TEL AVIV, Israel--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 24, 2023--

A man paralysed in a bicycle accident more than a decade ago has regained the ability to stand and walk naturally, using technology developed by researchers in Switzerland. Neuroscientists at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) have created what they call a “wireless digital bridge” which is able to restore the connection lost between the brain and the spinal cord. This digital bridge is a brain–spine interface which allows Gert-Jan Oskam to regain control over the movement of his legs, enabling him to stand, walk and even climb stairs. The team said their technology also enabled Mr Oskam to recover some of the brain function he had lost since his accident, where he was able to show motor skills when the digital bridge was turned off. According to the researchers, this “digital repair of the spinal cord suggests that new nerve connections have developed”. Mr Oskam, 40, an engineer from the Netherlands, was living and working in China when he had a cycling accident in 2011. He injured his spinal cord and lost movement in his legs. Neurosurgeon Jocelyn Bloch, who is a professor at the EPFL, said: “When we met Gert-Jan, he was unable to take a step after a severe spinal cord injury.” Gregoire Courtine, a professor of neuroscience at the EPFL, said: “To walk, the brain must send a command to the region of the spinal cord responsible for the control of movements. For the first time after 10 years (I was able) to stand up and have a beer with some of my friends, so that was pretty cool Gert-Jan Oskam “When there is a spinal cord injury, this communication is interrupted. “Our idea was to re-establish this communication with a digital bridge – an electronic communication between the brain and the region of the spinal cord that is still intact and can control the leg movements.” Mr Oskam underwent two surgeries to implant electrodes in the brain and the spinal cord to make the digital bridge. The technology uses artificial intelligence to convert movement thoughts into actions, establishing a direct link between the brain and spinal cord regions involved in walking. Prof Courtine said: “For the first time this digital bridge bypasses an injury, restoring the communication between two regions of the central nervous system that are disconnected.” The team said their findings, published in the journal Nature, establish a framework where natural control of movement can be restored after paralysis. Mr Oskam said he is able to walk at least 100 metres or more, depending on the day. He is also able to walk on crutches, when the implant is switched of, raising hope that technologies such as these could restore lost nerve function. Prof Courtine said: “What we observed is a digital repair of the spine, a recovery of neurological function that he has lost for many years.” Mr Oskam said: “For the first time after 10 years (I was able) to stand up and have a beer with some of my friends, so that was pretty cool.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Meta Ireland to cut about 490 jobs Netflix begins crackdown on password sharing in the UK and US Netflix begins sending emails to UK customers about account sharing

