Technology

Do Some Electric Fish Sense the World Through Comrades’ Auras?

Published

2 years ago

March 6, 2024

Scientists uncover evidence for a new form of collective sensing that appears to enable elephantnose fish to extend their perceptual reach

NEW YORK, March 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — It would be a game-changer if all members of a basketball team could see out of each other’s eyes in addition to their own. A research duo at Columbia’s Zuckerman Institute has found evidence that this kind of collective sensing occurs in close-knit groups of African weakly electric fish, also known as elephantnose fish. This instantaneous sharing of sensory intelligence could help the fish locate food, friends and foes.

“In engineering it is common that groups of emitters and receivers work together to improve sensing, for example in sonar and radar. We showed that something similar may be happening in groups of fish that sense their environment using electrical pulses. These fish seem to ‘see’ much better in small groups.” said Nathaniel Sawtell, PhD, a principal investigator at Columbia’s Zuckerman Institute and a professor of neuroscience at Columbia’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

In a paper published online today in Nature, Dr. Sawtell and postdoctoral research associate Federico Pedraja, PhD, combine multiple lines of evidence to argue that the species of electric fish they study, Gnathonemus petersii, pull off a lightning-fast feat of collective sensing never before documented in biology.

Scientists have long known that electric fish sense changes in the electric fields they project into their waterscapes, much like the acoustic signals that bats and dolphins deploy. The fish rely on specialized organs in their skin that emit and sense electric fields to communicate. They also use them for an electric version of echolocation to detect, track and distinguish various objects in their watery environments.

G. petersii electric fish dwell in African river habitats that are dark and murky, where the fishes’ eyes are of limited value. In thinking about that challenge with an engineering mindset, Drs. Pedraja and Sawtell conjectured that the fish might have evolved sensory abilities akin to networked radar and sonar systems, whose multiple units can collaborate to detect objects further out and in more detail than can lone unconnected units.

To test if this principle of collective sensing applied to electric fish, the researchers first developed a computer model in which they could simulate the fishes’ electrical environment. They analyzed whether individual electric fish were better at detecting objects by tapping into signals emitted by nearby fish.

“Think of these external signals as electric images of the objects that nearby electric fish automatically produce and beam to nearby fish at the speed of light,” said Dr. Pedraja. “Our work suggests that three fish in a group would each receive three different “electrical views” of the same scene at virtually the same time,” added Dr. Sawtell.

Among the most telling results of the simulation study, Dr. Sawtell noted, is that collective sensing could extend the electro-location range of the electric fish up to 3 times. The researchers say that such a large sensory enhancement would almost certainly confer survival benefits.

The researchers then went in search of an actual neural basis for such an ability in G. petersii. Recordings in a part of the brain devoted to the electrosensory system showed that the fish respond to both their own electric discharges and to external electrical signals from, say, other electric fish or lab-generated mimics of the signals. Particularly exciting to the scientists was how the patterns of brain activity closely matched what the simulation studies suggested the researchers might see in neural recordings.

Behavioral observations added more evidence that the fish really do engage in collective sensing. In the tanks, the fish assumed in-line and right-angle formations that the computer model showed are favorable for collective sensing. Also, recordings of a kind of electrical dialog between fish featured highly-precise turn-taking in which the fish emitted their electrical discharges in strict alternation. The authors speculate that this behavior, previously termed the “echo response,” might play a key role in coordinating collective sensing.

As the researchers have uncovered a new sensory capability, more fascinating questions have emerged for them.

“These fish have some of the biggest brain-to-body mass ratios of any animal on the planet,” said Dr. Sawtell. “Perhaps these enormous brains are needed for rapid and highly sophisticated social sensing and collective behavior?”

The researchers noted that learning more about the brain mechanisms involved could provide leads for artificial sensing technologies for applications including underwater autonomous vehicles and medical imaging.

The paper, “Collective Sensing in Electric Fish,” by Federico Pedraja and Nathaniel Sawtell of Columbia’s Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, was published online in Nature on March 6, 2024.

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

CONTACT: Ivan Amato, news@zi.columbia.edu; 301-919-0626

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SOURCE Columbia University’s Zuckerman Institute

Technology

RhythMedix Launches Next-Generation RhythmStar® SL Cardiac Monitor

Published

35 minutes ago

April 22, 2026

Advancing Remote Cardiac Monitoring with Faster Insights, Greater Comfort, and Seamless Connectivity

MOUNT LAUREL, N.J., April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — RhythMedix, LLC (RhythMedix), a nationwide U.S.-based cardiac monitoring company, today announced the launch of its next-generation RhythmStar® SL cardiac monitoring wearable. The third-generation design significantly enhances the patient experience, improving comfort, wearability, and patient adherence. These advancements are enabled by a compact lead configuration, waterproof IPX-6 rating, and increased battery life.

RhythmStar continues to differentiate through its built-in cellular connectivity, enabling ECG data to be automatically transmitted to the cloud for seamless, prompt review across all monitoring modes – without requiring device return by mail for data processing.

