sm Cardiovascular disease — risk assessment and reduction: NICE 2023 update for GPs By bjgp.org Published On :: 2024-10-31T16:05:26-07:00 Full Article
sm Improving Access to Disability Assessment for US Citizenship Applicants in Primary Care: An Embedded Neuropsychological Assessment Innovation [Innovations in Primary Care] By www.annfammed.org Published On :: 2024-09-23T14:00:14-07:00 Full Article
sm The CheckMate 816 trial: a milestone in neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy of nonsmall cell lung cancer By breathe.ersjournals.com Published On :: 2024-11-12T00:25:08-08:00 Advancements in immunotherapy in the perioperative setting have revolutionised the treatment of resectable nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here we present the methodology and results of the clinical trial CheckMate 816 demonstrating the benefit of neoadjuvant therapy with nivolumab plus chemotherapy compared with chemotherapy alone. Furthermore, this article discusses the implications for future practice in resectable NSCLC and the need for future research. Full Article
sm Small cell lung cancer and neuroendocrine tumours By breathe.ersjournals.com Published On :: 2024-11-12T00:25:08-08:00 Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. It can broadly be divided into small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and nonsmall cell lung cancer. There have been many advances over the recent years in both fields. The purpose of this review is to provide a concise summary of SCLC for the general respiratory readership. Full Article
sm Apple Is Reportedly Working on a Smart Home Camera By gizmodo.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Nov 2024 01:29:30 +0000 It will likely release in 2026 and feature Apple Intelligence, according to a reliable analyst. Full Article Apple Apple Intelligence Security Cameras Smart Home
sm Students can be agents of change: Talking about activism in universities with Jade Ho By rabble.ca Published On :: Fri, 03 Nov 2023 14:00:00 +0000 Jade Ho explains what is possible for university students when they are given opportunities to learn about –and get involved with– social justice and labour issues in their own communities. The post Students can be agents of change: Talking about activism in universities with Jade Ho appeared first on rabble.ca. Full Article Anti-racism Education Political Action activism universities
sm Don’t buy-in to climate science denialism By rabble.ca Published On :: Wed, 08 Nov 2023 21:42:00 +0000 That anyone could witness or directly experience the increasingly frequent and intense heat domes, droughts, floods and record high temperatures and claim we don’t have a problem is insanity! The post Don’t buy-in to climate science denialism appeared first on rabble.ca. Full Article Environment Politics Climate Change climate science
sm Smith lashes Daley’s ref bashing By www.theaustralian.com.au Published On :: Tue, 14 Jun 2016 14:00:00 GMT Queensland captain Cameron Smith says Laurie Daley’s attack on the referees gave NSW an excuse they didn’t deserve. Full Article
sm 'Systematic racism' in social work in Scotland to be addressed in review after report By www.heraldscotland.com Published On :: Mon, 11 Nov 2024 15:23:47 +0000 A national review of social work in Scotland has been launched in a bid to address ‘systemic racism’ within the sector. Full Article
sm Overseas boost for Scots tourism as investment giant toils By www.heraldscotland.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 04:32:00 +0000 International numbers are on the up but not everything in tourism is rosy Full Article
sm Campaigners 'fear' for Argyll and Bute tourism as they warn against visitor levy By www.heraldscotland.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 14:44:18 +0000 Campaigners in Argyll and Bute are demanding a proposed tourist tax is rejected when it goes to a council vote next month. Full Article
sm RPG Cast – Episode 554: “Cat Smoker Meow” By rpgamer.com Published On :: Sat, 05 Sep 2020 20:19:12 +0000 Jonathan Stringer joins this week and helps Major Tomcat recruit Kelley and Chris for a PC RPG. Chris will likely just hack the planet instead. Kelley, meanwhile, will tend to her cat's bad habits. The post RPG Cast – Episode 554: “Cat Smoker Meow” appeared first on RPGamer. Full Article News Podcasts RPG Cast Langrisser I & II Wasteland 3
sm RPG Cast – Episode 689: “Enthusiasm Crushed” By rpgamer.com Published On :: Sat, 19 Aug 2023 21:04:45 +0000 Kelley needs a good toilet game. Chris wonders where to hold the sword-chucks. Josh discovers the Trails series gets more anime the further it goes. And Jason wonders if Dory has ADHD. What's his name again? Oh right, Wyl. The post RPG Cast – Episode 689: “Enthusiasm Crushed” appeared first on RPGamer. Full Article News Podcasts RPG Cast Baldur's Gate III Diablo IV The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie
sm What's on your bookshelf?: Solipsism Xtreme Edition By www.rockpapershotgun.com Published On :: Sun, 03 Nov 2024 16:00:00 +0000 Sunday is cancelled. Book for now! Read more Full Article Booked For The Week Blockbuster
