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by Tiffany Blake As NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley enters its 85 th year since its founding, join us as we take a look back at some of our highlights of science, engineering, research, and innovation from 2024. Researchers at Ames were part of the team tasked to better understand and identify the root cause of the unexpected char loss across the Artemis I Orion spacecraft’s heat shield. Using Avcoat material response data from Artemis I, the investigation team was able to replicate the Artemis I entry trajectory environment — a key part of understanding the cause of the issue — inside the arc jet facilities at NASA Ames. After ten months in orbit, the Starling spacecraft swarm successfully demonstrated its primary mission’s key objectives, representing significant achievements in the capability of swarm configurations in low Earth orbit, including distributing and sharing important information and autonomous decision making. NASA’s BioNutrients entered its fifth year in its mission to investigate how microorganisms can produce on-demand nutrients for astronauts during long-duration space missions. Keeping astronauts healthy is critical and as the project comes to a close , researchers have processed production packs on Earth on the same day astronauts processed production packs in space on the International Space Station to demonstrate that NASA can produce nutrients after at least five years in space, providing confidence it will be capable of supporting crewed missions to Mars. Ames upgraded its powerful hyperwall system , a 300-square foot wall of LCD screens with over a billion pixels to display supercomputer-scale visualizations of the very large datasets produced by NASA supercomputers and instruments. The hyperwall is just one way researchers can utilize NASA’s high-end computing technology to better understand their data and advance the agency’s missions and research. Ames contributes to the agency’s artificial intelligence work through ongoing research and development, agencywide collaboration, and communications efforts. This year, NASA announced David Salvagnini as its inaugural chief artificial intelligence officer and held the first agencywide town hall on artificial intelligence sharing how the agency is safely using and developing artificial intelligence to advance missions and research. NASA’s Advanced Composite Solar Sail System successfully launched from Māhia, New Zealand, in April, and successfully deployed its sail in August to begin mission operations. The small satellite represents a new future in solar sailing, using lightweight composite booms to support a reflective polymer sail that uses the pressure of sunlight as propulsion. In 2024, Ames researchers studied Earth’s oceans and waterways from multiple angles – from supporting NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem, or PACE, mission to bringing students in Puerto Rico experiences in oceanography and the preservation of coral reefs . Working with multiple partners, our scientists and engineers helped inform ecosystem management by joining satellite measurements of Earth with animal tracking data . In collaboration with the U.S. Geological Survey, a NASA team continued testing a specialized instrument package to stay in-the-know about changes in river flow rates . Ames researchers used a series of supercomputer simulations to reveal a potential new explanation for how the moons of Mars may have formed : The first step, the findings say, may have involved the destruction of an asteroid. Using NASA’s powerful James Webb Space Telescope, another Ames scientist helped reveal the smallest asteroids ever found in the main asteroid belt. A heat shield material invented and made at Ames helped to safely return a spacecraft containing the first product processed on an autonomous, free-flying, in-space manufacturing platform. February’s re-entry of the spacecraft from Varda Space Industries of El Segundo, California, in partnership with Rocket Lab USA of Long Beach, California, marked the first time a NASA-manufactured thermal protection material, called C-PICA (Conformal Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator), ever returned from space. HelioSwarm’s swarm of nine spacecraft will provide deeper insights into our universe and offer critical information to help protect astronauts, satellites, and communications signals such as GPS. The mission team continues to work toward launching in 2029. The microwave sized CubeSat, CAPSTONE , continues to fly in a cis-lunar near rectilinear halo orbit after launching in 2022. Flying in this unique orbit continues to pave the way for future spacecraft and Gateway , a Moon-orbiting outpost that is part of NASA’s Artemis campaign, as the team continues to collect data. NASA’s uncrewed aircraft system traffic management concepts paved the way for newly-approved package delivery drone flights in the Dallas area. NASA’s uncrewed aircraft system traffic management concepts paved the way for newly-approved package delivery drone flights in the Dallas area. Managing our busy airspace is a complex and important issue, ensuring reliable and efficient movement of commercial and public air traffic as well as autonomous vehicles. NASA, in partnership with AeroVironment and Aerostar, demonstrated a first-of-its-kind air traffic management concept that could pave the way for aircraft to safely operate at higher altitudes. The agency also saw continued fuel savings and reduction in commercial flight delays at Dallas Fort-Worth Airport, thanks to a NASA-developed tool that allows flight coordinators to identify more efficient, alternative takeoff routes. BioSentinel – a small satellite about the size of a cereal box – is currently more than 30 million miles from Earth, orbiting our Sun. After launching aboard NASA’s Artemis I more than two years ago, BioSentinel continues to collect valuable information for scientists trying to understand how solar radiation storms move