A screenshot of the game display shows the quadcopter following a green path around the rings. The inset shows a hand avatar. The neural implant records from nearby neurons and algorithms determine the intended movements for the hand avatar. The finger positions are then used to control the virtual quadcopter. Credit: University of Michigan / Nature MedicineShareMultiple brain-computer interface (BCI) projects are currently underway, but BrainGate is one of the first aimed at motor restoration in users affected by neurodegenerative disorders and spinal cord injuries. Researchers have spent years working through the devices clinical trial phases, but their most recent breakthrough isnt focused on physical accomplishments. Instead, the latest achievements could pave the way for people with disabilities to more easily utilize complex computer software, communicate with loved ones, work remotely, and even make music.According to a study published by BrainGate engineers on January 20 in the journal Nature Medicine, a volunteer with quadriplegia can now maintain unprecedented control over a virtual object using their surgically implanted BrainGate BCI device. To demonstrate the ability, the patient guided a virtual rotocopter through hoops in a digital obstacle course by simply thinking about moving the fingers on one of their hands.This is a greater degree of functionality than anything previously based on finger movements, Matthew Willsey, study first author and a University of Michigan assistant professor of neurosurgery and biomedical engineering, said in an accompanying announcement.Noninvasive BCI technology already exists to help users with physical restrictions operate computer software and video games, often relying on electroencephalography (EEG) signals. Willsey and his colleagues, however, note that these methods require analyzing larger regions of the brain beyond the motor cortex. Because of this, the engineers believe placing microthin electrode wiring closer to the actual neurons allows for the restoration of more precise motor control.[BrainGate2] takes the signals created in the motor cortex that occur simply when the participant tries to move their fingers and uses an artificial neural network to interpret what the intentions are to control virtual fingers in the simulation, said Willsey.The updated BrainGate BCI system works by analyzing the users hand in three partsthe thumb, then the index and middle fingers, followed by the ring and pinky fingers. Each section is also defined by its horizontal and vertical movements. To guide a virtual quadcopter through its digital obstacle course, the BCI user only needs to think about moving those hand groupings as needed to fly the vehicle through the floating hoops.The volunteer, who cannot move their limbs after sustaining a spinal cord injury many years ago, has worked with Willseys team since 2016. But unlike some of the previous trials, this one was specifically tailored to their interests. Get the Popular Science newsletter Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.The quadcopter simulation was not an arbitrary choice, the research participant had a passion for flying, added Donald Avansino, study co-author and a computer scientist at Stanford University. While also fulfilling the participants desire for flight, the platform also showcased the control of multiple fingers.According to the teams results, the BrainGate array wired directly to motor neurons offered a sixfold improvement on the users quadcopter piloting when compared to an EEG system. This digital precision may soon extend much further than copter steeringit could allow for greater connectivity between the BCI user and their friends and loved ones.People tend to focus on restoration of the sorts of functions that are basic necessitieseating, dressing, mobilityand those are all important, explained Jaimie Henderson, a neurosurgery professor at Stanford and study co-author. But oftentimes, other equally important aspects of life get short shrift, like recreation or connection with peers. People want to play games and interact with their friends.Henderson said there are also practical implications to the BCI improvements showcased in the quadcopter trialsthe ability to control multiple virtual fingers allows for multifactor control schemes for all kinds of things, including using CAD software and composing music.

Nature, Published online: 21 January 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00197-xThe new president signed decrees designed to shift the US governments stance on climate and public health.