sm Toads Of The Bayou is Into The Breach but with aristocratic, pipe smokin’ toads (of the bayou) By www.rockpapershotgun.com Published On :: Fri, 08 Nov 2024 11:32:50 +0000 In all honesty, Toads Of The Bayou could have been several notches less ribbet-ing than its Steam demo ended up being, because its stylised pixel fly-snatchers are just that good. There’s only one of the three characters available in the freebie (one of the others is a toad nun with a shotgun), but he’s got a little cutlass, a flintlock pistol, and a can-do attitude - at least when it comes to either stabbing or shooting things. The game itself is a little bit deckbuilder, a little bit Into The Breach: turn based strategy with perfect information and various tricks you can pull to make enemies hit each other instead of the thing you’re trying to protect. Indulge yourself on the gourmet tray-tray below. Read more Full Article Strategy: Turn-Based Strategy Fireshine Games Toads Of The Bayou PC
sm San Antonio truck driver pleads guilty in fatal human smuggling case By www.pbs.org Published On :: Tue, 17 Oct 2017 14:44:25 +0000 Police officers work on a crime scene after 10 undocumented immigrants being smuggled into the U.S. were found dead inside a sweltering 18-wheeler trailer parked behind a Walmart store in San Antonio. Photo by Ray Whitehouse/Reuters A 61-year-old San Antonio man pleaded guilty to two federal charges in the human smuggling incident that led to the deaths of 10 undocumented immigrants this summer. James Matthew Bradley Jr., who appeared before a U.S. magistrate judge Monday, pleaded guilty to “one count of conspiracy to transport aliens resulting in death and one count of transporting aliens resulting in death,” according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas. The office added that Bradley’s “admission of guilt” meant he packed dozens of unauthorized immigrants into a tractor-trailer for financial gain, adding that the suspect confirmed that details from court documents were “factually correct.” On July 23, San Antonio Police Department officers responded to a call from a Walmart employee shortly past midnight. Once officers arrived, they found 39 immigrants at the scene. Of those carried in the tractor-trailer, eight were found dead in the rear of the trailer, while two died later at nearby hospitals, the statement said. Survivors of the incident said there was no air conditioning in the overheated trailer and had to take turns to breath through a hole in the back of the truck for air. Bradley also initially told investigators that he was unaware of the immigrants in the trailer until he had stopped at the Walmart in San Antonio for bathroom break. The attorney’s office also said Bradley faces up to life in prison with the charges and that he is scheduled to be sentenced in January 2018. Immigrants said there were up to 200 people transported on the trailer and that different fees were quoted to them for the ride north from the U.S.-Mexico border, the statement added. Jason Buch of San Antonio Express-News told the NewsHour earlier this year that Border Patrol agents in Laredo, Texas, reported an uptick of immigrants using tractor-trailers to get pass checkpoints at the border. “People are usually going on to major metropolitan areas or regions of the country that employ a lot of immigrant laborers, so, areas with large agriculture industries or construction booms,” Buch said. The NewsHour’s John Yang learned more about the July human smuggling case and immigration politics from Jason Buch of San Antonio Express News. Shane M. Folden, special agent in charge of homeland security investigations in San Antonio, said in the statement that the proceeding “helps to close the door on one of the conspirators responsible for causing the tragic loss of life and wreaking havoc on those who survived this horrific incident.” “This case is a glaring reminder that alien smugglers are driven by greed and have little regard for the health and well-being of their human cargo, which can prove to be a deadly combination,” he added. Bradley’s co-defendant Pedro Silva Segura was also indicted last month with faces two counts of conspiracy and two counts of transporting undocumented immigrants resulting in serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy. Segura, 47, is an undocumented immigrant who resides in Laredo, Texas. The post San Antonio truck driver pleads guilty in fatal human smuggling case appeared first on PBS NewsHour. Full Article human smuggling immigration James Matthew Bradley Jr. San Antonio texas
sm As survivors say #MeToo, what will it take to stop widespread sexual harassment? By www.pbs.org Published On :: Tue, 17 Oct 2017 22:25:49 +0000 Watch Video | Listen to the AudioJUDY WOODRUFF: The hashtag #MeToo has millions of women sharing stories of abuse, shining a spotlight on a troubling reality in our society. It was first used in 2007, but when actor Alyssa Milano tweeted it Sunday night to talk about sexual harassment and assault in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein story, it went viral. The hashtag was tweeted nearly a million times in just 48 hours. Facebook reported 45 percent of its users have friends who posted #MeToo, as women wrote about their experiences about the workplace and culture, and what should change. We explore some of those issues with Fatima Goss Graves. She’s president of the National Women’s Law Center. Lisa Senecal wrote about her own experience for the online news site Daily Beast. She’s with the Vermont Commission on Women. And Melissa Silverstein is the founder of the blog and Web site Women and Hollywood. Thank you all for joining us. Lisa Senecal, I’m