Chinese company develops wearable device to control appetite through brain stimulation

The sleep technology startup ISHO, founded by former Xiaomi executive Wang Teng, unveiled its first products on October 29. Among them are the ISHO Ring smart ring and the iFlow bed temperature control system.

These devices start at a price of 1,799 yuan for the ring and 9,999 yuan for the iFlow system. The ring is designed to monitor physiological indicators to track sleep and provide daily recommendations for energy management.

The device has a claimed battery life of six to ten days and can store seven days of data offline. An additional Pro package costing 2,199 yuan includes a charging case with an ecological sensing function.

The iFlow system combines monitoring of heart rate and breathing during the night with active temperature regulation, including the ability to create separate temperature zones for two people sleeping together. Both products are available for pre-order. Ring delivery is scheduled for November 11, and the standard iFlow system will arrive in December.

Uber introduced the 'Pickup Preferences' feature this Wednesday, October 21st, focusing on meeting the needs of the elderly and people with disabilities. This new functionality aims to simplify the boarding process, allowing these passengers to provide detailed instructions to drivers on how to locate them at the point designated by the app.

With this addition, users can specify visual characteristics to aid identification, as well as choose the preferred method for the driver to signal their arrival. For example, it is possible to request that the driver use headlights instead of honking the horn, or to call the customer by name.

The release of this feature will occur gradually for all account profiles in the coming days. This feature complements other existing accessibility tools on Uber, such as the option to indicate a disability, screen reader support, and the Senior Account, which was developed to make the app interface simpler.

The driver will automatically receive all instructions on how to find the user. The app will notify if the person uses a cane, sunglasses, crutches, walker, or wheelchair, among other items, and will indicate the preferred communication method upon arrival. For the customer, they just need to configure everything directly in the app so that Uber knows how to act in all situations.

Identification markers are customizable, but it is possible to activate multiple types of alerts for the driver's arrival. Options include calling the customer's name, initiating contact via the app, turning on lights, or using the horn.

Furthermore, other accessibility settings remain available. The Senior Account, for example, optimizes icons and adjusts buttons to provide a better experience for the elderly, while screen reading features, such as Talkback and VoiceOver, also operate in the app. The Uber app also allows the user to report any disability or identify themselves as a guide dog owner.

Customers with disabilities are entitled to exemption from waiting fees, unlike other users, who can request reimbursement for these costs. The procedure to activate the new feature is uncomplicated and can be done entirely within the app itself. Additionally, the company assures assistance for other accessibility issues not initially covered, maintaining a psychological support channel available for cases of discrimination experienced during rides.

Elon Musk maintained that artificial intelligence (AI) and robots represent the only viable path to solve the problem of the United States' public debt, which reached $40 trillion (approximately R$ 216 trillion) in August. According to the billionaire, focusing solely on government budget cuts is not an effective strategy.

This statement was made during a recent episode of the podcast The Builders, hosted by writer Walter Isaacson. Musk explained that he came to this conclusion after spending 130 days working as a special government employee during Donald Trump's second term.

Between January and May 2025, the entrepreneur practically led the White House Office of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, whose mission was to reduce federal spending. Musk told Isaacson: 'I concluded that the only way to solve the national debt is with AI and robots. We will not be able to solve it by trying to save our way there,' classifying the austerity alternative as 'impossible.'

Instead of controlling state expenditures, Musk bets on the economic boost generated by technology. He predicts that so-called digital superintelligence could increase global production of goods and services by 20% to 30%. This advance, according to him, would add about $30 trillion (approximately R$ 162 trillion) annually to the world economy.

Musk also linked robotic development to space exploration. For him, combining these technologies with the ability to establish a cargo launch system from the Moon could drastically expand the economic dimension. He projected: 'If you have robots and reach space, being able to build an electromagnetic launcher on the Moon, then you could potentially reach an economy a million times larger than Earth's.'

This projection is part of a futuristic vision where automation and access to extraterrestrial resources and activities would profoundly modify economic production. Furthermore, the entrepreneur anticipated that technological progress could render money 'irrelevant.' Although currencies would continue to exist, they would cease to operate as they do today because 'conventional currencies will not matter,' predicted Musk. He suggested that a future monetary system could be based on primary physical quantities, such as energy, mass, and power.

The remarks indicate an economic shift where productive capacity, driven by automation, would gain more relevance than the traditional monetary system. During the interview, Musk also reflected on his time in the Office of Government Efficiency, admitting to getting too involved and that he should have remained more discreet. He commented to Isaacson: 'I think I should have stayed more behind the scenes and probably made it last only one or two months, because at that point, you have seen practically everything there was to see.'

Additionally, Musk regretted not having left the project earlier to focus on AI, stating: 'I should have left and focused on AI a little sooner than I did.' This assessment contrasts with the period when he led efforts to reduce federal spending, as he now argues that tackling the US debt fundamentally depends on a productivity leap driven by technology.