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Experimental hearing implant succeeds in registering brain waves

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Researchers at KU Leuven (Belgium) have succeeded for the first time in measuring brain waves directly via a cochlear implant.

These brainwaves indicate in an objective way how good or bad a person’s hearing is. The research results are important for the further development of smart hearing aids.

A cochlear implant enables people with severe hearing loss to hear again. An audiologist adjusts the device based on the user’s input, but this is not always easy. [Read more…] about Experimental hearing implant succeeds in registering brain waves

Firms recruit dark personalities to manipulate earnings

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Companies could be hiring that bad boss on purpose. According to new research in the Journal of Business Ethics, the “dark” personality traits – questionable ethical standards, narcissistic tendencies – that make a boss bad also make that person much more likely to go along with manipulating earnings and may be the reason they got the job in the first place.

Co-authors Nick Seybert (University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business), Ling Harris (University of Nebraska-Lincoln), Scott Jackson (University of South Carolina) and Joel Owens (Portland State University) studied the process of hiring executive management accounting candidates and its relation to the company’s earnings management practices – that is, a company’s tendency to inflate its income.

Through several studies, they found that when a company needed to report earnings aggressively, experienced executives and recruiters tended to recommend hiring candidates with dark personality traits over candidates who sought input from others and believed in strong ethical foundations. [Read more…] about Firms recruit dark personalities to manipulate earnings

New method uses smartphone cameras to measure pulse, breathing rate and could help telehealth

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Telehealth has become a critical way for doctors to still provide health care while minimizing in-person contact during Covid-19. But with phone or Zoom appointments, it’s harder for doctors to get important vital signs from a patient, such as their pulse or respiration rate, in real time.

A University of Washington-led team has developed a method that uses the camera on a person’s smartphone or computer to take their pulse and respiration signal from a real-time video of their face. The researchers presented this state-of-the-art system in December at the Neural Information Processing Systems conference.

Now the team is proposing a better system to measure these physiological signals. This system is less likely to be tripped up by different cameras, lighting conditions or facial features, such as skin color. The researchers will present these findings April 8 at the ACM Conference on Health, Interference, and Learning. [Read more…] about New method uses smartphone cameras to measure pulse, breathing rate and could help telehealth

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  • Making health care more personal
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    Making health care more personalThe health care system today largely focuses on helping people after they have problems. When they do receive treatment, it’s based on what has worked best on average across a huge, diverse group of patients. Now the company Health at Scale is making health care more proactive and personalized –…
    Tags: health, care, people

Turning wood into plastic: Yale scientists show how wood can be transformed into slurry

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Efforts to shift from petrochemical plastics to renewable and biodegradable plastics have proven tricky – the production process can require toxic chemicals and is expensive, and the mechanical strength and water stability is often insufficient. But researchers have made a breakthrough, using wood byproducts, that shows promise for producing more durable and sustainable bioplastics.

A study published in Nature Sustainability, co-authored by Yuan Yao, assistant professor of industrial ecology and sustainable systems at Yale School of the Environment (YSE), outlines the process of deconstructing the porous matrix of natural wood into a slurry.

The researchers say the resulting material shows a high mechanical strength, stability when holding liquids, and UV-light resistance. It can also be recycled or safely biodegraded in the natural environment, and has a lower life-cycle environmental impact when compared with petroleum-based plastics and other biodegradable plastics. [Read more…] about Turning wood into plastic: Yale scientists show how wood can be transformed into slurry

How to prevent and treat high blood pressure with exercise

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The first personalised advice on the most effective exercise to lower blood pressure is published today in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). The ESC consensus document recommends specific activities according to an individual’s current blood pressure level.

One in four heart attacks are caused by high blood pressure. It is estimated that by 2025, around 60% of the world’s population will have hypertension. While it is widely accepted that exercise lowers blood pressure, until now recommendations have focused on the amount of exercise per week, without considering an individual’s starting blood pressure level.

