Pfizer on October 26 said that its two-in-one vaccine for Covid-19 and flu will enter the final-stage trial soon after its early to mid-stage study showed positive results. The development has helped the biopharmaceutical company and its German partner BioNTech come a step closer to potentially getting regulatory approval for the combination shot. The companies carried out initial trials among healthy adults, aged 18 to 64, who showed robust immune responses against influenza A, influenza B and Sars-CoV-2 strains after receiving the combined shot. Trial participants were compared with thos
Amidst the ongoing efforts by telecommunications service providers to extend their 5G networks across the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that India is also actively striving to establish itself as a global leader in 6G technology. The Prime Minister officially launched a significant initiative, unveiling 100 “5G use case labs” throughout India at the 7th Edition of the India Mobile Congress 2023 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on October 27. The ‘100 5G labs initiative’ is designed to harness the potential of 5G technology by promoting the development of 5G applic
Researchers at Google have demonstrated how regular earbuds with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) can transform into heart rate monitors without the need for additional hardware or sensors. Google researchers showcased this technology at Mobicom 2023, held in Madrid from October 2-6, 2023. They also shared their research paper on the technology, titled “APG: Audioplethysmography for Cardiac Monitoring in Hearables.” The study was conducted over eight months with 153 participants to test APG in various scenarios. This technology employs a pulse-like signal to monitor heart rate. Th
Britain will set up the world’s first artificial intelligence (AI) safety institute, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on October 26, ahead of a global summit on November 1-2 convened to examine the risks of the technology. The institute “will advance the world’s knowledge of AI safety and it will carefully examine, evaluate and test new types of AI so that we understand what each new model is capable of, exploring all the risks from social harms like bias and misinformation through to the most extreme risks of all,” the leader said in a speech in London. Sunak wants Britain to be
The Government of India will launch the world’s first software to detect dark patterns on e-Commerce platforms, to provide protection to consumers from all types of unfair trade practices. The Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, in collaboration with Indian Institute of Technology-Banaras Hindu University, on October 26, launched a four-stage hackathon, Dark Patterns Buster, to build an open-source software that will be available as a freely downloadable browser extension and a mobile app, to alert users to the presence of dark patterns on websites. The ministry has identified over 10
In a breakthrough, Johnson & Johnson has developed an experimental pill that has shown promising results in a small human challenge trial against dengue fever. The drug is the first ever to show antiviral activity against dengue that has no specific treatments currently. The trial, conducted in collaboration with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, US, involved 10 volunteers who were administered a high dose of the pill five days before being injected with a type of dengue. They continued taking the pill for 21 days afterwards. Remarkably, six of these participants show
In a groundbreaking medical achievement, Asia witnessed its first bloodless heart transplant, successfully executed in Ahmedabad. This landmark procedure has set a new precedent in the field of cardiac surgery, highlighting the city's and the country's prowess in innovative medical practices. The operation was meticulously planned and carried out by a team of seasoned cardiac surgeons, anesthesiologists, and support staff. The patient, a Jehovah's Witness, adhered to a faith that prohibits blood transfusion. Respecting these religious beliefs, the medical team employed advanced surgical te
Jeff Bezos’ aviation company Blue Origin has unveiled Blue Ring, a spacecraft platform focused on providing in-space logistics and delivery. Blue Ring is part of a newly-formed Blue Origin business unit called In-Space Systems. It provides end-to-end services that span hosting, transportation, refueling, data relay, and logistics, including an “in-space” cloud computing capability, for missions in medium Earth orbit out to the cislunar region and beyond. The platform can host payloads of more than 3,000 kg, and provides unprecedented delta-V capabilities and mission flexibility, t
Dubai Police plans to deploy fully electric, self-driving patrol cars equipped with artificial intelligence (AI). A prototype of the high-tech patrol car was unveiled in the five-day GITEX Global 2023 held at Dubai World Trade Centre from October 16-20. These state-of-the-art patrol cars are equipped with sophisticated AI technology, enabling them to identify criminal activity, recognise individuals’ faces, and scan vehicle license plates. The design of these vehicles is tailored for deployment in residential areas, where the need for enhanced security is critical. The vehicle has an
In a remarkable feat, a 21-year-old computer science student has harnessed the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to decode letters from scorched scrolls dating back 2,000 years, which were once considered completely unreadable. The discovery was announced on October 19 by Professor Brent Seales, a computer scientist at the University of Kentucky, along with a team of collaborators. They researchers initiated the Vesuvius challenge in March, an endeavour aimed at expediting the deciphering of these ancient texts. The challenge, supported by Silicon Valley investors, offered cash rewards