Nature, Published online: 21 January 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00168-2For open communication, give researchers a permanent e-mail alias

Take a look at this clip shared by a Reddit user known as SwekC137, comparing the viewport and the rendered versions of the same scene made in Blender.The viewport version highlights real-time playback and interactivity and provides a preview of the final variant, showing the composition and movements of the scenes elements. The viewport already shows the creators high-level expertise in 3D animation, despite lacking details like lighting, shadows, and textures.The rendered version, on the other hand, already includes the textures and complex lighting, transforming the WIP version into a cinematic take. The lifelike water visualization, in combination with the dynamic lighting, creates a unique and detailed setup.SwekC137shared that the sim made by Gleb Alexandrov was used for the artwork, and the baked assets are available onCreative Shrimp Patreon.Check out other amazing artwork showcased by the artist:A Blender-made short film:WIP for the film:Animations WIP versions compared to the finalized ones:Dont forget to join our 80 Level Talent platform and our new Discord server, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Telegram, TikTok, and Threads, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.Source link The post Check Out This Comparison of WIP & Rendered Water Animation Made with Blender appeared first on CG SHARES.

Nosferatu 4K Limited Edition Steelbook $38 Preorder at Amazon Robert Eggers Nosferatu is a chilling remake of F.W. Murnaus iconic horror film, and it pulled in positive reviews from both fans and critics when it hit theaters late last year. And if youre interested in bringing it to your home theater, preorders for the Nosferatu Limited Edition Steelbook are now open at Walmart ahead of the film's February 18 release on 4K Blu-ray. This release includes the original theatrical version as well as a new extended cut. The Limited Edition Steelbook has already sold out at least three times at Amazon, so you'll want to secure your preorder soon.Preorder Nosferatu Steelbook Edition at:Walmart -- $40Amazon -- $38 | Sold outGruv -- $38 Continue Reading at GameSpot

New Hello Kitty and Friends DLC has arrived in Minecraft, and it lets players build a cute farm filled with crops and animals, alongside many Hello Kitty characters.In this DLC, players will be able to water and grow crops to harvest.There are plenty of animals to raise, including chickens, cows, sheep, and pigs, which can provide eggs, milk, and wool. Pigs also have the ability to find valuable truffles that are worth quite a lot. Over 180 different Hello Kitty-themed furniture and decor will be added, such as the Badtz-Maru chair and the Tuxedo Sam table.The DLC also comes with changing seasons to freshen up the landscape as well as festive events. These events include the Eggciting Cherry Blossom Festival, Frosty Funday, Halloween Spooktacular, and the Fireworks Festival. However, players will have to watch out for natural disasters, such as typhoons and heat waves that could ruin your crops.Continue Reading at GameSpot

Minecraft is a relaxing game that allows players to enjoy both a survival experience and a creative builder experience. There are many different things that players will need to be able to survive within the game if they are playing in survival mode, but there are also many different qualities of life choices players can make as well. For example, making dye for their armor and other items within the game.

According to a leaked article, Bethesdas upcoming first-person shooter Doom: The Dark Ages is seemingly set to be released on May 15, 2025. Doom: The Dark Ages was only announced in June 2024, but the latest entry into id Softwares long-running FPS franchise is already one of Microsofts most anticipated games in 2025.

