Lifeboat Foundation

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has unveiled its latest jet-powered robotic drone, the Gambit, which is designed to use artificial intelligence and autonomous systems to fly alongside human-piloted aircraft and achieve air dominance.

General Atomics is known mainly for its drones like the SkyGuardian or the Mojave – robotic aircraft with very long endurance that can loiter over an area for extended periods for either reconnaissance or while awaiting the signal to take out a ground target with missiles like the Hellfire.

Now, the company has joined competitors like Boeing and Kratos to produce a full-on combat drone with the lines and performance of a fighter jet. According to GA-ASI President David R. Alexander, Gambit is an Autonomous Collaborative Platform (ACP), a flying team-mate that will work with piloted aircraft, penetrating into combat zones to detect, identify, and target adversaries at range and scale before they can become a threat to its human partner. In this way, fewer lives are put at risk and more time is gained for critical decision-making.

The USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) this week released the USB Type-C Specification Revision 2.1, and it introduces a welcome (and powerful) new feature.

Existing USB-C cables are capable of delivering up to 100 watts of power, but as The Verge reports, the latest spec revision increases it to 240 watts. The change means future USB-C ports will be able to power and charge a lot more of your kit, resulting in fewer cables and adapters to carry around.

Expect to buy a new cable and charger if you want to take advantage of the extra power.

Continue reading “Latest USB Type-C Spec Increases Power Delivery to 240 Watts” »

In their pursuit of understanding cosmic evolution, scientists rely on a two-pronged approach. Using advanced instruments, astronomical surveys attempt to look farther and farther into space (and back in time) to study the earliest periods of the Universe. At the same time, scientists create simulations that attempt to model how the Universe has evolved based on our understanding of physics. When the two match, astrophysicists and cosmologists know they are on the right track!

In recent years, increasingly-detailed simulations have been made using increasingly sophisticated supercomputers, which have yielded increasingly accurate results. Recently, an international team of researchers led by the University of Helsinki conducted the most accurate simulations to date. Known as SIBELIUS-DARK, these simulations accurately predicted the evolution of our corner of the cosmos from the Big Bang to the present day.

In addition to the University of Helsinki, the team was comprised of researchers from the Institute for Computational Cosmology (ICC) and the Centre for Extragalactic Astronomy at Durham University, the Lorentz Institute for Theoretical Physics at Leiden University, the Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris, and The Oskar Klein Centre at Stockholm University. The team’s results are published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Research published in the journal Depression & Anxiety provides evidence that neurocognitive abnormalities are related to difficulties in social connection among people with posttraumatic stress disorder. The findings suggest that those with PTSD are more likely to struggle with managing multiple pieces of social information.

Approximately 7% of the population will have PTSD at some point in their lives, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. The disorder is characterized by persistent and intrusive memories of traumatic events, disrupted sleep, and other symptoms. PTSD has also been tied to social isolation and feelings of loneliness.

The researchers behind the new study sought to better understand whether the link between PTSD and isolation was related to specific impairments in neurocognitive mechanisms that support social cognition. They were particularly interested in social working memory, which describes the ability to maintain and manipulate information about people’s mental states, personalities, and relationships.

Further research shows that the test is accurate.

When it comes to genetic neurological and neuromuscular diseases, screening early is key to getting the right treatment. A new DNA test developed by researchers at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney may help in this process, as reported by the institution in a press release published on Saturday.

Garvan researchers have shown how new genomic sequencing technology can reduce the ‘diagnostic odyssey’ experienced by people with rare neurological and neuromuscular diseases.

Continue reading “Single test for over 50 genetic diseases will cut diagnosis from decades to days” »

Since their inception, blockchain-enabled consortia became a popular tactic among organizations looking to streamline their business processes and reduce operating costs, but that was before Web3.