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Hello and welcome to today’s news from TotemoTech on August 15th, 2024. In today’s news, researchers at Nagoya City University have announced a fascinating study on a sensory illusion called the ‘Buddha’s Ear Illusion.’ They found that a simple visual-tactile stimulus can create a sensation of elongated earlobes. This research opens up new possibilities for understanding the brain’s perception and could have applications in virtual reality and augmented reality experiences.

Moving on to our next story, KADOKAWA, a prominent media company, has reported a significant financial impact due to a large-scale cyber attack. The company has recorded a special loss of ¥2 billion in the cumulative period for the first quarter of the fiscal year ending in March 2025. This attack has raised concerns about the increasing frequency of cyber attacks and their potential consequences for businesses.

Next up, X, a popular platform, has introduced an image-generating AI feature exclusively for its paid users. The AI model called ‘FLUX.1’ developed by the AI venture Black Forest Labs allows users to generate images with impressive realism. However, some users have expressed worries about the potential misuse of this technology to create fake images.

In other news, Japanese food company Ezaki Glico has announced its financial results for the second quarter of the fiscal year ending in December 2024. The company’s net profit has halved compared to the same period last year, reaching ¥3.667 billion. This decline is attributed to a system malfunction that affected the company’s operations.

Shifting gears, xAI, an American AI company, has unveiled the early access to its new versions of large language models called ‘Grok-2’ and ‘Grok-2 mini.’ These models surpass the capabilities of GPT-4 and Claude3.5. The beta versions will be initially available to X’s premium and premium plus members, with API access for corporate users set to launch later this month.

In the tech world, productivity tool Notion has introduced a new feature called ‘Notion Charts,’ which allows users to create graphs from data within the platform. This addition enables users to visualize data without the need for external tools, making Notion a versatile tool for data analysis and business intelligence.

Lastly, IT solutions provider Itochu Techno-Solutions has reported a ransomware attack on one of its subcontractors. The attack resulted in unauthorized access to a file-sharing service used by the subcontractor for their business operations. The compromised service contained sensitive information, including customer and partner data. This incident highlights the ongoing threat of ransomware attacks and the need for robust cybersecurity measures.

That’s all for today’s news. Stay tuned for more updates from TotemoTech. Visit JapanDailyNews.com for the news, yen exchange rates, and a daily Japanese proverb.

Keywords - japan, tech, news