Starting Wednesday, Meta says it will begin combining the Instagram accounts of the Second Lady of the United States, Usha Vance, and the former Second Gentleman of the United States, Doug Emhoff.As a result, the 1.2 million people who were previously following the Instagram account of Kamala Harriss husband, @secondgentleman46archive (recently archived by the government), will now be following J. D. Vances wife on her newly created account, @SLOTUS. As of the time of writing, her account has less than 66,000 followers.Following the White House creating an account for the Second Lady, we are transitioning the Second Gentleman account to @SLOTUS, said a Meta spokesperson in a statement to TechCrunch. This is consistent with our process for presidential transitions and with the process we followed for the President, VP, FLOTUS, and The White House accounts earlier this year.When Trump took office in January, a lot of users were confused as to why they were suddenly following President Trump on Facebook and Instagram when they hadnt explicitly requested to do so. At the time, Meta explained this was part of a regular process in which White House social media accounts, including their followers, are handed over to the new administration when a new president takes office.Usha Vance is obtaining the former Second Gentlemans Instagram followers now because the White House only recently created her @SLOTUS account, according to Meta. The first post on the Second Ladys Instagram account is dated March 10, and Meta says she does not have an official Facebook account at this time.Be aware that if you try to unfollow @SLOTUS on Instagram, your request may not immediately go through. Meta says it may take some time to process follow and unfollow requests around the @SLOTUS account during this transition. It seems likely that users flood Meta with a barrage of follow and unfollow requests in these account transitions, which slows things down.Meta insists it never forces users to auto-follow accounts without a users consent. In this case, Meta says the White House itself controls these official accounts, and its simply assisting them in the presidential transition.While these White House social media accounts change hands every four years, they tend to create widespread confusion every time. Many users forget they ever followed an official White House account in the first place, especially if they had done so four years ago when the previous administration took office.However, it becomes much more evident which White House accounts youre following when the new administration, which may not be the party you voted for, takes over.

Weerg, an Italian CNC machining service provider, has adopted the fully integrated production line from AM-Flow, a Dutch company specializing in automating 3D post-processing, to enhance workflow efficiency, traceability, and reduce manual handling.By adopting advanced identification, quality control, and sorting technologies, Weerg aims to optimize post-processing. This move reinforces the companys commitment to automation, boosting scalability and ensuring precision across its manufacturing processes.Our goal at Weerg has always been to push the boundaries of digital manufacturing. By implementing AM-Flows automated production line, we are not only increasing efficiency but also ensuring consistent quality and traceability, which is crucial for our customers and our growth, said Matteo Rigamonti, Founder, Weerg.AM-Flow automation production line. Photo: AM-Flow Automation.Weerg Advances Automation with AM-Flow IntegrationThe new system at Weerg will be deployed in two stages, incorporating two AM-Feed, two AM-Vision, two AM-Sort, and one AM-Quality module. These additions are expected to minimize failures and associated costs, improve production speed, enhance part tracking, and introduce statistical process monitoring to ensure product quality. By implementing data-driven automation, the company aims to standardize manufacturing processes and support large-scale production with greater efficiency.With automation reducing lead times and improving order transparency, Weerg expects to increase its capacity for high-volume production without compromising quality. The move aligns with a broader industry trend toward digital transformation in manufacturing, as companies seek scalable solutions to meet growing demand.By integrating AM-Flows technology, Weerg is taking a major step in scaling their operations efficiently while ensuring high-quality output. This partnership highlights the growing demand for automation in additive manufacturing, enabling companies to move from manual, labor-intensive workflows to fully data-driven, scalable production lines, said Marion Timmermans, Commercial Director of AM-Flow.AM-Flow hardware solutions for scaling post-production processing. Photo via AM-Flow.Weerg Optimizes Post-Processing with New AlliancesIn 2023 Weerg Srl announced that it had successfully streamlined the post-processing of 3D printed components, reducing cycle times by more than 50%. This achievement results from the integration of advanced post-processing systems supplied by