2019 – Page 78 – Impact Lab

LG’s new smartphone unlocks by recognizing the veins in your palms — here’s how it works

March 2, 2019

LG introduced a brand new way to unlock smartphones with its latest G8 smartphone.
The LG G8 uses its front cameras to detect the veins and other characteristics on your palms.
It’s a little awkward to use, but it could make it easier to unlock the phone while it’s resting on a table.

LG announced its new G8 ThinQ smartphone on Sunday, and it comes with a unique trick to unlock the phone: vein recognition.

Indeed, the LG G8 uses the veins in the palms of your hands to unlock the phone, which the company calls “Hand ID.” It’s a novel method, but it’s the same idea as advanced facial recognition.

Continue reading… “LG’s new smartphone unlocks by recognizing the veins in your palms — here’s how it works”

Analysis, Economy, Money Talk, Science & Technology News

Study suggests a key assumption of economic theory may be wrong.

March 1, 2019

The concept of equilibrium, one of the most central ideas in economics and one of the core assumptions in the vast majority of economic models, may have serious problems, concludes a study from the Institute for New Economic Thinking at the Oxford Martin School.

Continue reading… “Study suggests a key assumption of economic theory may be wrong.”

AI, Artificial Intelligence, Elon Musk, Science & Technology News

AI transforming the world

March 1, 2019

The world is fast evolving, with Artificial intelligence (AI) at the forefront in changing the world and the way we live. This article is Part 1 of a 2 part series.

An important question: What is AI? For many people, it remains unclear what this technology is all about, so this is a good place to start the conversation. AI is a branch in computer science that deals with the intelligent behavior of machines. It is an ingeniously simulated ability of a machine to imitate human behavior and our conventional response patterns. This is made possible with specific algorithms that make the AI function in a specified scope of activities (according to what the algorithm codes for). This means that with AI, many of our everyday activities can now be carried out effectively by programmed machine technology.

Continue reading… “AI transforming the world”

Biotech, brain hacking, Memory, Science & Technology News

Scientists discover how to implant false memories

March 1, 2019

Implanting false memories could cure Alzheimer’s, PTSD, and depression. It could also make scapegoating easier, allow for witness tampering, or give those under a brutal dictatorship false patriotism.

MIT researchers Steve Ramirez and Xu Liu recently made history when they successfully implanted a false memory into the mind of a mouse. The proof was a simple reaction from the rodent, but the implications are vast. They placed the furry little creature inside a metal box, and it froze, displaying a distinct fear response. The mouse was reacting as if it had received an electrical shock there, when it hadn’t at all.

What makes it more riveting is that their success was considered a long-shot. The hypothesis was that not only could they identify those neurons associated with encoding memory, but could essentially rewrite one. Experts say that this an impressive feat which helps uncover more of the mystery of how memory operates. Though neuroscientists have considered such a possibility for years, they never thought this kind of experiment could actually work.

Continue reading… “Scientists discover how to implant false memories”

drones, Latest Trend, Law Enforcement, Science & Technology News

Drones are changing the way police respond to 911 calls

February 28, 2019

Last week in a domestic dispute in Chula Vista, California, a woman driving a car repeatedly tried to hit a man on a motorcycle. The fight carried out across multiple city blocks until police arrived and arrested the man for alleged domestic violence and stealing the motorcycle and the woman for alleged assault with a deadly weapon.

No police officers were physically there to witness the crime. Instead, a drone using Cape telepresence hovered above the scene, recording video that will be used as evidence in court, Chula Vista Police Department Captain Vern Sallee told VentureBeat in an interview last week.

“We were able to divert other resources to this now very high priority call and potentially save this guy’s life and obviously get two people in custody, recover a stolen motorcycle, and ensure public safety,” he said.

Continue reading… “Drones are changing the way police respond to 911 calls”

cutting edge, Record Breaker, Science & Technology News, Solar Energy, Solar Power

These hyper-efficient solar panels could actually live on your roof soon

February 28, 2019

The clean energy boffins in their labs are always upping the theoretical limit on how much power you can get out of sunshine, but us plebes actually installing solar cells are stuck with years-old tech that’s not half as good as what they’re seeing. This new design from Insolight could be the one that changes all that.

Insolight is a spin-off from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, where they’ve been working on this new approach for a few years — and it’s almost ready to hit your roof.

Usually solar cells collect sunlight on their entire surface, converting it to electricity at perhaps 15-19 percent efficiency — meaning about 85 percent of the energy is lost in the process. There are more efficient cells out there, but they’re generally expensive and special-purpose, or use some exotic material.