When paired with the company’s proprietary Augmented Arrhythmia Intelligence™ (AAI), RhythmStar SL delivers precise arrhythmia detection by combining advanced algorithms with a multi-layered data review process.

“RhythmStar represents our commitment to delivering a better way to monitor, one that prioritizes both patient comfort and clinical performance,” said Brian Pike, CEO of RhythMedix. “By combining a more wearable design with seamless data transmission and expert review, we’re helping clinicians access the insights they need, when they need them.”

“RhythMedix is taking a truly visionary approach to cardiac monitoring by combining patient-friendly design with advanced technology and expert oversight, helping clinicians make more confident, timely decisions,” stated George Shaw, MD, Electrophysiologist at AHN Allegheny Health Network. “It’s a meaningful step forward in how we deliver and manage cardiac care.”

With over 2 million hearts monitored to date, RhythMedix continues to advance remote cardiac monitoring through technology designed to improve both patient adherence and clinical workflow. The company will be exhibiting at HRS 2026 (Booth #531), including in-booth discussions with leading electrophysiologists.

About RhythMedix

Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, RhythMedix is a fully integrated cardiac monitoring company providing end-to-end device manufacturing, software development, and 24/7 U.S.-based monitoring services. With no third-party dependence, RhythMedix delivers a seamless and secure remote cardiac monitoring experience for clinics, health systems, and patients nationwide.

To learn more, visit rhythmedix.com.

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SOURCE RHYTHMEDIX

Technology

Copyright Enforcement Dialogue 2026 in Taipei Reinforces Regional Public-Private Cooperation Against Digital Piracy

Published

35 minutes ago

April 22, 2026

TAIPEI, April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On April 22, 2026, the Motion Picture Association (MPA) Asia Pacific concluded the Copyright Enforcement Dialogue: Taipei 2026, convening senior policymakers, law enforcement authorities, judicial representatives, and industry experts from across Asia–Pacific to advance coordinated action against copyright infringement and digital piracy, ahead of World Intellectual Property Day on April 26.

Organised in collaboration with the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) and the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with the participation of international and local enforcement agencies, the dialogue reinforced the importance of cross border collaboration, effective regulatory frameworks, and public–private partnerships to protect intellectual property and support the creative economy.

In her welcome address, Sue Wang, Deputy Minister of Culture and Chairperson of the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA), underscored the role of copyright protection in sustaining a healthy creative ecosystem: “The foundation of culture is copyright protection. If there was no copyright protection, there would no culture in the world. Therefore, copyright protection is the core of every culture.”

Across four expert panels, participants examined the evolving piracy landscape, shared regulatory and enforcement challenges, the role of public–private collaboration in real–world enforcement, and the growing threat posed by illegal streaming devices, drawing on legal, technical, and investigative perspectives. A dedicated piracy case study session led by Taiwan’s law enforcement authorities showcased recent investigative efforts and reinforced the value of information–sharing and technical cooperation.

Addressing Taiwan’s enforcement framework, Hung Sheng-I, Director of the Copyright Division at the Intellectual Property Office, Ministry of Economic Affairs, said, “By integrating the Set-Top Box Act with domain seizure and follow-the-money mechanisms, Taiwan has established a comprehensive and enforceable framework that serves as a powerful shield for IP protection in the digital environment.”

Itae Choi, Executive Director of the Copyright Overseas Promotion Association (COA), said: “We must be grateful to all users who love and enjoy our content. It is essential to widely communicate the value of their voluntary and legal use, so that those who consume it unlawfully may be encouraged to join them. To this end, we will intensify our efforts in raising awareness and fostering a culture of respect among content users.”

Choi also emphasized the central role of cooperation in effective copyright enforcement: “Cooperation is vital in every field, but it is especially crucial in addressing copyright infringement. Private sector efforts cannot succeed without the collaboration of public authorities such as law enforcement and the judiciary. We are, in effect, running a three–legged race together — and to win, we must stay in step with one another.”

Noting the level of international participation, James Cheatley, Vice President, VOD, Digital Affairs and Intellectual Property, Asia Pacific at the Motion Picture Association, said the dialogue reflected the shared nature of the challenge posed by piracy: “We have industry leaders, government policymakers, and law enforcement experts from five countries taking part in this dialogue. That level of international cooperation reflects the reality that piracy is a shared challenge — one that requires coordinated approaches and collective solutions across governments, enforcement authorities, and industry.”

Tatsuya Otsuka, Deputy Senior Director of International Affairs of Content Overseas Distribution Association (CODA), said, “Strengthening cross-border collaboration is essential to ensure effective anti-piracy measures. This dialogue provided a wonderful opportunity for us to share challenges and insights and continue to advance international efforts to combat piracy.”

Toshinao Yamazaki, Director of the Intellectual Property Affairs Division at Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said sustained dialogue was key to long–term protection of creative industries: “Ultimately, protecting the creative ecosystem hinges on robust public-private collaboration and sustained international dialogue. I am confident this Copyright Enforcement Dialogue 2026 will serve as a pivotal step to further enrich the global IP ecosystem and collectively build a more prosperous and sustainable future.”

