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Use Your iPhone’s Hidden Microphone Effects to Improve Your Audio in FaceTime, Zoom, and Other Video Calling Apps « iOS & iPhone :: Gadget Hacks

Use Your iPhone's Hidden Microphone Effects to Improve Your Audio in FaceTime, Zoom, and Other Video Calling Apps


Being seen clearly is an essential part of any video call you’re on, but being heard is equally important. Lousy audio from your side can ruin the experience for others on the call if they can’t understand you or hear the sounds they need or want to hear. To improve your audio feed during FaceTime, Google Meet, Instagram, WhatsApp, Zoom, and other video calls, unlock your iPhone’s hidden audio filters.

Mic Mode processing was first introduced in iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and macOS Monterey, alongside Video Effects, as a new FaceTime feature. But you can use it in almost any audio and video calling app as long as it adds support.

With the hidden Mic Mode effects, Apple gives you control over how the audio processor interprets the signal from the microphones on your devices. The effects use machine learning to either dampen ambient sounds around you to isolate your voice or include even more audio around you without any distracting echoes.

There are three modes that you can choose from:

  • Standard (default): This uses standard digital signal processing (DSP) for audio, the same processing available for all apps on your device.
  • Voice Isolation: This prioritizes your speech and removes unwanted ambient noise such as typing on keyboards, mouse clicks, lawn mowers, construction work, etc. Use it when your voice is the only important thing others need to hear. It’s most useful during group video conferences and work meetings where you don’t need to highlight sounds around you.
  • Wide Spectrum: This minimizes audio processing to capture your voice and all sounds around you better but still includes echo cancellation to keep calls smooth. Use it when you want others on the video call to feel like they’re right there with you. It’s most helpful when chatting with family, so they don’t miss out on anything, and when conducting music and other audio-based lessons, such as teaching someone to play guitar or understand music history.

Which Apps Support Mic Mode?

Any app that uses the Voice over Internet Protocol background mode automatically supports Mic Mode without any code changes, but only for video calls.

That means it won’t work in audio-only calls or when recording video in a camera app. So for apps like FaceTime, Google Meet, Skype, and Zoom, you can use Mic Mode in any video conference. But for other apps that don’t focus on video conferencing, like Instagram and WhatsApp, you’d only be able to use it for video calls — not for audio messages or stories.

When recording video stories in apps like Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat, the Video Effects tool may work but Mic Mode will be unusable. Developers can manually disable support in their apps, and those who don’t use the VoIP background mode can incorporate the feature.

Which Devices Support Mic Mode?

Mic Mode works on any iPhone running iOS 15 or later with an A12 Bionic or newer chip. The chip requirements are the same for iPad, and you should be running iPadOS 15 or later. It is also available on 2018 Mac models or newer running macOS Monterey 12 or later. You can see the complete list of compatible Apple devices at the end of this article.

How to Enable Mic Mode Effects in Supported Apps

Start a video call or conference in whatever app you usually use for it, then open Control Center. If the app supports “Video Effects” and/or “Mic Mode,” you’ll see two new buttons at the top for them. By default, Mic Mode is always set to “Standard” and has to be switched by you manually — apps can’t change it for you.

To change modes, tap “Mic Mode,” and a new menu with the different options will appear. Choose between “Voice Isolation,” “Wide Spectrum,” or “Standard.” Then, tap on the background to return to Control Center’s main screen, and you should see your selected filter named inside the Mic Mode button. Exit Control Center, and continue your call with better audio.

Use Your iPhone's Hidden Microphone Effects to Improve Your Audio in FaceTime, Zoom, and Other Video Calling Apps
Use Your iPhone's Hidden Microphone Effects to Improve Your Audio in FaceTime, Zoom, and Other Video Calling Apps
Tap the Mic Mode button (left) to switch to a different audio filter (right).

An app may support Video Effects but not Mic Mode, in which case the Mic Mode button would display “Off,” and nothing would happen when you tap it. In some cases, you’ll see “Standard,” but you won’t be able to choose a different audio filter when you open the Mic Mode selector. Instead, you’ll get a “Voice Isolation and Wide Spectrum are currently unavailable” alert.

Use Your iPhone's Hidden Microphone Effects to Improve Your Audio in FaceTime, Zoom, and Other Video Calling Apps
Use Your iPhone's Hidden Microphone Effects to Improve Your Audio in FaceTime, Zoom, and Other Video Calling Apps
When Mic Mode is disabled (left) and when Standard is only available (right).

