Technology innovations have made the digital transformation of public services essential to enhancing safety, efficiency, and accountability. Kazakhstan has taken a monumental step forward in this regard by implementing a continuous video surveillance system across 78 correctional facilities nationwide. This groundbreaking initiative has set a new benchmark for prison management, significantly improving safety conditions and operational transparency.A digital leap for safer prisonsIn response to a national mandate from the President in 2020, the Ministry of Internal Affairs launched a comprehensive video surveillance project. The system includes over 39,500 high-definition cameras strategically installed across correctional institutions and their perimeters. These cameras are connected to advanced AI-driven analytics, providing real-time facial recognition, event detection, and license plate identification capabilities.The results are nothing short of remarkable: since its implementation, the system has identified over 32,000 violations of detention protocols, prevented 62 suicides and six escape attempts, and de-escalated 27 potentially violent conflicts. It has also reduced corruption and abuse, fostering humane treatment of inmates and improving the behavior of staff. For the first half of 2024, no cases of torture by staff were reported, a testament to the systems effectiveness.Innovation meets human-centered designKazakhstans video surveillance initiative goes beyond mere technological deployment. It represents a harmonious blend of innovation, process improvement, and personnel training. Prison staff have been equipped with the tools and knowledge to harness the systems full potential, enabling proactive incident management and fostering a culture of accountability.The initiative also supports the broader goal of rehabilitation. By improving the physical, psychological, and social conditions within prisons, the system aligns with global trends emphasizing inmate welfare and reintegration into society.Overcoming challenges with strategic visionBefore the project, sporadic and poorly maintained surveillance systems plagued correctional facilities, resulting in inconsistent monitoring and inadequate evidence for investigations. Kazakhstan addressed these challenges by deploying a centralized, secure infrastructure that ensures uninterrupted video transmission to a Situation Center under the Ministry of Internal Affairs.This hub manages real-time monitoring and analytics while safeguarding data integrity and privacy. The adoption of a fiber-optic private network further enhances reliability and security, creating a scalable framework for future innovations.Charting the road aheadKazakhstans video surveillance initiative is just the beginning. Plans are underway to integrate more advanced algorithms for object and event recognition and to connect the system with other IT infrastructures, such as access control solutions. These advancements will further strengthen the nations ability to maintain order, prevent misconduct, and foster trust in correctional institutions.The nations achievement offers valuable lessons for countries aiming to modernize their correctional facilities. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, combining it with strategic governance, and emphasizing human-centered implementation, Kazakhstan has set a precedent for others to follow.For a deeper dive into the strategies, implementation, and impact of this project, download the full report. Explore how Kazakhstan is redefining correctional facility management through innovation and strategic foresight.Discover the full story behind Kazakhstans transformative initiative. Learn more about the strategies, technologies, and future opportunities in this in-depth white paper: Global Trends in the Digital Transformation of Correctional Facilities: The Value of Video Surveillance.

Apple today previewed Apple MixC Hefei, the first store in the dynamic city and the first in Chinas Anhui province.

We've completed our trek across the vast halls of CES 2025 to round up the best smart home devices for Apple users. From robot vacuums to pocketable projectors, here's what we've found.CES 2025 had lots of new smart home tech on displayAfter nearly a week of wandering the halls and filling our Apple Watch rings we've surfaced from CES with our top finds. We focused primarily on Apple Home or Matter-enabled products, but there are some others that we threw in too.Best of all, most all of these are shipping soon. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Level up your Blender workflow with the Blender Procedural Addons Bundle! Get the ultimate bundle here: https://blendermarket.com/products/bl...Packed with a collection of must-have tools, this bundle boosts your creativity and efficiency across modeling, animation, texturing, and more. #Blender3D #3D #Modeling #Blender #Addons #Productivity #procedural #b3d #animation(Feed generated with FetchRSS)

