The FDA has issued a new advisory that reveals one patient has died as a consequence of an investigational fecal microbiota transplant (FMT). Though the agency doesn't oppose these investigational studies into the potential benefits of FMTs, it warns that there are serious risks associated with undergoing the treatment, namely the transmission of bacteria that is resistant to a variety of drugs.
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has disclosed a new product recall involving one type of Heyday-branded Lightning cables that was sold by retailer Target. Around 90,000 of these cables are covered by the recall, which cites reports of sparking, fires, heating, and smoking from more than a dozen cable owners. Not all Heyday Lightning cables are covered by the recall, however.
If you're planning a trip to Hawaii, be mindful of what you eat, the state's Department of Health states in an advisory published last week. Officials are ramping up efforts to warn tourists about rat lungworm disease, an illness caused by a parasite that can infest human brains. The advisory follows an alert from the CDC that confirmed three new rat lungworm cases all linked to Hawaii.
Select future DJI drones will feature built-in technology that helps them avoid potential collisions with airplanes and helicopters. The company announced its intention to offer this technology on Wednesday, stating that it will be available on all drones that weigh more than 250 grams released after January 1, 2020. Key to the new feature will be AirSense, a technology that picks up on the ADS-B signals from planes and helicopters in the nearby vicinity.
The latest version of Tesla Navigate on Autopilot finds itself in the crosshairs of Consumer Reports' criticism this week, with the testing organization singularly unconvinced that the automaker's promises of a "more seamless" drive hold up to scrutiny. The feature was tweaked earlier this year so that suitably-equipped EVs could automatically change lane while Autopilot was enabled.
US road safety regulators plan to put advanced driver assistance tech to the test, in particular examining how Level 2 systems like Tesla's Autopilot transfer back responsibilities behind the wheel. Although once the preserve of expensive luxury cars, the combination of adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assistance is increasingly accessible on mass-market models.
Texting while walking has resulted in a number of incidents that could have been prevented if the individual was paying attention to their surroundings. Many of these accidents have been caught on video, and though some are comical and benign, others are tragic and frustrating, particularly ones involving traffic and the potential for serious bodily injury. New York City may address that latter issue by enacting rules against texting on crosswalks.
Tesla's OTA updates typically surprise and delight owners with new features, but recent software changes have in fact reined in Autopilot as the EV-maker feels the pinch of new regulations. The driver assistance system has seen numerous upgrades in recent years, building on adaptive cruise-control and lane-keeping to add features like automatic lane-changing and auto-park.
"Don't fix what ain't broke" is not an excuse not to try to innovate but neither is innovation an excuse to break things. That's true for foldable phones and even truer for airplane control systems. Unfortunately, Boeing learned its lessons at the expense of lives but it is persistently clawing at those problems. Now it seems to suggest that it is close to earning its wings back once the 737 MAX clears the last hurdles that the FAA has set up for its re-certification.
Social media has significantly changed the way we communicate and consume content. Sometimes we even get our news from Facebook and Twitter before actual news sites. Unfortunately, it has also allowed not just misinformation to creep in but, worse, harmful content. After receiving a lot of flak for what is perceived to be complacency, Facebook is tightening the noose on users of its Live streaming platform to prevent it from being misused in such manner again.
Tesla is going all out on its self-driving technologies, going as far as challenging more established hardware and names in the industry. It has painted LIDARs to be deadly and useless and boasts how its self-designed chip trumps NVIDIA's. Now the company has unveiled two features that improve safety by helping ensure drivers don't accidentally depart from their lanes.
A new report reveals concerning security issues surrounding streaming piracy apps, including products that provide unauthorized access to live television channels and premium video platforms. Non-profit organization Digital Citizens Alliance has detailed the problem in a new report revealing how these apps take advantage of users to mine login credentials, steal user information, and more.