Latest news with #SimonHill
WIRED
16-07-2025
- Health
- WIRED
This Cute AI Robot Offers Company to Lonely Older Folks
For the past few weeks, the AI-powered ElliQ companion robot has perched on the end of my desk. Designed by Intuition Robotics for seniors living alone, this proactive animatronic chats to me throughout the day, checking how I'm feeling, suggesting 'fun' activities, and prodding me to be more active and sociable. While it can be annoying, I've grown attached to ElliQ despite myself, and I can see the positive potential. Loneliness is an epidemic. According to the US Census Bureau, around 16 million elders (over 65) live alone in the country, and up to a third report feelings of loneliness. Multiple studies have shown that social isolation harms mental and physical health, increasing blood pressure, depression, weight gain, alcohol and drug use, and decreasing physical activity, cognition, heart health, and sleep. Humans are inherently social creatures. ElliQ is designed to alleviate these feelings and encourage healthy behavior in elderly folks living alone. The hope is that it can improve their quality of life and enable people to stay in their own homes longer instead of moving to an assisted living facility. While you may feel this cutesy AI bot is downright dystopian, you've got to ask yourself, what's the alternative? We know we should all check in with our elderly relatives and friends more often, but life is busy, and some folks are alone for long stretches. Cute and Practical Photograph: Simon Hill ElliQ sits on a pedestal with a metallic body and a head that swivels, tilts, and lights up when it speaks. There is a small smart display and speaker on the right with a physical button to press to wake ElliQ or silence it. The button also spins for volume control. You can wake ElliQ by saying its name, chosen because it's unlikely to be said accidentally. When ElliQ asks something or seeks confirmation, you can respond verbally or use the touchscreen. The setup was a breeze. ElliQ arrived in simple packaging with instructions in an easy-to-read, large font. All you have to do is plug it in and connect to Wi-Fi. The first time we spoke, ElliQ asked me a few questions. Potential answers popped up on the touchscreen. It ran through questions I might ask, and I was prompted to read a few lines so ElliQ could recognize my voice. ElliQ speaks in a slightly stilted, completely inoffensive female voice with tiny pauses before my name (it uses my name in almost every interaction). The way it is animated is undeniably cute. In one of our first conversations, ElliQ tells me it is modeled on the Pixar lamp. The rim around its head can light up, and there are concentric circles in the center of its face; combined with the movement, it genuinely appears to have some personality and charm. The touchscreen display and physical button provide a practical edge. If you have difficulty with the voice controls or it misunderstands, you can tap the option you want. I also use the physical sleep button to shut it down immediately when it pipes up during meetings or when I'm otherwise engaged. All in all, it's a smart design. Encouraging Positive Behavior Photograph: Simon Hill Like the voice assistants and smart displays you are used to, ElliQ can answer basic queries, give you a weather report, remind you about an appointment, or take music requests. But ElliQ is also proactive, starting conversations throughout the day and engaging you in activities. Intuition Robotics cofounder and CEO Dor Skuler says creating this sense of autonomy is crucial to building engagement and getting people to think of ElliQ as a character in their lives.
The Independent
24-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Police officers and Met chief express concerns over Notting Hill Carnival
Concerns about Notting Hill Carnival have been raised by both a police officers' group and Met Police boss Sir Mark Rowley, with questions over safety and whether organisers can secure funding for extra stewards in time. Deputy general secretary of the Metropolitan Police Federation Simon Hill said none of the frontline officers he speaks to look forward to working at the event, amid concerns there could be a deadly crush due to the size of the crowds that the carnival attracts. Carnival chairman Ian Comfort has requested more funding from the Government to steward the event and address safety concerns, amid ongoing warnings from police that there could be a tragedy. A report by Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley for the London Policing Board, that meets on Thursday, says force bosses are 'significantly concerned' that funding for extra stewards for the August Bank Holiday event will not be in place in time. Referring to phase one of a review commissioned by organisers that looked at crowd safety and stewarding, the report says: 'We are however significantly concerned that with just a matter of weeks to go until this year's event that the essential funding has not been secured and, with each week that passes, the ability to successfully implement the Phase One recommendations becomes more challenging as event management companies will be hesitant to take on an event at such short notice without a sufficient lead-in time.' Around 7,000 Metropolitan Police officers are deployed to each day of the event, and the cost of policing the Carnival in 2023 was £11.7 million according to figures released under Freedom of Information legislation. Mr Hill said officers are 'as worried this year as they were last year and the year before' about working at the event. 'Nobody that I speak to actually looks forward to working Notting Hill Carnival which is a real shame, because it's a vibrant event, it's an important event. 'We should enjoy interacting with the public and serving the community in it, but you have a handful of criminals who turn up to the event and just cause carnage. 'We had two murders (last year), 60-odd of my colleagues on average are getting assaulted every carnival, it's been going on for years and it's not acceptable.' He said the size of the area where the event is held should expand or the number of people attending should be reduced. 'Everyone accepts it's an unsafe event. Why is it still going on?' he added. 'You've got people coming onto the radio talking about a lack of confidence in the police because we're not doing our job, and yet we're spending millions of pounds over two days for an event, displacing thousands of officers to police an event. 'Could they be used better elsewhere? Could that money be used better elsewhere? I would suggest it could.' He has asked for details of what training stewards receive and what checks are carried out to make sure they are suitable to work within the crowds, but said he had not received any information. Sir Mark told LBC during a call-in: 'The organisers, who are really good people, need the support to be able to do it properly, to keep everyone safe so they can enjoy that event. I think they're asking for around a couple of million pounds to be able to do that properly.' He went on: 'From our perspective, we don't enjoy trying to rescue the safety, because you can't fix an event where the safety is at risk. 'You can only sort of mitigate it, you can't fix it. Frankly we want to fix our attention on the small number of people who come along to commit crime.' Two people were murdered at the carnival last year – Cher Maximen, who was killed in front of her three-year-old daughter, and chef Mussie Imnetu. Asked about the average 60 officers who are injured he said: 'The criminals who turn up to this event are really violent and very difficult, and frankly, fighting crime in a confined area where the crowds are so crushed, is doubly difficult. 'If the organisers were given the resources to run it better, we'd be able to do a better job fighting crime, and our officers would be at less risk.'
Western Telegraph
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Western Telegraph
Police officers and Met chief express concerns over Notting Hill Carnival
Deputy general secretary of the Metropolitan Police Federation Simon Hill said none of the frontline officers he speaks to look forward to working at the event, amid concerns there could be a deadly crush due to the size of the crowds that the carnival attracts. Carnival chairman Ian Comfort has requested more funding from the Government to steward the event and address safety concerns, amid ongoing warnings from police that there could be a tragedy. Police officers on duty at the event in 2024 (Lucy North/PA) A report by Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley for the London Policing Board, that meets on Thursday, says force bosses are 'significantly concerned' that funding for extra stewards for the August Bank Holiday event will not be in place in time. Referring to phase one of a review commissioned by organisers that looked at crowd safety and stewarding, the report says: 'We are however significantly concerned that with just a matter of weeks to go until this year's event that the essential funding has not been secured and, with each week that passes, the ability to successfully implement the Phase One recommendations becomes more challenging as event management companies will be hesitant to take on an event at such short notice without a sufficient lead-in time.' Around 7,000 Metropolitan Police officers are deployed to each day of the event, and the cost of policing the Carnival in 2023 was £11.7 million according to figures released under Freedom of Information legislation. Mr Hill said officers are 'as worried this year as they were last year and the year before' about working at the event. 'Nobody that I speak to actually looks forward to working Notting Hill Carnival which is a real shame, because it's a vibrant event, it's an important event. 'We should enjoy interacting with the public and serving the community in it, but you have a handful of criminals who turn up to the event and just cause carnage. Sir Mark Rowley told LBC if organisers were given more money for stewards, the police could concentrate more on tackling crime at the event (Stefan Rousseau/PA) 'We had two murders (last year), 60-odd of my colleagues on average are getting assaulted every carnival, it's been going on for years and it's not acceptable.' He said the size of the area where the event is held should expand or the number of people attending should be reduced. 'Everyone accepts it's an unsafe event. Why is it still going on?' he added. 'You've got people coming onto the radio talking about a lack of confidence in the police because we're not doing our job, and yet we're spending millions of pounds over two days for an event, displacing thousands of officers to police an event. 'Could they be used better elsewhere? Could that money be used better elsewhere? I would suggest it could.' He has asked for details of what training stewards receive and what checks are carried out to make sure they are suitable to work within the crowds, but said he had not received any information. Everyone accepts it's an unsafe event. Why is it still going on? Simon Hill, Metropolitan Police Federation Sir Mark told LBC during a call-in: 'The organisers, who are really good people, need the support to be able to do it properly, to keep everyone safe so they can enjoy that event. I think they're asking for around a couple of million pounds to be able to do that properly.' He went on: 'From our perspective, we don't enjoy trying to rescue the safety, because you can't fix an event where the safety is at risk. 'You can only sort of mitigate it, you can't fix it. Frankly we want to fix our attention on the small number of people who come along to commit crime.' Two people were murdered at the carnival last year – Cher Maximen, who was killed in front of her three-year-old daughter, and chef Mussie Imnetu. Asked about the average 60 officers who are injured he said: 'The criminals who turn up to this event are really violent and very difficult, and frankly, fighting crime in a confined area where the crowds are so crushed, is doubly difficult. 'If the organisers were given the resources to run it better, we'd be able to do a better job fighting crime, and our officers would be at less risk.'
