Science

• Don't Sit With Your Legs Crossed. An Anatomy Expert Explains Why.
  Seriously.
• Radical NASA Propulsion Concept Could Reach Interstellar Space in Under 5 Years
  It took Voyager 1 decades!

AI news

• Robot caterpillar demonstrates new approach to locomotion for soft robotics
  Researchers have demonstrated a caterpillar-like soft robot that can move forward, backward and dip under narrow spaces. The caterpillar-bot's movement is driven by a novel pattern of silver nanowires that use heat to control the way the robot bends, allowing users to steer the robot in either direction.
• Biodegradable artificial muscles: Going green in the field of soft robotics
  Scientists have developed fully biodegradable, high-performance artificial muscles. Their research project marks another step towards green technology becoming a lasting trend in the field of soft robotics.
• Head-worn device can control mobile manipulators
  New research aims to increase autonomy for individuals with such motor impairments by introducing a head-worn device that will help them control a mobile manipulator. Teleoperated mobile manipulators can aid individuals in completing daily activities, but many existing technologies like hand-operated joysticks or web interfaces require a user to have substantial fine motor skills to […]
• Mind-control robots a reality
  Researchers have developed biosensor technology that will allow you to operate devices, such as robots and machines, solely through thought control.
• A sowing, pruning, and harvesting robot for SynecocultureTM farming
  Synecoculture, a new farming method, involves growing mixed plant species together in high density. However, it requires complex operation since varying species with different growing seasons and growing speeds are planted on the same land. To address this need, researchers have developed a robot that can sow, prune, and harvest plants in dense vegetation growth. […]
• Resilient bug-sized robots keep flying even after wing damage
  Researchers have developed resilient artificial muscles that can enable insect-scale aerial robots to effectively recover flight performance after suffering severe damage.
• Mix-and-match kit could enable astronauts to build a menagerie of lunar exploration bots
  The Walking Oligomeric Robotic Mobility System, or WORMS, is a reconfigurable, modular, multiagent robotics architecture for extreme lunar terrain mobility. The system could be used to assemble autonomous worm-like parts into larger biomimetic robots that could explore lava tubes, steep slopes, and the moon's permanently shadowed regions.
• Robots can help improve mental wellbeing at work -- as long as they look right
  Robots can be useful as mental wellbeing coaches in the workplace -- but perception of their effectiveness depends in large part on what the robot looks like.
• Researcher solves nearly 60-year-old game theory dilemma
  A researcher has solved a nearly 60-year-old game theory dilemma called the wall pursuit game, with implications for better reasoning about autonomous systems such as driver-less vehicles.
• Researchers develop soft robot that shifts from land to sea with ease
  Most animals can quickly transition from walking to jumping to crawling to swimming if needed without reconfiguring or making major adjustments. Most robots cannot. But researchers have now created soft robots that can seamlessly shift from walking to swimming, for example, or crawling to rolling using a bistable actuator made of 3D-printed soft rubber containing […]
• Virtual reality games can be used as a tool in personnel assessment
  Fast gamers are more intelligent: Intelligence can be predicted through virtual reality games.
• Artificial intelligence (AI) reconstructs motion sequences of humans and animals
  Imagine for a moment, that we are on a safari watching a giraffe graze. After looking away for a second, we then see the animal lower its head and sit down. But, we wonder, what happened in the meantime? Computer scientists have found a way to encode an animal's pose and appearance in order to […]
• Artificial Intelligence from a psychologist's point of view
  Researchers test cognitive abilities of the language model GPT-3.
• Will future computers run on human brain cells?
  A 'biocomputer' powered by human brain cells could be developed within our lifetime, according to researchers who expect such technology to exponentially expand the capabilities of modern computing and create novel fields of study.
• Tiny new climbing robot was inspired by geckos and inchworms
  A tiny robot that could one day help doctors perform surgery was inspired by the incredible gripping ability of geckos and the efficient locomotion of inchworms.
• Real or fake text? We can learn to spot the difference
  While apprehensions about employment and schools dominate headlines, the truth is that the effects of large-scale language models such as ChatGPT will touch virtually every corner of our lives. These new tools raise society-wide concerns about artificial intelligence's role in reinforcing social biases, committing fraud and identity theft, generating fake news, spreading misinformation and more. […]
• Robot helps students with learning disabilities stay focused
  Engineering researchers are successfully using a robot to help keep children with learning disabilities focused on their work.
• Smash or pass? This computer can tell
  Could an app tell if a first date is just not that into you? Engineers say the technology might not be far off. They trained a computer to identify the type of conversation two people were having based on their physiological responses alone.
• Compact, non-mechanical 3D lidar system could make autonomous driving safer
  A new system represents the first time that the capabilities of conventional beam-scanning lidar systems have been combined with those of a newer 3D approach known as flash lidar. The nonmechanical 3D lidar system is compact enough to fit in the palm of the hand and solves issues of detecting and tracking poorly reflective objects.
• New AI technology could change game prep for Super Bowl teams
  New artificial intelligence technology being developed by engineers could significantly cut down on the time and cost that goes into film study for Super Bowl-bound teams (and all NFL and college football teams), while also enhancing game strategy by harnessing the power of big data.

