Nestled above Lake Geneva, the clinic focuses on the detection, prevention and treatment of pathologies linked to ageing.

The expertise required includes preventive and regenerative medicine, genetic screening, nutrition, management of the physical body, without neglecting aesthetic medicine and antiageing programmes.

In 5,000 square metres, customers can organise short, medium and longterm stays in residences and enjoy fivestar hotel services, gastronomic offers and much more.

The innovative concept comes from Professor Jacques Proust, a pioneer in the biology of ageing and antiageing medicine who shares 25 years knowledge, experience and expertise with his patients.

It incorporates all the activities of the Centre of Preventive Medicine with its highly personalised medical checkups (Essential, Essential Woman Plus, Advanced, Advanced Woman Plus, Excellence, Excellence Woman Plus, and Excellence Onco Plus for men and women).

“Men’s Health” is a complete package targeting the prevention and treatment of malespecific and agerelated pathologies. You could benefit from expertise in physiotherapy and sport coaching and other medical and aesthetic activities.

Find more at info@nescens.com.

Four decades after the game took the world by storm, a high-tech exhibition is allowing enthusiasts to save the world from extra-terrestrial invasion in a variety of novel ways.

Part of the installation sees the game projected inside the windows of a skyscraper’s 52nd floor, against the glittering backdrop of Tokyo’s night skyline.

Elsewhere at the “Play! Space Invaders!” exhibit, gamers interact more closely with their alien opponents thanks to motion-sensor technology that allows them to stamp or hit the invaders as they approach on the floors or walls.

And for those with a touch of nostalgia, the exhibit also features the traditional game machines that first tempted players in arcades and pizza parlours decades ago.

Father of two, Keiji Ishihara, 50, remembers the frenzy that surrounded the game’s original release when he was 10.

“It was a big shock, a fever swept Tokyo, but boys like me didn’t have much money to play at the time,” he said, smiling as his son blasted away an alien.

“It’s beyond sci-fi that we can now access Space Invaders like this!”

When the game was released in 1978, Japan’s tech sector was still in its infancy, creator Tomohiro Nishikado said.

“At the time, computers were not that well known in Japan so I learned everything by myself.”

“I came up with the characters and the concept. I did everything on my own. Looking back, it is quite impressive… I would say that I am surprised that I managed to achieve this.”

Takayuki Taketa, 46, first played the game in a bowling alley and was involved in the development of its revival as an art director.

“It’s fantastic to see the game being played again,” he said, as electronic bleeps and bloops around him indicated the progress being made in the war against the aliens.

“It makes me so happy to watch people’s reactions and see them enjoy it after working on the project.”

“There’s also a delicious array of food, fascinating culture, live music and more,” says Tourism Authority governor Yuthasak Supasorn.

The 38th edition of the festival has 10 zones.

In “Follow in the King’s Footsteps – the Art and Science of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej”, visitors can enjoy a remarkable tribute to the royal philosophy set up in front of the Rama VI statue at the main gate.

Other zones are “Domestic Travel Products”, “Discover Thainess in the Five Regions” with cultural processions daily at 5pm, “Unique Culinary Delights”, including cooking demonstrations, the “Main Stage”, “TAT Studio” and “TAT Lab”, “Outdoor Fest”, “Trash to Treasure” and “Pracha Rath”.

Access is easy from the BTS Sala Daeng Station and MRT Silom Station.

It includes the “Flower x Art” exhibition of sculptures by Pongsatat Uaiklang and Prajak Supantee and floral counterparts by Sakchai Guy and Sakul Intakul.

The Heritage Home will track the evolution of flowers from traditional craftsmanship through modern-day innovations on a 450-square-metre floral carpet. The Flower x Fashion runway will present one-of-a kind tote bags by Asava and kaftans by Vatanika.

The Flower x Taste kitchen will have 20 food vendors serving floral dishes and refreshing cocktails, while the Flower x Play corner will have floral-cooking classes, floral-fragrance concoctions, flower-colour painting, and flower-arrangement classes by Sakul.

