Several environmental groups are suing California air regulators over their recent update of a contentious climate program, saying they failed to address the pollution impacts of biofuels.The lawsuits target the low-carbon fuel standard, which requires California to reduce the environmental impact of transportation fuels by incentivizing producers to cut emissions. The California Air Resources Board voted last month to increase the states emission reduction targets, fund charging infrastructure for zero-emission vehicles, and phase out incentives for capturing methane emissions from dairy farms to turn into fuel.California, which often leads the nation on climate policy, plans to achieve so-called carbon neutrality by 2045, meaning the state will remove as many carbon emissions from the atmosphere as it emits. The state has passed policies in recent years to phase out the sale of new fossil-fuel powered cars, trucks, trains and lawn mowers.One of the lawsuits filed this week, by the nonprofit Communities for a Better Environment, accuses the board of failing to thoroughly analyze the climate impacts of burning biofuels derived from plants and animal waste. Another, filed by Food and Water Watch, Central Valley Defenders of Clean Air and Water, and the Animal Legal Defense Fund, focuses on the impact of pollution often impacting low-income and Latino communities from the capture of methane from cow manure to turn into fuel.People who live near refineries in California are harmed by the spiraling expansion of polluting biofuels, but CARB failed to analyze the resulting harm to these communities, said a statement by Katherine Ramos, a program director at Communities for a Better Environment.Environmentalists say the LCFS program has stimulated the production of polluting biofuels, competing with food production and contributing to deforestation. They want California to focus more on expanding the charging infrastructure for electric vehicles.The agency declined to comment on the lawsuits but said the program plays an important role in combating climate change and improving air quality.The amendments channel global, national and local private sector investment towards increasing cleaner fuel and transportation options for consumers, accelerating the deployment of zero-emission infrastructure, and keeping the state on track to meet legislatively mandated air quality and climate targets, Dave Clegern, a spokesperson for the board, said in an email.Austin is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Austin on Twitter: @ sophieadannaSophie Austin, Associated Press/Report for America

Artist Morag Myerscough has created an 11.5-metre-tall neon sculpture for a church in Doncaster, UK, which was informed by the "culture of embroidery and tapestry in religious buildings".The light installation, which was made from wood painted in bright neon hues, marked the first time Myerscough had mixed her own fluorescent hues.The installation sat at the centre of Doncaster Minster"Often I incorporate fluorescent neon paint within my work so the piece transitions from day to night," Myerscough told Dezeen. "As this was a light piece it was a perfect piece to paint the whole of it out of neon water-based paint.""This was the first time I mixed my own fluorescent colours, which worked really well. The piece was then lit by black light onto the work so no lights were required on the structure."Its shape was informed by needlepoint design and wordsMyerscough was informed by Doncaster Minster's needlepoint prayer kneelers for Love and Unity, which was made for Doncaster's Festival of Light in November and assembled on-site."I was inspired by the culture of embroidery and tapestry in religious buildings, by [textile artists] Edith John and my mother, Betty Fraser Myerscough," she explained."So I decided to reignite my love of sewing and started sewing this piece with no particular plan throughout the summer."Poems from the community decorate the interiorIt was this textile design that influenced the shape of the final sculpture, which had an angular abstract form."I started with a pattern and then sewed the word LOVE," Myerscough said."Originally I sewed the piece horizontally and then I turned it round and realised that was a beacon of LOVE and UNITY and went from them. I then proceeded to build it in three dimensions."Read: Morag Myerscough creates "secret garden" for Sheffield Children's HospitalLove and Unity also featured an interactive aspect, with the community invited to write a collective poem, lines from which were then stitched onto the wooden structure and displayed inside the sculpture."The Doncaster Festival of Light is free for the Doncaster community and I wanted to make a work that the community felt part of and it was to belong to them," Myerscough said."The best way of achieving this is for people to be involved in the process. We asked the community to respond to 'Love & Unity' in words and poems which were incorporated into the sewn element of the structure."Stitchwork was left visible on the sculptureThe installation was also Myerscough's first installation in a religious building."This is the first time I have built a piece in a religious building and it is the tallest piece I have built inside," she said. "I have always loved and visited religious buildings as they always have a unique atmosphere.""Doncaster Minster is incredible architecturally and it did feel a privilege to make a piece for the building," she continued.The installation was made for Doncaster's Festival of LightLove and Unity also featured a custom soundscape made by Doncaster artist Doya Beardmore, which drew from sessions with students from the local Ridgewood School and archival recordings of Myerscough's father, musician Henry Myerscough.The sculpture was created for community arts programme Right Up Our Street, which will now reuse the materials after the installation closed.Other recent designs by Myerscough include a "secret garden" for Sheffield Children's Hospital and a kinetic installation for the Coachella festival 2024.The photography is by Gareth Gardner.Love and Unity was shown at Doncaster Minster as part of the Doncaster Festival of Light on 15 to 23 November. See Dezeen Events Guidefor more architecture and design events around the world.The post Morag Myerscough creates neon Love and Unity sculpture in Doncaster Minster appeared first on Dezeen.