Machine Learning

Artificial Intelligence

• Best Practices for Building the AI Development Platform in Government 
  By John P. Desmond, AI Trends Editor  The AI stack defined by Carnegie Mellon University is fundamental to the approach being taken by the US Army for its AI development platform efforts, according to Isaac Faber, Chief Data Scientist at the US Army AI Integration Center, speaking at the AI World Government event held in-person and virtually […]
• Advance Trustworthy AI and ML, and Identify Best Practices for Scaling AI 
  By John P. Desmond, AI Trends Editor   Advancing trustworthy AI and machine learning to mitigate agency risk is a priority for the US Department of Energy (DOE), and identifying best practices for implementing AI at scale is a priority for the US General Services Administration (GSA).   That’s what attendees learned in two sessions at the AI […]
• Promise and Perils of Using AI for Hiring: Guard Against Data Bias 
  By AI Trends Staff   While AI in hiring is now widely used for writing job descriptions, screening candidates, and automating interviews, it poses a risk of wide discrimination if not implemented carefully.  That was the message from Keith Sonderling, Commissioner with the US Equal Opportunity Commision, speaking at the AI World Government event held live and virtually in […]
• Predictive Maintenance Proving Out as Successful AI Use Case 
  By John P. Desmond, AI Trends Editor   More companies are successfully exploiting predictive maintenance systems that combine AI and IoT sensors to collect data that anticipates breakdowns and recommends preventive action before break or machines fail, in a demonstration of an AI use case with proven value.   This growth is reflected in optimistic market forecasts. […]
• Novelty In The Game Of Go Provides Bright Insights For AI And Autonomous Vehicles 
  By Lance Eliot, the AI Trends Insider   We already expect that humans to exhibit flashes of brilliance. It might not happen all the time, but the act itself is welcomed and not altogether disturbing when it occurs.    What about when Artificial Intelligence (AI) seems to display an act of novelty? Any such instance is bound to get our attention; […]
• Getting Government AI Engineers to Tune into AI Ethics Seen as Challenge 
  By John P. Desmond, AI Trends Editor   Engineers tend to see things in unambiguous terms, which some may call Black and White terms, such as a choice between right or wrong and good and bad. The consideration of ethics in AI is highly nuanced, with vast gray areas, making it  challenging for AI software engineers to […]
• Digital Natives Seen Having Advantages as Part of Government AI Engineering Teams 
  By John P. Desmond, AI Trends Editor   AI is more accessible to young people in the workforce who grew up as ‘digital natives’ with Alexa and self-driving cars as part of the landscape, giving them expectations grounded in their experience of what is possible.   That idea set the foundation for a panel discussion at AI World […]
• How Accountability Practices Are Pursued by AI Engineers in the Federal Government  
  By John P. Desmond, AI Trends Editor    Two experiences of how AI developers within the federal government are pursuing AI accountability practices were outlined at the AI World Government event held virtually and in-person this week in Alexandria, Va.  Taka Ariga, chief data scientist and director at the US Government Accountability Office, described an AI accountability framework he uses within his agency […]
• Startup: AssemblyAI Represents New Generation Speech Recognition 
  By AI Trends Staff   Advances in the AI behind speech recognition are driving growth in the market, attracting venture capital and funding startups, posing challenges to established players.   The growing acceptance and use of speech recognition devices are driving the market, which according to an estimate by Meticulous Research is expected to reach $26.8 billion […]
• Pursuit of Autonomous Cars May Pose Risk of AI Tapping Forbidden Knowledge
  By Lance Eliot, the AI Trends Insider     Are there things that we must not know?    This is an age-old question. Some assert that there is the potential for knowledge that ought to not be known. In other words, there are ideas, concepts, or mental formulations that should we become aware of that knowledge it could be […]

