Category: Tech

Elon Musk founded a brain chip company called Neuralink that has now been approved to commence its first clinical trial in Canada. Such a trial aspires to assist paralyzed individuals when controlling digital devices to use their thoughts.

The study focuses on safety and basic functionality evaluations of the Neuralink’s implant. This specifically targets individuals suffering from quadriplegia, which is a condition where all four limbs of a person are paralyzed. The device converts brain signals to digital commands, allowing users to interact with external gadgets like mobile phones and computers.

SpaceX has successfully launched Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida following which the  Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) took control of the GSAT-20 communication satellite. The Master Control Facility (MCF) in Hassan, Karnataka, took command of the satellite earlier on Wednesday morning, marking it a crucial milestone in the mission.

ISRO officials reported that preliminary data indicates the satellite is in good health, with all systems functioning as expected. ISRO officials reported that preliminary data indicates the satellite is in good health, with all systems functioning as expected. The MCF team is now conducting a series of maneuvers to guide the GSAT-20 from its initial transfer orbit to its final geostationary orbit, which is approximately 36,000 kilometres above the Earth’s equator.

The GSAT-20, also known as GSAT-N2, is India’s most advanced communication satellite to date, weighing  4,700 kg; it carries a high-throughput Ka-band payload capable of delivering 48 Gbps of data transmission capacity. The satellite is set to play a vital role in enhancing broadband services across India, including remote areas, and enabling in-flight internet connectivity.

The launch and successful handover of GSAT-20 marks a significant step in India’s space technology. It further states the country’s rising capabilities in satellite technology and its willingness to collaborate with international partners for complex space missions.

India has attained one of the key milestones in military development, putting itself as one of the listers in small groups of nations progressing towards advanced technology. The nation has successfully tested a domestically developed long-range hypersonic missile on Sunday. Alongside China, Russia, and the United States, India is trying to put up with the development of advanced long-range missiles as a result of the global push for hypersonic weapon figures.

The state-run Defence Research and Development Organisation developed the missile alongside other industry partners to carry payloads for ranges. As stated in a statement, this exceeds 1500 hm for the government and armed forces.

They said, “The flight data … confirmed the successful terminal maneuvers and impact with a high degree of accuracy.” As per the claims put out by the team, the first test-firing took place on Saturday from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam island off the eastern coast of Odisha.

As per Rajnath Singh, the defense minister, the test is a “historic achievement.” He mentioned this through a post on X, adding that India is amongst a few selected groups of nations to process such critical and advanced technologies.

Japan achieved a milestone in sustainable space exploration by launching “LignoSat,” the world’s first wooden satellite. LignoSat, developed by Kyoto University researchers and homebuilder Sumitomo Forestry, was launched to the International Space Station (ISS) on Tuesday onboard a SpaceX mission, where it will orbit approximately 400 kilometres above Earth.

LignoSat, made of honoki wood, a type of Japanese magnolia usually used in sword sheaths, is designed to evaluate the durability of timber in space. The satellite, inspired by early wooden aircraft, was made without screws or glue, demonstrating Japan’s traditional woodworking traditions as well as the possibilities of renewable materials in space technology.

Takao Doi, an astronaut and a professor at Kyoto University, considers timber a potential material for space habitats. “With timber, a material we can produce ourselves, we can build houses, live, and work in space indefinitely,” Doi added, emphasising its sustainability. The spacecraft will operate in temperatures ranging from -100°C to 100°C, and researchers will assess its ability to shield critical components from cosmic radiation.

LignoSat’s eco-friendly design has advantages over metal satellites, which emit hazardous aluminium oxide during re-entry.

Singapore has inaugurated a pioneering “token-less clearance” initiative, allowing eligible travellers arriving at Changi Airport to enter the nation without physical passports. This unique method uses eye and facial recognition technology to authenticate IDs, ensuring a smooth flying experience. Currently, in the trial at Terminal 3, the program allows travellers to clear immigration using solely biometric data. By December 2024, it will cover all Changi terminals, Seletar Airport, and Marina Bay Cruise Centre.

This plan, which is part of Singapore’s New Clearance Concept and was unveiled in May, intends to automate 95% of immigration lanes by 2026, eliminating traditional passport checks. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) anticipates the technology to reduce wait times by up to 40%, increasing efficiency and convenience. During its first 15 days, the program served 1.5 million travellers, demonstrating its potential impact.

ICA Commander Alan Koo stated that the system would enable immigration officers to prioritise critical jobs such as security profiling, which is critical as passenger numbers increase and the workforce ages. For the time being, foreign visitors must provide passports upon arrival but may exit without them. Changi Airport pioneers this innovation, establishing a new worldwide standard for travel convenience and efficiency.

For the groundbreaking international project LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna), NASA has unveiled prototype telescopes to study gravitational waves—space-time distortions brought about by potent cosmic events like black hole collisions. LISA, a project of the European Space Agency (ESA) with a launch date of 2035, will send three spacecraft into orbit around the Sun in a triangular formation, more than 30 million miles behind Earth to find these elusive cosmic ripples.

