Researchers have revealed Holodeck, a system inspired by Star Trek’s Holodeck, designed to generate limitless interactive 3D environments for training robots Developed by a team of experts from the University of Pennsylvania and collaborators from leading institutions, including Stanford University and the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Holodeck promises to accelerate the development of robots capable of navigating and interacting safely in complex real-world scenarios. Startrek coming to life Holodeck operates on the idea of using language-based commands to replicate detailed vi ..read more

A new digital display screen integrates cutting-edge functionalities directed into the LEDs themselves This marks a new era of versatile displays for smartphones, tablets, and computers. LEDs processing sensors capabilities Led by Professor Feng Gao, the team has demonstrated a new design principle where LEDs made from a crystalline material called perovskite not only emit light but also possess sensor capabilities. These features include touch sensitivity, light responsiveness, fingerprint recognition, and the ability to monitor the user’s pulse. The light absorption and emission properties e ..read more

Engineers at MIT have unveiled a spring-like device that promises to drive the next generation of muscle-powered robots This feature, similar to a basic skeleton module, has the potential to become a universal blueprint for a variety of biohybrid bots, from walking and swimming machines to gripping mechanisms. This new flexure represents a significant jump forward in the field of robotics. Their research, detailed in the journal Advanced Intelligent Systems, introduces a flexible structure that maximises the efficiency and range of movement achievable with muscle tissues. Muscle powered robots ..read more

Leicester City Council has fallen victim to a recent cyberattack, leaving its phone and computer systems disabled since March 7th The attack, claimed by a group known as INC Ransom, has socked the council and its residents, with about 25 documents already posted online by the attackers. Millions of data are compromised The attackers claim to have obtained 3TB of data, roughly equivalent to a million smartphone photographs. Among the documents shared online are rent statements, applications for council housing purchases, and identification documents such as passport information. This breach is ..read more

In a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) have revealed that artificial intelligence (AI) may have better clinical reasoning capabilities compared to human physicians The study compared the performance of a large language model (LLM), specifically ChatGPT-4, against internal medicine residents and physicians at two academic medical centres. Lead author Dr Adam Rodman, an internal medicine physician and investigator at BIDMC, highlighted the significance of the findings, stating, “It’s a surprising finding that these things are ..read more

Joe Barnes, Regional Product Manager from Zebra Technologies, explains how to realise more value from your government or utilities operations by using mobile printers Today’s government and utilities operations are increasingly driven by efficient processes that enhance accuracy, productivity, and expectations around solutions that further enhance the public’s experience with you. So, how does your technology work for you? Is it helping you work smarter, not harder, to maximise opportunities for value optimisation across your operations now and in the future? A clever way to maximise cost-savi ..read more

With the December 2025 analogue switch-off deadline coming into view, Dom Norton, Sales Director at Spitfire, explains why businesses shouldn’t delay the move to all-IP any longer Openreach has served notice that it will switch off analogue PSTN and ISDN telephone services in 2025. The UK has relied upon a copper telephone network for far too long (nearly 150 years!), which is no longer a viable option. The replacement infrastructure of the future here in the UK will consist of a fibre network with all-IP traffic. We are in 2024, and the PSTN switch-off is next year. Despite the deadline appro ..read more

Scientists have developed artificial intelligence to perform new tasks based on verbal or written instructions The development by researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) holds promise for advancing robotics and natural language processing technologies. The study’s findings have been published in the journal Nature Neuroscience. AI controlling other AI models Performing an unknown task without prior training and then articulating instructions for others to reproduce is unique to human communication. While AI has made huge steps in understanding and responding to language, bridging the g ..read more

Leo Hanna, UK Executive Vice President at global Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) provider TechnologyOne, discusses how councils can mitigate challenges as they pursue their technology investments Finding efficiencies and revenue enablement opportunities are at the top of every UK council’s list. Still, with ever-shrinking budgets and rising service costs, there is no room for error regarding council technology investment decisions. According to the Local Government Association, nearly one in five councils. are likely to file for bankruptcy within the next year. Compounding the problems arising fr ..read more

RapidAI provides AI-based solutions to optimize care delivery and support clinical decision-making. Here, they discuss the vital opportunities to advance stroke care by implementing AI technology Cerebrovascular conditions are the fourth leading cause of death in the UK – 75% of which are strokes. It is also the single largest cause of complex disability among the 1.3 million stroke survivors in the UK. The number of strokes that occur each year in the UK is projected to increase by as much as 60% by 2035 due to changing demographics, an aging population, and an increased rate of chronic healt ..read more