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Slashers: the new frontier of the independent workforce
Slashers: the new frontier of the independent workforce
Sabrina is an Italian graphic designer, an editorial project manager and a graphologist. She is one of the European “slash workers” : self-employed professionals who put a slash between their multiple jobs in different sectors .
Nano level microscopy goes into the field
Nano level microscopy goes into the field
Optical microscopy is entering a new world. Future microscopes will be chipsised and have super-resolution capabilities. This means they will be available in everyday life, not just in specialist laboratories.
A portable device to treat major brain disorders remotely
A portable device to treat major brain disorders remotely
Ana Maiques has always been attracted by the mysteries of the human brain. “To unlock it is like a crusade of humankind,” she says.
Covid-19 crisis: a stress-test for smart cities
Covid-19 crisis: a stress-test for smart cities
From the Covid-19 crisis we are learning a historic lesson about transforming our towns and cities. We’ll probably see a smart city concept B.C. and A.C, before coronavirus and after coronavirus.
Plant roots inspire 3D-printed automotive sensors
Plant roots inspire 3D-printed automotive sensors
Soil is much more than just the dirt beneath our feet. Essential for agriculture, a source of undiscovered pharmaceuticals and a filtering system for ecosystems, it’s surprising that the automotive research vehicles, which cruise through air or water, have not yet penetrated the ground.
Are smart cities ready for Europe's new privacy measures?
Are smart cities ready for Europe's new privacy measures?
As the number of smart cities increases, the heavier are their responsibilities towards citizens.
Lizard skins and bark bugs inspire energy saving materials
Lizard skins and bark bugs inspire energy saving materials
Biomimicry , also called bionics, uses structures found in nature to solve everyday problems. A well-known example is the Velcro strip , which a Swiss engineer, Georges de Mestral copied from the burdocks that stuck to his dog and clothes on a walk through the fields.
How machines can learn from human behaviour
How machines can learn from human behaviour
Could a human behaviour simulator be embedded into a robot or online avatar to the point that it’s hard to distinguish between a real person or artificial intelligence? Scientists have been upping the stakes in this “ Turing test ” for years, to the point that human-mimicking programmes are ready to answer tricky questions, assist people with online shopping or be companions.
Science-based civic projects
Science-based civic projects
“Are we all on the same page? Singing from the same hymn sheet?” For anyone working with groups of people in policy areas, the answer is nearly always “yes”.
The semiotics of supercomputers
The semiotics of supercomputers
Exascale supercomputing refers to super fast computers to be implemented between 2018 and 2020 to analyse massive volumes of data. The downside: they consume vast amounts of energy.
Shaping our future: the radical technologies of tomorrow
Shaping our future: the radical technologies of tomorrow
Visionary, high-risk, long-term and breaking down traditional boundaries. These are just some of the key ingredients in breakthrough technologies being targeted by FET researchers across Europe.
Are smart buildings safe from hackers and privacy breaches?
Are smart buildings safe from hackers and privacy breaches?
Smart buildings offer better energy efficiency and the kind of futuristic mod cons that appeal to many consumers, but some experts warn our appetite for new technology is putting us at risk from increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks .
“That’s another fight. Big data as a commons”
“That’s another fight. Big data as a commons”
For David Bollier, cities are at a crossroads. As smart city initiatives and data collection increases, it’s essential that citizens use the ideas of the commons to retain control of the services that matter to them, and to ensure these work for the people of the city, not just for business or bureaucracy, he argues.
Rooting sustainability starts on school benches
Rooting sustainability starts on school benches
Do young people know what a smart city is? Do they care about saving energy and preserving the Earth’s resources? “Rooting sustainability starts on the benches of schools,” affirmed UNESCO director-general Irina Bokova at the recent UN Climate Change Conference ( COP22 ) in Marrakech, Morocco.
Cyber attacks – Are smart cities safer or more vulnerable?
Cyber attacks – Are smart cities safer or more vulnerable?
In the wake of the Brussels bombings, the French blogger Francis Pisani addressed the quandaries of modern, connected European cities facing terrorist threats .
Tunnel Trouble
Tunnel Trouble
Whether to go for a deluge system like the one which worked wonders for the emergency services during the 2007 Burnley Tunnel fire in Melbourne, Australia, or rather opt for a water mist model spraying small droplets of about 100 micron with a low terminal velocity and a high surface to volume ratio, several European countries are rethinking fire suppression mechanisms for their tunnels.
Your Guide around Town
Your Guide around Town
Guidebooks’ days are numbered. Tourist offices should be concerned. Time Out and the like should worry too. People will no longer need them for directions or to arrange their evenings, whether at home or abroad.