Author: Zech

As he makes his way down the Turner Theatre stairs to receive the School of Communications’ Excellence in Teaching Award on April 18, Brandon Booker (left), lecturer in cinema and television arts, fist bumps Alex Luchsinger, assistant professor of journalism. As part of its end-of-the-year awards ceremony, the School of Communications honored several faculty and staff members for their exceptional contributions throughout the 2023-2024 academic year. The celebration, held April 18 at Turner Theatre, kicked off recognizing more than two dozen students, transitioned to faculty and staff awards, and concluded with Dean Kenn Gaither’s heartfelt remarks celebrating retiring colleague Rich…

The new free software, called MotionInput, promises to make touchless gaming and computing accessible to everyone, regardless of whether they have a disability, the BBC reports. MotionInput allows users to design new click and control inputs that fit their needs without knowing how to use a mouse or keyboard. It uses the computer’s webcam to input facial expressions and physical gestures that best suit their needs. So, for example, making a fish face or raising an eyebrow replaces a right click or double click. Users can get the supporting software for free from the Microsoft Store. (Photo: StartupStockPhotos from Pixabay)…

We spoke to RNIB’s Lorna Forbes and games critic and consultant Laura Dale about how the industry is rethinking its approach to making games accessible to everyone, and why communication is key, even if it means admitting failure. When The Last of Us Part II, the sequel to Naughty Dog’s hugely popular end-of-the-day game, arrived in 2020, it was hailed as a turning point in the gaming world. Not only because of its compelling storyline and best-in-class character and environmental design, but also because it was a triple AAA title that offered an unprecedented number of accessibility features, roughly 60…

The Xbox controller is more than just a peripheral; it’s the lifeline between you and the digital worlds you navigate in your games. As gaming evolves, the importance of a responsive, comfortable, and feature-rich controller has never been greater. Whether you’re dodging bullets, driving at high speeds, or strategizing your way to victory, the right Xbox controller can significantly enhance your gameplay and increase your chances of winning. This article presents the top five Xbox controllers available online, each designed to meet the demands of modern gaming. These controllers combine precision, ergonomics, and advanced technology to offer seamless interaction with…

CERN’s data management expertise is being put to use to tackle marine plastic litter through a new EU project, Edge SpAIce. Earth Observation (EO) and particle physics research have more in common than you might think. In both environments, fast and accurate data analysis is paramount, whether capturing fleeting particle collisions or detecting the ephemeral traces of ocean plastic. This Earth Day, as we reflect on our responsibility to reduce plastics for our society and all life on Earth, we are pleased to announce a new EU project, Edge SpAIce, which applies CERN’s cutting-edge AI techniques to monitor Earth’s ecosystems…

Data Crusaders analyzed data from 17 of the world’s most populous countries to explore how population growth affects energy use. “The choice of research topic was excellent,” said Isir Koyuncu, assistant professor of management science and statistics and the team’s supervisor. “It’s very relevant, and the social and sustainability considerations are really important. More research is needed in this area.” The students’ findings were surprising: They expected that as a country’s population grows, its energy consumption would also increase, and this was true in about 75 percent of countries. But in the remaining countries, energy use appeared to remain steady…

The Madison and Milwaukee region was recognized for its potential to become a global leader in biohealth and personalized medicine, and the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health proudly joined a coalition of academic institutions and industry leaders led by BioForward, a Wisconsin-based biohealth advocacy organization, to achieve this groundbreaking achievement. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, JD, describes the Technology Hubs program as “strengthening our existing innovation base, connecting leading research institutions with world-class companies to create good-paying jobs in these communities and ensure that the technological advances that will define the next century are realized…

We live in a time when rapid technological change is shifting the global security balance in real time, and no one knows that better than Sarah Kreps, director of the Brooks School Technology Policy Institute (BTPI) and the John L. Weatherill Professor in the Department of Political Science in the College of Arts and Sciences. Krebs’ year off work was balanced with responding to a White House request for advice on how to think about elections and democratic participation in the age of AI, working on his own book on technology policy, and studying the regulatory regime that governs artificial…

Sethu Savedha Svanham founded his space-tech startup ReOrbit in Sweden in 2019, but soon realized the country’s national space agency would hinder his company, rather than help it. Even though the Nordic nation has the EU’s only spaceport and has a history of sending astronauts into space, Svanham moved his company to Finland in 2020.”Finland has a completely opposite view of space to Sweden,” he told Sifted. “One of the mottos in Finland is that if we see a big innovative idea that aligns with our national strategy, we wholeheartedly support it. What we need as a space company is…

Last week, the US House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce held a hearing: “Legislative Solutions to Protect Kids Online and Ensure Americans’ Data Privacy Rights.” Between the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and the American Privacy Rights Act (APRA), both of which have bipartisan and bicameral support, Congress may be closer to acting on the issues than it has been recent memory.One of the witnesses at the hearing was David Brody, who is managing attorney of the Digital Justice Initiative of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. I caught up with Brody…