going to start with you. You have had a personal experience with sexual harassment. That’s in part what has drawn you to this #MeToo campaign movement. Just tell us briefly about what happened. LISA SENECAL, Member, Vermont Commission on Women: Sure. Like most women, I have had a number of experiences with sexual harassment, beginning with my first job, when I was 15 years old. And it’s really been a threat off and on throughout my entire professional career. The most egregious offense was an actual assault that occurred with a male executive. Unfortunately, because of an NDA — and we can go into the evils of nondisclosures another time — but because of that, there isn’t a lot that I’m able to say about the specific event. But the issue of sexual harassment and finally having this come to the fore, so many women are already familiar with it from being on the receiving end. And I think, especially with the #MeToo campaign, it’s been really wonderful and an eye-opening experience for men to realize just how pervasive an issue this is. JUDY WOODRUFF: So, in your experience, it was a business setting. Melissa Silverstein, you have been writing about women in Hollywood for 10 years. Of course, that’s where the Harvey Weinstein story came from. If it’s been going on in Hollywood forever, why hasn’t it been talked about more before now? MELISSA SILVERSTEIN, Founder, Women and Hollywood: Well, I think there was a culture of silence created around this man and also within this industry. People were afraid. People are afraid for their jobs. It’s a very relational industry, where if someone is going to blacklist you, you are not going to get your next job. So I think the way that a person was able to conduct himself for 30 years like this was to build a culture of fear, to make people sign nondisclosure agreements, and to get them to shut up. JUDY WOODRUFF: Fatima Goss Graves, here with me in Washington with the National Women’s Law Center, we have been talking about Hollywood. We have talking about the business workplace. Is there any field of work where this isn’t going on? FATIMA GOSS GRAVES, President, National Women’s Law Center: Right. The issue of harassment and assault, it’s a Hollywood problem, but really it’s an everywhere problem. It infects industries across the board, whether you’re high-wage jobs, low-wage jobs, male-dominated fields, but also female-dominated fields. Restaurants are some of the areas where you have some of the highest rates of EEOC charges. And that’s not a male-dominated field. JUDY WOODRUFF: EEOC, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Lisa Senecal, some people are saying that they’re uncomfortable with this #MeToo campaign movement because they’re saying, once again, women are being asked to go public with what happened to them, but there is no promise that there is going to be anything done about it. How do you see this? LISA SENECAL: I don’t necessarily believe that women are being asked to come forward. I think this is an opportunity to come forward, if that’s something that women want to do, but there’s no obligation to do it. And there’s been a lot of support for letting women know that if this isn’t something you’re comfortable with at this time, no one is obligated to tell their story, and no one is allowed to force you to tell your story before you’re ready. But the stories are important. Without them, the degree to which this happens across all industries, across genders as well — we know that this happens to men. This happens to the transgender. It’s not specific to women, although it affects us most frequently. Until we have a critical mass of women who are able to get the men in their lives, the men that they work with to understand how pervasive a problem it is, and then can get men to begin to act on this, because this isn’t a women’s issue. This is a violence issue, and an issue of power and who has the power. So until the people who still primarily do hold the power, which is primarily men and primarily white men, until they’re going to begin to act, then the problems are going to persist. JUDY WOODRUFF: Melissa Silverstein, how do you see that? What is it going to take for this to be a change? MELISSA SILVERSTEIN: The fact that we’re having a global conversation about sexual harassment — I have been doing media for the last week all over the world. People are really enthralled by this and want to see change. This is a global issue. And, also, Hollywood is a global industry. Seventy cents of every dollar of Hollywood studio movies are made outside the United States. So what people are looking for is Hollywood to step up. And, today, we had a leader in Hollywood, Kathleen Kennedy, to say we need to have a commission, cross-industry commission, of people who are going to look into this and put a stop to it once and for all. JUDY WOODRUFF: And pick up on that, Fatima Goss Graves. Just across the board, what is it going to take? FATIMA GOSS GRAVES: Right. We know that there are things that would make a difference here. If employers had processes that their employees actually use, you wouldn’t have harassment in the shadows. Right now, most people don’t report harassment to anyone. And it’s because they think their employers won’t do anything, or, worse, that they would experience retaliation. JUDY WOODRUFF: And that’s — because that’s been what happened. FATIMA GOSS GRAVES: And that is. They’re