#assistive-technology

#assistive-technology

The 'Dogosophy Button' allows your pooch to control household appliances with a press of a paw. Developed by scientists at The Open University's Animal-Computer Interaction Laboratory, this button is designed to let dogs help their owners with more household tasks. And, according to its inventors, that includes letting your dog pop the kettle on to make you a cuppa. However, recreating your favourite scenes from Wallace and Gromit won't be cheap, with each Dogosophy Button currently costing £96.

Nike reinvents movement with powered footwear, aiming to do for running what e-bikes did for urban mobility. The sports giant unveiled Project Amplify, the world's first powered footwear system designed to make running and walking accessible to millions who previously found sustained movement intimidating or physically out of reach. Unlike elite performance gear designed to shave seconds off race times, Project Amplify targets everyday athletes who want to move more, go farther, and actually enjoy the experience.

Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) tools such as ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, and Khanmigo are rapidly proliferating and becoming integrated into nearly every aspect of life, including education. Although critics argue that these tools may replace traditional education, when used appropriately, they can complement teachers by serving as powerful educational partners. The diversity among learners often necessitates levels of support that a teacher alone cannot provide, underscoring the potential role of Gen AI in offering such assistance.

For decades, walking frames have been a case study in stagnation. They've remained almost unchanged since their invention, functional, yes, but limited in how they adapt to real-world conditions. Traditional frames can be awkward to maneuver on slopes, unstable on rough terrain, and visually uninspiring. More importantly, they often carry a stigma, subtly signaling frailty rather than empowerment. US-based startup Mobilate saw this as a glaring opportunity.

The onset of motor neurone disease (MND) left Sarah without a voice and the use of her hands at the age of 34. It was within months of her becoming a mum for the second time. As they were growing up, her children Aviva and Eric only ever heard her speak through a machine with an emotionless robotic voice. But 25 years on, artificial intelligence (AI) has recreated their mum's real voice from just eight seconds of audio on a scratchy VHS tape.

Any audio that automatically plays for more than 3 seconds must include a mechanism to pause or control the audio's volume without affecting system volume.

"Our main goal is creating a flexible speech neuroprosthesis that enables a patient with paralysis to speak as fluently as possible, managing their own cadence, and be more expressive by letting them modulate their intonation," says Maitreyee Wairagkar, a neuroprosthetics researcher at UC Davis who led the study.

Starting today, we're introducing the ability to customize Meta AI to provide detailed responses on Ray-Ban Meta glasses based on what's in front of you.

"In the wake of a long-haul injury, the importance of outside design perspectives cannot be overstated, as they may highlight overlooked problems and reveal useful solutions."