If the 21st century has proven anything to the United States electorate, it is that presidential elections are notoriously unpredictable affairs. The seeming randomness by which the country’s electorate chooses its next president has only emboldened polling outlets, talking heads, and amateur psephologists to scrutinize every conceivable variable to give their respective electoral forecasting models a much-needed edge. However, Sherwood Clements, collegiate assistant professor of real estate in the Pamplin College of Business, had an electoral theory that, to the best of his knowledge, had never been explored with regards Read More
Sunday, June 23, 2024
Dove’s latest ‘Real Beauty’ drive—and why AI will be harder to ditch than it thinks
Beauty brand Dove recently announced it would not use models generated by artificial intelligence (AI) in its advertising campaigns. But is this really an anti-AI stance or merely the marketing of “inclusive” and “realistic” AI-generated images? In other words, is Dove attempting to shape the beauty ideals AI shows consumers, rather than ditching its use entirely? Dove’s owner Unilever is one of the world’s largest multinational, fast-moving consumer goods companies. But the values of the brands it owns vary dramatically, as highlighted by legal action that Ben & Jerry’s brought Read More
AI and holography bring 3D augmented reality to regular glasses
Through holography and AI, these glasses can display full-color, 3D moving images over an otherwise direct view of the real world. Credit: Andrew Brodhead Researchers in the emerging field of spatial computing have developed a prototype augmented reality headset that uses holographic imaging to overlay full-color, 3D moving images on the lenses of what would appear to be an ordinary pair of glasses. Unlike the bulky headsets of present-day augmented reality systems, the new approach delivers a visually satisfying 3D viewing experience in a compact, comfortable, and attractive form factor Read More
Samsung to buy French medical AI firm Sonio
South Korean tech giant Samsung said Wednesday it will buy French artificial intelligence company Sonio to boost its cutting-edge medical diagnostic systems. The use of AI has exploded in recent years in a wide range of disciplines and industries, including medical care, and firms around the world are investing heavily to incorporate it into their products. The purchase of Sonio by medical equipment maker Samsung Medison, an affiliate of global chip and smartphone giant Samsung Electronics, would boost maternal care through AI-enhanced ultrasound systems, according to a company statement. “Collaboration Read More
Prototype browser extension adds Wikipedia-like citations on YouTube to curb misinformation
Citations added by study participants on a controversial video, shown in Viblio’s timeline-view. Credit: arXiv (2024). DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2402.17218 While Google has long been synonymous with search, people are increasingly seeking information directly through video platforms such as YouTube. Videos can be dense with information: text, audio, and image after image. Yet, each of these layers presents a potential source of error or deceit. When people search for videos directly on a site like YouTube, sussing out which videos are credible sources can be tricky. To help people vet videos, the Read More
Robotic system feeds people with severe mobility limitations
A robotic system developed by Cornell researchers feeds a student participant during a lab demonstration. Credit: Cornell University Cornell researchers have developed a robotic feeding system that uses computer vision, machine learning and multimodal sensing to safely feed people with severe mobility limitations, including those with spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis. “Feeding individuals with severe mobility limitations with a robot is difficult, as many cannot lean forward and require food to be placed directly inside their mouths,” said Tapomayukh “Tapo” Bhattacharjee, assistant professor of computer science in Read More
New study finds AI-generated empathy has its limits
Credit: AI-generated image Conversational agents (CAs) such as Alexa and Siri are designed to answer questions, offer suggestions—and even display empathy. However, new research finds they do poorly compared to humans when interpreting and exploring a user’s experience. CAs are powered by large language models (LLMs) that ingest massive amounts of human-produced data, and thus can be prone to the same biases as the humans from which the information comes. Researchers from Cornell University, Olin College and Stanford University tested this theory by prompting CAs to display empathy while conversing Read More
Almost half of it could come from Pennsylvania wastewater
Map of study area showing the Marcellus shale extent, well locations using in decline curve analysis (DCA), PW samples used in this study, and previous USGS sample locations. Credit: Scientific Reports (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58887-x Most batteries used in technology like smartwatches and electric cars are made with lithium that travels across the world before even getting to manufacturers. But what if nearly half of the lithium used in the U.S. could come from Pennsylvania wastewater? A new analysis using compliance data from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection suggests that Read More
Amazon’s new fees on sellers likened to ‘kick in the gut’
Amazon.com Inc. merchants have found themselves caught in an economic vice. Earlier this year, the e-commerce giant rolled out changes to the fees its charges them—essentially shifting more of its operating costs onto the small businesses that account for most of the products sold on the site. Making matters worse for merchants, shoppers are trading down. In the first four months of the year, American consumers have increasingly opted for the least expensive products in nearly all categories, according to a report released Thursday by Adobe Inc. That makes it Read More
Scientists convert chicken fat into energy storage devices
Graphical abstract. Credit: ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces (2024). DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c02753 The global move toward more sustainable, green energy has increased power reserves and the demand for energy storage devices. Unfortunately, some materials for these devices can be expensive and environmentally problematic. Producing alternative energy storage devices from things that are usually thrown away could help resolve these challenges. Now, researchers in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces report a method to transform chicken fat into carbon-based electrodes for supercapacitors that store energy and power LEDs. In 2023, global renewable energy Read More
Researchers test AI systems’ ability to solve the New York Times’ connections puzzle
Average success rate across all puzzles and seeds for baseline models and LLMs, broken down by puzzle category (note that CoT indicates the use of chain-of-thought prompting). Categories increase in difficulty going from yellow to green to blue to purple. Credit: arXiv (2024). DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2404.11730 Can artificial intelligence (AI) match human skills for finding obscure connections between words? Researchers at NYU Tandon School of Engineering turned to the daily Connections puzzle from The New York Times to find out. Connections gives players five attempts to group 16 words into four Read More
Red, yellow, green … and white? Smarter vehicles could mean big changes for the traffic light