right to believe that they will experience retaliation, because they do. They’re shamed. They’re blamed. But employees could make a difference. Right? They can be — take it seriously and communicate that to their workplace. They can also have the right policies that are in place. And, finally, they could, when someone comes forward, be really clear that they take it seriously and that they will not tolerate retaliation. Those are things that aren’t happening among employers frequently enough. JUDY WOODRUFF: Lisa Senecal, as somebody who had it happen to you in a business environment, what changes need to be made in the workplace? What has to happen? LISA SENECAL: Well, I agree completely with what was just said. Too often, the workplace education that goes on is incredibly insufficient. It’s more of companies wanting to be able to check the box and say that they did their sexual harassment training. And it isn’t truly something within the culture of companies that they believe that this is a problem and that it is a right of all people working at that company not to be harassed. So, until it starts to be taken more seriously, and when a woman or anyone comes forward with an accusation, it does have to be taken so much more seriously. And the knee-jerk response, as was in my case, cannot be to shame the woman, can’t be to blame her for somehow bringing this on herself, and putting women back in a position of being victimized a second time because they’re not taken seriously when they come forward. JUDY WOODRUFF: Melissa Silverstein, yes, go ahead. MELISSA SILVERSTEIN: I just wanted to add, one of the things that’s so fundamental about this is how this — how it’s so normalized for all of us to go through this kind of harassment, especially in Hollywood, and how people kind of laugh off, oh, you know, that’s locker room talk, or, you know, this is the movie business, get used to it. And what we need to do is really pierce that veil of the normalization of this kind of conduct, because it starts with, you know, the comments, and then it can escalate very quickly. So we really need to just change people’s attitudes and get rid of the toxic masculinity. Hollywood has no much institutionalized sexism that sometimes I feel like we need to just start over, if possible. JUDY WOODRUFF: Joining us also is Leigh Gilmore, a professor at Wellesley College who’s written a book about why — titled “Why We Doubt What Women Say About Their Lives.” Leigh Gilmore, why don’t women — why haven’t women been believed and taken seriously on this, and could we now be at a moment when they are? LEIGH GILMORE, Wellesley College: It’s good to be with you, Judy. I think we have a persistent and a pervasive culture of doubting what women say, especially when they’re bringing forward accounts of harm into the public sphere. So we have these pre-made default cultural narratives of women’s unreliability. We have he said/she said, which is a false equivalence narrative. We have that notion that nobody knows what really happened. We have that notion that you can’t really trust what women say. None of these are based in fact, but they are part of a kind of cloud that enables us to doubt any woman before she speaks up. And it’s quite intimidating. And so, if we’re at a point of change, we really are at a moment where I think we have a new level of visibility, and we have the opportunity to amplify the voices of women who are speaking out. So, insofar as we have that opportunity, there is a form of solidarity, and more women speaking can lead to change. JUDY WOODRUFF: Fatima Goss Graves, as somebody who works on these issues from a legal standpoint, are we, could we be at a watershed point, or is it just a whole lot more complicated? FATIMA GOSS GRAVES: Well, the culture change typically has to go together with both the enforcement of the laws and the policy change. And so we’re at a tipping point, surely, on culture change. But I will tell you, you know, the National Women’s Law Center runs a hot line. And over the last two weeks, we have had double the intake on harassment. And we have a new network called the Legal Network for Gender Equity, so we’re — attorneys are joining with us and will be ready to take these cases. But those people who are making these calls and contacting us, I think that that shows that you have people who are ready to come forward on social media, and there is power there, but it seems like there are people who are ready to come forward in other ways, too. JUDY WOODRUFF: I want to quickly go around and ask each one of you about the role of men in all of this. Lisa Senecal? LISA SENECAL: Oh, I think it’s critical for men as allies to be coming forward and supporting women who do come forward. Men also need to be willing to call out other men, whether that’s one-on-one, whether it’s in a group setting within a company, or socially. If a man hears, sees someone doing something inappropriate, they need to have the courage to stand up, even in front of other men, and say, it’s not OK, it’s inappropriate behavior, and it’s not going to be tolerated. And until it’s also men joining in, women can’t do this by themselves. There is an organization, A Call to Men, that I’m a big fan of. And one of their mantras is, if women could have stopped abuse and assault, they would have done it already. And that’s completely true. It’s not something that women are