All Apple Devices That Support Mic Mode

  • iPhone SE (2nd generation and later)
  • iPhone XR
  • iPhone Xyes
  • iPhone Xyes Max
  • iPhone 11
  • iPhone 11Pro
  • iPhone 11 ProMax
  • iPhone 12mini
  • iPhone 12
  • iPhone 12 Pro
  • iPhone 12 ProMax
  • iPhone 13mini
  • iPhone 13
  • iPhone 13 Pro
  • iPhone 13 ProMax
  • iPad mini (5th generation and later)
  • iPad (8th generation and later)
  • iPad Air (3rd generation and later)
  • iPad Pro 11-inch (all generations)
  • iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later)
  • MacBook Air (2018)
  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2018)
  • MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2018)
  • Mac mini (2018)
  • iMac (21.5-inch, 4K, 2019)
  • iMac (27-inch, 5K, 2019)
  • MacBook Air (2019)
  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019)
  • MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)
  • MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)
  • Mac Pro (2019)
  • iMac (27-inch, 5K, 2020)
  • MacBook Air (2020)
  • MacBook Air (M1, 2020)
  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020)
  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020)
  • Mac mini (M1, 2020)
  • MacBook Pro (14-inch, M1 Pro, 2021)
  • MacBook Pro (14-inch, M1 Max, 2021)
  • MacBook Pro (16-inch, M1 Pro, 2021)
  • MacBook Pro (16-inch, M1 Max, 2021)
  • iMac (24-inch, M1, 2021)
  • MacBook Air (M2, 2022)
  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, M2, 2022)
  • MacStudio (2022)

Spatial Audio in FaceTime

In addition to Mic Mode, another way to change your FaceTime audio settings is Spatial Audio. This feature spreads out voices to make it sound like they are coming from the direction each person is positioned on the screen.

This audio mode is activated by default as long as your device is compatible and works with AirPods (2nd generation), AirPods (3rd generation), AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max.

Spatial Audio is compatible with the same iPhone and iPad models listed above running iOS and iPadOS 15 or later, but only with Mac computers with Apple Silicon running Monterey 12 or later, listed below.

  • MacStudio (2022)
  • MacBook Pro (14-inch, 2021)
  • MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2021)
  • iMac (24-inch, M1, 2021)
  • Mac mini (M1, 2020)
  • MacBook Air (M1, 2020)
  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020)




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Muster roadies do student soundcheck

Muster roadies do student soundcheck

TAFE and James Nash students will have the chance to learn first hand how to work as sound and lighting technicians for the 2022 Gympie Music Muster.

The Gympie Music Muster enhances its community engagement again this year, giving opportunities for young students to get hands-on educational experiences.

The Muster welcomes Year 11 and 12 Certificate III tourism students from James Nash State High School and Diploma of Music – Sound Production TAFE Queensland students from Brisbane, who will gain experience in hospitality, service and live music production.

After eight years of studying the Muster as a tourism event, this will be the first year that James Nash State High School students will be working Back Stage at the Muster, with the experience being invaluable to their studies.

“A new competency we’ve added this year is addressing protocol requirements, and it specifically lists musical artists as some of the people to work with,” business and technologies head of department at James Nash State High School Karen Swift said.

“There is no better opportunity for our local students to get first-hand tourism industry work experience than by working in artist services at the Muster.”

The students are excited about applying their skills in a real situation, with their teacher supporting them throughout the experience.

“The true value of this experience is in the opportunity to step up and show their skills beyond the school room walls and set timetables,” Ms Swift said.

Also getting hands-on experience at the Muster, is a TAFE Queensland Brisbane (Southbank) sound production class – this relationship with the Gympie Music Muster stretches back 25 years and as part of its community support the Muster also contributes the supply of accommodation and meals to students.

A dozen students will work alongside experienced audio and lighting engineers across the Muster’s stages, to gain invaluable practical experience.

“Former teacher Ian Taylor instigated the program in 1996 to provide students with the opportunity to work alongside industry audio professionals gaining insight into the operation of large-scale festivals, as well as understanding of how audio systems are managed from small to large concert stages, ” teacher Heath Storrie said.