This undated photo provided by the University of Michigan College of Engineering shows vehicles as they drive through the Old Woodward Avenue and East Maple signalized intersection, which was retimed using the Optimized Signal as a Service (OSaaS), in Birmingham, Mich. Smarter vehicles could mean some of the most dramatic changes for the traditional traffic signal since the yellow light was added more than a century ago. Credit: Jeremy Little/University of Michigan College of Engineering via AP As cars and trucks get smarter and more connected, the humble lights that Read More
French art group uses brainwaves and AI to recreate landscapes
The trio already gained attention in 2018 by selling an AI-generated artwork for more than 400,000 euros. The hypercolour image of a dark hill and lava flow is pretty enough—but its high-tech artificial intelligence origins make it special. It is the product of the brainwaves of one member of French art collective Obvious, collected in an MRI machine at the Brain Institute of the Pitie Salpetriere hospital in Paris. “I was thinking very hard about a volcano,” said Pierre Fautrel, one of the trio. He admits the resulting work was Read More
Microsoft, Amazon to invest billions in French tech
US e-commerce giant Amazon’s investment could create up to 3,000 jobs, said the Elysee. Microsoft on Sunday announced four billion euros in investment for developing data centers in France, joining fellow US giant Amazon in committing to the country’s tech infrastructure. The announcements came on the eve of the seventh Choose France Summit, the aim of which is to attract foreign investors to the country. Macron will host it at the Chateau of Versailles near Paris. Microsoft’s president Brad Smith told AFP the move to strengthen its artificial intelligence and Read More
New research shows how child-like language learning is possible using AI tools
Credit: NYU’s Center for Data Science AI systems, such as GPT-4, can now learn and use human language, but they learn from astronomical amounts of language input—much more than children receive when learning how to understand and speak a language. The best AI systems train on text with a word count in the trillions, whereas children receive just millions per year. Due to this enormous data gap, researchers have been skeptical that recent AI advances can tell us much about human learning and development. An ideal test for demonstrating a Read More
Team designs robots to help with human habitation in space
The gripper switches between three modes, which are suited to tasks that require maintaining a secure hold on an object or applying high pressure, precise finger positioning or in-hand manipulation, and passive adaptation to the shape of larger, delicate, or irregularly shaped objects. Credit: Harvard SEAS In the coming decades, NASA plans to send human crews back to the moon, build a space station in lunar orbit, establish a permanent base on the lunar surface, and—hopefully—send astronauts to Mars. What could possibly go wrong? No, seriously, what could go wrong Read More
Trading between households in smart energy communities
Graphical abstract. Credit: Applied Energy (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2023.122173 Our energy systems are undergoing rapid change. Many households are generating electricity with solar panels, and there are new sources of demand and storage, such as charging electric vehicles and home batteries. Local prosumers (energy consumers who also generate and store energy) are taking control of their own energy supply. This development is prompting the creation of energy communities and micro-grids, such as the SchoonSchip community in the north of Amsterdam. Energy communities allow consumers to generate, use and trade energy locally. Read More
Researchers develop AI-powered ‘eye’ for visually impaired people to ‘see’ objects
AiSee: The AI-powered “eye” for visually impaired people to “see” objects around them. Credit: National University of Singapore Shopping for groceries is a common activity for many of us, but for visually impaired people, identifying grocery items can be daunting. A team of researchers from the National University of Singapore’s School of Computing (NUS Computing) have introduced AiSee, an affordable wearable assistive device that helps people with visual impairment “see” objects around them with the help of artificial intelligence (AI). Individuals with visual impairment face daily hurdles, particularly with object Read More
Now they fear it was a scam
Sleep-deprived and anxious about feeding their babies, tens of thousands of moms in Illinois and elsewhere recently turned to a variety of Facebook groups offering support for breastfeeding, pumping breast milk and postpartum care. Direct responses were often remarkably prompt from the creator and admin of these groups, a Facebook user named “Cathy Marie Chan,” whose profile featured a smiling picture of a woman purporting to be a board-certified lactation consultant and founder of Chan Lactation LLC. Via Facebook Messenger, “Cathy Marie Chan” would request photos and video recordings of Read More
The end of the package holiday provider? Blockchain technology could revolutionize travel experiences
Credit: Tourism Management (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.tourman.2023.104871 Forget the middleman—blockchain technology could lead to the end of the traditional package holiday provider, putting power back into the hands of customers, according to a new study from the University of Surrey. The research looked into user acceptance of blockchain-based sharing platforms similar to Airbnb. The study found that blockchain technology could eliminate intermediaries, such as holiday providers, potentially slashing costs by bypassing booking platforms. The study also suggests that property owners stand to gain from blockchain adoption and gain more direct income, Read More
AI systems are already skilled at deceiving and manipulating humans, study shows
Example of premeditated deception from Meta’s CICERO in the game Diplomacy. Credit: Patterns/Park Goldstein et al. Many artificial intelligence (AI) systems have already learned how to deceive humans, even systems that have been trained to be helpful and honest. In a review article published in the journal Patterns on May 10, researchers describe the risks of deception by AI systems and call for governments to develop strong regulations to address this issue as soon as possible. “AI developers do not have a confident understanding of what causes undesirable AI behaviors Read More
Can I take your order—and your data? The hidden reason retailers are replacing staff with AI bots
You might have seen viral videos of Wendy’s drive-thru customers in the United States ordering their fast food from the firm’s generative AI bot Wendy’s FreshAI. Most show a very human-like transaction punctuated with cries of amazement at how fast, accurate and polite the system is. While the system and others like it are in their infancy, and some still rely heavily on human assistance, retailers are investing huge sums in AI to replace human workers. Why the rush to automate? It might seem like it’s all about slashing the Read More
AI film festival gives glimpse of cinema’s future
Credit: AI-generated image With fantastical characters including mud people and giant grandmothers, an AI film festival is giving a glimpse of the storytelling made possible by the novel technology. Nearly 3,000 short films were submitted to the festival organized by Runway AI, one of the leading start-ups in the field of AI-powered video generation. The 10 films selected put the filmmakers’ vivid imaginations on display, with their stories set in aesthetically stunning universes. “There is a perception of … AI- driven filmmaking and creation as having a very specific style,” Read More
