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NASA

The Bionic Professor: Advancing Wearable Robotics with AI for Assistive Technologies

July 6, 2023

Brokoslaw Laschowski, known as “the bionic professor” to his students at the University of Toronto, is making remarkable strides in the field of wearable robotics. As a research scientist at the KITE Research Institute and an assistant professor in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, Laschowski and his team are developing wearable robots empowered by artificial intelligence (AI) that can make independent decisions, much like autonomous cars.

Their groundbreaking work encompasses bionic prosthetic legs, exoskeletons, AI-powered smart glasses, and neural interfaces. Primarily focused on medical applications, Laschowski aims to assist individuals with physical disabilities, striving to design technology that allows seamless human-machine synergy in meaningful ways. By incorporating computer vision, he seeks to merge humans and machines, drawing inspiration from autonomous cars’ use of vision for path planning and control.

Robots

Amazon’s Expressive Robots Reshape Fulfillment Centers and Human-Machine Dynamics

July 6, 2023

In a sprawling warehouse in Reading, Massachusetts, Amazon has deployed a fleet of distinctive robots named Proteus that are revolutionizing the interaction between humans and automation. With their LED-rendered eyes, lidar sensors, and expressive features, these robots aim to enhance communication and collaboration with human workers. Sophie Li, a software engineer at Amazon, explains that allowing Proteus to express happiness can contribute to its effectiveness in working alongside people.

Proteus, slated for deployment aboard the Lunar Gateway as part of the Artemis mission, is just one example of the new wave of smarter robots entering Amazon’s fulfillment centers. These robots are taking on tasks previously handled by humans, such as the Sparrow robot that demonstrates human-like dexterity in picking products from storage cubbies. With these advancements, Amazon is poised for a company-wide and industry-wide shift in the balance between automation and human involvement.

Electric Vehicles

China Set to Surpass Japan as World’s Largest Car Exporter with Booming EV Shipments

July 6, 2023

China is on track to overtake Japan as the world’s largest car exporter in 2023, driven by a surge in electric vehicle (EV) shipments, according to research firm Canalys. The anticipated growth in Chinese EV exports is projected to reach 1.3 million in 2023, nearly double the 679,000 EVs exported in 2022, as reported by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM). Overall vehicle exports from China are expected to reach 4.4 million in 2023, up from 3.1 million in 2022.

While Japan’s car exports were estimated at 3.8 million in 2022, official data suggests the figure is closer to 3.5 million, according to the South China Morning Post. Nevertheless, China’s booming EV exports, accounting for 30% of all exports, will propel the country to surpass Japan and secure the top spot this year, following its overtaking of Germany in 2022. Mainland Chinese automakers are targeting key markets in Southeast Asia, Europe, Africa, India, and Latin America, with a well-established automotive supply chain at home enhancing their global competitiveness.

Tesla

Tesla’s EV Charging Dominance Spurs Revenue Potential and Highlights Business Model Innovation

July 6, 2023

Tesla’s supremacy in the electric vehicle (EV) market continues to expand, encompassing not only vehicle production but also EV-related infrastructure. Recently, both GM and Ford announced plans for their EVs to be compatible with Tesla chargers, solidifying Tesla’s position as a leader in the charging network space.

Tesla’s foray into the charging business was originally unintentional. The ongoing debate about charging infrastructure prompted Tesla to construct its own network, not with the aim of generating profit but rather to assure buyers that they could travel across the country without concerns of running out of power.

Science & Technology News

Greater Bay Technology Unveils Revolutionary All-Weather EV Battery

July 6, 2023

Chinese startup Greater Bay Technology has made a bold claim, stating that its new electric vehicle (EV) battery, called the Phoenix cell, can function seamlessly in any weather condition. The battery utilizes superconducting materials and innovative thermal management techniques, enabling it to rapidly adjust freezing temperatures to normal room temperature within just five minutes, as reported by Bloomberg.

Extreme temperatures have long posed challenges for EV batteries, reducing their charging efficiency when temperatures drop below freezing (32 degrees Fahrenheit or zero degrees Celsius). This limitation has hindered the reliability of EV range for owners. Carmakers have previously resorted to incorporating heat pumps to maintain optimal battery temperatures, but this approach has proven to be inefficient.

Science & Technology News

The Role of AI in Transforming Industrial Operations: Opportunities and Challenges

July 3, 2023

In today’s industrial landscape, manufacturers are grappling with a myriad of challenges ranging from supply disruptions and price volatility to talent shortages and the sustainability imperative. To overcome these hurdles and unlock new value, leading manufacturers are turning to cutting-edge manufacturing technologies powered by artificial intelligence (AI).