Sniper Elitesbrand of part-Hitman, part-Metal Gearstealth gameplay has earned the series a sizeable fanbase over the years, and soon, that fanbase will have another tactical World War 2 adventure to dive into. Standalone spinoffSniper Elite: Resistanceis due out soon, and ahead of its launch, Rebellion has released a new trailer that highlights the games key talking points.Resistancewill be the first game in the series to not star Karl Fairburne as protagonist, with British agent Harry Hawker instead taking centerstage. The game will tout a full-fledged new campaign with its own new set of maps and missions, while you can also expect Invasions and co-op to return.On top of that,Sniper Elite: Resistancewill also feature a PvP multiplayer component, all the weapons customization mechanics the series has been known for in the past, gameplay improvements (including improved ballistic physics), and more. Check out the trailer below for more details.Sniper Elite: Resistancelaunches on January 30 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

Microsoft wants to make using Copilot a daily habit and take on Google's aggressive push of Gemini for Workspace.Read More

LG Display didnt have its usual exhibit of flashy, breakthrough new screens at this years CES. This resulted in an odd situation where it was actually Panasonic that shared the most details about LG Displays latest and greatest OLED panel. Even before any official announcement, it was already the centerpiece of 2025 flagships like Panasonics Z95B and the LG G5 from LG Electronics (not to be confused with the display division). But now the company is ready to spill the full details on its new four-layer tandem OLED design. 33 percent brighter than the previous generation and optimized for the AI TV era, it is the industrys first-ever OLEDdisplayto achieve a maximum brightness as high as 4,000 nits, LG Display wrote in a press release that went out tonight. The AI mention made me roll my eyes a bit, but theres no doubting that this is a very impressive panel.Heres the rundown on whats so innovative, according to LG Display:The new panels innovation centers on a Primary RGB Tandem structure, which isLGDisplays proprietary technology that uses independent stacks of RGB elements to produce light. It had previously used a three-stack light source, with two layers of blue elements emitting relatively short energy wavelengths alongside red, green, and yellow elements in a single layer.The Primary RGB Tandem structure applied to the fourth-generation OLED TV panel organizes the light source into four stacks by adding two layers of blue elements and independent layers of red and green elements. It improves maximum brightness by increasing the amount of light produced by each layer compared to the previous structure.The latest-gen OLED display uses a four-layer structure to maximize brightness this time without any micro-lens array technology. Graphic: LG DisplayOf course, seeing as were squarely in the OLED brightness wars, Samsung Display has its own brighter-than-ever QD-OLED screen thats going into Samsungs S95F, which was also announced in Las Vegas. But whereas Samsung is going all in on its glare-free display finish, LG is sticking with a more traditional glossy finish though it uses ultra-low reflective technology to lessen any potential distractions.Energy efficiency has improved again with the fourth-gen LG Display OLED, and the company says that color brightness can reach 2,100 nits, which is a 40 percent improvement compared to the prior version. These peak brightness numbers are what the panel is technically capable of, but that doesnt necessarily mean that TV makers like Panasonic will necessarily push it that hard in consumer sets.Either way, OLED keeps getting brighter and more vibrant while still retaining all of its trademark strengths like perfect blacks, fantastic viewing angles, and fast response times for gaming. The best ones dont come cheap, but theyre worth saving up for. If youre after more info on the new panel, I recommend these great videos from Caleb Denison at Digital Trends and Vincent Teoh at HDTVTest. LG Displays rival, Samsung Display, did have a CES showcase that my colleague Sean Hollister caught during the show, so be sure to give that a watch as well.

