When self-driving cars crash, who's responsible? Courts and insurers need to know what's inside the 'black box'

The first serious accident involving a self-driving car in Australia occurred in March this year. A pedestrian suffered life-threatening injuries when hit by a Tesla Model 3 in "autopilot" mode.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/when-self-driving-cars-crash-whos-responsible-courts-and-insurers-need-to-know-whats-inside-the-black-box

New biobattery for hydrogen storage

The fight against climate change is making the search for carbon-neutral energy sources increasingly urgent. Green hydrogen, which is produced from water with the help of renewable energies such as wind or solar power, is one of the solutions on which hopes are pinned. However, transporting and storing the highly explosive gas is difficult, and researchers worldwide are looking for chemical and biological solutions.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/new-biobattery-for-hydrogen-storage

Physics-inspired graph neural networks to solve combinatorial optimization problems

Combinatorial optimization problems are complex problems with a discrete but large set of possible solutions. Some of the most renowned examples of these problems are the traveling salesman, the bin-packing, and the job-shop scheduling problems.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/physics-inspired-graph-neural-networks-to-solve-combinatorial-optimization-problems

Sharing and pooling options can support public transportation and reduce car traffic

Being mobile individually, at any time, without owning a car represents an environmentally conscientious lifestyle. To facilitate this, public transportation authorities cooperate with service providers for new forms of mobility such as bicycle sharing, car sharing or ridepooling. Researchers of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) studied how publicly available mobility options in the Karlsruhe region in the future can optimally fulfill citizens' needs. The result: Widespread availability of pooling and sharing services and improved public transportation will profit both—and reduce car traffic.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/sharing-and-pooling-options-can-support-public-transportation-and-reduce-car-traffic

Boards for Meta, Twitter face backlash from NY pension fund

A major New York pension fund that has invested in both Facebook's corporate parent and Twitter believes it's time to shake up the companies' boards of directors because of their inability to keep violent content off their influential social media services.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/boards-for-meta-twitter-face-backlash-from-ny-pension-fund

Easy as an inkjet, a new soft printing technique has opened the way for pixelated elastics

Borrowing a technique from inkjet printers, researchers at Princeton Engineering have rolled out a pixel-by-pixel method to program and manufacture soft structures for use in robotics, biomedical devices or architectural features.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/easy-as-an-inkjet-a-new-soft-printing-technique-has-opened-the-way-for-pixelated-elastics

A novel AI algorithm for digital pathology analysis

Digital pathology is an emerging field which deals mainly with microscopy images that are derived from patient biopsies. Because of the high resolution, most of these whole slide images (WSI) have a large size, typically exceeding a gigabyte (Gb). Therefore, typical image analysis methods cannot efficiently handle them.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/a-novel-ai-algorithm-for-digital-pathology-analysis

Blockchains uphold data platform cooperation

Researchers at Aalto University have studied how the market for data could be made to function technically, especially in the world of the Internet of Things (IoT).

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/blockchains-uphold-data-platform-cooperation

Cyber attacks could jeopardize global food supplies

Wide-ranging use of smart technologies is raising global agricultural production but international researchers warn this digital-age phenomenon could reap a crop of another kind—cybersecurity attacks.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/cyber-attacks-could-jeopardize-global-food-supplies

A new conducting polymer complex to create stable and fully printable organic solar cells

In recent years, engineers worldwide have been trying to develop more sustainable technologies to produce electrical energy. One of the most promising among these solutions are organic solar cells.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/a-new-conducting-polymer-complex-to-create-stable-and-fully-printable-organic-solar-cells

Flexible patch fits inside a pipe to detect real-time changes in water temperature, contaminants

Scientists from the Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research (SANKEN) at Osaka University, in collaboration with Chuo University, Eindhoven University of Technology, and National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, have developed a non-disruptive sheet sensor for liquid quality monitoring. Using voltages generated in a carbon nanotube layer, the method does not require sampling, chemical labels, or an external light source. The application of this research may enable the on-site quality control of chemical factories or environmentally sensitive water sites.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/flexible-patch-fits-inside-a-pipe-to-detect-real-time-changes-in-water-temperature-contaminants

New life cycle assessment study shows useful life of tech-critical metals to be short

