Latest news with #Sonar
AsiaOne
20-07-2025
- AsiaOne
Police test ride-hailing robot to patrol Changi Airport T4 , Singapore News
The Singapore Police Force's Airport Police Division (APD) and Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX) have been piloting a new police patrol robot named Gibson since early July. This indoor robot, which was built to enhance police presence and improve officers' mobility, can also be used as a means of transport. During the demonstration to the media on Wednesday (July 16), Gibson operated within Changi Airport Terminal 4 in its dual-mode operation — autonomous and ride. The autonomous mode compromises of in-depth cameras, 3D LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) cameras and Sonar (Sound Navigation and Ranging) techniques that allow Gibson to determine its location, safely navigate the indoor environment and avoid collisions. This indoor robot is also equipped with a "safety bubble" feature, which functions as a proximity detector. This means it can stop and sound a horn when it detects that someone is too close or obstructing its path. On the other hand, the ride mode allows the robot to travel to an officer's location autonomously through a ride-hailing function. This function is developed in-house by HTX, and it is especially critical for APD's Ground Response Force officers as it frees them to focus on incident response while enhancing mobility and operational readiness within the airport. "Its autonomous mode will allow officers not to worry about having where to park Gibson, where it can continue to patrol in the airport without having to return to its designated parking lot," said Superintendent of Police Patrick Pang, an operations officer for planning and readiness from APD. He also mentioned that the ride mode is designed to "allow officers to summon for Gibson without having to manually search for one". Officers riding it will be able to travel large indoor areas, thus improving their incident response time. Human-robot collaboration "Gibson was developed as part of our ongoing efforts in advancing human-robot collaboration where Home Team officers can team up with robotics systems to carry out patrol missions and to respond to incidents collaboratively," said Seah Qi Yan, an engineer from HTX Robotics, Automation and Unmanned Systems. Gibson was developed through a collaboration with the A*STAR Institute for Infocomm Research. HTX plans to move beyond traditional patrol robots that work on their own, aiming to build smarter, more connected robots that can react to their surroundings and take input from Home Team officers. Gibson is not the first robot that has been used by the police in Changi Airport, but this is the first rideable one. It is not known when it will become operational. When AsiaOne was invited to test out Gibson, we found the ride to be unexpectedly smooth. Although there were some shaky moments when approaching a turn, the robot handled it well. [[nid:719449]]
Extra.ie
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
Track Of The Day: Throwing Snow, 'Pedalling' feat. Daragh Fleming
UK producer Throwing Snow, also known as Ross Tones, has teamed up with Cork writer and poet Daragh Fleming for their nostalgic summer dance anthem, 'Pedalling'. Throwing Snow has previously played with well-known electronic musicians like Jon Hopkins, Bonobo, and Thom Yorke's Atoms for Peace. He has also performed at Sonar, Berghain, Roskilde, and other venues and was crowned Music Radar's Best Underground Producer in 2019. Fleming, who is renowned for his poetic sensitivity and stirring writing, was shortlisted for the Alpine Fellowship Poetry Prize in 2024. In addition to writing, he is an active supporter of mental health, as well as a public speaker, having given talks at TEDx and other events. Blending spoken word, shimmering synths, and a driving bass with intricate lyricism, their new single is rooted in a sense of motion and memory. A dreamlike soundscape and slight reverb create a fantastical atmosphere that somehow feels strangely familiar. 'Cycling'the track's initial titlewas composed for extreme cyclist Philippa Battye, with the constant rhythm intended to serve as a 'sonic companion' on her challenging ascents. But when Throwing Snow discovered Fleming's work, the project took a new turn: 'When I first came across Daraghs work, I was bowled over by his lyricism, storytelling, and message,' the producer remembers. Originally a poem, the lyrics for 'Pedalling' were inspired by Fleming's own childhood, cycling down beaches in Waterford. His rich vocals float over a steady beat, taking you along on the journey to distant memories of simpler days. 'This is obviously my first step into music, which is very exciting,' Fleming explained. 'When Ross reached out to me, it felt like perfect serendipity because putting words to music has always been an aspiration of mine,' he added. Despite being a stand-alone release, 'Pedalling' displays the creative connection between Fleming and Throwing Snow that could lead to future collaborations. You can check out 'Pedalling' below:
Euronews
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Euronews
Why are more Spaniards quitting music festivals over Israeli ties?
