Latest news with #AlexMurphy
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Measles in Iowa: What parents, and the public, should know about the first case in nearly six years
DES MOINES, Iowa — The first confirmed case of measles in Iowa since 2019 was announced by the state's Department of Health and Human Services on May 23, 2025. However, specific details on the patient and potential exposure of additional residents have been limited. 'Through our thorough investigation, it was learned this individual had traveled outside of the state of Iowa,' said HHS's Director of Communications Alex Murphy via email to WHO 13's Katie Kaplan. 'A thorough investigation has been completed. Public health officials will be reaching out to identified contacts, and no widespread public exposure is anticipated.' While the initial release from HHS on the confirmed Iowa case stated the patient was an unvaccinated adult, Murphy added that any further information about the specifics of the case was 'protected from disclosure under Iowa Code 139A.3(3).' While it is unconfirmed which medical facility the patient was treated at, WHO 13 was able to view internal messages from Central Iowa medical networks that were sent to area medical professionals. One noted that the Central Iowa resident may have recently traveled to Mexico and Texas. HHS confirmed to WHO 13 that the patient traveled internationally, but did not specify where. The announcement about the highly contagious viral illness that is spread through the air when an infectious person coughs, sneezes, or breathes was made late in the workday on a Friday afternoon before the Memorial Day weekend. 'Measles is as scary as it sounds because it's so contagious,' said Dr. Daniel Pelzer, a Pediatrician with the Iowa Clinic. 'It is 10 to 12 times more contagious than a normal flu virus that spreads around every year. And for that reason, it's important for us to get ahead of that so that the unvaccinated or under-vaccinated in our community aren't at risk.' Pelzer said local physicians have been following the growing number of cases across the U.S. and have been preparing for a local case for months. He added that the case, which HHS said tested positive at the State Hygienic Laboratory, activated the plans that include vetting patients through their symptoms, limiting exposure to the public, and the potential use of hazmat, or PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) gear, for health providers. He said the first step the public should take if they believe they have the measles, or have been exposed to the illness, is to pick up the phone. Des Moines police release name of motorcyclist killed in crash 'For parents, if you think you have a case of measles in your house, or a known exposure, call us. Again, measles is so contagious that if it would arrive in our office, it would grind the entire clinic to a halt because of the density of airborne virus transmission,' he said. According to the HHS, about 1 in 10 people in the U. S. who get measles will be hospitalized, and 1 to 3 out of 1,000 children with measles will die even with good medical care. Measles was declared 'eliminated' from the United States in 2000, according to the CDC. This meant the absence of the continuous spread of disease was greater than 12 months. Most people who have been fully vaccinated against the illness do not need booster shots and are 'less susceptible' to contracting it, Pelzer said. However, he said he has watched as immunizations in local children have fallen in recent years, specifically since the Pandemic. 'Herd immunity, about 95%, is what we need to effectively, in communities, limit the spread of measles,' he said. 'In the last decade that I've been a pediatrician in this town, I've seen that rate decrease from 95%, which is our safe rate, down to closer to 90% by our best guesses.' Measles symptoms include a high fever, cough, and runny nose, followed by a red rash most often found on the face and arms. Tiny white bumps may also develop inside the mouth. The illness can lead to swelling of the brain and other complications. 'The best time to prevent measles is before an exposure occurs, and the best tool we have is getting the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine,' said Dr. Robert Kruse, State Medical Director, via a written statement provided by the HHS. 'Getting vaccinated not only protects you but also protects people in your community who can't get vaccinated, like infants too young to begin the series and those who are immunosuppressed.' If you think you have been exposed to a measles case and have symptoms, call your medical provider or nearest emergency room ahead of time and tell them that you have been exposed to measles and have symptoms before arriving. Measles symptoms begin to appear 7-to-21 days after exposure. As of June 5, nearly two weeks after the announcement of the case, the HHS told WHO 13 that there have been no other confirmed cases of measles in the state of Iowa. Iowa News: Measles in Iowa: What parents, and the public, should know about the first case in nearly six years WHO 13 Farm Report: Thursday, June 5 Motorcyclist killed after being hit by semi in Floyd County identified Forecast: Mild temps and tiny rain chances WHO 13 Farm Report: Wednesday, June 4 Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
PRESS RELEASE: BIGBEN WEEK 2025: NACON PRESENTS FUTURE GAMES AND ACCESSORIES
BIGBEN WEEK 2025 – NACON PRESENTS FUTURE GAMES AND ACCESSORIESParis (France), May 21st 2025 – The 8th Bigben Week kicked off on May 19 in the heart of Paris. Journalists and the company's international partners are invited to take an exclusive look at NACON's catalog of forthcoming games and accessories releases. In the presence of the studios, design and development teams, visitors can explore in detail the numerous projects planned for the coming months. GAMES PREVIEWS Once again this year, Bigben Week offers visitors the chance to try out several games before their official release. Among the most eagerly awaited games is , an ambitious Rogue Factor studio project inviting players to enjoy a unique experience combining combat and exploration, underpinned by a design philosophy known as player-plattering. This action-adventure game plunges players into a mysterious story set in a country amid a destructive civil war. With no maps or quest markers, challenges you