Every week we present the latest startup, tech and innovation news from around the world to keep you updated on the latest happenings. Let’s dive into this week's top 5 stories. >>
Photo credit: Touchlab
# 1 Touchlab to Begin Piloting its Robotic Skin Sensors in a Hospital Setting
Touchlab will pilot its robotic skin sensors in a 3-month hospital trial with geriatric patients next February. So far, no robotics company has been able to reproduce sensors that gather the same information as human hands.
This VivaTech alumnus has created robotic skin that powers robots with human-like touch, unlocking functionalities like object identification to slip protection. A super advancement in supporting understaffed hospitals.
Photo credit: Mercedes-Benz
#2 Apple Music and Mercedes-Benz Bring Immersive Spacial Audio to Drivers World-Wide
Apple is bringing its Spatial Audio tech to vehicles now, starting with Mercedes-Benz cars. The latest example of the tech company’s push into automotive. Spatial audio, which brings space, clarity, and depth to music, debuted last year on Apple hardware supported by Dolby Atmos. The technology will be first available in a handful of Mercedes models including the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, as well as the carmaker's electric vehicles.
You’ll have to pay a pretty penny though if you too want to “feel” the music in your car. In addition to a monthly Apple Music subscription, owners that want Spatial Audio in their Mercedes will also need either the Burmester 4D or 3D sound system – which start at $4,550.
Photo credit: Forbes
#3 Mastercard Partners with Paxos to Launch Crypto Trading for Banks
Mastercard partners with Paxos to launch the “Crypto Source” program, a way for banks and financial institutions to start offering crypto trading. Mastercard will provide these institutions with the necessary tools in regulation and security while Paxos will handle the actual trading of assets on behalf of the banks.
It’s no surprise that the payment processing corporation is diving deeper into the crypto scene, the 2022 Mastercard New Payments Index reported that almost a third of respondents globally hold crypto assets as an investment.
Photo credit: sports.fr
#4 Ballon D’Or Presents NFTs to 2022 Trophy Winners
The Ballon d’Or, an annual award for football players around the world, was announced this week with a new twist – winners also received an NFT along with a Ledger Nano, a golden hardware wallet, to secure it. The NFTs were designed by an artist named Léo Caillard, a visual and crypto artist who is also a member of the NFT Factory collective, and were created on the Tezos blockchain.
This year’s Ballon d’Or winners include Karim Benzema for the male Golden Ball, Alexia Putellas for the female Golden Ball, Gavi for the Kopa Trophy, Thibaut Courtois for the Yachine Trophy, and Robert Lewandowski for the Gerd Müller Trophy. These international players all scored big with a first award of its kind.
Photo credit: Blockworks
#5 South Korea Plans to Replace ID Cards with Blockchain-Based Identification
Citizens of South Korea will never have to worry about losing their ID after a fun night out on the town. The eastern Asian country plans to offer blockchain-based digital identification to replace existing identity cards. South Korea was one of the hardest hit economically post-COVID-19 and hopes to increase their defense against cyber security attacks through blockchain technology.
The move to online identity verification will be implemented by 2024 and can be embedded in citizens smartphones for easy access. South Korea is one of the most digitally developed countries in the world, with about 96% of the population owning a smartphone.
That’s it for this week. We’ll see you in a week for the next round up!
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