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Cheap Sensors Are Democratizing Air-Quality Data

Jason Plautz

July 09, 2018 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Fresno, California

Spurred by growing health concerns related to air quality, companies and communities have turned attention to creating affordable, portable air-quality sensors. This new development allows citizens to monitor air quality as it directly relates to them, whether it be on a school-ground or even in their own backyard.

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How Highly Focused Sound Waves Steadied A Farmer's Trembling Hand

Jon Hamilton

July 09, 2018 |

NPR |

Radio |

3-5 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Baltimore, Maryland

Essential tremor is a condition that causes people's hands to shake as they age. A new type of treatment uses high frequency sound waves to destroy specific brain tissue. So far, the treatment has proved effective in eliminating the debilitating tremor in one hand.

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For refugees in Kenya, an education in hope

Deirdre Fernandes

July 07, 2018 |

The Boston Globe |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Kenya

Far from its location in Boston, Southern New Hampshire University is offering refugees at the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya a shot at getting an education. SNHU offers associate's and bachelor’s online degree programs in Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, and Lebanon. A degree could be life changing, given that only 1 percent of refugees have access to higher education. The online program is “self-paced, offered in English, and costs less.” So far, 84 have enrolled and 24 have graduated.

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Adaptive Technology Programs Turn to Robotics and IoT to Help People Who Have Disabilities

Dawn Kawamoto

July 06, 2018 |

Government Technology |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

Governments and schools are investing in technology to better serve people of different abilities. Innovations include text-to-911 for deaf and hard-of-hearing citizens, robotic telepresence for remote students, and the Vitals app, which allows families and caregivers to alert police officers of ways to help developmentally disabled family members.

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Dallas Transit Embraces Uber, Lyft and Other Mobility Options

Skip Descant

July 05, 2018 |

Government Technology |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Dallas, Texas

Dallas is expanding its public transit app. “Customers don’t care how they get around,” says Morgan Lyons, vice president of external relations at DART. “They want to get around, period.” The GoPass app will include train, bus, car, and bike options, allowing users to design a trip with multiple modes of transport through one payment platform.

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Meeting locals is crucial for refugees. Choirs and football are helping

Fergus Peace

July 05, 2018 |

Apolitical |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: France

Connecting refugees and locals speeds integration. A social enterprise called Singa, for example, has a matchmaking app that pairs people with similar hobbies and interests. The model has proven so successful that branches of Singa are opening in six other European countries and the effort is expanding to address housing and employment needs as well.

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Meet the robots teaching Singapore's kids tech

Jack Graham

July 04, 2018 |

Apolitical |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Singapore

Since Singapore introduced the "Play Maker" program for preschoolers in 2016, it has seen wide-ranging benefits. By integrating interactive robots into the school day, the curriculum increases students' exposure to technology and engineering skills without increasing the much feared screen time. On a small scale, the program has been proven to reshape engrained STEM gender stereotypes and help students master programming skills.

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Leeds is fighting loneliness with an app and a map

Anoush Darabi

July 04, 2018 |

Apolitical |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United Kingdom, Leeds

With a single tap, public health workers in Leeds can use a mobile app to record signs of loneliness in the city. Their observations generate a heat map of social isolation, which then guides community outreach efforts and increases efficiency.

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Britain trials virtual reality time travel to combat dementia

Lee Mannion

July 03, 2018 |

Thomson Reuters Foundation |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: England, London

By 2025, Britain expects to have one million citizens suffering from dementia. The National Health Service is testing a new form of therapy where scenes reminiscent of a person with dementia's past are played on a virtual reality headset. So far, research shows that bringing up images, objects, and discussions from a person's past can help them recover more memories, connect better with family members, and achieve better mental health.

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From apps to avatars, new tools for taking control of your mental health

Amy Ellis Nutt

July 02, 2018 |

The Washington Post |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New Jersey

Millions of Americans suffer form mental health problems every year, and accessing care can be daunting, difficult, and expensive. A Slack channel, called 18percent, allows online users to anonymously access a message board to discuss their mental health problems and draw on support from people suffering from similar issues. This is part of a new trend in mental health care that utilizes technology to break down the barriers that many face when seeking help.

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