Latest news with #Cera
Mint
7 days ago
- Health
- Mint
Britain's AI-care revolution isn't flashy—but it is the future
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) is typically associated with Silicon Valley coders or researchers in Shanghai, not chain-smoking care workers in the Black Country. Yet in England's post-industrial heartland Samantha Westwood, a manager at Cera, a home-care company, arranges carers' schedules with Amazon-like efficiency. A custom-built app plots the quickest routes to see the most clients in the shortest time. Carers log their arrival by sharing their GPS location. Alerts ensure that medication is given on schedule. So good are the data that Cera can even predict which workers are likely to quit (staff turnover is said to be down by 20%). England may seem an unlikely pioneer in an AI-care revolution. Whereas Japan is deploying robots, a quarter of care providers in England still keep paper records. The country's care system is underfunded and overstretched. Yet necessity is spurring innovation, albeit not from cash-strapped local councils (over 40% of their spending on services already goes on adult social care). Young entrepreneurs are teaching carers to use tools more common to delivery services and dating apps. One of them is Ben Maruthappu, Cera's founder. He launched Cera after failing to find reliable care for his mother (an origin story typical of aspiring age-tech entrepreneurs). If groceries could be tracked in real time to the doorstep, he reasoned, then why not medication? Today Cera claims to have created Europe's largest home-care data set—over 200bn data points—to train AI that predicts patients' needs. A promising use of AI is to predict falls. Falls are among the gravest risks for the elderly: hip fractures are their most common cause of accidental death. They also cost the National Health Service (NHS), which is separate to social care, around £2bn ($2.7bn) a year. With its app, which uses algorithms to predict fall risk, Cera claims to have cut falls by a fifth. A peer-reviewed study from 2022 found that its app had reduced hospitalisations by 52%. In March the NHS said it would work with Cera to roll out its AI tool across the country. Fifty kilometres south of Ms Westwood's patch is The Lawns, a nursing home. There, another tech adopter, Melanie Dawson, a former rugby player turned care manager, has overseen an NHS pilot using acoustic-monitoring devices. White boxes combine motion sensors and machine learning to detect unusual movements or noises in the residents' rooms, a kind of Shazam for ambient noise. Over a year-long trial, falls decreased by 66%, and staff made 61% fewer checks in person. With fewer disturbances, residents also slept better and, with less daytime-napping, ate more. When the pilot finished, the home chose to keep using them at its own cost. At Cavendish Park, in Worcestershire, residents can play with robotic companion pets and try an interactive driving simulator. Most, though, stay in their rooms, chatting to smart speakers called Alexa (made by Amazon). Cavendish Park was the first home in Europe to build Alexas, adapted to care homes, into its infrastructure, integrating them with its alarm and communication systems. Residents can use them to ask for help, for a drink or to make an emergency call. AI's adopters say the tech is meant to support staff, not replace them. At Cavendish Park, carers scan residents' faces using PainChek, a mobile app, which detects micro-expressions linked to pain. Within seconds, they can detect pain more quickly and accurately than a trained nurse. Yet in other cases, AI appears to be filling gaps left by a shortage of carers. In Northamptonshire, Cera is testing robots to give routine prompts, like whether clients have eaten or taken their medication. Though fine for the most mundane tasks, they are no replacement for Ms Westwood's kind and competent team. At Cavendish Park, residents treat their chatbots as companions (one 99-year-old says she spends all her time playing 'Quick-fire Quiz"). Meryem Tom, who leads the Alexa division at Amazon, insists that the Alexas are 'complementary" to humans. One risk is that care workers could become tethered to digital metrics, a grim prospect for such a human job. Consent is another concern. Many of the clients whom AI might best help have dementia, raising doubts about whether they can meaningfully opt in. Some homes already feel like prisons: the dementia wing at Cavendish Park, Chatsworth House, is locked with keypads. AI could worsen that controlling urge. With enough surveillance, warns Andrew Sixsmith, a gerontology professor at Simon Fraser University, they risk resembling Jeremy Bentham's Panopticon, a theoretical prison where a single guard can watch every cell. Still, for those needing care, the benefits of safety and independence appear to outweigh the risks—at least for now. Brenda Adkin is a 101-year-old Cera client who recently suffered a fall. Still enjoying a sherry with her neighbour in the morning, she has no wish to go into a care home. 'I like my independence," she says. AI helps the carers she loves keep her at home. Solving the care crisis will take more of this kind of innovation, not less. For more expert analysis of the biggest stories in Britain, sign up to Blighty, our weekly subscriber-only newsletter.