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 24, 2023--

CALGARY, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 24, 2023--

Apple has launched a new campaign highlighting the importance of keeping health data private – and the dangers of not doing so. The ads look to highlight iPhone features that Apple says ensure that it is able to collect data on its users, but not cause them embarrassment or threats by allowing other people to get hold of it. It does so by depicting a doctors waiting room in which the various health complaints of patients are broadcast to everyone, and suggests that people who are not sufficiently protecting their privacy may accidentally be doing the same on the internet. Lauren Cheung, a doctor and senior manager on Apple’s clinical team, told The Independent that the campaign grew out of Apple’s commitment to the “three core principles throughout all of our work on health: actionability, scientific validation, and privacy”. That means ensuring that the data collected is useful, and that it is “based in science” to ensure that it is accurate, she said – but also that it is protected. “First, there’s probably nothing more sensitive than health data,” she said, “so it should always be a priority to protect it. “Second, we believe our users should expect the same confidentiality from their technology as they do from their doctor. I’m a physician myself, and I know just how sensitive some conversations are; my patients are telling me information that sometimes they’ve never told anyone else.” The campaign will come in the form of the new TV ad – which is voiced by actor Jane Lynch and directed by Craig Gillespie, the director of I, Tony and Cruella – as well as billboards in 24 regions around the world, Apple said. But Apple is also publishing a white paper online that highlights the ways that Apple protects health data on the iPhone and other products. That includes encrypting all of the data that is stored within the Health app, apart from the Medical ID that is available to people who find a phone and gives important information that might be used to treat its owner. It also means that data in the Health app can only be shared with other apps when owners give their explicit permission. That sharing does mean that third-party developers are able to get access to people’s data, and so those users are not only trusting Apple but also other companies. But Apple stressed that those developers are nonetheless subject to rules that try to keep that data safe. That includes the “granular control that users have over sharing their health data”, said Katie Skinner, head of privacy engineering at Apple. That gives users the option not only to choose who they are sharing health information with, but also which bits of their health information they intend to share. The same granular choice is also present when Apple conducts studies in collaboration with different organisations, which have already worked to gather information that helps research on topics such as heart health and hearing levels. Users can choose what they share with those researchers and Apple is not told whether people have done so. “Additionally, any third-party app that reads or writes health data must comply with our terms in the developer agreement and our App Store guidelines”, which includes rules that require that the data is only used for health and fitness purposes. That requires for instance that it is not used for advertising purposes or sold on to other companies who might do the same. If third-party apps do not comply with those rules, then they can be kicked out of the App Store. Apple also has an app review process that is intended to ensure that any apps comply before they are made available. Ms Skinner also said that a member of the privacy team works on every new health feature, which “really means that they’re designed with privacy in mind”. “Apple believes privacy is a fundamental human right, and so we’ve built privacy protections into each one of our products and services,” she said. Apple has run similar privacy campaigns in the past, highlighting for example its work to protect users’ browsing information and to stop it being sold through data brokers. It did not point to any specific incident that had led it to focus on health data this time around, but said that customers were particularly focused on the security of their health data. “I think we're proud of the great health story we have for privacy,” said Ms Skinner. “Privacy is important across the board, but we know users believe that health data is really sensitive.” Promoting the privacy of Apple’s health services also ensures that people are able to trust them, said Dr Cheung, ensuring that people feel comfortable with using their devices to track their health. “We know that health data is sensitive – it’s one of the most sensitive pieces of information you can have,” she said. “And we do really feel like it is important for users to trust her devices the same way that they would trust their doctors. “We want to support our users in understanding that the same applies to their health information on our devices.” Apple’s launch of the campaign came just days ahead of its annual Worldwide Developers Conference event, where it shows off new software updates for all of its platforms. That is likely to include new changes for the Apple Watch and its WatchOS operating system, which might include new updates to the health and fitness tools that are central to Apple’s marketing of the wearable. Read More Apple is making a ‘mixed reality’ headset. Here’s what that future might look like Montana TikTok ban ‘unconstitutional’ and ‘impossible to enforce’ Apple and Samsung use AI to make phones more accessible for disabled people Apple releases its first transparent product in years New iPhone feature can recreate your voice perfectly after just 15 minutes 75% of Irish data watchdog’s GDPR decisions since 2018 overruled – report

