The Download: combating Parkinson’s with implants, and counting carbon’s cost

The Download newsletter from MIT Technology Review discusses a range of technology news. A man with Parkinson's disease regained his ability to walk after receiving a spinal neuroprosthesis, a device that sends electrical signals to stimulate the nerves in his spinal cord. The newsletter also highlights the role of carbon accountants in helping companies understand and manage their carbon footprint. OpenAI has launched its own platform for building chatbots, while Israeli surveillance is tracking Palestinians in the West Bank. Other topics include the challenges of Cruise's self-driving taxis, Epic Games' legal battle with Google, and the future of open source software.

The newsletter also features a section on "nice things", including the capture of the thieves who stole a golden toilet from Winston Churchill’s birthplace, and a cat named Nala who works as a ticket inspector. The future of open source software is also discussed, noting that while proprietary software is making billions for tech companies, the free and open-source software movement is still a key part of the industry.

Key takeaways

A man with Parkinson’s disease has regained the ability to walk after physicians implanted a small device into his spinal cord that sends signals to his legs.
OpenAI has created its own platform for building chatbots. For a monthly fee, anyone can now build a customized bot.
Israeli surveillance tracks and logs Palestinians in the West Bank using facial recognition checkpoints.
The future of open source is still very much in flux, with tech companies making billions on proprietary software, but the free and open-source software movement is still a keystone of the tech industry.

The Download: combating Parkinson’s with implants, and counting carbon’s cost

Key takeaways

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