Worldwide, almost all technology-intensive industries depend on readily available metallic raw materials. Consequently, precise and reliable information is needed on how long these raw materials remain in the economic cycle. To obtain the necessary data, a research team from the universities of Bayreuth, Augsburg and Bordeaux has now developed a new modeling method and applied it to 61 metals. The study, published in Nature Sustainability, shows that the metals needed for specific high-tech applications, which in many cases are scarce around the world, are in use for only a decade on average.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/new-life-cycle-assessment-study-shows-useful-life-of-tech-critical-metals-to-be-short

'Enormously risky': How NFTs lost their lustre

A slew of celebrity endorsements helped inflate a multi-billion dollar bubble around digital tokens over the past year, but cryptocurrencies are crashing and some fear NFTs could be next.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/enormously-risky-how-nfts-lost-their-lustre

Manufacturers getting to grips with airless tyres

Airless tyres that never go flat or need to be inflated: It's a decades-long dream that manufacturers hope to turn into a reality soon, but for truck drivers first.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/manufacturers-getting-to-grips-with-airless-tyres

Hyundai to build $5.5 bn electric vehicle plant in US

South Korean automaker Hyundai will build a $5.5 billion electric vehicle and battery plant in the southern US state of Georgia, its governor announced Friday, as President Joe Biden pursued his trip to Seoul.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/hyundai-to-build-5-5-bn-electric-vehicle-plant-in-us

Haptics device creates realistic virtual textures

Technology has allowed us to immerse ourselves in a world of sights and sounds from the comfort of our home, but there's something missing: touch.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/haptics-device-creates-realistic-virtual-textures

Cars swapping vroom for volts in London garage

Tucked away in a workshop under a London Underground line, cars are undergoing a green metamorphosis as they shed their cylinders, spark plugs and pistons for electric engines.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/cars-swapping-vroom-for-volts-in-london-garage

Canada bans China's Huawei Technologies from 5G networks

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government has decided to ban China's Huawei Technologies from Canada's next-generation mobile networks.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/canada-bans-chinas-huawei-technologies-from-5g-networks

New breathable gas sensors may improve monitoring of health, environment

Newly developed flexible, porous and highly sensitive nitrogen dioxide sensors that can be applied to skin and clothing have potential applications in health care, environmental health monitoring and military use, according to researchers.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/new-breathable-gas-sensors-may-improve-monitoring-of-health-environment

Ditching sensors for streamlined control of microdevices

The ability to precisely control the position and movement of miniature devices is being taken into new territory as KAUST scientists develop tinier and simpler devices without a single sensor.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/ditching-sensors-for-streamlined-control-of-microdevices

A quadcopter that works in the air and underwater and also has a suction cup for hitching a ride on a host

A team of researchers at Beihang University, working with colleagues at Imperial College London and Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, has developed a quadcopter drone that is capable of flying in the air and maneuvering underwater. It also has a suction cup for hitching a ride on a host. They describe their drone in the journal Science Robotics.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/a-quadcopter-that-works-in-the-air-and-underwater-and-also-has-a-suction-cup-for-hitching-a-ride-on-a-host

New technique can safely guide an autonomous robot through a highly uncertain environment

An autonomous spacecraft exploring the far-flung regions of the universe descends through the atmosphere of a remote exoplanet. The vehicle, and the researchers who programmed it, don't know much about this environment.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/new-technique-can-safely-guide-an-autonomous-robot-through-a-highly-uncertain-environment

Upscale hotels benefit from EV charging stations, study shows

Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming increasingly important in the global effort to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, driving massive growth in consumer demand. This demand has wide-reaching impacts, particularly on tourism.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/upscale-hotels-benefit-from-ev-charging-stations-study-shows

Making advanced electronics with water

Water is the secret ingredient in a simple way to create key components for solar cells, X-ray detectors and other optoelectronics devices.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/making-advanced-electronics-with-water

3D-printing robot enables sustainable construction

The Bovay Civil Infrastructure Laboratory Complex, located in the basement of Thurston Hall, has a new tenant: a roughly 6,000-pound industrial robot capable of 3D printing the kind of large-scale structures that could potentially transform the construction industry, making it more efficient and sustainable by eliminating the waste of traditional material manufacturing.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/3d-printing-robot-enables-sustainable-construction

The 'bots' at heart of Twitter buyout row

Elon Musk's pausing of his bid to buy Twitter due to questions over "bots" has put the artificially-operated accounts at the heart of the proposed deal's latest controversy.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/the-bots-at-heart-of-twitter-buyout-row

Japan OKs plan to release Fukushima nuclear plant wastewater

Japan's nuclear regulator on Wednesday approved plans by the operator of the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant to release its treated radioactive wastewater into the sea next year, saying the outlined methods are safe and risks to the environment minimal.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/japan-oks-plan-to-release-fukushima-nuclear-plant-wastewater