Admission is Bt150 (Bt80 for students).

Find out more at (02) 253 0123 or http://www.NaiLertGroup.com.

Your Spanish holiday

The Mandarin Oriental Barcelona has a two-night Cava Experience all this year, starting at 2,624 euros.

That puts you in a luxurious room or suite, a bottle of Aire Cava, daily buffet breakfast for two at a hotel restaurant or in your room, and a private tour of L’Origan cellars, including a tasting and visit to the vineyards.

Book now at http://www.MandarinOriental.com.

Bonuses to booking online

Booking via Anantara.com results in terrific benefits at the Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort.

Plan to stay anytime through December 22 and you get food-and-beverage credit of Bt500 per room (Bt1,000 for Junior River View Suite, Riverfront Suite or Two Bedroom Suite).

Stay two nights or more in a Junior River View Suite or better and you get a ride to or from Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Savings at Centara

Centara’s Tropical Escape saves guests up to 40 per cent on expenses when booking is done at least 60 days in advance at any participating property in Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Oman or Maldives.

Members of The1Card can log in for an additional 10-per-cent discount anytime through March 31 for stays in March, April or June.

Head to http://www.CentaraHotelsResorts.com.

Singapore switches on

Singapore’s second Light to Night Festival this Friday through January 28 will see urban art exploring the “sensation of colour” through visual, literary and performing arts and transform cultural institutions and parks into spectacular works of art in themselves.

The Padang will turn into a sprawling picnic ground, complete with a Festival Food Street, while a multimedia projection will unfold across the facade of the National Gallery.

Learn more at http://www.NationalGallery.sg.

This special 80minute session has been designed to reduce stress, promote relaxation, ease pain and muscle tension and rejuvenate the body during the year of the earth dog. A hot or cold towel infused with mandarin orange or tangerine oil and a brew of Chinese red dates, honey and goji berries welcomes guests.

Guests will be encouraged to connect with their core through a massage with Flourish Oil, which contains a blend of lemongrass, cardamom and coriander, to deliver an elongating, full body treatment, together with hot, healing stones, and a soothing abdominal massage, all designed to soften and release tension and revive the mind.

Find more details at http://www.MandarinOriental.com.

The brand has long been dedicated to sun safety through research, product innovation, and public education campaigns, as well as by funding significant research with the Melanoma Research Alliance to prevent certain skin cancers. In 2016, La Roche-Posay, L’Or?al’s leading dermatological skincare brand, launched the first-ever stretchable skin sensor to monitor UV exposure, My UV Patch. Since the technology’s debut, La Roche-Posay has distributed more than one million patches to consumers in 37 countries including Thailand free of charge. Consumer studies show that My UV Patch had a positive impact on the sun safety behaviour of consumers – with 34 percent applying sunscreen more often and 37 percent trying to stay in the shade more frequently.

To further encourage consumers to change their sun safety behaviour, the new UV Sense is smaller, and offers longer wear and real-time data. The first battery-free wearable electronic sensor to measure individual UV exposure, UV Sense can store up to three months of data and show trends of exposure over time with instant updates. The new wearable is less than two millimetres thick, nine mm in diameter and designed to be worn on the thumbnail. By putting this technology on the thumbnail – which receives optimal sunlight – consumers can increase wear time from several days with My UV Patch to several weeks with UV Sense. The sensor can be reapplied to the nail with additional adhesives, which come in the packaging.

UV Sense has an accompanying mobile app, available on both iOS and Android, which translates and transfers data from the sensor using Near Field Communication (NFC) enabled technology. The app delivers consumer-friendly information detailing when the wearer should be mindful of UV exposure. Data is included in a profile within the app that outlines a user’s exposure levels. Sun-safety habits – like spending time in the shade or reapplying sunscreen – are encouraged with facts about sun exposure and additional tips for protection.

“The technology within UV Sense is groundbreaking and has so much potential to impact the future of technology and wearables,” said Guive Balooch, Global Vice President of L’Or?al’s Research and Innovation Technology Incubator.

