Defense Department going big on generative AI to 'meet critical warfighter problems'LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 21, 2024-- Sunny Health & Fitness , a trailblazer in cardio equipment for over 20 years, is entering an exciting new phase of innovation and evolution. As a leader in the fitness industry, Sunny is not only enhancing its cardio offerings with cutting-edge technology to elevate users' fitness journeys but is also expanding into a comprehensive, one-stop lifestyle brand. With the launch of the Sunny Strength Line , the brand is redefining strength training with a sleek, high-performance collection designed for the fit, design-conscious consumer. This marks a bold new chapter in Sunny’s growth, delivering style, power, and innovation to home gyms everywhere at an affordable price. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241221265768/en/ From Strength to Strength - Unveiling the Sunny Strength Line (Photo: Business Wire) Strength, Style, and Innovation—Designed for the Modern Home Gym The Sunny Strength Line represents the perfect fusion of power and aesthetics. Whether you're an emerging athlete or just someone who values top-quality fitness gear at home, this collection delivers both superior performance and eye-catching design. From heavy-duty machines like racks, benches, and smith machines to stylish free weights, dumbbells, bars, and accessories, every product is engineered to meet the needs of those who want to build muscle and enhance strength, all while maintaining the sleek, modern look of their living spaces. Explore the Sunny Strength video to see how power meets style in this new strength training equipment line: https://youtu.be/j7KcpKa1iyE . Sunny Health & Fitness understands that today’s fitness enthusiasts demand equipment that not only performs but also complements their lifestyle. The Sunny Strength Line was created with versatility, functionality, and design in mind, giving you everything you need to take your strength training to the next level without compromising on the aesthetic of your home gym. With a thoughtfully curated color palette, this is strength training that combines exceptional performance with stunning design. Performance-Driven Strength Training for Every Fitness Journey Building muscle and enhancing strength are cornerstones of living a healthy and active lifestyle, and the Sunny Strength Line is specifically designed to support individuals in achieving these goals. Whether you’re a beginner or want to train like a pro, the line’s diverse range of products ensures there’s an ideal solution for every fitness level and training style. This equipment is built to deliver maximum performance, allowing users to progress efficiently in their strength training and take their fitness to new heights. Sunny Health & Fitness is committed to helping people not only get stronger but also get smarter about their fitness journey. The SunnyFit app , a key part of their digital transformation, offers personalized workout plans, fitness tracking, and progress monitoring—guiding users as they level up their performance. With this seamless integration of high-quality equipment and cutting-edge technology, the Sunny Strength Line provides everything you need to build muscle, boost endurance, and achieve long-term success. About Sunny Health & Fitness For more than two decades, Sunny Health & Fitness has been a leader in the fitness industry, providing affordable, high-quality solutions for home and commercial gyms alike. With its expanding range of strength equipment and digital tools like the SunnyFit app , the company is dedicated to helping individuals reach their fitness goals with style, innovation, and performance. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241221265768/en/ CONTACT: Hanna Kim (626) 968-1000 hannak@sunnyhealthfitness.comVisit website:SunnyHealthFitness.com Download SunnyFit now:SunnyFit.com KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: SOFTWARE MEN LIFESTYLE SPECIALTY CONSUMER ELECTRONICS CONSUMER APPS/APPLICATIONS TECHNOLOGY FITNESS & NUTRITION RETAIL WOMEN HEALTH HOME GOODS SOURCE: Sunny Health & Fitness Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/21/2024 06:00 PM/DISC: 12/21/2024 06:00 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241221265768/enFuture robots might be able to detect how you're feeling just by touching your skin. In a new study, scientists used skin conductance — a measure of how well skin conducts electricity — to assess the emotions of 33 participants who were shown emotionally evocative videos. Because skin conductance changes when you sweat, they found a correlation between these measurements and videos that elicited feelings of fear, surprise and "family bonding emotions," making skin conductance an accurate method for detecting changes in emotion in real time. When used in conjunction with other physiological signals, like heart rate monitoring and brain activity, skin conductance could play a central role in the development of emotionally intelligent devices and services, the scientists explained in a paper published Oct. 15 in the journal IEEE Access . "To date, few studies have examined how the dynamics of skin conductance responses differ among emotions, despite high responsiveness being a key feature of skin conductance," the scientists said in the study. "The results of this study are expected to contribute to the development of technologies that can be used to accurately estimate emotions, when combined with other physiological signals." Related: Self-healing 'living skin' can make robots more humanlike — and it looks just as creepy as you'd expect Although the study didn't specifically explore integrating the technology with robotics, systems that can respond to human emotions hold several promising applications. These could, hypothetically, include smart devices that play soothing music when you are stressed or streaming platforms that tailor content recommendations to your mood. Sign up for the Live Science daily newsletter now Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox. To be effective, though, these devices must detect and interpret emotions accurately. In the paper, the scientists noted that typical