Robot hives in Israel kibbutz hope to keep bees buzzing

They function as normal hives, but apiaries built at a kibbutz in Israel's Galilee are decked out with high-tech artificial intelligence systems set to ensure longevity for these vital pollinators.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/robot-hives-in-israel-kibbutz-hope-to-keep-bees-buzzing

Sony brings zero-carbon goal forward 10 years to 2040

Japanese giant Sony brought forward its deadline for reaching carbon neutrality by a decade on Wednesday, saying it is now targeting net-zero emissions across its business by 2040.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/sony-brings-zero-carbon-goal-forward-10-years-to-2040

Hydropower's future is clouded by droughts, floods and climate change. It's also essential to the US electric grid

The water in Lake Powell, one of the nation's largest reservoirs, has fallen so low amid the Western drought that federal officials are resorting to emergency measures to avoid shutting down hydroelectric power at the Glen Canyon Dam.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/hydropowers-future-is-clouded-by-droughts-floods-and-climate-change-its-also-essential-to-the-us-electric-grid

A new approach for safer control of mobile robotic arms

Researchers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, University of Oxford, and the Tencent Robotics X Lab have recently introduced a configuration-aware policy for safely controlling mobile robotic arms. This policy, introduced in a paper pre-published on arXiv, can help to better guide the movements of a robotic arm, while also reducing the risk that it will collide with objects and other obstacles in its vicinity.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/a-new-approach-for-safer-control-of-mobile-robotic-arms

A strategy to discern between real and virtual video conferencing backgrounds

Video-conferencing platforms such as Skype, Microsoft Teams, Zoom and Google Meet allow people to communicate remotely with others in different parts of the world. The COVID-19 pandemic and the social distancing measures that followed led to a further rise in the use of these platforms, as it increased remote working and virtual collaborations.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/a-strategy-to-discern-between-real-and-virtual-video-conferencing-backgrounds

Artificial intelligence to help autonomous vehicles avoid idling at red lights

No one likes sitting at a red light. But signalized intersections aren't just a minor nuisance for drivers; vehicles consume fuel and emit greenhouse gases while waiting for the light to change.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/artificial-intelligence-to-help-autonomous-vehicles-avoid-idling-at-red-lights

China's zero-COVID policy to hit Asia aviation recovery: IATA

China's zero-COVID policy will hold back a full air travel recovery in the Asia-Pacific region, a top airline industry group warned Tuesday, adding to calls for Beijing to ease its hardline stance.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/chinas-zero-covid-policy-to-hit-asia-aviation-recovery-iata

Musk hints at paying less for Twitter than his $44B offer

Tesla CEO Elon Musk gave the strongest hint yet Monday that he would like to pay less for Twitter than his $44 billion offer made last month.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/musk-hints-at-paying-less-for-twitter-than-his-44b-offer

US carrier JetBlue launches hostile takeover of Spirit Airlines

American low-cost carrier JetBlue Airlines announced on Monday a hostile takeover bid for its rival Spirit Airlines, which had rejected a previous bid in favour of a merger with Frontier.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/us-carrier-jetblue-launches-hostile-takeover-of-spirit-airlines

Facebook: from Harvard dorm to global phenomenon

Key chapters in the history of Facebook, the world's biggest social media application, which marks the tenth anniversary Wednesday of its stock market debut.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/facebook-from-harvard-dorm-to-global-phenomenon

Facebook changing with times a decade after stock debut

Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg rang the opening bell remotely to cheers 10 years ago as the beloved social network made its stock market debut, culminating an all-night hackathon that included street hockey, costumes and music.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/facebook-changing-with-times-a-decade-after-stock-debut

Renault hands Russian assets to Moscow

French automaker Renault has handed over its Russian assets to the Russian government, both parties announced Monday, marking the first major nationalisation since the onset of sanctions over Moscow's military campaign in Ukraine.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/renault-hands-russian-assets-to-moscow

New Zealand to help pay for cleaner cars to reduce emissions

New Zealand's government said Monday it will help pay for lower-income families to scrap their old gas guzzlers and replace them with cleaner hybrid or electric cars as part of a sweeping plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/new-zealand-to-help-pay-for-cleaner-cars-to-reduce-emissions

Tech titans curb hiring in a 'challenging macro environment'

