Technology 8/28: Launching a medical-focused Chatbot 'made in Vietnam'

Specialized medical chatbot made in Vietnam

On August 27, MedCAT Joint Stock Company officially introduced version 1.0 of MedCAT AI Care – a chatbot specializing in the medical field. This product supports users to look up information about disease symptoms, drugs, nutrition and health care at aicare.medcat.vn.

The highlight of MedCAT AI Care is the ability to provide accurate information, selected by a team of doctors and pharmacists from reputable international sources. AI technology is integrated to minimize the "illusion" that is often found in generative AI models, helping to improve data reliability.

Ms. Dang Thi Anh Tuyet - General Director of MedCA JSC - at the launching ceremony of MedCAT AI Care on August 27. (Source: MedCAT)

In the coming time, MedCAT AI Care will be upgraded with many personalized features, becoming an important part of the digital healthcare - insurance ecosystem.

MedCAT IDUS, capable of reading, understanding and extracting data automatically with over 97% accuracy by data field and nearly 100% by character. This system does not depend on external APIs and does not need to relearn forms, contributing to affirming AI sovereignty strategy and protecting national data security.

Hyundai partners to develop plant-based faux leather

Hyundai is teaming up with startup Uncaged Innovations to develop a new kind of vegetable leather that could replace animal hides in car interiors. Not only is it eco-friendly, it also feels and smells surprisingly like real leather.

Unlike traditional faux leathers, which are typically made from petroleum-based plastics, Uncaged's products are made from grains like wheat, soy, and corn. The result is a soft, customizable material that can mimic thousands of different types of real leather.

Uncaged designs a new eco-friendly plant-based faux leather. (Source: Getty Images)

Uncaged says its material has a carbon footprint 95% lower than animal leather, which significantly reduces the environmental impact while also saving automakers money on production costs.

The material is already being used in fashion products such as vegan-friendly handbags and watch straps, but the bigger target is the automotive industry – where each car can use between two and 14 cowhides for its interior.

South Korea bans smartphone use in elementary and middle school classrooms

The South Korean government has just passed a law banning the use of smartphones and other smart devices in elementary and middle schools. This law will officially take effect from 2026.

The ban only applies during class time. There are no specific penalties for violations, but teachers and principals have the authority to prevent students from bringing or using phones on school grounds.

A classroom in Korea. (Source: MChe Lee)

Students are still allowed to use smart devices in emergency situations or for learning purposes, as stipulated in the new law.

According to a 2024 government survey, nearly 25% of South Koreans do not control their smartphone usage time, which negatively affects their physical, mental and social health. This rate increases to 43% among children and adolescents.

Comment (0)