Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/898252
maltatoday WEDNESDAY 8 NOVEMBER 2017 11 Business Today www.creditinfo.com.mt info@creditinfo.com.mt Tel: 2131 2344 Your Local Partner for Credit Risk Management Solutions Supporting you all the way Firm gets 100,000 to study effects of VR on children Internet safety start-up Zeeko is to evaluate the side effects of vir- tual reality (VR) technology on children's health after securing €100,000 in funding. Zeeko, which was founded in 2013, works with parents and children to promote a healthy balance for children using screen devices and the internet. The company, headquartered in UCD, received the funding through the Horizon 2020 SME Innovation Associate Programme. The company said that due to the affordable costs of VR hardware, the technology is "increasing in popularity" with children. To date, a relatively small number of studies have been conducted on VR involving children. Some of these studies, mainly conducted in the USA, have shown that VR can efficiently support a child's learning. Others have shown that VR can be employed to treat children's emotional and relational problems such as depression and anxiety. Zeeko's project will recruit a group of teachers, parents and children, aged 10 to 12 years, through primary schools in Ireland, to participate in an ethnographic study. The study will be carried out both in schools and in home environments using techniques previously tested for the study of children's use of digital devices. Children's activities with VR will be video recorded in different everyday life scenarios, such as lessons at school, completing homework, and leisure time. The recordings will then be discussed with the children to explore their subjective experiences. Parents and teachers will also be involved in group discussions and interviews to examine their opinions, interests and concerns about the potential of VR as an educational tool. Zeeko head of research Marina Everri said "very little is known" about the impact of VR on body, cognition, and social relations, especially during a child's development. "More research, such as the research we are about to commence, is needed to understand the interplay of children's individual characteristics, their relational and cultural context, and the opportunities and challenges offered by VR technology," she said. What Apple had to say about Jersey tax claims after Irish row with EU Zeeko, an internet safety start-up, says more work needed to understand virtual reality According to the Paradise Papers, a trove of infor- mation about offshore tax leaked to an investigative journalism organisation, Apple moved parts of its business which hold large amounts of cash to Jersey, where the corporate tax rate is zero for foreign fi rms. The US tech giant has responded to the claims, saying it did not move any operations or investments from Ireland, where it has been told to pay back taxes of €13bn by Europe's competition chief. It said changes to its corporate structure in 2015 were to preserve tax payments to the US, not to reduce its taxes anywhere else. But while it may not have moved operations or investments, a change in Irish laws forced the company to search for a location for "residency". According to the leaks, Apple holds $252bn of untaxed offshore cash in the small channel island. In 2014 following the launch of the investigation into its Irish tax affairs, Apple asked legal advisors about several offshore jurisdictions where it could potentially base itself for tax purposes, including the British Virgin Islands, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, Mauritius, the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey. Apple responded to the leaks saying it is the world's largest taxpayer and that it pay billions of dollars of tax to the US at a rate of 35 per cent and pays an effective tax rate of 21 per cent foreign earnings. It also said it supports efforts on international tax reform. Dr Marina Everri, head of research, Zeeko, with Cian Sheehy, aged 11 US tech giant had been told to pay back taxes amounting to €13bn by Europe's competition chief 10 BOV branches open longer during November Bank of Valletta an- nounced that as of yester- day, 10 BOV branches will remain open until 16.00 hours between Mondays and Thursdays. Normal branch opening hours ap- ply on Fridays and Satur- days. This initiative is a pilot exercise that will run throughout the month of November 2017 and will involve specifi c branches. The ten branches which will be open for longer are situated in Birkirkara, Victoria (Gozo), Mosta, Naxxar, Paola, Qormi, Qui-Si-Sana (Sliema), Republic Street Valletta, San Gwann and Zurrieq. These branches will be open for an additional two hours from Monday to Thursday from 8.30am to 4pm, on Fridays from 8.30am to 3.30pm, and from 8.30am to 12.30pm on Saturdays. Customers visiting the branches during the additional hours are invited to contact their branch in order to book an appointment. The only services that will not be extended during this time will be cashiering services. A selection of BOV branches also offer an extended service on given days between 4.30pm and 7pm during the winter months: Naxxar (Mondays), Mosta and Zejtun (Tuesdays), Victoria and Zebbug (Wednesdays), San Gwann (Thursdays) and Mosta, Siggiewi, Sliema Qui-Si- Sana, Qormi, Zebbug and Zurrieq (Fridays). Customers requiring to set an appointment with their preferred branch are requested to contact BOV Customer Service Centre on 2131 2020. Updated information regarding the opening hours of BOV branches may be obtained from www.bov.com.