders, and legs.

The three astronauts lived and worked on the station, but remained focused on their mission. Roscosmos-Based scientific experiments and laboratory maintenance. Aviation engineers Konstantin Borisov and Nikolai Chubut participated in two different fitness evaluations. Borisov started pedaling on an exercise cycle, while Chubb jogged on a treadmill with a sensor attached to measure aerobic activity. Aeronautical engineer Oleg Kononenko conducted another of his 3D printing sessions to demonstrate manufacturing tools and consumables in microgravity.

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Source: scitechdaily.com

Bestwell secures $125 million in funding to aid in the advancement of workplace savings programs for companies

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Bestwell, which provides infrastructure for employers to promote workplace savings programs, has raised $125 million in what the company calls a “pre-emptive” funding round.

Lightspeed Venture Partners led the round, with participation from existing backers Fin Capital, Primary Venture Partners, and FinTech Collective, as well as new investors Blue Owl and HarbourVest.

The New York-based fintech company declined to reveal its valuation.

As part of this round, Justin Overdorff, Lightspeed’s lead fintech partner, joined Vestwell’s board of directors.

bestwell CEO Aaron Schumm founded the company in 2016 and launched its cloud-native platform in 2017. In this latest round, he raised $227.5 million.

Shumm declined to provide specific revenue numbers, but told TechCrunch via email that the startup: “We achieved revenue growth of over 1,000% in three years.”

“ARR and sales will also increase by more than 100% in 2023,” Schumm said, noting that the company is “on the path to profitability in the near term.”

bestwellHe added, “Prior to this pre-empted Series D funding, it was funded through profitability.” The company’s last raise was a $70 million Series C round in 2021.

More than 1 million employees at 300,000 companies use the Vestwell platform, which the company says has contributed to nearly $30 billion in asset savings over time. The company operates in partnership with financial institutions such as Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan, state governments, and payroll companies, and generates revenue for Bestwell through per-employer or “per-saver” monthly fees. . Bestwell says that as a partner extension, it enables an array of programs that include retirement, health, and education, including 401(k), 403(b), IRA, 529 Education, ABLE disability programs, and emergency savings programs. There is.

Earlier this year, JPMorgan used Bestwell to expand its 401(k) product.

“We help these companies migrate away from outdated legacy platforms, giving them a competitive edge when entering severely underserved markets,” Schum said. states.

Schum said Bestwell’s public-private partnerships are increasingly driving the company’s business by giving state governments a way to provide a “personalized savings experience.”

“We are now a leading partner in this space, currently powering 80% of the Live State Auto IRA savings programs in this country,” he said.

The company will use the new funding to expand its National Savings and other public savings program initiatives, enhance existing products and develop new products. About half of the new funding will go toward acquisitions, Schumm said. July, Bestwell Acquires student loan benefit provider Gradifi It was acquired from Morgan Stanley for an undisclosed amount.

Vestwell has just over 350 employees and has grown its team size by approximately 40% in the last year.

Lightspeed’s Oberdorf said the company was “deeply impressed with Bestwell” and impressed by the company’s “groundbreaking infrastructure-first approach to solving America’s systemic savings problem.” He said he received it.

“They are undeniably a dominant player and a true disruptor when it comes to the world of savings. Lightspeed is excited about our investment. I am proud to join the board and look forward to accelerating this I look forward to working closely with Aaron and his team to bring the company together. ”

Want more fintech news in your inbox? Sign up for Interchange here.

Source: techcrunch.com

Google Search: Beware of These Deceptive Practices

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

A new study shows that searching online to evaluate news can actually increase beliefs in misinformation, especially when search engines return low-quality information. This highlights the need for better media literacy programs and improved search engine responsiveness. Credit: SciTechDaily.com

Alarming research findings demonstrate the limitations of using recommended procedures to debunk false content.

Conventional wisdom holds that searching online to assess the veracity of misinformation can lead to less belief in that information. But a new study by a team of researchers shows that the opposite is happening. This means that searches are actually taking place to assess the veracity of false news articles. To increase Probability of believing false information.

The results of this study will be published in the journal today (December 20th) Nature, provides insight into the impact of search engine output on users. This is a relatively under-researched area.

How search engines influence users’ beliefs

“Our research shows that the act of searching online to evaluate news increases beliefs in misinformation, which is very common and by a significant amount.” new york universityCenter for Social Media Politics (CSMaP) and one of the authors of this paper.

The reason for this result may be explained by the search engine output. Researchers found that this phenomenon was concentrated among individuals for whom search engines returned low-quality information.

“This means that ‘data gaps’ (areas of the information ecosystem dominated by low-quality or outright false news and information) play a significant role in the online search process, leading to poor search results. “The danger is that you may see reliable or, even more alarmingly, unreliable information at the top of search results,” said lead author and University of Central Florida professor said Kevin Alette, assistant professor and CSMaP faculty researcher.

Methodology and focus of nature research

The newly published Nature Aslett, Sanderson, and their colleagues studied the effects of using online search engines to evaluate false or misleading views. This approach is recommended by technology companies, government agencies, and others.

To do so, they recruited participants through both Qualtrics and Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (a tool frequently used to conduct behavioral science research) and conducted a series of five experiments. Its purpose is to measure the impact of common actions. i.e. Searching and Evaluating News Online (SOTEN).

Investigating online search behavior and its impact

The first four studies tested the following aspects of online search behavior and impact:

The impact of SOTEN on believing both false or misleading news and true news within two days of article publication (popular fake articles included articles such as: COVID-19 (new coronavirus infection) vaccines, Trump impeachment proceedings, climate change, etc.)
Does the effect of SOTEN change individuals’ evaluations of the truthfulness of news articles?
blue sky effect Month After publication
The impact of SOTEN on recent news about salient topics with important news coverage – in the case of this study, news about the Covid-19 pandemic.

The fifth study combined survey and web tracking data to determine the effects of exposure to both low- and high-quality search engine results on misinformation beliefs. By collecting search results using a custom web browser plug-in, researchers were able to determine how search results were displayed. quality These search results can influence users’ beliefs about the misinformation being evaluated.

Source credibility ratings for this study were determined by NewsGuard, a browser extension that rates news and other information sites to help users evaluate the trustworthiness of content they encounter online.

Conclusion and recommendations

Across five studies, the authors found that the act of searching online to evaluate news led to a statistically significant increase in belief in misinformation. This occurred either immediately or months after the incorrect information was published. This finding suggests that the passage of time, and the ostensible opportunity for fact-checking to enter the information ecosystem, does not reduce the impact of SOTEN, which increases the likelihood of believing a false news article to be true. Additionally, a fifth study showed that this phenomenon is concentrated among individuals for whom search engines return low-quality information.

“The findings of this study underscore the need for media literacy programs to ground recommendations in empirically tested interventions and the need for search engines to invest in solutions to the challenges identified in this study.” ” concludes Joshua A. Tucker, professor of political science and co-director of CSMaP. of the author of the paper.

Reference: “Online searches to evaluate misinformation may increase perceptions of its truth,” December 20, 2023 Nature.
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06883-y

Other authors on the paper include William Gaedel and Jonathan Nagler of New York University’s Center for Social Media Politics and Nathaniel Persily of Stanford Law School.

This research was supported by a grant (2029610) from the National Science Foundation.

Source: scitechdaily.com

Worldcoin suspends Orb certification in India, Brazil, and France

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

WorldCoin has discontinued its orb verification service in India, Brazil and France, just months after the crypto startup expanded its helmet-shaped eye-scanning verification device. those markets.

Tools for Humanity, the foundation overseeing Worldcoin’s development, told TechCrunch that it will expand Orb to many markets this year for “limited-time access” and will continue to work with partners around the world to ensure it meets regulatory requirements. He said he would go. We provide safe, reliable, and transparent services to authenticated people.

The orb is a 5-pound colored sphere that scans an individual’s eyeballs to confirm their identity. This authentication system is similar to India’s Aadhaar, which uses biometric data to verify the identity of citizens.world coin shown Similarities of posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, dating back to July 2022.

“This multi-city tour began in Tokyo in April 2023, allowing people to experience the Orb for the first time in many locations across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. The tour will conclude in late summer and follow protocols Orb previews were also held in many cities around the world to coincide with the launch of “Orb,” Tools for Humanity spokesperson Lily Gordon told TechCrunch exclusively via email earlier this month.