Necromancers are the summoners of Diablo 4, but thats not their entire identity. Like much of Diablo 4, Necromancers are far more complex than youd initially imagine. So when you can summon minions to do your bidding or sacrifice them for major stat bonuses, how do you know what to do? Thats where we come in, with our suggestions of the best Necromancer builds for Diablo 4 season 7. Necromancers are able to summon Skeletons and Golems. But theyre also able to cast Sorcerer-like spells dealing in the creepier sides of magic. They can sling bones and drain blood from foes. They can even project poison blight on the ground. And, yes, they can sacrifice minions for incredible bonuses with the Book of the Dead. Not to your taste? We also have builds for the Sorcerer, Rogue, Druid, Spiritborn, and Barbarian classes.In this Diablo 4 guide, weve gathered and simplified the best Diablo 4 Necromancer builds for season 7. If you need even more information on item affixes or other more complex ideas, weve been sure to link out to the more detailed versions of these builds, as well as where to find their original creators.Best Necromancer build for leveling in Diablo 4 season 7This build is based off Seroc Ifkres Necromancer leveling guide at maxroll.gg, and is purely for leveling (i.e., allocating your 71 skill points between levels 1 and 60) and early stages of the Torment I difficulty. If you want more detailed information about the item affixes you want to look for on your gear, or which other Legendary powers are great for your build, check out the original maxroll.gg guide.Best skills for levelingThis Necromancer leveling guides focuses on Raise Skeleton. In this build, youll also use Blight, Soulrift, Blood Mist, Corpse Tendrils, and Reap.Here are the best skills for a Necromancer leveling build, organized by the exact order you should purchase them in bearing in mind that some skills require you to allocate a number of skill points in the tree in order to unlock them. As such, youll need to unlock new skills before enhancing existing ones.Reap / Enhanced ReapSever (rank 1-3) / Enhanced Sever / Supernatural SeverNecrotic FortitudeTitans FallSpiked ArmorFueled By DeathGrim HarvestSkeletal Warrior MasteryDecrepify / Enhanced Decrepify / Abhorrent DecrepifyAmplify DamageDeaths Embrace (rank 1-3)Corpse Tendrils / Enhanced Corpse Tendrils / Blighted Corpse TendrilsSoulrift (rank 1-5) / Supreme Soulrift / Prime SoulriftFinality (rank 1-3) / Inspiring LeaderKalans EdictSkeletal Warrior Mastery (rank 2-3)Skeletal Mage Master (rank 1-3)Hellbent Commander (rank 1-3)Blight / Enhanced Blight / Supernatural BlightHewed FleshNecrotic Fortitude (rank 2-3)Titans Fall (rank 2-3)Fueled By Death (rank 2-3)Spiked Armor (rank 2-3)Deaths Approach (rank 1-3)Amplify Damage (rank 1-3)Reapers Pursuit (rank 1-3)Terror (rank 1-3)Gloom (rank 1-3)Necrotic Carapace (rank 1-3)Golem Master (rank 1-3)Inspiring Leader (rank 2)Best Book of the Dead setup for levelingHere are the minions you should use for this build:Skeletal Warriors ReapersSkeletal Mages ShadowGolem Iron (Sacrifice)Best Legendary Aspect for Necromancer leveling buildWhen you first start your new character, complete these five dungeons first in order to collect their Aspects. Then place them on a piece of gear (ideally jewelry and never weapons). The random drop Aspects are all nice to add to your Codex and your gear if youre lucky enough to find them on your leveling journey.Reanimation (Aldurwood, Scosglen)Damned (Uldurs Cave, Kehjistan)Disobedience (Halls of the Damned, Kehjistan)Best Necromancer build for endgameNote: The following build was the one of best Necromancer endgame builds for season 6. While you might not get the most bang for your buck from it in season 7, its still effective as of this writing..This build is based off of Seroc Ifkres Spirit Wave Necromancer endgame guide at MaxRoll.gg, and is a general endgame guide capable of finding success in all activities. This guide assumes that youre over level 60, have access to all 71 skill points, and are making progress on your Paragon Boards. If you want more detailed information about the item affixes you want to look for on your gear, or why these Legendary powers are great for your build, check out the original MaxRoll guide.Best skill