going to be able to do alone. It shouldn’t be looked at as only a women’s issue. And until people look at this on a larger scale and understand that this affects the bottom line of companies, it affects productivity, it affects, you know, absenteeism, just across the board, this is not a women’s issue. It is a human issue. JUDY WOODRUFF: Right. Melissa Silverstein, what about that? And we should point out that men are themselves the victims of sexual harassment and abuse at times. MELISSA SILVERSTEIN: I feel that this is on men. The men are most of the perpetrators. They’re also the collaborators. And, at The Weinstein Company, their board was all men, and they were all complicit in creating an environment that allowed this to thrive. In Hollywood, there’s not a single woman, even the people at the tippy-top of the industry, who don’t report to men. This is also about getting more women into leadership positions and getting the men — and holding the men accountable. The men in this industry need to step up. They need to say, we want to be — we want to create this industry in a way that women can thrive and don’t have to experience this anymore. JUDY WOODRUFF: Leigh Gilmore? LEIGH GILMORE: We’re talking about awareness and accountability. So, as wonderful as it is to have increased visibility, and it enables us to connect the dots and to see the long histories of sexual abuse, harassment and discrimination, we need new levels of accountability. I will echo the notion that Harvey Weinstein’s board certainly knew about these accusations. There’s a DA who failed to charge him. We have ample examples of failures. And what we really need to do is to correct those. The role of men is certainly important here. Minimally, they can show up and be witnesses. JUDY WOODRUFF: And, finally, Fatima Goss Graves, the role of men and how we prevent this. FATIMA GOSS GRAVES: We have had a little bit of conversation about men as survivors, but the conversation we haven’t really had is about what happens when men are abusers or enablers or allow this to happen in the workplaces, in schools, or in women’s everyday lives? And so now we have an opportunity culturally for that conversation. That culture is going to have to hit where policy-makers are. It’s going to have to hit where employers are in order to make a real difference. JUDY WOODRUFF: Well, it’s clear that everyone is hoping this is a watershed moment, that things will change as a result of what’s happened here. But we will see. And we appreciate all of you joining us in this conversation, Fatima Goss Graves here with me in Washington, Lisa Senecal, Melissa Silverstein, and Leigh Gilmore. We thank you all. FATIMA GOSS GRAVES: Thank you. MELISSA SILVERSTEIN: Thank you. The post As survivors say #MeToo, what will it take to stop widespread sexual harassment? appeared first on PBS NewsHour. Full Article harvey weinstein sexual assault sexual harrassment twitter
sm DWP hints at change to PIP disability assessments after humiliating hurdles outrage By www.express.co.uk Published On :: Wed, 13 Nov 2024 04:47:00 +0000 A Labour minister confirmed that the application process for Personal Independence Payment is being 'kept under review' Full Article Personal Finance
sm A black hole devouring a giant star gives clues to a cosmic mystery By www.newscientist.com Published On :: Fri, 09 Aug 2024 18:12:24 +0100 In the centre of a distant galaxy, a supermassive black hole has swallowed up a star 9 times the sun’s mass in the biggest and brightest such cosmic meal we’ve ever seen Full Article
sm A small asteroid hit Earth and burned up over the Philippines By www.newscientist.com Published On :: Wed, 04 Sep 2024 13:27:53 +0100 A newly spotted asteroid named 2024 RW1 burned up in the atmosphere over the South Pacific, creating a spectacular bright flash in the sky over the Philippines just hours after first being detected Full Article
sm Black hole’s jets are so huge that they may shake up cosmology By www.newscientist.com Published On :: Wed, 18 Sep 2024 17:00:42 +0100 Spanning 23 million light years, or 220 Milky Way galaxies, a set of giant, newly discovered black hole jets known as Porphyrion may change our understanding of black holes and the structure of the universe Full Article
sm Search for alien transmissions in promising star system draws a blank By www.newscientist.com Published On :: Thu, 26 Sep 2024 19:00:49 +0100 Astronomers listened for radio signals emanating from planets in the TRAPPIST-1 system, but found no evidence of any interplanetary communications Full Article
sm Smartphone flaw allows hackers and governments to map your home By www.newscientist.com Published On :: Thu, 08 Aug 2024 14:00:11 +0100 A newly identified smartphone vulnerability can reveal the floor plans of where you are and what you are doing - and it is possible that companies or intelligence agencies are already making use of it Full Article
sm Smart speakers at crime scenes could provide valuable clues to police By www.newscientist.com Published On :: Fri, 06 Sep 2024 15:25:01 +0100 Information on faces recognised, voice commands and internet searches can be extracted from an Amazon Echo smart assistant without help from the user or manufacturer Full Article
sm Smart TVs take snapshots of what you watch multiple times per second By www.newscientist.com Published On :: Tue, 24 Sep 2024 23:00:01 +0100 Smart TVs from Samsung and LG monitor what you are watching even when you are using the screens to display a feed from a connected laptop or video game console Full Article