If you're planning to attend a music festival in Spain this summer, you might wonder who cashes in the money you spend on the tickets and drinks. Gone are the days of live music sessions when the only concern was getting a good spot on the dance floor to enjoy your favourite band. This year, an increasing number of artists and a significant sections of the public are voting with their feet by refusing to take part on ethical grounds in some of Spain's major cultural events, such as Viña Rock, Sonar, Resurrection Fest and Monegros Desert Festival. The reason for this is the link between Superstruct Entertainment, the organisers of these festivals, and the Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co (KKR) fund, which carries out real estate investment developments in areas recognised by international law as Palestinian and which have been illegally occupied by Israel. KKR, together with the public limited company CPP investments, is the majority investor in the classified businesses of Germany's Axel Springer Group. One of these classified businesses is Yad2, which advertises housing in East Jerusalem, Gaza and the West Bank. The Superstruct Entertainment group was taken over by KKR in 2024. The Spanish public was first made aware of the implications following reports by ' and 'El Salto' in January and May 2025, respectively. Sonar and Viña Rock festivals claim their independence The Viña Rock festival, renowned for the contentious nature of the artistsin its programme, went ahead from 1 to 3 May without the bands Reincidentes, Fermín Muguruza, Porretas and Sons of Aguirre, and despite the harsh criticism the event received on social networks. "We have decided not to participate again in the Viña Rock festival nor in the rest of the festivals acquired by KKR until it changes hands", declared Sons of Aguirre, after joining the communiqués of the other bands, in support of Palestine. Following the pressure, the festival responded with a statement in which it spoke of a "defamation campaign" and "assured its "independence" with respect to its links with KKR, since "it is essential to make it clear that (KKR) has no influence whatsoever on the functioning and much less on the identity, programming or values of the Viña Rock festival", says the text released by the organisation. However, the response was not enough for internet users, who described it as hypocritical and incoherent. Sónar Festival (@sonarfestival)'in paylaştığı bir gönderi Sónar, Spain's biggest electronic music celebration, held earlier this month, left a deep impression on public opinion for all the wrong reasons. At least 50 artists and collectives, including Pompeu Fabra University, refused to participate in the event. In response, the festival issued a statement in which it expressed its solidarity with the Palestinian civilian population and stressed its independence. "We have no interference or, of course, any control over their (KKR's) investments or decisions. Our independence remains intact in all areas that define Sónar's identity", the organisation said in its communiqué. An increasingly critical public However, the effort failed to convince its intended audience. The negative response of tens of thousands of people on social media forced the festival organisers to promise refunds to anyone who didn't want to attend as a matter of principle. One Instagram user wrote: "Me dancing knowing where my ticket money is going? No thanks." "There's a bit of a statement in your euphemisms. Unfortunately, the disengagement we need is the financial one," added another. "A year ago we were not buying KKR's ticket, why should I now be obliged to have my money stained with blood?" said one commentator. Now a growing number of festivals are facing similar calls to act. This week's Resurrection Fest (25-28 June) and Monegros Desert Festival (26 June) have also been hit by artist boycotts. Other events linked to the KKR fund include Arenal Sound (30 July to 3 August), Granada Sound (12 and 13 September) and FIB Benicàssim (17 and 19 July), as well as up to 30 festivals in Spain that are owned by Superstruct Entertainment together with major national concert promoters. Gaining influence and neutrality in Europe Outside Spain, Superstruct has also extended its networks. In January 2025, it bought UK live music events platform Boiler Room, whose workers were quick to voice their concerns about its new owner. In Finland, a collective of workers at the Flow Festival, Helsinki's main festival, organised a strike to incite audiences and artists to stay away from the event. After its latest business operations, Superstruct has gained key influence over the giant Live Nation, a leading US company that also operates on European soil. The Superstruct takeover controversy was heightened by the row over Israel's participation in Eurovision and the European Broadcasting Union's (EBU) threats to Spain for issuing a pro-Palestinian statement during the last edition of the contest. While many big names remain on most bills and line-ups, artists and bands with a smaller impact or following can perhaps vote with their feet and make their feelings clear precisely because they have the least to lose, but the public is clearly becoming more demanding. The debate as to whether art can remain detached from international conflicts or whether, on the contrary, it should be a platform for political protest, is more alive than ever.