SpaceX has launched a new service for its space-based Starlink internet service that allows customers to connect from nearly anywhere on the planet while in motion. Starlink Mobility uses a receiver that has a wide field of view and improved GPS to connect to SpaceX’s constellation of more than 4,000 low-Earth orbit satellites. SpaceX boss Elon Musk tweeted that it works “almost everywhere on Earth”, including the middle of oceans and deserts. The first customers to try out Starlink Mobility are a fleet of school buses in Arizona, SpaceX said, allowing students to “stay connected and complete their homework” while travelling to and from school. SpaceX said the new service is “ideal for mobile businesses and public sector use cases, including trucking, buses, shuttles, and emergency response”. Subscribers to Starlink Mobility, which costs $250 per month on top of a one-time hardware fee of $2,500, receive network priority over other users during peak hours, meaning emergency responders should avoid losing internet connection. “Starlink Mobility provides 100 per cent coverage in your country and every country where Starlink service is available across the globe,” SpaceX states on its website. “Plans can also be used on the ocean, with connectivity available in the vast majority of the Earth’s oceans and seas.” The Starlink satellite dish, which is a next-generation version of its standard hardware, is designed to be permanently installed on a customer’s vehicle, offering the same download speeds of up to 220 Mbps. SpaceX achieved global coverage of its Starlink internet network last year, four years after launching the first batch of satellites into space. Despite this, some countries have blocked Starlink from operating in its country, such as China and Iran. SpaceX is hoping to launch a satellite-to-cellphone service that would allow users to connect to its internet constellation without the need for additional hardware, however some service providers fear that it will interfere with existing wireless services. AT&T in the US urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to reject SpaceX and T-Mobile’s proposal, claiming it would “jeopordise or inhibit” its own terrestrial service. Testing of the satellite-to-cell service is expected to begin later this year. Read More SpaceX launches two missions just hours apart ‘It’s becoming like an airport’: How SpaceX normalised rocket launches Apple launches new campaign about the dangers of losing your health data Meta Ireland to cut about 490 jobs This is how AI ‘superintelligence’ would replace us as the dominant lifeform on Earth

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 24, 2023--

Facebook owner Meta is to make approximately 490 full-time employees redundant across its Irish operations. The roles are being cut from a number of teams including finance, sales, marketing, analytics, operations and engineering. Employees at Meta Ireland were notified on Wednesday they were potentially impacted by a global restructuring which was announced by CEO Mark Zuckerberg earlier this year. In March, Meta revealed it plans to cut about 10,000 jobs globally, just four months after it axed 11,000 workers. The company said it will comply with Irish legal requirements in relation to redundancy timelines and processes. Meta, which is also the parent company of Instagram and WhatsApp, said the decision does not impact its “commitment to Ireland”, adding it will continue to be the international headquarters and base for several important company functions. The final number of redundancies will be determined by a collective consultation processes.

Anyone who has braved a stroll along England's coastline will be aware of seagulls' tyrannical regime. They prey on people eating chips, they swoop down on unsuspecting holidaymakers licking an ice cream, and they can be quite aggressive indeed. And now, terrifying research has revealed that they are more calculating than you may have previously thought. A University of Sussex study on herring gulls at Brighton beach found that the birds choose what to eat by watching what humans are enjoying. Scientists taped green (salt and vinegar) and blue (cheese and onion) packets of Walkers crisps to tiles and placed them a few metres from gulls on Brighton beach and filmed the birds’ behaviour from a distance. In some cases, the researchers ate from one of the bags of crisps. When the scientists didn't eat, less than a fifth of gulls approached the crisp packets placed nearby. But when the researchers were snacking on crisps, 48 per cent of the birds came to check out the packets. Nearly 40 per cent of such approaches ended with gulls pecking at the crisp packets, and of these, 95 per cent were directed at the same colour packet as the scientist was eating from. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter “We’ve shown that adult gulls are able to pay attention to the behaviour of humans and apply that to their own foraging choices,” said Franziska Feist, a biologist and first author on the study. “Given that the urbanisation of gulls is very recent, this ability must come from the gulls’ general smartness and behavioural flexibility.” “It is likely that simply deterring the public from directly feeding gulls may not be enough,” Feist said. “They are still able to observe what we eat and that would inform their ability to target waste, litter and so on.” Dr Madeleine Goumas, an expert on herring gulls at Exeter University who was not involved in the study, said: “We already know from previous research that gulls use information from people when they’re searching for food. “This study shows that we aren’t only drawing gulls’ attention to where food is, but they also learn about the type of food we’re eating. Knowing this may have implications for how we reduce negative interactions between humans and gulls, as we seem to be inadvertently teaching gulls to exploit new food items.” Meanwhile, past alarming research revealed that gulls prefer food that has been touched by people. Overall, it's giving Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

MEMPHIS, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 24, 2023--

Netflix has finally revealed that it's cracking down on users who share passwords in the United States.

HIGH POINT, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 24, 2023--