Custom stone furnituremaker Form(LA) has opened the doors of its first flagship store in Los Angeles specifically a pivoting marble door punctuated by nine porthole windows.The 5,500-square-foot (510-square-metre) store is housed in a West Hollywood building that is nearly a century old.Form(LA) has opened its first flagship store. Photo by Tristan KallasForm(LA) founder Jordan Mosslar first started the "long and meticulous" process of designing and converting the space into a showroom back in March 2022."Because we were renovating a large, 90-year-old building, there were many unexpected surprises that required us to adjust our original plans and re-design elements on the fly," he told Dezeen.Founder Jordan Mosslar designed the interiorThe store's interior scheme was influenced by modern Italian design, with warm textures and a playful feel.In line with the atelier's expertise in natural stone, almost all of the surfaces are covered in different varieties of the material.The showroom displays examples of Form(LA)'s stone furniture"I have incorporated natural stone into all of the architectural elements of the space including the flooring, walls, archways and even a Calacatta Viola pivot entry door," explained Mosslar.Two slabs of Calacutta Viola marble were bonded to metal sheets and set into a metal frame to create the door.Read: Mesura constructs Barcelona Aesop store from 19th-century building fragmentsThe door is the first thing visitors see as they approach the showroom, providing glimpses into the interior via nine porthole windows with tesselated glazing.Inside the showroom, the doors leading into the model bathroom and kitchen where some of the brand's unreleased products are displayed mirror the punctured design of the entrance.Pendant lights designed by Studio Tristan Kallas hang over the productsThis pattern of round openings is also repeated on a pair of lampshades that hang from the ceiling.Sculptor Tristan Kallas was commissioned to craft sculptural lights that hang directly above the dining tables on display. The pendants were made from plaster to resemble draped fabric.Almost every surface is clad in stoneMeanwhile, the walls are dotted with custom-made paintings by local abstract artist Ali Enache.Mosslar founded Form(LA) intending to streamline the process behind designing and procuring bespoke stone furniture, which he says can be "notoriously difficult".The entry door is clad inCalacatta marble. Photo by Tristan KallasElsewhere in North America, Canadian studio Perron has revamped a 20th-century building in Qubec City to house its studio and showroom and New York-based practice ANY has designed the first physical retail space for streetwear brand Vowels in Manhattan.The photography is by Clement Pascal with styling by Lisa Rowe, unless stated otherwise.The post Form(LA) hides stone furniture showroom behind marble pivot door appeared first on Dezeen.

