More and more companies are using chatbots in customer services. Due to advances in artificial intelligence and natural language processing, chatbots are often indistinguishable from humans when it comes to communication. But should companies let their customers know that they are communicating with machines and not with humans? Researchers at the University of Göttingen … [Read more...] about Trust me, I’m a chatbot
New evidence of an anomalous phase of matter brings energy-efficient technologies closer
Researchers have found evidence for an anomalous phase of matter that was predicted to exist in the 1960s. Harnessing its properties could pave the way to new technologies able to share information without energy losses. These results are reported in the journal Science Advances. While investigating a quantum material, the researchers from the University of Cambridge who led … [Read more...] about New evidence of an anomalous phase of matter brings energy-efficient technologies closer
How to make biomedical research data able to interact?
The concept of interoperability describes the ability of different systems to communicate. This is a major challenge in biomedical research, and in particular, in the field of personalised medicine, which is largely based on the compilation and analysis of numerous datasets. For instance, the COVID-19 pandemic has shown that even when the technical, legal and ethical … [Read more...] about How to make biomedical research data able to interact?
‘Neuroprosthesis’ restores words to man with paralysis: Technology could lead to more natural communication for people who have suffered speech loss
Researchers at UC San Francisco have successfully developed a "speech neuroprosthesis" that has enabled a man with severe paralysis to communicate in sentences, translating signals from his brain to the vocal tract directly into words that appear as text on a screen. The achievement, which was developed in collaboration with the first participant of a clinical research trial, … [Read more...] about ‘Neuroprosthesis’ restores words to man with paralysis: Technology could lead to more natural communication for people who have suffered speech loss
Business use of avatars: Avatars save costs, boost sales
An associate professor of marketing at The University of Texas at Arlington says digital avatars can replace a sales force and customer service employees at a fraction of the cost. In this context, avatars are typically computer-generated representations of people. UTA Associate Professor Fred Miao says they can fill the void in interactive assistance that a majority of … [Read more...] about Business use of avatars: Avatars save costs, boost sales
Reducing data-transfer error in radiation therapy
Just as helicopter traffic reporters use their "bird's eye view" to route drivers around roadblocks safely, radiation oncologists treating a variety of cancers can use new guidelines developed by a West Virginia University researcher to reduce mistakes in data transfer and more safely treat their patients. Ramon Alfredo Siochi -- the director of medical physics at WVU -- led a … [Read more...] about Reducing data-transfer error in radiation therapy
Mathematical model predicts the movement of microplastics in the ocean
A new model tracking the vertical movement of algae-covered microplastic particles offers hope in the fight against plastic waste in our oceans. Research led by Newcastle University's Dr Hannah Kreczak is the first to identify the processes that underpin the trajectories of microplastics below the ocean surface. Publishing their findings in the journal Limnology and … [Read more...] about Mathematical model predicts the movement of microplastics in the ocean
Simulating microswimmers in nematic fluids
Artificial microswimmers have received much attention in recent years. By mimicking microbes which convert their surrounding energy into swimming motions, these particles could soon be exploited for many important applications. Yet before this can happen, researchers must develop methods to better control the trajectories of individual microswimmers in complex environments. In … [Read more...] about Simulating microswimmers in nematic fluids
Electrons in quantum liquid gain energy from laser pulses
The absorption of energy from laser light by free electrons in a liquid has been demonstrated for the first time. Until now, this process was observed only in the gas phase. The findings, led by Graz University of Technology, open new doors for ultra-fast electron microscopy. The investigation and development of materials crucially depends on the ability to observe smallest … [Read more...] about Electrons in quantum liquid gain energy from laser pulses
Supercomputer predicts cell-membrane permeability of cyclic peptides
Scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology have developed a computational method based on large-scale molecular dynamics simulations to predict the cell-membrane permeability of cyclic peptides using a supercomputer. Their protocol has exhibited promising accuracy and may become a useful tool for the design and discovery of cyclic peptide drugs, which could help us reach new … [Read more...] about Supercomputer predicts cell-membrane permeability of cyclic peptides