Time of India
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Michael Cera recalls getting schooled by Tom Cruise; reveals how he was called out for mumbling during the shoot
Michael Cera , the 'Juno' actor, revealed one of his pinch-me moments in his career, and it involves getting schooled by Tom Cruise . Not only was he called out by the 'Mission: Impossible' star, but he also remembered getting blasted in front of others. About Michael Cera getting schooled... In an appearance on the Louis Theroux podcast, Cera said that he met with the 62-year-old star on the sets of 'Tropic Thunder' in 2010. Michael said that he had dropped by the set to shoot some pre-taped scenes for the MTV Movie Awards. However, Cera was mumbling while Cruise was shooting, and the latter heard it even though they were 40 feet away from him. Recalling the incident, the actor revealed that he was called out in front of everyone when Tom asked whether he was talking during the shoot. 'Shut Up' 'We were just kind of mumbling while they were shooting, but they could hear us. It was just like 40 feet away,' Michael said, before adding, 'And Tom Cruise looks at me—I've never met him, and they're in the middle of a take, and he looks, and he goes, 'Is that Michael Cera talking during a f--king take?' He was joking, but it was also like, 'Do shut up,' you know? But so surreal.' While 'The Phoenician Scheme' actor thought the veteran actor might be kidding, it was clear that he wanted him to shut up. Furthermore, Michael said that Tom runs the sets and is always the leader. While he is friendly, Cera said that the film star is always the first Assistant Director, and would take care of the smallest details to perfection. After a couple of moments, when Tom met Michael in person, he went on to ask about the talk during the shooting incident. Citing that he knew what was happening on the set, Cera said that one of the writers was talking. Tom went on to say that he was just kidding, and Michael stated that so was he.
Courier-Mail
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Courier-Mail
Tom Cruise scolded Michael Cera for rude interruption while filming: ‘He runs the set'
Don't miss out on the headlines from Celebrity Life. Followed categories will be added to My News. Tom Cruise called out Michael Cera the first time they worked together. When the duo met to film a quick clip for the 2010 MTV Movie Awards, Cera was put on blast for 'talking to the writer' during filming. 'We were just kind of mumbling while they were shooting,' the Barbie star, 37, recalled on the Louis Theroux Podcast Tuesday. 'But they could hear us. It was just, like, 40 feet away.' Cruise, 62, stopped what he was doing at the time to ask, 'Is that Michael Cera talking during a f**king take?'' Michael Cera opened up about briefly working with Tom Cruise. Picture:Cruise notoriously takes filming very seriously. Picture:for Warner Bros Pictures Although Cera does 'think [Cruise] was joking,' he noted that it was clear the Top Gun star wanted him to 'shut up.' Cruise later ribbed Cera for 'talking during a f**king take' before assuring the Tony nominee that he was 'kidding.' Cera told listeners that Cruise was 'very friendly' but 'runs the set' and is 'such a leader.' He explained, 'I was there for, like, five minutes, but what I observed was, he was like the first [assistant director] on the set.' Cruise's rep has yet to respond to Page Six's request for comment. Working with Cruise was a 'surreal' and 'fascinating' experience for Cera — although he initially spaced on the collaboration when asked about it. Cera described Cruise as a 'leader'. Picture:for Tony Awards Productions 'I haven't worked with Tom Cruise,' Cera insisted before quickly walking back the statement. 'Oh, yes. I have. Crazy thing to forget.' Host Louis Theroux quipped, 'I love that. I dream of the day when I forget working with Tom Cruise.' X SUBSCRIBER ONLY The Mission Impossible star came up in conversation as the duo discussed Scientology, which Cruise has been a member of since the 1980s. He was reportedly introduced by his first wife, Mimi Rogers, and went on to marry Nicole Kidman and Katie Holmes. Cruise is now believed to be 'courting' his Deeper co-star Ana de Armas, although the duo did not speak to romance rumours during their recent press tours for different films. This story originally appeared on New York Post and was reproduced with permission Originally published as Tom Cruise scolded Michael Cera for rude interruption while filming: 'He runs the set'
Newsweek
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Michael Cera Turned Down 'Harry Potter' for Strange Reason
