Field: AI
Heads up display lets firefighters see through smoke
Qwake Technologies’ C-Thru is a heads up display that combines AI, augmented reality, and thermal imaging to help firefighters battle blazes.
AI navigation system teaches itself to steer internet balloons
Loon is using a new AI navigation system trained via reinforcement learning to control its fleet of internet-beaming balloons in Kenya.
MIT built an AI to design robots
MIT has developed an AI capable of robot design — all you need to do is tell RoboGrammar the bot’s goal and the available body parts.
Ai discovers billions of new trees from space
Researchers are using artificial intelligence and a supercomputer to count all the trees on the planet, via imaging from space.
DeepMind AI cracks the code of protein structures
A protein’s structure is crucial to its function. Predicting how a protein will fold was a challenge decades in the making — and answered by DeepMind.
At-home breast cancer screening, powered by AI
An award-winning at-home breast cancer screening device, called the Blue Box, could one day replace uncomfortable mammograms.
Google’s Tree Canopy Lab is helping LA cool down
Google’s new Tree Canopy Lab uses AI and aerial photography to combat the urban heat island effect by showing a city exactly where it could use more trees.
Stopping nightmare disorder with a prescription-only watch
A prescription-only watch that treats nightmare disorder is the latest in a growing subset of health technologies called prescription digital therapeutics.
Human battles AI fighter jet in first man vs. machine test flight
Daniel Robinson, a veteran F-22 pilot, flew a real aircraft and battled an AI virtual fighter in a world's first.
Cough-analyzing AI detects asymptomatic COVID-19 infections
MIT has developed an AI that can detect asymptomatic COVID-19 infections from the sound of a person’s forced-cough with incredible accuracy.
Deepfakes shine in South Park creators’ new show
The creators of South Park have released a web show, Sassy Justice, that makes use of incredibly realistic deepfakes.
If you train robots like dogs, they learn faster
The dog-inspired SPOT framework effectively trains an AI robot more quickly than other reinforcement learning methods.
Bringing lost languages back to life with AI
An algorithm that can identify the closest living relatives of lost languages could help linguists unlock the meaning of ancient texts.
Robot lawyer helps people connect with incarcerated loved ones
DoNotPay’s robot lawyer can now help people write and send letters to inmates without worrying about violating a facility’s mail rules.
Robot cook could help restaurants recover from COVID-19
Miso Robotics is making Flippy ROAR available for $30,000 in the hopes the robot cook will help the restaurant industry recover from the pandemic.
Waymo's driverless car service opens to the public
Waymo One has relaunched, and this time, all users can ride in cars without safety drivers.
Toyota unveils Spiderman-like home cleaning robot
Toyota built a cleaning robot that descends from a kitchen's ceiling as an example of the kind of tech that might one day support Earth’s aging population.
New VR movie lets you play god to a planet of AIs
In the new VR movie “Agence,” artificially intelligent characters respond to the actions of the viewer in unpredictable ways.
Minecraft’s urban planning AI could help design future cities
AIs design entire settlements in an annual Minecraft competition that could reveal uses for the tech in real-world urban planning.
Google built a neural network to warn ships of whales. will it help?
Google introduced an artificial neural network that can locate whales in the ocean. They want to use it to keep the animals safe from ships.
Meet the Mayflower, the robot boat crossing the Atlantic in 2021
The new Mayflower, set to traverse the Atlantic in 2021, won’t bear any pilgrims. It’s a robot boat, sailing sailor-free.
Underwater robots may be the future of deep sea mining
Tech requires raw material, and some lays at the bottom of the sea. Could underwater robots be the future of deep sea mining?
AI that predicts pregnancy complication could save lives
By predicting future preeclampsia risk, the AI might save the lives of mothers and their babies.
Amazon drone delivery gets approval to launch from FAA
Prime Air, Amazon’s drone delivery service, has secured a key FAA certification, clearing it for the next phase of testing in the U.S.
Robots are running COVID-19 drug development
IBM’s new online platform, RoboRXN, combines artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and robotics to automate the COVID-19 drug development process.
Elon Musk: Neuralink brain implant detects pigs' movements
During a livestream, CEO Elon Musk presented the latest Neuralink brain implant, as well as what he claimed were several pig recipients of the device.
Training a home robot to see — and hear
Facebook's AI lab has released new tools for its embodied AI training platform, including one to train a home robot to respond to sounds.
Smart farm equipment can spot weeds among crops
Facebook’s facial recognition AI will turn ordinary farm equipment into precision agriculture machines by training it to spot the weeds among the crops.
