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Meet Figure 01, the AI-powered humanoid robot designed to revolutionize manual labor

Figure, a robotics startup, has developed Figure 01, a bipedal, AI-powered humanoid robot that walks on two legs and is intended to perform manual labor currently performed by humans. The robot is designed to do jobs that people don’t want or have the skills for, and it will eventually be able to handle more advanced tasks like caring for the elderly or cooking meals. The company’s business plan is to generate revenue as soon as possible by developing robots that can learn and improve. Human-like robots, as opposed to single-purpose robots, can perform almost any task that a human worker would do in a warehouse.

The company has already spent $10 million in 2022, and the founder, Brett Adcock, is solely focused on Figure and is expected to invest more than $100 million in the company. Figure has created five humanoid prototypes that can bend fully at the waist and lift a box from the ground to a high shelf, with hands adding flexibility and utility. Figure intends to conduct extensive testing and refinement over the next few months, with the robots capable of handling the majority of general warehouse applications by the end of the year. A pilot project involving 50 robots working in a real warehouse setting is planned for 2024.

Source: FastCompany (link)
Images: MidJourney, Prompts by Lewis Farrell

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AI Creates Mullet-Wearing US Presidents: A Must-See Twitter Thread

If you enjoy hilarious mashups of history and pop culture, you must see this Twitter thread of AI-generated images of every US president… with one major difference. That’s right, they’re all rocking fashionable mullets! Cam Harless created these 46 (or 47, if you count the mulleted Benjamin Franklin) US presidents with the image-generating AI system Midjourney, and they look surprisingly cool with business-in-the-front, party-in-the-back hairdos.

From JFK to Obama, modern presidents are looking especially dapper in their trendy jewelry, sunglasses, and unbuttoned shirts. Meanwhile, with their flowing locks, some of the older presidents, such as Abraham Lincoln and James Buchanan, look downright badass. However, not everyone came out looking like a winner, as Richard Nixon resembles a Batman villain and George H.W. Bush’s mullet is pure chaos.

While there are legitimate ethical concerns about AI image generators, this thread demonstrates the incredible creativity and fun that can result from using this technology. So, if you’re looking for some seriously patriotic laughs and a new perspective on your favorite presidents, check out this must-see Twitter thread!

Source: Futurism (link)
Images: MidJourney, Prompts by Lewis Farrell

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The Rise of AI in the Microchip Industry: A Look at How It’s Changing the Game

The impact of AI on the microchip industry and the rest of the world cannot be overstated. The rise of chatbots and the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in smartphones, PCs, electric cars, weaponry, robotics, and other high-tech machinery has fueled the industry’s growth. Nvidia, based in the United States, has emerged as the market leader in specialized chips known as GPUs, thanks to its leadership in AI training programs. Meanwhile, rival companies such as Qualcomm are working to make their phones even more AI-friendly, seeing the technology’s potential for use in a variety of tasks. However, the supply chain’s complexities, combined with geopolitical tensions and manufacturing and distribution challenges, are posing significant challenges to the industry’s growth. Despite this, chip executives remain upbeat, believing that AI is the most exciting thing to happen to the industry since the introduction of apps 15 years ago. It’s a fast-paced, ever-changing industry, and only time will tell where this revolution will take us.

Source: Citizen (link)
Images: MidJourney, Prompts by Lewis Farrell

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Neural Networks: Hiding Invisible Doors with Unbreakable Locks

Computer scientists have demonstrated that undetectable backdoors can be implanted in machine learning models with the same certainty as cutting-edge encryption methods. Researchers have developed various methods to conceal their own sample backdoors in machine learning models in order to better understand machine learning model vulnerabilities. The researchers investigated two scenarios for outsourcing neural network training. In the first scenario, a company provides training data to a third party without specifying what type of neural network to build or how to train it. In the second scenario, a company specifies the network architecture and training procedure to be used but lacks the computational resources to train it. The team’s research discovered that undetectable backdoors could still be planted in the “white-box” scenario.

The researchers’ method is based on the mathematics that underpins digital signatures. They included a “verifier” module, which controls a backdoor by modifying the model’s output if it detects a special signature. An attacker knows the corresponding secret key, which is a function that generates a unique signature for any possible input and then slightly modifies the input to encode that signature. Companies that do not request a specific type of neural network and only test the trained model on new data may be vulnerable to black-box undetectable backdoors. White-box undetectable backdoors would be invisible even to a defender who could inspect all network details at the end of the training process. While the new work has some trade-offs, such as a focus on relatively simple models, it establishes a new theoretical link between cryptographic security and machine learning vulnerabilities, suggesting new directions for future research in the two fields.

Source: Quanta Magazine (link)
Images: MidJourney, Prompts by Lewis Farrell

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Bacteria that can mine rare-earth elements from wastewater identified

New research published in Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology reports on a novel way of extracting rare-earth elements from waste streams – using bacteria!

Rare-earth elements are vital in modern technology such as wind turbines, LEDs, catalysts, and magnets, but they are unevenly distributed around the world, and securing their supply in an uncertain geopolitical situation has been a cause of concern.

The researchers identified 12 with the highest accumulation rates for further study. These bacteria were able to accumulate high concentrations of REEs from wastewater without any need for additional energy inputs or chemical agents.

This research could pave the way towards a way of acquiring these metals with less environmental impact. Thomas Brück, a professor at the Technical University of Munich and the study’s last author, said, “The cyanobacteria described here can adsorb amounts of rare-earth elements corresponding to up to 10% of their dry matter. Biosorption thus presents an economically and ecologically optimized process for the circular recovery and reuse of rare earth metals from diluted industrial wastewater from the mining, electronic, and chemical-catalyst producing sectors.”

