AI is further advanced and integrated in extraordinary, atypical ways
Emerging Tech Roundup — July 30
The Quantious team’s top picks for timely trending news in the tech world.
This week in tech: OpenAI develops technology to mimic a man’s late fiancé’s voice, Facebook is putting together their Metaverse product group, Shopify incorporates the support of NFTs into their business model, students are further educated on the Holocaust with VR, a robotic engineer builds exoskeleton to help his handicapped son walk, the White House turns to the public for AI research resources, and an AI-powered beehive is built.
Man Uses AI to Bring Back His Deceased Fiancé
(Business Insider, July 25)
Elon Musk’s research group OpenAI formulated a chatbot that used artificial intelligence to mimic a man’s deceased fiancé. The chatbot was inputted with old messages, samples, and background information to output a very accurate sound sample of his fiancé’s voice. Although this was a comforting use for one man, researchers warned that this technology could be dangerous, as it is highly capable of spreading misinformation.
Facebook Announces Metaverse Product Group Headed by Instagram VP Vishal Shah
(Protocol, July 26)
Facebook is sewing together the backends of their AR/VR experience with their new Metaverse product group, led by Instagram’s VP of product Vishal Shah. The group will be made up of teams who have dedicated many hours to AR/VR work and will be working to make sure that the Metaverse experience is as seamless and connective as possible for users. With the intention of hiring hundreds of new employees to be a part of the product group, Facebook hopes to deem their Metaverse “the successor to the mobile internet.”
Shopify Now Supports NFT Sales, Starting With Chicago Bulls
(Decrypt, July 26)
Shopify is now supporting NFTs as a method of payment, enabling users to pay via cryptocurrency within the app. The Chicago Bulls are immersing themselves in the practice by offering shoppers to purchase deeds of ownership to NBA titles, championship rings, and more via NFTs. Shopify has taken advantage of the fast-growing popularity of cryptocurrency and is adding a token of security by supporting NFTs, as payments can remain within the app and in turn, add security.
USHMM and Rowan University Teams Work Together to Educate Students on the Holocaust with VR
(The Henchinger Report, July 26)
The Future Projects team at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum and faculty and students at Rowan University are planning two VR projects to further educate students on the Holocaust, with a focus on the Warsaw Ghetto. The goal is to take learning to the next step for students. Rather than looking at a photo or reading a textbook, they will be emotionally and visually immersed in the experience as witnesses. Students will gain a deeper understanding of the impactful time period and so far, it seems to be working as many students report that they are already eager to learn more.
Father Builds Exoskeleton to Help Wheelchair-Bound Son Walk
(Reuters, July 27)
Robotic engineer Jean-Louis Constanza created an exoskeleton for his son, enabling him to walk when he was previously unable to. Constanza and his company, Wandercraft, hope to lighten the weight of the exoskeleton and eventually, offer it for sale to private individuals. The technology is based on signals traveling from the controller to the legs rather than from the brain to the legs. Hopefully, in the future, the robot can help lessen the number of individuals who are completely reliant on a wheelchair for independent transportation.
White House Seeks Input on Designing A National AI Research Resource
(Fed Scoop, July 27)
In the midst of putting together a National AI Research Resource (NAIRR), the White House is turning to the public for help. The public can submit suggestions for the NAIRR on federalregister.gov. The form is open to suggestions including but not limited to helpful resources, previous AI-related findings, existing activities and projects, proposed roles for partnerships in the development, and predicted hurdles that may be presented during the build.
Here Is A Fully Autonomous AI-Powered Beehive That Could Save Bee Colonies
(Forbes, July 28)
Agtech startup Beewise has developed the Beehome, an AI beekeeper that uses machine learning and robotics to tend to and protect hives. The technology protects the hives within its 4 walls, which allows for increased pollination and honey production. In the future, researchers hope that it will help reverse the decline in the bee population.
