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Neuromorphic computing mimics important brain feature

(Phys.org)—When you hear a sound, only some of the neurons in the auditory cortex of your brain are activated. This is because every auditory neuron is tuned to a certain range of sound, so that each neuron is more sensitive to particular types and levels of sound than others. In a new study, researchers have designed a neuromorphic (“brain-inspired”) computing system that mimics this neural selectivity by using artificial level-tuned neurons that preferentially respond to specific types of stimuli.

In the future, level-tuned neurons may help enable systems to perform tasks that traditional computers cannot, such as learning from their environment, pattern recognition, and knowledge extraction from big data sources.

The researchers, Angeliki Pantazi et al., at IBM Research-Zurich and École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, both in Switzerland, have published a paper on the new neuromorphic architecture in a recent issue of Nanotechnology.

“Super-Babies to a Quantum Portal to the Cosmos” –China’s 2016 Headlines Foreshadow Control of the Planet & Beyond

As I highlighted earlier, we now understand more about the telescope announcement 3 months ago and its tie with the Quantum Satellite. Also, we are aware of China’s efforts to be the world leader of tech as they have proven in Pharmaceuticals (namely the generic brand market). Space is another area they have passion due to the opportunities in mining rare and raw materials, etc. Things are getting extremely interesting for sure.

BTW — the balance of tech power is changing; and we could see soon a day that folks look towards China stating the future of tech v. SV.


In 2016, with headlines announcing yesterday’s launch of the first quantum computer to the completion of the world’s largest radio telescope, China is emerging as the new science super power, opening portals to new and uncharted territory with some of the world’s most powerful and costly research hardware at their disposal.

How Today’s Jungle of Artificial Intelligence Will Spawn Sentience

From time to time, the Singularity Hub editorial team unearths a gem from the archives and wants to share it all over again. It’s usually a piece that was popular back then and we think is still relevant now. This is one of those articles. It was originally published August 10, 2010. We hope you enjoy it!

You don’t have a flying car, jetpack, or ray gun, but this is still the future. How do I know? Because we’re all surrounded by artificial intelligence. I love when friends ask me when we’ll develop smart computers…because they’re usually holding one in their hands. Your phone calls are routed with artificial intelligence.

Every time you use a search engine you’re taking advantage of data collected by ‘smart’ algorithms. When you call the bank and talk to an automated voice you are probably talking to an AI…just a very annoying one. Our world is full of these limited AI programs which we classify as “weak” or “narrow” or “applied.”

Parking-ticket bot will now help homeless people get benefits

Stanford computer science student Joshua Browder, whose DoNotPay bot helps you fight parking tickets in London and New York (it’s estimated to have overturned $4M in tickets to date) has a new bot in the offing: a chatbot that helps newly homeless people in the UK create and optimise their applications for benefits.

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In austerity-wracked Britain, where the Tories have made things easier than they’ve ever been for landlords and harder than they’ve ever been for workers, repossessions and evictions are at an all-time high. So Browder — who was born in the UK — decided to add a homelessness navigation aid to his bot, which had already been expanded to handle fight-delay reimbursement applications. He’s also researching adding New York City homelessness form-completing to the bot’s repertoire.

IBM’s foray into Chinese healthcare sector

Watson joins China’s research team.


China’s Hangzhou Cognitive Care has teamed up with IBM to bring Watson super computer to 21 hospitals in the country.

Singapore: In a bid to intensify its fight against cancer, China’s Hangzhou Cognitive Care has teamed up with IBM to bring Watson super computer to 21 hospitals in the country. The super computer is all set to play a crucial role in a new multi-year program being unveiled in China. This is IBM’s first partnership in China’s healthcare sector.

IBM said, in a statement that this particular computing platform specializes in synthesizing tremendous amounts of data in order to provide physicians with a summary of patient records and numerous pieces of medical literature to help find the best individualized treatments for certain patients.

New Tiny Implantable Devices Are Powered by Ultrasound

Researchers have developed a wireless device small enough to be implanted in individual nerves, and capable of detecting the electrical activity of nerves and muscles deep within the body, according to DARPA, which funded the work.

The millimeter-scale sensor and external ultrasonic transceiver that powers the implant and communicates with it is called a “neural dust” system. The team, led by the University of California, Berkeley’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, completed the first in vivo tests of this technology in rodents and reported them in the journal Neuron.

The sensor can be implanted into either a nerve or muscle, and consists of a piezoelectric crystal, a single custom transistor, and a pair of recording electrodes. The system reported both electroneurogram (ENG) recordings from the sciatic nerve and electromyographic (EMG) recordings from the gastrocnemius muscle, according to the journal article.

Improved Safety Standards and Changing Regulatory Scenario to Boost the Global Aircraft Synthetic Vision System Market Through 2020: Technavio

LONDON—()—Technavio’s latest report on the global aircraft synthetic vision system (SVS) market provides an analysis on the most important trends expected to impact the market outlook from 2016–2020. Technavio defines an emerging trend as a factor that has the potential to significantly impact the market and contribute to its growth or decline.

Improved safety standards and changing regulatory scenario to boost the aircraft SVS market until 2020. Tweet this

An SVS is a computer-mediated reality system for aerial vehicles, which uses 3D technology to provide pilots with a clear understanding of their flying environment. It was developed by NASA and the US Air Force in the late 1970s and 1980s, in support of air safety and advanced cockpit research.

4 Smart Textiles Revolutionizing the Future of Fabric

Luv it; especially fabric to do time release meds, or bio release meds; or do communications via a shirt or jacket.


With the invention of technology-laden fabrics, otherwise known as smart textiles, we are able to benefit from multifunctional materials.

Smart textiles, also known as E-textiles, smart garments, tech fabrics, and smart fabrics, are materials based on technology that integrate advanced features beneficial to the wearer. In an interview with Forbes, Rebeccah Pailes-Friedman, smart textiles and wearable technologies expert stated, “what makes smart fabrics revolutionary is that they have the ability to do many things that traditional fabrics cannot, including communicate, transform, conduct energy and even grow.” And as crazy as it might sound, having computers and technology literally integrated into our clothing is not only acceptable but may one day be the norm.

“Smart textiles can be broken into two different categories: Aesthetic and Performance Enhancing,” says Forbes. And because of this, these technologically advanced textiles are being utilized by several different industries. Medical, beauty, sports, military, and fashion are taking advantage of such innovations to benefit its users in a way that’s seamlessly integrated into our lives. Excited to see what developments lay ahead, we’ll be exploring a few fabrics that may be in our closets, homes, and doctors offices sooner rather than later.

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