This consensus document, for the first time, used an analysis of the highest quality evidence to produce detailed guidance on how to lower blood pressure in people with hypertension, high-normal blood pressure, and normal blood pressure. [Read more…] about How to prevent and treat high blood pressure with exercise

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  • Stretching more effective than walking to lower high blood pressure: USask study
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    Stretching more effective than walking to lower high blood pressure: USask studyA new University of Saskatchewan (USask) study has found that stretching is superior to brisk walking for reducing blood pressure in people with high blood pressure or who are at risk of developing elevated blood pressure levels. Walking has long been the prescription of choice for physicians trying to help…
    Tags: blood, pressure, people, health
  • ECDC and WHO call for improved HIV testing in Europe
    41
    ECDC and WHO call for improved HIV testing in EuropeThe number of people living with undiagnosed HIV is increasing in the WHO European Region. According to data published today by ECDC and the WHO/Europe, more than 136 000 people were newly diagnosed in 2019 – roughly 20% of these diagnoses were in the EU/EAA and 80% in the eastern…
    Tags: people, health, uncategorized
  • Disposable surgical masks best for being heard clearly when speaking, study finds
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    Disposable surgical masks best for being heard clearly when speaking, study findsResearcher Ryan Corey recently heard from a friend who teaches at a school where some of the students have hearing loss. The friend wanted to know if he had any ideas to help her communicate with these students while wearing a mask to slow the spread of Covid-19. Corey, who…
    Tags: life, health, uncategorized
  • A strong coffee half an hour before exercising increases fat-burning
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    A strong coffee half an hour before exercising increases fat-burningScientists from the Department of Physiology of the University of Granada (UGR) have shown that caffeine (about 3 mg/kg, the equivalent of a strong coffee) ingested half an hour before aerobic exercise significantly increases the rate of fat-burning. They also found that if the exercise is performed in the afternoon,…
    Tags: exercise, life, health
  • High intensity training best for older people
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    High intensity training best for older people"First of all, I have to say that exercise in general seems to be good for the health of the elderly. And our study results show that on top of that, training regularly at high intensity has an extra positive effect," says Dorthe Stensvold. Stensvold is a professor in the…
    Tags: people, exercise, health

Ticket inspections may reduce honesty: Research on bus passengers in Lyon

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Ticket inspection on public transport can prompt law-abiding people to behave dishonestly once they have gotten off the bus, according to a study published in The Economic Journal.

The study was written by three experimental economists: Fabio Galeotti and Marie Claire Villeval of The French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) in the Groupe d’Analyse et de Théorie Economique Lyon St-Etienne (GATE), and Valeria Maggian from Ca’ Foscari University of Venice.

In order to study the “side effects” of ticket inspection, researchers designed and carried out a complex large-scale study on public transport and in the streets of Lyon, France. During typical weekdays and avoiding rush hours, research assistants and professional actors/actresses, in pairs, got onto a bus or tram. [Read more…] about Ticket inspections may reduce honesty: Research on bus passengers in Lyon

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  • Simple, no-cost ways to help the public care for common resources
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    Simple, no-cost ways to help the public care for common resourcesResearchers from University of Wisconsin-Madison, New York Institute of Technology, University of Iowa, and Cornell University published a new paper in the Journal of Marketing that examines whether it is possible to make people feel as if the property is theirs – a feeling known as psychological ownership – and how…
    Tags: ownership, study, people, life
  • Empathy may be in the eye of the beholder
    30
    Empathy may be in the eye of the beholderEmpathy is talked about a lot these days. Against the backdrop of a global pandemic and a divisive political climate in the United States, calls for empathy have become louder and more urgent. We encourage empathy for those inflicted with Covid-19 and those struggling with unemployment. We reminisce about the…
    Tags: people, news, life

How can new technologies help reduce the harm of drug use?

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HSE University researchers together with specialists from the Humanitarian Action Charitable Fund (St. Petersburg) and the University of Michigan School of Public Health (USA) studied the specifics of remote work with Russian people who use drugs to reduce the harm of drug use. They discovered that the use of online platforms increases the ones who use drugs to seek help.

