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Can you get electrocuted by an electric vehicle?
Electric cars, scooters and bikes are everywhere. Are they safe? A Northeastern expert breaks down the safety of EV and lithium-ion batteries when they encounter water.... Read more
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Researcher: I created a 'cozy game' and learned how they can change players' lives
The COVID pandemic transformed our lives in ways many of us are still experiencing, four years later. One of these changes was the significant uptake in gaming as a hobby, chief among them being "cozy games" like Animal Crossing: New Horizons (2020).... Read more
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Should you be concerned about flying on Boeing planes?
The American aerospace giant Boeing has been synonymous with safe air travel for decades. Since the 1990s, Boeing and its European competitor Airbus have dominated the market for large passenger jets.... Read more
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What we know so far about the rumored Apple smart ring
Samsung officially announced the launch of a new smart ring-shaped wearable device, Galaxy Ring, as part of its Galaxy Unpacked event earlier this year. The ring, expected to be on sale in late summer 2024, will be able to monitor the user's health parameters and provide insights based on the... Read more
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How AI is shaping the music listening habits of Gen Z
For four years, we've been teaching a class on music and the mind. We've asked the students at the start of each semester to complete a short, informal survey on their music education and favorite songs and artists.... Read more
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E for equity? E-scooter and e-bike schemes can help people on low incomes and with disabilities
Interest in shared e-bikes and e-scooters, or "micromobility" devices, has skyrocketed in Australia. Every capital city and over 25 local councils have trialed shared e-scooter systems through private operators including Lime, Beam and Neuron.... Read more
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LATAM flight 800 'just dropped' in mid-flight, injuring dozens—what happened, and how to keep yourself safe
On Monday, LATAM Airlines flight 800 from Sydney to Auckland experienced what officials are describing as a "technical fault" that meant the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner "just dropped" without any warning.... Read more
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Game lab provides accessibility toolkit for the game engine Unity
The growing popularity of video games is putting an increased focus on their accessibility for people with disabilities. While large productions are increasingly taking this into account by adding accessibility features, this aspect is usually completely absent in indie productions due to a lack of resources.... Read more
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Why your e-scooter may pose higher risks than a rental
What we colloquially refer to as "e-scooters" can differ greatly when it comes to steering and braking capabilities, wheel size, and suspension systems; something that can have harmful consequences in the event of a crash. And it is the small, lighter e-scooters made for private use that are often more... Read more
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Research exposes security, privacy and safety issues in female technology apps used to track fertility, monthly cycles
Experts at Royal Holloway, University of London, Newcastle University, University of London, and ETH Zurich have identified significant security, privacy, and safety issues surrounding FemTech, which can pose a potential threat to users.... Read more
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DeepMind demonstrates Genie, an AI app that can generate playable 2D worlds from a single image
AI researchers at Google's DeepMind, working with colleagues at the University of British Columbia, have announced the development of Genie, an AI-backed application capable of turning a single image into a playable 2D virtual world.... Read more
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Facebook won't keep paying Australian media outlets for their content. Are we about to get another news ban?
Facebook's parent company, Meta, has announced it will stop paying for news content in Australia when the current deals it has expire. Meta will also cease news aggregation on the site.... Read more
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An AI system that offers emotional support via chat
The rapid advancement of natural language processing (NLP) models and large language models (LLMs) has enabled the development of new use-specific conversational agents designed to answer specific types of queries. These range from AI agents that offer academic support to platforms offering general financial, legal or medical advice.... Read more
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Eco-label strategy selection for green product development in supply chain
The green lifestyle has been increasingly popular in recent years. According to the 2023 China Consumption Trend Report, 73.8% of customers prioritize buying environmentally friendly products. Tools such as eco-labels are widely used by companies to show consumers how green their products are.... Read more
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Some doorbell cameras sold on Amazon and other online sites have major security flaws, report says
Some doorbell cameras sold by Amazon and other online retailers have security flaws that could allow bad actors to view footage from the devices or control them completely, according to an investigation published Thursday by Consumer Reports.... Read more