The students camp onsite and are involved in the installation of audio, lighting, vision and backline prior to the Muster, they assist with microphone set-up, patching, artists and backline changeovers and gain invaluable insight into live mixing practices during the festival, and assist with bump-out.

“By participating in all of these aspects, the students are provided with a very realistic hands-on experience of the event production industry,” Mr Storrie said.

He said the students gain invaluable networking and employment contacts, with some of the current professional working crew and even touring crew having graduated from this course. in years past.

Mr Storrie himself completed the course in 1999 and has worked as a member of the audio production crew on-and-off since 2011.

The Gympie Music Muster will run across the weekend of 25-28 August at the Amamoor Creek State Forest and is supported by the Gympie Regional Council and Queensland Government via Tourism and Events Queensland and is a feature on the It’s Live! in Queensland events calendar.

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Pokemon Fans Hope Scarlet & Violet Will Have More Skin Tone Options

pokemon scarlet violet

Pokemon is a hugely successful series and is a global phenomenon. From the original Game Boy games, which featured pixel graphics in black and white, to the transition to 3D player characters and NPCs in more recent times, we’ve come to see increasingly realistic depictions of humans in the games. But with the popularity of Pokemon, it is notable that there are relatively few options for player-character customization.

This point was brought up lately in relation to the forthcoming Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. Earlier this week, a new trailer was shown that revealed more about the region players will be exploring, the new Terastal evolution mechanic, and the ridable legendaries. But it’s unclear how customizable character selection will be.

THEGAMER VIDEO OF THE DAY

Related: Legendary Pokemon Are Outdated

In the Pokemon subreddit, a user posted about the need for more skin tone options, a prescient point considering how many people all over the world play the games.

“It’s always been weird to me how limited the initial character selection is Pokemon games,” they wrote. “Especially when they have other NPCs with different skin tones than the ones available (Shauna, Kukui, Leon etc)”.

They said they usually choose the tan/brown skin option since this one most resembles their own skin tone. However, it still wasn’t “as accurate as it could be, especially since, like I said, there are other characters that have skin tones more similar to mine.”

They brought up another point too about how customization was gender limited. “Things like dresses, skirts, hairstyles, and some face/make up options are limited to only the girl character, the longest boy hairstyle is like the shortest girl hairstyle (which again, it’s weird since characters like Leon or Piers have long hair) .”


Over on the official Pokemon Scarlet & Violet website, there is information about what customization options players can expect. It mentions that your character’s eye shape, mouth shape, hairstyle, hair color, and eyebrows can all be altered, while school uniforms can also be customized. It does not, however, mention skin tones. From the looks of images, there will be at least four different skin tones on offer.

In the comments, many agreed with the OP. “They should just not tie clothing or hair options to gender. It’s 2022, let people wear what they want,” expressed JaxOnThat. Bulbamew said, “As with basically any form of media, the people who say they “don’t care” about representation options are the people who are already best represented and will never know what it’s like to not have it.”


Dethb0y suggestion a solution: “Should just be a color gradient like The Sims has so you can pick whatever color you want. It’s 2022, we’re not on the NES anymore.”

Next: Pokemon Change Type By Terastallising In Scarlet & Violet

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Traditional hardware can match Google’s quantum computer performance: Researchers

Traditional hardware can match Google's quantum computer performance: Researchers

After Google said they had achieved what quantum computing researchers had sought for years, a team of Chinese researchers now claim to have replicated the performance of Google’s Sycamore quantum computer using traditional hardware.

In 2019, Google researchers claimed they had passed a milestone known as quantum supremacy when their quantum computer Sycamore performed in 200 seconds an abstruse calculation they said would tie up a supercomputer for 10,000 years.

Now, scientists in China have done the computation in a few hours with ordinary processors. A supercomputer, they say, could beat Sycamore outright.

Also Read | Artificial Intelligence is not sentient, at least not yet

“I think they are right that if they had access to a big enough supercomputer, they could have simulated the task in a matter of seconds,” said researcher Scott Aaronson, a computer scientist at the University of Texas, Austin.

The team used a system comprised of 512 GPUs to complete the same calculation developed by Google to demonstrate it had passed the quantum supremacy milestone back in 2019.

The advance takes a bit of the shine off Google’s claim, said Greg Kuperberg, a mathematician at the University of California, Davis.

Still, the promise of quantum computing remains undimmed, the team said.