sm It's parents who are anxious about smartphones, not their children By www.newscientist.com Published On :: Wed, 02 Oct 2024 19:00:00 +0100 Smartphones have indeed created an "anxious generation", but it isn't young people, it is their parents, argues neuroscientist Dean Burnett Full Article
sm Hackers can turn your smartphone into an eavesdropping device By www.newscientist.com Published On :: Mon, 07 Oct 2024 15:00:31 +0100 Motion sensors in smartphones can be turned into makeshift microphones to eavesdrop on conversations, outsmarting security features designed to stop such attacks Full Article
sm Robot Metalsmiths Are Resurrecting Toroidal Tanks for NASA By spectrum.ieee.org Published On :: Thu, 29 Aug 2024 13:00:03 +0000 In the 1960s and 1970s, NASA spent a lot of time thinking about whether toroidal (donut-shaped) fuel tanks were the way to go with its spacecraft. Toroidal tanks have a bunch of potential advantages over conventional spherical fuel tanks. For example, you can fit nearly 40% more volume within a toroidal tank than if you were using multiple spherical tanks within the same space. And perhaps most interestingly, you can shove stuff (like the back of an engine) through the middle of a toroidal tank, which could lead to some substantial efficiency gains if the tanks could also handle structural loads. Because of their relatively complex shape, toroidal tanks are much more difficult to make than spherical tanks. Even though these tanks can perform better, NASA simply doesn’t have the expertise to manufacture them anymore, since each one has to be hand-built by highly skilled humans. But a company called Machina Labs thinks that they can do this with robots instead. And their vision is to completely change how we make things out of metal. The fundamental problem that Machina Labs is trying to solve is that if you want to build parts out of metal efficiently at scale, it’s a slow process. Large metal parts need their own custom dies, which are very expensive one-offs that are about as inflexible as it’s possible to get, and then entire factories are built around these parts. It’s a huge investment, which means that it doesn’t matter if you find some new geometry or technique or material or market, because you have to justify that enormous up-front cost by making as much of the original thing as you possibly can, stifling the potential for rapid and flexible innovation. On the other end of the spectrum you have the also very slow and expensive process of making metal parts one at a time by hand. A few hundred years ago, this was the only way of making metal parts: skilled metalworkers using hand tools for months to make things like armor and weapons. The nice thing about an expert metalworker is that they can use their skills and experience to make anything at all, which is where Machina Labs’ vision comes from, explains CEO Edward Mehr who co-founded Machina Labs after spending time at SpaceX followed by leading the 3D printing team at Relativity Space. “Craftsmen can pick up different tools and apply them creatively to metal to do all kinds of different things. One day they can pick up a hammer and form a shield out of a sheet of metal,” says Mehr. “Next, they pick up the same hammer, and create a sword out of a metal rod. They’re very flexible.” The technique that a human metalworker uses to shape metal is called forging, which preserves the grain flow of the metal as it’s worked. Casting, stamping, or milling metal (which are all ways of automating metal part production) are simply not as strong or as durable as parts that are forged, which can be an important differentiator for (say) things that have to go into space. But more on that in a bit. The problem with human metalworkers is that the throughput is bad—humans are slow, and highly skilled humans in particular don’t scale well. For Mehr and Machina Labs, this is where the robots come in. “We want to automate and scale using a platform called the ‘robotic craftsman.’ Our core enablers are robots that give us the kinematics of a human craftsman, and artificial intelligence that gives us control over the process,” Mehr says. “The concept is that we can do any process that a human craftsman can do, and actually some that humans can’t do because we can apply more force with better accuracy.” This flexibility that robot metalworkers offer also enables the crafting of bespoke parts that would be impractical to make in any other way. These include toroidal (donut-shaped) fuel tanks that NASA has had its eye on for the last half century or so. Machina Labs’ CEO Edward Mehr (on right) stands behind a 15 foot toroidal fuel tank.Machina Labs “The main challenge of these tanks is that the geometry is complex,” Mehr says. “Sixty years ago, NASA was bump-forming them with very skilled craftspeople, but a lot of them aren’t around anymore.” Mehr explains that the only other way to get that geometry is with dies, but for NASA, getting a die made for a fuel tank that’s necessarily been customized for one single spacecraft would be pretty much impossible to justify. “So one of the main reasons we’re not using toroidal tanks is because it’s just hard to make them.” Machina Labs is now making toroidal tanks for NASA. For the moment, the robots are