From e-commerce colossus Amazon to social networking star Facebook, US tech firms that once grew with abandon have reined in hiring to endure tumultuous times.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/tech-titans-curb-hiring-in-a-challenging-macro-environment

As Musk buyout looms, Twitter searches for its soul

A toxic cesspool. A lifeline. A finger on the world's pulse. Twitter is all these things and more to its over 229 million users around the world—politicians, journalists, activists, celebrities, weirdos and normies, cat and dog lovers and just about anyone else with an internet connection.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/as-musk-buyout-looms-twitter-searches-for-its-soul

Ultrathin fuel cell uses the body's own sugar to generate electricity

Glucose is the sugar we absorb from the foods we eat. It is the fuel that powers every cell in our bodies. Could glucose also power tomorrow's medical implants?

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/ultrathin-fuel-cell-uses-the-bodys-own-sugar-to-generate-electricity

Simultaneous broadband image sensing and convolutional processing using van der Waals heterostructures

Efficiently processing broadband signals using convolutional neural networks (CNNs) could enhance the performance of machine learning tools for a wide range of real-time applications, including image recognition, remote sensing and environmental monitoring. However, past studies suggest that performing broadband convolutional processing computations directly in sensors is challenging, particularly when using conventional complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology, which underpins the functioning of most existing transistors.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/simultaneous-broadband-image-sensing-and-convolutional-processing-using-van-der-waals-heterostructures

What producers of Star Wars movies are getting wrong about androids

Robin Murphy, a roboticist at Texas A&M University has published a Focus piece in the journal Science Robotics outlining her views on the robots portrayed in "Star Wars," most particularly those featured in "The Mandalorian" and "The Book of Boba Fett." In her article, she says she believes that the portrayals of robots in both movies are quite creative, but suggests they are not wild enough to compete with robots that are made and used in the real world today.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/what-producers-of-star-wars-movies-are-getting-wrong-about-androids

Toshiba in early talks with 10 potential buyout 'partners'

Troubled conglomerate Toshiba said Friday it has been approached by 10 potential investors as it weighs going private, a move that would be highly unusual in corporate Japan.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/toshiba-in-early-talks-with-10-potential-buyout-partners

Honda yearly earnings solid despite chip crunch

Japanese auto giant Honda said Friday net profit rose 7.6 percent in the financial year to March, benefiting from strong motorbike sales and a weaker yen.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/honda-yearly-earnings-solid-despite-chip-crunch

Nissan mulling third auto plant in the US to meet EV demand

Nissan is considering adding a new auto plant in the U.S. to keep up with growing demand for electric vehicles, a top executive at the Japanese automaker said Friday.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/nissan-mulling-third-auto-plant-in-the-us-to-meet-ev-demand

Taiwan's Foxconn says impact from Chinese lockdowns limited

Taiwanese tech giant Foxconn on Thursday said the impact on production from COVID lockdowns in China was "limited" and most of its facilities in the country were operating normally.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/taiwans-foxconn-says-impact-from-chinese-lockdowns-limited

FIFA takes on EA Sports video game in soccer's new rivalry

The name "FIFA" can bring to mind images of the World Cup and soccer's greatest players, like Pele, Zinedine Zidane or Lionel Messi. The acronym for the sport's governing body may also remind some of shameless bribery and corruption.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/fifa-takes-on-ea-sports-video-game-in-soccers-new-rivalry

Algae-powered computing: Scientists create reliable and renewable biological photovoltaic cell

Researchers have used a widespread species of blue-green algae to power a microprocessor continuously for a year—and counting—using nothing but ambient light and water. Their system has potential as a reliable and renewable way to power small devices.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/algae-powered-computing-scientists-create-reliable-and-renewable-biological-photovoltaic-cell

Nissan reports first full-year net profit in three years

Nissan said Thursday its full-year net profit to March 2022 returned to the black for the first time in three fiscal years, citing cost-saving efforts and positive US market conditions.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/nissan-reports-first-full-year-net-profit-in-three-years

SoftBank reports record $13 bn full-year net loss

Japan's SoftBank Group on Thursday logged a record annual net loss after a bruising period that saw its assets hit by a US tech-share rout and a regulatory crackdown in China.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/softbank-reports-record-13-bn-full-year-net-loss

Disney profit slips but streaming TV subscribers jump

Disney on Wednesday said its profit slipped in the recently ended quarter but its television streaming service and parks were booming.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/disney-profit-slips-but-streaming-tv-subscribers-jump

How to avoid 'rug pulls,' the latest cryptocurrency scam

A new type of scam has emerged in the hype-filled world of cryptocurrency: the "rug pull."

