Closing in on a Cyborg Future; Social Media Use Makes You Miserable?

Posted December 22nd, 2016 at 12:18 pm (UTC-4)
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Today’s Tech Sightings:

In this undated picture taken from video, a patient uses a robotic hand to drink from a cup, in Badalona, Spain. Scientists have developed a mind-controlled robotic hand that allows people with certain types of spinal injuries to perform everyday tasks. (AP)

In this undated picture taken from video, a patient uses a robotic hand to drink from a cup, in Badalona, Spain. Scientists have developed a mind-controlled robotic hand that allows people with certain types of spinal injuries to perform everyday tasks. (AP)

How We Got Closer to Our Cyberhuman Future in 2016

There is no escaping the growing symbiosis between man and machine. Writer Kristen V. Brown says we have already become cyborgs in the sense that we are tethered to electronic devices. And she argues that the breakthroughs seen in 2016 have brought people closer to a future where technology and biology could be regularly integrated.

Study: Facebook ‘Lurking’ Could Make You Miserable This Christmas

New research from the California and Virtual Reality Medical Institute found that “regular use of social networking such as Facebook can negatively affect your emotional well-being and satisfaction with life.” Facebook ‘lurkers,’ as the study calls them, miss out on the Christmas family atmosphere and could significantly improve their well-being by taking a break from social media.

RMIT University: Convenience Beats Security With Australian Public Wi-Fi Habits

A study from RMIT University found that up to two million Australians risk being targeted by hackers every time they tap into a public Wi-Fi network to access financial services. In the past three months, at least 10 million people accessed public Wi-Fi networks in Australia, ranked sixth on the international scale of cybersecurity attacks. Up to 60 percent of users knew the public networks were somewhat insecure, but the study found that those who did financial transactions were under the impression that public Wi-Fi networks are relatively secure.

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Aida Akl
Aida Akl is a journalist working on VOA's English Webdesk. She has written on a wide range of topics, although her more recent contributions have focused on technology. She has covered both domestic and international events since the mid-1980s as a VOA reporter and international broadcaster.

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