Since Tesla recalled its vehicles in 2023, there have been 20 accidents and investigators are asking why
Tesla is yet again undergoing scrutiny from federal regulators in the United States. The issue at hand now is whether the automotive company did enough in response to the 2023 recalls by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Transport Canada. The recalls were issued after several collisions resulting from using Tesla’s proprietary Autopilot system. Tesla’s Autopilot—alongside systems like Cadillac’s Super Cruise and Volvo’s Pilot Assist—falls in the category of partially automated systems. These systems can take control of the vehicle’s acceleration and lane position however, they require Read More
Research shows VR poses privacy risks for kids—parents aren’t as worried as they should be
New research finds that, while an increasing number of minors are using virtual reality (VR) apps, not many parents recognize the extent of the security and privacy risks that are specific to VR technologies. The study also found that few parents are taking active steps to address those security and privacy issues, such as using parental controls built into the apps. “In recent years we have seen an increase in the number of minors using VR apps that have social interaction elements, which increases security and privacy risks—such as unintended Read More
AI technology is showing cultural biases—here’s why and what can be done
AI expert Professor Kevin Wong from Murdoch University’s School of Information Technology says in order to deal with the problem of cultural biases in AI, it’s important to understand the fundamentals of different AI techniques. “Machine Learning techniques, including Generative AI, require a huge amount of ‘representative’ data to train the complex system,” Dr. Wong said. “Data-driven machine learning techniques rely on the data to establish the intelligence of the system—which means bias can occur when the data used is not comprehensive enough, or there is an imbalanced distribution.” He Read More
Digital human model aids design of motorcycles, based on riding posture
Justin Davidson, Biomechanics Ph.D. candidate in the University of Waterloo’s Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, using a digital human model to analyze the posture of a motorcycle rider. Credit: University of Waterloo Motorcycles are designed to accommodate the average-sized rider, leaving taller and shorter riders vulnerable to discomfort. A new study from the University of Waterloo used software that predicted realistic motorcycle riding behaviors, considering human factors and ergonomic trade-offs. It found that shorter and taller statures require joint adjustments to achieve their preferred riding posture. The study was Read More
Hundreds of cities have achieved zero road deaths in a year—here’s how they did it
It’s National Road Safety Week and it comes on the back of a year in which 1,286 people died on Australian roads. The rising road toll—up 8.2% for the year to March—included 62 children. Tragically, road deaths remain the number one killer of children in Australia. Road deaths are not inevitable. In 2022, at least 180 cities worldwide recorded zero road deaths. More than 500 cities with populations of more than 50,000 have achieved zero road deaths multiple times. So cities can eliminate road deaths, or greatly reduce them. At Read More
Researchers develop a biomechanical dataset for badminton performance analysis
The dataset proposed by the researchers captures badminton players’ movements and responses, aiding AI-driven coaching assistants to improve stroke quality for all skill levels. Credit: SeungJun Kim at Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) In sports training, practice is the key, but being able to emulate the techniques of professional athletes can take a player’s performance to the next level. AI-based personalized sports coaching assistants can make this a reality by utilizing published datasets. With cameras and sensors strategically placed on the athlete’s body, these systems can track everything, Read More
Bolster safeguards after health care cyberattack
Unfortunately, hackers didn’t need sophisticated skills to pull off one of the nation’s most alarming and consequential health care ransomware attacks. Instead, the cybercriminals who crippled a UnitedHealth Group subsidiary earlier this year took advantage of a basic and obvious security oversight, a revelation made public Wednesday at two congressional hearings. The subsidiary is called Change Healthcare. It acts as the Visa/Mastercard payment system for wide swaths of health care and is entrusted with patient data. Disturbingly, it did not have multi-factor authentication (MFA) in place across all of its Read More
Commercial jet maker Airbus is staying humble even as Boeing flounders. There’s a reason for that
An Airbus A350 prepares to land at the Dubai Air Show, United Arab Emirates, Nov. 14, 2023. In the latest round of their decades-long battle for dominance in commercial aircraft, Europe’s Airbus has established a clear sales lead over Boeing as the American company deals with the fallout from manufacturing troubles and ongoing safety concerns. Credit: AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili, File In the latest round of their decades-long battle for dominance in commercial aircraft, Europe’s Airbus established a clear sales lead over Boeing even before the American company encountered more fallout Read More
Researcher explains why we should care more about converging technologies
Professor Dirk Helbing of ETH Zurich and Austria’s Complexity Science Hub expects future digital technologies to penetrate the human body even more in the future. However, he believes that society is not prepared for the risks involved. In a new article, he puts forward a new legal framework to protect our most intimate data from misuse. The work is published in the journal Ethics and Information Technology. “In my research, I deal with the consequences of digitalization for people, society, and democracy. In this context, it is also important to Read More
New large learning model shows how AI might shape LGBTQIA+ advocacy
Researchers Pat Pataranutaporn (left) and D. Pillis. Credit: Jimmy Day / MIT Media Lab “AI Comes Out of the Closet” is a large learning model (LLM)-based online system that leverages artificial intelligence-generated dialog and virtual characters to create complex social interaction simulations. These simulations allow users to experiment with and refine their approach to LGBTQIA+ advocacy in a safe and controlled environment. The work is published in the Proceedings of the 29th International Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces. The research is both personal and political to lead author D. Pillis, an Read More
New software trained on photographic database may allow facial recognition beneath the mask
During the COVID-19 pandemic, facemasks became almost ubiquitous and still are in some environments. There is a need for face recognition to be able to “see behind the mask” for security and safety. Research published in the International Journal of Computational Vision and Robotics discusses the potential of new software that might be trained on a large database of photographs of individuals in different poses and holding different facial expressions, where a simulated mask has been superimposed on the image, to allow facial recognition to work despite the mask you Read More
Smartphone app can unmask forged documents