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/how-to-avoid-rug-pulls-the-latest-cryptocurrency-scam

Africa grapples with way forward on cybercrime

Cyber experts are urging Africa to up its game in the face of criminals targeting the continent's fast-growing internet economy with scams and theft.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/africa-grapples-with-way-forward-on-cybercrime

Final refrain for iPod as Apple stops production

Apple on Tuesday put out word it is no longer making iPods, the trend-setting MP3 players that transformed how people get music and gave rise to the iPhone.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/final-refrain-for-ipod-as-apple-stops-production

The 1997 chess game that thrust AI into the spotlight

With his hand pushed firmly into his cheek and his eyes fixed on the table, Garry Kasparov shot a final dark glance at the chessboard before storming out of the room: the king of chess had just been beaten by a computer.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/the-1997-chess-game-that-thrust-ai-into-the-spotlight

Toyota posts record full-year net profit, forecasts cautious

Toyota on Wednesday posted a record full-year net profit helped by strong sales and a cheaper yen, but issued cautious forecasts as the pandemic and the war in Ukraine disrupt supply chains.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/toyota-posts-record-full-year-net-profit-forecasts-cautious

Nintendo's profit dips slightly as Switch console sales slow

Nintendo's profit for the fiscal year ended in March was little changed from the previous year, edging down 0.6% to 477.7 billion yen ($3.7 billion), the Japanese video game maker behind the Super Mario and Pokemon franchises said Tuesday.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/nintendos-profit-dips-slightly-as-switch-console-sales-slow

Sony logs record full-year sales but net profit dips

Sony on Tuesday reported its best-ever sales in the financial year to March thanks to strong results in movies, electronics and music, while net profit dipped 14 percent from the previous year's record high.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/sony-logs-record-full-year-sales-but-net-profit-dips

How space is connecting cars

Today's connected cars are dynamic, updateable devices—and, because they can be updated, they are well equipped to become tomorrow's cars. ESA is working with European carmakers to ensure that connected vehicles harness the full potential of space.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/how-space-is-connecting-cars

Versatile porous flexible sensor prepared by photocurable 3D printed ionogel

Flexible sensors are widely used in health diagnosis, motion monitoring, and human-computer interaction due to their excellent tensile properties, electrical conductivity and fit.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/versatile-porous-flexible-sensor-prepared-by-photocurable-3d-printed-ionogel

Plant-inspired TransfOrigami microfluidics

The health of a plant's vasculature depends on its capacity to respond to environmental stimuli. Plant inspired synthetic microfluidic systems have only rarely demonstrated their environmental responsiveness. In a new report now published in Science Advances, Yi Pan and a team of researchers in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Hong Kong, China, introduced bioinspired transformable microfluidics with stimuli-responsive materials embedded to respond to temperature, humidity, and light irradiance. The team designed a foldable geometry and named the device TransfOrigami microfluidics, abbreviated as TOM, to highlight the connection between its transformation and origami structure for use as an environmentally adaptive photonic reactor. The device sensed the environmental stimuli to provide positive feedback for photosynthetic conversion via morphological transformation. The team envision expanding this microsystem to broader applications, including artificial vascular networks and flexible electronics.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/plant-inspired-transforigami-microfluidics

Analysis of 5,500 apartment developments reveals your new home may not be as energy efficient as you think

Apartment living is booming in Australia. Many people choose apartments for their good energy efficiency, which reduces the need for heating and cooling and leads to lower power bills. But not every apartment is as energy efficient as the development advertises.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/analysis-of-5-500-apartment-developments-reveals-your-new-home-may-not-be-as-energy-efficient-as-you-think

The use of deepfakes can sow doubt, creating confusion and distrust in viewers

In early March, a manipulated video of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was ciruclated. In it, a digitally generated Zelenskyy told the Ukrainian national army to surrender. The video was circulated online but was quickly debunked as a deepfake—a hyper-realistic yet fake and manipulated video produced using artificial intelligence.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/the-use-of-deepfakes-can-sow-doubt-creating-confusion-and-distrust-in-viewers

Elon Musk says relaxing content rules on Twitter will boost free speech, but research shows otherwise

Elon Musk's accepted bid to purchase Twitter has triggered a lot of debate about what it means for the future of the social media platform, which plays an important role in determining the news and information many people—especially Americans—are exposed to.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/elon-musk-says-relaxing-content-rules-on-twitter-will-boost-free-speech-but-research-shows-otherwise