Polycycle Illumination has been named Dezeen Awards China 2024 design project of the year at a ceremony in Shanghai where all four design category winners were announced.The four winners named at the Dezeen Awards China ceremony included designs by Goodo Design, Studio Ololoo and Momant Studio.Polycycle Illumination crowned design project of the yearA series of jellyfish-shaped lampsby Xuanhao won the prestigious design project of the year award and was also named lighting design of the year.The judges praised the project for its ingenious structure and modularity."The feasibility of industrial scalability is an important factor to determine the future of upcycling plastic waste," said judge Mario Tsai. "Polycycle Illumination seems to find the right balance to secure a commercial value."Polycycle Illumination was named design of the year. Photo by Xuanhao LiOther winners included a wooden stool with an inflatable cushion, a fetal movement and heart monitor and an installation crafted from golden tree trunks and veneer.The shortlisted design projects were scored by our design panel, which included art journalist Cao Dan, designer Tsai, artist Qiong Er Jiang, curator Paola Antonelli and industrial designer Paul Priestman.View the winning design projects on the Dezeen Awards China website or read below:Photo by Xuanhao LiDesign project of the year and lighting design of the year: Polycycle Illumination by Xuanhao LiXuanhao Li's Polycycle Illuminationis a sustainable lamp collection upcycled from plastic film waste through CNC fabrication and craftsmanship.Through computational design, digital fabrication and crafts, Polycycle Illumination repurposes discarded polyethylene plastic packaging into elegant jellyfish-shaped table lamps, saving them from ending up in landfills or oceans.The bio-inspired silhouettes pay homage to the marine ecosystem and revive plastic waste with a captivating glow through the interwoven textures.Read more about Polycycle Illumination by Xuanhao Li Photo by Goodo DesignProduct design of the year: Mom's Hug Fetal Monitor by Goodo DesignCreated by Goodo Design, the monitor enables non-medical users to easily obtain precise fetal movement data in daily environments like at home or at work.Replacing the currently-used stethoscope technology, Mom's Hug is the first of its kind in the industry to provide accurate monitoring while remaining convenient and budget-friendly."This is the first fetal movement and heart rate monitor in the industry that uses a pressure sensor combined with Doppler fetal heart rate measurement to provide accurate fetal movement and heart rate data," said Goodo Design.Read more about Mom's Hug Fetal Monitor by Goodo Design Photo by Studio OlolooFurniture design of the year: Bubble Stool by Studio OlolooCrafted from ash wood and recyclable TPU airbags in a small factory in Ningbo, the stool exemplifies the studio's exploration of using pressed multiform airbags to create designs for different user scenarios."The form of the stool iss inspired by a children's game of blowing bubbles, like a steel ring," said Studio Ololoo."The inflated TPU airbag is fixed in the seat and is squeezed by the irregular wooden ring to form an organic bubble-shaped seat cushion."Read more about Bubble Stool by Studio Ololoo Photo by Momant StudioCraft and collectible design of the year: Treehouse Symphony by Momant StudioTreehouse Symphony is a wooden sculpture informed by a treehouse with vibrant golden tree trunks and veneers that embody the vitality of nature.Inspired by treehouses that merge art and nature, the design evokes the viewer's memories of childhood adventures and the awareness of nature and its protection.Read more about Treehouse symphony by Momant Studio Dezeen Awards China 2024 in partnership with BentleyDezeen Awards China is the ultimate accolade for architects and designers across China. The second edition of the annual awards programme is in partnership with Bentley as part of a wider collaboration to inspire, support and champion design excellence and showcase innovation that creates a better and more sustainable world. This ambition complements Bentley's architecture and design business initiatives, including the Bentley Home range of furnishings and real estate projects around the world.The post Jellyfish-shaped lamps named design project of the year at Dezeen Awards China 2024 appeared first on Dezeen.

Folks over at 8BitDo are on a role this year with the release of high-quality gaming controllers (most often officially licensed) that cater to the needs of every kind of gamer. Just when you thought what more could come from the house of this innovative tech company, they have the perfect gift this holiday season for kids and people with small hands.The peppy gamepad is basically a compact and lighter version of the Ultimate 2C controller. The officially licensed Xbox controller is 20 percent smaller and 10 percent lighter than its predecessor, thus making it a good option for gamers who think the Xbox Series X|S controllers are a bit of a handful. Weighing just 189.6 grams the controller is well-suited for long playing sessions which can fatigue your wrists and hands.Designer: 8BitDoThe layout on the controller is similar to the regular ones by Xbox the only difference being the more crammed positioning (or compact alignment if you have small hands) of buttons. The buttons, joysticks, and triggers are full-sized, so that you dont miss any input during crucial gameplay action. Although the main target audience of this gaming peripheral is teens and younger gamers, itll be the most cozy option for female gamers who tend to have smaller hands and males with average-sized hands.The action buttons, directional pad, and the magnetic Hall effect joysticks are positioned very close together. This while keeping in mind ergonomics and a clear distinction in gaming inputs when multiple buttons or joysticks are pushed. 8BitDo has also included Hall effect triggers on the rear, and slightly smaller shoulder buttons. The visually striking gamepad comes wrapped in a translucent shell with white, green and pink hues along with the matching button and joystick color theme. Whenever a button is pushed or the joystick rolled, the cool LED lights react with flashes or follow the direction of the movement. This they call the Fire Ring and it looks amazing.Ultimate Mini is going to be available in wired option only, so that there is no extra battery weight just like in other wireless controllers. It is compatible with Xbox One, Xbox Series S|X, and Windows 10 or higher PCs. The compact gamepad can be ordered right away in the US for $35 from the official 8BitDo online store or Amazon.The post Ultra compact and lightweight 8BitDo Ultimate Mini controller is perfect for gamers with small hands first appeared on Yanko Design.