through space and where their effects – and potential impacts on life beyond Earth – are most intense. In May 2024, the satellite was exposed to a coronal mass ejection without the protection of our planet’s magnetic field and gathered measurements of hazardous solar particles in deep space during a solar storm. NASA researchers continued to develop and test airspace management technologies to enable remotely-piloted aircraft to fight and monitor wildland fires 24 hours a day. The Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations (ACERO) project seeks to use drones and advanced aviation technologies to improve wildland fire coordination and operations. The Strategic Tactical Radio and Tactical Overwatch (STRATO) technology is a collaborative effort to use high-altitude balloons to improve real-time communications among firefighters battling wildland fires. Providing cellular communication from above can improve firefighter safety and firefighting efficiency. The NASA Ames Visitor Center at Chabot Space & Science Center in Oakland, California includes a fully reimagined 360-degree experience, featuring new exhibits, models, and more. An interactive exhibit puts visitors in the shoes of a NASA Ames scientist, designing and testing rovers, planes, and robots for space exploration. NASA astronauts, scientists, and researchers, and leadership from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) met with cancer patients and gathered in a discussion about potential research opportunities and collaborations as part of President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden’s Cancer Moonshot initiative on Oct. 4. During the visit with patients, NASA astronaut Yvonne Cagle and former astronaut Kenneth Cockrell answered questions about spaceflight and life in space. Ames and the University of California, Berkeley, expanded their partnership, organizing workshops to exchange on their areas of technical expertise, including in Advanced Air Mobility, and to develop ideas for the Berkeley Space Center, an innovation hub proposed for development at Ames’ NASA Research Park. Under a new agreement, NASA also will host supercomputing resources for UC Berkeley, supporting the development of novel computing algorithms and software for a wide variety of scientific and technology areas. by Rachel Hoover Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley pre-dates a lot of things. The center existed before NASA – the very space and aeronautics agency it’s a critical part of today. And of all the marvelous advancements in science and technology that have fundamentally changed our lives over the last 85 years since its founding , one aspect has remained steadfast; an enduring commitment to what’s known by some on-center simply as, “an atmosphere of freedom.” Years before breaking ground at the site that would one day become home to the world’s preeminent wind tunnels , supercomputers , simulators , and brightest minds solving some of the world’s toughest challenges, Joseph Sweetman Ames , the center’s namesake, described a sentiment that would guide decades of innovation and research: “My hope is that you have learned or are learning a love of freedom of thought and are convinced that life is worthwhile only in such an atmosphere,” he said in an address to the graduates of Johns Hopkins University in June 1935. That spirit and the people it attracted and retained are a crucial part of how Ames, along with other N.A.C.A. research centers , ultimately made technological breakthroughs that enabled humanity’s first steps on the Moon, the safe return of spacecraft through Earth’s atmosphere, and many other discoveries that benefit our day-to-day lives. “In the context of my work, an atmosphere of freedom means the freedom to pursue high-risk, high-reward, innovative ideas that may take time to fully develop and — most importantly — the opportunity to put them into practice for the benefit of all,” said Edward Balaban, a researcher at Ames specializing in artificial intelligence, robotics, and advanced mission concepts. Balaban’s career at Ames has involved a variety of projects at different stages of development – from early concept to flight-ready – including experimenting with different ways to create super-sized space telescopes in space and using artificial intelligence to help guide the path a rover might take to maximize off-world science results. Like many Ames researchers over the years, Balaban shared that his experience has involved deep collaborations across science and engineering disciplines with colleagues all over the center, as well as commercial and academic partners in Silicon Valley where Ames is nestled and beyond. This is a tradition that runs deep at Ames and has helped lead to entirely new fields of study and seeded many companies and spinoffs. “In the fields of aeronautics and space exploration the cost of entry can be quite high. For commercial enterprises and universities pursuing longer term ideas and putting them into practice often means partnering up with an organization such as NASA that has the scale and multi-disciplinary expertise to mature these ideas for real-world applications,” added Balaban. “Certainly, the topics of inquiry, the academic freedom, and the benefit to the public good are what has kept me at Ames,” reflected Ross Beyer, a planetary scientist with the SETI Institute at Ames. “There’s not a lot of commercial incentive to study other planets, for example, but maybe there will be soon. In the meantime, only with government funding and agencies like NASA can we develop missions to explore the unknown in order to make important fundamental science discoveries and broadly share them.” For Beyer, his boundary-breaking moment came when he searched – and found – software engineers at Ames capable and passionate about open-source software to generate accurate, high-resolution, texture-mapped, 3D terrain models from stereo image pairs. He and other teams of NASA scientists have since applied that software to study and better understand everything from changes in snow and ice characteristics on Earth , as well as features like craters, mountains, and caves on Mars or the Moon . This capability is part of the Artemis campaign, through which NASA will establish a long-term presence at the Moon for scientific exploration with commercial and international partners . The mission is to learn how to live and work away from home, promote the peaceful use of space, and prepare for future human exploration of Mars. “As NASA and private companies send missions to the Moon, they need to plan landing sites and understand the local environment, and our software is freely available for anyone to use,” Beyer said. “Years ago, our management could easily have said ‘No, let’s keep this software to ourselves; it gives us a competitive advantage.’ They didn’t, and I believe that NASA writ large allows you to work on things and share those things and not hold them back.” When looking forward to what the next 85 years might bring, researchers shared a belief that advancements in technology and opportunities to innovate are as expansive as space itself, but like all living things, they need a healthy atmosphere to thrive. Balaban offered, “This freedom to innovate is precious and cannot be taken for granted. It can easily fall victim if left unprotected. It is absolutely critical to retain it going forward, to ensure our nation’s continuing vitality and the strength of the other freedoms we enjoy.” by Astrid Albaugh For 66 years, the Astrogram has told the story of NASA’s Ames Research Center. Over those six-plus decades, the newsletter has documented hundreds of missions led by Ames, the progression of Hangar One’s reclamation, space shuttle launches with Ames’ payloads aboard them, countless VIP visits, and everything in between. Ames published the first edition of the Astrogram in October 1958, coinciding with the transition of the center from its original incarnation as the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics Ames Aeronautical Laboratory to a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) research center. The newsletter has evolved over time, alongside the center. From October 1958 through January 2016, the Astrogram was published in print, before a digital edition was developed. In January 2016, the Astrogram transitioned to a digital-only format. Below are examples of some of the Astrogram issues from over the years. I have served as the editor of the Astrogram since February 1998. Over the past quarter century, it has been an interesting, and sometimes quite challenging, task for me to capture the breadth and depth of Ames’s story and ensure that we always published the newsletter on time. I still remember trekking over to the center’s imaging office to review the physical negatives and images that the Ames photographers had taken of events onsite and select the most compelling photos. I used a very early version of visual design software to craft the layout. When the paper was completed, I’d file it onto a CD and then hand it to the courier who would drive from the San Francisco printshop to pick it up from me. Once and awhile, someone would request to have an additional feature added, requiring multiple trips up the 101 and back. Sometimes I’d come in on the weekends to work on the paper, due to late submissions, much to the chagrin of my kids. It has been a pleasure serving as the editor over the past quarter century, almost as many years as my kids are old. A person once asked me if I had changed my name to Astrid since it’s so like the word Astrogram. Any relationship between the newsletter and my name is simply serendipity. I have enjoyed being behind the scenes, mostly working diligently at my computer. Many at Ames know my name because of the newsletter but may have never met me in person. It’s been amusing sometimes when I encounter someone who can’t put a finger as to why they knew my name but didn’t recognize me standing in front of them. Their usual response when they realized why they know me was, “Ah, Astrid of the Astrogram.” Just as NASA innovates, the content of the Astrogram has to innovate as well. Many of the stories that you used to read in the Astrogram , you can now find on our NASA Ames web page here . If you would like to access past, archived issues of the Astrogram, going back to 1958, please consult the Ames Research Center Archives . I will continue to help tell Ames’s story, just using new platforms. Whether this is your first issue or you have been an Astrogram supporter for decades, thank you for reading! – Astrid of the Astrogram officially signing offEUNISELL Interlinked Plc., an electrical and electronic solutions company, has released its financial results for the first quarter ending September 30, 2024, showing significant improvements in key metrics. The unaudited financial statement filed with the Nigeria Exchange Limited reports a revenue increase to N360 million, up from N43 million in the same period last year, reflecting an 800 per cent rise. The company also reported a Profit After Tax (PAT) of N122 million, compared to a loss of N4.6 million in the first quarter of 2023. Eunisell Interlinked, which provides integrated engineering and technology solutions to industries such as oil and gas, infrastructure, power, and manufacturing, saw its net profit margin rise to 34 per cent, reversing the negative position in Q1 of 2023. Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) increased to 29 per cent, up from a negative figure in the same period last year. The company’s liquidity remains stable, with current assets exceeding current liabilities. Earnings per share (EPS) improved to N1.03, reversing the negative EPS recorded in the first quarter of 2023. Speaking on the report, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the firm, Chris Okoro, noted that the results reflect ongoing efforts to manage costs and focus on customer needs. “This performance is a clear reflection of our commitment to operational efficiency and delivering value to our customers. “Over the past few quarters, we’ve focused on refining our processes, ensuring that we maintain high standards in service delivery while carefully managing our cost base. “Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of these strategies, as well as the resilience of our business model. “As we move into the next quarters, we are determined to build on this momentum. We plan to expand our customer base, particularly in sectors where we see long-term growth potential. “At the same time, we are increasing our investments in technology, which will allow us to enhance our service offerings and better meet the evolving needs of our clients. “Our goal is not just to grow, but to grow sustainably, while continuously improving our operational efficiency,” Okoro said. Eunisell Interlinked’s services include the development, installation, and sale of electrical equipment and cables across various voltage levels.
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Drones for commercial and recreational use have grown rapidly in popularity, despite restrictions on who can operate them and where they can be flown. No-fly zones are enforced around airports, military installations, nuclear plants, certain landmarks including the Statue of Liberty, and sports stadiums during games. Not everybody follows the rules. Sightings at airports have shut down flights in a few instances. Reported sightings of what appear to be drones flying over New Jersey at night in recent weeks have created anxiety among some residents, in part because it is not clear who is operating them or why. Some state and local officials have called for stricter rules to govern drones. After receiving reports of drone activity last month near Morris County, New Jersey, the Federal Aviation Administration issued temporary bans on drone flights over a golf course in Bedminster , New Jersey, that is owned by President-elect Donald Trump, and over Picatinny Arsenal Military Base . The FAA says the bans are in response to requests from “federal security partners.” Who regulates drones? The FAA is responsible for the regulations governing their use , and Congress has written some requirements into law. Who enforces the rules? With a 2018 law, the Preventing Emerging Threats Act, Congress gave certain agencies in the Homeland Security and Justice departments authority to counter threats from unmanned aircraft to protect the safety of certain facilities. New drones must be outfitted with equipment allowing law enforcement to identify the operator, and Congress gave the agencies the power to detect and take down unmanned aircraft that they consider dangerous. The law spells out where the counter-drone measures can be used, including “national special security events” such as presidential inaugurations and other large gatherings of people. What does it take to become a drone pilot? To get a “remote pilot certificate,” you must be at least 16 years old, be proficient in English, pass an aeronautics exam, and not suffer from a ”mental condition that would interfere with the safe operation of a small unmanned aircraft system.” Are drones allowed to fly at night? Yes, but the FAA imposes restrictions on nighttime operations. Most drones are not allowed to fly at night unless they are equipped with anti-collision lights that are visible for at least 3 miles (4.8 kilometers). Are drones a hazard? Over the past decade, pilots have reported hundreds of close calls between drones and airplanes including airline jets. In some cases, airplane pilots have had to take evasive action to avoid collisions. Drones buzzing over a runway caused flights to be stopped at London’s Gatwick Airport during the Christmas travel rush in 2018 and again in May 2023 . Police dismissed the idea of shooting down the drones, fearing that stray bullets could kill someone. Advances in drone technology have made it harder for law enforcement to find rogue drone operators — bigger drones in particular have more range and power. Will drone rules get tougher? Some state and local officials in New Jersey are calling for stronger restrictions because of the recent sightings, and that has the drone industry worried. Scott Shtofman, director of government affairs at the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International, said putting more limits on drones could have a “chilling effect” on “a growing economic engine for the United States.” “We would definitely oppose anything that is blindly pushing for new regulation of what are right now legal drone operations,” he said. AirSight, a company that sells software against “drone threats,” says more than 20 states have enacted laws against privacy invasion by drones, including Peeping Toms. Will Austin, president of Warren County Community College in New Jersey, and founder of its drone program, says it's up to users to reduce public concern about the machines. He said operators must explain why they are flying when confronted by people worried about privacy or safety. “It's a brand new technology that's not really understood real well, so it will raise fear and anxiety in a lot of people,” Austin said. “We want to be good professional aviators and alleviate that.” Associated Press reporter Rebecca Santana in Washington, D.C., contributed.NEW YORK — The man charged with killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was not a client of the medical insurer and may have targeted it because of its size and influence, a senior police official said Thursday. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told NBC New York in an interview Thursday that investigators have uncovered evidence that Luigi Mangione had prior knowledge UnitedHealthcare was holding its annual investor conference in New York City. Mangione also mentioned the company in a note found in his possession when he was detained by police in Pennsylvania. Suspect Luigi Mangione is taken into the Blair County Courthouse on Tuesday in Hollidaysburg, Pa. "We have no indication that he was ever a client of United Healthcare, but he does make mention that it is the fifth largest corporation in America, which would make it the largest healthcare organization in America. So that's possibly why he targeted that company," Kenny said. UnitedHealthcare is in the top 20 largest U.S. companies by market capitalization but is not the fifth largest. It is the largest U.S. health insurer. Mangione remains jailed without bail in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested Monday after being spotted at a McDonald's in the city of Altoona, about 230 miles west of New York City. His lawyer there, Thomas Dickey, said Mangione intends to plead not guilty. Dickey also said he had yet to see evidence decisively linking his client to the crime. Mangione's arrest came five days after the caught-on-camera killing of Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel. Luigi Mangione, a 26-year-old Ivy League graduate, was arrested on December 9, 2024, after a six-day manhunt and charged with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. His arrest has sparked a viral social media movement, with many hailing him as a symbol of resistance against systemic healthcare failures. The #FreeLuigi movement gained significant traction, with his social media profiles amassing over 100,000 new followers before being suspended. Despite this, the movement continues to trend, highlighting public discontent with the U.S. healthcare system. Some social media users argue that Mangione's radicalization stemmed from the struggles faced by millions in obtaining necessary healthcare, and not from his university education. Mangione’s arrest at a McDonald's in Altoona led to the seizure of a "ghost gun," a suppressor, fake IDs, and a manifesto criticizing the healthcare system. While the manifesto seems to admit guilt, some users question Mangione's responsibility, pointing out discrepancies in surveillance photos. The fascination with Mangione has only intensified, with discussions about his attractiveness and comparisons to characters in Ryan Murphy's productions. The phenomenon is reminiscent of society's long-standing obsession with infamous criminals, blurring lines between horror and hero worship. Former FBI agent Rob D’Amico noted that Mangione is seen by some as a "Robin Hood" figure fighting against corporate greed, which complicates the investigation. Police say the shooter waited outside the hotel, where the health insurer was holding its investor conference, early Dec. 4. He approached Thompson from behind and shot him before fleeing on a bicycle through Central Park. Mangione is fighting attempts to extradite him back to New York so that he can face a murder charge in Thompson's killing. A hearing was scheduled for Dec. 30. The 26-year-old, who police say was found with a " ghost gun " matching shell casings found at the site of the shooting, is charged in Pennsylvania with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Luigi Mangione was arrested Monday in Altoona, Pennsylvania, in connection with the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in what law enforcement has called a "targeted attack." Mangione is from a prominent Maryland family with extensive business interests. The Mangione family is known for developing real estate and running businesses. Relatives expressed shock over the arrest and offered condolences to Thompson’s family. Mangione faces multiple charges, including murder, firearm possession, and forgery, in New York and Pennsylvania. Mangione is an Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland real estate family. In posts on social media, Mangione wrote about experiencing severe chronic back pain before undergoing a spinal fusion surgery in 2023. Afterward, he posted that the operation was a success and that his pain improved and mobility returned. He urged others to consider the same type of surgery. On Wednesday, police said investigators are looking at his writings about his health problems and his criticism of corporate America and the U.S. health care system. Kenny said in the NBC interview that Mangione's family reported him missing to San Francisco authorities in November. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email.
Can artificial intelligence (AI) tell whether you’re happy, sad, angry or frustrated? According to technology companies that offer AI-enabled emotion recognition software, the answer to this question is yes. But this claim does not stack up against mounting scientific evidence. What’s more, emotion recognition technology poses a range of legal and societal risks – especially when deployed in the workplace. For these reasons, the European Union’s AI Act , which came into force in August , bans AI systems used to infer emotions of a person in the workplace – except for “medical” or “safety” reasons. In Australia, however, there is not yet specific regulation of these systems. As I argued in my submission to the Australian government in its most recent round of consultations about high-risk AI systems, this urgently needs to change. A new and growing wave The global market for AI-based emotion recognition systems is growing . It was valued at US$34 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach US$62 billion by 2027. These technologies work by making predictions about a person’s emotional state from biometric data, such as their heart rate, skin moisture, voice tone, gestures or facial expressions. Next year, Australian tech startup inTruth Technologies plans to launch a wrist-worn device that it claims can track a wearer’s emotions in real time via their heart rate and other physiological metrics . inTruth Technologies founder Nicole Gibson has said this technology can be used by employers to monitor a team’s “performance and energy” or their mental health to predict issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder. She has also said inTruth can be an “AI emotion coach that knows everything about you, including what you’re feeling and why you’re feeling it”. Emotion