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