Also Read | When bee dance inspires robot design

Sergio Boixo, principal scientist for Google Quantum AI, said in an email the Google team knew its edge might not hold for very long.

“In our 2019 paper, we said that classical algorithms would improve,” he said. But, “we don’t think this classical approach can keep up with quantum circuits in 2022 and beyond”.

The “problem” Sycamore solved was designed to be hard for a conventional computer but as easy as possible for a quantum computer, which manipulates qubits that can be set to 0, 1 or any combination of 0 and 1 at the same time.

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Smartphone users spend four to five hours on social media

According to a new study, smartphone users spend up to five hours a day using their smartphones to install applications. The study carried out in 13 countries shows that the apps of choice are still those that refer to social networks. The time spent with the smartphone after Covid-19 pandemic The company Data.ai, []

According to the first study, users spend four to five hours enjoying the installed mobile applications.

The study, carried out in 13 countries, found that the mobile phone in which you choose can be used is as a mobile phone.

After the Covid-19 tragedy, the time spent with the smartphone got more expensive.

The company Data.ai – formerly called App Annie – created a study in 13 countries to determine the use of mobile applications, but no Portuguese was found to be involved in this study.

They found that the smartphone users spend several hours doing their own research. In fact, every day, each user spends four to five hours watching mobile apps.

This study also shows that for the moment users are less focused on mobile devices, since there were many more people at the time of the Covid-19 pandemic.

This exponential increase came because people are confined and use mobile applications for all kinds of connecting to the world, such as online shopping, etc. Now that growth has slowed down and we spend only four to five hours a day focusing on the small screen.

A user spends four to five hours using mobile devices, mainly those in social networks [email protected]/Unsplash.

And what is the most used mobile application? Without any doubt none of these people refer to social networks. Instagram and TikTok have proven users preferences the social network began, by the way, to grow considerably even the highest levels of the world’s confined population.

Plus, Facebook, WhatsApp and Telegram are the daily companions of a large part of users who are under this study.

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SoundPEATS True Wireless Earbuds are on sale at Amazon

SoundPEATS True Wireless Earbuds are on sale at Amazon

Just like you, we’re always on the lookout for an exceptional pair of Bluetooth earbuds that won’t break the bank — and also won’t literally break after a few uses. One of the best audio brands on our radar is SoundPeats, and we just spotted an amazing sale on a pair of their most beloved true wireless earbuds.

Right now you can save nearly 40 percent on SoundPeats True Wireless Earbuds. Originally $40, you’ll pay just $24 with this deal — but hurry, the sale ends tonight!

SoundPEATS

SoundPEATS True Wireless Earbuds

$24$40Save $16

$24 at Amazon

These true wireless earbuds use Bluetooth 5.0 for crisp sound for calls, music and podcasts. They also allow you access to on-ear controls to adjust volume, play and pause. A full charge is four hours, and 40 hours with the charging case.

If you’ve been heavily invested in Apple AirPods for a while, listen up: SoundPeats earbuds are a fierce competitor — and more than 13,000 five-star Amazon reviewers agree. “These punch harder and higher than their price point suggests,” writes one fan of these buds that use Bluetooth 5.0 and deliver such crisp Hi-Fi sound that you won’t believe your ears.

They employ a few sophisticated features that make this kind of performance possible, including a built-in high-resolution decoder and advanced audio coding technology. Basically, the same science you find in high-end earbuds but at an affordable price point.

earbuds

SoundPeats are just like Apple AirPods, except affordable. (Photo: Amazon)

You can also make and answer calls or use voice commands — and just like Apple AirPods, you can access on-ear controls to manipulate volume, play and pause or switch between music and phone calls. A full charge is four hours, but use the included charging case and you’ll get up to 10 times that.

“After searching for a pair of true wireless buds under $100 for weeks and running up against fake reviews and what seemed like junk products I want others to know—these are the real deal,” writes one convinced customer. “The buds were charged out of the box so I opened my phone, paired them in under a minute and both worked flawlessly.”

woman with earbuds

Just $25 gets you stellar sound and a whole lotta cool. (Photo: Amazon)

Like to keep one ear open at all times? The SoundPeats True Wireless Earbuds have you covered. “These have a particular feature I was seeking: The use of either left or right earbud by itself,” one fan writes. “Without the need to have a ‘main’ earbud out of the case or…being able to use the right one only. I can now listen with either earbud, not carrying or using two sets (one charging while the other in use Also, very simple to go from mono to stereo.”

