Uber launches a panic button for riders, a UK university 3D prints the first ever human cornea, and Tesla Model 3 finally gets the seal of approval from Consumer Reports.
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First up from Reddit is news that Uber has launched several new safety features for riders, which includes a panic button. In the event of an emergency, Uber has rolled out a new button within its app that will connect you with 911 directly. It’s also introduced a new feature that lets you designate up to five friends and family members as ‘trusted contacts’ that you can easily share your trip details with. If you use the emergency panic button, you’ll immediately be prompted to share your status with your trusted contacts list. Uber says keeping people safe is a huge responsibility and one that it does not take lightly. It’s also created a Safety Centre so users can access the company’s key safety information and resources all in one dedicated place.
Next from Facebook, scientists at Newcastle University in the UK have 3D printed the first ever human cornea. The cornea is the outermost layer of the human eye and plays an important role in focusing vision. More than 15 million people worldwide require corneal surgery, but there is a significant shortage of corneas for transplant. The researchers created what they’re calling “bio ink” by mixing cornea stem cells with collagen and alginate, which was then used by a simple 3D printer to create the shape of a human cornea in under six minutes. This shape serves as scaffolding for the stem cells to then grow into new corneas ready for transplant. They can also scan a patient’s eye and use the data to print a customized cornea for their specific needs.
And last but not least from LinkedIn, Tesla’s affordable Model 3 car was released last week to quite a bit of criticism. One of the world’s most recognized review platforms, Consumer Reports, declined to recommend the vehicle after it had severe braking issues, among other problems like loud wind noises on the highway. Tesla CEO Elon Musk took the feedback and issued a remote over-the-air update to its braking software, which is an industry first for a carmaker. Consumer Reports is now giving the Model 3 its coveted thumbs up after the update put it within the typical braking performance for vehicles of its class.