News of the week selected by Impactscool – December 7th

Google develops the “guide app” for running

Google has revealed a new experimental project it is working on that uses artificial intelligence to allow a blind person to follow a path while running without any assistance. The project is called Project Guidelines, and uses a smartphone fixed to the runner’s waist in such a way as to be able to frame the road. In the tests, the algorithm was trained to follow a painted yellow line in the center of the path, if you move away from it a sound becomes louder and louder in the headset corresponding to the side towards which you are deviating. Project Guidelines is still in its infancy but in the future it could lead to the development of apps or devices that are useful for those who, despite having severe vision problems, do not want to give up the freedom to run alone.

A claw to clean space

Around 3,000 satellites orbit our planet providing services of all kinds, from telecommunications to GPS. However, as many satellites orbit our planet without providing any benefit because they are now disused or broken. In addition to these, moreover, almost a million pieces of rockets, fragments of paint, bolts, and more revolve around our planet without control. It is space junk, a serious problem that could have troubling consequences for our ability to operate in space. Several space agencies are working to find a solution to the problem, including ESA, the European space agency, has devised a system that involves the use of a “space claw” to be launched into orbit capable of grabbing disused satellites and drag them with you into the atmosphere, where they would burn without consequences. The project is still in the embryonic stage, and the first launch, targeting a piece of rocket in orbit from 2013, is scheduled for 2025.

In Singapore, the marketing of cultured meat has been approved

These chicken nuggets are not made with meat. They are produced by the US company Eat Just, which has just passed the food safety checks of the Singapore food agency, opening the doors to commercialization. Meat created in this way is not only cruelty free, but will also have a significant impact on the environment, reducing greenhouse gas emissions related to animal breeding, which is now responsible for around 15% of anthropogenic CO2 and 35-40% % of those of methane. The constant control of production will allow for the precise management of the nutrients contained in the meat, eliminating bacterial contamination related to animal waste and reducing the amount of antibiotics and hormones that are currently used extensively in livestock farming.

Hackers are targeting the future distribution of Covid-19 vaccines

Hacking groups, anonymous for now, are attacking several companies linked to the vaccine distribution system for Covid-19. At the center of the viewfinder is the so-called “cold chain”, the refrigeration system that allows you to safely transport doses around the world. To unveil this threat was IBM, according to which cybercriminals are allegedly collecting data related to various logistical aspects related to transport. From companies specializing in solar panels, useful for powering refrigerators in hot countries, to dry ice producers, passing through agencies that deal with the bureaucratic side of the matter. Hackers manage to collect sensitive information through a phishing campaign, a ploy that uses forged emails to trick employees into revealing sensitive information.