In closing remarks, Dawn Barriteau, Vice President, Content Protection, Asia Pacific, Motion Picture Association, reaffirmed MPA and ACE’s commitment to working with governments and enforcement partners across the region to strengthen copyright protection and disrupt piracy networks.

“Effective copyright enforcement is not just about protecting content — it is about protecting jobs, investment, and the long-term health of the creative industries. Today’s dialogue demonstrates how industry, governments, and law enforcement can work together to address piracy with practical, coordinated solutions.” Barriteau added that continued regional cooperation is essential as piracy networks become increasingly sophisticated and transnational: “No single stakeholder can address digital piracy alone. Meaningful progress depends on sustained public–private collaboration, information–sharing, and strong policy frameworks that keep pace with technological change.”

The Copyright Enforcement Dialogue: Taipei 2026, held in the lead-up to World Intellectual Property Day, builds on MPA’s longstanding collaboration with regional stakeholders and reflects a continued focus on practical enforcement solutions, policy dialogue, and capacity building to support Asia Pacific’s creative economy.

View images here.

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SOURCE Motion Picture Association (MPA) Asia Pacific

Technology

Form.io Launches Enterprise-Grade Toolset for Governed Agentic Coding

Published

35 minutes ago

April 22, 2026

New MCP Server, Skills, Agentic Coding Plugin, and Universal Agent Gateway (UAG) keep AI-generated applications on the rails for enterprise development teams.

DALLAS, April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Form.io, the enterprise data platform trusted by regulated industries and government agencies worldwide, today announced the introduction of its Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server, Skills, and Agentic Coding Plugin, adding to the existing Universal Agent Gateway (UAG). Together, this comprehensive purpose-built toolset brings schema-governed infrastructure to agentic coding environments. The release equips enterprise development teams with the tools to harness AI coding agents like Claude Code, Cursor, and Windsurf, while maintaining the architectural consistency, compliance posture, and data governance required by regulated organizations.

As agentic coding accelerates across the enterprise, organizations are discovering that velocity without standardization creates technical debt at an unprecedented pace. Applications generated across independent teams can diverge in architecture, data handling, and compliance posture — creating fragmentation at scale and introducing the need for additional resources and controls to manage the process. This ultimately undermines the efficiency gains of new agentic coding processes.

“Labor used to be the pain point for enterprises. Now it’s chaos”, said Heather Hornor, COO of Form.io. “Five teams solving the same problem, five different ways, without any standardization, because each AI agent made a different decision, is a problem. This problem isn’t new, but it’s surfacing faster and more disruptively than ever before. Thankfully, it’s solvable at the infrastructure layer – where systems can be governed, monitored, and audited continuously over time. Form.io provides that layer, from development through runtime. And we’re the only company delivering it inside the customer’s own self-hosted development and runtime environments.”

The Toolset

MCP Server: Connects to the customer’s self-hosted Form.io deployment. AI coding agents receive governed access to read, create, and scaffold the full data layer — forms, resources, actions, APIs — without data leaving the enterprise security boundary.Skills: Platform specific guidance that teaches AI agents how to build applications leveraging Form.io — applying standardized compliance-ready data patterns by default instead of improvising per project.Agentic Coding Plugin: Integrates Form.io’s MCP Server and Skills directly into the developer’s coding environment, enabling AI agents to automatically trigger tools and apply standardized patterns based on prompt context. Coordinates interactions between MCP tools and Skills so complex, form-based applications can be built entirely within the agentic coding interface.

“This is the logical extension of the JSON-based, open-source platform we’ve been building for more than a decade,” said Travis Tidwell, CTO and Co-founder of Form.io. “The same open architecture that made Form.io extensible for human developers makes it the natural foundation for agentic development processes.”

The new build-time toolset operates independently from Form.io’s Universal Agent Gateway (UAG), the company’s runtime governance layer for production agentic workflows. Together, they provide enterprises with governance and auditability across the full lifecycle of agentic coded software — from the first prompt in a developer’s Agentic Coding Plugin to the production workflows running in regulated environments.

For organizations adopting governed agentic coding, the Form.io MCP Server, Skills, Agentic Coding Plugin, and UAG are part of Form.io’s enterprise-grade agentic coding toolset. Explore the full toolset at https://form.io/ai/

For agentic workflows in production, visit the Universal Agent Gateway at https://form.io/uag/

Enterprises can learn more, request a demo, or get started at form.io

About Form.io: Form.io is the enterprise application infrastructure platform where a single JSON schema governs everything a modern application needs — including data collection UIs, validation rules, workflow actions, data models, and auto-generated APIs with RBAC.

One schema. One source of truth. One governance layer. That’s a form.

Form.io’s self-hosted platform serves regulated industries and government agencies requiring architectural consistency, data sovereignty, and formal compliance — including central banking groups across the US, EU, and Australia, global government agencies, and leading organizations in healthcare, financial services, and insurance.

Headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Visit form.io.

For press inquiries and additional information, please contact: media@form.io

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SOURCE Form.io LLC