WorldCoin, co-founded by Sam Altman, is building a trusted solution to “distinguish humans and AI online,” enabling “global democratic processes,” and “drastically unlocking economic opportunity.” In July of this year, we began rolling out the service globally with the aim of increasing the number of customers.

The startup, which has raised a total of about $250 million and whose backers also include Andreessen Horowitz, Khosla Ventures and Reid Hoffman, says it is rolling out its identity technology and token internationally. Ta. Individuals can download the World App, the startup’s protocol-compatible wallet software, and access the Orb, the startup’s helmet-shaped eye-scan verification device, to receive a World ID.

Image credits: tech crunch

While Brazil and France were among the global previews of Orb authentication services, Tools for Humanity has launched biometric authentication in India ahead of its global tour. TechCrunch understands that the organization was hiring more contractors to expand Orb-based verification in Indian cities, including New Delhi, through October.

Although Orbs is no longer available in some markets, the World App continues to engage people in India. The organization recently updated its protocol to World ID 2.0 to distinguish between bots and “authenticated humans” and to allow developers to build new integrations. We also announced World ID integration with Minecraft, Reddit, Telegram, Shopify, and Mercado Libre, in addition to existing support for Discord, Talent Protocol, and Okta’s Auth0.

More to come…

Source: techcrunch.com

Newly Discovered Fossils Shed Light on Enigmatic Human Lineage in the Levant

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Orthographic view of the static skull, mandible, and parietal bones.Credit: Tel Aviv University

Nesher Ramla homoan ancient hominin group discovered in Israel reveals a complex admixture of Eurasian and African hominins 140,000 years ago, changing perceptions of the origins of Neanderthals.

Researchers have discovered a previously unknown archaic hominin group they named Nesha Ramla. homo” at a recently excavated site in Israel. This group, dating from about 140,000 to 120,000 years ago, is thought to be the last survivor of the Middle Pleistocene. homo. They exhibit a unique blend of Neanderthal and ancient human characteristics and technology.

Neanderthals are thought to have originated and flourished in continental Europe long before modern humans arrived. However, recent evidence suggests a genetic contribution from as yet unknown non-European populations and points to a long and dynamic history of interactions between Eurasian and African hominin populations.

Human interaction in Eurasia and Africa

Here, Israel Hershkovitz, Yossi Zeidner and colleagues present fossil, artifact, and radiometric evidence from the Levantine region of the Middle East that illustrates this complexity. According to Hershkovitz et al., the newly discovered Nesher Ramla homo They exhibit anatomical features that are older than their contemporaneous Eurasian Neanderthals and modern humans, who also lived in the Levant. This discovery indicates that this archaic lineage may represent one of the last surviving populations of the Middle Pleistocene. homo in southwest Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Archaeological context and cultural interaction

In joint research, Zaidner other. We provide archaeological context for the new fossils and report on their associated radiometric dates, artifact assemblages, and the behavioral and environmental insights they provide. Researchers found that Nesher Ramla homo Familiar with technology that was previously known only to a select few homo sapiens And Neanderthals. Taken together, these findings provide archaeological support for close cultural interactions and genetic admixture between different human lineages before 120,000 years ago. This may help explain the different expressions of teeth and skeletal features in later Levantine fossils.

“Interpretation of Nesher Ramla fossils and stone tools will have mixed reactions among paleoanthropologists. Nevertheless, the age of Nesher Ramla materials, the discordant morphological and archaeological similarities , and the site’s location at the crossroads of Africa and Eurasia make this a major discovery,” writes Marta Lahr in an accompanying Perspective.

For more information about this research, see Types of prehistoric humans previously unknown to science.

References:

“Middle Pleistocene Homo from Nesher Ramla, Israel” Israel Hershkovitz, Hilla May, Rachel Salig, Ariel Pokhodzhaev, Dominique Grimaud Hervé, Emiliano Bruner, Cinzia Fornai, Rolf Quam, Juan. Written by Luis Arzuaga, Victoria A. Crenn, and Maria Martinon Torres, José María Bermudez de Castro, Laura Martin Frances, Vivian Soulon, Lou Albesado Ball, Amelie Viale, and Tim Schuler , Giorgio Manzi, Antonio Profico, Fabio Di Vincenzo, Gerhard W. Weber, Yossi Seidner, June 25, 2021, science.
DOI: 10.1126/science.abh3169

“Behavior and culture of Homo during the Middle Pleistocene, 140,000 to 120,000 years ago, and interaction with Homo sapiens” Yossi Seidner, Laura Senty, Marion Prevost, Norbert Mercier, Christophe Farguerre, Gilles Guerin, Hélène Valadas, Mairis Richard, Asmodee Ghaly, Christophe Pécherin, Olivier Tombre, Edwidge Pons-Branch, Naomi Porat, Ruth Shahak Gross, David E. Friesem, Reuven Yeshurun, Zohar Turdjman Yaffe, Amos Frumkin, Gadi Herzlinger, Ravid Eckstein, Maayan Shemar, Oz Valoner, Rachel Salig, Hila May, Israel Hershkovitz, June 25, 2021, science.
DOI: 10.1126/science.abh3020

Source: scitechdaily.com

Holiday Season Brings Increased Risk of Penile Fractures, Doctors Warn

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Christmas is a joyful time for many, but doctors have cautioned that there is a significant rise in embarrassing bedroom injuries during this festive season.

Warning: This story contains references to sexual assault.

Urologists at the Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich, Germany, have stated that a penile fracture is considered a medical emergency and is typically accompanied by an audible cracking sound and intense pain.

They caution that such injuries are the result of “strong flexing of the erect penis during aggressive sexual intercourse characterized by unusual sexual positions (e.g. ‘reverse cowgirl’)”.

In addition to the “audible cracking” and “severe pain,” doctors added that there is also rapid loss of erection, swelling, and bruising afterwards.

A study using German hospital data on 3,421 men who sustained penile fractures between 2005 and 2021 found that penile fractures increased during the festive period. The study, published in the British Journal of Urology International, also found that penile fractures increased on weekends and during the summer, but not on New Year’s Eve.

The researchers added that hospitalizations due to injuries were not affected by the COVID-19 pandemic or lockdown. The average age of penile fracture in men was 42 years.

Read more from Sky News:
Christmas vegetables that may help fight cancer
AI experts sound the alarm ahead of big election year

“Our findings ring an alarm (not jingle bells).”

The study also found that penile fractures are “most likely to occur during sex in unconventional scenarios,” such as extramarital sex or in “unusual locations.”

“Our analysis shows that penile fractures occur during times when couples are enjoying relaxing time, such as Christmas, weekends, and summer,” the authors write.

“Of course, we cannot recommend not having sex during such a period, but our findings ring alarm bells (rather than jingle bells).”

The authors, who clearly enjoy writing about their findings with festive puns, concluded: “Thus, in this case, playing ‘Home Alone’ during Christmas and the holidays seems like a good idea.” ing.

Source: news.sky.com

Early Detection of Parkinson’s Disease Possible 30 Years Before Onset of Symptoms, Scientists Find

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Researchers have discovered a way to detect Parkinson’s disease up to 30 years before symptoms appear using biomarkers and PET scans. This breakthrough includes tracking neurodegeneration more sensitively than current methods and shows that rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is an important early indicator of Parkinson’s disease. is identified. This discovery could lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment, potentially up to 10 years earlier than currently.

Researchers at The Florey and Austin Health in Melbourne, Australia, have demonstrated the potential to identify early indicators of Parkinson’s disease 20 to 30 years before the onset of symptoms. This breakthrough paves the way for early screening programs and intervention, potentially allowing treatment before significant damage occurs.

Researchers at the Florey Institute and Austin Health have demonstrated the possibility of identifying early indicators of Parkinson’s disease 20 to 30 years before the onset of symptoms. This breakthrough paves the way for early screening efforts and preventive treatment, long before permanent damage occurs.

Florey Professor Kevin Burnham said that although Parkinson’s disease, a debilitating neurodegenerative disease, is often thought of as a disease of the elderly, it actually begins in midlife and can last for decades. He said it may not be detected.

“Parkinson’s disease is very difficult to diagnose until symptoms become apparent, by which time up to 85 percent of the neurons in the brain that control motor coordination have been destroyed. At that point, many treatments are likely to be ineffective,” Professor Burnham said. “Our long-term goal is to find ways to detect diseases earlier and treat people before they cause harm.”

