Alphabet's artificial intelligence (AI) division DeepMind continues to enhance its healthcare credentials with the arrival of a Bitcoin-like auditing process to protect the personal data of patients. The London-based firm is calling its data verification process the "Verifiable Data Audit". The idea is that it will give patients peace of mind with a "mathematical assurance about what is happening with each individual piece of personal data." It comes amid growing awareness of the value of personal data, and a loss in trust in organisation's abilities to protect their information. The NHS for example is notorious over its shoddy handling of patient data, with numerous incidents reported over the past few years.

Police in the North East of England have warned schools that an app dubbed Tinder for teens could be used by sex offenders to target children. Yellow, which is available for free on the iPhone and Android, describes itself as the'easy and free way to make new friends' and uses swipe controls identical to that of dating app Tinder. Users can swipe right and left to match with others and then exchange messages and photos with them. Just like Tinder users are able to'swipe' until see a photo of someone they'like' and two people can then connect on Snapchat, which is used by some to share sexually explicit material Yellow, which is available for free on the iPhone and Android, describes itself as the'easy and free way to make new friends' and uses swipe controls identical to that of dating app Tinder. Users can swipe right and left to match with others and then exchange messages and photos with them.

Europe is often viewed as a digital laggard, running far behind the frontier-pushing United States and Asia. In fact, according to a new report by the London venture capital firm Atomico, European startups are now taking the lead in artificial intelligence, building new tech hubs, and drawing investment from traditional industrial stalwarts. Last year, a record-setting $13.6 billion was invested in Europe's tech sector, compared with $2.8 billion in 2011. Gone are the days when Europe's "tech" sector largely comprised consumer-oriented e-commerce businesses – often blatant knockoffs of successful US companies. Today, Europe is the home of real pioneering innovation, led by what Atomico calls "deep tech" – the kind of artificial intelligence developed by Google's DeepMind.

A GLIMPSE into the future of retailing is available in a smallish office in Hamburg. From there, Otto, a German e-commerce merchant, is using artificial intelligence (AI) to improve its activities. The firm is already deploying the technology to make decisions at a scale, speed and accuracy that surpass the capabilities of its human employees. Big data and "machine learning" have been used in retailing for years, notably by Amazon, an e-commerce giant. The idea is to collect and analyse quantities of information to understand consumer tastes, recommend products to people and personalise websites for customers.

Netherlands-based accelerator program Rockstar, which focuses on helping startups through their first 1,000 days, has launched a new vertical program for artificial intelligence startups -- touting it as Europe's first AI-focused accelerator. The AI program will be accepting applications from next month, and Rockstart says it will pick ten startups for the six-month program, which will commence in September. Teams will be based in s'Hertogenbosch. Rockstart has been accelerating startups since 2012, and is backed by partners including Google, Amazon and IBM. It says the new AI track will be supported by mentors and partners including the locally-based Jheronimus Academy of Data Science (JADS).

To perfect their attacks, some of Japan's top volleyball players are training against a robot that can mimic the tactics of opposing teams. The Japanese Volleyball Association's "block machine" consists of three pairs of robotic arms that move side to side in front of the net. These represent blockers – players who defend against "spikes" from the attacking team that send the ball forcefully over the net, making it hard for opposing players to return it. "A spike is the most effective way to win points in volleyball," says Laura Woodruff at Volleyball England. "The blocker's job is to try to make part of the court unavailable to the attacker, whilst the attacker has to try to find space to hit the ball into." If the attacker gets it right, the ball flies over the net and straight onto the ground to win a point.

Vodafone UK has launched TOBi – the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot – as an innovative way of offering our customers a quicker web chat service. TOBi, a virtual customer services' agent, can handle a range of customer queries including device troubleshooting, usage and order tracking amongst many others. Recent research shows that 55% of UK consumers say that the most important factor in the ideal customer experience is getting a prompt and effective response to queries[1], highlighting the need for companies to provide faster and more integrated customer service responses. With 75% of all consumers aged 18-25 already using instant messenger everyday [2], TOBi is our answer to providing customers with the quick and easy web chat service they want. TOBi is already available to some customers through our online web chat service. Later this month messaging will also be available through the My Vodafone app, so customers will be able to speak to advisors whenever they want and while they are on the go.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 will ship without voice control for its virtual assistant, Bixby. Samsung has huge ambitions for the new feature, which it calls an "intelligent interface". The company believes it could completely change the way consumers interact with their devices, and has even equipped the S8 with a physical Bixby button. Bixby will still run on the S8 and S8 Plus when the smartphones start shipping to customers in the UK later this month, but not to its full potential. Bixby Voice works in a similar manner to Apple's Siri, allowing users to control their handset with spoken commands. There was some confusion about Bixby Voice ahead of the launch of the S8, with Samsung initially saying that it wouldn't be available in the UK right away.

Once the preserve of videographers with big production budgets, drones have now dropped in price by up to 30%, and not a day go by without a new drone being announced. Just recently DJI announced the latest addition to its Phantom range, the DJI Phantom 4. So 4K video shooting and high definition aerial photography can now be all yours for around £500. So here's a look at just what you can do with a drone… not all of them are entirely serious. The trouble with starting out on your own as a freelance photographer or videographer is that you're entering an incredibly crowded market. There are a lot of good people out there, using a lot of good kit, and it's tough to stand out.

The choice depend on your current and future needs.