This Week: AI is Uncovering the Past and Transforming the Future
Emerging Tech Roundup — February 9
The Quantious team’s top picks for timely trending news in the tech world.
This week in tech: Google Bard Gets Image Generation and a More Capable Gemini Pro, AI Helped Scholars Read Scroll Buried When Vesuvius Erupted, Robot Has Ability to Pick up Objects and Drop Them in a Desired Location in an Unfamiliar House, Researchers Create Smart Earring to Monitor Body Temperature, Apple Brings Enterprise Device Management to the Vision Pro, Microsoft Redesigns Copilot for the Web and Mobile, and Apple Has Reportedly Made Foldable iPhone Prototypes.
Google Bard Gets Image Generation and a More Capable Gemini Pro to Take on ChatGPT
(Venture Beat, February 1)
Google is enhancing its Bard AI chatbot to compete with OpenAI’s ChatGPT, adding image generation capabilities with its Imagen 2 AI model and a more capable version of Gemini Pro. These updates aim to make Bard a more versatile and accessible AI collaborator, offering a free tool for AI image creation. Additionally, Google is experimenting with another image generator called ImageFX, further expanding its AI capabilities.
AI Helps Scholars Read Scroll Buried When Vesuvius Erupted in AD79
(The Guardian, February 5)
Scholars are poised for a breakthrough in understanding ancient texts after AI successfully deciphered charred scrolls from a Roman villa buried during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius 2,000 years ago. The scrolls — once thought unreadable due to their carbonized state — were restored using high-resolution CT scans in a $1m challenge, with a team of students winning the grand prize for decoding over 2,000 Greek letters. Papyrologists hailed the achievement as a game changer, foreseeing a revolution in Herculaneum papyrology and Greek philosophy.
A Robot That Can Pick up Objects and Drop Them in a Desired Location in an Unfamiliar House
(Tech Xplore, February 5)
A team of roboticists from New York University and Meta have developed a robot capable of picking up specified objects in an unfamiliar room and relocating them to designated locations. They integrated a previously-trained Visual Language Model (VLM) with a Hello Robot, referred to as OK-Robot, and tested it in 10 different volunteer homes. The robot achieved a success rate of 58% for performing tasks like moving objects, which increased to 82% when the workspace was decluttered — showcasing the viability of VLM-based robot systems using a zero-shot algorithm in unfamiliar environments.
New Jewel in Wearable Tech: UW Researchers Create Smart Earring to Monitor Body Temperature
(Geek Wire, February 5)
Researchers have developed a smart earring prototype called the “Thermal Earring” designed to monitor the wearer’s earlobe temperature. In a small study involving six participants, the earring outperformed smartwatches in tracking skin temperature during periods of rest and showed potential for monitoring various health indicators like stress, eating, exercise, and ovulation. The compact device can be personalized, has a 28-day battery life, and uses Bluetooth advertising mode to conserve power, making it a promising addition to the realm of wearable technology for health monitoring.
Apple Brings Enterprise Device Management to the Vision Pro
(Tech Crunch, February 6)
Apple’s recently-launched Vision Pro is now being integrated into Apple Device management processes, aiming to please IT departments. The incorporation of Vision Pro into familiar management systems allows for easy device handling akin to iPhones and Macs, expanding its enterprise appeal. With emphasis on guided work and access to regular applications, Apple anticipates a wide range of enterprise use cases, facilitated by features like single sign-on and identity management tailored for IT professionals’ needs.
Microsoft Redesigns Copilot for the Web and Mobile
(Engadget, February 7)
Microsoft’s AI-powered chatbot Copilot is receiving a sleek redesign for its web and mobile platforms, featuring a cleaner interface and carousel prompts to showcase its capabilities. Timed just before the Super Bowl, Microsoft debuts a commercial highlighting Copilot’s functionalities, coinciding with the anniversary of Bing Chat’s launch, which has facilitated 5 billion chats and image generations. While Copilot has bolstered Bing and Edge’s market share, Microsoft aims to further leverage its potential despite initial expectations.
Apple Has Reportedly Made Foldable iPhone Prototypes
(Engadget, February 7)
Apple is reportedly exploring the concept of foldable iPhones, reportedly creating two clamshell-style prototypes, but the development is still in its early stages. Technical challenges — such as addressing issues like screen gaps and durability — pose hurdles for engineers, while designers struggle to innovate features that would justify the higher price point compared to traditional smartphones. Apple might first introduce a foldable iPad, although challenges like screen creasing and hinge design remain to be addressed.