Indian Express
23-06-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Why both Apple and Meta are interested in buying Perplexity AI
In Silicon Valley, what matters most is staying ahead of the competition. If you are Apple or Meta and find yourself short on talent or unable to build the technology in-house, the typical approach is to spend big. That usually means acquiring a successful company, bringing in the team behind the product, and either integrating it into your core offerings or giving the founders enough autonomy to continue innovating within your brand. It's an approach many Silicon Valley companies have embraced—some have made blockbuster acquisitions, while others have gotten burned. Last week, both Apple and Meta made headlines with news of their interest in acquiring Perplexity AI, a leading AI startup founded by Indian-origin computer scientist Arvind Srinivas. While major Silicon Valley players often work behind the scenes to quietly pursue companies they are interested in, this time two tech giants are eyeing Perplexity—at the same time. The timing makes it even more interesting, especially in the case of Apple, which typically avoids bringing in outside talent and prefers to build competing technologies in-house. Bloomberg first reported that Meta approached Perplexity about a potential takeover before the company recently invested $14.3 billion in Scale AI. Unsurprisingly, the San Francisco–based AI startup was also on Apple's radar, according to another Bloomberg report. It's not clear whether Perplexity is up for sale, whether Meta or Apple has held formal talks to acquire the company, or how close either might be to sealing a deal. We may not know until one of them makes an official announcement. While Meta has been on a shopping spree for months, Apple's name entering the mix is particularly interesting. It could signal a turning point in Cupertino's AI strategy—something many have been anticipating, especially after its underwhelming AI showing at the company's recent developers' conference. The interest from both Silicon Valley giants raises an important question: why are they eyeing a much smaller company like Perplexity? The answer may be that this rising AI darling holds the potential to supercharge their AI ambitions in the escalating battle against Google and Microsoft-backed OpenAI. When Perplexity was founded in 2022 by a team of AI researchers and machine learning experts—Aravind Srinivas, Andy Konwinski, Denis Yarats, and Johnny Ho—in San Francisco, the idea behind the startup was to 'democratise access to knowledge.' While the AI-driven search engine and chatbot rose quickly, Perplexity AI was initially mocked as little more than an 'AI wrapper.' Now, its greatest strength lies in allowing users to choose from a range of powerful large language models (LLMs), though it also has its own LLM called Sonar. The startup has built various services on top of these LLMs, giving consumers real choice and flexibility. This ability to rapidly develop and launch new features on top of popular LLMs is what helped Perplexity gain its user base and rise in popularity. As of mid-2024, it reportedly had around 15 million users. Perplexity's rise is especially unexpected in its emergence as a serious search engine contender. Both insiders and the general public have praised its search capabilities, with some calling it a potential challenger to Google's dominance in the space. Many have tried and failed to replicate Google over the years—Neeva, for instance, shut down in 2023 after struggling to gain traction. But Google itself appears to be on shaky ground. Users have increasingly complained that Google's search results are cluttered with low-quality, spammy websites gaining the rankings. As a result, many people have begun turning to platforms like Reddit and TikTok for more authentic answers. Neither Perplexity nor ChatGPT has replaced Google yet, but there are growing signs that user search behaviour is shifting—and new players are emerging. Even Google is trying to reinvent itself with a new feature in its search engine called AI Overviews, which offers summarised answers on the search page itself. While Perplexity is slowly gaining more users, it has also faced controversy. The company has been accused by major publishers of bypassing paywalls and plagiarizing content. That said, Perplexity has quickly become one of the most buzzing products in the tech world. The company is currently valued at over $14 billion. Cupertino took an early lead in artificial intelligence with Siri in the early 