Credit: ETH Zurich/Nicole Davidson Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a smartphone app that can be used to check the authenticity of documents and other items. Extracts from the debt enforcement register of the City of Zurich are being made forgery-proof as part of a pilot project. Expensive watches, bank statements, degree certificates and official documents: there are many things that can be forged and even more reasons for forging them. Researchers from the Information Security group under David Basin have developed a smartphone app to put a spoke in Read More
A second life for discarded lithium-ion cells
Jörg Moser (left) and Christian Ellersdorfer from the Vehicle Safety Institute at TU Graz. Credit: source: Lunghammer – TU Graz In 2030, around 1.2 million lithium-ion batteries of electric cars, buses and construction machinery will be decommissioned worldwide because they will reach the end of their planned service life, their warranty will expire or the entire vehicles will be scrapped. In 2040, around 14 million discarded batteries are expected to be discarded. Recycling the materials makes sense, but is expensive and technically demanding. It would therefore be better and more Read More
Research casts new light on bike safety in the age of self-driving cars
Credit: University of Glasgow Equipping self-driving cars with external displays that use colored lights to communicate their next maneuver could help keep cyclists safe on the roads of the future, researchers say. With autonomous vehicles becoming more common, reducing active human involvement in driving in the process, researchers from the University of Glasgow have been working to investigate new ways to help self-driving cars speak the language of cyclists. Their suggestion is that external human-machine interfaces, or eHMIs, could be the key to quickly and reliably signaling self-driving cars’ intentions Read More
Electronic music with a human rhythm
Demonstration of fractal temporal deviations in a simple drum recording. A professional drummer (inset) was recorded tapping with one hand on a drum synchronizing with a metronome at 180 beats per minute (A). An excerpt of the recorded audio signal is shown over the beat index n. The beats detected at times Sn (green lines) are compared with the metronome timing Mn (red dashed lines). (B) The deviations dn = Sn—Mn fluctuate around a mean of -16.4 ms, i.e. on average the subject slightly anticipates the ensuing metronome clicks. Inset: Read More
Turing test study shows humans rate artificial intelligence as more ‘moral’ than other people
A new study has found that when people are presented with two answers to an ethical question, most will think the answer from artificial intelligence (AI) is better than the response from another person. “Attributions Toward Artificial Agents in a Modified Moral Turing Test,” a study conducted by Eyal Aharoni, an associate professor in Georgia State’s Psychology Department, was inspired by the explosion of ChatGPT and similar AI large language models (LLMs) which came onto the scene last March. “I was already interested in moral decision-making in the legal system, Read More
Fake US school audio stokes AI alarm
The fabricated audio clip of the Maryland school principal underscores the ease with which widely available AI and editing tools can be misused to impersonate celebrities and everyday citizens alike. A fabricated audio clip of a US high school principal prompted a torrent of outrage, leaving him battling allegations of racism and anti-Semitism in a case that has sparked new alarm about AI manipulation. Police charged a disgruntled staff member at the Maryland school with manufacturing the recording that surfaced in January—purportedly of principal Eric Eiswert ranting against Jews and Read More
Call for safeguards to prevent unwanted ‘hauntings’ by AI chatbots of dead loved ones
A visualisation of a fictional company called MaNana, one of the design scenarios used in the paper to illustrate the potential ethical issues in the emerging digital afterlife industry. Credit: Dr. Tomasz Hollanek Without design safety standards, artificial intelligence that allows users to hold text and voice conversations with lost loved ones runs the risk of causing psychological harm and even digitally “haunting” those left behind, according to University of Cambridge researchers. “Deadbots” or “Griefbots” are AI chatbots that simulate the language patterns and personality traits of the dead using Read More
Here are four red flags to watch for in your chatbot ‘friend’
It’s been seven years since the launch of Replika, an artificially intelligent chatbot designed to be a friend to human users. Despite early warnings about the dangers of such AI friends, interest in friendships and even romantic relationships with AI is on the rise. The Google Play store shows more than 30 million total downloads of Replika and two of its major competitors since their respective launches. With one in four people around the world reporting being lonely, it is no wonder so many are drawn to the promise of Read More
Want to be an influencer? Our research shows what you need to know first
You’re hard at work, lying in a hammock, composing the perfect selfie on the beach. The turquoise sea sets off the idyllic sunset, and just visible though the fronds of a palm tree is the logo of the hotel which is paying you to promote it to your millions of followers on Instagram. Click. The perfect shot. And another typically perfect day in the life of an influencer. Or is it? Certainly a career as an influencer can seem appealing. The work generally involves promoting products or services through sponsored Read More
For some Indigenous Southern Plains tribes, an original flute song is the first step toward marriage
“Warrior with flute” by Timothy Tate Nevaquaya. Used with permission. Credit: Timothy Tate Nevaquaya Every love story is unique, and in traditional Indigenous Southern Plains culture, it begins with an original ballad performed on the flute. In order to win a lover’s affection, and respect among the tribe, each pursuer must compose one good flute serenade. Paula Conlon, a former music professor at the University of Oklahoma, has researched the history and cultural significance of the Indigenous flute since the 1980s. Conlon presents her work Tuesday, May 14, at 9:45 Read More
Using computer models to understand the debate about climate change
Different types of noise and how they act inside or outside the social interaction process. Credit: Royal Society Open Science (2024). DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231071 Cognitive biases are among the most important factors that prevent people from changing their minds. Climate change deniers and climate activists often tend to accept only information that confirms their respective opinions on the matter. However, opinion dynamics are also influenced by a factor that the researchers call “ambiguity noise.” Unlike biases, ambiguity noise is variable, depends on many random factors, and leads to inconsistent judgment. Is Read More
Study finds avoiding social media before an election has little to no effect on people’s political views
In the weeks before and after the 2020 presidential election, researchers ran a number of tests to try to understand how much Facebook and its corporate cousin, Instagram, may be contributing to the nation’s political divide. One of those experiments—led by Matthew Gentzkow and Hunt Allcott, economics professors at Stanford University—centered on more than 35,000 Facebook and Instagram users who were paid to stay off the platforms in the run-up to Election Day. There’s a lot that researchers could glean from the social media hiatus, including whether people’s political attitudes Read More
Researchers develop algorithms to understand how humans form body part vocabularies