Agentic AI enables autonomous and collaborative problem-solving that mimics human cognition. By facilitating multi-agent cooperation with real-time communication, it holds promise across diverse industries, from autonomous transportation to adaptive healthcare. However, achieving this potential requires scalable, robust, and seamlessly integrative frameworks with existing technologies while addressing technical challenges that limit adaptability and precision.The significant challenge lies in the lack of architectural flexibility in early frameworks. These systems often relied on rigid designs that hindered seamless agent communication and lacked adequate debugging tools, making them unsuitable for large-scale deployments. Another limitation was the absence of robust observability and control mechanisms essential for tracking performance, debugging interactions, and managing deviations effectively.Although existing tools have enabled basic multi-agent workflows, their technological limitations reduce efficiency. Inefficiencies in handling agent communications, increased latency, and the lack of asynchronous operations have hindered real-time applications in environments where rapid response times are critical. Frameworks tailored to specific programming environments have also limited their utility for diverse development teams.Microsoft researchers introduced AutoGen v0.4, a comprehensive update to their agentic AI framework. This release features a complete redesign to enhance scalability, robustness, and extensibility. The framework incorporates an asynchronous, event-driven architecture, enabling flexible communication patterns and efficient operation in distributed environments. Modular and extensible components allow developers to create proactive, long-running agents that adapt to evolving task requirements with minimal overhead.The key improvements introduced in AutoGen v0.4 compared to its previous versions:Asynchronous Messaging: An event-driven architecture that enhances communication efficiency and flexibility.Enhanced Observability: Integrated OpenTelemetry tools for precise monitoring, debugging, and performance tracking.Modular Design: Plug-and-play functionality for custom agents, tools, and models, offering extensive customization.Improved Scalability: Distributed agent networks enable seamless large-scale deployment across organizational boundaries.Cross-Language Support: Interoperability between Python and .NET, with plans for additional languages.Advanced Debugging Tools: Message tracing and mid-execution control reduced debugging time by 40%.AutoGen Studio: A low-code platform with real-time updates, drag-and-drop team building, and visual communication management.Proactive Agents: Event-driven patterns support long-duration tasks without performance loss.Magentic-One: A versatile multi-agent system for solving complex and open-ended tasks.The frameworks layered architecture comprises three main components:The core layerThe AgentChat APIThe extensions moduleThe core layer provides foundational event-driven functionalities, while the AgentChat API adds task-oriented features such as group chats, pre-built agents, and real-time code execution. This API ensures easy migration from earlier versions by maintaining familiar abstractions alongside new capabilities. The extensions module enhances adaptability by integrating tools like the Azure code executor and OpenAI model client. With Python and .NET support, cross-language interoperability further broadens the frameworks utility with more languages in development.AutoGen v0.4 reduced message latency by 30%, improving task execution efficiency. Debugging tools with OpenTelemetry integration allowed developers to resolve issues 40% faster. The framework also enabled scalable, distributed agent networks, overcoming limitations in prior versions. Modular components reduced system downtime by 25%, simplifying the integration of custom extensions.A key feature of AutoGen v0.4 is its focus on usability. AutoGen Studio, a low-code platform, supports rapid prototyping with real-time agent updates, mid-execution control, and an intuitive visual interface. Its drag-and-drop team builder streamlines the creation of complex agent networks. Magentic-One, a versatile multi-agent application, further highlights the frameworks adaptability by enabling solutions for open-ended tasks across diverse domains.In conclusion, AutoGen v0.4 addresses critical challenges such as scalability, debugging efficiency, and developer usability compared to the previous version. The frameworks innovative features, such as asynchronous messaging and cross-language support, highlight its potential to drive real-world applications across diverse industries.Check out the Details and GitHub Page. All credit for this research goes to the researchers of this project. Also,dont forget to follow us onTwitter and join ourTelegram Channel andLinkedIn Group. Dont Forget to join our65k+ ML SubReddit.(Promoted) Asif RazzaqAsif Razzaq is the CEO of Marktechpost Media Inc.. As a visionary entrepreneur and engineer, Asif is committed to harnessing the potential of Artificial Intelligence for social good. His most recent endeavor is the launch of an Artificial Intelligence Media Platform, Marktechpost, which stands out for its in-depth coverage of machine learning and deep learning news that is both technically sound and easily understandable by a wide audience. The platform boasts of over 2 million monthly views, illustrating its popularity among audiences. Meet 'Height':The only autonomous project management tool (Sponsored)

