Page 53 - Technology Internet
Army of micro-robots can wipe out dental plaque
Scientists have developed microscopic robots that can non-invasively clean up dental plaques. With two types of robotic systems -- one designed to work on surfaces and the other to operate inside confined spaces -- the scientists showed that robots with catalytic activity could ably destroy biofilms, sticky amalgamations of bacteria enmeshed in a protective scaffolding. Such robotic biofilm-removal systems could be valuable in a wide range of potential applications, from keeping water pipes and catheters clean to reducing the risk of tooth decay, dental infections, and implant contamination. "We're leveraging the expertise of microbiologists and clinician-scientists as well as engineers to design the best microbial eradication system possible," said Hyun Koo, from University of Pennsylvania in the US. "This is important to other biomedical fields facing drug-resistant biofilms as we approach a post-antibiotic era," said Koo, who led the study published in the journal Science ...
Scientists 3D-print inexpensive microscope
Scientists have 3D-printed an inexpensive and portable high-resolution microscope that could potentially be used to detect diabetes, malaria and other diseases in developing countries. The portable instrument produces 3D images with twice the resolution of traditional digital holographic microscopy, which is typically performed on an optical table in a laboratory. It is small enough to be used in the field or at the bedside and has potential for biomedical applications such as cell identification and disease diagnosis, according to the study published in the journal Optics Letters. In addition to biomedical applications, it could also be useful for research, manufacturing, defense and education. "This new microscope doesn't require any special staining or labels and could help increase access to low-cost medical diagnostic testing," said Bahram Javidi from the University of Connecticut in the US. "This would be especially beneficial in developing parts of the world where there is ...
Scientists in Chile find 15,000-year-old footprint
A team of scientists in Chile have said that they found a human footprint that dates back more than 15,000 years, the oldest one ever found in the Americas, the media reported on Tuesday.
Price war in premium phone segment heats up in India
In a sign of intense competition in the premium smartphone segment in India, the price gaps among the top brands are narrowing ahead of the launch of OnePlus 7 series on May 14.
Tri-services hold exercise to combat cyber threats
The tri-services -- India Army, Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian Navy -- on Monday carried out a major joint cyber exercise to combat any security threats emerging in the virtual world.
Google Chrome bug can allow phishing attacks using 'inception bar'
A security vulnerability in Google Chrome browser reportedly allows malicious users to launch a phishing attack using a fake address bar.The bug, as discovered by James Fisher, leverages how the Chrome mobile app disappears the address bar when you scroll down.The exploit, as Fisher calls 'The Inception Bar' method, can be used to display a fake address bar that won't disappear until you go to another site, Engadget reports.The exploit goes further to restrict you from seeing the real address bar when you scroll up. Although Fisher has demonstrated a proof of concept, the bug could theoretically allow large-scale phishing campaign to steal user information.
Vimeo introduces Showcase, a new toolkit to make smart TV channels
Vimeo announced a new toolkit called Showcase, allowing creators more control on their video creation on the platform.On its official blog, Vimeo explained how Showcase works. The toolkit allows one to create a portfolio or video site using the custom layouts, display videos and share them.One can also use a custom domain with a unique Vimeo URL or with a domain you already own. Creators can further embed playlists using the simple code.Another important feature of Showcase is the ability to build TV apps for Roku and Amazon Fire, all without having to write code or hire a developer. More features such as embedded layouts, live-streaming support, stats for videos, and presets will be added.
Cyber exercise conducted to enhance inter-governmental partnerships
A cyber exercise on scenario building and response is being held here with a focus on issues such as enhancing cyber awareness, integrated international responses and inter-governmental partnerships. After the successful conduct of workshop on Cyber Warfare & Technology, wherein plethora of lessons emerged, the Directorate of Indian Defence University is organising a two-day Cyber Exercise on Scenario Building & Response on Monday and Tuesday at Purple Bay, Jodhpur Officers' Hostel here. The exercise is represented by the services, National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS), National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO), CERT-in, Defence Research and Development Organisation, National Informatics Centre, CSRC, Academia and Industry. The scope of the exercise would encompass the threat landscape and its impact, incident reporting and response framework, procedures for information exchange, attribution, evidence gathering and malicious service takedown, enhance cyber ...