Advanced diagnostic technology

In a recently published study, neurologylead researcher Professor Burnham and colleagues explore how a known biomarker called F-AV-133 can be used in positron emission tomography (PET) scans to diagnose Parkinson’s disease and accurately track neurodegeneration. I’m explaining how it can be done.

In the Melbourne study, Austin Health’s Frawley Professor Chris Rowe and his team studied 26 patients with Parkinson’s disease, 12 controls, and 11 patients with rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD), a strong indicator of Parkinson’s disease. I checked the name. .

Each person underwent two PET scans two years apart. Key findings include:

Currently available assessments of Parkinson’s disease showed no significant changes in clinical symptoms in any of the participants.
In contrast, PET scans showed “significant neuronal loss” in three key areas of the brains of people with the disease, making F-AV-133 more effective than what is currently available. also suggests that it is a sensitive means of monitoring neurodegeneration.

Further mathematical modeling yields the following calculation:

Slow nerve cell loss over a total of approximately 33 years in Parkinson’s disease

This loss takes about 10.5 years before the disease is detected on a PET scan.
Even if a PET scan detects the disease, it will take another six and a half years for motor symptoms to appear.
It takes about 3 years after physical symptoms appear until a clinical diagnosis is confirmed.
This corresponds to approximately 22.5 years of neuronal loss before clinical symptoms are sufficient for diagnosis.

Professor Burnham said the findings pave the way for the development of screening protocols to diagnose and treat Parkinson’s disease up to 10 years earlier than is currently possible. It may also help identify patients for clinical trials.

What is RBD?

RBD stands for Rapid Eye Movement Behavior Disorder.
Patients with RBD scream, thrash, and sometimes move violently during sleep, enacting vivid and disturbing dreams.
RBD is caused by a lack of muscle relaxation (sleep paralysis).
90% of RBD patients develop Parkinson’s disease.

Half of all Parkinson’s patients have RBD.
RBD is an important warning sign for early Parkinson’s disease.
If you have RBD, see a sleep specialist or neurologist.

Reference: “Use of 18F-AV-133 VMAT2 PET Imaging to Monitor Progressive Nigrostriatal Degeneration in Parkinson’s Disease”, Leah C. Beauchamp, Vincent Dore, Victor L. Villemagne, SanSan Xu, David Finkelstein, Kevin J. Barnham, Christopher Rowe, 28 November 2023 neurology.
DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000207748

Source: scitechdaily.com

Supreme Court Rules AI Cannot be Named as Inventor in Patent Dispute, UK News Reports

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

The Supreme Court has ruled that artificial intelligence (AI) cannot be legally considered inventors to secure patent rights.

In a ruling on Wednesday, Britain’s highest court said that under current law, “the inventor must be an individual” to apply for a patent.

In a long-term patent dispute, an American engineer artificial intelligence A system he claims to be the inventor of.

The system, called DABUS, invented a food and drink container and a light beacon, according to Dr. Stephen Thaler.

The problem arose in 2019 when he received these patents and tried to list his company’s AI system as an inventor.

His case and subsequent appeal were rejected in the United States, and on Wednesday, after a three-year appeals process, he received a final dismissal of his appeal from Britain’s Supreme Court.

The bottom line of this case is whether you need to be a human being to obtain a patent.

Dr. Saylor’s team argued that the law does not require you to be the person in question to obtain a patent, and that because the artificial intelligence is the owner of the AI, it can apply for patents on its behalf. .

However, the Supreme Court justices unanimously dismissed the case, stating that to be considered an inventor under patent law a person must be a “natural person” and that Dr. Thaler had no idea why he could apply for a patent. He said that he did not state his claim. Instead of AI.

The judges considered the meaning of the term “inventor” in patent law and whether it included machines, but found that Mr. DABUS was not an inventor because only humans can devise inventions. He said he had come to a conclusion.

The judgment does not address whether AI created an invention, only whether AI can be considered an inventor under the Patents Act 1977.

Patents, which provide legal protection, are granted for inventions that are new, nonobvious, and meet a set of requirements.

read more:
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Patent rights make it illegal for anyone other than the owner or someone authorized by the owner to make, use, import, or sell the invention in the country where the patent was granted.

Dr. Thaler was unsuccessful in his latest attempt to win legal protection for works produced by AI systems.

But as AI is increasingly used as a tool for creativity across society, such debates are likely to become even more common.

The question for policymakers is whether the 1977 Patents Act adequately describes the nature of invention and the role of technology today.

Source: news.sky.com

The use of 3D atomic revelations revolutionizes alloy engineering

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

UCLA scientists have accomplished a groundbreaking feat by mapping medium- and high-entropy alloys in 3D for the first time, revealing their unique combination of toughness and flexibility. This advancement has the potential to revolutionize the field of alloy design and utilization.

This study represents a significant achievement in alloy research, providing the first 3D mapping of medium- and high-entropy alloys. These materials have the potential to enhance toughness and flexibility, presenting a new approach to alloy design.

These types of alloys, which combine three or more metals in approximately equal amounts, have stable properties that blend hardness and flexibility not typically found in traditional alloys. In comparison, traditional alloys are predominantly comprised of one metal with smaller proportions of others. The discovery is based on the counterintuitive fact that small structural defects make metals and alloys stronger. The research team focused on a type of structural defect called a twin boundary, which is a key factor in the unique combination of toughness and flexibility of medium and high entropy alloys.

The researchers created nanoparticles using a series of metals, including nickel, palladium, platinum, cobalt, ruthenium, rhodium, silver, iridium, and more. The nanoparticles were then imaged using an innovative technique called atomic electron tomography.

The researchers found that the more atoms of different elements or categories of elements are mixed together, the more likely it is that the structure of the alloy will change and contribute to the harmonization of toughness and flexibility.

The study, published in the journal Nature, represents a significant step forward in understanding the structure and properties of medium- and high-entropy alloys. The research was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy and conducted at Berkeley Lab’s Molecular Foundry.

This advancement has the potential to change the way alloys are designed and utilized. The possibility of avoiding the longstanding trade-offs inherent in most materials has the potential to significantly impact a wide range of applications, from buildings and transportation to appliances and tools.

Source: scitechdaily.com

Toyota to recall over 1 million vehicles due to potential airbag issue | Global News

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Toyota will recall 1.12 million vehicles worldwide due to a defect affecting airbags.

The recall applies to 2020-2022 model year vehicles, including Avalon, Camry, Corolla, RAV4, Lexus ES250, ES300H, ES350, RX350 Highlander, and Sienna Hybrid, that do not have a functional Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor. It may disappear.

A short circuit in the sensor on these models could prevent the airbag from deploying as designed.

Sensors ensure that the airbag does not deploy if a small adult or child is seated in the front seat.

Toyota Lexus, a brand owned by Toyota Motor Corporation, will inspect the OCS sensor and replace it if necessary, free of charge to owners.

The Japanese auto giant plans to notify customers by mid-February 2024 if their cars are subject to a recall.

Toyota announced a recall of 3,500 RAV4 models in the United States in July 2022 due to interference between internal parts that could cause OCS sensors to falsely detect occupants.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, airbags in the front of vehicles have saved more than 50,000 lives in the United States over 30 years.

read more:
Tesla recalls more than 2 million cars in the US over Autopilot concerns

Older airbags have evolved over the years to deploy the same for all drivers and occupants.

This could cause injuries and, in rare cases, death to children, small adults and unbelted passengers who get too close to the airbags when they deploy, authorities said.

Source: news.sky.com

Potential New Treatment for Pulmonary Hypertension Discovered by Scientists

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Researchers from Indiana University and the University of Notre Dame focused on reversing vascular remodeling through an epigenetic pathway involving the protein SPHK2, as reported in the journal Circulation Research. A potential treatment has been discovered. This innovative approach could transform the treatment of this serious lung disease.

Researchers at Indiana University School of Medicine’s South Bend Regional Campus and colleagues at the University of Notre Dame have discovered a new therapeutic target to treat pulmonary hypertension. This form of hypertension particularly affects blood vessels in the lungs. The team’s research and findings were recently published in the journal circulation research.