An example of the study’s language sample and the words for arm/hand and leg/foot in English and Wolof. Credit: Dr. Annika Tjuka/MPI-EVA Human bodies have similar designs. However, languages differ in the way they divide the body into parts and name them. For example, English speakers have two words for foot and leg, whereas other languages express the concepts foot and leg in one word. The study of the variation in body part vocabularies across diverse languages has attracted the attention of researchers in linguistics, anthropology and psychology for many Read More
Researchers show ways to propel product success
New research from ESMT Berlin explores the key strategies that firms should adopt when launching a new product. The researchers say that these strategies depend on the current market view of the product and the firm. Employing the correct one, which might sometimes be collaborating with overtly demanding reviewers or instituting rather challenging pilot tests, ensures that the product launch will go as successfully as possible. The paper is published in the journal Production and Operations Management. Tamer Boyaci, professor of management science, and Huseyin Gurkan, assistant professor of management Read More
New study reveals the potential of coaching employees to drive new strategic ideas
In the landscape of modern business, inclusion isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a strategic imperative. Companies like IBM, Volkswagen and Starbucks are moving to more participative strategy development approaches that reflect a growing understanding of the importance of diversity in fostering innovative and creative strategic ideas. Yet the outcomes of inclusive strategy processes often fall short of expectations. A new study in the Strategic Management Journal sheds light on why that may be. In their study of an inclusive strategy process in a large insurance company, Violetta Splitter, along with co-authors Read More
When consumers would prefer a chatbot over a person
Actually, sometimes consumers don’t want to talk to a real person when they’re shopping online, a new study suggests. In fact, what they really want is a chatbot that makes it clear that it is not human at all. In a new study, researchers at The Ohio State University found that people preferred interacting with chatbots when they felt embarrassed about what they were buying online—items like antidiarrheal medicine or, for some people, skin care products. “In general, research shows people would rather interact with a human customer service agent Read More
How AI is shaping the future of sales strategies
Colleen McClure, Ph.D. Credit: University of Alabama at Birmingham In the fast-evolving business landscape, artificial intelligence, or AI, is taking center stage in transforming sales processes, making them more efficient and responsive to the dynamic market demands. A new University of Alabama at Birmingham study titled “AI in Sales: Laying the Foundations for Future Research” highlights the pivotal role AI is playing in reshaping the sales sector. UAB Collat School of Business Professor Colleen McClure, Ph.D., and her colleagues provide insight into how AI tools have permeated the sales function, Read More
Students with dyslexia face challenges transitioning to the workplace, but with support they can thrive
Transitioning from university to the workplace is a critical period in anyone’s life, but it can be especially challenging for students with dyslexia. While academic settings often offer accommodations for people with dyslexia, professional environments often fall short on such support systems. Fortunately, there are strategic interventions that can be established in workplaces to help individuals with dyslexia not only adapt, but excel in their careers. It is estimated that up to 20% of the population has dyslexia and 80% of people with a learning disability have dyslexia, making it Read More
How entertainment brands are adapting to Generation Alpha
Growing up, did you play with hyper-sexualized Barbie dolls, boys-only Thomas the Tank Engine trains, or slim, white Disney princesses? If so, you’re not alone, but this is no longer the case for Generation Alpha. Brands like Mattel, once criticized for promoting unrealistic body standards and gender stereotypes, now portray themselves as feminist and progressive. The recent Barbie movie serves as a prime example of this shift. Millennial parents are actively seeking out toys, books and movies to educate their children about life and teach them values that align with Read More
How do mindfulness, compassion and need fulfillment affect satisfaction in midlife married couples?
Many people practice mindfulness or self-compassion techniques in their everyday life as part of their normal self-care routine. Although many studies support the individual benefits of mindfulness and self-compassion, few have focused on romantic relationship outcomes. A new study published in Personal Relationships has examined how mindfulness, self- and other-compassion, and need fulfillment relate to relationship and sexual satisfaction in midlife married couples. The study involved survey results from 640 adults aged 40–59 years who were residing in Canada and were married. Mindfulness is the nonjudgmental attention and awareness to Read More
Report on provision of therapists for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities
The NIHR Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Workforce published a report from a scoping study titled “The Demand and Supply of Therapists for Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities,” by Prof Ian Kessler and Prof Annette Boaz. The provision of therapies for children and young people (CYP) with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) can be an affectively challenging, sometimes procedurally complex, process for the various stakeholders involved. However, the efficiency and effectiveness of this process, are crucial to various outcomes, in particular Read More
Our research shows children produce better pieces of writing by hand. But they need keyboard skills too
Our research on children in early primary years, show they are better are writing with a pen or pencil than a keyboard. Credit: Cottonbro Studio/ Pexels, CC BY Children today are growing up surrounded by technology. So it’s easy to assume they will be able to write effectively using a keyboard. But our research suggests this is not necessarily true. We need to actively teach students to be able to type as well as write using paper and pen or pencil. Our research Our research team has published two recent Read More
Places with more college graduates tend to foster better lifestyle habits overall, research finds
Study authors David M. Cutler (left) and Edward L. Glaeser. Credit: Kris Snibbe/Harvard Staff Photographer Having more education has long been linked to better individual health. But those benefits are also contagious, say the co-authors of a new working paper. “It’s not just that the individuals who have more years of education are in better health,” said David M. Cutler, Otto Eckstein Professor of Applied Economics. “It’s that even people with fewer years of education—for example, people with just a high school degree—are in better health when they live around Read More
How we can fool ourselves when we are into someone
Can we truly assess whether someone finds us attractive? Cognitive psychologist Iliana Samara conducted her Ph.D. project on romantic attraction and discovered that men, in particular, tend to overestimate the interest of their date. She explains why this may be. “Imagine you walk into a packed bar, looking for a date. Your eyes are naturally drawn to attractive faces. If you’re a man and find someone attractive, you’re more likely to assume they’re also interested in you. “Then, when you approach them, whether you’re a man or woman, you tend Read More
Most crime has fallen by 90% in 30 years—so why does the public think it’s increased?