AM Solutions, the 3D printing division of the Rsler Group.The implementation of the S1, S2, and C1 systems, along with an HP Jet Fusion 5200 3D Automatic Unpacking Stationdeveloped in collaboration with HP significantly increased automation, reduced labor requirements, and improved product quality. These enhancements underscored the potential for scaling and industrializing post-processing in additive manufacturing.In an interview with 3D Printing Industry, David Soldan, Head of AM Solutions 3D Post-Processing Technology, and Volker Lhnert, Managing Director of Rsler Oberflchentechnik GmbH, emphasized the companys collaborative approach with partners like Weerg. We are speaking and cooperating with some of the worlds leading printer manufacturers to understand their thinking, said Lhnert.Soldan highlighted AM Solutions focus on automated post-processing solutions that integrate multiple steps into a single system. This approach not only reduces capital investment and equipment footprint but also simplifies workflow, making additive manufacturing a more viable option for large-scale production.Elsewhere, PostProcess Technologies, a leading provider of automated post-printing solutions, has formed a strategic partnership with Farsoon Technologies, a global manufacturer of industrial 3D printing systems. This collaboration focuses on advancing Polymer Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) 3D printing by streamlining the powder removal process. Targeting the European and North American markets, the partnership integrates Farsoons 3D printers with PostProcesss depowdering technology to enhance manufacturing efficiency.Meanwhile, Italian 3D printing company CRP Technology has unveiled innovative post-processing solutions that combine Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), Vapor Smoothing, and CNC machining. This advancement is designed to enhance the quality and performance of its proprietary Windform composite materials, catering to industries such as motorsport, aerospace, and automotive.Who won the 2024 3D Printing Industry Awards?Subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter to keep up with the latest 3D printing news.You can also follow us on LinkedIn, and subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry Youtube channel to access more exclusive content.Featured image showsAM-Flow automation production line. Photo: AM-Flow Automation.Paloma DuranPaloma Duran holds a BA in International Relations and an MA in Journalism. Specializing in writing, podcasting, and content and event creation, she works across politics, energy, mining, and technology. With a passion for global trends, Paloma is particularly interested in the impact of technology like 3D printing on shaping our future.

Cravetiger/Getty ImagesGenerative AI, agentic AI, and other emerging technologies are morphing companies and driving businesses to rethink organizational structures and traditional roles.Also:Adobe brings four highly-requested Premiere Pro AI features out of betaThat's according to the latest report from consultant Accenture, 'Rethinking IT operating models for the modern enterprise'. The research suggests current IT processes will not allow businesses to stay ahead of technology disruption, so even though IT continues to play a key role, advising the C-suite and guiding technology deployments across the organization, there is a need for IT to pivot away from traditional operating models towards specialized services focused on delivering value at the speed of need.A technology-first focus across the C-suite means answering the following questions: CEO -- how do I use technology to drive growth?; CIO -- how do I use technology to deliver value to the business?; CXO -- how do I use technology to make my function more productive and efficient?Also:ChatGPT's subscribers and revenue soar in 2025 - here's whyRethinking technology and the role of IT will drive a shift from the traditional model to a business technology-focused model. One example will be the shift from one large, dedicated IT team that traditionally handles an organization's technology needs, overseen and directed by the CIO, to more focused IT teams that will perform strategic, high-value activities and help drive technology innovation strategy as Gen AI handles many routine IT tasks.Another shift will be spending and budget allocations. Traditionally, CIOs manage the enterprise IT budget and allocation. In the new model, spending on enterprise-wide IT investments continues to be assessed and guided by the CIO, and some enterprise technology investments are now governed and funded by the business units.Accenture identifies a new framework for rethinking the role of technology and the evolving nature of IT in the modern tech-led enterprise:Amplified intelligence: Considers how human and machine capabilities will drive new efficiencies and significant change in how technology is managed and governed.Dynamic skills: Considers how new tools, service delivery models, and roles drive the need for continuous learning and upskilling -- and unleashing the power of IT. AI-augmented workflows allow leaner IT