Human trafficking rings are at their most dangerous when they masquerade as legitimate commercial activity. Illicit massage businesses (IMBs) are one of the most common ways in which exploitive networks operate in plain sight.Human trafficking rings are at their most dangerous when they masquerade as legitimate commercial activity. Illicit massage businesses (IMBs) are one of the most common ways in which exploitive networks operate in plain sight.Business[#item_full_content]

Residential heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems constitute a significant proportion of energy usage in buildings, necessitating energy management optimization. In this context, occupancy-aware HVAC control is a promising option with 20–50% energy savings in homes. However, occupancy sensing technology suffers from long payback times, privacy issues, and poor comfort. Moreover, there is an increasing need for further advanced technologies that help regulate indoor air quality in addition to energy control.Residential heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems constitute a significant proportion of energy usage in buildings, necessitating energy management optimization. In this context, occupancy-aware HVAC control is a promising option with 20–50% energy savings in homes. However, occupancy sensing technology suffers from long payback times, privacy issues, and poor comfort. Moreover, there is an increasing need for further advanced technologies that help regulate indoor air quality in addition to energy control.Energy & Green Tech[#item_full_content]

Designing a complex electronic device like a delivery drone involves juggling many choices, such as selecting motors and batteries that minimize cost while maximizing the payload the drone can carry or the distance it can travel.Designing a complex electronic device like a delivery drone involves juggling many choices, such as selecting motors and batteries that minimize cost while maximizing the payload the drone can carry or the distance it can travel.Engineering[#item_full_content]

Dutch authorities told companies and organizations on Thursday they should not rely solely on chatbots to communicate with consumers, describing their use as “one of the biggest annoyances” customers face.Dutch authorities told companies and organizations on Thursday they should not rely solely on chatbots to communicate with consumers, describing their use as “one of the biggest annoyances” customers face.Business[#item_full_content]

Large language models are more persuasive than humans, according to recent UBC research published as part of the Proceedings of the Third Workshop on Social Influence in Conversations (SICon 2025).Large language models are more persuasive than humans, according to recent UBC research published as part of the Proceedings of the Third Workshop on Social Influence in Conversations (SICon 2025).Consumer & Gadgets[#item_full_content]

In the world around us, many things exist in the context of time: a bird’s path through the sky is understood as different positions over a period of time, and conversations as a series of words occurring one after another.In the world around us, many things exist in the context of time: a bird’s path through the sky is understood as different positions over a period of time, and conversations as a series of words occurring one after another.Computer Sciences[#item_full_content]

Every day, people turn to AI chatbots for companionship, support, and even romance. The hard part, new research suggests, is turning away.Every day, people turn to AI chatbots for companionship, support, and even romance. The hard part, new research suggests, is turning away.Consumer & Gadgets[#item_full_content]

Researchers at the University of Osaka have developed a mechanism that allows spoken dialog systems to learn new words through conversation without overwhelming users with repetitive questions. By optimizing when to ask a question using reinforcement learning, the system can achieve efficient knowledge acquisition with minimal interruptions.Researchers at the University of Osaka have developed a mechanism that allows spoken dialog systems to learn new words through conversation without overwhelming users with repetitive questions. By optimizing when to ask a question using reinforcement learning, the system can achieve efficient knowledge acquisition with minimal interruptions.Machine learning & AI[#item_full_content]

Like octopuses squeezing through a tiny sea cave, metatruss robots can adapt to demanding environments by changing their shape. These mighty morphing robots are made of trusses composed of hundreds of beams and joints that rotate and twist, enabling astonishing volumetric transformations.Like octopuses squeezing through a tiny sea cave, metatruss robots can adapt to demanding environments by changing their shape. These mighty morphing robots are made of trusses composed of hundreds of beams and joints that rotate and twist, enabling astonishing volumetric transformations.Robotics[#item_full_content]

Concerns over the prevalence of online misinformation, including “fake news,” and its implications for politics, business, and society at large have gained momentum in the last decade. The rise of social media, with its almost complete lack of barriers to disseminating content, has contributed to markedly diminished trust in the news, as have new developments in artificial intelligence (AI), especially generative AI (GenAI). All of these changes have implications for political polarization as well as the economic viability of the news industry.Concerns over the prevalence of online misinformation, including “fake news,” and its implications for politics, business, and society at large have gained momentum in the last decade. The rise of social media, with its almost complete lack of barriers to disseminating content, has contributed to markedly diminished trust in the news, as have new developments in artificial intelligence (AI), especially generative AI (GenAI). All of these changes have implications for political polarization as well as the economic viability of the news industry.Business[#item_full_content]