“Armed with research and consumer insights from the original My UV Patch, we set out to create something that blends problem-solving technology with human-centered design, offering real-time data and longer wear in a discreet product that fits any lifestyle.”

For the design of UV Sense, L’Or?al has collaborated with world-renowned designer Yves Behar. “Design and technology are inextricably linked, and as products become more personalised to individuals, both elements are integral to providing people with seamless experiences,” said Behar, the founder of fuseproject. “By working with L’Or?al, we are able to pair deep expertise in beauty tech with an effective design that enhances consumers’ wellbeing without distracting from their everyday lives.”

Both UV Sense and My UV Patch draw from research L’Or?al conducted in conjunction with MC10, Inc., a leading wearable technology company, and professor John Rogers at Northwestern University, through his portfolio of intellectual property (IP) and innovation around flexible, stretchable electronics.

UV Sense will be available on a limited basis in the U.S. for the 2018 summer season with a global launch following in 2019. In 2018, La Roche-Posay will also make available a new limited-edition of the award-winning My UV Patch designed by Yves Behar.

Yamdagni healed herself from an illness and chronic pain that had confined her to bed. Doctors, medications and everything else she tried failed to bring relief. She has since helped hundreds and hundreds of others break free from their pain effectively. Interestingly, her first official client was a doctor!

Shalini’s work has been featured on international magazines, newspapers, online news channels and on television too.

The founder of Magical Pain Free Living, Shalini coaches clients across the globe, helping them gain awareness of the root causes and break free from their pain.

The talk will cover three key components: “How to step out of your comfort zone”, “Be a game changer”, and “Make an impact on you and your team in 2018”.

The talk runs from noon to 2 and tickets are Bt650 before January 23 and Bt750 at the door, both including lunch, available at Eventbrite.com.

Noppol Toochinda, Ofo Thailand’s general manager, notes that the service has broadened its reach considerably since last September 2017, expanding the shared bike service to leading universities nationwide, Chiang Mai Uni among them. The company organised the CMU Bike Challenge 2017 in November, offering all cyclists a free bike trial.

Chiang Mai is one of the top cities in Thailand and bikes are quite popular here. We will start off in Nimmanhaemin area, because it is one of the trendiest spots in the city. This area is filled with boutique hotels, chic shops, cafes and restaurants and we are collaborating with Somtam Krok Nimman, Room No 7 and Cainito Homemade Restaurant to celebrate the first bike sharing service in Chiang Mai and offering our riders exclusive discounts, starting from mid-January on.”

The new launch of ofo in Chiang Mai marks another success for shared bikes service expansion in Thailand, which took only a few months to grow dramatically nationwide, launchin in Phuket, KhonKaen, Bangkok, Pattani, Phitsanulok, PathumThani and Chiang Mai.

Before using the bikes, you need to download the Ofo app to your mobile phone. The system will charge for Bt99 as deposit fee the first time of use (It will be returned in case of permanent abolition) And for the next time, the users will be charged Bt5 for half hour of travel which can be paid easily through the application.

Available year-round at many of its spas globally, the treatment has been designed to reduce stress, promote relaxation, and ease pain and muscle tension.

Guests are welcomed with hot or cold towels infused with mandarin orange or tangerine oil, both of which symbolise good tidings. They are then invited to enjoy a welcome drink of Chinese red dates, honey and goji berries, which help to destress and encourage sleep. Traditional sweet treats popular during Chinese New Year festivities will be available to enjoy in the spa’s relaxation area, including sweetened tangerine, coconut and ginger from the customary “Tray of Togetherness”.

The one hour, 20-minute treatment is inspired by the elongating, grounding yoga pose of the downward facing dog, and is designed to bring about a feeling of contentment, restoration and happiness. Guests will be encouraged to connect with their core and feel grounded.

The treatment utilizes bespoke Flourish Oil, which contains a blend of lemongrass, cardamom and coriander to deliver an elongating, full body treatment, together with hot, healing stones, and a soothing abdominal massage –all designed to soften and release tension and revive the mind.

