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Dutch founder raises $1M for app he built for his deaf parents
Growing up, Jari Hazelebach was a full-time interpreter. Both of his parents are deaf, and from a young age he helped them communicate in a world largely oblivious to the struggles of the 430 million people suffering from disabling hearing loss. “While my parents could lip-read, their hearing disability made group conversations almost impossible,” Hazelebach told TNW. Even family Christmas gatherings were a struggle. That’s what drove Hazelebach to found Speaksee: so people suffering from hearing loss could carry an interpreter in their pocket, everywhere they go. Credit: Speaksee The young entrepreneur’s initial goal was straightforward: he wanted to help…This story continues at The Next Web
Growing up, Jari Hazelebach was a full-time interpreter. Both of his parents are deaf, and from a young age he helped them communicate in a world largely oblivious to the struggles of the 430 million people suffering from disabling hearing loss. “While my parents could lip-read, their hearing disability made group conversations almost impossible,” Hazelebach told TNW. Even family Christmas gatherings were a struggle. That’s what drove Hazelebach to found Speaksee: so people suffering from hearing loss could carry an interpreter in their pocket, everywhere they go. Credit: Speaksee The young entrepreneur’s initial goal was straightforward: he wanted to help…
This story continues at The Next Web
Laser weapon ‘neutralises’ targets from British Army vehicle for first time
Britain has successfully fired a laser weapon from an army combat vehicle for the first time, the UK government announced today. During trials, the system “neutralised” targets at distances in excess of 1km, officials said. Matt Cork, programme lead of the government’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), called the test a “pivotal moment.” “This technology offers a precise, powerful, and cost effective means to defeat aerial threats, ensuring greater protection for our forces,” he said. Dstl nows plans to test the capabilities in real-world scenarios. Laser quests The government commissioned the laser to defeat enemy drones. Arm manufacturer Raytheon…This story continues at The Next Web
Britain has successfully fired a laser weapon from an army combat vehicle for the first time, the UK government announced today. During trials, the system “neutralised” targets at distances in excess of 1km, officials said. Matt Cork, programme lead of the government’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), called the test a “pivotal moment.” “This technology offers a precise, powerful, and cost effective means to defeat aerial threats, ensuring greater protection for our forces,” he said. Dstl nows plans to test the capabilities in real-world scenarios. Laser quests The government commissioned the laser to defeat enemy drones. Arm manufacturer Raytheon…
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Dutch students cross North Sea in hydrogen boat — but you won’t ride one anytime soon
A team of students from the Technical University of Delft have made history by crossing the North Sea in a fully hydrogen-powered boat. TU Delft’s Hydro Motion team set off from Breskens, Netherlands on July 11, with 160km of rough ocean ahead of them. Shortly into the trip, however, the vessel suffered a failure in its cooling pump and had to dock in Belgium for repairs. After a bit of tinkering, the issue was resolved and the crew set sail once more. They arrived at Ramsgate, UK, 12 hours later. The boat, which cruises at 40km/h, made the trip using…This story continues at The Next Web
A team of students from the Technical University of Delft have made history by crossing the North Sea in a fully hydrogen-powered boat. TU Delft’s Hydro Motion team set off from Breskens, Netherlands on July 11, with 160km of rough ocean ahead of them. Shortly into the trip, however, the vessel suffered a failure in its cooling pump and had to dock in Belgium for repairs. After a bit of tinkering, the issue was resolved and the crew set sail once more. They arrived at Ramsgate, UK, 12 hours later. The boat, which cruises at 40km/h, made the trip using…
This story continues at The Next Web
Businesses are harvesting our biometric data. We need new protections
Imagine walking through a bustling railway station. You’re in a hurry, weaving through the crowd, unaware that cameras are not just watching you but also recognising you. These days, our biometric data is valuable to businesses for security purposes, to enhance customer experience or to improve their own efficiency. Biometrics are unique physical or behavioural traits and are part of our everyday lives. Among these, facial recognition is the most common. Facial recognition technology stems from a branch of AI called computer vision and is akin to giving sight to computers. The technology scans images or videos from devices including CCTV cameras…This story continues at The Next Web