Using smartphone cameras to detect diabetes
A new algorithm can detect diabetes using data collected by a smartphone’s camera, offering a way to address the problem of undiagnosed diabetes.
Smart traffic lights ease congestion on city streets
Smart traffic lights by startup NoTraffic use AI to improve the flow of traffic in cities, minimizing carbon emissions and delays for first responders.
AI force plate prevents injuries by predicting them
Sparta Science has developed an AI-powered force plate system that prevents injuries among athletes and soldiers by predicting their likelihood.
A humanlike brain means this smart robot can see, feel, and think
A smart robot that uses neuromorphic computing, may one day “think” like humans.
Robots can read your p-p-p-poker face
Emotion-detecting technology could be the next frontier of personalization. But what does this mean for privacy?
“Touchless touchscreen” could reduce distracted driving
New “predictive touch” tech could help prevent distracted driving by limiting the amount of time drivers spend interacting with vehicle displays.
The most impressive language generator yet
OpenAI’s GPT-3 is currently the talk of Twitter. The powerful language generator is writing everything from sci-fi to code.
End-of-life AI
End-of-life and palliative care discussions with patients are crucial but difficult. Can AI help?
Should we be using AI models for diagnosing COVID-19?
Researchers are training algorithms to help predict the severity of COVID-19. But is AI ready for COVID-19?
New algorithm gives trauma survivors a "PTSD risk score"
A newly developed algorithm calculates a "PTSD Risk Score" for people seeking treatment for traumatic injuries.
Can AI predict which depression treatment is most effective?
Artificial intelligence-powered algorithms that analyze brain scans are showing promise in helping doctors find an effective depression treatment on the first try.
This model may help predict wildfires
Wildfires need dry fuel to thrive. Researchers at Stanford are working on an AI model to measure dryness to help predict, and control, the blaze.
Exploring the ocean floor with autonomous underwater vehicles
Efficient, autonomous, and economical, the AUV is quickly becoming essential for underwater research.
Prosthetic leg uses AI to adjust to different terrains
A new computer vision system developed to work with a prosthetic leg predicts the type of terrain ahead so that the limb can adjust accordingly.
"Moral Machine" picks up on human ethics
By feeding an AI a diet of books, news articles, and religious texts, researchers were able to create a “moral machine” reflecting the ethics of a society.
This AI robot could become your favorite coworker
European researchers have developed an AI robot to safely work alongside humans, anticipating their needs and providing a strong pair of extra hands.
Can humans figure out how deep learning AI thinks?
Deep learning AI is becoming more complex, capable, and impenetrable, but these scientists are attempting to break the black box.
AI beats neurologists at making Alzheimer's diagnosis
Scientists have created an AI capable of making an Alzheimer’s diagnosis that’s more accurate than the one delivered by a group of neurologists.
Can a robot really freestyle?
Engineers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have designed the first robot capable of not only playing music, but creating it.
Doctors use AI to test new coronavirus treatments on patients
The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center launched a new trial that uses artificial intelligence to test promising coronavirus treatments as quickly as possible.
Your new sex ed teacher is a chatbot
This chatbot is filling in gaps in sex education by talking with teens to answer awkward questions about topics like health, sexuality, and identity.
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Catalysts
Open source textbooks save students $1 billion
In partnership with Stand Together
Many college students’ ability to realize their full potential is hampered by insurmountable expenses, so OpenStax is turning the tide by providing access to free textbooks.
Your voice could help train an AI to detect coronavirus
The Corona Voice Detect project is developing an AI-powered system to detect coronavirus infections based on a sample of a person’s voice.
Crowdsourcing the seed for coronavirus antiviral medications
Foldit players are solving a protein structure puzzle that could help kickstart coronavirus antiviral medications.
How a paralympic swimmer helps advance AI bionic limbs
Morgan Stickney shares about her experimental Ewing amputations and training for the 2024 Paralympics.
Hey Alexa, quit eavesdropping
Researchers at the University of Chicago have developed an ultrasonic audio jammer that doubles as a fashion accessory.
AI can detect coronavirus infections far faster than humans
New artificial intelligence systems can detect coronavirus infections far faster than human doctors and could help end the COVID-19 outbreak.
AI device helps wheelchair users control their world
These assistive devices are equipped with 360 cameras and eye-tracking technology to help those with mobility and speech impairments find independence.
Building an artificially intelligent, open-source prosthetic leg
We've come a long way since the first prosthetic leg, and "smart" limbs, equipped with computing capabilities and...