just doing the shaping, which is the tough part. Humans then weld the pieces together. But there’s no reason why the robots couldn’t do the entire process end-to-end and even more efficiently. Currently, they’re doing it the “human” way based on existing plans from NASA. “In the future,” Mehr tells us, “we can actually form these tanks in one or two pieces. That’s the next area that we’re exploring with NASA—how can we do things differently now that we don’t need to design around human ergonomics?” Machina Labs’ ‘robotic craftsmen’ work in pairs to shape sheet metal, with one robot on each side of the sheet. The robots align their tools slightly offset from each other with the metal between them such that as the robots move across the sheet, it bends between the tools. Machina Labs The video above shows Machina’s robots working on a tank that’s 4.572 m (15 feet) in diameter, likely destined for the Moon. “The main application is for lunar landers,” says Mehr. “The toroidal tanks bring the center of gravity of the vehicle lower than what you would have with spherical or pill-shaped tanks.” Training these robots to work metal like this is done primarily through physics-based simulations that Machina developed in house (existing software being too slow), followed by human-guided iterations based on the resulting real-world data. The way that metal moves under pressure can be simulated pretty well, and although there’s certainly still a sim-to-real gap (simulating how the robot’s tool adheres to the surface of the material is particularly tricky), the robots are collecting so much empirical data that Machina is making substantial progress towards full autonomy, and even finding ways to improve the process. An example of the kind of complex metal parts that Machina’s robots are able to make.Machina Labs Ultimately, Machina wants to use robots to produce all kinds of metal parts. On the commercial side, they’re exploring things like car body panels, offering the option to change how your car looks in geometry rather than just color. The requirement for a couple of beefy robots to make this work means that roboforming is unlikely to become as pervasive as 3D printing, but the broader concept is the same: making physical objects a software problem rather than a hardware problem to enable customization at scale. Full Article Lunar landers Nasa Spacecraft Robotics
sm Dismantle the 'Environmental Justice' Juggernaut By www.realclearpolitics.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 08:48:28 -0600 Eliminating this pernicious policy should be on the Trump administration's first week to-do list. Full Article AM Update
sm NASA wants to shift talk on unexplained sightings 'from sensationalism to science' By www.cbc.ca Published On :: Thu, 14 Sep 2023 09:32:01 EDT NASA said Thursday that the study of UFOs will require new scientific techniques, including advanced satellites as well as a shift in how unexplained sightings are perceived. Full Article News/Science
sm What does a mummy smell like? Woodsy and sweet, with a 'note of pistachio' By www.cbc.ca Published On :: Fri, 15 Sep 2023 17:08:21 EDT Scientists have recreated the scent of the embalming fluid used to preserve a noblewoman more than 3,500 years ago — and they say it's quite lovely, indeed. Full Article Radio/As It Happens
sm After dismal start, UN hosts 'halftime summit' in bid to save development plan By www.cbc.ca Published On :: Tue, 19 Sep 2023 04:00:00 EDT After a dismal start, the UN is hosting a "halftime summit" about its 15-year plan to meet a series of human-development targets by 2030. Delegates will try to focus on problems like extreme poverty and gender equality while watching for sparks between the representatives of Ukraine and Russia. Full Article News/World
sm Inside Apple Mac week: New power, smarter AI, bold innovations By www.foxnews.com Published On :: Sun, 03 Nov 2024 10:00:03 -0500 Apple recently announced its new lineup of Macs and rolled out Apple Intelligence, its latest artificial intelligence-powered feature for its products. Full Article ab0857c1-644d-5ddf-8512-2c0d8ef807ba fnc Fox News fox-news/tech fox-news/tech/artificial-intelligence fox-news/tech/topics/computers fox-news/tech/topics/innovation fox-news/tech/companies/apple fox-news/tech article
sm In just 2 hours, this tiny smart home can be set up nearly anyplace By www.foxnews.com Published On :: Mon, 04 Nov 2024 06:00:24 -0500 The Massimo Modular E9 is a sleek, smart and comfy tiny home in 409 square feet. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson takes a closer look at what the future of housing might look like. Full Article c0d94b5a-cf5b-561e-9618-b3297facbb82 fnc Fox News fox-news/tech fox-news/tech/topics/innovation fox-news/real-estate/home-innovation fox-news/house-and-home fox-news/lifestyle fox-news/real-estate fox-news/tech article
sm Three hospitalised as car 'mounts pavement' and smashes into Piccadilly Circus restaurant By www.express.co.uk Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 21:51:00 +0000 Three people have been taken to hospital after a car mounted the pavement and smashed into a restaurant in Piccadilly Circus, the Metropolitan Police have said. Full Article UK
sm One dose of a smallpox vaccine still gives good protection for mpox By www.newscientist.com Published On :: Thu, 12 Sep 2024 00:30:21 +0100 A single dose of a smallpox vaccine seems to lower the risk of catching mpox by around 60 per cent, and two doses would probably be even better Full Article