Meet Nubia Red Magic 3, the first gaming smartphone with an internal cooling system
Nubia launched its Red Magic 3 smartphone for avid mobile gamers. The USP of the smartphone is that it is the first gaming smartphone to feature an internal cooling fan.Aimed at mobile gamers, the Nubia Red Magic 3 boasts a 5000mAh battery with 27W quick charging support that is capable of providing one hour of gaming in just ten minutes of charge.At its heart is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC with up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage.Nubia Red Magic 3 packs a 6.65-inch AMOLED screen, double super linear speaker, and 8K video recording support. It is listed on the official site at Y=3499 (around USD 520) for 8GB RAM+128GB storage model.
Mark Zuckerberg builds 'sleep box' for wife Priscilla Chan
Being a mother is hard because until the kids are independent, keeping a check on them throughout the night is crucial. To help his wife Priscilla Chan sleep better, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg built her a device he calls, "sleep box."Zuckerberg shared the image of the wooden box on Instagram. The box emits a very faint light between 6-7AM, to indicate it is the time to wake up and get the kids, without being too hard on the eyes.The purpose behind building the sleep box is to help his wife sleep better through the night without waking up in the middle and checking the time on her phone.However, Zuckerberg has called on other entrepreneurs who would want to build on the simple technology for the masses.
Apple explains why it removed parental control apps
In response to a report claiming Apple misused its power to remove third-party apps designed to help limit screen time of kids, the company posted a statement explaining why it removed a number of such apps.In its official blog, Apple explained that it removed several parental control apps from the App Store as they posed a risk to user privacy and security, adding that the removal was not a matter of competition, but of security.Apple explained that a number of the removed apps used invasive technology called Mobile Device Management, that allows third-party control and access to information including user location, app use, email accounts, camera permissions, and browsing history.Only those apps which failed to meet Apple's revised guidelines were removed from the App Store.
Facebook to fund research on social media impact on elections
Facebook announced Monday its first research grants to academics studying the impact of social media on elections, part of an effort to prevent manipulation of social platforms. The leading social network said some 60 researchers from 30 academic institutions across 11 countries were selected under a review process by the Social Science Research Council and the independent group Social Science One. Facebook began the research initiative last year after revelations of foreign influence campaigns on the 2016 US election and the Brexit vote in Britain. It began soliciting proposals last year, and on Monday unveiled its first research grants. "To assure the independence of the research and the researchers, Facebook did not play any role in the selection of the individuals or their projects and will have no role in directing the findings or conclusions of the research," said a blog post by Facebook executives Elliot Schrage and Chaya Nayak. "We hope this initiative will deepen public ...
1.33% VVPATs malfunctioned in 4th phase: EC
About 1.33 per cent of the VVPAT malfunctioned and about 0.44 per cent of the ballot units were replaced during the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections at 72 Lok Sabha constituencies spread across nine states which went to the polls on Monday.
64 per cent cast their vote in fourth phase LS polls
A voter turnout of 64 per cent was witnessed at 72 Lok Sabha constituencies spread across nine states which went to the polls on Monday in the fourth phase.
AI continues to face software shutdown impact; 29 flights delayed on Monday
As many as 29 Air India flights were delayed by over an hour on Monday as the airline's operations continued to be impacted by the software shutdown that happened on Saturday. While the glitch experienced by the check-in software system was fixed on Saturday itself, the airline grappled with the fallout for the third day on Monday. An airline spokesperson said 352 flights were operated on Monday and 29 of them were delayed due to the system glitch that happened on Saturday. The 29 flights were delayed by more than 60 minutes, the spokesperson added. Following the glitch, 149 flights and 137 flights were delayed on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Air India's Passenger Service System (PSS) software, which takes care of check-in, baggage and reservation, was non-functional for more than five hours on Saturday. The PSS software is owned and managed by Atlanta-based SITA.
Exclusive Vertical in CDSCO will check 'Garage Manufacturing': MTaI
Medical Technology Association of India (MTaI), which represents leading research-based medical technology companies having a large footprint in manufacturing, R & D and healthcare training in India, today said that creation of a separate vertical in Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) exclusively to govern medical devices will check 'garage manufacturing'."Capacity building is always a good initiative and has been long overdue. Regulators should build capacity and capability to prevent inferior products from entering the market which was happening through a large number of unregistered garage manufacturing in India, particularly in orthopaedic industry", said Kaustav Banerjee, Director, MTaI."Global innovators are not just operating in India but in several developed countries across the globe and they follow global regulation and are accountable; these globally accepted standards of quality are also complied by several domestic manufacturers, which make exports ...