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Revolutionizing the Legal Industry: Co-Counsel by Casetext, the AI System That’s Changing Legal Research and Depositions

Legal AI Casetext’s Co-Counsel is a promising AI system for the legal industry that can perform specific legal tasks such as legal research, document summarization, and even depositions. It is intended to recognize and deconstruct a request before conducting research queries in the manner of a junior lawyer. One of Co-most Counsel’s impressive features is its ability to recognize what it doesn’t know, which is essential for telling the truth. When witnesses speculate about things they don’t know for sure, their statements can sometimes be false. Lawyers can rely on Co-Counsel to provide accurate and reliable information.

A team of AI engineers and experienced litigation attorneys managed a trust and reliability program that trained the AI system. Before being deployed, the team ran every legal skill on the platform through thousands of internal tests, and Co-Counsel applications were extensively tested by a group of beta testers comprised of over 400 attorneys from elite boutique and global law firms, in-house legal departments, and legal aid organizations.

Co-Counsel can assist lawyers with legal research, document summarization, and depositions, among other things. The system can be used to ask specific legal questions, and it will provide a summary or analysis of the analyzed documents. The ability of Co-Counsel to recognize and comprehend the nuances of the law and legal practice makes it an invaluable tool for lawyers and legal professionals.

Source: Above the Law (link)
Images: MidJourney, Prompts by Lewis Farrell

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U.S. and EU Collaborate on AI Research: What it Means for Innovation and Regulation

The United States and the European Union are working together on a research project to accelerate AI development and determine the necessary regulations. As the tech industry rushes to adopt generative AI tools, policymakers are attempting to prepare their governments for the latest emerging technology. By conducting a collaborative AI research study, the governments hope to develop similar strategies for regulating and promoting AI innovations. The research focuses on five areas: extreme weather and climate forecasting, emergency response management, improvements in health and medicine, electric grid optimization, and agricultural optimization. The United States Department of Energy, the Department of Agriculture, the Pentagon, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and several health and science agencies, as well as European counterparts, are among those taking part.

The research will take 60 days, during which time the relevant agencies will compile guidance on how AI can be applied ethically in various areas. The White House is keeping a close eye on the use of trendy generative AI tools like ChatGPT because there are potential benefits such as using them to write more secure code and make sense of data and insights. Policymakers, on the other hand, are concerned about potential vulnerabilities that could be exploited. Following the deadline, the White House and the European Commission will assess the research and decide on the next steps. This initiative is significant for innovation and regulation, as it could lead to similar approaches in regulating and fostering AI innovation in the future.

Source: Axios (link)
Images: MidJourney, Prompts by Lewis Farrell

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International astronauts will be selected soon for the Tianlong space station – could it be you?

The deputy chief designer of China’s manned space program, Chen Shanguang, has announced, “We are about to start selecting international astronauts to send to our space station and carry out scientific experiments together,” according to CGTN on March 1.

The first module of the Tianlong space station was launched in April 2021, with second and third modules added in July and October 2022, and a fourth coming soon –

Space News reports that the space station will maintain a manned presence in space continuously for the next ten years, with crews of three rotating every six months. The website howmanypeopleareinspacerightnow.com lists the current crew members as flight engineers Ye Guangfu and Wang Yaping and Commander Zhai Zhigang. The announcement that international astronauts will be selected for crews comes after the Tianlong crew conducted successful extravehicular activity (EVA) to replace a pump on the Mengtian science module.

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How Artificial Intelligence is revolutionizing beer brewing

To create new beer recipes, breweries are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) and chatbots. Several brewers have already debuted beers created with the assistance of chatbots, with AI designing the recipes and even the artwork. Michigan’s Atwater Brewery, for example, created the Artificial Intelligence IPA, a 6.9% ABV offering that has received a 3.73-star ranking out of five on beer ranking site Untappd. Meanwhile, Whistle Buoy Brewing in British Columbia debuted the Robo Beer, a hazy pale ale made from a ChatGPT recipe.

Brewers are using AI to develop new, distinctive recipes that will set them apart from the competition. Brewers can experiment with new ingredients and flavor combinations thanks to AI’s ability to analyze vast amounts of data and quickly generate new ideas, making the brewing process more efficient and innovative. As AI advances and more brewers adopt the technology, we can expect to see even more creative and unique beers on the market in the near future.

Source: Yahoo (link)
Images: MidJourney, Prompts by Lewis Farrell

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Robo-worm could explore the subsoil of alien planets, find earthquake survivors

Research published in Scientific Reports describes a prototype of an unusual kind of robot based on the humble earthworm. This research is part of the field of ‘soft robotics’ – robotics based on squishy, deformable parts, rather than rigid parts with joints – and comes from the BioInspired Soft Robotics lab at the Italian Institute of Technology in Genoa, under Barbara Mazzolai.

Earthworms move with peristaltic motion: meaning that they expand and contract different parts of their bodies (called metameres) rhythmically to generate waves of force that propel them forward. The researchers describe how the alternately expanding-contracting chambers of the earthworm’s body (called coeloms) maintain a constant volume as they contract – become shorter and thicker – and expand – become longer and narrower. The Italian researchers created soft actuators that mimic this constant-volume expansion-contraction cycle by pumping air in and out of a series of five robotic metameres, expanding when full of air, and then contracting. As an earthworm has bristles on its surface (called setae), which rub against the soil, creating the friction that propels the earthworm through the soil, the soft robot made by the Italian researchers has “passive setae-like friction pads”.The prototype described in the paper is 45cm long and weighs 605 grams, and has demonstrated improved locomotion with a speed of 1.35mm/s, about 4.8 metres in an hour. This could lead to designs that could explore the world beneath our toes, scan for landmines or for earthquake victims buried in rubble, and even explore the subsurface of other planets and moons.

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