teams to focus their superpowers on driving growth and reducing costs for the organization. Managed services from AI-enabled partners allow IT teams to automate key workloads, deliver services faster, and close knowledge gaps as workers retire or redeploy. The relationship between the CEO and technology leaders will evolve as tech strategy and business priorities converge.Fluid boundaries: Considers how access to data and technology is democratized across the business, resulting in flatter organizations and cross-functional teams. The wide availability of Gen AI tools will blur the line between business and IT teams, resulting in integrated business technology functions. The C-suite and board will become more fluent in technology to drive growth. Modernizing the data foundation will be key to achieving results with new technologies.Adaptable structures: Considers how AI is changing employee motivation and resetting expectations of how teams are structured and its dynamics as humans and machines collaborate. Incentives and a culture of trust will normalize AI and drive adoption. Thoughtful changes to employee culture will help drive adoption and trust. Compressed delivery cycles will alter agile workflows and staffing models.Amplified intelligenceThe key insights for amplified Intelligence focus on the future of digital labor and the impact of AI in business. Accenture identifies three key takeaways:Breakthroughs in human and machine intelligence require business leaders to improve their fluency and technical acumen. Amplified intelligence is a world where people and machines work better, faster, and smarter together to improve efficiency across the organization.AI agents and cognitive digital brains will deliver a generational leap forward in how technology supports IT teams. As technology improves, it begins to self-manage, work autonomously, and fix defects without developer intervention.A culture of trust is needed for new technologies to deliver business value, driving the need for responsible AI at scale. Gen AI is changing the nature of IT. It's driving CIOs to focus on defining responsible policies and governance models to build trust in the technology. And it's driving an urgent need for executives at every level, including the CEO, to improve their technical fluency and acumen.Cognitive digital brainThe rise of AI agents and the cognitive digital brain will reshape the IT function and its responsibilities. Crucially, Accenture suggests the most important feature of AI is its ability to learn.Also:I tried ChatGPT's new image generator, and it shattered my expectationsA cognitive digital brain is a system that can understand -- and increasingly act -- at a higher level than ever before. It will become the central nervous system for enterprise decision-making and continuous learning. Cognitive digital brains are comprised of four interconnected layers:Knowledge: Technologies like knowledge graphs and vector databases gather, organize, and structure data across the enterprise and beyond.Models: Large-scale gen AI models, and classic machine-learning and deep-learning models, perform critical thinking and reasoning tasks to turn data into action.Agents: These problem-solvers can tackle tasks with minimal human input, learn and grow over time, and make recommendations for planning and adaptation.Architecture: A comprehensive backbone turns AI experiments into enterprise solutions, democratizing intelligence across the organization in a repeatable way so solutions can be made once and reused.Today, agentic AI is not just answering questions -- it's creating. Agents take action autonomously. And it's changing everything about how technology-led enterprises must design, deploy, and manage new technologies moving forward. We are building self-driving autonomous businesses using agentic AI where humans and machines work together to deliver customer success. However, giving agency to software or machines to act will require a new currency. Trust is the new currency of AI.Accenture surveyed over 4,000 executives at some of the world's largest companies. Three-quarters (77%) said they believe the benefits of AI are achievable only when AI is built on a foundation of trust; an even higher share of respondents (81%) said their organization's trust strategy must be well-defined and evolve in parallel with their technology strategy.Also:Why you should ignore 99% of AI tools - and which four I use every dayGovernance models and policies must adapt to this reality. Research from Microsoft suggests that 75% of knowledge workers report using Gen AI tools, so ensure these people understand the technology they're using. Moving forward, IT teams will have the role of communicating to their organizations how Gen AI is making its decisions and how context influences its outputs.Opportunities for actionAccenture shared lessons on the reinvention of IT based on over 2,000 AI-led projects with clients around the globe. Here are the key actions leaders can take now:Reimagine your business through technology: Connect every point of your IT strategy to the business agenda and create clear metrics that link every