2022 – Page 50 – Impact Lab

Futurati Podcast, Science & Technology News

Ep. 88 with Matt Pines

June 17, 2022

Watch our interview with Matt Pines on Youtube or listen on the Futurati Podcast website.

In recent months there has been a flurry of activity in the government related to cryptoassets, how to regulate them, and what their implications for national security will be. Though it’s common to endorse a simplistic narrative in which Bitcoin and the government are flatly opposed to each other, the truth is more nuanced. We’ve invited Matthew Pines to the Futurati Podcast to talk to us about these issues.

Matthew is a Managing Consultant at the Krebs Stamos Group, a cybersecurity and geopolitical risk advisory firm. He has over ten years of experience helping the government and private sector firms address pressing security and resilience challenges. As a National Security Fellow at the Bitcoin Policy Institute, he applies rigorous analytical methodologies to help policy-makers understand the implications of Bitcoin as an emerging technology for the benefit of the nation. He holds a master’s degree in Philosophy and Public Policy (with Distinction) from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a bachelor’s degree in Physics and Philosophy (with Honors) from Johns Hopkins University.

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Robotics

This Robotic Finger Is Covered in Living Human Skin

June 17, 2022

A robotic finger covered with the epidermis has water-repellent properties.

By Andrew Liszewski

THE SKIN CAN REALISTICALLY BEND, STRETCH, AND WRINKLE AS THE FINGER CURLS AND EXTENDS.

Roboticists from the University of Tokyo have taken a tiny step toward creating the Terminator. They’ve built an articulated robot finger that’s seamlessly covered in living human skin.

There are many reasons why our current attempts to build humanoid robots with lifelike appearances always seem to end up somewhere in the uncanny valley, where their imperfect resemblance to real human beings invokes a strong negative emotional reaction from us. The way a humanoid robot moves certainly contributes to its not-quite-right appearance, but more often than not it’s the artificial materials used to recreate human skin that make humanoids especially creepy.

3D Printer

RESEARCHERS DEVELOP NEW METHOD OF 3D PRINTING MAGNETIC CORES FOR ELECTRICAL MACHINES

June 17, 2022

A ferrite inductor comprises a magnetic core surrounded by a copper coil. Image via Jurgis Mankauskas.

By KUBI SERTOGLU

Researchers from the Tallinn University of Technology and the Estonian University of Life Sciences are investigating the use of 3D printing technology to produce soft magnetic cores.

Magnetic cores are pieces of magnetic material with high permeability. They’re commonly used to guide and direct magnetic fields in a wide variety of electrical systems and machines, including electromagnets, transformers, electric motors, generators, inductors, and other magnetic assemblies.

Until now, the 3D printing of soft magnetic cores has been a major challenge due to difficulties in preserving core efficiency. The research team has now proposed a comprehensive laser-based additive manufacturing workflow that they claim can yield superior magnetic properties to soft magnetic composites.

Medical Breakthrough

Creating human organs in space: How a Winston-Salem company is revolutionizing regenerative medicine

June 17, 2022

by: Michael Hennessey

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (WGHP) — The frontline of regenerative medicine has stood in Winston-Salem for decades. Today, with the leadership that’s been in place over that period of time, that technology is headed out of this world.

“We started this work over 30 years ago, actually,” said Dr. Anthony Atala, Wake Forest Institute of Regenerative Medicine director. “So, a long time ago.”

As Atala explains, the institute creates tissues and organs, as well as therapies to help treat patients. At the start, he explained, the greatest challenge was trying to get cells to grow. Now, they can grow every major cell type.

Driverless vehicles

UK government announces funding to encourage autonomous commercial vehicle development

June 16, 2022

By LAWRENCE BUTCHER

A new £40m (US$50m) competition to kick-start commercial self-driving services, such as delivery vehicles and passenger shuttles, has been launched in the UK. The ‘Commercialising Connected and Automated Mobility’ competition will provide grants to help roll out commercial use self-driving vehicles across the UK from 2025.

The competition is intended to help bring together companies and investors so that sustainable business models can be rolled out nationally and exported globally. The types of self-driving vehicles that could be deployed include delivery vans, passenger buses, shuttles and pods, as well as vehicles that move people and luggage at airports and containers at shipping ports.

UK Minister for investment Lord Grimstone said, “Self-driving vehicles have the potential to revolutionize people’s lives, whether it’s by helping to better connect people who rely on public transport with jobs, local shops and vital services, or by making it easier for those who have mobility issues to order and access services conveniently.

Robots

This futuristic office was designed for 5,000 people—and 100 robot coworkers

June 16, 2022

This new building by Korean tech giant Naver was designed to experiment with the future of automation.

From the outside, the building resembles a 28-story robot hive—an anonymous box of metal and vents. And that’s exactly what it is.

Dubbed 1784, this is the new headquarters for Naver Labs, opening in June. Owned by Naver, which you might consider the Google of South Korea, it’s “the world’s first robot-friendly building,” according to the company.

Architected by Samsung subsidiary Samoo, it’s a space designed to test the boundaries of the future of automation, where 100 wheeled robots will soon work alongside 5,000 people, ferrying packages, lunches, and Starbucks coffee to their human counterparts. These robots aren’t just a gimmick, but an extension of the building architecture itself, serving as a way to give the building hands today while it learns how to take care of itself tomorrow.

Alternative Transportation

The Average Air Taxi Will Be Cheaper Than an Uber Black, a New Study Says

June 16, 2022

Deloitte’s “Advanced Air Mobility, Disrupting the Future of Mobility” looks ahead 10 years to when air taxis will be common over city skies.