emotion-detection technologies rely on facial recognition and speech analysis. These technologies not only tend to be unreliable — particularly when video and audio signals aren't clear — but also carry inherent privacy concerns , the team said. Skin conductance may offer a solution, according to the study. When humans experience an emotional reaction, their sweat glands activate, which changes their skin's electrical properties. These changes occur within one to three seconds, providing very quick feedback on a person's emotional state. For the study, scientists at Tokyo Metropolitan University attached probes to the fingers of 33 participants and showed them a variety of emotionally charged clips, including horror movie scenes, comedy sketches and family reunion videos. As they watched, the team measured how quickly participants' skin conductance peaked and how long it took to return to normal. The study revealed distinct patterns for different emotions. Fear responses lasted the longest, which the scientists explained was likely an evolutionary trait that keeps humans alert to danger. Family bonding emotions, described as a mix of happiness and sadness, caused slower responses, which they said could have been because the two feelings interfered with each other. — Watch this terrifying robotic torso spring to life — 'This is a marriage of AI and quantum': New technology gives AI the power to feel surfaces for the 1st time — Tesla primed to sell AI-powered humanoid robots alongside its EVs in 2025. But will they be any good? Humor triggered the fastest reactions, but they faded quickly, the study showed. The reason for this wasn't immediately clear, but the scientists noted that "literature on the dynamics of skin conductance caused by funniness and fear" is fairly scant. Although the method isn't perfect, combining skin conductance with other physiological signals — like heart rate, electromyography and brain activity — could improve the accuracy of the technique, the researchers said. "There is a growing demand for techniques to estimate individuals' subjective experiences based on their physiological signals to provide them with emotionally evocative services," the scientists wrote in the study. "Therefore, further exploration of these physiological signals in this study, particularly skin conductance responses, can advance techniques for emotion recognition."
SMARTPHONES After a sprawling hacking campaign exposed the communications of an unknown number of Americans, U.S. cybersecurity officials are advising people to use encryption in their communications. To safeguard against the risks highlighted by the campaign, which originated in China, federal cybersecurity authorities released an extensive list of security recommendations for U.S. telecom companies — such as Verizon and AT&T — that were targeted. The advice includes one tip we can all put into practice with our phones: "Ensure that traffic is end-to-end encrypted to the maximum extent possible." End-to-end encryption, also known as E2EE, means that messages are scrambled so that only the sender and recipient can see them. If anyone else intercepts the message, all they will see is garble that can't be unscrambled without the key. Law enforcement officials until now resisted this type of encryption because it means the technology companies themselves won't be able to look at the messages, nor respond to law enforcement requests to turn the data over. Here's a look at various ways ordinary consumers can use end-to-end encryption: Texting Officials said the hackers targeted the metadata of a large number of customers, including information on the dates, times and recipients of calls and texts. They also managed to see the content from texts from a much smaller number of victims. If you're an iPhone user, information in text messages that you send to someone else who also has an iPhone will be encrypted end-to-end. Just look for the blue text bubbles, which indicate that they are encrypted iMessages. The same goes for Android users sending texts through Google Messages. There will be a lock next to the timestamp on each message to indicate the encryption is on. But there's a weakness. When iPhone and Android users text each other, the messages are encrypted only using Rich Communication Services, an industry standard for instant messaging that replaces the older SMS and MMS standards. Apple has noted that RCS messages "aren't end-to-end encrypted, which means they're not protected from a third party reading them while they're sent between devices." Samsung, which sells Android smartphones, also hinted at the issue in a footnote at the bottom of a press release last month on RCS, saying, "Encryption only available for Android to Android communication." Chat apps To avoid getting caught out when trading texts, experts recommend using encrypted messaging apps. Privacy advocates are big fans of Signal, which applies end to-end encryption to all messages and voice calls. The independent nonprofit group behind the app promises never to sell, rent or lease customer data and made its source code publicly available so that it can be audited by anyone to examine it "for security and correctness." Signal's encryption protocol is so reputable that it has been integrated into rival WhatsApp, so users will enjoy the same level of security protection as Sig nal, which has a much smaller user base. End-to-end encryption is also the default mode for Facebook Messenger, which like WhatsApp is owned by Meta Platforms. What about Telegram? Telegram is an app that can be used for one-on-one conversations, group chats and broadcast "channels" but contrary to popular perception, it doesn't turn on end-to-end encryption by default. Users have to switch on the option. And it doesn't work with group chats. Cybersecurity experts warned people against using Telegram for private communications and pointed out that only its opt-in 'secret chat' feature is encrypted from end-to-end. The app also has a reputation for being a haven for scammers and criminal activity, highlighted by founder and CEO Pavel Durov's arrest in France. Making calls Instead of using your phone to make calls through a wireless cellular network, you can make voice calls with Signal and WhatsApp. Both apps encrypt calls with the same technology that they use to encrypt messages. There are other options. If you have an iPhone you can use Facetime for calls, while Android owners can use the Google fiservice, which are both end-to-end encrypted. The only catch with all these options is that, as with using the chat services to send messages, the person on the other end will also have to have the app installed. WhatsApp and Signal users can customize their privacy preferences in the settings, including hiding an IP address during calls to prevent your general location from being guessed. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