Finally, guests are offered a sweet plum tea, and on leaving the spa will receive a traditional Chinese lai see lucky red packet, which includes a further spa treat for 2018.

The Year of the Earth Dog Experience is available at many Mandarin Oriental spas worldwide including in Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Macau, Sanya, Singapore, Shanghai, Taipei and Tokyo in Asia. In Europe, it is available at Barcelona, Marrakech, Milan, Paris, Prague and in the US at Atlanta, Boston, Las Vegas, Miami and Washington until the end of the Earth Dog year on  February 4, 2019. Book online at each respective hotel at www.MandarinOriental.com.

THE ROBOT called Forpheus does more than play a mean game of table tennis. It can read body language to gauge its opponent’s ability and offer advice and encouragement.

“It will try to understand your mood and your playing ability and predict a bit about your next shot,” says Keith Kersten of Japan-based Omron Automation, which developed Forpheus to showcase its technology.

“We don’t sell ping-pong robots, but we are using Forpheus to show how technology works with people,” he adds.

Forpheus was among several devices shown at last week’s Consumer Electronics Show, which highlighted how robots can become more humanlike by acquiring “emotional intelligence” and empathy.

Although this specialisation is still emerging, the notion of robotic empathy appeared to be a strong theme at the huge gathering of technology professionals in Las Vegas.

Honda, the Japanese auto giant, launched a new robotics programme called “Empower, Experience, Empathy”, including its new 3E-A18 robot, which “shows compassion to humans with a variety of facial expressions”, according to a statement.

The Omron Forpheus robot thrashes a mere human at table tennis during the Las Vegas convention./AFP

Although empathy and emotional intelligence don’t necessarily require a humanoid form, some robot-makers have been working on form as well as function.

“We’re been working very hard to have an emotional robot,” says Jean-Michel Mourier of French-based Blue Frog Robotics, which makes the companion and social robot called Buddy, set to be released later this year.

“He has a complex brain. He will ask for a caress or get mad if you poke him in the eye.”

Other robots, such as Qihan Technology’s Sanbot and SoftBank Robotics’ Pepper, are being “humanised” by teaching them to read and react to people’s emotional states.

Pepper is “capable of interpreting a smile, a frown, your tone of voice, as well as the lexical field you use and non-verbal language such as the angle of your head”, according to SoftBank.

Developing emotional intelligence in robots is a difficult task, melding the use of computer “vision” to interpret objects and people and creating software that can respond accordingly.

“Empathy is the goal – the robot is putting itself in the shoes of the human, and that’s about as hard as it gets,” says Patrick Moorhead, a technology analyst with Moor Insights & Strategy.

“It’s not just about technology – it’s about psychology and trust.”

Choose your pal – a Honda 3EA18, left, of a 3C18, both concept robots for now./AFP

Moorhead says this technology is still in the early stages, but holds promise in some areas, noting that there is strong interest in Japan amid a lack of caretakers for the elderly population.

“In some ways it can be a bit creepy if you’re crying and the robot is trying to console you,” he says.

“If you have no friends, the next best thing is a friend robot, and introverts might feel more comfortable talking to a robot.”

One CES exhibitor offers a promise of going further than the current devices by developing an “emotion chip” that allows robots to process emotions in a manner similar to humans.

“There’s been a lot of research on detecting human emotions. We do the opposite. We synthesise emotions for the machine,” says Patrick Levy-Rosenthal, founder of New York-based Emoshape, which is producing its chip for partners in gaming, virtual and augmented reality and other sectors.

It could be used to power a humanoid robot or other devices. For example, an e-reader could better understand a text to infuse more emotion in storytelling.

As for Forpheus, Kersten says the robot’s ability to help people improve their table-tennis skills could have numerous applications for sports, businesses and more.

“You could sense how people are feeling, if they are attentive or in a good state to drive.”

Another key application could be in healthcare, he says. “In an elderly-patient facility, you can determine if someone is in distress and needs help.”