SoundPeats True Wireless Earbuds even look awesome — sleek black buds that “don’t stick out like some of the white ones you see people wearing,” as one shopper adds.

Grab this pair at a deep discount and enjoy this true unicorn of the tech and audio world: A powerful, precise pair of earbuds with a price tag that won’t make your head spin.

SoundPEATS

SoundPEATS True Wireless Earbuds

$24$40Save $16

$24 at Amazon

These true wireless earbuds use Bluetooth 5.0 for crisp sound for calls, music and podcasts. They also allow you access to on-ear controls to adjust volume, play and pause. A full charge is four hours, and 40 hours with the charging case.

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.

If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $25 or more.)

Looking for more great Amazon tech deals? Check these out:

TVs and home theater

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  • Toshiba 32-inch Class V35 Series Smart Fire TV

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Headphones and earbuds:

  • Apple AirPods Pro Wireless Earbuds

    $180$249Save $69

  • Altec Lansing NanoPods Truly Wireless Earbuds

    $19$33Save $14

  • Boean Bluetooth Wireless Headphones

    $20$40Save $20

  • Tagry Bluetooth Earbuds with Wireless Charging Case

    $35$50Save $15

  • Sony ZX Series Wired On-Ear Headphones

    $10$20Save $10

tablets and tech

  • HP 15.6-inch Windows 11 Laptop

    $515$660Save $145

  • Pulidiki Cleaning Gel for Car

    $8$12Save $4

  • Motorola Unlocked Motorola One 5G Ace Cell Phone

    $230$400Save $170

  • Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite

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  • Guidelines Smart Watch and Fitness Tracker

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smart home

  • Google Nest Programmable Smart Thermostat

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  • Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance LED Smart Bulb 3-pack

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  • Renpho Bluetooth Eye Massager

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Will Cult Of The Lamb Be Available For Xbox Game Pass?

Will Cult Of The Lamb Be Available For Xbox Game Pass?

Can players be able to play as an adorable lamb possessed by an ominous entity and start a cult in Cult of the Lamb? Well, not exactly yet.

Will Cult Of The Lamb Be Available For Xbox Game Pass?

Published on August 7th, 2022

Massive Monster and Devolver Digital are looking toward their upcoming global release of the roguelike action-adventure, Cult of the Lamb. The hype surrounding the game is building rapidly ahead of its release, making it available across both consoles and PC.

Players anticipate building and expanding their cults as a cute yet possessed lamb; many are left wondering if it will be available to play through the Xbox Game Pass subscription service. We explore if Cult of the Lamb will be heading to the subscription service on day one of release.

Can You Play Cult Of The Lamb Through Xbox Game Pass?

Developer Massive Monster is preparing for the global release of their next project, Cult of the Lamb, across multiple platforms, including PC and Xbox consoles. The latter’s platform release had many Xbox players and those with access to Xbox Game Pass wondering if the game would be arriving to the subscription service.

cult of the lamb xbox game pass availability perform rituals summons cult following
Players eagerly anticipating the release of Cult of the Lamb are wondering if it will be available via Xbox Game Pass. (Picture: Massive Monster / Return Digital)

In short, as of writing, the game won’t be making itself available to the platform; however, don’t rule it out completely. It does stand a good chance that both the developer and publisher could eventually bring Cult of the Lamb to Xbox Game Pass and possibly with Cloud Gaming capabilities.

Despite not arriving to the subscription service on day one of release, players can still get hold of the game for $24.99 / £20.99, and pre-ordering it will get you the Cthulhu Follower Skin. According to the game’s Xbox Store listing, Cult of the Lamb will launch with other notable capabilities that players can take advantage of, including optimizations for Xbox Series X|S, Smart Delivery, and Cloud Saves.

cult of the lamb xbox game pass pre order bonus cthulhu follower skin
Players who pre-order Cult of the Lamb will receive a pre-order bonus at launch. (Picture: Massive Monster / Return Digital)

It’s worth mentioning that this roguelike action-adventure game is currently priced similarly to fellow indie darling game Nobody Saves the World and Supergiant Games’ smash hit, Hades. Both previous games are available via Xbox Game Pass alongside other Devolver Digital releases, Death’s Door and Trek to Yomi, priced lower than Cult of the Lamb.