to follow your senses and instincts to make your own discoveries. be available on September 4, 2025 on PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. It's not the only eagerly awaited project on display this year. After winning over fans with Rogue City in 2023, Robocop returns in . This new standalone adventure will have players take on new criminals, wield new weapons, execute devastating finish moves and, for the first time in a video game, play as Alex Murphy. The title will be released on July 17 for PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Finally, JRPG fans were also introduced to , Midgar Studio's latest creation. This new adventure in the world of Heryon, developed in collaboration with renowned artists of the genre such as Yasunori Mitsuda and Emi Evans, unveils a colorful universe, a dark plot and a dynamic real-time combat system. will be available on PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S and PC in autumn 2025. Available in early access on Steam, players were able to discover the first major update for . These additions enhance the player experience of this Hack'N'Slash, including a beefed-up endgame and the new Nurorgartt zone. On the simulation front, NACON presented the final version of , its first game dedicated to the architectural profession. At the head of their own practice, players design and build their clients' dream homes in career mode, or let their creativity run wild in free mode. Architect Life will be released on PC, Nintendo SwitchTM, PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S on June 19, 2025. Sports enthusiasts saw the new editions of the must-have and . These genre benchmarks mark a turning point this year with the adoption of Unreal Engine 5, a technical advance that promises unprecedented immersion. In addition to this graphical evolution, each title introduces a number of new features, such as the sponsor system for and the refueling system for . Both titles will be available on June 5, 2025. Finally, , the official game of the ATP and WTA, took advantage of Bigben Week to unveil its first images for Nintendo Switch, much to the delight of tennis fans. BETWEEN INNOVATION AND IMMERSION, NACON IGNITES THE WORLD OF SIM RACING In a room entirely dedicated to its new products, NACON's Racing Division unveiled a selection of games and accessories dedicated to racing simulation fans. REVOSIM UNVEILS NEW ACCESSORIES TO ENRICH ITS ECOSYSTEMIn addition to the Direct Drive RS Pure 9N·m bundle, scheduled for release in June 2025, NACON's Racing division presented new accessories to enrich the REVOSIM were able to preview the hybrid gearbox, clutch pedal, load cell handbrake and a new wheel, all compatible with products in the RS Pure range.A demonstration that confirms NACON's ambition to offer an ever more realistic, scalable and accessible simracing experience. TWO NEW SIMRACING TITLES NACON continues its commitment to racing games with the presentation of two new titles. , developed by KT racing, immerses players in the world of endurance racing as drivers and/or race engineers. Team strategy, decision-making and race management are at the heart of the gameplay. Scheduled for release in autumn 2025 on PC, PlayStation®5 and Xbox. Another highly anticipated title: , developed by Competition Company & Teyon. A truly cutting-edge simulation designed for e-sport, the game will win you over with its technically demanding, realistic driving physics and precise gameplay. The title will be available in September 2025 on PlayStation®5 and Xbox Series X|S. 10 YEARS OF ACCESSORIES FOR GAMING PERFORMANCE This year, NACON celebrates 10 years of accessories designed to bring performance and gaming pleasure to gamers the world over. During Bigben Week, visitors were able to rediscover this decade of innovation before testing the flagship models that embody the brand's expertise today. THE REVOLUTION X UNLIMITED, NACON'S FLAGSHIP INNOVATIONReleased on April 23rd, Revolution X Unlimited, a Designed for Xbox* licensed wireless High-end controller, has established itself as the star of NACON accessories. Designed to offer extreme precision, optimum responsiveness and superior user comfort, this wireless controller is ideal for fans of shooting and action games, whether on Xbox Series X|S or PC. RIG: HEADSETS WITH A DISTINCTIVE STYLEBuilding on the success of its PRO Series gaming headsets, the RIG brand has unveiled exclusive new colorful versions of its flagship models. The will feature a Red Blue version, while the will now be available in Cosmic Purple and Arctic Camo. NACON IS READY FOR NINTENDO SWITCHTM 2In anticipation of the release of the Nintendo SwitchTM 2, NACON is pleased to present its new products dedicated to the console, which will be available as soon as it is released. Protective shells, cases, pouches and carrying cases have been designed to guarantee optimum protection against shocks and the hazards of everyday life - solutions that are as practical on the move as they are essential at home, to preserve the console in every situation. Find all NACON games and accessories on About NACONA company within the BIGBEN group, NACON was created in 2019 to optimise its expertise and leverage synergies in the video game market. Comprising 16 development studios, AA game publishing, and the design and distribution of premium gaming peripherals, NACON brings 40 years of experience to benefit the world's gaming community. This unified centre of excellence strengthens NACON's position in the market and creates unique opportunities for innovation and competitive advantages. *Xbox, Xbox Series X|S are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. All Rights Reserved. ROBOCOP – ROBOCOP 3 © 1987-1992 Orion Pictures Corporation. ROBOCOP: ROGUE CITY – UNFINISHED BUSINESS © 2023-2025 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. ROBOCOP & ROBOCOP: ROGUE CITY – UNFINISHED BUSINESS are trademarks of Orion Pictures Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Attachment CP_BigbenWeek_25_ENSign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
From brain Bluetooth to ‘full RoboCop': where chip implants will be heading soon