daily news

• Can You Really Pump Water Without Any Electricity?
  To see if those videos of people conjuring liquid without any external power actually hold water, you’ll need physics—and a straw.
• A Nonprofit Wants Your DNA Data to Solve Crimes
  Privately run genealogy databases have become a crucial tool for police investigators. Now a nonprofit is collecting data to help crack more cold cases.
• Climate Freeloaders Are Destroying the Planet
  Governments are ignoring calls to stop fossil fuel expansion—despite there being little time left to avoid the worst effects of global warming.
• This Is the Lightest Paint in the World
  An energy-saving coating needs no pigments, and it keeps the surface beneath it 30 degrees cooler.
• The Quest for Injectable Brain Implants Has Begun
  The hard electrodes inserted into the brain to treat Parkinson’s and paralysis damage the organ’s soft tissue. A new invention could change that.
• Feral Hogs Are the Worst Invasive Species You've Never Thought About
  Wild hogs destroy crops, uproot landscapes, and spread diseases—and not much is stopping them.
• The IPCC’s 2023 Climate Report Has Dire Warnings About Humanity’s Future
  The planet is on track for catastrophic warming unless countries take extreme action, according to the IPCC’s latest climate report.
• Russia’s Space Program Is in Big Trouble
  A set of Soyuz spacecraft coolant leaks hints that Roscosmos is struggling as the space agency loses international partnerships and funding.
• What Lit the Lamps That Let Humanity Measure the Universe
  Type Ia supernovas are astronomers’ best tools for measuring cosmic distances. In a first, researchers recreated one on a supercomputer to learn how they form.
• India’s Sacred Groves Are Resurrecting a Vanishing Forest
  Botanists and community stewards are using patches of native flora as blueprints to revive tropical dry evergreen ecosystems from near-extinction.
• The Filthy Truth About Your Tap Water
  The US is proposing bold action to clean thousands of “forever chemicals” out of drinking water. It’s long overdue.
• It’s Official: No More Crispr Babies—for Now
  In the face of safety risks, experts have tightened the reins on heritable genome editing—but haven’t ruled out using it someday.
• Your Nighttime Snores and Coughs May Be Unique
  Early research aims to look for patterns in an individual’s sleep sounds using deep neural networks—with potential applications for health care.
• Insect Farming Is Booming. But Is It Cruel?
  More than a trillion insects are raised each year as high-protein, low-carbon animal feed, but the practice might have an ethical blind spot.
• How to Create Your Optimal Bedtime Routine
  We asked experts how to craft a more intentional, peace-filled ritual to support a better night’s sleep.
• How a Beam of Pellets Could Blast a Probe Into Deep Space
  Researchers seek to develop advanced propulsion systems that can transform long-distance space exploration.
• A Gene Therapy Cure for Sickle Cell Is on the Horizon
  Two life-altering treatments could soon be available, but questions remain about how accessible and affordable they’ll be.
• Pi Is Hiding Everywhere
  For Pi Day, let’s track down the surprising spots where this mathematical constant turns up, from the quantum world to the everyday one.
• How to Lucid Dream (Even if You Think You Can’t)
  Want to take control inside your dreams? Turns out it’s a skill you can practice.
• Europe Is Bracing for (Another) Devastating Drought
  After unusually low amounts of rain and snow this winter, the continent faces a severe water shortage.