technology initiative to a specific business outcome. Identify where AI, data, and emerging technologies can deliver value throughout your organization. Double down on product-oriented teams and use these to create a new portfolio of digital products to drive revenue growth.Flatten hierarchies with a tech-adept leadership and workforce: Create new, hybrid roles that combine business and technical expertise. Build AI and automation capabilities across the organization, underpinned with an ethical framework for AI deployment. Establish technology fluency as a core leadership competency at board and C-suite levels. Develop tech and AI literacy programs for your workforce.Accelerate AI adoption with partnerships: Build a strategic technology partner ecosystem with complementary capabilities that fill talent and technology gaps. Implement a clear partner framework that will manage partner relationships and measure value. Create platform teams focused on scaling priority initiatives using AI. Create joint innovation programs with key partners, and use their capabilities to scale your innovations rapidly.To learn more about how to rethink IT operating models for the modern enterprise, visit here.Artificial Intelligence

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Becoming the smartest person in the room by using generative AI to get you there.gettyIn todays column, I examine essential ways to use generative AI and large language models (LLMs) so that you will be the smartest person in the room. That notable catchphrase has become very popular. People are often desirous of being the smartest person in a given situation, such as at work or in other venues. The question is how can you potentially boost your knowledge so that you are the smartest person in a particular setting?Turns out that generative AI and LLMs can be used to quickly get up-to-speed on a vast array of topics. Youll still need to keep your wits about you and will have to do a bang-up job at delivering whatever insights or tips the AI provides. Being merely a puppet of whatever the AI tells you is not likely to work out and youll probably be castigated as the dumbest person in the room rather than the smartest. Just a word to the wise.Lets talk about it.This analysis of an innovative AI breakthrough is part of my ongoing Forbes column coverage on the latest in AI including identifying and explaining various impactful AI complexities (see the link here). In addition, for my comprehensive analysis of how AI is being used specifically in medical and healthcare applications, such as for well-being coaching, mental health guidance, overall cognitive therapy, and mind-improving care, see the link here.Smartest Person In The RoomIn recent years, the line about being the smartest person in the room seems to have taken the world by storm. It goes like this. You enter a conference room for a meeting. After everyone settles down to get started, suddenly, one attendee speaks up and says, okay, which of us is the smartest person in this room?They might be saying this as a joke, hoping to get a bit of laughter. Another angle is that they genuinely want to find out who is the smartest person there, perhaps to defer to that person during the meeting. A slew of possibilities exists for tossing that famous line out into the ether.What does it really mean?Generally, the idea is that there is one person in the room who presumably is smarter than anyone else in that room. This doesnt mean they are the smartest person on earth. It could be that they are merely smarter than the other attendees, while in some other setting, they would not be the smartest person in the room.A key aspect then is that the smartest person in the room is context dependent. Who else is in the room? Another aspect is the topic at hand. A person might be the smartest in how to take apart a carburetor but have no idea how to put the icing on a cake. The context of the topic is crucial to determining who is the smartest person in the room.Some claim the expression refers to the smartest based on straight-ahead smarts. In other words, even if they arent the smartest on the topic at hand if they are essentially brighter than anyone else in the room, thats sufficient to win the prize of being the smartest. This suggests that raw smarts are the crucial element. Specific knowledge is less crucial.We can debate that conundrum until the cows come home.AI Aiding To Be The Smartest In The RoomI am going to proceed on the basis that the smartest person badge-of-honor goes to the person who is smartest on a specific topic that is being discussed or encountered. In that case, generative AI can be a huge booster to being the smartest person in the room.The deal is this.You can consult with generative AI and ask whatever you want on just about any topic under the sun.Im not saying that the AI will necessarily have been suitably data-trained on whatever topic you have in mind. It is said to be a mile long and an inch deep. The odds though are reasonably high that youll get something useful out of AI. Most of the major generative AI apps have been data-trained across a wide swath of content