Using graph neural networks to measure the spatial homogeneity of road networks

Researchers at Purdue University and Peking University have recently carried out a study aimed at better understanding road networks in cities worldwide using machine-learning tools. Their paper, published in Nature Machine Intelligence, outlines the results of an in-depth, data-driven analysis of road map-related data captured in 30 cities worldwide.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/using-graph-neural-networks-to-measure-the-spatial-homogeneity-of-road-networks

White House says internet providers to discount fee for poor

The Biden administration announced on Monday that 20 internet companies have agreed to provide discounted service to low-income Americans, a program that could effectively make tens of millions of households eligible for free service through an already existing federal subsidy.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/white-house-says-internet-providers-to-discount-fee-for-poor

Digital divide: Data highlights internet inequities in Chicago

In 2021, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act authorized $65 billion to expand broadband access and adoption, and address disparities highlighted by the COVID pandemic and the shift to remote work, school and health care. But to invest that funding most effectively for improving digital equity in the United States, new and deep data at a local scale must be gathered and analyzed to drive effective policy and advocacy solutions for the citizens and neighborhoods most in need.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/digital-divide-data-highlights-internet-inequities-in-chicago

California prepares for energy shortfalls in hot, dry summer

California likely will have an energy shortfall equivalent to what it takes to power about 1.3 million homes when use is at its peak during the hot and dry summer months, state officials said Friday.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/california-prepares-for-energy-shortfalls-in-hot-dry-summer

Britain pushes tough tech rules under new digital watchdog

Big tech companies like Google and Facebook parent Meta would have to comply with tough British rules under a new digital watchdog aimed at giving consumers more choice online—or face the threat of big fines.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/britain-pushes-tough-tech-rules-under-new-digital-watchdog

Towards carbon neutralization: Enclosure radiative cooling for reducing air conditioning energy consumption

The international consensus is that reaching carbon emission peak and subsequent carbon neutrality are to be considered the main global challenges. Research shows that building energy consumption accounts for more than 35% of total energy consumption, of which HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems account for 44%. Recently, radiative cooling has been widely studied as a passive cooling method, which can efficiently reduce the target temperature by increasing the thermal emissivity and solar reflectivity of the object surface.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/towards-carbon-neutralization-enclosure-radiative-cooling-for-reducing-air-conditioning-energy-consumption

To keep people, and their money, safe online, we must regulate dating platforms

You meet an attractive stranger on a dating site. They live in your city and you hit it off right away. Soon, you're texting with them frequently and making plans to meet in person. You've been lonely and isolated amid lockdowns, and this person relieves the anguish, so you seem to be spending all your time chatting with them.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/to-keep-people-and-their-money-safe-online-we-must-regulate-dating-platforms

How AI spots legendary cricket batting backlift using video only

Sir Donald Bradman used a batting technique that fans loved, but some critics slammed. A critical component was his lateral batting backlift technique. Highly successful batters use it to this day.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/how-ai-spots-legendary-cricket-batting-backlift-using-video-only

Technology reduces heavy-duty diesel emissions to meet stringent CARB 2027 NOx requirements

Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) demonstrated the effectiveness of its CAT-DEF technology during the WCX World Congress Experience in Detroit, which took place April 5–7. The advancement successfully reduced heavy-duty diesel engine nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions to meet the California Air Resources Board (CARB) 2027 standards.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/technology-reduces-heavy-duty-diesel-emissions-to-meet-stringent-carb-2027-nox-requirements

Xbox makes 'Fortnite' game free to play on iPhones

Microsoft's video game unit Xbox on Thursday said it will tap into cloud computing to make "Fortnite" free to play on mobile devices powered by Apple or Android software.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/xbox-makes-fortnite-game-free-to-play-on-iphones

Europe's farmers stir up biogas to offset Russian energy

In lush fields southwest of Paris, farmers are joining Europe's fight to free itself from Russian gas.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/europes-farmers-stir-up-biogas-to-offset-russian-energy

Building a better, cheaper battery for power grids

Batteries do the heavy lifting to store excess solar energy on power grids for use after sundown, but to operate, they also rely on pricey elements like platinum.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/building-a-better-cheaper-battery-for-power-grids

Wooden buildings are a sustainable alternative in the face of global steel shortages