2010s, but the company is now virtually absent from the current AI race. In fact, Apple is lagging behind other FAANG — an acronym for the top tech companies: Facebook (now Meta), Apple, Amazon, Netflix, and Google (now Alphabet) — companies when it comes to AI. Its much-hyped Apple Intelligence has been underwhelming at best, and the promised Siri overhaul has been delayed—with no clear timeline in sight. Apple appears to be years behind the competition, painting a picture of weak leadership, flawed decision-making, and poor integration between teams. The company's recently concluded Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) keynote included little to no mention of AI—a clear sign that Apple failed to anticipate the generative AI boom and was caught off guard. However, Apple has been developing a version of Siri that is entirely based on large language models (LLMs), aiming to make it more conversational and better at processing information. This new version is expected to eventually replace the current hybrid Siri that Apple is using, but we will have to wait until sometime next year to see how polished the new Siri actually is. A major difference between Apple and other companies in bringing AI to the masses is that Cupertino is more open to partnerships—such as the one it has with OpenAI. The idea is that Apple will combine its own machine learning models with generative AI technologies from partners to power features within Apple Intelligence. It's a smart way to deliver the best of AI through collaboration. And since Apple has some of the best hardware on the market—and billions of active users—it makes sense to work with various AI companies and build new features on top of their LLMs. But the real question is whether Apple's hardware-first business model puts it at a disadvantage in the AI age—or whether we are simply expecting Apple to behave like Google or OpenAI and invest billions in AI as a core product. What's often overlooked is that Apple's business model is fundamentally different from the major players in AI. Apple is not (yet) an AI-first company—though it could become one in the future if its devices and software are redesigned around AI. While Google and OpenAI aim to sell their AI technologies to others and monetise them directly, Apple's focus is on serving its own customers—those who buy iPhones, Macs, and other devices—by integrating AI features into its existing software ecosystem. Apple is also morally accountable to its users, which is why it maintains a strong emphasis on building a private, user-focused version of AI. If that approach takes more time to deliver, Apple is willing to wait—and that's okay, even if it takes longer than expected. Apple has made a choice, and its partnership-driven approach comes with both pros and cons. The company can either compete directly with OpenAI and Google by developing its own large language model (LLM) as advanced as theirs and integrating it into Apple Intelligence, or it can give consumers the option to choose between assistants—like Siri and Gemini, for example. However, taking the latter route risks complicating Apple's business model and could create a confusing user experience, such as having two voice assistants running on the same iPhone. For Apple, its current position in the AI age is a high-risk battle. The company could open its wallet to acquire a major AI company or poach the brightest software developers to build a team of AI experts. Apple might already be quietly doing this behind the scenes. Apple rumoured move to acquire Perplexity AI suggests a potential shift in its AI strategy. In some ways, Perplexity AI and Apple share similarities, and the long-term impact of integrating Perplexity's technology with Apple's hardware and software could be significant but in a positive way. Perplexity's search tool—with its text interface, voice controls, and Apple-like design—resonates more strongly on iOS than on Android. Perhaps the secret to Perplexity AI lies in how it is redefining the search engine experience. While traditional search engines like Google (built on crawling, indexing, and ranking) constantly scan and catalog the internet, Perplexity AI takes a different approach. Instead of relying solely on static results, its search engine transforms search into a natural conversation. Users can phrase questions as they would when speaking to another person, rather than using keyword strings. This conversational flow allows users to ask follow-up questions, refine queries, or explore related topics without starting