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The world's first bus-train is set to debut in Kaiyo, Japan on December 25. With an extra set of wheels for train tracks, the dual-mode vehicle can run on road and rail.
Homei Miyashita from Japan’s Meiji University has created a lickable TV screen to allow viewers to taste what they see. “Taste the TV” (TTTV) uses a “flavour spray” technology to create a multi-sensory viewing experience. Miyashita says his invention was inspired by the pandemic when people were unable to enjoy rest…
China’s “Xingguo” magnetic levitation sky train rolled off the assembly line on December 14, 2021, in the central city of Wuhan. Also known as maglev, magnetic levitation is a transport system that suspends, guides and propels vehicles. It’s reportedly the first time that permanent maglev technology has ever been ap…
The first-ever text message sent was sold for €107,000 (US$121,000) as a non-fungible token (NFT) at a Paris auction house on December 21, 2021. The text, which reads “Merry Christmas”, was sent on December 3, 1992. It was put up for auction by the British telecoms company Vodafone. NFTs are a type of digital asset …
The US Treasury Department added eight more Chinese companies to an investment blacklist on December 17, 2021, for alleged involvement in the surveillance of Muslim minority people in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. The world’s top commercial drone maker DJI Technology and artificial intelligence (AI) giant Me…
This electric scooter can fit into a medium-sized backpack when deflated. Developed by University of Tokyo researchers, the vehicle inflates in 2 minutes and can run for 90 minutes at 15km/h (9.3mph).
Teen aviator Zara Rutherford was greeted with bubble tea soon after landing in Taiwan, as part of her latest stop in her journey around the world. The 19-year-old British-Belgian is working her way towards becoming the world’s youngest woman to fly around the globe solo. In her 325kg (717lbs) Shark UL prop plane, Ru…
China has seen a surge in criminal cases involving hidden cameras in hotel rooms and rented flats. Once only accessible to private investigators or big companies, hidden spy devices have become more affordable as well as more advanced and harder to detect, leading to misuse. He Zhihui worked as a private detective i…
Scientists at the National University of Singapore have developed a smart bandage that can monitor wounds using an app. This allows patients with chronic wounds to be monitored remotely, potentially saving them visits to the doctor. Information such as temperature, bacteria type, pH data and inflammatory factors can…
The app, which contains a “health code” compatible with mainland China’s version, is a key step for reopening cross-border travel and will launch next week, the Hong Kong government announced on December 2. It has stoked privacy concerns among many Hongkongers for its similarity to the one used on the mainland.
Hong Kong should focus on technology, creativity and sustainability to find success in the coming 25 years, according to young executives who took part in a recent panel discussion at the University of Hong Kong Business School. Panellists were asked how the city can maintain its advantages and develop its role as a…
Li Jingzhi spent more than three decades searching for her son, who went missing as a toddler in central China’s Shaanxi province. She travelled to nearly every Chinese province, following every lead that never panned out until the spring of 2020, when DNA technology confirmed that a man in Chengdu was Li's missing …
In the South Korean capital Seoul, robots have been deployed as teaching assistants at 300 nursery schools and childcare centres. They guide young children to dance, sing songs, recite stories and even teach a few kung fu moves. The robots are part of the city government’s plan to prepare the next generation for a h…
The wooden box instant camera, or the “kamra-e-faoree” as it is known in Dari, is disappearing from the streets of Afghanistan. This type of vintage camera has survived multiple wars and even a Taliban ban on photography during the hardline group’s first rule. But it's finally showing its age as Afghanistan moves to…
A Colombian entrepreneur exporting rhinoceros beetles to Japan has found a way to cut his business costs.The company, Tierra Viva, created the cryptocurrency Kmushicoin (KTV) in 2019 to avoid high commission costs on international sales. Around 220 retail businesses in the Colombian city of Tunja are currently accep…
One third of the employees at this app developing company in Beijing are visually-impaired. They can take up different positions, including voice actor, programmer and social media managing editor. With the help of assistive technology, Zhou Tong can write blog posts and insert relevant photos without assistance fro…
China has taken the lead in the development of global 5G networks, with over 1.15 million base stations built so far that can use the fifth-generation mobile telecommunications technology. The nation now is home to over 70 per cent of the world’s total 5G capability, according to figures released by China’s Ministry…
South Korea conducted a manned air-taxi test flight at Gimpo International Airport on November 11, 2021. A pilot flew the two-seat model, made by German manufacturer Volocopter, to test control and coordination of the system’s urban air mobility (UAM). In 2020, the country announced a roadmap to begin commercial urb…
