New’s of the week selected by Impactscool – April 1st

Certify the attention threshold thanks to eye tracking

Free cinema tickets for users willing to watch 15-20 minutes of advertising without looking away. It is the business model of the PreShow startup, which was launched through the Kickstarter platform. To get access to this app, you will need to be connected to Apple’s FaceID: thanks to this face analysis system and eye tracking, the attention that the individual pays to the advertising is looking at will be verified. Therefore, the user is not offered any chance to get distracted or to miss the spot. How many minutes would you be willing to watch to get free movie tickets?

The US military trains with VR

The US Army has built a huge virtual reality platform to train its soldiers in realistic battle changes and populated by millions of “artificial” agents. The goal is to faithfully reproduce all the possible scenarios, in order to prepare the soldiers for any eventuality and to fight on any terrain.

The human brain produces new neurons up to 90 years

Scientific research allows us to make ever new strides in the study of the brain and in the understanding of its mechanisms. Research conducted by a team from the “Severo Ochoa” molecular biology center in Madrid has shown that the human brain is able to renew itself over time, producing new neurons even up to the age of 90. The study, published in Nature Medicine, analyzed samples taken from 58 people. This regenerative capacity is maintained until late in life in healthy people, while it appears reduced in Alzheimer’s patients: this new discovery could allow researchers to develop new therapeutic approaches.

The evolution of automatic coffee dispensers

Coffee vending machines have been around since the 1940s and have never put baristas in the flesh at risk. However, the American startup Briggo has developed a much more advanced system than its predecessors, completely automated and capable of producing quality coffee in a very short time. Briggo allows users to order their coffee through an app, allowing them to personalize their drink and save their favorite settings. The company’s top management ensures that the new system will not put jobs at risk and that, on the contrary, it will offer new opportunities.

Transport of blood and medical samples with drones

We are at the dawn of an era in medical supplies and health services. UPS has launched a new service with drones to transport blood and other medical samples between the various buildings on the WakeMed Raleigh medical campus in North Carolina. The new transport system will replace the current road courier service used for the delivery of samples for exams, promising a great time saving that can sometimes be crucial.

The driveer remotely

Autonomous driving cars could soon give birth to a new profession: that of the remote driver. The Designated Driver startup, based in Oregon, has created a system that allows human drivers to remotely control a self-driving car in the event of malfunctions or special situations.