£1m Longitude Prize awarded to AI smart glasses companion for people living with dementia

CrossSense will help people with early-stage dementia with daily activities, such as making a cup of tea and interacting with loved ones. The Longitude Prize on Dementia has awarded the £1 million grand prize to CrossSense, a personalised AI-powered assistant, developed for smart glasses, that identifies everyday objects and guides people living with early-stage dementia through daily activities, with the ultimate aim of supporting them to live safely in their own homes for longer. About CrossSense and how it works By asking gentle prompts, CrossSense’s AI companion – called Wispy…

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Ambitious new UK project to transform human disease modelling

A major new initiative aims to redefine human-based research models for greater understanding of disease and the acceleration of new medicines. The proposal will enable the development of advanced, specific and highly reproducible human in vitro models with the aim of making them widely available to researchers in academia and industry. The £15.9 million project has been funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC), Wellcome and Innovate UK. In vitro models In vitro models use isolated cells and tissues outside the living body. These can come in many forms, including…

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Innovate UK invests in digital solutions for mental health

Government announces Innovate UK investment in digital therapeutic solutions for mental health. Innovate UK is investing over £3.6 million in business-led projects developing therapeutic extended reality (XR) solutions to provide mental health care services. The funded projects are part of a targeted investment to unlock the transformative power of XR technologies, including: creative virtual reality (VR) augmented reality mixed reality haptics immersive software and audio These technologies will be developed and trialled over 12 to 18 months, with the ambition to deliver next-generation digital therapeutics for people living with moderate…

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Innovate UK invests £3.2 million in concrete decarbonisation

Innovate UK will invest £3.2 million in seven projects to accelerate decarbonisation of the UK concrete industry. Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency, will invest £3.2 million in seven innovative projects to help propel the decarbonisation of the UK’s concrete industry. The seven projects receiving funding Cemcor Ltd The funding will aid development of calcined clay from low-grade sources, to produce a new generation of low-carbon cement and concrete. Cocoon Carbon Ltd The funding will support work scaling the production of a novel cementitious material from electric arc furnace steel…

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Innovate UK invests £3.2m to improve mental health services

Innovate UK announces funding for 24 projects developing immersive digital mental health therapeutics. The funding from Innovate UK’s £20 million Mindset programme is driving the growth of immersive digital mental health solutions in the UK. By supporting projects that develop therapeutic interventions, Mindset is building a robust ecosystem to bring these innovations to market. Through fostering collaboration between the immersive technology sector and mental health providers, Mindset aims to improve treatment options, offering faster, more cost effective and accessible support for individuals with mental health concerns. The challenge Mental health…

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