By MICHAEL VERDON

Within 10 years, that electric air-taxi flight that now seems like sci-fi could be as cheap as a ground taxi, and without the carbon output. A report released on Tuesday by Deloitte paints a viable picture of the future of electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft as part of urban and regional transport networks, or Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), across the US.

“Our study showed that the speed improvement of these air taxis could be three to five times faster than driving options today,” John Coykendall, principal of Deloitte’s Global and US Aerospace and Defense leader division, told Robb Report. “We believe AAM will integrate with the transportation methods we have today—it’ll be a case of ‘and’ with this type of transport rather than ‘or’ with existing modes.”

The “Advanced Air Mobility, Disrupting the Future of Mobility” study looked five to 10 years ahead when eVTOL and other forms of air taxis will be certified and networks will be established around the world. At that point, Deloitte expects AAM to be highly competitive with conventional taxis and more upscale forms of ground transport.

AI

Scientists in China have successfully cloned pigs using only AI in a world first

June 15, 2022

By Rupendra Brahambhatt

And without any human involvement.

A team of researchers from the College of Artificial Intelligence at Nankai University in China has developed a fully automated method to create pig clones. For the first time, seven healthy cloned piglets were born to a surrogate mother in March without any human intervention using the same method.

China is currently the biggest pork producer and consumer in the world. The pig population in the country stands at over 400 million, and pork consumption is between 30 and 35 kg per capita. A large share of the meat eaten in China is pork, and the available stock in the country is never enough to meet the demand. This is why China has to import millions of tons of expensive pig meat every year; even in 2021, the country purchased 3.31 million metric tonnes of pork.

Liu Yaowei, one of the researchers at Nankai University, believes that their AI-powered automated pig cloning method can significantly increase China’s pig population and make the country completely self-sufficient in pork production.

Segway

Segway Unveils New AI-Powered Scooter at Micromobility Europe

June 15, 2022

By Gaspar Incze

Segway, a global leader in micro-mobility solutions, is unveiling its latest model of artificial intelligence (AI) – powered e-scooter at Micromobility Europe (MME) 2022, the industry’s most influential trade show this week in the Netherlands.

The S90L, to be introduced at MME 2022 for the first time, is an e-scooter that integrates a full spectrum of AI technologies optimized for shared use. As regulators and fleet operators demand increased safety and sustainability in shared vehicles, manufacturers have traditionally relied on third-party solutions for features such as lane detection and parking detection. Segway’s S90L marks the first time in the industry that all AI technologies – from intelligent sensors to algorithms – are designed and developed through one integrated platform: the Segway Pilot.

3D Printer

3DBIO CONDUCTS SUCCESSFUL HUMAN EAR RECONSTRUCTION WITH 3D BIOPRINTED AURINOVO IMPLANT

June 15, 2022

By HAYLEY EVERETT

Regenerative medicine company 3DBio Therapeutics and the Microtia-Congenital Ear Deformity Institute have successfully completed a human ear reconstruction using the former’s novel 3D printed AuriNovo living tissue implant for the first time.

The first-in-human Phase 1/2a clinical trial evaluated the safety and efficacy of AuriNovo for patients with microtia, a rare congenital deformity where one or both outer ears are absent or underdeveloped. 3DBio’s patient-specific living tissue implant was developed using 3D bioprinting technology to provide a viable treatment alternative to rib cartilage grafts and traditionally-used synthetic materials.

“As a physician who has treated thousands of children with microtia from across the country and around the world, I am inspired by what this technology may mean for microtia patients and their families,” said Arturo Bonilla, a leading pediatric ear reconstructive surgeon who performed the procedure. “This study will allow us to investigate the safety and aesthetic properties of this new procedure for ear reconstruction using the patient’s own cartilage cells.

“MY HOPE IS THAT AURINOVO WILL ONE DAY BECOME THE STANDARD-OF-CARE REPLACING THE CURRENT SURGICAL METHODS FOR EAR RECONSTRUCTION REQUIRING THE HARVESTING OF RIB CARTILAGE OR THE USE OF POROUS POLYETHYLENE (PPE) IMPLANTS.”

Science & Technology News, SpaceX

Elon Musk: SpaceX will build over 1,000 Starships to move 1 million humans to Mars

June 14, 2022

Starship | First test vehicle.

By Chris Young

They’re basically very ‘modern Noah’s Arks.’

It’s not so long ago, in the grand scheme of things, that SpaceX was struggling to make it to orbit.

Last week, May 31, marked the 10-year anniversary of the completion of SpaceX’s first Dragon mission, COTS 2, to and from the International Space Station.

Only a few years before, on September 28, 2008, the company reached orbit on its fourth attempt with Falcon 1.

Despite his PR inelegance and all his deadline exaggerations, it’s hard to argue against SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s impressive track record when it comes to spaceflight — his most far-out statements are known to cause even skeptical space enthusiasts to froth at the mouth.

Still, Musk’s latest claim shared on Twitter, alongside a slide deck for a presentation he recently gave at SpaceX, will likely prove divisive.

Green Friendly

A new AI-made enzyme can devour plastics in hours instead of centuries

June 14, 2022

By Derya Ozdemir

Here is a truth that you literally cannot run away from: plastic is, simply, everywhere.

From toothbrushes to disposable coffee lids, plastic has made its way into every part of our lives. It’s incredibly useful because it’s durable; however, the flip side is that it’s also really hard to get rid of, which is why it’ll continue to be a part of our lives for hundreds of years to come.