China’s Singles’ Day, also known as Double 11, used to be all about big discounts, record-high sales figures and flashy galas. But following the recent government crackdown on the country’s tech giants and amid a push for “common prosperity”, the focus of the annual event in 2021 has shifted from consumerism to soci…
Big data algorithms on food delivery apps are reportedly pushing China’s delivery drivers to the edge by allocating them shorter delivery time, effectively encouraging dangerous driving. After years of unrestricted growth and soaring demand during the Covid-19 pandemic, food delivery companies now face scrutiny over…
China’s Edward Gaming (EDG) team was crowned the 2021 League of Legends world championships winners on November 6, 2021, after a five-game thriller that saw it beating last year’s champion, South Korea’s DWG Kia. The Shanghai-based team is bringing home prize money totalling US$2.225 million. The win comes as Beijin…
A geothermal plant in Iceland has developed technology that turns carbon dioxide into rock. Sitting at the foot of an active volcano, the power station uses a process called direct air capture to suck CO2 from the atmosphere. The procedure mimics the natural process of storing carbon into the ground that would take …
More than 60,000 street cleaners in southern China’s Shenzhen can enjoy a free meal once every week, thanks to a community programme called WeChat Love Meals. The project is a joint initiative by the local government, a community group, and tech giant Tencent. It aims to serve 600,000 meals by the end of 2021.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed in the company’s annual AR/VR conference on October 28, 2021, that his company is rebranding itself as Meta. Zuckerberg said the rebranding is an effort to encompass its virtual-reality vision for the future, including a “metaverse” he predicts will reach a billion people within…
Huawei Technologies Co employees performed a dance and presented flowers to the company’s chief financial officer and executive director Meng Wanzhou as she returned to work on October 25, 2021. Meng arrived at the Chinese tech giant’s Shenzhen headquarters after completing quarantine for 21 days. Three weeks earlie…
Foxconn Technology Group, the world’s largest assembler of Apple iPhones, has unveiled its first electric vehicle concept cars. The Taiwanese company displayed three concept versions under its Foxtron marque on October 18, 2021. The Model C sedan, Model E sports-utility vehicle and Model T commuter bus are concepts …
It’s faster than a mosquito bite and promises to be relatively pain free. The so-called Bubble Gun, invented by researchers in the Netherlands, uses laser light to push droplets of medicine or vaccines through the skin. The technology could take up to three more years to develop for public release, but its inventors…
William Shatner, famous for his role as Star Trek’s Captain James T. Kirk, blasted 66.5 miles (107km) above the surface of the Earth on October 13, 2021, aboard a Blue Origin rocket to the edge of space. The actor and three other crew members spent three minutes floating in zero gravity and saw the curvature of the …
Researchers at Osaka University are trying to mass-produce Japan’s famous Wagyu beef using 3D printers. The scientists hope the technology can be applied to regenerative medicine and help address food shortages.
Florida developers have started construction on the world’s first Covid-19-conscious and pandemic-ready skyscraper. The building in Miami, called the Legacy Tower, will feature bacteria-killing robots, touchless technology and modern air-purification systems which will aim to protect residents against future pandemi…
Interest in learning Korean has spiked since the launch of the hit Netflix show Squid Game, according to tutoring services. Language learning app Duolingo reported a 76 per cent rise in new users signing up to learn Korean in Britain and 40 per cent in the US over the two weeks following the South Korean series’ rel…
Whistle-blower Frances Haugen testified before the US Senate on October 5, 2021, with a message about her former employer Facebook and its leaders: Don’t trust them. The former project manager with the company provided revelations that have shaken the world’s largest social network, as she accused founder Mark Zucke…
China’s Shenzhen Luohu People's Hospital has unveiled the first fully automated nasal swab-collecting robot. The robot uses a camera and force-control technology to identify precisely where to inject the swab. It also has deep-learning technology to help improve the robot’s performance. Experts say the idea behind t…
A widespread alcohol sale restriction as part of Covid-19 measures has one of Japan’s largest izakaya – or pub – chains embracing a hi-tech, but low staff solution: robot servers. Miki Watanabe, the CEO of Watami, is converting 40 per cent of his izakayas into barbecue, or yakiniku, restaurants to curb mounting loss…
Scientists in Singapore are tackling food waste by turning discarded durian husks into antibacterial gel bandages. The team behind the invention says the technology can also be applied using other food waste, such as soybeans and spent grains.