Continue reading… “These hyper-efficient solar panels could actually live on your roof soon”

App, Health & Fitness, Science & Technology News, Weather

Mood-forecasting tech could help stop bad moods even before they strike

February 28, 2019

Wearable devices might even help prevent suicide by giving a heads-up about worrisome behavior.

Watch for sports with smartwatch. Jogging training for marathon.

The same technology that is used to track physical activity could be used to track our psychological health.

Imagine an app or wearable device that could tell a day in advance that an at-risk individual would experience suicidal thoughts — and alert the person and their trusted contacts. That might soon be a reality, thanks to the nascent field of mood forecasting.

We’ve become used to fitness trackers and other electronic devices that monitor our physical activity, and now scientists say similar technology can be used to track our psychological health in ways never before possible.

Continue reading… “Mood-forecasting tech could help stop bad moods even before they strike”

Automobiles, Driverless cars, Driverless vehicles, Insurance, Science & Technology News, Tesla

Self-driving cars might kill auto insurance as we know it

February 27, 2019

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Without humans to cause accidents, 90% of risk is removed. Insurers are scrambling to prepare.

Dan Peate, a venture capitalist and entrepreneur in Southern California, was thinking of buying a Tesla Model X a few years ago—until he called his insurance company and found out how much his premiums would rise.

“They quoted me $10,000 a year,” Peate recalled.

Continue reading… “Self-driving cars might kill auto insurance as we know it”

AI, Artificial Intelligence, Legal Issues, Science & Technology News

The Big Apple is getting tough on biased AI

February 27, 2019

New York City has a new law on the books demanding “algorithmic accountability,” and AI researchers want to help make it work.

Background: At the end of 2017, the city’s council passed the country’s first bill to ban algorithmic discrimination in city government. It calls for a task force to study how city agencies use algorithms and create a report on how to make algorithms more easily understandable to the public.

Rubber, meet road: But how to actually implement the bill was left up for grabs. Enter AI Now, a research institution at NYU focused on the social impact of AI. The group recommends focusing on things like making sure agencies understand the technology better, and providing a chance for outside groups to look at algorithms.

Why it matters: The federal government has fallen way behind in setting up rules or guidance for AI. What happens in New York could lead the way for the rest of the US.

Via Technology Review

3D Printer, Automation, Engineering, Science & Technology News

The ‘Hexbot’ transforms your desk into a 3D printer and high-tech assembly line

February 27, 2019

And yes, you can also play games with it.

In the early-to-mid 1960s, sci-fi television shows like The Jetsons and Lost In Space introduced America to the idea of personal, at-home robots (Rosey and “the Robot,” respectively) that also served a practical purpose. Rosey was primarily used for domestic chores, while “the Robot” helped the Robinson family with travel and security. And as the years went on, countless other science fiction series and movies further cemented the idea that it was only a matter of time before we’d all be using robots at home to solve real problems.

Fifty years later, an extraordinary amount of technological progress has been made. But we still seem to be lacking the personal, at-home robots we were promised. Sure, AI-assistants like Alexa are common, but they lack the physical presence we’ve come to expect. And while there are plenty of amazing toy robots and robot companions available, most lack any practical value. But a new Kickstarter campaign hopes to introduce the public to a robot that is both intelligent and practical.

Continue reading… “The ‘Hexbot’ transforms your desk into a 3D printer and high-tech assembly line”

DaVinci Institute, Futurist, Science & Technology News, Tom Frey

Futurist to GLI: Millions of new industries will spin from technology

February 26, 2019

Futurist to GLI: Millions of new industries will spin from technology

In the next decade or two, Thomas Frey predicts we’ll build our houses from 3D printers, shop at mobile convenient stores brought to our doorsteps and wear “smart” clothes that track our movements and guide us through the day.

Frey is a futurist who founded the Colorado-based DaVinci Institute. He’s also a sought-after speaker on the topic of how technological innovation will transform our lives.

He told 1,000 business people and community leaders gathered Monday night for Greater Louisville Inc.’s annual meeting at the Kentucky International Convention Center that while there are dire predictions of massive job losses from advances in artificial intelligence and automation, thousands of new industries will sprout from what’s right on the horizon.

Continue reading… “Futurist to GLI: Millions of new industries will spin from technology”

Analysis, Employment, Human Behavior, Latest Trend, Science & Technology News

Millennial life: How young adulthood today compares with prior generations

February 26, 2019

Over the past 50 years – from the Silent Generation’s young adulthood to that of Millennials today – the United States has undergone large cultural and societal shifts. Now that the youngest Millennials are adults, how do they compare with those who were their age in the generations that came before them?

In general, they’re better educated – a factor tied to employment and financial well-being – but there is a sharp divide between the economic fortunes of those who have a college education and those who don’t.

Continue reading… “Millennial life: How young adulthood today compares with prior generations”