The war in Ukraine and the resulting European sanctions on Russia have dramatically affected energy and commodity prices. The combination of supply uncertainty, expensive energy, and rising material costs has added urgency to the already critical need to embrace sustainable, locally available alternatives such as wood. Building with wood instead of steel and concrete would help Europe not only address its immediate problems but also improve its prospects in the face of long-term challenges.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/wooden-buildings-are-a-sustainable-alternative-in-the-face-of-global-steel-shortages

Framework to describe individual machine-learning model decisions

Modern machine-learning models, such as neural networks, are often referred to as "black boxes" because they are so complex that even the researchers who design them can't fully understand how they make predictions.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/framework-to-describe-individual-machine-learning-model-decisions

Study suggests solar energy can be cleanly converted into storable hydrogen fuel

Research led by the University of Strathclyde suggests that solar energy can be accessed and converted into hydrogen—a clean and renewable fuel.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/study-suggests-solar-energy-can-be-cleanly-converted-into-storable-hydrogen-fuel

Lufthansa optimistic for 2022 as tourist demand bounces back

German national carrier Lufthansa on Thursday said it slashed its losses in the first quarter and set its sights on a record summer for tourist traffic as demand recovers from the pandemic.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/lufthansa-optimistic-for-2022-as-tourist-demand-bounces-back

TikTok to launch ad revenue-sharing program for creators

TikTok on Wednesday announced an ad revenue-sharing program with the social media platform's most prominent creators, moving closer to a model already used by its competitors.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/tiktok-to-launch-ad-revenue-sharing-program-for-creators

Telecom groups end fight against California net neutrality

Telecommunications industry groups on Wednesday ended their bid to block California's net neutrality law that bars broadband providers from throttling service.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/telecom-groups-end-fight-against-california-net-neutrality

Airbnb says record bookings signal travel rebound

Bookings on Airbnb hit a new high in this year's first quarter, the home rental platform reported Tuesday, in a fresh signal that travel demand stifled by the Covid-19 pandemic is being unleashed.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/airbnb-says-record-bookings-signal-travel-rebound

Sudan's electric rickshaws cut costs, help environment

Sudanese entrepreneur Mohamed Samir watches proudly as workers assemble garishly coloured rickshaws, unique in the North African nation because they run on electricity in a bid to tackle soaring costs.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/sudans-electric-rickshaws-cut-costs-help-environment

Volkswagen trains sights on US as profits jump

Volkswagen's first-quarter net profit almost doubled as the German automaker looked anew to the North American market to drive growth after years of muted presence there over "dieselgate", company results showed Wednesday.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/volkswagen-trains-sights-on-us-as-profits-jump

Green roofs are worth the cost for urban residents

Plant-covered roofs have become a regular sight in Portland, Oregon. The city is a leader in incorporating green infrastructure for stormwater management, including free street trees, rebates for small residential housing footprints, and green roofs.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/green-roofs-are-worth-the-cost-for-urban-residents

Taste of the future: Robot chef learns to 'taste' as it goes

A robot "chef" has been trained to taste food at different stages of the chewing process to assess whether it's sufficiently seasoned.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/taste-of-the-future-robot-chef-learns-to-taste-as-it-goes

LinkedIn settles with U.S. over alleged pay discrimination

The career-networking service LinkedIn has agreed to pay $1.8 million in back wages to hundreds of female workers to settle a pay discrimination complaint brought by U.S. labor investigators.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/linkedin-settles-with-u-s-over-alleged-pay-discrimination

Q&A: Exploring the intricacies of designing software for research ethics

Data are arguably the world's hottest form of currency, clocking in zeros and ones that hold ever more weight than before. But with all of our personal information being crunched into dynamite for enterprise solutions and the like, with a lack of consumer data protection, are we all getting left behind?

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/q-a-exploring-the-intricacies-of-designing-software-for-research-ethics

Soft assistive robotic wearables get a boost from rapid design tool

Soft, pneumatic actuators might not be a phrase that comes up in daily conversations, but more likely than not you might have benefited from their utility. The devices use compressed air to power motion, and with sensing capabilities, they've proven to be a critical backbone in a variety of applications such as assistive wearables, robotics, and rehabilitative technologies.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/soft-assistive-robotic-wearables-get-a-boost-from-rapid-design-tool

Adding energy cost information to energy-efficiency class labels could affect refrigerator purchases

To guide consumers in their choice of electrical appliances and devices, over a decade ago the European Union introduced an energy efficiency labeling scheme. This scheme gives potential buyers an idea of much electrical energy is consumed by different devices, so that they can make more informed choices.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/adding-energy-cost-information-to-energy-efficiency-class-labels-could-affect-refrigerator-purchases