over. Additionally, Perplexity AI's responses include numbered footnotes that link directly to original sources, improving transparency. It scans the web rapidly to find the latest information, and thanks to its multimodal capabilities—supporting text, speech, and more—users can even upload images to receive detailed explanations of visual content. The result is a more user-friendly, transparent, and informative search experience. Perhaps Cupertino is exploring the idea of creating its own AI-based search engine to reduce its long-term reliance on Google. While talk of Apple acquiring Perplexity AI may still be just a rumour, the reality is that Apple needs both top-tier AI talent and a clear long-term strategy for integrating AI into its products. Maybe Apple wants to move beyond its current partnership strategy and is now aiming for full control over the user experience. Gaining access to Perplexity AI's talented team and its ready-made alternative to Google Search could mark the beginning of what Apple has long envisioned as the core experience behind Apple Intelligence. In May, Apple's Senior Vice-President Eddy Cue revealed that the company had discussed a possible Safari integration with Perplexity during Google's ongoing search antitrust case. Apple has been under increasing pressure to end its partnership with Google, which currently pays Cupertino billions of dollars each year to remain the default search engine on the iPhone. While that could mean the end of the billions Apple receives from Google if regulators apply pressure, Cupertino also needs an alternative—and a long-term bet on Perplexity AI makes a lot of sense. Though it remains to be seen whether Apple will invest in Perplexity AI or move to acquire the startup outright, one major hurdle could be regulatory approval. Apple has already faced accusations of creating a monopoly through its App Store and its dominant role as a gatekeeper—concerns that could intensify if it attempts a multi-billion dollar acquisition. However, Apple has generally avoided high-profile acquisitions. Its last major deal was the $3 billion purchase of Beats in 2014. Historically, the company prefers smaller acquisitions, usually aimed at bringing talented teams on board to kickstart new projects or to fill talent gaps in existing internal efforts. While Apple is rather cautious with acquisitions, Meta is known for large-scale deals. Meta has made a number of high-profile acquisitions in the past, and in many cases, it has allowed those brands to shine on their own. Take, for example, the photo-sharing platform Instagram or the messaging service WhatsApp—both highly successful deals that continue to pay dividends today. However, CEO Mark Zuckerberg is now under pressure and must answer to shareholders about how the company plans to win the AI race against OpenAI and Google's parent company, Alphabet. That explains why Meta is on a spending spree and actively eyeing AI companies, even though the cost of acquiring them during the peak of the AI boom is astronomically high. Just recently, Meta made a $14.3 billion investment in Scale AI, gaining access to star developer and startup founder Alexandr Wang—a Massachusetts Institute of Technology dropout who founded the company at age 19. The 41-year-old Meta CEO has also reportedly attempted to acquire Perplexity AI and Safe Superintelligence, the latter launched a year ago by OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever. Meta is now reportedly planning to hire former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman and his business partner Daniel Gross, who had been leading the $32 billion AI startup Safe Superintelligence. In recent months, Meta has upped its spending on data centers investments and potential the added cost of AI hardware. Cash isn't a problem for Meta; what the company is focused on now is assembling a dream team to develop AI technology that aligns with Mark Zuckerberg's vision. Unlike Apple, which is a hardware-first company, Meta's business is more diversified—spanning its core advertising unit, Instagram's algorithm-driven content, as well as VR and smart glasses initiatives. Mark Zuckerberg often talks about the company's ambition to build a new computing platform that will one day replace smartphones, and to achieve that, Meta needs better AI models and the technology to power them. It's a massive undertaking, given Meta's presence across social media, advertising, and now hardware. It requires not only significant capital but also a long-term vision—and, more importantly, a 'superintelligence