points for Spirit Wave build for endgameThis build utilizes Blood Wave as its core skill. It also uses Blight, Blood Lance, Corpse Tendrils, Corpse Explosion, and Blood Mist.Since you need all 71 points for this build, the order you select these skills in doesnt matter as long as you have the pre-requisite points in the earlier skill tree tiers. Here is how you should spend your skill points for this build:Hemorrhage (rank 1-2)Blood Lance / Enhanced Blood Lance / Paranormal Blood LanceBlight / Enhanced Blight / Supernatural BlightImperfectly Balanced (rank 1-3)Hewed Flesh (rank 1-3)Blood MistCorpse ExplosionNecrotic Fortitude (rank 1-2)Titans Fall (rank 1-3)Fueled by Death (rank 1-3)Decrepify / Enhanced Decrepify / Abhorrent DecrepifyDeaths Embrace (rank 1-3)Amplify Damage (rank 1-3)Corpse Tendrils / Enhanced Corpse Tendrils / Plagued Corpse TendrilsBone Spirit (rank 1-5) / Enhanced Bone Spirit / Ghastly Bone SpiritNecrotic Carapace (rank 1-3)Compound Fracture (rank 1-3)Evulsion (rank 1-3)Blood Wave (rank 1-5) / Prime Blood Wave / Supreme Blood WaveFinality (rank 1-3)Memento Mori (rank 1-3)Stand Alone (rank 1-3)Inspiring Leader (rank 1-2)Ossified EssenceNecromancer Book of the Dead setup for Spirit Wave buildThis is a full sacrifice build, so heres how you need to setup your Book of the Dead:Skeletal Warriors Skirmishers (Sacrifice)Skeletal Mages Cold (Sacrifice)Golems Iron (Sacrifice)Legendary Powers and Uniques for Spirit Wave buildTo make this build work, youre going to need powerful Legendary Powers and Unique items to augment your build.Seroc Ifkre recommends these Aspects:Helm: Harlequin Crest (Mythic) or Cursed AuraChest: Blood Artisans Cuirass (Unique)Gloves: TidalPants: Hardened BonesBoots: Concussive StrikesSword: SerrationShield: Gore QuillsAmulet: Great FeastRing 1: Fastblood (dungeon)Ring 2: Ring of Starless Skies (Mythic) or SerrationIf you want to get into the nitty gritty of stat priorities, refer to Seroc Ifkres original guide.Paragon Boards for Necromancer Spirit Wave buildThe Paragon Board system is very complex, and youll want to carefully pair your Glyphs with specific boards for your class:Starter Board / SacrificialBone Graft / EssenceBlood Begets Blood / ExploitFrailty / CorporealFlesh-eater / AmplifyYou should level your Glyphs to 15 in this specific order:EssenceSacrificialCorporealExploitAmplifyYou can path your own way through the Paragon Boards following these basic guidelines. However, for the best results, follow Seroc Ifkres path exactly.How to make a great Necromancer buildNecromancers are Diablo 4s main summoning class although Druids, ironically, had better summons during the games launch window. But aside from their army of minions, Necromancers also act as a darker caster, sharing a lot of playstyle DNA with the Sorcerer.Like all classes, most Necromancer builds boil down to a few Key Passives:BoneBlood/HealthShadowMinionBone skills like Bone Spear hit extremely hard for Necromancers, and are great for chunking down enemies. The Ossified Essence Key Passive modifies that damage even further for players that successfully pool their Essence. Blood builds utilize Blood skills to both keep the Necromancer healthy while dealing big damage. These builds typically end with the Rathmas Vigor Key Passive.Shadow builds use Shadow skills to poison enemies with dark essence. Interestingly, the Shadowblight Key Passive not only benefits the Necromancer, but also their minions, making it a more diverse build path. Minion builds are Necromancers main bread and butter, but are entirely dependent on how good minions are in the current meta. When theyre useful, these builds end with the Kalans Edict Key Passive.Like all classes, Necromancer builds have other identities to them like Thorns but most will converge on one of the four identities highlighted above. What really determines build viability on Necromancer is how you use your minions and the Book of the Dead. If you want to make your own build, decide early on if you want to sacrifice your minions or use them in battle. This will not only determine which skills youll want to use, but which of the four Key Passives you want to angle toward.Looking for other Diablo 4 builds? We have explainers on the Spiritborn, Sorcerer, Rogue, Druid, and Barbarian classes.