Seventy-eight percent of people in England and Wales think that crime has gone up in the last few years, according to the latest survey. But the data on actual crime shows the exact opposite. As of 2024, violence, burglary and car crime have been declining for 30 years and by close to 90%, according to the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW)—our best indicator of true crime levels. Unlike police data, the CSEW is not subject to variations in reporting and recording. The drop in violence includes domestic violence Read More
Reducing distrust in social media is not straightforward, computer scientists warn
Trust and distrust in social media coexisted in the study participants. Credit: Emmaline Nelsen Are anti-misinformation interventions on social media working as intended? It depends, according to a new study led by William & Mary researchers and published in the Proceedings of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI ’24). Their study surveyed over 1,700 participants in the United States, revealing that anti-misinformation features increased users’ awareness of misinformation in social media; but did not make them more likely to share information on social media, or more Read More
Why students cheat in online exams
Media psychologists at the University of Cologne have studied how students’ individual needs, conceptions and reasons relate to cheating behavior in online exams. Online exams have become a more common type of exam at universities, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. They are advantageous because they save time and offer flexibility. However, cheating attempts present a big challenge for lecturers. This is why universities have been working on ways to thwart cheating in online exams by putting organizational and technical measures into place. According to the psychologists Dr. Marco Rüth and Read More
Have smartphones killed the art of conversation?
Once upon a time, human relationships unfolded without smartphones. The reality may be hard to recall, so profoundly have these devices transformed the way we relate to the world and others in fifteen years or so. As an anthropologist interested in modernity, I am particularly preoccupied by the impact of these devices on our conversations. In my book, “The End of the Conversation? Words in a Spectral Society” (French original: “La fin de la conversation? La parole dans une société spectrale”), I investigate the pernicious effects of this technology on Read More
New research reveals just how few LGBTQI+ people play sports
The topic of homophobia in sport has recently made headlines in Australia, with a series of homophobic incidents involving men’s AFL players. These homophobic incidents are usually well-reported in news media, but research has rarely explored the impact on participation for LGBTQI+ people. Fresh research into the problem Our new research is one of the first pieces of academic research in Australia to document how many LGBTQI+ people play and engage with sport. We also explored current levels of discrimination across sport in Australia, and the barriers and enablers of Read More
Singing researchers find cross-cultural patterns in music and language
Study co-authors Latyr Sy (Senegal), Gakuto Chiba (Japan), Neddiel Elcie Muñoz Millalonco (Chile), and Aleksandar Arabadjiev (Macedonia) singing and playing their traditional instruments. Credit: Latyr Sy, Gakuto Chiba, Neddiel Elcie Muñoz Millalonco, Aleksandar Arabadjiev Are acoustic features of music and spoken language shared across cultures? Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics in Nijmegen have contributed to a global study of music and speech, published in Science Advances. An international team of researchers recorded themselves performing traditional music and speaking in their native language. In all 50+ languages, the Read More
Mechanistic model shows how much gossip is needed to foster social cooperation
Credit: Keira Burton from Pexels Gossip often has a negative connotation, but imagine you are part of a group deciding on a job candidate to hire or a local political candidate to back. Candidates who get a good reputation by helping others may be more likely to receive help in the form of a job offer or endorsement, a feedback loop known as indirect reciprocity. Gossip can facilitate cooperation. Previous research has shown that people tend to cooperate more when they think their peers are gossiping about their behavior, gossip Read More
Research links voter behavior in presidential elections to housing market performance
If the 21st century has proven anything to the United States electorate, it is that presidential elections are notoriously unpredictable affairs. The seeming randomness by which the country’s electorate chooses its next president has only emboldened polling outlets, talking heads, and amateur psephologists to scrutinize every conceivable variable to give their respective electoral forecasting models a much-needed edge. However, Sherwood Clements, collegiate assistant professor of real estate in the Pamplin College of Business, had an electoral theory that, to the best of his knowledge, had never been explored with regards Read More
Research links voter behavior in presidential elections to housing market performance
If the 21st century has proven anything to the United States electorate, it is that presidential elections are notoriously unpredictable affairs. The seeming randomness by which the country’s electorate chooses its next president has only emboldened polling outlets, talking heads, and amateur psephologists to scrutinize every conceivable variable to give their respective electoral forecasting models a much-needed edge. However, Sherwood Clements, collegiate assistant professor of real estate in the Pamplin College of Business, had an electoral theory that, to the best of his knowledge, had never been explored with regards Read More
What professionals expect from future employers
IU Study on diversity and inclusion: What professionals expect from future employers. Credit: IU Internationale Hochschule Employers who want to attract new talent should recognize diversity and enable inclusion. This is confirmed by a representative study by IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU), which surveyed more than 1,200 trainees and students across Germany. The results clearly show that 75.1% of prospective employees consider it very or somewhat important that companies implement measures to promote diversity and inclusion. This suggests that companies that communicate these measures openly and transparently have Read More
Access to gardens and citizen science helps encourage conservation among children, study shows
Access to gardens and citizen science projects at school can help promote pro-conservation behavior among pupils, a new study shows. Offering children the chance to take part in authentic scientific ecological work and gardening encourages an interest in plants. This can change behavior—to spend more time gardening or to pursue a botanical career—and fuels a positive attitude towards safeguarding the environment, experts found. Dr. Bethan Stagg from the University of Exeter and Professor Justin Dillon, from UCL, have assessed the evidence around teaching conservation and ecology. Their findings are published Read More
What’s in a name? A linguistics expert explains why some baby names dominate the charts year after year
What do names like Noah, James, Mateo, Mia, Evelyn and Luna all have in common? They’re not only some of the top baby names in the United States, but they also seem to flow off the tongue. And that’s exactly why parents love them. On May 10, the Social Security Administration released a list of the top baby names in the United States in 2023. Liam and Olivia maintained the number one spot in their respective categories for the fifth consecutive year while Noah and Emma also retained second place. Read More
Businesses unintentionally discourage diverse ideas, finds study