In the 1987 classic film RoboCop, the deceased Detroit cop Alex Murphy is reborn as a cyborg. He has a robotic body and a full brain-computer interface that allows him to control his movements with his mind. He can access online information such as suspects' faces, uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help detect threats, and his human memories have been integrated with those from a machine. It is remarkable to think that the movie's key mechanical robotic technologies have almost now been accomplished by the likes of Boston Dynamics' running, jumping Atlas and Kawasaki's new four-legged Corleo. Similarly we are seeing robotic exoskeletons that enable paralysed patients to do things like walking and climbing stairs by responding to their gestures. Developers have lagged behind when it comes to building an interface in which the brain's electrical pulses can communicate with an external device. This too is changing, however. In the latest breakthrough, a research team based at the University of California has unveiled a brain implant that enabled a woman with paralysis to livestream her thoughts via AI into a synthetic voice with just a three-second delay. The concept of an interface between neurons and machines goes back much further than RoboCop. In the 18th century, an Italian physician named Luigi Galvani discovered that when electricity is passed through certain nerves in a frog's leg, it would twitch. This paved the way for the whole study of electrophysiology, which looks at how electrical signals affect organisms. The initial modern research on brain-computer interfaces started in the late 1960s, with the American neuroscientist Eberhard Fetz hooking up monkeys' brains to electrodes and showing that they could move a meter needle. Yet if this demonstrated some exciting potential, the human brain proved too complex for this field to advance quickly. The brain is continually thinking, learning, memorising, recognising patterns and decoding sensory signals – not to mention coordinating and moving our bodies. It runs on about 86 billion neurons with trillions of connections which process, adapt and evolve continuously in what is called neuroplasticity. In other words, there's a great deal to figure out. Much of the recent progress has been based on advances in our ability to map the brain, identifying the various regions and their activities. A range of technologies can produce insightful images of the brain (including functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET)), while others monitor certain kinds of activity (including electroencephalography (EEG) and the more invasive electrocortigraphy (ECoG)). These techniques have helped researchers to build some incredible devices, including wheelchairs and prosthetics that can be controlled by the mind. But whereas these are typically controlled with an external interface like an EEG headset, chip implants are very much the new frontier. They have been enabled by advances in AI chips and micro electrodes, as well as the deep learning neural networks that power today's AI technology. This allows for faster data analysis and pattern recognition, which together with the more precise brain signals that can be acquired using implants, have made it possible to create applications that run virtually in real time. For instance, the new University of California implant relies on ECoG, a technique developed in the early 2000s that captures patterns directly from a thin sheet of electrodes placed directly on the cortical surface of someone's brain. In their case, the complex patterns picked up by the implant of 253 high-density electrodes are processed using deep learning to produce a matrix of data from which it's possible to decode whatever words the user is thinking. This improves on previous models that could only create synthetic speech after the user had finished a sentence. Elon Musk's Neuralink has been able to get patients to control a computer cursor using similar techniques. However, it's also worth emphasising that deep learning neural networks are enabling more sophisticated devices that rely on other forms of brain monitoring. Our research team at Nottingham Trent University has developed an affordable brainwave reader using off-the-shelf parts that enables patients who are suffering from conditions like completely locked-in syndrome (CLIS) or motor neurone disease (MND) to be able to answer 'yes' or 'no' to questions. There's also the potential to control a computer mouse using the same technology. The progress in AI, chip fabrication and biomedical tech that enabled these developments is expected to continue in the coming years, which should mean that brain-computer interfaces keep improving. In the next ten years, we can expect more technologies that provide disabled people with independence by helping them to move and communicate more easily. This entails improved versions of the technologies that are already emerging, including exoskeletons, mind-controlled prosthetics and implants that move from controlling cursors to fully controlling computers or other machines. In all cases, it will be a question of balancing our increasing ability to interpret high-quality brain data with invasiveness, safety and costs. It is still more in the medium to long term that I would expect to see many of the capabilities of a RoboCop, including planted memories and built-in trained skills supported with internet connectivity. We can also expect to see high-speed communication between people via 'brain Bluetooth'. It should be similarly possible to create a Six Million Dollar Man, with enhanced vision, hearing and strength, by implanting the right sensors and linking the right components to convert neuron signals into action (actuators). No doubt applications will also emerge as our understanding of brain functionality increases that haven't been thought of yet. Clearly, it will soon become impossible to keep deferring ethical considerations. Could our brains be hacked, and memories be planted or deleted? Could our emotions be controlled? Will the day come where we need to update our brain software and press restart? With every step forward, questions like these become ever more pressing. The major technological obstacles have essentially been cleared out of the way. It's time to start thinking about to what extent we want to integrate these technologies into society, the sooner the better. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Amin Al-Habaibeh receives funding Innovate UK, The British Council, The Royal academy of Engineering, EPSRC, AHRC, and the European Commission.