sm Donald Trump and Elon Musk: Could U.S. election's odd couple unleash a small-government revolution? By financialpost.com Published On :: Fri, 08 Nov 2024 20:04:45 +0000 The appointment of a political outsider like Musk could help Trump cut regulations and rein in government bureaucracy, even if the moves are unpopular Full Article Economy News
sm Comment on The Shocking Truth About SMA: Why Every Family Should Be Informed by 먹튀검증소 By www.thehealthsite.com Published On :: Thu, 07 Nov 2024 00:48:32 +0000 <a href="https://mtverify.com/" rel="nofollow ugc">먹튀검증</a> 전문가들이 꼼꼼하게 검증한 사이트만을 소개합니다. 안심하고 베팅하세요. 먹튀검증소: https://mtverify.com/ Full Article
sm TSMC will stop making 7 nm chips for Chinese customers By arstechnica.com Published On :: Fri, 08 Nov 2024 14:19:49 +0000 US restrictions on semiconductor tech are spurring the move. Full Article Policy Tech china lithography syndication Taiwan TSMC
sm Is Wildfire Smoke Causing Birds to Tend to Empty Nests? By www.smithsonianmag.com Published On :: Mon, 30 Sep 2024 13:09:31 +0000 New studies suggest smoke from western megafires may be damaging bird health and leading to strange behavior Full Article
sm 'Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' Drama Reboot in the Works With Will Smith Producing By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Tue, 11 Aug 2020 16:52:35 PDT The reboot will be a darker version of the '90s sitcom. [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] Full Article TV
sm ‘I remember a man who used religious language to justify violence’ says victim of John Smyth By www.channel4.com Published On :: Mark Stibbe was one of John Smyth's victims. He's a former vicar and is now an author. Full Article
sm ‘We want more resignations than just Justin Welby’, says victim of John Smyth By www.channel4.com Published On :: We spoke to one of John Smyth’s victims, Mark Stibbe, a former vicar and now an author. Full Article
sm How To Set Up The Perfect Sensory Bedroom For Kids With Autism By www.chartsattack.com Published On :: Wed, 06 Nov 2024 10:08:17 +0000 Designing a sensory-friendly bedroom for a child with autism is essential in creating a calming and functional environment that caters to their unique sensory needs. Sensory processing challenges are common among children with autism, meaning that their surroundings can either help regulate their emotions or lead to sensory overload. While companies like Interactive 365 provide […] The post How To Set Up The Perfect Sensory Bedroom For Kids With Autism appeared first on Chart Attack. Full Article Children Home autism Interactive 365 Sensory Bedroom Sensory Zoning
sm Trump plans to dismantle Biden AI safeguards after victory By arstechnica.com Published On :: Wed, 06 Nov 2024 21:18:39 +0000 Trump plans to repeal Biden's 2023 order and levy tariffs on GPU imports. Full Article AI Biz & IT Policy AI regulation Biden Donald Trump Joe Biden large language models machine learning US government White House
sm New SMB-friendly subscription tier may be too late to stop VMware migrations By arstechnica.com Published On :: Fri, 08 Nov 2024 21:59:21 +0000 Broadcom acquisition was a "wake-up call" for VMware-dependent SMBs. Full Article Biz & IT Broadcom vmware
sm President-Elect Donald Trump Picks Businessman Steven Witkoff to Be Special Envoy to Middle East By www.breitbart.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Nov 2024 01:02:08 +0000 President-elect Donald Trump announced that he has picked businessman and real estate investor Steven Witkoff to serve as Special Envoy to the Middle East. The post President-Elect Donald Trump Picks Businessman Steven Witkoff to Be Special Envoy to Middle East appeared first on Breitbart. Full Article Israel / Middle East Politics Donald Trump Middle East Trump cabinet
sm Best smartphones under ₹20,000 with good cameras: Redmi Note 13 Pro, Vivo T3 5G and others - Hindustan Times By news.google.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Nov 2024 04:01:35 GMT Best smartphones under ₹20,000 with good cameras: Redmi Note 13 Pro, Vivo T3 5G and others Hindustan TimesBest smartphones under ₹30,000 with good battery life and cameras Mint5 Affordable Camera Phones To Make Instagram Reels Times NowBest Smartphones Under Rs 20,000 With Excellent Cameras, Redmi Note 13 Pro, Vivo T3 5G & More NewsX Full Article
sm Dysmantle’s Final Major Update Is Now Live on iOS Bringing In Ark Level 4, Night Terrors, Link Towers, and Much More By toucharcade.com Published On :: Tue, 20 Aug 2024 06:04:09 +0000 Back in May, Dysmantle ($9.99) from 10tons Ltd. got its final major content update on Steam. Dysmantle version 1.4.0 titled … Continue reading "Dysmantle’s Final Major Update Is Now Live on iOS Bringing In Ark Level 4, Night Terrors, Link Towers, and Much More" Full Article Android Featured Games iPad Games iPhone games News Universal
sm ‘OPUS: Prism Peak’, the Newest Entry in the Amazing ‘OPUS’ Series, Gets New Gameplay Screenshots By toucharcade.com Published On :: Tue, 20 Aug 2024 10:18:57 +0000 I’ve been a big fan of SIGONO’s OPUS series of narrative adventure games for a long time. If you’ve not … Continue reading "‘OPUS: Prism Peak’, the Newest Entry in the Amazing ‘OPUS’ Series, Gets New Gameplay Screenshots" Full Article Featured Games News Upcoming Games OPUS: Prism Peak