Pulmonary hypertension is a complex and often fatal condition in which the heart works harder than normal to pump blood to the lungs. The exact cause of pulmonary hypertension is unknown, but one of its hallmarks is thickening of pulmonary blood vessels caused by cell overgrowth, also known as vascular remodeling.

Discovery of new treatments

Margaret A. Schwartz, M.D., professor of pediatrics at IU School of Medicine and senior author of the study, said there are few treatments for pulmonary hypertension, and they usually treat the symptoms of vascular remodeling rather than the remodeling itself. Ta.

Dr. Schwartz said that an interesting finding of her team was the discovery of an epigenetic pathway through the protein SPHK2 that can reduce and potentially reverse vascular remodeling in pulmonary hypertension.

Dr. Dushani Ranasinghe (left) and Margaret Schwartz, MD, attend the University of Notre Dame Ranasinghe graduation ceremony.Credit: Provided by Margaret Schwartz

“This is one of the first reversible mechanisms of pulmonary hypertension identified,” she says. “Patients with pulmonary hypertension are usually given drugs to lower blood vessel pressure in the lungs or to help the heart contract to pump blood, both of which are symptoms of vascular remodeling. Our research focuses on targeting an epigenetic reversal of this mechanism. Ultimately, stopping the vascular remodeling process entirely may be the answer.”

Schwartz said the concept is similar to cancer treatment.

“In the case of cancer, we don’t just treat the symptoms, we stop the tumor from growing,” she says. “Vascular remodeling is a different mechanism, but the idea is that treatments target the mechanism rather than the symptoms.”

Main findings and future directions

Other key findings from the study include:

SPHK2 promotes the development of pulmonary hypertension through hyperacetylation of histone H3K9 and contributes to vascular remodeling in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs).
SPHK2 deficiency results in decreased pulmonary vascular resistance, right ventricular hypertension, and thickened distal vessel walls.
EMAP (endothelial monocyte activation polypeptide) II plays an important role in stimulating the nuclear SPHK2/S1P epigenetic regulatory axis, suggesting cooperation between SPHK2 and S1P.
EMAPII may be a major driving force of epigenetic-mediated vascular PASMC reprogramming and remodeling in pulmonary hypertension.
Pulmonary endothelial cells are priming factors for the EMAPII/SPHK2/S1P axis that alters PASMC-specific acetylome through histone H3K9 hyperacetylation.

Schwartz and the study’s lead author, Dr. Dushani Ranasinghe, who was a member of Schwartz’s lab when Schwartz was a graduate student at Notre Dame, also thanked Dr. Schwartz for this episode. were interviewed about their findings. Podcast “Discover CircRes”It is produced by. circulation research.

Dr. Schwartz said the next steps in her research include collaborating with Brian Bragg, director of the Warren Center for Drug Discovery and Development at the University of Notre Dame, to further explore the SPHK2 protein as a therapeutic target for pulmonary hypertension. Stated.

Reference: “Changes in smooth muscle cell histone acetylome through the SPHK2/S1P axis promote pulmonary hypertension” A. Dushani CU Ranasinghe, Maggie Holohan, Kalyn M. Borger, Deborah L. Donahue, Rafael D. Kuc, Martin Gerig, Andrew Kim, Victoria A. Propris, Frances J. Castelino, Margaret A. Schwartz, September 12, 2023. circulation research.
DOI: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.123.322740

Other IU authors on the study include Maggie Holohan and Martin Gerrig.

This research was made possible in part through funding from the following institutions: National Institutes of HealthLilly Endowment, O’Brien Family Excellence Fund, National Science Foundation, Buckner Family Scholarship.

Source: scitechdaily.com

Soum, a re-commerce marketplace, secures $18 million to expand in the MENA region.

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

The global recommerce market is poised to grow as consumers more and more Some settle for second-hand goods to save costs and observe conscious consumption. The global recommerce market is expected to continue into the future. growth Markets like Saudi Arabia are growing rapidly soom aims to reach users in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

Soum was founded in 2021 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and is currently aiming to expand its growth to other MENA countries, starting with the United Arab Emirates. The plan is fueled by recent $18 million Series A funding.

The round was led by Saudi Arabia’s Jahez Group, with participation from New York-based Isometry Capital, along with existing investors Khwarizmi Ventures, AlRajhi Partners, and Outliers Venture Capital. This follows the acquisition of $4 million in seed funding in 2021.

Beyond expansion, the startup, which features electronics in its top list, is also increasing the categories it covers by including products such as cars and collectibles.

“We are expanding into different regions and are looking at the entire MENA region.To realize our vision of being the place to sell everything from mobile phones to cars, we are developing new We have also started testing categories.” Fahad Al Hassanco-founder of Soum bader al mubarak and Fahad Albassam.

“We want to make buying and selling easier and accessible to everyone,” said Al Hassan, who previously worked as a consultant at PwC and as a strategic manager at the Saudi Ministry of Internal Affairs and Reform. .

Abdulaziz Alhouti, chief investment officer of Jahez Group, the parent company of Jahez, a Saudi food delivery platform that went public in 2021, commented on the round to TechCrunch: It’s a good job, but as the digital age advances, we need something more convenient, frictionless, sustainable, and reliable. This is the preposition that Soum brings to the table. ”

Soum manages the entire process from listing to delivery. Shipping is supported by third-party logistics partners. To list a product, sellers must submit images of the product for pre-approval. The startup also processes and holds payments until the buyer confirms receipt as a fraud precaution.

Al Hassan said that most products take three to four days to be delivered, and if users are not satisfied with the product, they can initiate a return within 24 hours. The company plans to extend the return period for some products to one week or even one month.

The startup makes money through commissions every time a product is sold. Prices are determined based on a variety of factors, including supply and demand.

“The commission is 10-20% of the product price. The more valuable the product, the lower the percentage, and the more frequent the seller, the lower the percentage. Therefore, multiple factors are taken into account,” Al Hassan He said, adding that more than 30,000 properties are listed on Sumu every month. iPhones and laptops are the best-selling products.

Al Hassan expects further growth for the company as the adoption of indigenous solutions continues and Saudi Arabia promotes local solutions to break away from dependence on international markets. Additionally, the country is said to be in the midst of a technology boom, with data showing a rapid increase in the number of e-commerce transactions. business and the spread of electronic services.

Source: techcrunch.com

Unveiling the Structure of Neurotransmitter Transporters: Scientists Finally Answer 40-Year-Old Question

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Researchers at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have uncovered the structure of VMAT2, a crucial neurotransmitter transporter, shedding light on its interaction with drugs used to treat conditions like Tourette syndrome. This pioneering study offers insights into neurotransmitter transport and advances the field of neuropharmacology.

Neurons communicate through neurotransmitters, and experts at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have utilized their knowledge in structural biology to reveal the structure of vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2), an essential component of neurotransmission.

By visualizing VMAT2 in different states, researchers can now better comprehend its function and how its different conformations impact drug binding. This knowledge is crucial for the development of drugs to treat hyperactivity disorders such as Tourette syndrome.

This work was recently published in the journal Nature. Monoamines, including dopamine, serotonin, and adrenaline, play a central role in neurotransmission by influencing various brain functions. Before they can be released, these molecules must be packaged into vesicles, which are compartments in cells that store neurotransmitters.

VMAT2 is a protein that moves monoamines into these vesicles, acting like a loading crane on a cargo ship. The study, led by researchers such as Dr. Chia-Hsueh Lee, Dr. Shabareesh Pidathala, and Dr. Yaxin Dai, utilized cryo-electron microscopy to analyze the structure of VMAT2 and its interactions with serotonin and drugs used to treat certain conditions.

The study revealed that different drugs bind to specific conformations of VMAT2, providing detailed insights that can aid in developing treatments for various disorders. The research also identified amino acids that facilitate neurotransmitter transport, laying the groundwork for future studies to fully understand the mechanisms involved.

The study was supported by grants from organizations such as the National Institutes of Health and the National Natural Science Foundation of China.

Source: scitechdaily.com

Fandime NFT Launched by AR Platform to Provide Exclusive Movie-Related Rewards for Users

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Traditionally, being a hardcore movie fan means collecting physical memorabilia, such as autographed posters, to demonstrate your dedication. But in recent years, many companies have begun betting on digital collections to become symbols of fan devotion.