For 2025, AndaSeat is coming out with a new line of gaming chair that's sure to be a hit with the budget-minded audience. AndaSeat isn't as big of a name in the congested gaming chair market as some other brands like Secretlab, DXRacer, or Razer, but rest assured it makes some high-quality gaming chairs. Starting now, you can preorder the new Andaseat Novis gaming chair for only $199. Even better, you can use our 10% off IGN code "AndaIGN" to drop the price further to $179.10. We haven't yet gotten our hands on one (it's out on February 15), but at least on paper the Novis looks like it has most of the comfort, features, and styling of other high-end gaming chairs at a more affordable price.Preorder the Andaseat Novis Gaming ChairUse 10% off code: AndaIGNAndaSeat Novis Gaming ChairThe Novis follows a similar racing-inspired gaming aesthetic of its Kasier lineup of chairs, minus the two holes at the top that are traditionally used for seatbelt passthroughs in racecar seats but is completely useless in gaming PC chairs. It's available in two upholstery options: PVC leather and linen fabric. PVC leather is what you'll find on most gaming chairs. It's a faux leather like vinyl that's resistant to stains and is very easy to clean. I personally like linen fabric, however, because it ages better and has more breathability so you're less likely to have a sweaty back or thighs during intense gaming sessions. Underneath the upholstery is 60kg/m of cold-cure foam that, according to Andaseat, "strikes the perfect balance between soft and firm, making it cushiony but with enough body support."Other features include a molded seat back with a 5cm raised lumbar, side bolsters on both the seat and back for a bit more support, height-adjustable armrests, 155 degrees of reclinability and 15 degrees of rockability, a SGS class 4 gas piston that supports up to 200 pounds on the base model (265 on the XL model). You also get up to 5 years of warranty if you post a photo of your chair on social media, an extra step borrowed from other brands like Secretlab.You can easily spend upwards of nearly $1,000 on a Secretlab gaming chair, but nowadays even budget chairs can offer you a comfortable sitting experience even for long gaming sessions. Currently our top budget gaming chair is the TC100 Relaxed from Corsair, which retails for $249.99. Here's a chance to get another quality gaming chair for $70 less.Interested in other Andaseat chairs? Right now, they're hosting a New Year Sale with up to $220 off their most popular models, including the Kaiser and X-Air mesh chairs.Why Should You Trust IGN's Deals Team?IGN's deals team has a combined 30+ years of experience finding the best discounts in gaming, tech, and just about every other category. We don't try to trick our readers into buying things they don't need at prices that aren't worth buying something at. Our ultimate goal is to surface the best possible deals from brands we trust and our editorial team has personal experience with. You can check out our deals standards here for more information on our process, or keep up with the latest deals we find on IGN's Deals account on Twitter.Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

Samsung and Apple are both preparing to launch new, thinner smartphones in 2025, but it sounds like Samsungs Galaxy S25 Slim wont match whats rumored for the iPhone 17 Air per a new leak that reveals how thin the device is.Its been rumored for quite a while now that Apple is working on a super-thin iPhone for 2025, and Samsung is reportedly stepping up to compete with it. The alleged Galaxy S25 Slim is expected to launch after the rest of the Galaxy S25 series, but aside from that, we hadnt heard much about what it will bring to the table.According to new details shared by SmartPrix, the Galaxy S25 Slim will measure in at 159 x 76 x 6.4mm. The camera bump goes out to 8.3mm.Thatd put the device at almost 2mm thinner than the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and around 1mm thinner than the Galaxy S25+ which, according to past leaks, measures 158.4 x 75.7 x 7.3mm. What about Apples device?The rumored iPhone 17 Air hasnt seen many specific details leak, but the most recent report, per 9to5Mac, suggests the Air will be as low as 5.5mm thick at its thinnest point. Its unclear if that means the device will have a tapered design such as Apple used on the MacBook Air for a long time, but in either case, it sounds like it will be a lot thinner than Samsungs device.The report goes on to mention Snapdragon 8 Elite, a display around 6.8-inches in size, and reiterates a potential May 2025 launch date.Samsung hasreservations open now for the Galaxy S25 series, with a$50 creditwhen you pre-order and up to $1,200+ in savings. Reservations are free, and theres no obligation to actually buy a device if you sign up, but theres no other time you canget that $50 credit.Reserve Galaxy S25 now on Samsung.comMore on Samsung:Follow Ben:Twitter/X,Threads, Bluesky, andInstagramAdd 9to5Google to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Google experts who break news about Google and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Google on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel