The experimental phase of the WatchEDGE project under the RESTART programme has begun. Wild boar, fallow deer and wolves were placed under observation at the San Rossore Park (Pisa) for the use case focused on monitoring wildlife by combining artificial intelligence, next-generation sensors and innovative connectivity solutions. The project focuses on integrating processing, storage and communication to create intelligent networks capable of processing data in real time as it travels over the network.

The aim is to equip companies and workers in rural areas — from farmers to national park managers — with tools to control phenomena ranging from forest fires to plant pests. In fact, WatchEDGE is developing a technology infrastructure capable of supporting surveillance applications based on AI image processing to create an efficient and sustainable system with potential uses in agriculture, forestry and environmental protection. In particular, the management of wild animals is a growing need, especially in rural areas, where they tend to damage agriculture and spread diseases among livestock. They can also damage the environment. For example, overabundant fallow deer can slow down or even halt the regeneration of the flora they need for food.

 

Singapore General Hospital (SGH), Lucence, and the Diagnostics Development Hub (DxD Hub), a national platform hosted by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), have jointly launched a study to validate the accuracy and reliability of a urine-based test for early detection of urological cancers.

Keeping the nation’s lights on is no small job. The grid we take for granted involves large, expensive equipment, most notably power transformers. If one goes down, it can take more than a year to replace and at massive costs. In heavily populated, seismically active areas like California or the Pacific Northwest, time is not a luxury.

In nature, timing isn’t just important — it’s everything. A frog hatching a few days earlier, a plant blooming out of season or a predator emerging later than normal can trigger ripple effects through an entire ecosystem in unexpected ways. Volker Rudolf, a professor of biosciences at Rice University, is investigating just how powerful these seasonal rhythms, known as phenologies, can be, especially when it comes to the invisible chains of influence that link species together. His work was recently awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation.

At the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, researchers are leveraging AI to solve real-world problems, from enhancing surgeries and cancer detection to preparing students for an AI-driven future. The AI Tennessee Initiative unites academic, industry, and community partners to advance AI research and education, driving innovation and economic growth across Tennessee.

The Andy and Barbara Gessner College of Nursing at the University of Houston is celebrating its 10th anniversary with every reason to be proud - hitting and surpassing academic milestones well before expected and responding to one of the most persistent challenges in health care: the nursing shortage. 

Teaching residents how to grow their own vegetables, plant flowers to attract pollinators and design their yards to mitigate stormwater runoff are among the many ways University of Tennessee Extension supports rural and urban communities alike. In Chattanooga, these efforts by UT Extension and Master Gardeners helped play a role in the community to be named the first in North America and only third worldwide designated as a National Park City. The other cities are London, England, and Adelaide, Australia.

The official recognition was announced in April by the National Park City Foundation. 

As the world’s fourth — and most severe — mass coral bleaching event unfolds, a UNSW Sydney scientist says even Australia’s lesser-known subtropical reef systems are not immune from the impacts of a warming ocean.