The only fitting adjective to describe this LEGO kit is Legen wait for it Dary!For nine years, How I Met Your Mother captured global audiences with a distinctive blend of humor, heartfelt storytelling, and unforgettable characters. It developed a devoted following that continues through reruns and streaming, as people revisit the Manhattan apartment, the bar around the corner, and the inside jokes that made viewers laugh, cry, and find comfort in a group of friends navigating life, love, and dreams.Now, fans can relive the nostalgia of Mosby and his gangs shenanigans through this LEGO Ideas set that recreates the shows beloved apartment in remarkable detail. With around 1,300 pieces and six minifigures (plus a goat), this model includes a kitchen, living room, bathroom, and both Teds and Marshall and Lilys bedrooms. Each room presents subtle nods and references to the shows memorable episodes, giving builders a hands-on way to celebrate the series enduring legacy.Designer: DreamnbricksPicture this: Teds iconic apartment, recreated with stunning attention to detail using approximately 1,300 LEGO pieces. Fans of the show will recognize every corner of this familiar setting, from the lovingly cluttered kitchen to the cozy living room where so many of those legendary moments took place. Marshall and Lilys bedroom, Teds personal retreat, and even a tiny bathroomeach room is a nod to the set that became a second home for millions of viewers. The HIMYM LEGO Ideas set comes from the mind of Dreamnbricks, a LEGO builder who wanted to pay tribute to one of his favorite TV series of all time.Of course, no tribute to How I Met Your Mother would be complete without its iconic characters. The set includes six minifigures: Ted, Marshall, Lily, Barney, Robin, Missy the goat, and the mysterious woman who Ted finally marries, standing with her iconic yellow umbrella. These figures bring the spirit of the show to life, with just the right balance of charm and detail to capture their personalities. Barney, for example, looks like hes mid-scheme in his legendary suit, while Robins figure feels ready to belt out a hit as Robin Sparkles. The only recurring characters missing from the set are Teds children, who often feature in the intro of each show.The LEGO Ideas kit comes filled with easter eggs from the show. The apartment is littered with familiar imagery from the blue French horn, the pineapple, the Intervention sign in the living room, Barneys Playbook, and even the yellow umbrella tucked into the scene. Designed like a studio set, the LEGO kit also comes with the HIMYM placard on top, along with studio lighting placed along the edge of the walls.The design also emphasizes practicality, which is fitting for a sitcom built on the everyday magic of friendship. The apartments modular layout makes it easy to customize, giving builders the freedom to recreate their favorite moments or even imagine new scenarios. Want to stage the slap bet? Go ahead. Reenact the goat incident? Absolutely. Its a set thats as playful as it is nostalgic, capturing the heart of the series while letting fans make it their own.But why now? Why does How I Met Your Mother deserve its own LEGO set almost a decade after its final episode aired? Because the shows impact hasnt faded. Its reruns and streaming presence keep it alive for new generations, who laugh, cry, and cringe their way through Teds winding path to love. This LEGO project taps into that enduring legacy, offering fans a tangible way to celebrate a story thats as much about the journey as the destination.Currently, the How I Met Your Mother kit is a submission on the LEGO Ideas website a forum where fans can share their own LEGO creations and vote for their favorites. With just under 2,000 votes, this particular MOC (My Own Creation) is gradually picking up the attention of HIMYM-lovers. If you want to see this LEGO kit come to life, visit the LEGO Ideas website and cast your vote!The post LEGO How I Met Your Mother Brick Set Brings Ted Mosbys Iconic Apartment to Life first appeared on Yanko Design.