recognition technologies in Australian workplaces There is little data about the deployment of emotion recognition technologies in Australian workplaces. However, we do know some Australian companies used a video interviewing system offered by a US-based company called HireVue that incorporated face-based emotion analysis. This system used facial movements and expressions to assess the suitability of job applicants. For example, applicants were assessed on whether they expressed excitement or how they responded to an angry customer. HireVue removed emotion analysis from its systems in 2021 following a formal complaint in the United States. Emotion recognition may be on the rise again as Australian employers embrace artificial intelligence-driven workplace surveillance technologies . Lack of scientific validity Companies such as inTruth claim emotion recognition systems are objective and rooted in scientific methods . However, scholars have raised concerns that these systems involve a return to the discredited fields of phrenology and physiognomy . That is, the use of a person’s physical or behavioural characteristics to determine their abilities and character. Emotion recognition technologies are heavily reliant on theories which claim inner emotions are measurable and universally expressed. However, recent evidence shows that how people communicate emotions varies widely across cultures, contexts and individuals. In 2019, for example, a group of experts concluded there are “no objective measures, either singly or as a pattern, that reliably, uniquely, and replicably” identify emotional categories. For example, someone’s skin moisture might go up, down or stay the same when they are angry. In a statement to The Conversation, inTruth Technologies founder Nicole Gibson said “it is true that emotion recognition technologies faced significant challenges in the past”, but that “the landscape has changed significantly in recent years”. Infringement of fundamental rights Emotion recognition technologies also endanger fundamental rights without proper justification. They have been found to discriminate on the basis of race , gender and disability . In one case , an emotion recognition system read black faces as angrier than white faces, even when both were smiling to the same degree. These technologies may also be less accurate for people from demographic groups not represented in the training data . Gibson acknowledged concerns about bias in emotion recognition technologies. But she added that “bias is not inherent to the technology itself but rather to the data sets used to train these systems”. She said inTruth is “committed to addressing these biases” by using “diverse, inclusive data sets”. As a surveillance tool, emotion recognition systems in the workplace pose serious threats to privacy rights. Such rights may be violated if sensitive information is collected without an employee’s knowledge. There will also be a failure to respect privacy rights if the collection of such data is not “reasonably necessary” or by “fair means”. Workers’ views A survey published earlier this year found that only 12.9% of Australian adults support face-based emotion recognition technologies in the workplace. The researchers concluded that respondents viewed facial analysis as invasive. Respondents also viewed the technology as unethical and highly prone to error and bias. In a US study also published this year, workers expressed concern that emotion recognition systems would harm their wellbeing and impact work performance. They were fearful that inaccuracies could create false impressions about them. In turn, these false impressions might prevent promotions and pay rises or even lead to dismissal. As one participant stated: I just cannot see how this could actually be anything but destructive to minorities in the workplace.This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Constitution. The Constitution – which was framed over a period of three years, and during the tumult of the Partition as well as the incorporation of the princely states into India – was a remarkable achievement for its time; the fact that it has endured for 75 years (the average lifespan of Constitutions is less than two decades) is equally remarkable. In many ways – such as the grant of universal adult suffrage in one stroke, or in its abolition of untouchability and forced labour – the Constitution was a leap of faith, which expanded the horizons of social and political imagination in the newly-born nation-State. The occasion of 75 years is also a chance, however, to reflect critically on the Constitution’s structure and design, and to ask whether some of those design choices might call for greater scrutiny. The framers of our Constitution were faced with numerous problems, on a vast scale: Problems of poverty and illiteracy, of communal violence, and of deep social inequalities. They, therefore, believed that a strong executive was necessary to tackle these problems at the speed – and at the scale – that they demanded. Thus, while the Constitution, in formal terms, guaranteed a parliamentary and federal structure of government, in the fundamental principles of design, it skewed heavily towards the executive. Consider, first, the question of Parliament. In parliamentary systems in general, the executive and the legislature are partially fused, and when elections throw up clear results, the former tends to dominate the latter even though, formally, the executive is “responsible” to Parliament. To mitigate this drift towards the executive, parliamentary systems provide a number of mechanisms: for example, an independent Speaker of the House, whose role it is to defend and represent the interests of Parliament to the executive; some (limited) space to the Opposition to set the agenda on certain days; spaces where the Opposition can critique the executive’s record, both on the floor of the House (such as through Prime Minister’s questions), and elsewhere (through parliamentary committees). Bicameral systems have the