Hard Tech

Collage of a close-up human eye and abstract digital graphics symbolizing artificial vision with lines and light effects on a vibrant orange and black background.

Brain implant for “artificial vision” is still working after 2 years

A new type of brain implant technology has given a man with total blindness a kind of “artificial vision.”

Silhouette of jagged cybersecurity rock formations against a vibrant yellow sky at dusk.

“Cybersecurity shortage” could reach 85 million workers by 2030

The global talent shortage could reach 85 million workers by 2030, causing approximately $8.5 trillion in unrealized annual revenue.

Michelle Meineke | Senior Writer | World Economic Forum

A person holding a complex, 3d-printed metamaterial with a lattice structure

Engineering

3D-printed “metamaterial” is stronger than anything in nature

Australian scientists used an advanced 3D printing technique to create a super strong, super lightweight new “metamaterial.”

Kristin Houser

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.

B. David Zarley

Accessibility

Closed caption glasses: A new way to watch theater

4:01

London’s National Theatre made performances more accessible to patrons with hearing loss by creating a smart set of glasses that recognizes spoken words and adapts to stage cues to provide real-time captions.

Oceans

Removing water from underwater photography

A new algorithm for underwater photography makes marine life appear as clear as it would on land, and it’s helping scientists understand the ocean better.

B. David Zarley

Series| Uprising

The truth about self-driving cars

5:55

Self-driving cars have the potential to save thousands of lives and reduce carbon emissions. Will we be smart enough to hop on board?

Robotics

Trash-talking robots get under our skin

Can robots control us? Probably not, but they can influence our actions, as this recent study on human-robot interaction by Carnegie Mellon shows.

B. David Zarley

Inventions

Robot bees could one day save your life

For the first time, a microbot powered by soft actuators has achieved controlled flight.

Teresa Carey

Series| Through the Looking Glass

Conquering fear with virtual reality exposure therapy

3:03

Whether a patient fears spiders or flying, VR technology allows therapists to treat anxiety disorders by simulating these experiences in a safe environment.

Series| Uprising

Killer robots will fight our wars: Can they be trusted?

6:01

The issue with completely taking humans out of warfare? Our ability to feel and evaluate complex situations, using human judgement and moral understanding, is not something an artificial intelligence can easily learn.

Surveillance

New tech can see through walls and ID people by the way they walk

A California-based lab is using gait recognition and radio frequency to create a surveillance system that can see behind walls.

B. David Zarley

Series| Uprising

Nick Bostrom on superintelligence and the future of AI

5:29

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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