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April 1^st 2025

💻 Technology

🇺🇸 US scientists create real-time thought-to-speech system for fluent communication in paralyzed patients

Researchers from UC Berkeley and UC San Francisco have developed an AI-powered brain-computer interface that converts neural signals into natural-sounding speech in under one second. By decoding activity from the motor cortex and streaming it through speech synthesis algorithms, the system eliminates previous delays that hindered natural communication for patients with paralysis. Published in Nature Neuroscience, this advance marks a major step toward restoring seamless spoken interaction for individuals with severe speech impairments.

🇺🇸 United Airlines gets approval to adopt Starlink to deliver 250 Mbps in-flight Wi-Fi, boosting speeds 50-fold

United Airlines will equip its Embraer 175 regional jets with SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet, offering passengers speeds up to 250 Mbps—nearly 50 times faster than previous in-flight Wi-Fi. The FAA has approved the installation, with full fleet rollout planned by year’s end. This move marks a significant upgrade in passenger connectivity, enabling seamless streaming, gaming, and browsing mid-flight.

🚘 Transport

🇨🇳 Chinese engineers unveil plans for supersonic jet with 50% more range and 95% quieter flight than Concorde

China’s Comac has revealed plans for its C949 supersonic airliner, aiming to fly 6,800 miles—50% farther than the Concorde—while slashing sonic boom noise by 95%. Described in Acta Aeronautica Sinica, the jet features a shape-shifting fuselage and AI-controlled systems to optimize speed, stability, and fuel balance. Designed for trans-Pacific routes, the C949 targets mainstream supersonic travel with reduced environmental and regulatory barriers.

🤖 Artificial Intelligence

🇯🇵 🇨🇳 Japanese automaker Honda automates 30% of workforce at Chinese EV plant using AI

Honda has automated 30% of its workforce at a new Chinese EV factory, using AI-optimized welding and automated guided vehicles to streamline production of its Ye P7 electric crossover. This shift reflects a broader industry move toward robotics in manufacturing, with humanoid robots also beginning to appear alongside traditional factory automation tools. The strategy aims to reduce costs and boost efficiency as Honda tries to regain ground in the competitive Chinese EV market.

💉 Biotechnology

🇺🇸 US researchers create bioinspired sensor for real-time tracking of human metabolism

Scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles have developed a miniaturized, bioinspired sensor that can monitor over two-thirds of human metabolites in real time using natural biochemical reaction pathways. The "tandem metabolic reaction-based sensor" (TMR sensor) mimics how enzymes and cofactors interact in the body, converting metabolite presence into measurable electrical signals via carbon nanotube electrodes. Published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the breakthrough could transform early disease detection, personalized medicine, athletic monitoring, and drug development by providing continuous, detailed metabolic data.

💊 Healthcare

🇺🇸 🇸🇪 US and Swedish scientists develop blood test to diagnose and stage Alzheimer's with 92% accuracy

Researchers from Washington University in St. Louis and Lund University have created a blood test that measures levels of MTBR-tau243, a protein linked to Alzheimer's tau tangles, enabling both diagnosis and staging of the disease. Published in Nature Medicine, the test distinguishes Alzheimer’s from other dementias and indicates progression from mild impairment to full dementia, offering critical insight for selecting stage-appropriate treatments. This innovation could accelerate personalized therapy as more drugs targeting different disease stages become available.

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Max

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