additional check of an Upper House on executive dominance. However, even as the Constitution codified many aspects of governance, it maintained a conspicuous silence on entrenching some of the features that might have guaranteed parliamentary independence from the executive. Furthermore, given that in colonial times, the British executive was structurally designed to dominate the provincial and central legislatures, there was no long-standing set of conventions guaranteeing the independence of Parliament (as in Britain). A combination of these factors meant that the Indian Parliament was born a structurally weak institution, depending on the goodwill of the executive for its functioning. The results of these design choices are with us today. Similarly, on the question of federalism, the Constitution seems to treat states more as administrative units rather than as repositories for linguistic or cultural self-determination. This is evident from how it grants to Parliament to rearrange the federal map at will, how it skews legislative, administrative, and fiscal powers towards the Centre, and how it entrenches the role of colonial-era governors in the post-colonial set-up. This might have been intelligible at the time of independence, when the state boundaries of newly independent India reflected British units of administrative governance. From very early on, however, that position changed: indeed, the first reorganisation of the states was on linguistic basis, after strong social movements. In 2024, it should be clear that the states are a lot more than just administrative units: they reflect genuine aspirations for internal self-determination within the territorial borders of India. The constitutional design, however, continues to reflect the old model, as is evident from enduring controversies over the role of the governor, conflict over the distribution of revenue (especially GST revenue), and the legislative and administrative dominance that the Union continues to exercise. We must therefore ask whether this structural skew is compatible with a truly federal system that we aspire towards. Furthermore, while the Constitution also reflects the pluralism within the country through “asymmetric federal” arrangements for certain states, these arrangements have come grudgingly, and often as political compromises in order to prevent more militant solutions (as in the case of Manipur and Nagaland). The dominant constitutional vision appears to still be in favour of homogeneity and uniformity, as was reflected in the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the effective abrogation of the most prominent example of asymmetric federalism in India – that of Article 370. Classic constitutional theory divides the powers of the State between three branches – the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary. However, it has long been understood that the complexities of the modern State require the existence of a fourth branch of independent institutions that perform certain vital functions that require them to be independent of the executive. Examples include the Election Commission, human rights commissions, information commissions, and so on; these bodies are often tasked with holding the executive accountable, or implementing the infrastructure of important rights (such as the right to vote). Many modern Constitutions, therefore, specifically provide for the independence of these fourth branch institutions. The Indian Constitution, however, in its executive-trusting vision, either does not entrench fourth branch institutions at all, or – as in the case of the Election Commission – fails to adequately guarantee their separation from the executive, especially in the matter of appointments. Thus, long-standing concerns about the neutrality of the Election Commission, and executive interference in other bodies such as the Central Information Commission, can be traced back to the constitutional design itself. And finally, although the Constitution is enacted in the name of the people, it excludes the people, as collective actors, from engaging with public affairs through constitutional channels, and acting as external checks upon the executive; there are no guarantees of public participation in law-making, leading to a top-down process that actively discourages consultation with communities and groups specially affected by the actions of the State. Thus, as we look back on the last 75 years, there is much to celebrate about the Indian Constitution. We must also, however, refrain from hagiography, and recognise that the Constitution – for various reasons – is a centralising and executive-oriented document. While there may have been reasons for that in 1949, a public debate is needed about whether those reasons still hold – and what might an alternative constitutional vision look like. Gautam Bhatia is a New Delhi-based advocate. The themes in this article are explored in greater detail in his forthcoming book, The Indian Constitution: A Conversation with Power (HarperCollins 2025). The views expressed are personal.
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Have you ever given thought to how many hours a day you spend in front of a screen? To put things into perspective, remote employees spend an average of 13 hours a day in front of a computer screen. Considering that we sleep for eight hours, that leaves us with 16 hours a day we're awake, meaning that 81% of the time we're glued to a screen. All of that screen time seems to come with various ill effects on our bodies and minds, such as eye strain , headaches and insomnia . To combat those problems, you can pick up a pair of computer glasses — also called blue light glasses — which promise everything from eliminating eye strain to helping you sleep better. Once hard to find, there are now plenty of stylish options from companies like Felix Gray and Peepers . You can get blue light lenses for your prescription glasses, too. But, do blue light glasses work? Do they actually make a difference for those