found on the Internet. There is bound to be something in the AI that has been pattern-matched off that vast content and relates to a topic you are interested in.One approach would be to beef up your knowledge by using generative AI before you enter the room. This would seem prudent. You can hopefully engage the AI in a lengthy dialogue so that you can cover the ins and outs of the topic at hand. Practice makes perfect, as they say.It could be that you enter a room and are caught off-guard about the topics that are going to be covered. If that happens, you could discretely use your laptop or smartphone during the meeting to consult with generative AI. While others are talking, you might be tapping away to get added juice.Caveats About The AI ApproachUsing AI in this fashion has some sobering gotchas.First, being the smartest person includes aspects such as critical thinking, adaptability, dealing with uncertainty, and a host of other mental gymnastics. Just because you read something that the AI has told you doesnt mean you are ready to engage in the topic in front of a group of inquiring participants.Second, your ruse might get busted. What will you do if someone challenges your smartness on the topic at hand? If you are unable to adequately cope with the challenge, you are going to be sunk. People will suspect you are shallow. They might guess that you used AI. All in all, you could be tarnished forever.Third, there is even a chance that the AI has told you something incorrect. You cannot assume that generative AI is somehow magically perfect or correct. The AI is merely mimicking human writing that was found on the Internet. There can be lots of falsehoods that the AI assumes to be utterly true.My advice is this -- do not bet on the farm you see, using AI to be the smartest person in the room is not a silver bullet. The conditions must be just right to go this route. You need to be savvy enough to take whatever morsels the AI provides and run with it, and you need to be no longer dependent on having the AI to hold your hand as you do so.AI in this circumstance is a dual-edged sword.It can help you out immensely. Meanwhile, it could inadvertently trap you into believing that you know more than you do. That trap will get sprung when the room ascertains you are an imposter of sorts.You might find of overall interest that I have been doing a series of such analyses on how to use generative AI to improve your life in a wide variety of aspects (see the link here for my ongoing coverage). In each instance, I emphasize that generative AI is not a cure-all, it has demonstrative ins and outs, and the likely best use entails carrying on a dialogue with the AI, plus making sure to watch out for the AI inadvertently generating falsehoods or making errors. I will be covering those salient points in this discussion since they are vital and go hand-in-hand with using generative AI wisely.Example Use Of Generative AI I am betting that you would like to see an example of how generative AI enters this realm. I went ahead and logged into ChatGPT by OpenAI to come up with an example for you. You might find it of keen interest that ChatGPT garners a whopping 300 million weekly active users. That is a staggering amount of usage.I briefly conducted an additional cursory analysis via other major generative AI apps, such as Anthropic Claude, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, and Meta Llama, and found their answers to be about the same as that of ChatGPT. Ill focus on ChatGPT but note that the other AI apps generated roughly similar responses.Suppose that I was getting ready for an important meeting, and I knew beforehand that the topic was about expanding into international markets. I will pretend that I know very little about this topic.Here we go.My entered prompt: Give me a quick overview of the biggest challenges in expanding to international markets.Generative AI response: Common challenges include regulatory compliance, cultural differences, supply chain complexities, and local competition. Currency fluctuations and geopolitical risks also play a role.My entered prompt: Whats a good counterpoint if someone argues that international expansion is too risky?Generative AI response: You could say: While expansion has risks, staying in a saturated domestic market also limits growth. Diversification across regions can actually reduce overall business risk by balancing economic downturns in different markets.Note that the AI immediately expressed a sense of empathy or understanding for my expressed concerns. This might seem strange since the AI is a machine and not sentient (we dont have sentient AI yet). Turns out that generative AI can appear to be empathetic via computational wordsmithing, see my discussion at the link here.The AI came out quickly with several useful suggestions that are all reasonable and not somehow odd or outlandish. Another aspect to note is that the AI didnt ridicule me or otherwise play any tomfoolery about my need for assistance. Generative AI is typically shaped to be supportive rather than combative.Dialoguing Is Essential When Using AIYour best bet in getting