Businesses influence the ideas they receive from external contributors by unintentionally signaling which ideas they like, finds research from ESMT Berlin and INSEAD. This leads to a narrow set of nondiverse ideas. Prof. Linus Dahlander from ESMT Berlin, alongside Prof. Henning Piezunka and Ph.D. candidate Sanghyun Park from INSEAD, analyzed 1.44 million ideas to understand how organizations unknowingly shape the ideas they receive. Data came from organizations that asked visitors how they could improve their websites before choosing which ideas to use. Chosen ideas were communicated for all to see. Read More
How does the US know that forced labor is happening in China? A supply chain expert weighs in
Shawn Bhimani, assistant professor of supply chain management at Northeastern, says it is imperative that the U.S. companies comply with the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act to eradicate abuse. Credit: Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University The Biden administration has added 26 more companies to the list of Chinese textile traders and manufacturers whose goods are blocked from entering the United States because of their alleged ties to forced labor. The banned imports, known as the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List, names businesses that are said to be involved in exploiting Read More
Technology is changing how companies do business
In the fast-paced world of modern business, technology plays a crucial role in shaping how companies operate. One area where this impact is particularly significant is in the organization of production chains—specifically the way goods are made and distributed. A new study from the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business advances understanding of the U.S. production chain evolution amidst technological progress in information technology (IT), shedding light on the complex connections between business IT investments and organizational design. Advances in IT have sparked significant changes in how companies design their Read More
Pickleball courts in a legal pickle over the associated noise
Experts recommend HOAs and communities consider the “popping” noise associated with pickleball when deciding to build courts near homes. Credit: AIP Pickleball Legal Consultant is a job title that likely did not exist a decade ago, but as pickleball courts infiltrate neighborhoods to satiate an appetite for a sport whose namesake is a snack, communities take issue with the resulting influx of noise. Now homeowners’ associations and city councils face litigation by those whose lives are disrupted by pickleball’s din. Charles Leahy, an attorney, retired mechanical engineer, and former HOA Read More
Researchers discuss current state of homophobia, transphobia and biphobia
Annie Pullen-Sansfaçon. Credit: Amélie Philibert, Université de Montréal Gender-neutral bathrooms, conversion therapy and Quebec’s advisory committee on gender identity have been in the news lately. These are polarizing, hot-button issues. While there have been legislative and social advances for LGBTQ+ rights, ignorance and discrimination persist and continue to negatively affect the lives of many. On May 17, the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, UdeMNouvelles asked two Université de Montréal professors and researchers who are experts in the field to share their views. Annie Pullen Sansfaçon, a professor in Read More
Military rank affects medical care, offering societal insights: Study
Credit: RDNE Stock project from Pexels Human relationships are inherently shaped by power dynamics, yet quantifying their impact has remained a scientific challenge. Now, a large new study published Thursday in the journal Science reveals that military doctors give more attention to higher-ranked patients, providing concrete evidence about the privileges that come with elevated status, frequently at the expense of the less powerful. “One of the things we are trying to show is that this is not a military-specific analysis,” said co-author Manasvini Singh of Carnegie Mellon University, arguing the Read More
Study finds saying ‘please’ may not be so polite in everyday requests
Credit: Ann H from Pexels By kindergarten age, most children have been taught that “please” is a magic word. “Please” is an expression of politeness that shows courtesy and respect, turning a potential demand into a request that will—poof!—magically be granted. But a new study on the ways people make requests of one another suggests that “please” might not be an all-purpose marker of politeness, but rather a more focused, strategic tool to manage frictions or obstacles among family members, friends and even coworkers. The study, published in Social Psychology Read More
Allyship is essential to new mothers returning to work, says study
Credit: Sarah Chai from Pexels Returning to work after parental leave can be one of the most challenging experiences for any parents, especially mothers, to navigate. Fortunately, there are simple, kind and thoughtful ways in which organizational members—regardless of formal status, parental identity or gender identity—can help mothers feel supported as they return to work, which can also benefit job satisfaction and maternal well-being. New research published in Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes by Carlson School of Management Professor Nitya Chawla, leading a national team of researchers, examined the Read More
How ‘ethical influencers’ engage their audiences about saving the planet
Have a quick think back to the last time you scrolled through social media. Maybe it was this morning, last night or a few minutes ago. What do you recall? One thing you’re bound to remember is the continuous stream of influencers showing off their latest content. These could be videos of influencers discussing the latest skin-care products, the trendiest places to eat, their latest shopping haul or the PR packages they received from various brands. Much of social media influencing is about getting consumers to buy more products. However, Read More
Researchers say automated news video production is better with a human touch
AI-generated videos for short messages are only as well received as manually created ones if they are edited by humans. News organizations—including Bloomberg, Reuters, and The Economist—have been using AI powered video services to meet growing audience demand for audio-visual material. A study recently published in the journal Journalism now shows that the automated production of news videos is better with human supervision. Technology providers like Wochit and Moovly are allowing publishers to mass produce videos at scale. But what do audiences think of the results? Researchers led by LMU Read More
Swipe right or left? How dating apps are impacting modern masculinity
What it means to be a man is changing. Critical men or masculinity studies is an emerging robust research field that explores how men and masculinity are being transformed by shifting socio-economic, sexual and political conditions in our post-industrial world. Fascinating new male-identifying sub-cultures and communities have emerged, like mushroomcore and dandies. Yet heteronormative masculinity is typically framed as threatening, toxic or maladaptive, as in the case of fragile masculinity. In my years of swiping on dating apps, I encountered different kinds of masculinities, as well as some very offensive Read More
How to reward employees fairly and improve team dynamics
A recent study by researchers from the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University has shed light on how to reward employees more fairly and improve team dynamics. The study found that when less skilled employees report their performance voluntarily, they often exaggerate their achievements and ask for higher bonuses. These employees also tend to put in less effort and are less concerned about fairness when sharing their contributions voluntarily. Interestingly, the researchers discovered that requiring employees to explain their contributions leads to fairer decisions about bonus allocation and improves Read More
Monday, June 3, 2024
Saturday, June 1, 2024
New research finds antidepressants may help deliver other drugs into the brain
Since the 1980s, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants have been the backbone of treatment for depression and other mental health conditions worldwide, with tens of millions of annual prescriptions in the UK alone. Yet their mechanisms of action—and their wider effects across the body—are still not fully understood.