China's cargo spacecraft the Tianzhou 3 successfully launched from the southern province of Hainan and docked with the nation’s Tiangong space station on September 20, 2021. The ship carried supplies for the upcoming Shenzhou 13 crewed mission, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA). Three astronauts are …
The world’s first mission to space with an all-civilian crew was launched on September 15, 2021. The SpaceX private flight is being led by a 38-year-old entrepreneur who bankrolled the entire trip. The four crew members lifted off from the Kennedy Space Centre in Cape Canaveral in the US state of Florida. They will …
Researchers in a lab in the South Korean capital Seoul have created a chameleon robot that instantly changes its skin colour to match its surroundings. The team at Seoul National University developed their camouflage technology using special ink that changes colour based on temperature, controlling the changes with …
CZ Zhao, the founder and CEO of crypto-exchange Binance, says that changes the trading platform operator is making are being done to win the approval of regulators. In an interview with the SCMP, Zhao also offered his views on the future of non-fungible tokens or NFTs, and central bank digital currencies.
The Siberian tiger and Amur leopard are on the Red List of Threatened Species by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). But their numbers are gradually increasing in northeastern China, thanks to conservation efforts by staff at the Hunchun Scientific Research Monitoring Centre in the Northeast C…
Chinese President Xi Jinping has announced plans to set up a new stock exchange in Beijing. In a short speech at the opening of the China International Fair for Trade in Services on September 2, 2021, Xi said China will support the innovative development of small and medium-sized enterprises. China has two existing …
Melissa, a Chinese woman who experienced a painful break-up after her ex cheated on her, has turned to an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot system called XiaoIce for help easing her heartbreak. The 26-year-old, who only offered her first name to protect her privacy, recently showed how she interacts with a custom…
China had about 7,300 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles at the end of 2020, most of which were commercial vehicles. The country aims to have between 50,000 and 100,000 such vehicles on its roads by 2025, and as many as 1 million by 2035. The district of Daxing in the southern suburbs of the capital Beijing is building a h…
Formerly an insurance actuary, New York chef Winston Chiu combines the skills from both careers to feed the needy and tackle food waste. His organisation, Feed Forward, matches recipients online with the restaurants offering meals of their choice. “We want to create technology and use it in a very inclusive way,” Ch…
The popular dating app Tinder is being used by a German animal shelter to find homes for unwanted pets. According to the Munich Animal Shelter, more pets have been abandoned since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and during the summer holiday. Profiles have been created for 15 of the shelter’s most eligible pets o…
A start-up in Israel is using artificial intelligence (AI) technology to rescue and protect beehives. Vital for agricultural pollination, beehive colonies have declined at an average annual rate of 30 per cent since 2006-2007, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency. Using AI and smart technology, the Is…
Chinese tech giant Tencent Holdings, which runs the world’s largest video gaming business by revenue, has significantly cut down playing time for minors on its flagship game Honour of Kings. The measures were taken in apparent response to claims that video gaming is harming teenagers in China. A report published by …
The Tokyo Olympic Games has come alive to scores of the host city’s disabled children, thanks to cutting-edge technology. Provided by Japanese companies, the set-up allowed the youngsters to interact with athletes through a camera, dance with a robotic mascot, and view the matches inside a virtual reality dome.
Despite the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on global aviation, the boss of AirAsia says the Malaysia-based regional budget carrier is plotting a new course for expanding into Southeast Asia’s crowded field of so-called super apps. Company CEO Tony Fernandes says he sees AirAsia build a “low-cost unicorn…
The Covid-19 pandemic has killed millions of people worldwide, disrupted international trade patterns and greatly reduced international travel. However, there is another crisis that has happened concurrently. The world has been suffering from a major shortage of semiconductors. These microchips are used in essential…