Really (formerly known as Moviebill) — an AR platform offering digital collectible movie tickets and interactive experiences related to the latest blockbuster movies — announces partnership with blockchain platform avalanche It helps power “Fandime” NFTs, a new way for movie studios to engage with audiences. The company announced today that it is expanding AR Collection tickets to theater partners in the Asia-Pacific region, including Japan, South Korea, Australia, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore.

There are three ways to earn Fandime tokens. These include attending movie theaters and events, purchasing merchandise, and interacting with Really’s AR experiences, including weekly trivia, scavenger hunts, and the “Pop-A-Corn” game where you toss kernels into a popcorn bucket. Users can also purchase Fandime directly in the Really app (iOS and android device).

Each Fandime gets a unique blockchain-based ID, created on Avalanche’s blockchain network and stored in the user’s Really account.

Users can redeem Fandime for digital perks, movie-related AR content, special opportunities, and “AR trophies, wearable face filters,” the company said. Tokens can also be used in Really games, such as extending play time in Trivia or gaining extra lives or levels in the Bucket Toss game.

Amazon-MGM Studios has already launched a collection with Really, likely to promote less mainstream films such as “American Fiction,” “The Boys in the Boat,” and “The Beekeeper.” It’s probably part of their marketing strategy. Moviegoers who collect all three AR tickets will win an exclusive His Fandime token. The production company recently unveiled AR collectibles for the hit psychological thriller Saltburn.

Image credits: Really

“Augmented reality is the future of content and media. Blockchain is the future of data. We believe that by combining these two things that Really is doing today, we can stay ahead of the game.” James Andrew Felts, founder and CEO of Really AR, told TechCrunch. “Specifically, augmented reality brings an entirely new user interface to how we interact with the digital world. As we move from 2D screens like smartphones and desktop computers to 3D screens like headsets and holograms, will become more tactile and more personal. Blockchain unlocks the ability to make digital files truly yours, just like physical objects and items in the real world. In many ways, the intersection of Web3 and AR will make our digital world more human and more accessible.”

Next year, Really will expand the ways users can earn Fandime tokens and redeem rewards. For example, users will be able to purchase movie tickets and merchandise, receive discounts, and collect Fandime tokens through their Really account while watching content at home.

In the long term, Felts revealed to us that Really plans to create original AR content and expand into other areas outside of the entertainment industry.

“We plan to roll out ‘Really Originals’, the first AR stories on the market that you can experience on your coffee table or in your backyard… Our digital collectibles program will expand into other sectors such as travel, retail, etc. “Ultimately, this content network will also be a place where brands can deliver 3D messages to their audiences at scale.” Told.

Really was founded in 2017 and gained the most attention from movie fans after partnering with. Regal Cinemas We will begin exclusive AR content such as interviews and AR games in preparation for the release of “Avengers: Infinity War”. To date, Regal’s customers have enjoyed his work across 200 wide-release films, including modern titles such as “The Marvels,” “Napoleon,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” and “Wish.” We claim Really’s AR collection of over 4 million pieces. others.

“Initially, our goal was to provide the ultimate entertainment experience to our most loyal customers, those who were willing to spend a premium price for premium content. At the time, AR was the most advanced way to display content. Looking back, we were ahead of the curve, and now that AR/VR is mainstream, we can leverage our technology to provide an immersive experience for moviegoers. and bring people to the theater on a large scale.”

Source: techcrunch.com

Unknown source of ultra-high energy extraterrestrial particle detected by telescope array

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

An artist’s illustration of an extremely high-energy cosmic ray, named the “Amaterasu particle,” observed by the surface detector array of the Telescope Array experiment.Credit: Osaka Metropolitan University/L-INSIGHT, Kyoto University/Ryuunosuke Takeshige

A groundbreaking detection of extremely high-energy cosmic rays by a telescope array experiment points to a void in the universe and casts doubt on current theories about the origin and high-energy physics of cosmic rays. It raises questions about its source.

Discovery of an exceptional extraterrestrial particle

Researchers involved in the telescope array experiment announced that they had detected cosmic rays with unusual energy. This particle originates outside our galaxy and has an incredible energy level of more than 240 exaelectronvolts (EeV). Despite this remarkable discovery, its exact source remains elusive, as its direction of arrival does not point to any known celestial body.

The mystery of ultra-high energy cosmic rays

Cosmic rays are subatomic charged particles that come from space, and ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) are a rare and extremely powerful type. These UHECRs have energies in excess of 1 EeV, which is about a million times the energy reached by man-made particle accelerators. These are thought to originate from the most energetic phenomena in the universe, such as black holes, gamma-ray bursts, and active galactic nuclei. However, its exact physics and acceleration mechanisms are still not fully understood. These high-energy cosmic rays occur infrequently, estimated at less than one particle per square kilometer per century, making their detection a rare event and requiring instruments with large collection areas. .

An artist’s illustration of ultra-high energy cosmic ray astronomy, which elucidates highly energetic phenomena as opposed to weak cosmic rays that are affected by electromagnetic fields.Credit: Osaka Metropolitan University/Kyoto University/Ryuunosuke Takeshige

A unique discovery of telescope arrays

The Telescope Array (TA) experiment, a large-scale surface detector array in Utah with an effective detection area of 700 square kilometers, successfully detected UHECR on May 27, 2021 at a breakthrough energy of approximately 244 EeV.

Given the very high energy of this particle, it should experience only a relatively small deflection by the foreground magnetic field, and therefore its direction of arrival should be expected to be more closely correlated with its source. Researchers point out that there is. However, our results show that the direction of arrival does not indicate an obvious source galaxy or other known objects that could be potential sources of UHECRs.

Instead, its direction of arrival points to a cavity in the large-scale structure of the universe, a region where galaxies are almost absent. Scientists believe this indicates a much larger magnetic deflection than predicted by galactic magnetic field models, an unidentified source in the local extragalactic neighborhood, or an incomplete understanding of the high-energy particle physics involved. This suggests that there is a possibility that

For more information on this discovery, see:

Reference: “Extremely high-energy cosmic rays observed by surface detector arrays”*†, RU Abbasi, MG Allen, R. Arimura, JW Belz, DR Bergman, SA Blake, BK Shin, IJ Buckland, BG Cheon, Tetsuya Fujii, Kazuya Fujisue, Kazuya Fujita, Masaki Fukushima, GD Furlich, ZR Gerber, N. Globus, Kazuto Hibino, Tatsuya Higuchi, Kazuya Honda, Daisho Ikeda, Hiroshi Ito, Akira Iwasaki, S. Jeong, HM Jeong, CH Jui, K. Kadota, F. Kakimoto, OE Kalashev, K. Kasahara, K. Kawata, I. Kharuk, E. Kido, SW Kim, HB Kim, JH Kim, JH Kim, I. Komae, Y. Kubota, MY Kuznetsov, KH Lee, BK Rubsandrjiev, JP Lundquist, JN Matthews, S. Nagataki, T. nakamara, A. Nakazawa, T. Nonaka, S. Ogio, M. Ono, H. Oshima, IH Park. , M. Potts, S. Pushilkov, JR Remington, DC Rodriguez, C. Lott, GI Rubtsov, D. Liu, H. Sagawa, N. Sakaki, T. Sako, N. Sakurai, H. Shin, JD Smith, P Sokolsky, BT Stokes, TS Stroman, K. Takahashi, M. Takeda, A. Takeda, Y. Tameda, S. Thomas, GB Thomson, PG Tyniakov, I. Tkachev, T. Tomita, SV Troitsky, Y. Tsunesada, S. Udo, FR Urban, T. Wong, K. Yamazaki, Y. Yuma, YV Zeser, Z. Zunder, November 23, 2023. science.
DOI: 10.1126/science.abo5095

Source: scitechdaily.com

PaintJet creates massive industrial robots for painting large-scale industrial projects

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Construction could be the next major focus for robotics investments. Here in America, our $2 trillion industry employs about 8 million people, the equivalent of one New York City. But even in times of financial boom, these jobs can be difficult to keep filled due to physical demands and other potential hazards.

Industrial painting is ready for automation. After all, large projects involve quite a bit of heavy equipment. As evidenced by the video published by PaintJet, this kind of old technology remains in place, despite some automated twists. Announced in October, the Nashville startup Bravo’s robotic paint sprayer more or less resembles a cherry picker.

