On Sept. 12, 2023, Apple made an announcement. It said it will use the USB-C connector for all its new iPhone 15 models. This is a big deal. It means that all new iPhones will have the same connector. USB stands for Universal Serial Bus. The C refers to the third type. It follows types A and B.

The USB Implementers Forum is made up of over 1,000 companies. They promote and support USB technology. The group developed the USB-C connector. It replaces the older USB connectors. It also replaces other types of ports (端口). These include HDMI, DisplayPort and VGA. The aim is to create a single, universal connector for a wide range of devices.

The key features and benefits of USB-C include a reversible (可逆的) connector. You can insert it in either end. It also allows some cables to have the same connector on both ends for connecting between devices and connecting devices to chargers, unlike most earlier USB and Lightning cables.

USB-C’s widespread adoption in the electronics industry is likely to lead to a universal standard. This reduces the need for multiple types of cables and adapters. Also, its slim and compact shape allows manufacturers to make thinner and lighter devices.

Why does USB-C matters? Due to the fragmented (支离破碎的) nature of technology evolution, computer users a decade ago were struggling. They had too many connectors: USB for data; power cables for charging; HDMI or DisplayPort or VGA for video; and Ethernet for internet. This called for an industrywide effort to convergence on an all-purpose connector. Since its introduction in 2014, USB-C has gained widespread popularity. It has already become the connector of choice for most non-Apple devices. Apple converted the iPad Pro to USB-C in 2018. Now, it is doing the same for the best selling Apple device, the iPhone. Some market forecasts suggest there will be close to 4 billion USB-C connector sales by 2025 and 19 billion by 2033.

Have you ever seen a car without a driver? It sounds crazy, but these computer-driven cars may soon be filling roads near you. Companies like Google and Tesla have been designing and testing such cars. They just need to run final tests to make sure whether they can run alongside human-driven cars on the road.

The cars have sensors (传感器) all around which can detect other cars and blocks in the road. Sensors on the wheels help when parking, so the car knows how far it is from the edge of the road or other parked cars. Road signs are read by cameras, and satellite navigation systems (卫星导航系统) are used so the car knows how to get to your destination. All you have to do is type in the address! Finally, a central computer system takes in all the information it receives from the sensors and cameras and uses this to work out when to stop and speed up.

Sounds like your idea of heaven? Sitting back, looking out of the windows and watching a film while driving would be possible with this new technology. Computers would drive more safely than people — they don’t get disturbed by phones or talking, they would obey the speed limit and have quicker reaction in case of an emergency.

However, driverless cars have many disadvantages. Computers would have difficulties making some decisions: if a child ran into the road, would the computer choose to hit the child or turn quickly to hurt the car’s passengers? And should children, or drunk people, be allowed in a driverless car by themselves? Besides these questions, many people may lose their jobs. For example, bus, taxi, train and tram drivers, as well as driving instructors.

I don’t really want a driverless car — but it is only a matter of time before ordinary people will be able to afford them on our roads.

The human spine doesn’t just help us stand up straight. Inside the spine is the spinal cord (脊髓), which carries important information between the head and the lower part of the body. This information moves around as tiny, short bursts of electricity which travel between the brain and the other parts of the body.

The legs and feet send “sense” information to the brain, saying they’re hurt or hot. And the brain sends signals to the lower body, perhaps telling the legs to walk, dance, or sit down. Towards the bottom of the spine, nerves leave the spine. Different nerves help control different groups of muscles in the legs.

When someone’s spinal cord is hurt, this important pathway can get damaged. When that happens, a person is “paralyzed”, and he can’t move his legs. Now scientists in Lausanne, Switzerland have given three paralyzed men the ability to walk again. Each of the three men had damaged their spinal cords in motorcycle accidents and couldn’t move their legs.

To walk again, the man had operation. A special device was placed directly on the lower part of their spinal cords, below their injury. The implant (植入物) contained sixteen electrodes, which are small objects that electricity can pass through. The researchers made sure the electrodes on the implant were lined up with the nerves that control the leg muscles. To begin with, the scientists controlled the implants from a computer. Just hours after the implants were first used, all three men were taking steps, with support.

In the past, scientists have had some success with similar implants in the lower spine. But this research is different. The patients’ brains aren’t sending messages to their legs. The researchers used computers to set modes of movement—like taking a step—that would work well with each patient. The patients then used the computer to choose the pattern they wanted. That caused the implant, and the muscles to move in the chosen way. Over time, the men were able to walk entirely on their own, using a special walker with buttons to trigger each leg.

The solution isn’t perfect. It’s very expensive, it requires difficult surgery, and the patients can’t walk without the system. But the scientists are expecting that in the future, this technology will allow many paralyzed people to begin to walk again in just hours.