Knowledge Update

Washington, May 10 (IANS) A team led by an Indian-origin computer engineer from University of Washington has built a five-fingered robotic hand that can not only perform dexterous in-hand manipulation but also learn from its own experience without depending on humans to direct it.

New York, May 10 (IANS) The additional "Reaction" buttons that social media giant Facebook introduced next to the "Like" button this year have failed to charm users, a study has found.

​New York, May 10 (IANS) Micro-blogging website Twitter will soon roll out an update of its Periscope live video app that will enable users broadcast live directly from a drone and to save broadcasts beyond 24 hours.

​New York, May 10 (IANS) In an upgrade to the human-computer interaction platforms, voice controlled assistance touched a new high when Viv -- an artificial intelligence (AI) virtual system -- was presented at the "TechCrunch Disrupt" event here on Monday.

​Las Vegas (US), May 9 (IANS) The world's largest IT storage company is in the race for developing smart cities in India, offering their services to the central and state governments, according to senior officials of the company.

"We have already completed a health project for a state government to make hospitals smart and to provide real time information to the government for taking appropriate decision," Rajesh Janey, President, EMC India and Saarc, told visiting Indian journalists to the EMC world annual conference here.

​London, May 8 (IANS) Researchers have developed a set of algorithms that could help teach computers to process and understand human languages better.

While mastering natural language is easier for humans, it is something that computers have not yet been able to achieve. Humans understand language through a variety of

London, May 5 (IANS) Researchers from University of Exeter have created an app which can help aid humanitarian rescue work in disaster-struck regions by using geographic data to map landscapes.

Washington, May 5 (IANS) A team of US doctors has shown for the first time that soft tissue surgery can soon be performed entirely by a robot on humans, putting surgery one step closer into the realm of intelligent machines.

The so-called Smart Tissue Autonomous Robot (STAR) succeeded in suturing and reconnecting bowel segments in living pigs -- a procedure known as intestinal anastomosis -- and all the animals survived with no complications.

The STAR robotic sutures were compared with the work of five surgeons completing the same procedure using three methods -- open, laparoscopic and robot-assisted surgery with the well-known da Vinci Surgical System.

The robot's time was longer than open and robot-assisted surgery but comparable to the laparoscopic procedure. The robotic procedure lasted 35 to 57 minutes, while the open surgery took eight minutes.

Kuala Lumpur, May 5 (IANS) Social media giant Facebook has opened a local office in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur, a media report said on Thursday.

"The office launch marks a milestone for Facebook in Malaysia and we are committed to helping Malaysians and businesses connect in more meaningful ways," said Facebook

​New Delhi, April 13 (IANS) With a barrage of smartphone health apps being launched globally -- claiming to go beyond fitness or calorie checkers and spot mental illnesses or respiratory diseases -- health experts stress that such digital applications can never be a replacement for a qualified, well-trained health service provider.