CEO Nick Hegeman told TechCrunch that even though it looks like a fairly standard piece of heavy equipment, “we developed 100% of the robotic system. The parts come from industry suppliers. paint Hoses, nozzles and pumps. “We can non-invasively connect to the platform and control both the lift and the robotic system,” he added. “This allows us to expand to our widely established network of equipment rental providers.” can.”

Today, the company announced a $10 million Series A led by Outsiders Fund with participation from Pathbreak Ventures, MetaProp, Builders VC, 53 Stations, and VSC Ventures. This round follows his $3.5 million seed led by Dynamo Ventures and brings his total funding to date to $14.75 million.

Image credits: paint jet

Co-founder and CEO Nick Hegeman has understandably put ongoing staffing issues at the center of the pay increase. “It’s not just about automation. It’s about redefining industry standards, addressing labor shortages, and introducing cost-effective solutions that break the traditional paint mold,” he said in a release. There is. “We are grateful to our investors who support our mission and enable us to expand geographically and into new areas.”

Alongside Bravo’s announcement in October, the company also announced Alpha Shield paint. This is claimed to reduce standard wear and tear from the elements and allow for increased repainting intervals.

Image credits: paint jet

Of course, Paintjet isn’t the only company vying to bring robots into the world of industrial painting. Gray Matter offers painted his arms in a variety of scales. Japanese robotic arm giant Fanuc has also introduced solutions, but so far they cannot reach the heights of the kinds of buildings that Paintjet is working on at Bravo.

The startup targets construction companies as its primary user base. Current client list includes Prologis, Clayco, Layton Construction, and Brinkman Constructors.

Paintjet’s workforce remains small, with 24 full-time employees. A portion of the new funding will be used to increase sales and operations staff. The company also moved its headquarters from Nashville to Virginia “to support our entry into the marine business and to increase our engineering headcount to expand our technology stack and distribute more broadly,” Hageman said. That’s what it means.

Source: techcrunch.com

AI Found to Form Memories in Similar Way to Humans, a Surprising Discovery

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

The multidisciplinary team discovered that AI models, and Transformer in particular, process memories in a manner similar to the hippocampus in the human brain. This breakthrough suggests that applying neuroscience principles like NMDA receptors to AI can improve memory function, advance the field of AI, and provide insight into human brain function. doing. Credit: SciTechDaily.com

Researchers have discovered that memory consolidation processes in AI are similar to those in the human brain, particularly the hippocampus, opening the door to advances in AI and a deeper understanding of human memory mechanisms.

The interdisciplinary team, comprised of researchers from the Center for Cognition and Sociality and researchers from the Data Science Group within the Institute of Basic Sciences (IBS), will study memory processing in artificial intelligence (AI) models and the hippocampus and hippocampus of the human brain. revealed that there are striking similarities between the two. This new discovery provides a new perspective on memory consolidation, the process of converting short-term memory into long-term memory in AI systems.

Evolving AI through understanding human intelligence

Understanding and replicating human-like intelligence has become a key research focus in the race to develop artificial general intelligence (AGI), led by influential organizations such as OpenAI and Google DeepMind. At the heart of these technological advances is the Transformer model. [Figure 1]its fundamental principles are now being explored in new depths.

Figure 1. (a) Diagram showing ion channel activity in a postsynaptic neuron. AMPA receptors are involved in the activation of postsynaptic neurons, while NMDA receptors are blocked by magnesium ions (Mg2⁺), whereas calcium ions (Ca2⁺) are activated when postsynaptic neurons are fully activated. Induces synaptic plasticity through influx. (b) Flow diagram representing the computational process within the Transformer AI model. Information is processed sequentially through stages such as feedforward layer, layer normalization, and self-attention layer. The graph showing the current vs. voltage relationship for the NMDA receptor is very similar to the nonlinearity of the feedforward layer. Input-output graphs based on magnesium concentration (α) show nonlinear changes in NMDA receptors.Credit: Basic Science Research Institute

Brain learning mechanism applied to AI

The key to powerful AI systems is understanding how they learn and remember information. The research team focused on the learning principles of the human brain, particularly memory consolidation via the NMDA receptors in the hippocampus, and applied them to the AI model.

NMDA receptors are like smart doors in the brain that facilitate learning and memory formation. The presence of a brain chemical called glutamate excites nerve cells. Magnesium ions, on the other hand, act as small gatekeepers that block the door. Only when this ionic gatekeeper steps aside can substances flow into the cell. This is the process by which the brain creates and retains memories, and the role of the gatekeeper (magnesium ions) in the whole process is very specific.

AI models that mimic human brain processes

The research team made an interesting discovery. The Transformer model appears to use a gatekeeping process similar to the brain’s NMDA receptors. [see Figure 1]. This discovery led the researchers to investigate whether the consolidation of Transformer memories could be controlled by a mechanism similar to the NMDA receptor gating process.

In animal brains, low magnesium levels are known to impair memory function. Researchers have discovered that mimicking NMDA receptors can improve long-term memory in transformers. Similar to the brain, where changes in magnesium levels affect memory, tweaking the transformer parameters to reflect NMDA receptor gating improved memory in the AI model. This breakthrough suggests that established knowledge from neuroscience can explain how AI models learn.

Expert insights on AI and neuroscience

“This research is an important step in the advancement of AI and neuroscience,” said C. Justin Lee, the institute’s director and neuroscientist. This will allow us to delve deeper into how the brain works and develop more advanced AI systems based on these insights.

CHA Meeyoung is a data scientist on the team.
kaist
says, “The human brain is remarkable in that it operates on minimal energy, unlike large-scale AI models that require vast amounts of resources. It opens up new possibilities for low-cost, high-performance AI systems that learn and remember information.”

Fusion of cognitive mechanisms and AI design

What makes this work unique is its commitment to incorporating brain-inspired nonlinearity into AI structures, representing a significant advance in simulating human-like memory consolidation. The fusion of human cognitive mechanisms and AI design not only enables the creation of low-cost and high-performance AI systems, but also provides valuable insights into the workings of the brain through AI models.

Source: scitechdaily.com

GreyOrange remains in the spotlight after raising $135 million

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Over the past few years, I’ve asked countless people in the robotics industry, “What’s next for warehousing/distribution?” An already popular category got even hotter during the pandemic, as online shopping went from a convenience to a necessity.

While Amazon has led the field with in-house systems for more than a decade, companies like Locus, 6 River Systems, and Fetch (now owned and branded by Zebra) are partnering with top retailers. are tied. But the question “what’s next?” by no means signals the end of the spotlight on fulfillment. Despite the economic slowdown in investment, this is a huge category and it’s only getting bigger.

GreyOrange was founded in 2011 and is headquartered outside Roswell, Georgia, about 20 miles north of Atlanta. This was the year before his Kiva deal with Amazon shocked the industry. Over the past decade, the company has acquired a number of high-profile clients, including Walmart Canada, Nike and Swedish fast-fashion retailer H&M.

Image credits: gray orange

The company does not have any major problems in raising funds. GreyOrange announced a $140 million Series C in 2018 and today announced that it has raised $135 million in Series D growth funding. Anthelion Capital led the round, with return investment from Mithril, 3State Ventures, and Blume Ventures.

The company has been working for years to build full-stack solutions for warehousing, fulfillment, and 3PL needs. This includes his AMR (autonomous mobile robots), forklift and box picking systems like Kiva, as well as proprietary first-party (“hardware agnostic”) fleet management software.

CEO Akash Gupta said the round will be partially directed toward delivering the system to customers.

Source: techcrunch.com

Future NASA Moon Landings to Feature International Astronauts

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

International astronauts will join U.S. astronauts on the moon by the end of this decade under an agreement announced Wednesday by NASA and the White House.

The news came as Vice President Kamala Harris convened a meeting of the National Space Council in Washington, the third such meeting under the Biden administration.

There was no word on who the international moonwalker would be or what country he would represent. A NASA spokesperson later said the crew will be assigned to a location close to the lunar landing mission, and no commitments to other countries have been made yet.

NASA has been sending international astronauts on space trips for decades. Canadian Jeremy Hansen About a year from now, it will fly around the moon with three American astronauts.

Another crew member will actually land. This will be the first landing by astronauts on the moon in more than half a century. According to , it is unlikely to happen before 2027. U.S. Government Accountability Office.