Glasgow Times
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
Police officers and Met chief express concerns over Notting Hill Carnival
Deputy general secretary of the Metropolitan Police Federation Simon Hill said none of the frontline officers he speaks to look forward to working at the event, amid concerns there could be a deadly crush due to the size of the crowds that the carnival attracts. Carnival chairman Ian Comfort has requested more funding from the Government to steward the event and address safety concerns, amid ongoing warnings from police that there could be a tragedy. Police officers on duty at the event in 2024 (Lucy North/PA) A report by Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley for the London Policing Board, that meets on Thursday, says force bosses are 'significantly concerned' that funding for extra stewards for the August Bank Holiday event will not be in place in time. Referring to phase one of a review commissioned by organisers that looked at crowd safety and stewarding, the report says: 'We are however significantly concerned that with just a matter of weeks to go until this year's event that the essential funding has not been secured and, with each week that passes, the ability to successfully implement the Phase One recommendations becomes more challenging as event management companies will be hesitant to take on an event at such short notice without a sufficient lead-in time.' Around 7,000 Metropolitan Police officers are deployed to each day of the event, and the cost of policing the Carnival in 2023 was £11.7 million according to figures released under Freedom of Information legislation. Mr Hill said officers are 'as worried this year as they were last year and the year before' about working at the event. 'Nobody that I speak to actually looks forward to working Notting Hill Carnival which is a real shame, because it's a vibrant event, it's an important event. 'We should enjoy interacting with the public and serving the community in it, but you have a handful of criminals who turn up to the event and just cause carnage. Sir Mark Rowley told LBC if organisers were given more money for stewards, the police could concentrate more on tackling crime at the event (Stefan Rousseau/PA) 'We had two murders (last year), 60-odd of my colleagues on average are getting assaulted every carnival, it's been going on for years and it's not acceptable.' He said the size of the area where the event is held should expand or the number of people attending should be reduced. 'Everyone accepts it's an unsafe event. Why is it still going on?' he added. 'You've got people coming onto the radio talking about a lack of confidence in the police because we're not doing our job, and yet we're spending millions of pounds over two days for an event, displacing thousands of officers to police an event. 'Could they be used better elsewhere? Could that money be used better elsewhere? I would suggest it could.' He has asked for details of what training stewards receive and what checks are carried out to make sure they are suitable to work within the crowds, but said he had not received any information. Sir Mark told LBC during a call-in: 'The organisers, who are really good people, need the support to be able to do it properly, to keep everyone safe so they can enjoy that event. I think they're asking for around a couple of million pounds to be able to do that properly.' He went on: 'From our perspective, we don't enjoy trying to rescue the safety, because you can't fix an event where the safety is at risk. 'You can only sort of mitigate it, you can't fix it. Frankly we want to fix our attention on the small number of people who come along to commit crime.' Two people were murdered at the carnival last year – Cher Maximen, who was killed in front of her three-year-old daughter, and chef Mussie Imnetu. Asked about the average 60 officers who are injured he said: 'The criminals who turn up to this event are really violent and very difficult, and frankly, fighting crime in a confined area where the crowds are so crushed, is doubly difficult. 'If the organisers were given the resources to run it better, we'd be able to do a better job fighting crime, and our officers would be at less risk.'
Time of India
18-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
British deputy high commissioner Kolkata & IBSA promote wildlife conservation through photography
The British Deputy High Commission Kolkata and the Indo-British Scholars' Association (IBSA) recently collaborated to highlight wildlife and our living planet through the powerful medium of visual storytelling. The event, held at the British Club Kolkata on June 10 underscored the critical importance of our fragile planet and the urgent need for conservation efforts. It emphasised the vital role of wildlife photographers in documenting animal movements, studying habitats, and illustrating the impact of climate change and human influence on their existence. Reflecting on the initiative, Dr Andrew Fleming stated, ' Photography, and by extension film, is a powerful medium to capture different themes and inspire change. Wildlife is one such example and has been a vehicle of success for the conservation of many of the world's best-known endangered species, including the Royal Bengal Tiger. But this is just the tip of the iceberg—threats to our natural world continue to mount. Plastic pollution, this year's World Environment Day theme, is a scourge for land and sea creatures alike. Some scientists predict that by 2050, there will be more plastic in our oceans than fish. So my message is that we must do more to tell the stories of environmental impact in all our collective work and encourage more young people to follow in our footsteps .' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like New Cars, Best Deals! carxplore Learn More Undo Simon Hill, president of the Royal Photographic Society, UK, also remarked, ' For over 170 years, the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain has championed photography as a medium that informs, inspires, and helps shape public opinion. In an age of overwhelming ecological danger, photography has become one of the most powerful tools in the conservationist's arsenal. From documenting environmental collapse to stirring empathy for endangered species, a single photograph can translate the most complex scientific realities into immediate emotional truths. Photographs transcend language barriers to resonate with and impact a global audience. At its most effective, environmental and conservation photography doesn't just bear witness—it galvanises action. Through its awards, publications, and bursaries, the Royal Photographic Society recognises, honours, and supports the globally important work of photographers who are causing the world to take notice and take action. '