Over 66 pc voting in MP till 6 pm
An average 66.09 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 6 pm across six Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh that went to polls Monday, an official said. A total of 1.05 crore people were eligible to vote for the six seats. The polling began at 7 am. "An average 66.09 per cent turnout was recorded till 6 pm. Those in queue (at 6pm) will be allowed to vote and the final figure will be released later," an election official said. Voting figures till 6 pm were as follows: Sidhi- 56.82 per cent, Shahdol- 66.89 per cent, Jabalpur- 64.05 per cent, Mandla 67.09 per cent, Balaghat 70.13 per cent and Chhindwara- 72.95 per cent. The corresponding figures till 5pm were as follows: Sidhi- 47.76 per cent, Shahdol- 64.89 per cent, Jabalpur- 64.05 per cent, Mandla 64.54 per cent, Balaghat 66.88 per cent and Chhindwara- 71.71 per cent. Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of the state V L Kantha Rao said that during a mock-poll, electronic voting machines (EVMs) were replaced at 207 polling ...
LS polls: 52.07 pc voter turnout till 5 pm in Maharashtra
An average 52.07 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 5 pm in 17 seats in Maharashtra in the fourth and last phase of Lok Sabha polls in the state Monday, election officials said. Long queues were seen in some areas such as Powai and Chanidwali in Mumbai where voting process had slowed down. Outside Mumbai, where turnout has been high, officials had to refute rumours including those of withdrawal of a candidate and technical glitches in Electronic Voting Machines, said an Election Commission (EC) official. The voting hours are 7 am to 6 pm. Till 5 pm, Nandurbar seat in North Maharashtra had recorded the highest 64.44 per cent voting while Kalyan near Mumbai saw the lowest 41.64 per cent polling. Voting figures till 5 pm elsewhere were: Dhule-50.97 per cent, Dindori- 58.20 per cent, Nashik- 53.09 per cent, Palghar- 57.60 per cent, Bhiwandi 48.90 per cent, Thane- 46.42 per cent, Mumbai North- 54.72 per cent, Mumbai North West 50.44 per cent, Mumbai North East- 52.30 ...
Zero Gravity Communications, media agency completes 5 success years
Zero Gravity Communications, Ahmedabad based strategy, branding, advertising and digital agency, which prides itself on its 'unconventional ideas and conventional ways', turned five this year.Ever since it was formed in 2014, Zero Gravity Communications has been making waves in the industry with an admirable passion for creativity, hard work and the ability to think 'out of the box'. Boasting of a team that comes from a diverse background, ZGC has made a name for itself in the fields of strategy, branding, advertising and digital through the years.The company has acquired a cliental base and leading brands since its inception. Brands include KP Sanghvi, Vadilal Icecreams, MYBYK, Indira IVF, Emerald Motors, KK Jewellers, Shankus Waterpark, Grainspan foods, etcMainly focused around SMEs, national brands from Gujarat, promoting start-ups, they started with small but now works with some of the best brands to Gujarat in across more than 15 industry verticals."It has been a challenging and .
Engineers draw inspiration from squid skin to create next-gen space blanket
Engineers have developed a next-generation, adaptive space blanket which allows its users to control their temperature. The innovation is inspired by the skin of stealthy sea creatures.The study was published in Nature Communications."Ultra-lightweight space blankets have been around for decades - you see marathon runners wrapping themselves in them to prevent the loss of body heat after a race - but the key drawback is that the material is static. We have made a version with changeable properties so you can regulate how much heat is trapped or released," said co-author Alon Gorodetsky.The researchers took design cues from various species of squids, octopuses and cuttlefish that use their adaptive, dynamic skin to thrive in aquatic environments.A cephalopod's unique ability to camouflage itself by rapidly changing colour is due, in part to skin cells called chromatophores that can instantly change from minute points to flattened disks."We use a similar concept in our work, where we ...