All 12 moon walkers on NASA’s Apollo program in the 1960s and 1970s were U.S. citizens. The space agency’s new moon exploration program is named Artemis, after the mythical twin sister of Apollo.

Including international partners is “not only deeply appreciated, but also urgently needed in today’s world,” Hansen told the board.

NASA has long emphasized the need for global cooperation in space, and in 2020 established the Artemis Accords with the U.S. Department of State to promote responsible behavior not only on the moon but everywhere in space. Representatives from all 33 countries that have signed the agreement so far are expected to attend the Space Council meeting in Washington.

“We know from experience that cooperation in space pays off,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, citing the Webb Space Telescope, an effort between the United States, Europe and Canada, as an example.

Notably absent from the Artemis Accords are Russia and China, the only countries other than the United States that have sent their citizens into orbit. Russia is her NASA partner on the International Space Station, along with Europe, Japan and Canada. Even in the early 1990s, the Russian and U.S. space agencies collaborated on a shuttle program to launch each other’s astronauts to Russia’s former orbiting Mir base.

At Wednesday’s meeting, Harris also announced new policies to ensure the safe use of space as more private companies and nations take to the skies. The problems the United States is trying to solve include the climate crisis and the growing amount of space junk on Earth. Russia’s anti-satellite missile tests in 2021 added more than 1,500 pieces of potentially dangerous orbital debris, prompting Blinken to join other meetings and urge all countries to conduct such destructive tests. I asked them to cancel it.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Cryptocurrency valuations expected to stabilize in 2023 before rising in 2024, according to venture capitalists

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

past couple The years have proven to be a tumultuous time for the cryptocurrency industry. As if the spate of failures and bankruptcies of major crypto institutions weren’t enough, the industry has seen many tourist investors walk out the door as the broader macroeconomic situation worsens.

However, the recent surge in interest in cryptocurrencies due to rising prices for Bitcoin and Ethereum is rebuilding momentum, and the next year could see promising valuations for crypto startups. Many people are thinking.

Lidia Chiu, vice president of business development at Ava Labs, said raising capital in 2023 was difficult for both startups and venture capitalists. “On the startup side, we have seen fewer token offerings and valuation corrections,” she said. “VCs also had more leverage to negotiate better terms when taking the initiative than they did in 2021 or 2022. We’re seeing more follow-on and down-round opportunities from teams that have raised in the past few years.” [today]”

The fallout from the 2021 hype is still reflected in the landscape of crypto ventures. “[In] 2021, [there were] Michael Anderson, co-founder of Framework Ventures, entered the field at the top but was funded by traditional Silicon Valley venture capital firms that had no idea what they were doing. He said an outlandish valuation was set with a number of terrible ideas. He added that 2022 will see a “complete reorganization” of the crypto venture capital deck, with “many tourism VCs exiting and weak portfolio investments being drained.”

The tough funding environment in 2023 will only weed out weaker companies that were able to secure capital in 2021. Mark Bhargava, managing director at General Catalyst, said much of the dry powder from the good times survived into this year.

Mr Anderson added that the ratings were “back to reality”.

Then, when FTX collapsed in November 2022, many funds, including those focused on web3, “put the brakes on new deals,” said New Form Capital’s founder and general partner. Alex Marinier said.

“I think everyone expected venture funding to dry up in 2023, and that’s what happened,” said Will Nuell, general partner at Galaxy Ventures. “Funding in the crypto and blockchain venture market has returned to levels not seen since 2020.”

“In 2023, most people seem to have finally gotten the message that we are in a new market and the investor class is thinking and acting more rationally than before,” Anderson said.

Early-stage deals are declining, but not closing

Flat or discounted valuations were not uncommon for the broader tech industry in 2023, so it’s surprising that more beleaguered crypto startups also had to suffer significant haircuts. It wasn’t the right thing to do. Nuel said valuations have varied and competitive rounds are still receiving “stomach-churning” multiples, but success in getting a raise is preordained, just as it was 18 months ago. That is no longer the case.

Source: techcrunch.com

The first VTuber Awards crowns VR as the winner

Posted on December 20, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Currently streaming, Philian took to the center stage of a huge arena, illuminated by purple spotlights and surrounded by throngs of fans holding penlights. The streamer opened the show wearing a bright purple skirt, magenta bow tie, and high white boots that matched her jacket. This is a luxurious version of her avatar’s regular sailor style school uniform. Philian said in his opening remarks, “’Please be patient. This show uses a lot of technology and is truly live.’ It’s not rocket science, but it could be.” Philian, a streamer with over 766,000 Twitch followers, hosted his first annual event VTuber Award last weekend. Like many of his VTubers (a portmanteau for “virtual YouTuber”), Philian keeps his identity secret, streaming using a digital model of himself instead of revealing his real face. Filian was physically hosting the ceremony from a sealed green box in WePlay’s Los Angeles studio, a space typically used for esports events.

The virtual reality awards show is the first of its kind for VTuber as well as for his production company WePlay, which has focused primarily on hosting and producing in-person gaming tournaments from studios in Los Angeles and Kiev for the past decade. One of his first ever.From a niche streaming genre billion dollar industry in recent years. The show was a first for VTubers and WePlay, which produced a live VR event.

The event combined WePlay’s physical production space with a VR stadium. VTubers are also widely recognized in other shows.of streamer award has a “Best VTuber” category, and VTuber Ironmouse won at this year’s Game Awards. He became the first animation streamer to win Content Creator of the Year. However, neither award takes into account skills unique to VTubers, such as avatar design, technological innovation, and hosting virtual events. For example, the Best Technical VTuber award went to vedal987, a streamer and programmer who developed the chatbot VTuber. Mr. Neurouses text-to-speech and AI to play games and communicate with your Twitch audience.

“VTubers are often treated as a footnote, sometimes as something unique and weird at any award show,” Filian said in an interview with TechCrunch. On January 8th, I did a stream where I tried to teach Neuro to play to defeat the spire. She couldn’t even get past the first boss. Attempt 2 is going well. pic.twitter.com/aISW0poN5v — Vedal (@Vedal987) October 12, 2023 VTubers are often looked down upon as obscene anime streamers because they usually wear animal ears, exaggerated facial features, or vulgar costumes. An offshoot of idol culture, it took off outside of Asia when VTuber production company Hololive debuted its first English-speaking streamer. The VTuber Awards will recognize not only individual content creators, but also VTuber viewers, as fans have propelled the genre into mainstream recognition. In addition to the Most Avid Fanbase category, the VTuber Awards also includes a category for his VTuber Clippers, who clip, curate, and post VTuber content online.

“YouTube, which in many ways created a huge demand for VTubers,” Philian continued. “When VTubers finally came to the West, it was poised to explode. I can’t stress enough how important the VTuber clipper was and was for VTubers to be where they are today. There’s no such thing as too much if… In many ways, VTubers are typically more engaged with their fans than many other creators.” Although motion capture technology is not new to the film and video game industries, incorporating it into live streaming events has been difficult. In a control room, a crew member juggled dozens of screens and displayed Philian’s avatar on a virtual stage and others who participated or presented awards.

Each physical camera can capture multiple angles in VR. Image credit: WePlay Studio Although the live stream depicted a vast arena, Filian’s avatar is essentially confined to a small circular stage surrounded by screens, a virtual construction of WePlay’s physical production stage. In a control room a few feet away, a crew member juggled dozens of screens and displayed Fillian’s avatar on a virtual stage, IRL Fillian in a motion-capture suit, and others who called out across the stream to host the pre-show. Displayed visuals of VTuber. Give or receive an award. The VTubers who appeared at the pre-show and presented awards appeared to be at the venue on the stream.they got it done simultaneous streaming We’ve provided WePlay with access to Filian’s broadcasts and streams, allowing us to seamlessly integrate comments into our shows. VTubers who appeared on the stream and received awards appeared on the screen on the virtual stage. WePlay used Discord to organize behind-the-scenes logistics with other streamers. This isn’t because of any unique platform features, but because Discord is already a “familiar tool for all gamers,” Chuhai said during a walkthrough of the studio. Like many VTubers, Philian is fiercely protective of his privacy. A crew member stood for a photo.Image credit: WePlay Studio Fillian, meanwhile, hosted from a separate green screen room with only a teleprompter. Footage from his motion capture suit and helmet was displayed and crew members helped ensure his privacy was maintained.