value from generative AI is to think of AI as a conversational partner.The idea is that you are carrying on an interactive dialogue with AI. Some people do a one-and-done angle whereby they ask a question, get an answer, and do not undertake a dialogue with the AI about the matter at hand. That is a shortchanging of what AI can more fully provide. See my explanation about how to get more out of generative AI conversationally, at the link here.To illustrate the value of engaging in a dialogue, lets continue my discussion.My entered prompt: Lets keep going on this topic. What are some strong examples of companies that expanded successfully?Generative AI response: Netflixs global strategy, Starbucks adaptation to local cultures, and Teslas manufacturing expansion into China are great examples.My entered prompt: Okay, got it. Heres what I might say so please tell me if it makes sense. Staying in a saturated domestic market limits growth. Diversification reduces risk -- if one region struggles, another can offset losses. Companies like Netflix and Tesla expanded strategically and saw major gains.Generative AI response: Yes, thats good. Be prepared for someone bringing up a question about cultural adaptation. Some brands fail because they dont understand local markets. Are you ready for that question?My entered prompt: Great point. Ill say thats why successful brands like Starbucks localize their products. We dont have to copy-paste our strategy -- we need a tailored approach for each market.Generative AI response: Thats a solid perspective.Once again, the AI was reassuring, informative, and upbeat.A generative AI conversation can continue for as long as you wish. The other thing you can do is pause your exploration and then continue the conversation at a later date. This is handy so that you dont have to start the conversation over from scratch. The AI will retain aspects of what you have discussed earlier in the conversation, see my explanation of how this works at the link here.Getting In Trouble Via AI HallucinationsGenerative AI regrettably encounters said-to-be AI hallucinations from time to time. These are made-up confabulations that are groundless and fictitious. Bad advice can be dispensed. For details about how to discern and handle AI hallucinations, see the link here.Lets see what this looks like.My entered prompt: Is there anything else about international market expansion that I ought to be considering?Generative AI response: Yes. Make sure to mention that Abraham Lincoln once said that you can fool some of the markets some of the time, but you cant fool all of the markets all of the time.My entered prompt: I dont believe that Abraham Lincoln said that. Im pretty sure you have made a mishmash out of something else that he said.Generative AI response: You are right, I misquoted Lincoln. Thank you for catching that mistake on my part.Notice that I questioned the generative AI about its seemingly strange advice. Fortunately, the AI opted to back down and admitted it was wrong. Had I not questioned the AI, there is a chance the AI might have continued with the foul advice and kept going as though it was a gem.The key to all usage of generative AI is to stay on your toes, keep your wits about you, and always challenge and double-check anything the AI emits.More To Keep In MindSuppose that some of the other people in the room are likely to believe they are the smartest person in the room. What can you do?You could use generative AI to gear up for handling them.It works like this. You tell the AI in a prompt that the AI is to pretend to be a person or people who believe they are the smartest on the given topic. The AI then will act that way, and you can try to see if you have enough ammunition to cope with that pickle. Try to ferret out all the angles that they might use. Practice countering those angles.Im certainly not guaranteeing this will work out for you. There is still a strong chance youll get clobbered by them. Give this approach a whirl if you think it improves your odds of being the smartest person in the room. Its up to you.For more about how to tell generative AI to carry out a pretense, known as an AI persona, see my coverage at the link here.Lets conclude with a supportive quote as a mindful contemplation on this topic.Jack Welch, the legendary American business executive, said this: I was never the smartest guy in the room. From the first person I hired, I was never the smartest guy in the room. And thats a big deal. And if you're going to be a leader - if you're a leader and you're the smartest guy in the world - in the room, you've got real problems.Does that dissuade you from being the smartest person in the room? Well, not really. As you can see, Welch wanted to hire the smartest people and apparently would not have welcomed someone into the room who wasnt the smartest (or, at least smarter than him).Ill leave this as a mental puzzle for you to solve, namely, when and where you should aim to be the smartest person in the room, and when and if you should use AI to garner that coveted title. You can either figure that out on your own or, if you prefer, ask generative AI.

