Impact Lab – Page 665 – A Laboratory of the Future Human Experience

1 out of 5 US homes with wifi now have a smart speaker like the Amazon Echo

April 26, 2018

Smart speakers have been a hot ticket item in recent years. Products by Amazon, Google and Apple, which allow consumers to play music, order food and get news just by talking to the device, have already experienced a surprisingly strong adoption in the US market.

This chart by Statista which is based on comScore data, shows that 20% of homeowners with wifi have at least one active smart speaker. That percentage will be inching up as well, if the past few months are any indication of the device’s steadily increasing adoption rate.

Via Business Insider

Bitcoin, Blockchain, Latest Trend, Science & Technology News

Bitcoin, Etherereum, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin and Ripple make up 70% of crypto market

April 26, 2018

Bitcoin, Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin and Ripple dominate the cryptocurrency market, representing $241 billion or 70% of the total market cap. The entire cryptocurrency market cap is currently $343 billion, up from $10.5 billion in 2014. The aggregate market capitalization increased by more than 2,500% in 2017 alone.

However, research conducted by Axa Investment Managers shows that despite the massive growth, cryptocurrencies still pale in comparison to the $100 trillion global bond markets and $80 trillion in global equities.

Continue reading… “Bitcoin, Etherereum, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin and Ripple make up 70% of crypto market”

Biotech, cutting edge, Medical Breakthrough, Science & Technology News

No more painful fillings! This dental breakthrough fixes cavities “naturally” using peptides

April 24, 2018

Scientists have developed a method for filling cavities by mimicking nature.

The sound of the dentist’s drill could be a thing of the past with news that scientists have created a way to fix tooth cavities without the need for painful fillings.

Continue reading… “No more painful fillings! This dental breakthrough fixes cavities “naturally” using peptides”

Augmented Reality, Cancer, Google

Google researchers have developed an augmented reality microscope for detecting cancer

April 24, 2018

Augmented reality might not be able to cure cancer (yet), but when combined with a machine learning algorithm, it can help doctors diagnose the disease.

Researchers at Google have developed an augmented reality microscope (ARM) that takes real-time data from a neural network trained to detect cancerous cells and displays it in the field of view of the pathologist viewing the images.

Continue reading… “Google researchers have developed an augmented reality microscope for detecting cancer”

cutting edge, Great New Product, Science & Technology News, Wearables

FDA approves world’s 1st contact lenses that darken in sunlight

April 24, 2018

Contact lenses that automatically darken when the wearer goes outside are cleared to hit the market after the innovation got a green light from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration this month.

Continue reading… “FDA approves world’s 1st contact lenses that darken in sunlight”

Breakthrough Thinking, Engineering, Inventions

Scientists find way to bend, stretch diamond

April 24, 2018

WASHINGTON, April 19 (Xinhua) — An international team of researchers has found that diamond, the strongest of all natural materials, can bend and stretch much like rubber and snap back to its original shape.

A study published on Thursday in the journal Science opened the door to a variety of diamond-based devices for applications such as sensing, data storage, biocompatible in vivo imaging, optoelectronics, and drug delivery.

Continue reading… “Scientists find way to bend, stretch diamond”

AI, Automation, Banking, Employment, Robotics

Artificial intelligence will wipe out half the banking jobs in a decade, experts say

April 23, 2018

Advances in artificial intelligence and automation could replace as many as half the nation’s financial services workers over the next decade, industry experts say, but it’s going to take a big investment to make that happen.

James D’Arezzo, CEO of Glendale-based Condusiv Technologies, says that’s where things are headed. And the process will be complicated.

“Unless banks deal with the performance issues that AI will cause for ultra-large databases, they will not be able to take the money gained by eliminating positions and spend it on the new services and products they will need in order to stay competitive,” he said.

Continue reading… “Artificial intelligence will wipe out half the banking jobs in a decade, experts say”

Aviation, Award Winner, Travel

Tomorrow’s airplane cabins could be more luxurious than your apartment

April 23, 2018

Let’s face it, flying is often a chore. Those tiny seats. That limited legroom. And airlines’ constant push to make the flying experience more miserable.

That reality seems really far from the potential future presented at last week’s 12th annual Crystal Cabin Awards, a ceremony honoring innovative aircraft cabin concepts in Hamburg, Germany. These designs make today’s first class look totally pedestrian.

Continue reading… “Tomorrow’s airplane cabins could be more luxurious than your apartment”

3D Printer, Architecture, cutting edge, Housing, Latest Trend

This new 3D-printed house was built by a portable robot in just 48 hours

April 23, 2018

There are a lot of 3D-printed houses popping up these days, but this is the first time an architect with the renown of Massimiliano Locatelli of CLS Architetti and Arup has tackled one. Built out of a special quick-drying mortar, the 1,076-square-foot house was constructed in just 48 hours. Locatelli envisions 3D printing as the housing of the future – and that his house could be constructed anywhere,”even the moon.”

Continue reading… “This new 3D-printed house was built by a portable robot in just 48 hours”

Analysis, Business, Human Behavior, New Viewpoints

Steve Blank: The unexpected reason why people start their own companies

April 22, 2018

A controversial study suggests that people become entrepreneurs because they realize they’re worth more than their resumes.

If you asked me why I gravitated to startups rather than work in a large company I would have answered at various times: “I want to be my own boss,” “I love risk,” “I want flexible work hours,” “I want to work on tough problems that matter,” “I have a vision and want to see it through,” “I saw a better opportunity and grabbed it. …”

Continue reading… “Steve Blank: The unexpected reason why people start their own companies”

Analysis, Business, Life Skills

Here’s how old you should be when you start a company, according to science. (It’s not what you think)

April 22, 2018

The National Bureau of Economic Research used Census data to find the average age of super-successful founders.

Company founders can be as young as in their teens or as old as in their 80s. But is there an ideal age you should be when you start a company? It turns out there is, and it’s older than you may think.

Continue reading… “Here’s how old you should be when you start a company, according to science. (It’s not what you think)”

Amazon.com, Analysis, App, Automation, Home Technology

Anyone can now create Alexa skills in a matter of minutes

April 21, 2018

Amazon on Thursday unveiled “Alexa Skill Blueprints,” code-free templates that any Alexa owner, regardless of experience level, can use to create customized Alexa skills in a matter of minutes.

Amazon included over 20 templates across four categories — Fun & Games, At Home, Storyteller, and Learning & Knowledge — with plans to add more.

Continue reading… “Anyone can now create Alexa skills in a matter of minutes”