team.' But compared to OpenAI and Google, Meta has made slower progress in artificial intelligence, despite having vast resources and top-tier talent. The company's current AI strategy centers around an open-source approach built on its Llama family of models. In April, Meta announced the Llama 4 AI models, which were not well received by developers. So far, Meta has only released two smaller versions of Llama 4 and has stated it will eventually release a larger and more powerful 'Behemoth' model. This suggests that Meta remains behind Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic in the AI race. That leaves Meta with no choice but to speed up its efforts to hire the right talent. It's well known in Silicon Valley that star developers are few—and they come at a high cost. In the latest episode of the Uncapped podcast, hosted by his brother, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed that Meta has attempted to recruit OpenAI employees by offering signing bonuses as high as $100 million, along with even larger annual compensation packages. This underscores just how desperate—Meta is to secure top-tier AI talent. Poaching is normalised in Silicon Valley – and certainly not new. With Perplexity AI reportedly on the radar of both Meta and Apple, it's clear that both companies are keen to acquire the Arvind Srinivas–led startup. Meta has previously been in talks to acquire the company, highlighting just how much it values Perplexity's potential. For Meta, the acquisition would be strategically important in improving its Meta AI assistant—which already serves over a billion monthly active users across the company's family of apps—by making it more personalised and better tuned for voice-based conversations. Anuj Bhatia is a personal technology writer at who has been covering smartphones, personal computers, gaming, apps, and lifestyle tech actively since 2011. He specialises in writing longer-form feature articles and explainers on trending tech topics. His unique interests encompass delving into vintage tech, retro gaming and composing in-depth narratives on the intersection of history, technology, and popular culture. He covers major international tech conferences and product launches from the world's biggest and most valuable tech brands including Apple, Google and others. At the same time, he also extensively covers indie, home-grown tech startups. Prior to joining The Indian Express in late 2016, he served as a senior tech writer at My Mobile magazine and previously held roles as a reviewer and tech writer at Gizbot. Anuj holds a postgraduate degree from Banaras Hindu University. You can find Anuj on Linkedin. Email: ... Read More
See - Sada Elbalad
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- See - Sada Elbalad
Mohamed Mounir Drops "Malamehna", First Song from New Album
Yara Sameh 'The King' Mohamed Mounir offered up his new song "Malamehna" as the first taste of his long-awaited album. The record consists of 10 songs and is produced by Rotana. It features Mounir cooperating with a large number of poets and composers, including Hala El Zayat, Menna El Kiey, Tamer Hussein, Aziz El-Shafei, Ehab Abd Elwahed, and the late Mohamed Rahim. Mounir dropped his last album, ' Bab El-Gamal ' ("The Door to Beauty") in August 2021. Mounir, born on October 10, 1954, is one of the Middle East's best singers. He released his 1977 debut solo album, 'Alemony Eneeki' on the Sonar record label, after completing his military service. The superstar has released over 22 albums and six soundtrack albums. Mounir, whose musical career spanned over three decades, presented various genres in his music, such as classical Egyptian Music, Nubian music, blues, jazz, and reggae. The superstar's lyrics are quite famous for their philosophical content as well as for their passionate social and political commentary. read more New Tourism Route To Launch in Old Cairo Ahmed El Sakka-Led Play 'Sayidati Al Jamila' to Be Staged in KSA on Dec. 6 Mandy Moore Joins Season 2 of "Dr. Death" Anthology Series Don't Miss These Movies at 44th Cairo Int'l Film Festival Today Amr Diab to Headline KSA's MDLBEAST Soundstorm 2022 Festival Arts & Culture Mai Omar Stuns in Latest Instagram Photos Arts & Culture "The Flash" to End with Season 9 Arts & Culture Ministry of Culture Organizes four day Children's Film Festival Arts & Culture Canadian PM wishes Muslims Eid-al-Adha News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream Technology 50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean News 3 Killed in Shooting Attack in Thailand