Imagine walking through a bustling railway station. You’re in a hurry, weaving through the crowd, unaware that cameras are not just watching you but also recognising you. These days, our biometric data is valuable to businesses for security purposes, to enhance customer experience or to improve their own efficiency. Biometrics are unique physical or behavioural traits and are part of our everyday lives. Among these, facial recognition is the most common. Facial recognition technology stems from a branch of AI called computer vision and is akin to giving sight to computers. The technology scans images or videos from devices including CCTV cameras…
This story continues at The Next Web
Proton launches ‘privacy-first’ AI email assistant to rival Google, Microsoft
Swiss app developer Proton has launched a new “privacy-first” AI email writing assistant that could be a more secure alternative to similar offerings from Google and Microsoft. Proton Scribe, integrated in Proton Mail, allows users to compose emails with simple prompts. The large language model (LLM) can also proofread your drafts before they’re sent. To use the feature, all you have to do is draft an email in Proton Mail and click the pencil icon displayed at the bottom of the textbox. Tell the tool what you want to say and it will create a draft for you. You can…This story continues at The Next WebOr just read more coverage about: Google
Swiss app developer Proton has launched a new “privacy-first” AI email writing assistant that could be a more secure alternative to similar offerings from Google and Microsoft. Proton Scribe, integrated in Proton Mail, allows users to compose emails with simple prompts. The large language model (LLM) can also proofread your drafts before they’re sent. To use the feature, all you have to do is draft an email in Proton Mail and click the pencil icon displayed at the bottom of the textbox. Tell the tool what you want to say and it will create a draft for you. You can…
This story continues at The Next Web
Or just read more coverage about: Google
UK approves first cultivated meat sales in Europe — but only for pet food
Cultivated meat is now approved for sale in Europe — but don’t break out the fine China just yet. The first dishes are exclusively reserved for pets. Our furry friends can now legally dine on cultivated chicken from Meatly, a startup based in London. The company announced on Monday that British regulators have rubber-stamped sales of the product. By providing the green-light, the UK has become the first European country to commercialise lab-grown meat. “It’s the start of a viable and sustainable alternative to traditional dog food,” Meatly’s CEO and founder, Owen Ensor, told TNW. That sustainability derives from bringing the…This story continues at The Next Web
Cultivated meat is now approved for sale in Europe — but don’t break out the fine China just yet. The first dishes are exclusively reserved for pets. Our furry friends can now legally dine on cultivated chicken from Meatly, a startup based in London. The company announced on Monday that British regulators have rubber-stamped sales of the product. By providing the green-light, the UK has become the first European country to commercialise lab-grown meat. “It’s the start of a viable and sustainable alternative to traditional dog food,” Meatly’s CEO and founder, Owen Ensor, told TNW. That sustainability derives from bringing the…
This story continues at The Next Web
Autonomous kite-powered boats promise faster, cheaper, greener shipping
From your phone to your clothes or even the breakfast you ate this morning, there’s a high chance a boat transported it from where it was made to where you bought it from. The global shipping industry accounts for around 90% of world trade. Most of these goods are ferried by giant cargo ships that carry huge amounts of stuff. But, they’re slow and not exactly nimble. This can result in long waiting times for shipments. What’s more, diesel-guzzling cargo ships contribute around 3% of global CO2 emissions — more than air travel. German startup CargoKite wants to replace these…This story continues at The Next Web
From your phone to your clothes or even the breakfast you ate this morning, there’s a high chance a boat transported it from where it was made to where you bought it from. The global shipping industry accounts for around 90% of world trade. Most of these goods are ferried by giant cargo ships that carry huge amounts of stuff. But, they’re slow and not exactly nimble. This can result in long waiting times for shipments. What’s more, diesel-guzzling cargo ships contribute around 3% of global CO2 emissions — more than air travel. German startup CargoKite wants to replace these…