of us who stare at a screen eight or more hours per day? The answer isn't as straightforward as yes or no. Read more: Best Blue Light Glasses What is blue light? All visible light we humans see contains the entire spectrum of the rainbow, from red to violet. Within that spectrum are blue light waves, which are said to help us stay alert and upbeat. Read more: Tired of Eye Strain? Here's How Optometrists Say to Beat It Blue light glasses from the brand Felix Gray. Blue light and sleep Light impacts your circadian rhythm. In the morning, light signals to your body that it's time to wake up, which is why you tend to be more alert during the day. Blue light affects your circadian rhythm since it blocks the production of melatonin (sleepy hormone). At first glance, the screens on our electronic devices may not seem blue, but they do actually emit short blue wavelengths. If you're an avid nighttime social media scroller or an evening gamer, you're essentially telling your brain that it's time to stay awake instead of winding down for sleep. Blue light does have its positive attributes. Since it makes you feel more alert, blue light therapy is used for those suffering from unexplained fatigue or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a type of depression. It may help those with memory loss and is believed to improve cognitive function. When the sun goes down, the lack of light signals our bodies to start producing melatonin , the hormone responsible for making us fall asleep. Read more: Best Melatonin Supplements of 2024 Before the advent of artificial light, the sun regulated our sleep schedules. Today, we're exposed to light all day and into the night. While exposure to any light waves after dark delays our body's production of melatonin, blue light waves can be especially problematic because they keep us alert. On the other hand, blue light can help us overcome sleep issues by resetting our off-sync circadian rhythm. Is too much screen time bad? The short answer? Probably. Doctors and researchers are largely focused on two issues that arise from our ever-growing screen time : digital eye strain and blue light exposure. According to the American Optometric Association , digital eye strain is "a group of eye- and vision-related problems that result from prolonged computer, tablet, e-reader and cell phone use." Those issues range from blurry vision and dry eyes to headaches and neck pain . By staring at screens all day, we're also exposed to blue light waves, which are said to cause a myriad of issues. There is conflicting evidence about how blue light exposure affects your eyes , but doctors and researchers agree that it does affect your circadian rhythm . So, what does my phone or computer screen have to do with this? Compared to fluorescent and incandescent bulbs, LEDs can give off a significant amount of blue light. Unfortunately for those of us who cozy up to our tech after sunset, LEDs are used in countless smartphones, tablets and TV screens. Tech products that have an LCD screen, like laptops, iPads and older iPhones, still use LEDs to backlight their displays. Tips to manage blue light before bed These are some practical ways to reduce exposure to blue light before bed: Is blue light bad for your eyes? Blue light has been linked to all sorts of issues, from causing digital eye strain to making us blind . There's a lot of conflicting evidence about exactly how harmful it really is. The American Academy of Ophthalmology says that there's no evidence that the blue light specifically given off by screens will cause eye damage, as we are exposed to blue light all day from the sun. Peepers offers colorful blue light glasses. Talking to CNET, Dr. Raj Maturi, a clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, explained, "During the day, you get 10 times as much blue light from the sun as you do from your computer screen. Our bodies have evolved to deal with this light." Research compiled by the AOA indicates that prolonged exposure to blue light (such as sitting in front of a computer all day) might cause damage to your retina — the innermost layer of your eye that sends signals to your brain to process what you are seeing. Prevent Blindness , a nonprofit dedicated to mitigating vision loss, also says that early research suggests that blue light can contribute to eye strain. What are blue light glasses? Blue light blocking glasses have filters in their lenses that block or absorb blue light, and in some cases UV light, from getting through. That means if you use these glasses when looking at a screen, especially after dark, they can help reduce exposure to blue light waves that can keep you awake. Many blue light glasses you can buy also claim to help reduce eye strain. Most are meant to be worn during the day while working in front of a computer, and at night to prevent the blue light from screens from keeping us awake. Should I get blue light glasses? It depends. Do you want or need to look at your phone after dark, and then have trouble falling asleep? There is ample evidence that blue light affects when our bodies create melatonin, so if you use screens long after sundown, these glasses might help stop you from staying up later than you want. If you deal with digital eye strain, there is an easy exercise you should try before you invest in new glasses. Use the 20-20-20 rule : every 20 minutes, look at something at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds. The idea is that this helps break your focus from your screen, allowing your eye muscles to relax and stave off eye strain. As for me, I'm writing this article wearing a pair of blue light glasses that I've used off and on for the last few months. While I'm not 100% certain that they are helping my eyes, I do notice my eyes feel less tired at the end of the day. Could it be a placebo? Sure, but I'll keep wearing them to find out.Flames prospect Zayne Parekh looking to keep Canadian world junior dream aliveRomanian prosecutors conduct raids linked to funding of Georgescu's campaign