ENGGtalks Newsroom

26 Sep 23

EU blocks Booking’s €1.6B takeover of online travel agency Etraveli

Computer & Information Technology

The EU Commission has blocked Booking’s €1.6bn takeover of Swedish online travel agency Etraveli, citing competition concerns. “Booking’s acquisition of Etraveli would strengthen Booking’s dominant position in the online travel agencies market and likely lead to higher costs for hotels and, possibly, consumers,” said Didier Reynders, Commissioner for Justice. According…

26 Sep 23

New erotic roleplaying chatbots promise to indulge your sexual fantasies

Computer & Information Technology

AI has thrust deeper into carnal pleasures with the launch of a new roleplaying chatbot system. The feature is the brainchild of Bloom, an erotic audio platform based in Germany. The app also comes with 800 original sex stories, which range from the vanilla to the kinky (anyone for sploshing?).…

25 Sep 23

Bioniq taps big data algorithms to make supplements bespoke

Computer & Information Technology

London-based startup Bioniq, which creates hyper-personalised supplements for its customers — who range from pro athletes to regular people on the quest for longer life — has gone global. Founded in 2019, Bioniq leverages a patented algorithm based on blood test data from more than 40,000 people across 4 million…

25 Sep 23

AR Glasses Spawn a Whole New Social Dynamic

Electrical, Electronics & Instrumentation

Remember that viral video call mishap of a lawyer getting stuck with the cat filter on? Imagine yourself in their shoes. Let’s say you’re talking to someone wearing eyewear akin to “smart” sunglasses that can discreetly overlay a cat filter on your face without your knowledge. How would that make…

25 Sep 23

Government ditches energy efficiency taskforce six months in

Electrical, Electronics & Instrumentation, Mechanical, Production & Manufacturing

Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, has decided to scrap the home energy efficiency taskforce that his government established six months ago. The group was set up by Jeremy Hunt, the chancellor, to boost uptake of insulation and boiler upgrades, with a view towards reducing the country’s energy use by 15…

25 Sep 23

Backlash builds over possible scrapping of HS2 Manchester link

Civil, Structural & Architecture, Mechanical, Production & Manufacturing

The government is facing criticism from politicians, industry groups and two former Conservative prime ministers over concerns it could decide to cancel the Northern link of the High Speed 2 (HS2) line. The news was first reported by The Independent, which claimed the government had already spent £2.3bn on stage…

25 Sep 23

EU online piracy on the rise as consumers feel the pinch

Computer & Information Technology

With the plethora of legitimate streaming options available today, you’d be forgiven for thinking pirated TV shows were a thing of the past. But a new study by the EU’s Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) shows that after a multi-year decline, online piracy is on the up. The study, based on…

25 Sep 23

30 AI startups changing the future of healthcare

Computer & Information Technology

These 30 startups from Europe, the Middle East and Africa are joining the Google for Startups: AI for Health program.

25 Sep 23

World’s first self-stabilising walking exoskeleton enters stroke rehab trial

Computer & Information Technology

The world’s first self-stabilising walking exoskeleton, Atlante X, has entered a rehabilitation trial in Germany. The exoskeleton will be provided to patients with hemiparesis, an after-effect of stroke that causes muscle weakness on one side of the body. Atalante X’s efficacy will be compared with standard rehabilitation methods. The trial,…

24 Sep 23

This Engineer Is Helping to Make India a Global Semiconductor Hub

Electrical, Electronics & Instrumentation, Mechanical, Production & Manufacturing

When Tushar Sharma was a young boy growing up in Jamnapaar, India, a densely populated area outside of Delhi, he never imagined that someday he would meet the country’s prime minister. That memorable event occurred in May, when Sharma and a delegation from his employer, Renesas Electronics, met with Narendra…