This story continues at The Next Web
Samsung buys UK startup Oxford Semantic to boost ‘personalised AI experiences’
Samsung has snapped up UK startup Oxford Semantic Technologies, in a bid to “hyper-personalise” user experiences with AI. Founded in 2017, Oxford Semantic specialises in knowledge graphs, which integrate and analyse data. The technology powers countless applications, from voice assistants to search engines. Oxford Semantic baked knowledge graphs into a product called RDFox, which the company describes as an “AI reasoning engine.” The system supports an array of use cases, from recommendation engines to anomaly detection in transactions. For Samsung, the software provides a chance to develop sophisticated and personalised AI solutions. The company will use the knowledge graphs to integrate information…This story continues at The Next WebOr just read more coverage about: Samsung
Samsung has snapped up UK startup Oxford Semantic Technologies, in a bid to “hyper-personalise” user experiences with AI. Founded in 2017, Oxford Semantic specialises in knowledge graphs, which integrate and analyse data. The technology powers countless applications, from voice assistants to search engines. Oxford Semantic baked knowledge graphs into a product called RDFox, which the company describes as an “AI reasoning engine.” The system supports an array of use cases, from recommendation engines to anomaly detection in transactions. For Samsung, the software provides a chance to develop sophisticated and personalised AI solutions. The company will use the knowledge graphs to integrate information…
This story continues at The Next Web
Or just read more coverage about: Samsung
Google backs Danish startup using ancient bacteria to ferment CO2 into valuable chemicals
Danish startup Again has raised money… again. Google Ventures and Berlin-based HV Capital led the $43mn funding round, which brings the startup’s total to date to just shy of $100mn. Again takes waste CO₂ from industry, combines it with hydrogen and then feeds the concoction to a host of millennia-old bacteria. The little germs devour the brew, turning it into commercial-grade compounds like acetate. This is the base chemical in everything from plastics and cosmetics to paint. Again spun out from over a decade of research led by Dr. Torbjørn Jensen and Professor Alex Nielsen at the Danish Technical University,…This story continues at The Next WebOr just read more coverage about: Google
Danish startup Again has raised money… again. Google Ventures and Berlin-based HV Capital led the $43mn funding round, which brings the startup’s total to date to just shy of $100mn. Again takes waste CO₂ from industry, combines it with hydrogen and then feeds the concoction to a host of millennia-old bacteria. The little germs devour the brew, turning it into commercial-grade compounds like acetate. This is the base chemical in everything from plastics and cosmetics to paint. Again spun out from over a decade of research led by Dr. Torbjørn Jensen and Professor Alex Nielsen at the Danish Technical University,…
This story continues at The Next Web
Or just read more coverage about: Google
ASML orders up 24%, China still the biggest market despite restrictions
While this year thus far has been less profitable for ASML, the tech giant saw orders for its chip making machines increase again over the past three months. According to the company’s earnings report for the second quarter of 2024, net bookings (i.e. orders) reached €5.6bn — rising over 24% year-on-year. A significant chunk consisted of orders for ASML’s EUV machines, which accounted for €2.5bn. The Dutch company is the world’s sole manufacturer of these Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines which produce the most high-end chips, such as the ones used for AI. The rise in EUV orders is in…This story continues at The Next Web
While this year thus far has been less profitable for ASML, the tech giant saw orders for its chip making machines increase again over the past three months. According to the company’s earnings report for the second quarter of 2024, net bookings (i.e. orders) reached €5.6bn — rising over 24% year-on-year. A significant chunk consisted of orders for ASML’s EUV machines, which accounted for €2.5bn. The Dutch company is the world’s sole manufacturer of these Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines which produce the most high-end chips, such as the ones used for AI. The rise in EUV orders is in…
This story continues at The Next Web