Rogues are one of the most complex classes in Diablo 4. With three unique specializations and the ability to fight from any range, putting together a Rogue build is extremely complex. Thats where we come in, with our suggestions of the best Rogue builds for Diablo 4 season 7. Rogues have three weapons on them at all times: a bow and two knives. With these tools, the Rogue can quickly swap between stabbing an enemy at close range and shooting an arrow across the screen. Not to your taste? We also have builds for the Sorcerer, Barbarian, Druid, Spiritborn, and Necromancer classes.In this Diablo 4 guide, weve gathered and simplified the best Diablo 4 Rogue builds for season 7. If you need even more information on item affixes or other more complex ideas, weve been sure to link out to the more detailed versions of these builds, as well as where to find their original creators.Best Rogue build for leveling in Diablo 4 season 7This build is based off DeezyTheMonsters Rogue leveling guide at Maxroll.gg, and is purely for leveling (i.e., allocating your 71 skill points between levels 1 and 60) and early stages of the Torment I difficulty level. If you want more detailed information about the item affixes you want to look for on your gear, or which other Legendary powers are great for your build, check out the original Maxroll.gg guide.Best skills for levelingRogues specialize in both ranged and melee, but this leveling build mostly uses knives. This build specifically utilizes the Flurry ability as your primary skill. Youll also use Shadow Clone, Blade Shift, Dark Shroud, Dash, and Shadow Imbuement.Here are the best skills for a Rogue leveling build, organized by the exact order you should purchase them in bearing in mind that some skills require you to allocate a number of skill points in the tree in order to unlock them. As such, youll need to unlock new skills before enhancing existing ones:Blade Shift / Enhanced Blade Shift / Fundamental Blade ShiftFlurry (rank 1-5) / Enhanced Flurry / Improved FlurryShadow Step / Enhanced Shadow Step / Disciplined Shadow StepDash / Enhanced Dash / Methodical DashDark Shroud / Enhanced Dark Shroud / Countering Dark ShroudShadow Imbuement / Enhanced Shadow Imbuement / Blended Shadow ImbuementConsuming Shadows (rank 1-3)Weapon MasteryTrick Attacks (rank 1-2)Shadow Imbuement (rank 2)Shadow Clone (rank 1-5) / Prime Shadow Clone / Supreme Shadow CloneSturdy (rank 1-3)Trick Attack (rank 3)Alchemical Advantage (rank 1-3)Deadly VenomAftermathInnervation (rank 1-3)MomentumBlade Shift (rank 2-5)Dark Shroud (rank 2-5)Shadow Imbuement (rank 3-5)Weapon Mastery (rank 2-3)Unstable Elixirs (rank 1-3)Malice (rank 1-3)Exploit (rank 1-3)Unto Dawn (rank 1-3)Best Specialization setup for levelingOnce you unlock your first Specialization at level 15 Combo Points youll stick with it through the leveling process.Best Legendary Aspects for Rogues leveling buildWhen you first start your new character, complete these three dungeons first in order to collect their Aspects. Then place them on a piece of gear (ideally jewelry and never weapons). The random drop Aspects are all nice to add to your Codex and your gear if youre lucky enough to find them on your leveling journey.Wind Striker (Shivta Ruins, Kehjistan)Arrow Storms (Howling Warren, Scosglen)Vengeful (Inferno, Kehjistan)Might (Dark Ravine, Dry Steppes)Encircling Blades (Forsaken Quarry, Fractured Peaks)Expectant (Underroot, Scosglen)Best Rogue build for endgameNote: The following build was one of the best Rogue endgame builds for season 6. While you might not get the most bang for your buck from it in season 7, its still effective as of this writing.This build is based off of M1PYs Dance of Knives Rogue endgame guide at MaxRoll.gg, and is a general endgame guide capable of finding success in all activities. This guide assumes that youre over level 60, have access to all 71 skill points, and are making progress on your Paragon Boards. If you want more detailed information about the item affixes you want to look for on your gear, or