For now, players can start their cult, acquire followers, eliminate non-believers, and destroy rival cult leaders in the game’s demo available via Steam. Cult of the Lamb will spread its “gospel” for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam on 11th August 2022.

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For all the related game content, check out our section dedicated to the latest Video Game news, updates, leaks, guides, features, and more.

Featured image courtesy of Massive Monster / Return Digital.

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Following debacle, DuckDuckGo blocks most Microsoft web trackers and opens up about blocklist

duckduckgo-privacy-browser-tracker-block

Some trackers will still be allowed through to measure ad conversions

DuckDuckGo is making good on a promise to correct a major faux pas on its mission to further privacy on the web. Back in May, researchers caught the company allowing Microsoft’s ad and analytics trackers through its mobile browsers and desktop browser extensions while blocking others. It was an act of hypocrisy, but also one of necessity: DuckDuckGo signed on Microsoft as its primary supplier of results for its search engine and one of the stipulations in their contract required the passthrough of trackers from Bing and LinkedIn in DuckDuckGo products. It appears now, though, that the contract has changed. A lot more has, too.

ANDROID POLICE VIDEO OF THE DAY

The company says on its corporate blog (via BleepingComputer) that its Tracker Radar is no longer prohibited from blocking Microsoft’s tracking scripts. While they will be blocked in most cases, users who click on Microsoft-served ads through a DuckDuckGo product will see some trackers originating from bat.bing.com. Microsoft says it uses the data to tally conversions from clicks to product purchases and that it doesn’t build user profiles, dumping the data in 7 days. DuckDuckGo also continues to say that it does not include Microsoft tracking scripts in its products, a condition that has always been in place.

There’s no reasonable expectation of complete privacy when someone browses the web, so the company is also taking the opportunity to announce that it has updated the Privacy Dashboard feature on its browsers and extensions to include logs for which third-party tracker requests were approved and denied and for what reasons, if any apply. The company is also making a list of its blocked trackers (including the latest ones from the 21 URLs that originate with Microsoft) public through a GitHub repository and that it will shortly open up the code to generate a blocklist for Tracker Radar.


Furthermore, it has opened up a new section in its Help pages that lists which trackers are getting blocked for which product — split between the browser apps for Android, iOS/iPadOS, and Mac, and the extensions for Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera , and Safari. Different products get different blocking support due to differences in their operating system’s framework.

In the future, DuckDuckGo hopes to implement an ad conversion tracking protocol that will keep data sharing to an absolute minimum while still giving marketers the core information they need.

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Astronauts Will Now Be Able To Ger Surgeries On Board The ISS

Astronauts Will Now Be Able To Ger Surgeries On Board The ISS

Engineers at Nebraska Engineering have stepped up to develop an incredible marvel of technology that is going to shock and rock the world. You would be amazed to know that in the coming decades, we are going to witness a surgical robot that will autonomously perform the surgeries of astronauts in space and be remotely controlled by the doctors sitting on Earth. The robot named MIRA, which stands for “Miniaturized in Vivo Robotic Assistant,” has currently been in the production phase to be carried by 2024 for the test mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

One of the most interesting details of the bunch is that, to boost the determination of engineers at Nebraska in the development of this program, NASA has recently awarded Nebraska-Lincoln with $100,000 via the “Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR)”. As stated by Professor Shane Farritor from the Nebraska Institute of Engineering, “NASA has been a long-term supporter of this research and, as a culmination of that effort, our robot will have a chance to fly on the International Space Station.”

Engineers are making efforts to establish the surgical robot as a well-established player in the market. Speaking of the past phases of struggles for this robot, it is important to note that Farritor and his colleagues have been designing it for nearly 20 years, and its development would be a huge accomplishment for the technological world. All in all, Nebraska Innovation Campus incorporates a startup company known as “Virtual Incision,” which has been awarded funding of more than $100 million as an investment since 2006, which is the foundation year of this institute.

To put that into perspective, a recent experiment conducted on this ongoing surgical robot has been performed by the retired NASA astronaut “Clayton Anderson,” who controlled the robot while he was at the Johnson Space Center located in Houston. Meanwhile, the robot was stationed about 900 miles away from Anderson’s locality and was positioned at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. During the experiment, he directed the robot to perform complex surgical tasks, and the results were optimistic.