Online platforms also serve as a kind of ‘gateway’ for people with problematic drug use to receive a wider range of qualified help. The authors concluded that remote work in this field should be developed and built upon in an ongoing systematic way even when the threat of coronavirus recedes. The results of the study are published in the Harm Reduction Journal.

All over the world, people who use drugs face many health hazards. These include, for example, contracting HIV, hepatitis C, vein damage, overdoses, and numerous psychological problems. [Read more…] about How can new technologies help reduce the harm of drug use?

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  • ECDC and WHO call for improved HIV testing in Europe
    30
    ECDC and WHO call for improved HIV testing in EuropeThe number of people living with undiagnosed HIV is increasing in the WHO European Region. According to data published today by ECDC and the WHO/Europe, more than 136 000 people were newly diagnosed in 2019 – roughly 20% of these diagnoses were in the EU/EAA and 80% in the eastern…
    Tags: hiv, people, news, health

Online dating: Super effective or just… superficial?

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According to the Pew Research Center, 1 in 10 American adults have landed a long-term relationship from an online dating app, such as Tinder, OKCupid and Match.com. But what compels people to “swipe right” on certain profiles and reject others?

New research from William Chopik, an associate professor in the Michigan State University Department of Psychology, and Dr David Johnson from the University of Maryland, finds that people’s reason for swiping right is based primarily on attractiveness and the race of a potential partner, and that decisions are often made in less than a second.

“Despite online dating becoming an increasingly popular way for people to meet one another, there is little research on how people connect with each other on these platforms,” said Chopik. “We wanted to understand what makes someone want to swipe left or swipe right, and the process behind how they make those decisions.” [Read more…] about Online dating: Super effective or just… superficial?

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  • Empathy may be in the eye of the beholder
    35
    Empathy may be in the eye of the beholderEmpathy is talked about a lot these days. Against the backdrop of a global pandemic and a divisive political climate in the United States, calls for empathy have become louder and more urgent. We encourage empathy for those inflicted with Covid-19 and those struggling with unemployment. We reminisce about the…
    Tags: participants, people, news, life

What might sheep and driverless cars have in common? Following the herd

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Psychologists have long found that people behave differently than when they learn of peers’ actions.

A new study by computer scientists found that when individuals in an experiment about autonomous vehicles were informed that their peers were more likely to sacrifice their own safety to program their vehicle to hit a wall rather than hit pedestrians who were at risk, the percentage of individuals willing to sacrifice their own safety increased by approximately two-thirds.

As computer scientists train machines to act as people’s agents in all sorts of situations, the study’s authors indicate that the social component of decision-making is often overlooked. [Read more…] about What might sheep and driverless cars have in common? Following the herd

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  • The appearance of robots affects our perception of the morality of their decisions
    30
    The appearance of robots affects our perception of the morality of their decisionsMoralities of Intelligent Machines is a project that investigates people's attitudes towards moral choices made by artificial intelligence. In the latest study completed under the project, study participants read short narratives where either a robot, a somewhat humanoid robot known as iRobot, a robot with a strong humanoid appearance called iClooney…
    Tags: people, moral, human, decisions, machines, problem, participants, humans, news

The appearance of robots affects our perception of the morality of their decisions

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Moralities of Intelligent Machines is a project that investigates people’s attitudes towards moral choices made by artificial intelligence.

In the latest study completed under the project, study participants read short narratives where either a robot, a somewhat humanoid robot known as iRobot, a robot with a strong humanoid appearance called iClooney or a human being encounters a moral problem along the lines of the trolley dilemma, making a specific decision.

The participants were also shown images of these agents, after which they assessed the morality of their decisions. The study was funded by the Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation and the Academy of Finland. [Read more…] about The appearance of robots affects our perception of the morality of their decisions

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  • What might sheep and driverless cars have in common? Following the herd
    30
    What might sheep and driverless cars have in common? Following the herdPsychologists have long found that people behave differently than when they learn of peers' actions. A new study by computer scientists found that when individuals in an experiment about autonomous vehicles were informed that their peers were more likely to sacrifice their own safety to program their vehicle to hit a wall…
    Tags: people, human, moral, humans, participants, decisions, problem, machines, news