MONCTON, New Brunswick, Dec. 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Major Drilling Group International Inc. (“Major Drilling”), is pleased to announce the appointment of Ashley Martin as Chief Operating Officer (“COO”) of the Company, effective immediately. “I am happy to announce the promotion of Ashley into the newly created role of COO. This appointment is in line with our strategic focus on growth and innovation. Ashley has dedicated 30 years to the drilling industry, with the last 23 years focused on Major Drilling's success. Throughout his career, he has excelled in various leadership roles, including General Manager of Canada and, more recently, Vice President of Operations – Latin America,” Mr. Denis Larocque, President & CEO of Major Drilling said. As COO, Mr. Martin will work closely with recently appointed Chief Technology Officer (“CTO”), Marc Landry, to implement innovative operational solutions and data technologies throughout the organization, a reflection of Major Drilling’s commitment to enhancing operational efficiency and continuous improvements on safety. “This new role will help support our growth initiatives in terms of integration of our latest Explomin acquisition, but also in terms of organic growth in new jurisdictions,” Mr. Larocque explained. “The creation of new COO and CTO roles is aimed at reinforcing our position as the leader in the specialized drilling market and meeting the increasing demands of our valued customers, as the long-term outlook for the Company remains encouraging,” said Mr. Larocque. Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes certain information that may constitute “forward-looking information” under applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this news release that address future events, developments, or performance that the Company expects to occur (including management’s expectations regarding the Company’s objectives, strategies, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and businesses) are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by future or conditional verbs such as “outlook”, “believe”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “project”, “expect”, “intend”, “plan”, and terms and expressions of similar import. All forward-looking information in this news release is qualified by this cautionary note. Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon various estimates and assumptions including, without limitation, the expectations and beliefs of management related to the factors set forth below. While these factors and assumptions are considered reasonable by the Company as at the date of this document in light of management’s experience and perception of current conditions and expected developments, these statements are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Known and unknown factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements and information. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that include, but are not limited to: the level of activity in the mining industry and the demand for the Company’s services; competitive pressures; global and local political and economic environments and conditions; the level of funding for the Company’s clients (particularly for junior mining companies); the Company’s dependence on key customers; the integration of business acquisitions and the realization of the intended benefits of such acquisitions; efficient management of the Company’s growth; exposure to currency movements (which can affect the Company’s revenue in Canadian dollars); currency restrictions; safety of the Company’s workforce; risks and uncertainties relating to climate change and natural disaster; the geographic distribution of the Company’s operations; the impact of operational changes; changes in jurisdictions in which the Company operates (including changes in regulation); failure by counterparties to fulfill contractual obligations; disease outbreak; as well as other risk factors described under “General Risks and Uncertainties” in the Company’s MD&A for the year ended April 30, 2024, available on the SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.ca . Should one or more risk, uncertainty, contingency, or other factor materialize or should any factor or assumption prove incorrect, actual results could vary materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements made in this document are made as of the date of this document and the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, even if new information becomes available, as a result of future events, or for any other reasons, except as required by applicable securities laws. About Major Drilling Major Drilling Group International Inc. is the world’s leading provider of specialized drilling services primarily serving the mining industry. Established in 1980, Major Drilling has over 1,000 years of combined experience and expertise within its management team. The Company maintains field operations and offices in North America, South America, Australia, Asia, Africa, and Europe. Major Drilling provides a complete suite of drilling services including surface and underground coring, directional, reverse circulation, sonic, geotechnical, environmental, water-well, coal-bed methane, shallow gas, underground percussive/longhole drilling, surface drill and blast, a variety of mine services, and ongoing development of data-driven, high-tech drillside solutions. For further information: Ryan Hanley Director, Corporate Development & Investor Relations Tel: (506) 857-8636 ir@majordrilling.com