Lifeboat Foundation

Even soft objects like balloons are now within reach.

Providing a growing older generation with a dignified and independent life means doing more with less – and governments and industry are looking to cutting-edge technology to help.

Recently, a team of researchers from Facebook AI and Tel Aviv University proposed an AI system that solves the multiple-choice intelligence test, Raven’s Progressive Matrices. The proposed AI system is a neural network model that combines multiple advances in generative models, including employing multiple pathways through the same network.

Raven’s Progressive Matrices, also known as Raven’s Matrices, are multiple-choice intelligence tests. The test is used to measure abstract reasoning and is regarded as a non-verbal estimate of fluid intelligence.

In this test, a person tries to finish the missing location in a 3X3 grid of abstract images. According to the researchers, there have been various similar researches, where the main focus entirely on choosing the right answer out of the various choices. However, in this research, the researchers focussed on generating a correct answer given the grid, without seeing the choices.

Once again, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is on a pathbreaking mission to develop an electric propulsion-powered aircraft, which would be quieter, more efficient, and environmentally friendly than today’s commuter aircraft.

Imagine this scenario: You’re deployed to some godforsaken hellhole downrange, in desperate need of additional ammo and chow. You call your superior officer for a very special airdrop: with approval from the U.S. Transportation Command, your cargo is launched into low earth orbit in a rocket-assisted payload. Within an hour, voila — fresh 5.56mm rounds and some delicious pizza MRE, ready to refresh your arsenal and renew your spirit.

The idea of space-borne resupply pods may seem like something out of science-fiction but it could someday be a reality for troops downrange, according to Army officials.

If Facebook’s AI research objectives are successful, it may not be long before home assistants take on a whole new range of capabilities. Last week the company announced new work focused on advancing what it calls “embodied AI”: basically, a smart robot that will be able to move around your house to help you remember things, find things, and maybe even do things.

Robots That Hear, Home Assistants That See

Continue reading “Facebook Wants to Make Smart Robots to Explore Every Nook and Cranny of Your Home” »

A team of scientists and students from the University of Sheffield has designed and built a specialist microscope, and shared the build instructions to help make this equipment available to many labs across the world.

The microscope, called the smfBox, is capable of single-molecule measurements allowing scientists to look at one molecule at a time rather than generating an average result from bulk samples and works just as well as commercially available instruments.

This single-molecule method is currently only available at a few specialist labs throughout the world due to the cost of commercially available microscopes.

A new version of Tesla’s Model 3 has arrived in Hong Kong. Driving UpCar shared a first look at it on YouTube. DDcar also reported that Hong Kong Tesla has officially brought the new 2021 Model 3 into the K11 Mall in Tsim Sha Tsui for public display. This batch of Model 3 cars was made in the Fremont factory and is expected to have basically the same configuration around the world.

Some of the changes discussed in the video include a minor change in the headlights, new design on the wheels, all-black trim, and door handles, of which they say, “I believe it’s not that easy to leave a fingerprint on them now.”

Intel, in its latest acquisition spree, has acquired Israel-based Cnvrg.io. The deal, like most of the deals in the past, is aimed at strengthening its machine learning and AI operations. The 2016-founded startup provides a platform for data scientists to build and run machine learning models that can be used to train, run comparisons and recommendations, among others. Co-founded by Yochay Ettun and Leah Forkosh Kolben, Cnvrg was valued at around $17 million in its last round.

According to a statement by Intel spokesperson, Cnvrg will be an independent Intel company and will continue to serve its existing and future customers after the acquisition. However, there is no information on the financial terms of the deal or who will join Intel from the startup.

The deal comes merely a week after Intel’s announcement of acquiring San Francisco-based software optimisation startup SigOpt, which it did to leverage SigOpt’s technologies across its products to accelerate, amplify and scale AI software tools. SigOpt’s software technologies combined with Intel hardware products could give it a major competitive advantage providing differentiated value for data scientists and developers.