Not only this, but the programming software which will be deployed into MIRA is going to be written by Farritor and Rachael Wagner, who will then test the robot against its simulations. They will also make sure by integrating the robot into the space station locker whether the system is good enough to sustain the compulsions and constraints of launch and will look for any loopholes as well. According to Wagner, “These simulations are very important because of all the data we will collect during the tests.”

Moreover, Farritor estimates that the robot will be able to conduct its operations autonomously in about 50–100 years and is currently in a programming phase. He further said, “The astronaut flips a switch, the process starts, and the robot does its work by itself. Two hours later, the astronaut switches it off, and it’s done. As people go further and deeper into space, they might need to do surgery someday. We’re working toward that goal.”

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Asmongold calls out Blizzard for nerfing the much-anticipated dragon flying feature in World of Warcraft

Asmongold criticizes Blizzard for nerfing new Soar ability (Image via Sportskeeda)

Zack “Asmongold”, the highly popular MMO streamer on Twitch, criticized Blizzard for nerfing dragon riding speed in the upcoming World of Warcraft update titled “Dragonflight.” The 30% speed decrease in ability has been a point of contention for much of the playerbase. Some feel that it is a justifiable change while others refuse to believe it is desirable in any way.

youtube-cover

The streamer took a clear stand on the issue by calling out the developers over what he thought was an unnecessary nerf, which impedes the enjoyability factor of the new ability. While reacting to a side-by-side comparison video by a professional World of Warcraft player, he ended up calling the developers stupid:

“Look how stupid Blizzard is.”

Asmongold gives his opinion on the dragon WoW dragon rider nerf

Dragonflight is the much awaited update to the massively popular MMO by Blizzard. With many referring to the new features as one of the best additions to World of Warcraft in a long time, tensions run high as Blizzard continues to update the alpha with new patches.

Blizzard is notorious for making anti-player decisions and has faced massive backlash for many choices in the past. The most recent nerf to Dracthyr’s Soar ability, which used to let players fly at speeds of up to 930%, has reduced the speed to boost by 30%, angering a lot of fans.

This’s about as clear as I can get to help people fully understand the nerf https://t.co/ytKL4AvSTV

Asmongold seemed to be one of them as he reacted to a comparison video by Maximus from the Liquid Guild, which showcased the extent of the nerf. The streamer described the pre-nerf ability as fun and enjoyable, saying:

“This is how fast it used to be. Look at this. Look how cool that is man.”

I have used a few choice words while describing the current way Soar works, calling it lame:

“It’s worse, yeah i know. It’s lame. How cringe.”

Clearly disappointed with the nerf, Asmongold revealed that changes like this have made him question the new update:

“As I said, that change made me lose more, uh, hope for Blizzard with Dragonflight than anything else. Like, if they don’t change that I’m going to expect Dragonflight to be dog a** sh*t.”

Blizzard’s reasoning for the change was that the ability was overpowered because it was exclusive to the Dracthyr race. The developers revealed that their playtest showed no change in fun factor, noting:

“Soar is also a Racial ability, and was never intended to be a massive efficiency or performance improvement over other races… What we’ve found while playing these changes internally is that the speed change didn’t diminish the fun of the locomotion mechanics.”

Maximus, like many other World of Warcaft fans, did not find the reasoning substantial for the nerf, and he made his feelings clear by expressing:

First thing I’ve seen in dragonflight where the reasons given made no sense. I hope it will be reversed as it’s universally disliked.

Reactions to the clip

Fans of Asmongold mostly agreed with the streamer and let out their frustration against Blizzard. One fan, by the name Artixes Pro, commented:

“At this point I’m inclined to believe Blizzard hates good feedback and makes sure it never happens.”

Other YouTube comments showed a similar sentiment, with many remembering previous features that were nerfed by Blizzard. A few even had theories of why the developers were purposefully nerfing things.

YouTube comments about Blizzard's nerf policy (Image via Asmongold Clips/YouTube)
YouTube comments about Blizzard’s nerf policy (Image via Asmongold Clips/YouTube)

A viewer wondered how Blizzard always gets away with cutting content.

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Fans react to Soar nerf (Image via Asmongold Clips/YouTube)
Fans react to Soar nerf (Image via Asmongold Clips/YouTube)

As a veteran World of Warcraft player and content creator, Asmongold has quite a reputation in the MMO community. He has been a vocal critic of Blizzard in the past and has been quite outspoken against changes he does not like.

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