Technology

The Citizen Lab Asks Microsoft to Mind its Chinese Bing Censorship

20May

By Linda AshokNo Comments

China, Technology

The Citizen Lab Asks Microsoft to Mind its Chinese Bing Censorship

The Citizen Lab, published by Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, University of Toronto, has released research on how Microsoft search engine Bing is censoring China-sensitive terms from its autosuggestion feature internationally. The Citizen Lab research team analyzed Bing's autosuggestion system censoring nearly 100,000 names in the United States, Canada, and China in English letters and Chinese characters. The team ran the test by modifying region, language, and IP address geolocation. After the team had communicated the findings to Microsoft, Principal Program Manager Michael Golebiewski responded. In the email, Michael mentions that his team at Microsoft could not reproduce examples after trying multiple scenarios. He explains that the "nature of autosuggestion syste...

The Rise & Relevance of UK Ad Tech Startup Gener8 Ads

17May

By Linda AshokNo Comments

Technology

The Rise & Relevance of UK Ad Tech Startup Gener8 Ads

Data privacy is the dominating theme of the decade. Yet, there is very little development in the space. There are regulations but ineffective implementation or disregard by the BigTech and other ruling enterprises not excluding small businesses globally that violate data privacy in indiscreet ways. First, there is a breach of privacy, and then there is unauthorized monetization of that breach for millions. Enter Gener8 Ads. Based in England, United Kingdom, this London-based ad-tech startup has made some great moves in the space. Gener8 helps people to control and earn from their data. It helps people exercise their rights to data privacy and ownership, thereby making companies pay for using their data. The company has surely made its presence felt amongst its top competitors like Duck...

DeWarmte HeatCycle Harnesses WasteWater to Supply Hot Water

15May

By Linda AshokNo Comments

Europe, Tech for Good, Technology

DeWarmte HeatCycle Harnesses WasteWater to Supply Hot Water

So far, we know that global recyclists could recycle sewage water into drinking water, and hydro-power plants can produce electricity by converting water to hydrogen via a gas turbine or fuel cells. But in this case, a Netherlands-based sustainability startup claims that you can get about 40% of your total heat requirement from your wastewater! Based in Delft, Zuid-Holland, The Netherlands, DeWarmte is a green-tech startup specializing in waste-to-product. Founded in 2019, the Netherlands-based green tech startup takes the wastewater at an average of 27 degrees Celcius from household use, such as showering, flushing, washing dishes, laundry, etc., and extracts all usable heat. The extracted heat is then used to heat fresh water, cutting down on the energy to create hot household water....

Breakthrough in Type 1 Diabetes Got iLet Bionic Pancreas System

14May

By Linda AshokNo Comments

Tech for Good, Technology, United States

Breakthrough in Type 1 Diabetes Got iLet Bionic Pancreas System

Type 1 Diabetes, often known as juvenile or childhood-onset diabetes, needs daily insulin delivery because of the low insulin production. Patients may have polyuria (excessive urination), polydipsia (increased thirst), continual hunger, weight loss, visual problems, and weariness due to their condition. The onset of these symptoms might be rapid. People with Type 1 Diabetes and their families experience immense cognitive load and emotional burden in the unequal healthcare system worldwide. According to the US-based public welfare healthcare startup, BetaBionics, 80% of people with diabetes live with uncontrolled blood glucose and are always at a risk of unprecedented healthcare complications. It is increasingly difficult to achieve consistent glycemic control in Type 1 Diabetes. Besi...

Scientists Invent FAST-PETase Enzyme to Biodegrade Plastic

9May

By Linda AshokNo Comments

Technology, United States

Scientists Invent FAST-PETase Enzyme to Biodegrade Plastic

Plastic has been a concern for centuries. The non-biodegradable substance has choked many lives and made its way to human guts. It got climate activists to lose their sleep over the well-being of humankind on earth and its flora and fauna. But now, we seem to have a breakthrough; the FAST-PETase enzyme. We now have a new enzyme that makes plastic biodegradable at a speed of hours to days. A group of chemical engineers and scientists at The University of Texas at Austin has worked together to invent this enzyme, which dissolves plastic the way a dry leaf would dissolve in compost. On April 27, 2022, Nature published an article informing us how we have finally overcome our struggle with plastic, hands down the world's biggest pollutant. Tons of plastic waste form landfills, and un...