Each spacecraft will house two of NASA’s newly revealed telescopes, which will work in sync by beaming lasers between each other to detect gravitational waves. These telescopes, made by L3Harris Technologies in New York, have gold-coated mirrors for improved reflection and a sturdy glass-ceramic material called Zerodur that keeps its shape even in the incredibly hot conditions of space.

Unlike ground-based observatories, LISA’s space-based telescopes can detect lower-frequency waves, revealing insights into supermassive black holes, stellar orbits, and even the early universe. NASA’s Ryan DeRosa noted that these prototypes mark a significant milestone toward building the final flight hardware.

Scientists hope to uncover mysteries about the universe’s origins and evolution by studying gravitational waves. According to NASA, “LISA will enhance our understanding of the unseen aspects of the universe.”

An innovative device that captures and plays back dreams has been developed by Japanese researchers, providing fresh perspectives on the subconscious. The gadget, created by Professor Yukiyasu Kamitani at ATR Computational Neuroscience Laboratories in Kyoto, analyses brain activity as a person sleeps using artificial intelligence and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

The neural activity of volunteers entering REM sleep was monitored for the study. Participants told researchers about their dreams when they woke up, which helped the researchers link certain dream themes to certain brain patterns. By compiling a database of these patterns, researchers were able to predict dream themes with an accuracy of 60%, increasing to nearly 70% for specific images.

According to Professor Kamitani, the researchers were able to correlate verbal reports of dreams with observed brain activity. The device’s ability to diagnose mental health problems and comprehend human consciousness through dream content analysis was discussed by Dr. Mark Stokes of the University of Oxford.

This technology, even if it is still in its early stages of development, could make possible personalised assessments of psychological problems. Subsequent advancements might enhance the clarity and accuracy of dream reconstructions, hence advancing scientific progress toward complete dream decoding.

A patient suffering from severe type-1 diabetes was supposedly cured by Chinese experts through the use of stem cell therapy, marking a first of its kind.

A 25-year-old woman’s blood sugar levels naturally stabilised after 2.5 months following a minimally invasive operation; she had been suffering from it for more than a decade before that. Researchers from Peking University and Tianjin First Central Hospital completed the brief procedure in just 30 minutes.

The accomplishment was documented in the journal Cell and used islets produced from chemically induced pluripotent stem cells (CiPSCs). They transplanted the expanded pluripotent stem cells back into the patient’s body after reprogramming her adipose tissue into islet cells. Since these cells originated from the patient, no immune rejection occurred.

This patient underwent two liver transplants, both of which were successful, and one pancreatic islet transplant that was unsuccessful. 75 days after surgery, she no longer needed insulin since her fasting blood glucose levels were normal. There were no issues associated with the transplant, and her blood sugar levels stayed constant 98% of the time, for one year following the procedure.

In the future, additional clinical trials with CiPSC islet transplants could pave the way for improvement in diabetes management.

Australian scientists have found an exciting discovery that could dramatically improve the treatment of chronic injuries and diseases such as diabetes. Researchers from the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) and the University of Adelaide have discovered a previously unknown cell type called “EndoMac progenitor cells,” which could unlock novel healing mechanisms in animals.

This discovery follows nine years of significant investigation.

EndoMac progenitor cells, discovered in the outer layer of adult mice’s aortas, have the unusual capacity to differentiate into two critical cell types: endothelial cells, which produce blood vessels, and macrophages, which play an important role in the repair of tissues. Dr. Sanuri Liyanage, one of the project’s primary experts, noted that these cells activate in reaction to injury or insufficient blood supply, allowing the body to recuperate more effectively.

These cells are distinguished by their low susceptibility to immune system attack, as they do not display normal “self” signals, making them suitable candidates for stem cell therapy.

In diabetic animal models, transplanting EndoMac cells resulted in considerable improvements in wound healing. This discovery has the potential to revolutionise regenerative medicine by providing novel treatments for people with chronic wounds that do not heal naturally.

Bayanat, an AI-powered geospatial solutions provider, collaborated with Yahsat to successfully launch the UAE’s first Low Earth Orbit Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite. This milestone, achieved through ICEYE’s collaboration and Exolaunch’s launch of SpaceX’s Transporter 11 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, represents a substantial increase in Earth observation capabilities.

The Earth Observation Space Program seeks to create national capabilities in satellite remote sensing by providing regular, high-definition imagery for disaster management, marine surveillance, and smart mobility.

The SAR satellite uses active sensing technology to collect high-resolution photos of the Earth’s surface, regardless of weather or sunshine. This capacity allows for continuous, day-and-night imaging. “Our new SAR satellite constellation strengthens our leadership in AI-powered geospatial analytics and demonstrates the value of our collaboration with ICEYE and Yahsat,” said Hasan Al Hosani, Bayanat’s Managing Director.

Over the following three years, the SAR satellite constellation will expand its position as a multi-orbit satellite operator, encompassing geostationary and low-earth orbit satellites, and will help to grow satellite manufacturing in the UAE.

The Earth Observation Space Program seeks to create national capabilities in satellite remote sensing by providing regular, high-definition imagery for disaster management, marine surveillance, and smart mobility.