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The artificial intelligence start-up said the new system, OpenAI o3, outperformed leading A.I. technologies on tests that rate skills in math, science, coding and logic.

A live agent spends hours each week manually documenting routine interactions. Another combs through multiple knowledge bases to find the right solution, scrambling to piece it together while the customer waits on hold. A third types out the same response theyve written dozens of times before. These repetitive tasks can be draining, leaving less time for meaningful customer interactionsbut generative AI is changing this reality. By automating routine workflows, AI augments the efforts of live agents, freeing them to do what they do best: solving complex problems and applying human understanding and empathy to help customers during critical situations.DOWNLOAD THE REPORTEnterprises are trying to rush to figure out how to implement or incorporate generative AI into their business to gain efficiencies, says Will Fritcher, deputy chief client officer at TP. But instead of viewing AI as a way to reduce expenses, they should really be looking at it through the lens of enhancing the customer experience and driving value.Doing this requires solving two intertwined challenges: empowering live agents by automating routine tasks and ensuring AI outputs remain accurate, reliable, and precise. And the key to both these goals? Striking the right balance between technological innovation and human judgment. A key role in customer supportGenerative AIs potential impact on customer support is twofold: Customers stand to benefit from faster, more consistent service for simple requests, whilealso receiving undivided human attention for complex, emotionally charged situations. For employees, eliminating repetitive tasks boosts job satisfaction and reduces burnout.The tech can also be used to streamline customer support workflows and enhance service quality in various ways, including:Automated routine inquiries: AI systems handle straightforward customer requests, like resetting passwords or checking account balances.Real-time assistance: During interactions, AI pulls up contextually relevant resources, suggests responses, and guides live agents to solutions faster.Fritcher notes that TP is relying on many of these capabilities in its customer support solutions. For instance, AI-powered coaching marries AI-driven metrics with human expertise to provide feedback on 100% of customer interactions, rather than the traditional 2%to 4% that was monitored pre-generative AI.Call summaries: By automatically documenting customer interactions, AI saves live agents valuable time that can be reinvested in customer care.Download the full report.This content was produced by Insights, the custom content arm of MIT Technology Review. It was not written by MIT Technology Reviews editorial staff.

Its a stormy holiday weekend, and youve just received the last notification you want in the busiest travel week of the year: The first leg of your flight is significantly delayed.You might expect this means youll be sitting on hold with airline customer service for half an hour. But this time, the process looks a little different: You have a brief text exchange with the airlines AI chatbot, which quickly assesses your situation and places you in a priority queue. Shortly after, a human agent takes over, confirms the details, and gets you rebooked on an earlier flight so you can make your connection. Youll be home in time to enjoy moms pot roast. DOWNLOAD THE REPORTGenerative AI is becoming a key component of business operations and customer service interactions today. According to Salesforce research, three out of five workers (61%) either currently use or plan to use generative AI in their roles. A full 68% of these employees are confident that the technologywhich can churn out text, video, image, and audio content almost instantaneouslywill enable them to provide more enriching customer experiences. But the technology isnt a complete solutionor a replacement for human workers. Sixty percent of the surveyed employees believe that human oversight is indispensable for effective and trustworthy generative AI.Generative AI enables people and increases efficiencies in business operations, but using it to empower employees will make all the difference. Its full business value will only be achieved when it is used thoughtfully to blend with human empathy, ingenuity, and emotional intelligence.Generative AI pilots across industriesThough the technology is still nascent, many generative AI use cases are starting to emerge. In sales and marketing, generative AI can assist with creating targeted ad content, identifying leads, upselling, cross-selling, and providing real-time sales analytics. When used for internal functions like IT, HR, and finance, generative AI can improve help-desk services, simplify recruitment processes, generate job descriptions, assist with onboarding and exit processes, and even write code.Download the full report.This content was produced by Insights, the custom content arm of MIT Technology Review. It was not written by MIT Technology Reviews editorial staff.