A SIGNIFICANT PART OF CANCER CARE
A cancer diagnosis is an emotional experience. Learning that you have cancer can create feelings of hopelessness, fear and sadness. This is especially true if your cancer is advanced or available treatments are unable to stop or slow its growth. “Often, when patients are diagnosed with cancer, they feel hopeless and scared. Clinical trials are one way patients can be proactive. They can make a choice in how their care is going to be,” says Matthew Block, M.D., Ph.D., a Mayo Clinic medical oncologist. Cancer Read More
STUDY SHOWS PHONE USE BOOSTS MOOD OF TEENAGERS
A pair of pediatric psychologists at the University of Wisconsin–Madison has found evidence that use of smart phones may boost teenagers’ mood slightly. Matt Minich and Megan Moreno published their results in the open-access journal PLOS ONE. Social media and some mainstream media have been reporting in recent years that phone use by young people may be stunting their emotional and/or social maturity. In this new effort, the researchers, noting that little research has been done on the topic, conducted a study to better understand the impact of phone use Read More
MEDITERRANEAN DIET TIED TO ONE-FIFTH LOWER RISK OF DEATH IN WOMEN
Investigators from Brigham and Women’s Hospital have identified and assessed underlying mechanisms that may explain the Mediterranean diet’s 23% reduction in all-cause mortality risk for American women. The health benefits of the Mediterranean diet have been reported in multiple studies, but there is limited long-term data of its effects in U.S. women and little understanding about why the diet may reduce the risk of death. In a new study that followed more than 25,000 initially healthy U.S. women for up to 25 years, researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital found Read More
INFANTS HEAR SIGNIFICANTLY MORE SPEECH THAN MUSIC AT HOME, STUDY FINDS
Speech and music are the dominant elements of an infant’s auditory environment. While past research has shown that speech plays a critical role in children’s language development, less is known about the music that infants hear. A new University of Washington study is the first to compare the amount of music and speech that children hear in infancy. Results showed that infants hear more spoken language than music, with the gap widening as the babies get older. “We wanted to get a snapshot of Read More
TIPS FOR SAFER PICNICS
Picnics can be a fun way to enjoy the summer season. But improper handling of the food can mean trouble in the form of food-borne germs. Before you fill your cooler, review these tips for safer picnics. Picnic tip No. 1: When you open the cooler, keep an eye on the clock “The general rule is to have food out only two hours,” says Kate Zeratsky, a Mayo Clinic registered dietitian nutritionist. “However, on a hot day—90 [degrees Fahrenheit] and above—you want to limit the Read More
ENJOYING THE SIGHTS AND SMELLS OF A VIRTUAL GARDEN
The research draws inspiration from the experiences of technology could also bring relief to individuals with mobility issues or older patients in hospitals for extended periods. Credit: Texas A&M Engineering As we go about our daily lives, it’s easy to overlook the significance of the seemingly ordinary things around us. But imagine the profound impact of the absence of the sound of birds, the scent of flowers, or the sight of trees swaying in the gentle breeze. For those living in isolated environments, these sensory deprivations are a stark reality, Read More
SLEEP MODERATES THE LINK BETWEEN BULLYING AND SUICIDE IN TEENS
A new study found that sleep duration significantly moderates the association between bullying and suicide attempts among adolescents in the U.S. The research abstract was also published in an online supplement of the journal Sleep. The study revealed that 15% of adolescents reported they were bullied at school, and 16% were bullied electronically; 10.2% reported they had attempted suicide during the past year; and 77.3% did not adhere to sleep duration recommendations. Adolescents who reported four hours of sleep or less Read More
RADIO WAVES FROM MOBILE PHONES DO NOT AFFECT COGNITION
A World Health Organization-commissioned systematic review finds that radio wave exposure from mobile phones does not affect learning, memory, attention span and other cognitive functions like coordination. The work is published in the journal Environment International. Co-led by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency’s (ARPANSA) Health Impact Assessment Assistant Director, Associate Professor Ken Karipidis, the review addresses a long-held community concern. “One of the motivations for this research was to assess effects on the brain because mobile phones are usually held close to the head during calls,” A/Prof. Read More
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)