These AI-powered technologies offer industrial companies fresh avenues to navigate through turbulence and significantly enhance operational performance. Moreover, recent technological breakthroughs, such as generative AI, have further expanded the potential applications of AI in manufacturing. While some companies have already made successful strides in implementing AI, many others are still in the early stages of their AI journey.

Science & Technology News

AST SpaceMobile Successfully Transmits 4G LTE Signal from Satellite to Smartphones

July 3, 2023

AST SpaceMobile, a company specializing in space-based cellular capabilities, announced a groundbreaking achievement this week. It successfully transmitted a 4G LTE signal from its BlueWalker 3 satellite to off-the-shelf smartphones in Hawaii using AT&T’s cellular network. With repeated download speeds exceeding 10 Mbps during testing, the signal was fast enough for normal browsing, messaging, and video streaming. This feat is remarkable because cell phones typically connect to ground-based cell towers rather than satellites, making it challenging to maintain cell service in remote areas or on boats at sea. However, AST SpaceMobile’s satellite technology opens up the possibility of expanding coverage to almost any location on the planet, eliminating concerns about signal dead zones.

Medicine

Probing the Brain-Gut Connection: Engineers Develop Fiber Technology for Neural Circuit Control

July 3, 2023

The intricate communication network between the brain and the digestive tract plays a vital role in regulating feeding behaviors and mental states. Recent research has suggested its involvement in various neurological disorders. To explore these connections, engineers at MIT have introduced a novel technology that enables the manipulation of neural circuits linking the gut and the brain in mice. By utilizing specially designed fibers embedded with sensors and light sources for optogenetic stimulation, the researchers demonstrated their ability to induce sensations of fullness or reward-seeking behavior by manipulating intestinal cells.

The study, published in Nature Biotechnology, represents a significant advancement in understanding the interplay between the brain and other organs in the body. The researchers are particularly interested in exploring the correlations observed between digestive health and neurological conditions such as autism and Parkinson’s disease. Their breakthrough lies in the millisecond precision of optogenetics, allowing for the investigation of gut-brain interactions in behaving animals.

Medical Breakthrough

Pangolin-Inspired Soft Robot Unveiled for Minimally Invasive Medical Procedures

July 3, 2023

A groundbreaking study published this week reveals the development of a small robot inspired by pangolins, designed to perform safe and minimally invasive medical procedures inside the human body. These untethered soft robots have the potential to access hard-to-reach regions, such as the stomach and small intestine, by morphing their shape.

Contrary to the conventional perception of robots as rigid, metallic structures filled with circuitry, one of the most exciting advancements in robotics lies in the realm of “soft robotics.” This field focuses on animated materials capable of performing tasks without the typical wiring and circuitry. An example is the recently introduced “gelbot,” a heat-manipulated soft robot capable of inching along.

Internet of Things

Leveraging Road Infrastructure: Sensors Embedded in Pavement Markers Enhance Autonomous Driving

July 3, 2023

Self-driving electric vehicles continue to face significant challenges on their journey towards reliability. However, researchers from the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Western Michigan University (WMU) are collaborating to drive solutions from outside the vehicle itself, by integrating sensors and processing into road infrastructure.

In partnership with other organizations, ORNL engineers are placing low-powered sensors within reflective raised pavement markers, commonly used to assist drivers in identifying lanes. These microchips transmit road shape information to passing cars, even in situations where vehicle cameras or remote laser sensing (LiDAR) may be unreliable due to factors like fog, snow, or glare.

Alternative Transportation

Electric Flying Taxis: A Promising Yet Challenging Future of Urban Air Mobility

July 3, 2023

As the aviation industry gears up for a future of non-polluting electric taxis soaring through the skies, the Paris region is set to make history during the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Plans are underway to introduce a small fleet of electric flying taxis, offering multiple routes and transforming the way people travel. German company Volocopter aims to be the first to commercially operate these taxis, pending approval from European regulators, with the ambition of even having French President Emmanuel Macron as a VIP passenger.

AI

The Evolving Landscape of AI and NLP: Transforming Human-Machine Interaction

July 3, 2023

Over the past year, the global digital paradigm has experienced a remarkable evolution, particularly in how humans engage with machines. One standout element of this transformation is the growing familiarity people of all ages have developed with artificial intelligence (AI) models, with OpenAI’s ChatGPT being a prime example.

Driving this revolution are the advancements in natural language processing (NLP) and conversational AI. NLP, a subfield of AI, focuses on the interaction between computers and humans using everyday language and speech patterns. Its primary goal is to read, decipher, understand, and make human language understandable and accessible to users.

NLP combines computational linguistics, machine learning, statistics, and deep learning to enable machines to comprehend, interpret, generate, and respond to human language in a meaningful and contextually appropriate manner.