Outer Space and the AI Race
Emerging Tech Roundup — June 9
The Quantious team’s top picks for timely trending news in the tech world.
This week in tech: Researchers Find Sleep Coaching App Improves Rest, Google Brings Predictive Smart Compose Feature to Chat, Tamagotchi Uni Device Enters the Metaverse, Apple Unveils New Augmented Reality Headset, Study Reveals 3D Printing Method That Creates Heart Valves, Scientists Develop Tractor Beam to Clear Space Junk, and ChatGPT Designs Its First Robot.
Study Finds Sleep Coaching App Can Help Recover an Extra Hour of Rest
(Engadget, June 6)
Researchers have published a study showcasing the effectiveness of the Sleep Reset app in improving sleep quality. The 12-week program utilizing Sleep Reset resulted in an average increase of 44 minutes of sleep for participants — with those initially getting less than six hours a night experiencing an 85-minute increase. Additionally, participants were able to reduce the time it took to fall asleep and the number of nightly awakenings, leading to nearly half of them discontinuing the use of sleep aids.
Google Brings its Predictive Smart Compose Feature to Chat
(Engadget, June 6)
Google has announced an AI update for its business app Chat, introducing “smart compose” to suggest relevant phrases while typing. The upgraded app includes features like reactions and reply suggestions, aimed at enhancing the overall user experience. Chat, previously known as Hangouts, was primarily designed for enterprises but is also accessible to individual users at no cost.
The Tamagotchi Uni Device Features the ‘Metaverse of the Tamagotchi World’
(The Verge, June 6)
The Tamagotchi Uni, the latest device in the Tamagotchi series, connects users to a new Tamagotchi metaverse, allowing fans to engage in various activities like Tama Arena, Tama Parties, Tama Fashion, and Tama Travel on a global scale. While the device can connect to Wi-Fi and potentially interact with other Tamagotchis worldwide, direct communication between players is not available. Additionally, the Tamagotchi Uni serves as a functional watch with its included wristband.
Vision Pro: Apple’s New Augmented Reality Headset Unveiled
(BBC, June 6)
Apple has revealed its long-awaited augmented reality headset, Apple Vision Pro, marking the company’s first significant hardware launch in almost a decade. The device, which blends the real and virtual worlds, has a two-hour battery life and a price tag of $3,499. Set to be released early next year in the US, the headset distinguishes itself from other market offerings with its design resembling ski goggles rather than traditional virtual reality headsets.
New Study Reveals a 3D Printing Method That Creates Heart Valves in Minutes
(Interesting Engineering, June 7)
Researchers have developed a groundbreaking, 3D-printed, synthetic heart valve that can be produced in less than 10 minutes — offering a significant improvement over the current production time of months. In testing conducted on sheep, the prototype valve successfully regulated blood flow for an hour, providing promising results for future human applications. This development has the potential to revolutionize heart valve operations, which are currently expensive and time-consuming, benefiting over 100,000 individuals in the US who undergo such procedures each year.
Scientists are Developing a Sci-Fi-Like Tractor Beam to Clear Up Space Junk
(Interesting Engineering, June 7)
Engineers are developing a machine inspired by the tractor beam in ‘Star Trek’, with the goal of using it to remove space debris from Earth’s orbit. The team’s early design concept could potentially move several-ton objects to different orbits, such as defunct satellites. However, the technology’s current limitation is its relatively slow speed, moving at a pace of 200 miles over a period of two-to-three months.
ChatGPT Designs Its First Robot
(Tech Xplore, June 7)
Researchers utilized the open AI platform ChatGPT to design a tomato-harvesting robot to address food supply challenges. ChatGPT provided valuable input in both the conceptual and implementation phases, suggesting design decisions such as using silicone or rubber for the gripper to avoid damaging tomatoes. The collaboration between humans and AI resulted in the successful development of a robotic arm capable of harvesting tomatoes.