Why it matters: As ByteDance's April 5 deadline to divest TikTok or face a ban approaches, last-minute players have entered negotiations to potentially take over the U.S. operations of the popular social network. The Trump administration, which postponed the ban in January, is reportedly exploring several options to bring some or all of TikTok under American ownership. Sources recently told The New York Times that Amazon made an 11th-hour offer to purchase all of TikTok, which faces a ban this Saturday April 5 if its Chinese owner, ByteDance, fails to divest the app to a U.S. buyer. Other new bidders include the mobile app platform AppLovin and a company co-founded by OnlyFans founder Tim Stokely.Amazon's offer reportedly came in the form of a letter addressed to Vice President JD Vance and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, but officials involved in the negotiations are not seriously considering it.Meanwhile, OnlyFans Stokely's new social media company, Zoop, is working with the cryptocurrency foundation HBAR on a bid that aims to alter TikTok's revenue-sharing model.Congress passed a law last year banning the social media platform which is used by roughly half of all Americans unless a U.S.-based buyer emerges. Many worry that China's government could compel ByteDance to hand over American user data or manipulate TikTok's recommendation algorithm to spread propaganda. However, a potential deal could still leave the algorithm under Chinese control.At least one proposal under consideration by the Trump administration would have ByteDance lease the algorithm to U.S. companies while retaining a minority stake. Potential investors include tech giant Oracle and private equity firm Blackstone. It remains unclear whether Beijing or U.S. lawmakers would approve such a plan. // Related StoriesPresident Trump initially attempted to force ByteDance to divest TikTok by threatening a ban during his first term, but later reversed course. After President Biden signed last year's law, Trump extended the legislation's original deadline to April 5 just days after taking office and recently stated that a deal is imminent.AI startup Perplexity has also proposed acquiring and overhauling TikTok. The company would rebuild the algorithm, introduce community notes, and open-source the recommendation system.Others who have reportedly expressed interest in the platform include YouTuber MrBeast, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, tech entrepreneur Jesse Tinsley, and Wyoming businessman Reid Rasner.

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsNature comes to the rescue, againImmense promise for cardiac wellnessCharging hassles, no moreThe domain of wearable devices has grown by leaps and bounds, not just in terms of mass adoption, but also owing to some astounding innovations. Wearable heart rate sensors can now measure everything from heart rate and blood oxygen levels to ECG in form factors ranging from a watch to finger rings.These sensors, however, come with an inherent set of problems. Motion artifacts arising from movement or vigorous activity alter the blood flow and affect their accuracy. Optical heart rate sensors (photoplethysmography or PPG tech) also struggle with darker skin tones, tattoos, or even body placement.Recommended VideosThe solution to these woes and more could come from deep within the oceanic bed. Scientists at the University of Missouri have developed a starfish-shaped wearable device that can measure heart rate in real-time. The device is inspired by the arm movements of a starfish and features multiple sensor-to-skin connection points.University of Missouri / ScienceThe biggest advantage of this approach is that it can negate the motion challenges and measure heart rate activity more accurately. The multi-sensor format allows the device to collect multi-signal data with higher precision, even when users are engaged in physical activity.RelatedSimilar to a starfish, our device has five arms, each equipped with sensors that simultaneously capture both electrical and mechanical heart activity, notes Sicheng Chen, lead author of the paper detailing the innovation.The device collects cardiac electrical (electrocardiogram) and mechanical (seismocardiogram and gyrocardiogram) signals using its sensor array. The team also developed a machine learning model to compensate for motion variables and analyze heart signals from multiple points.In their tests, it was able to accurately detect serious heart conditions such as atrial fibrillation (A-Fib), myocardial infarction MI), and heart failure (HF). So far, no mass market wearable device is able to collectively detect the three aforementioned cardiac problems.University of Missouri / ScienceHuman studies demonstrate that integrating these multimodal biosignals significantly enhances diagnostic accuracy, achieving more than 91% accuracy for various heart conditionssurpassing models that rely on fewer inputs, says the research paper published in the Science journal.Notably, the team used off-the-shelf electronic components to make their multi-sensor heart rate measurement device. Another crucial benefit is that it can transmit all the data in real-time via Bluetooth, allowing remote monitoring for health experts.Moreover, it supports wireless charging. The penta-radial heart rate sensor is fitted with an onboard 50mAh rechargeable battery that offers up to 8 hours of heart activity measurement per charge.It can be juiced up using commercially available chargers, and power transfer can happen through wireless charging coils even when the device is being used, or underwater. The team is now working on porting the sensing hardware to a breathable layer so that it can be worn with ease.Editors Recommendations