Chinese Internet Users are in Crisis; Pay to Obfuscate IP Address

8May

By Linda AshokNo Comments

China, Technology

Chinese Internet Users are in Crisis; Pay to Obfuscate IP Address

China, known for censorship and ghost-tracking Chinese Internet users, has got all Chinese social media companies to reveal user data, including IP addresses. How are users responding to the situation and how are social media platforms complying with the mandate? Well, it is known to the world that the authoritarian Chinese regime never permitted its people to freely use globally known social media platforms like Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook, Whatsapp, Instagram, etc. To curb the exposure of Chinese Internet users to the West and its belligerent voice of innovation and protest, China came up with its own homemade jam of social media apps to appease the youth. While this strategy certainly worked for managing the unintelligible crowd, it shot crisis to the ones with a voice. It...

Germany’s New Mireo Plus H Hydrogen Train is Here, but How Efficient?

6May

By Linda AshokNo Comments

Europe, Technology

Germany’s New Mireo Plus H Hydrogen Train is Here, but How Efficient?

On May 5, 2022, Siemens Mobility introduced the first Mireo Plus H hydrogen train. The event took place at its factory in Krefeld as a part of the H2goesRail project in partnership with Deutsche Bahn (DB). CEO Region North-East Europe at Siemens Mobility Gerhard Greiter shares a Linkedin post describing his experience. He writes, "A great day at our plant in Krefeld. Together with Deutsche Bahn and the BMVI, we were able to show our Mireo Plus H (hydrogen) to the press. So we now have a magical, sustainable Mireo Trio, in which we can operate on electrified and have the right efficient and sustainable solution for non-electrified networks. DB mentioned their goal to operate without diesel in the future. The infrastructure is also important for this. DB presented an important approac...

Assistive Technology Market: Power Apps for People with Disability

30Apr

By Linda AshokNo Comments

Technology, United States

Assistive Technology Market: Power Apps for People with Disability

The assistive technology market is forecasted to increase to nearly $50B by 2030, according to market research company NMSC. This statistic shows the size of the assistive technology market worldwide between 2019 and 2030. To substantiate the market predictions, we have found a huge list of assistive technology solutions available in the market for people with multiple sclerosis (MS), cognitive setbacks, and other impairments. While most are free, these apps are also available on a subscription model, which assures an independent living for the patients with improved self-worth and confidence. To begin with, Siri & Alexa are an everyday reminder of the flourishing of voice assistive technology. The sheer reason for this growth is attributed to making things and memories acces...

Insider Trading in India: Past Failures of SEBI & Tryst with Technology

28Apr

By Linda AshokNo Comments

India, Technology

Insider Trading in India: Past Failures of SEBI & Tryst with Technology

It is an instance of insider trading when someone working within the system leaks embargoed information or Unpublished Price-Sensitive Information (UPSI) to trade or help trade with external parties. In India, an inside trader applies to a person working in a publicly listed company who would buy or sell stock informed by inside data, including quarterly results, merger and acquisition, expansion or shutdown plans, or other significant activities. The Companies Act, 2013 and the SEBI Act, 1992 prohibit insider trading in India. To contain the wrongful act, in 2015, the SEBI (Securities & Exchange Board of India) formed the SEBI (Prohibition of Insider Trading) Regulation. According to the regulation, Insider trading in India is a punishable offense and subjected to legal probing...

TomaGrow Wins Pinduoduo Smart Agriculture Competition

26Apr

By Linda AshokNo Comments

China, Technology

TomaGrow Wins Pinduoduo Smart Agriculture Competition

Precision greenhouse management technology developed by agriculturists and data scientists participating in Pinduoduo's Smart Agriculture Competition is easy to use and does not need training for growers. TomaGrow, a team primarily comprised of Wageningen University & Research and China Agricultural University graduates with extensive industry experience, emerged victorious in the tomato-growing greenhouse challenge. It was decided by factors, including yield, nutritional value and environmental sustainability. In the preliminary round of the competition, more than 120 researchers from 15 teams were nominated. To cultivate tomatoes remotely during the six-month challenge, contestants used a variety of approaches that included nutrition science and computer vision, as well as ...