This algorithm just generated 68 billion unique melodies
Two musicians built an algorithm that could write every melody in the popular music range — and then released the melodies into the public domain.
Can an algorithm predict the next disease outbreak?
Researchers are using this algorithm to predict which regions are likely to see a zoonotic disease outbreak, and hopefully prevent the next global pandemic.
AI helps scientists discover powerful new antibiotic
Using a computer model powered by artificial intelligence, researchers at MIT have identified several promising candidates for powerful new antibiotics.
The algorithm playwright
Annie Dorsen allows algorithms to write her plays, and it challenges our fundamental understanding of art.
Robot artist challenges our definition of art
Artists have a history of subverting expectations and mainstream culture, but the world’s first humanoid robot artist is taking it to a new level. So far, she has sold over $1 million worth of art.
The anti-facial recognition fashion statement
These designers are trying to outsmart surveillance systems with anti-facial recognition makeup, glasses, and clothing. Can they help us go incognito?
Hacking the Tinder algorithm to find love
Dating apps are really good at introducing you to lots of people, but they might not be the best way to find a lifelong partner. Can we decode our data to get better results?
High-tech art exhibit looks at life through the eyes of AI
In this Chicago museum, artists explore some of the most polarizing forms of imagery at the moment: surveillance and facial recognition.
9 ways the 2010s decade changed the world
From Tinder to CRISPR, these are the top moments, movements, and ideas through which the 2010s decade shaped the world as we know it.
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Uprising
Nick Bostrom on superintelligence and the future of AI
Beyond the brains of even the most intelligent human beings lies artificial superintelligence, which could pose serious threats to the human race. Nick Bostrom is attempting to fathom the unfathomable so we can be ready.
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Uprising
“Collaborative” robots are taking our jobs, but it might be a good thing
An ever-increasing number of robots in the workplace may force us to change our perception of the sort of work we deem worthy of human minds and hands. Instead of stealing our jobs, think of robots as taking on the duties nobody really wants, anyway.
Scientists are using AI to improve breast cancer screening
Computer scientists at MIT created a new algorithm for breast cancer screening to predict whether a patient will develop the disease in the next 5 years.
In the midst of a crisis, Venezuelans are training self-driving cars
Hundreds of thousands of formerly middle class Venezuelans, thrown into poverty by economic collapse, are now sitting at computers as they help train self-driving cars to identify and avoid obstacles.
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Superhuman
Electric skin gives sensation back to amputees
Touch is a sensation that connects us all. This scientist created electronic skin that lets people with prosthetic limbs feel.
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Superhuman
The emerging cyborg
Alec McMorris is testing one of the world’s most advanced prosthetics - an AI powered bionic leg.
Advanced prosthetics are not only powerful, they’re beautiful
"There's a deep, deep relationship between the functionality of the device and a person's identity of what their body is."
How to spot a deepfake
Is artificial intelligence the key to knowing what’s real?
How the technology behind deepfakes can help us create a better world
Deepfakes have ignited fierce media criticism and call into question the public’s ability to discern fact from...
Can people with autism help create next-generation AI?
Daivergent is a new startup that hires people with autism to train artificial intelligence - and helps them start independent careers.
Saving lives with AI
In partnership with Intel
Artificial intelligence can find hidden patterns in patient’s vital signs - and stop emergencies before they happen.
AI will make you smarter
Artificial intelligence will multiply your own intelligence, in ways that will surprise you.
AI could replace chemical testing on animals
Scientists have developed software that could save one billion dollars (and two million animals) each year.
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Coded
How AI could revolutionize coffee
Could the blockchain be used to make fair trade goods live up to their promise?
Can an algorithm catch a serial killer?
A self-professed data nerd, Thomas Hargrove believes everything around us is following a mathematical formula...including murder.
You should start learning about artificial intelligence. Here's how.
There are a lot of different levels of artificial intelligence being applied in a lot of different ways. Here's a...
Meet the startup developing human-level artificial intelligence
The story of Vicarious' mission to build the world's first human-level artificial intelligence and use it to help...
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Challengers
Can AI solve our biggest problems?
Vicarious believes smart machines could solve virtually every problem humans can’t.
This week in ideas: Beer that delivers itself, chatbots from beyond, and how to set a very strange world record
Uber's self-driving beer truck, how a chatbot can help the grieving process, and more of our favorite stories from...
This computer can write 2,000 snarky articles per second
What does it mean for the future of journalism when a computer can turn mounds of data into a cohesive narrative?
Can tech giants get ahead of AI?
Companies gather to discuss impact of A.I. A possible neural lace breakthrough. And unmanned cargo ships. This is...