Source: techcrunch.com

New experiment challenges the principles of quantum electrodynamics

Posted on December 20, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

The X-ray beam from Europe’s XFEL, the world’s largest X-ray laser, can only be seen with photographic clarity in complete darkness and with an exposure time of 90 seconds. In 2024, the first experiment to detect quantum fluctuations in vacuum will take place here. Credit: European XFEL / Jan Hosan

The HZDR team proposes improvements to experiments aimed at probing the limits of physics.

Completely empty – that’s how most of us imagine a vacuum. But in reality, it is filled with flickers of energy, or quantum fluctuations. Scientists are now preparing laser experiments aimed at examining these vacuum fluctuations in new ways, which could provide clues to new laws of physics.

The Dresden-Rossendorf-Helmholtzzentrum (HZDR) research team has developed a series of suggestions designed to make experiments more effective and increase the chances of success.The research team will publish their findings in a scientific journal Physical Review D.

The world of physics has long recognized that the vacuum is not completely hollow, but filled with vacuum fluctuations, eerie quanta that flicker around in time and space. Although it cannot be captured directly, its effects can be observed indirectly, for example through changes in the electromagnetic field of small particles.

However, it is still not possible to verify vacuum fluctuations without the presence of particles. If this can be achieved, one of the fundamental theories of physics, quantum electrodynamics (QED), will be proven in a previously untested area. However, if such experiments reveal deviations from theory, it would suggest the existence of new, previously undiscovered particles.

Dr. Ulf Zastrau heads the HED (High Energy Density Science) experimental station at European XFEL. HED Beam In his chamber, flashes from his X-ray laser, the world’s largest, must be matched with light pulses from his ReLaX high-power laser operated by HZDR to detect vacuum fluctuations. Credit: European XFEL / Jan Hosan

Experiments to achieve this are planned as part of the Helmholtz International Extreme Field Beamline (HIBEF), a research consortium led by HZDR, at the HED experimental station of the world’s largest X-ray laser, the European XFEL, in Hamburg. There is. . The basic principle is that an ultra-powerful laser fires short, powerful flashes into a vacuumed stainless steel chamber. The aim is to manipulate vacuum fluctuations to, as if by magic, change the polarization of his X-ray flashes from his XFEL in Europe, i.e. rotate their direction of vibration.

“It’s like sliding a clear plastic ruler between two polarizing filters and bending it back and forth,” explains HZDR theorist Professor Ralf Schutzhold. “A filter is originally set up to prevent light from passing through it. Bending the ruler changes the direction of the vibrations of light, allowing you to see something.” In this analogy, the ruler responds to fluctuations in the vacuum. and a super powerful laser flash bends the vacuum fluctuations.

Two flashes instead of just one

The original concept involved firing a single optical laser flash into a chamber and using special measurement techniques to record whether the polarization of the X-ray flash changed. But there’s a problem. “The signal can be very weak,” Schutzhold explains. “Only one in a trillion X-ray photons can change its polarization.”

However, this may be below current measurement limits, and events may simply slip through the cracks undetected. Schutzhold and his team therefore rely on a variation of firing not just one but two of his light laser pulses into a vacuum chamber simultaneously.

Both flashes run into it and literally collide. Her X-ray pulses from Europe’s XFEL are set to hit precisely the point of impact. The clincher: Laser flash collisions affect her X-ray pulses like a kind of crystal. Just as X-rays are diffracted, or deflected, when they pass through natural crystals, XFEL X-ray pulses are deflected by the brief “crystal of light” of the two colliding laser flashes.

“This not only changes the polarization of the X-ray pulse, but also slightly deflects the pulse,” explains Ralf Schutzholt. The researchers hope that this combination may improve the chances of actually measuring effects. The researchers calculated different options for the firing angle of the two laser flashes colliding inside the chamber. Experimentation will tell you which variant works best.

Are you targeting ultralight ghost particles?

The visibility could also be further improved if the two laser flashes fired into the chamber were not the same color, but two different wavelengths. This also allows for small changes in the energy of the X-ray flash, which is useful for measuring effectiveness as well. “However, this is technically very difficult and may be implemented at a later date,” Schutzhold says.

The project is currently in the planning stage in collaboration with the European XFEL team at the HED experimental station in Hamburg, with first trials scheduled to begin in 2024. If successful, QED could be confirmed again.

However, perhaps experiments will reveal deviations from established theory. This could be caused by previously undiscovered particles, such as ultralight ghost particles known as axions. “And it will clearly demonstrate additional laws of nature that were previously unknown,” Schutzholt says.

Reference: “Quantum vacuum diffraction and birefringence detection scheme” N. Ahmadiniaz, TE Cowan, J. Grenzer, S. Franchino-Viñas, A. Laso Garcia, M. Šmíd, T. Toncian, MA Trejo, R. Schützhold , October 10, 2023 Physical Review D.
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.108.076005

Source: scitechdaily.com

Consumer Reports Finds Tesla’s Autopilot Recall Fix to be ‘Inadequate’

Posted on December 20, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Tesla’s fix for Autopilot recall of more than 2 million vehicles criticized as ‘insufficient’ consumer reportfollowing a preliminary test.

Kelly Fankhauser, associate director of vehicle technology at the nonprofit organization, told TechCrunch that they’ve discovered it’s possible to cover the interior camera while using Autopilot. That means it could disable one of the two main ways cars monitor whether you’re paying attention to the road.

Additionally, Funkhouser said that when activating or using Autosteer, Autopilot’s flagship feature, outside of access-controlled highways, where Tesla claims the software is designed to said that they did not notice any difference.

The test was not comprehensive, but it showed that questions remain about Tesla’s approach to driver monitoring, the technology at the heart of the recall.

The group has a long history of critically evaluating both Tesla technology and vehicles, and plans to conduct more extensive testing in the coming weeks. Fankhauser said Consumer Reports has only received over-the-air software updates for the Model S sedan, so it has not yet evaluated other changes, such as more prominent visual warnings in the Model 3 sedan and Model Y SUV. .

Tesla has also added a suspension policy that disables Autopilot for a week if “inappropriate use” is detected, but Funkhouser said such a suspension policy did not occur for two drives lasting 15 to 20 miles each. He said he had not encountered any such situation.

The recall, announced last week, affects more than 2 million vehicles in the U.S. and Canada and comes amid a two-year investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This product focuses on an autosteer feature designed to keep your car centered in its lane on access-controlled highways, even around curves.

Tesla tells drivers to keep their eyes on the road and keep their hands on the wheel while using Autosteer, and it monitors this through a combination of a torque sensor on the steering wheel and, in newer cars, an interior camera. But NHTSA said in a document released last week that it considers these checks “insufficient to prevent abuse.”

However, Tesla does not limit the use of Autosteer to access-controlled highways. Instead, drivers can activate Autosteer on other roads as long as certain basic conditions are met (such as visible lane markers). NHTSA said that as part of the recall, Tesla will add “additional checks when Autosteer is activated, when using the feature outside of controlled access highways, and when approaching traffic stops.” Ta.

Some owners feared this would mean Tesla would limit autosteer and limit it to controlled-access highways. Just like Ford and General Motors do with their Blue Cruise and Super Cruise systems. As the update began rolling out over the weekend, several opinions were shared in online forums. how to avoid it By disconnecting your Tesla’s cell phone or Wi-Fi radio.

But Funkhouser’s tests show that such drastic measures are clearly not necessary. In the release notes for the latest software update, Tesla says the camera “can determine driver inattention and issue an audio warning to remind you to keep your eyes on the road when Autopilot is engaged. “Now we can do that,” the company says, but the wording is the same as the company’s.Used to enable driver monitoring with interior cameras for the first time in 2021she points out. And dDespite what Tesla says, Release notes it is”[i]”Driver attentiveness requirements have been increased when using Autosteer and when approaching traffic lights and stop signs off-highway,” Funkhouser said, adding that these changes were not noticeable in preliminary testing. Ta. Part of the reason is that it’s hard to know exactly what Tesla means in the first place.

All of this makes it unclear whether or to what extent Tesla has changed the functionality of the driver’s attentiveness camera in the update. (NHTSA declined to comment, instead directing questions to Tesla, which disbanded its media department several years ago.)

“None of this is very prescriptive or explicit in terms of what they’re trying to do.” [change]”Funkhouser says.

Source: techcrunch.com