why these Legendary powers are great for your build, check out the original MaxRoll guide.Best skill points for Dance of Knives build for endgameThis build utilizes Dance of Knives as its core skill. It also uses Blade Shift, Concealment, Dark Shroud, Cold Imbuement, and Shadow Imbuement.Since you need all 71 points for this build, the order you select these skills in doesnt matter as long as you have the pre-requisite points in the earlier skill tree tiers. Here is how you should spend your skill points for this build:Blade Shift / Enhanced Blade ShiftSiphoning Strikes (rank 1-3)Sturdy (rank 1-3)Dance of Knives (rank 1-5) / Enhanced Dance of Knives / Methodical Dance of KnivesRugged (1-3)Weapon Mastery (rank 1-3)Trick Attacks (rank 1-3)Unstable Elixirs (rank 1-3)Concealment (rank 1-3) / Enhanced Concealment / Subverting ConcealmentDark Shroud (rank 1-5) / Enhanced Dark ShroudAgile (rank 1-2)Malice (rank 1-3)Exploit (rank 1-3)Shadow Imbuement (rank 1-5) / Enhanced Shadow Imbuement / Mixed Shadow ImbuementCold Imbuement / Enhanced Cold Imbuement / Mixed Cold ImbuementAlchemical Advantage (rank 1-3)Deadly VenomFrigid Finesse (rank 1-3)Impetus (rank 1-3)Haste (rank 1-3)Second WindMomentumRogue Specialization for Dance of Knives buildFor this build, youll want to take the Preparation Rogue Specialization.Legendary Powers and Uniques for Dance of Knives buildTo make this build work, youre going to need powerful Legendary Powers and Unique items to augment your build.M1PY recommends these Aspects:Helm: Enshrouding (dungeon)Chest: Concussive StrikesGloves: SurprisePants: Resistant AssailantsBoots: FrostbittenCrossbow: SynergyMelee 1: Ashearas Khanjar (Unique)Melee 2: Star ShardsAmulet: Stolen VigorRing 1: Artful InitiativeRing 2: Oppurtunists (dungeon)If you want to get into the nitty gritty of stat priorities, refer to M1PYs original guide.Paragon Boards for Rogue Rapid Dance of Knives buildThe Paragon Board system is very complex, and youll want to carefully pair your Glyphs with specific boards for your class:Starter Board / VersatilityDanse Macabre / CannyExploit Weakness / ControlCheap Shot / ExplosiveNo Witnesses / DeviousYou should level your Glyphs to 15 in this specific order:VersatilityExplosiveCannyDeviousControlYou can path your own way through the Paragon Boards following these basic guidelines. However, for the best results, follow M1PYs path exactly.How to make a great Rogue buildRogues are the classic bow-wielders in Diablo 4. But theyre also much more than that. Instead of just slinging arrows, they also utilize stealth, traps, and knives. This makes them one of Diablo 4s most versatile classes, and also gives them several different build paths to take:MomentumMeleePrecisionVulnerableTrapMelee-specific builds have a few options. They can use the Momentum Key Passive to deal additional damage and gain bonus effects when backstabbing enemies or attacking those impacted by certain crowd control effects, like Stunned Dazed, or Frozen. Similarly, the Close Quarters Combat Key Passive gives you bonuses for using certain skills on enemies that are nearby.For ranged builds, Precision is your best bet. Hitting a critical hit on an enemy with Marksman skills increases your crit chance drastically over time.Then there are Rogues status builds. The Victimize Key Passive causes hits on Vulnerable enemies to create an explosion. The Exposure Key Passive gives a small chance for some massive buffs when the Rogue deals damage with a trap.The important thing to remember when building your own Rogue build is that mobility and versatility are your friends. The Key Passives here arent entire identities on their own the way some other classes are. Instead, theyre huge bonuses that can fit into multiple playstyles. While making your Rogue, figure out which skills you want to use and which Specializations you want to use first, then pick out your Key Passive once you reach the end.Looking for other Diablo 4 builds? We have explainers on the Spiritborn, Sorcerer, Barbarian, Druid, and Necromancer classes.