Technology

The worlds first self-driving bus fleet will soon hit Scotlands streets

Next time you board a bus in Scotland and its driving itself, dont freak out this is all part of a government plan to bring self-driving tech into the mainstream. Five fully autonomous buses will be taking to the streets near Edinburgh next month, announced Stagecoach, the UKs largest bus and coach operator, who will be managing the fleet. The UK government said the project, named CAVForth, would be the worlds first full-size, self-driving public bus service. CAV stands for connected and autonomous vehicles. The service, which aims to transport 10,000 passengers weekly, will initially run a 22.5km circuit…

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Digital twins could save your life. Heres how

Digital twins virtual replicas of real-world things are already commonplace in manufacturing, industry, and aerospace. There are highly complex digital models of cities, ports, and power stations but what about people? The idea of digital doppelgängers has long been confined to the realm of science fiction. But a new book presented at Londons Science Museum last week suggests the concept could be coming to life. In Virtual You, Peter Coveney, professor of chemistry and computer science at University College London, and Roger Highfield, science director at Londons Science Museum, show how far researchers have already got in…

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TNW València 2023 was a blast here are our favourite moments

For 16 memorable years, TNW Conference has been at the center of Amsterdams tech ecosystem, but on March 30 and 31, TNW València brought for the very first time the heart of tech to Spains east coast. But we didnt choose Valencia simply for its bright blue sea, delicious paellas, or sunny weather. The vibrant city is Spains fastest-growing entrepreneurial ecosystem, and has the most startups per capita of anywhere in the country transforming itself into Mediterraneans startup powerhouse. Valencias tech ecosystem is a breath of fresh air, says Myrthe van der Erve, TNWs CEO. At Valèncias…

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Mammoth meatball beef exposes foodtechs patent problem

A bitter feud has erupted over who first resurrected the woolly mammoth as a meatball. The de-extinct delicacy was unveiled last week at Nemo Science Museum in the Netherlands. Naturally, no mammoths were harmed in the making of the product. Inlieu of dead flesh, an Australian startupcalled Vow produced the meatball from DNA. First, the team identified the DNA sequence for mammoth myoglobin, a protein that creates a meaty taste. To fill in some gaps in the sequence, they added genetic data from the African elephant the pachyderms closest living relative. Using a low-current and high-voltage charge, they…

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Everything you need to know about building a career in the gaming industry

It may seem like the fantasy of every 80s kid who ever picked up a Game Boy but being obsessed with video games can actually offer you an array of career opportunities. The industry continues to go from strength to strength, and powering it is a global network of game-players, creatives, technologists, and many others whose skills bring games to life. According to the International Software Federation of Europe, 52% of Europeans between the ages of six and 64 play video games. And its not the kids who dominate the stats either. More than three-quarters (76%) of these gamers are…

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Swedish startup unveils first origami e-motorcycle and 15K price tag

What do you get when you mix motorcycles with origami? The answer, dear reader, is the Stilride 1. The unique vehicle is the brainchild of Swedish startup Stilride. The company today unveiled the final design and price for the new electric ride, which is due to launch in 2024. For 15,000, each customer will get a made-to-order motorcycle that combines looks, performance, and sustainability. To manufacture each vehicle, Stilride uses a pioneering method dubbed industrial origami, which applies the Japanese art of paper-folding to sheet metal. The startups software first defines the geometries, which industrial robots and laser-cutting then bring…

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Spain launches space agency in big boost for local startups

Spain has officially launched its own national space agency, at a time when Europe looks to establish itself as a global space industry leader. Plans for the Spanish Space Agency, or Agencia Espacial Española (AEE), were first announced in May 2021, and finally got the political thumbs up last month. The agency will be based in Seville, near the Arenosillo launch facility in Huelva, which was built in the 60s as part of a collaboration between the Spanish government and NASA. Initially, around 75 personnel will be based at the site. The agency will serve to guarantee Spains strategic action…

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Italys ChatGPT ban sets a worrying precedent for EU startups

OpenAIs ChatGPT, which took the world by the storm after its launch in November, is now facing a temporary ban in Italy over unlawful personal data collection and the lack of an age verification system for children. The Italian data protection agency, known as Garante, was prompted to act by ChatGPTs data breach on March 20, which, according to OpenAI, allowed a number of users to see other users information, such as their first and last name, email address, and the last four digits of their credit card number. Garante accused the US-based AI company of having no legal basis…

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Paris bids au revoir to e-scooter startups

Parisians overwhelmingly voted to ban e-scooters on Sunday, in a hotly-debated referendum that has divided the French capital. Voters were given two choices: for or against a city-wide ban on shared e-scooters. 89% voted in favour of the ban, but the overall turnout was low, with only 7.5% of eligible voters casting ballots. The vote was non-binding but city authorities have vowed to abide by the decision, said Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo. The streets of Paris will be cleared from shared e-scooters by September 1, the mayor said. Thats when the contract with Dott, Tier, and Lime the three…

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