How our bushfire-proof house design could help people flee rather than risk fighting the flames

By 2030, climate change will make one in 25 Australian homes "uninsurable" if greenhouse gas emissions continue unabated, with riverine flooding posing the greatest insurance risk, a new Climate Council analysis finds.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/how-our-bushfire-proof-house-design-could-help-people-flee-rather-than-risk-fighting-the-flames

Dual membrane offers hope for long-term energy storage

A new approach to battery design could provide the key to low-cost, long-term energy storage, according to Imperial College London researchers.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/dual-membrane-offers-hope-for-long-term-energy-storage

Beyond electric cars: How electrifying trucks, buses, tractors and scooters will help tackle climate change

When you think of an electric vehicle, chances are you'll picture a car. But there's a quiet revolution going on in transport. It turns out electrification can work wonders for almost all of our transport options, from electric bikes to motorbikes to buses to freight trains and even to tractors and heavy trucks. There will soon be no need to burn petrol and diesel in an internal combustion engine.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/beyond-electric-cars-how-electrifying-trucks-buses-tractors-and-scooters-will-help-tackle-climate-change

Trained neural network pipeline simulates physical systems of rigid and deformable bodies and environmental conditions

From "Star Wars" to "Happy Feet," many beloved films contain scenes that were made possible by motion capture technology, which records movement of objects or people through video. Further, applications for this tracking, which involve complicated interactions between physics, geometry, and perception, extend beyond Hollywood to the military, sports training, medical fields, and computer vision and robotics, allowing engineers to understand and simulate action happening within real-world environments.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/trained-neural-network-pipeline-simulates-physical-systems-of-rigid-and-deformable-bodies-and-environmental-conditions

Georgia sets $1.5B in aid for electric vehicle maker Rivian

The state of Georgia and local governments will give Rivian Automotive $1.5 billion of incentives to build a 7,500-job, $5 billion electric vehicle plant east of Atlanta, according to documents the company and state signed Monday.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/georgia-sets-1-5b-in-aid-for-electric-vehicle-maker-rivian

Can pee help feed the world?

"Go pee on the rhubarb!"

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/can-pee-help-feed-the-world

European Union moves forward in antitrust case against Apple

The European Union stepped up its antitrust case against Apple on Monday, accusing the company of abusing its dominant position by limiting access to technologies allowing contactless payment.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/european-union-moves-forward-in-antitrust-case-against-apple

Spain: 2021 spyware attack targeted prime minister's phone

Spanish officials said Monday that the cellphones of the prime minister and the defense minister were infected last year with Pegasus spyware that is only available to government agencies in an unauthorized operation.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/spain-2021-spyware-attack-targeted-prime-ministers-phone

Qantas to launch longest non-stop passenger flight

Qantas announced on Monday it will launch the world's longest non-stop commercial flight, with passengers set to spend 19 hours in the air traveling from Sydney to London by the end of 2025.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/qantas-to-launch-longest-non-stop-passenger-flight

Elon Musk's big plans for Twitter: What we know so far

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has laid out some bold, if still vague, plans for transforming Twitter into a place of "maximum fun" once he buys the social media platform for $44 billion and takes it private.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/elon-musks-big-plans-for-twitter-what-we-know-so-far

Amazon, union face off in a rematch election in New York

Amazon and the nascent group that successfully organized the company's first-ever U.S. union are headed for a rematch Monday, when a federal labor board will tally votes cast by warehouse workers in yet another election on Staten Island.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/amazon-union-face-off-in-a-rematch-election-in-new-york

'Right to be forgotten': Israel firm promises to purge digital footprint

Three young Israelis formerly serving in military cyber units have figured out how to locate your digital footprint—and give you the tools to delete it.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/right-to-be-forgotten-israel-firm-promises-to-purge-digital-footprint

India seizes $725m from China's Xiaomi over 'illegal' remittances

India seized $725 million from the local bank accounts of Xiaomi after a probe found the Chinese smartphone giant unlawfully sent money abroad in the guise of royalty payments, authorities said Saturday.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/india-seizes-725m-from-chinas-xiaomi-over-illegal-remittances

Back with the banned: Do Twitter's exiles return under Musk?

QAnon loyalists, COVID deniers, neo-Nazis and a former American president: The list of people banned from Twitter is long, but their exile could soon come to an end if Elon Musk's $44 billion offer for the platform is approved.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-technology-news/back-with-the-banned-do-twitters-exiles-return-under-musk