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors If "The Phoenician Scheme" star Michael Cera had made a different choice, today he would be one of the stars considered part of the "Harry Potter" pantheon. Cera was on "The Louis Theroux Podcast," where he revealed he was in talks to become part of the "Fantastic Beasts" spinoff films, but he bowed out because he was worried about becoming too famous. Read More: Live-Action 'Street Fighter' Casts Horror Star as Chun-Li "I don't even know if I was offered, I think I just declined to engage with it because I think it would be like probably six years commitment or something," Cera said. "But also, I did sort of make a conscientious choice to limit my exposure a little bit, or just try and be a little more in control of it. And I felt like doing, especially little kids' movies, I had a big fear of doing things that I would get too famous." Michael Cera attends Focus Features' "The Phoenician Scheme" New York Premiere at Jazz at Lincoln Center on May 28, 2025 in New York City. Michael Cera attends Focus Features' "The Phoenician Scheme" New York Premiere at Jazz at Lincoln Center on May 28, 2025 in New York City. Jamie McCarthy/WireImage It's up for debate whether or not Cera ultimately had all that much to worry about. While the original plan was for five "Fantastic Beasts" films to be released, the box office saw diminishing returns with each additional entry. In 2022, "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore" suffered an underwhelming performance at the box office, and while the film series has never officially been canceled, there's no word of a fourth film in the works. Regardless, Cera says he's shaken off the feeling that made him pass on "Fantastic Beasts". "I think I've outgrown that particular feeling, but I think that's what that was at that time," Cera said. "But if a franchise came along now and seemed interesting, I don't think on the grounds of it being a franchise I would storm out of the office or anything." Asked about a possible role in the MCU, Cera joked, "A superhero who is a big fan of dairy, I could play." As far as the upcoming "Harry Potter" series set to debut on HBO Max, Cera is probably too late with most of the roles being filled. One of the only major roles left is that of the villain Voldemort, with some rumors pointing toward Cillian Murphy as a favorite. More Movies: Ezra Miller Eyes Possible Hollywood Return Russell Crowe Cast in 'Highlander' Reboot
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Michael Cera Is Interested in Doing a 'Sweet Kids Movie' Inspired by His 2 Children: 'It'd Be Fun to Watch' (Exclusive)
Michael Cera tells PEOPLE that he wants to do a "sweet kids movie" The Phoenician Scheme star is a father to two sons The comedian confirmed the news that he became a father less than one week after his Life & Beth costar Amy Schumer accidentally revealed the newsMichael Cera says he's interested in working on a project specifically for his two boys. While speaking with PEOPLE on this week's episode of PEOPLE in 10, The Phoenician Scheme actor, 36, shared rare comments about potentially working on a project with his sons in mind. Cera, who shares his children with his wife Nadine, tells PEOPLE that he'd be interested in doing a "sweet kids movie," so he can enjoy watching it with them. 'It does make me want to maybe do some kind of sweet kids movie that my kids would like just because it'd be fun to watch,' he tells PEOPLE. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Cera has mainly kept his family and relationship with Nadine, whom he reportedly married in 2018, out of the public eye. In February 2023, Cera opened up to The Hollywood Reporter about how fatherhood has changed him. "I think the only thing that it affects is that you just want to spend as much time with them as possible," Cera said. "So when I was 20, I would have been way happier to go off to some weird city and live in a hotel for three months. And when you have kids, you want to be with your family. And you miss them a lot." Although his sons are still young, he already knows which of his TV shows or films he wants to introduce them to first. "He's only a year and a half old, so he hasn't seen anything yet," he told The Hollywood Reporter at the time, referring to his older son. "But I have a couple of animated movies." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. In March, 2022, Cera's Life & Beth costar Amy Schumer, 44, accidentally revealed during a joint Entertainment Tonight interview that he welcomed a child. "Michael has a baby, too," Schumer said. "Is that public knowledge? I just outed him, I just outed his baby." The Arrested Development star then confirmed the happy news, telling ET, "We're right at the beginning of it. We're doing the very basics right now." A few days after Schumer spilled Cera's baby news, the new dad gave some details to Extra about his first child. "He's just a little 6-month-old baby," Cera said at the time of his son with his longtime partner Nadine. Read the original article on People