Geek Culture

• 'John Wick' Changed Movies Forever
  A movie about a hitman avenging his dog has transformed the blockbuster franchise. How? World-building.
• Your Favorite Podcast Is Probably an ‘Experience’ Now
  In an effort to keep listeners’ attention, teams behind “My Favorite Murder” and other shows are creating IRL happenings for fans—and they dig it.
• Brandon Sanderson Is Your God
  He’s the biggest fantasy writer in the world. He’s also very Mormon. These things are profoundly related.
• The Future of Black Queer Characters in Comics Is Joyful
  Meet the creators working to make sure that everyone can see themselves in the pages of their favorite stories.
• The 12 Best Games on PlayStation Plus
  With great options like Ghostwire: Tokyo and The Last of Us Remastered, Sony’s subscription service is the perfect jump start for new PS5 owners.
• I Saw the Face of God in a TSMC Semiconductor Factory
  As the US boosts production of silicon chips, a WIRED journalist goes inside the mysterious Taiwanese company at the center of the global industry.
• How to Love Technology Again
  At a time when software is consuming us, we crave hardware—the material anchors of our immaterial realities.
• The Untold Tale of Why 'Cart Life' Disappeared—and Its Resurrection
  Cart Life was a lauded indie darling. Then it vanished from Steam. Its creator finally opens up about why he pulled it, and why it’s coming back.
• Netflix Games Is Still Happening. Just Don’t Hold Your Breath
  The streaming giant gave an update on upcoming releases and why it’s (ahem) playing the long game.
• I Got Investigated by the Secret Service. Here's How to Not Be Me
  Don't drink and tweet.
• 'The Last of Us' Is Bleak, but It’s the Bleak You Need
  It’s absolutely dystopian, but it’s still a form of escapism. And all that ugliness serves a greater point.
• 'Swarm,' Superfandom, and Murder
  In the new psycho-thriller from Donald Glover, an obsessive fan goes berserk. Is the era of social media to blame?
• Musicians, Machines, and the AI-Powered Future of Sound
  Fears that computers could replace composers are real. But some music-makers are finding ways to harness generative AI creatively.
• The 11 Best Shows on Apple TV+ Right Now
  Even if you signed up purely for Ted Lasso, there’s a lot more you should check out on the streamer.
• Save the Planet by Eating This Big Ugly Fish
  The hardiest freshwater fish in America could revive the Midwest’s fishing industry—or destroy the Great Lakes. So much depends on your appetite.
• Company of Heroes 3 Gives Strategy Games a Much-Needed Reboot
  An old favorite is back, and in surprisingly excellent form for a game that could otherwise feel out of place and time.
• TikTok Is Changing What It Means to Be ‘Old’
  As users play with Teenage Look filters and offer ways to appear younger, ageism on the app runs rampant.
• The Movie That Changed How People Understand Pi
  Darren Aronofsky’s film, which turns 25 this year, injected the mathematical constant into pop culture’s consciousness in a whole new way.
• Jenny Odell Can Stretch Time and So Can You
  A conversation with the writer and artist on her new book, collective burnout, and ways to live off the clock.
• After 'The Last of Us,' Everything Will Be Transmedia
  The HBO series’s wild success has changed the game. Expect to see a lot more world-building franchises.

BUSINESS

• Bob Metcalfe, The Man Who Discovered Network Effects, Isn't Sorry
  Bob Metcalfe, inventor of ethernet, coined the law that explains the power and pathologies of social platforms. He also just won computing’s highest honor.
• The Fight to Expose Corporations’ Real Impact on the Climate
  Most carbon emissions caused by businesses are hidden from sight. US and California regulators are pushing to require companies fully disclose them.
• The TikTok Hearing Revealed That Congress Is the Problem
  The interrogation of CEO Shou Zi Chew highlighted US lawmakers’ own failure to pass privacy legislation.
• TikTok Paid for Influencers to Attend the Pro-TikTok Rally in DC
  The embattled social media company brought out the checkbook to ensure at least 30 of its biggest assets—creators—were in DC to help fend off critics.
• For Smarter Robots, Just Add Humans
  Autonomous machines are still too clumsy for delicate tasks. But humans can operate mechanical arms from afar, turning physical labor into remote work.
• If the US Bans TikTok, WeChat Might Be Next
  WeChat has 19 million users in the US and is a lifeline for people across the Chinese diaspora.
• A US Agency Rejected Face Recognition—and Landed in Big Trouble
  Officials working on Login.gov, used to access dozens of government sites, worried about algorithmic bias. Their decision breached federal security rules.
• The TikTok CEO’s Face-Off With Congress Is Doomed
  On Thursday, Shou Zi Chew will meet a rare united front in the US Congress against the Chinese-owned social media app that has lawmakers in a tizzy.
• ‘4 People Tweeting’ Changed the Face of Nigerian Politics
  A youth-led online movement propelled an outsider candidate into the political mainstream.
• How You Can Tell the AI Images of Trump’s Arrest Are Deepfakes
  Doctored images of the former US president went viral on Twitter. These are the telltale signs that they aren’t what they seem.
• China’s ChatGPT Rival Needs to Watch Its Words
  Search giant Baidu’s Ernie Bot met online jeers and also faces the challenge of operating on a firewalled internet ruled by government censorship.
• A New York Court Is About to Rule on the Future of Crypto
  The Securities and Exchange Commission’s case against Ripple over the XRP token will establish a critical precedent.
• Google Rolls Out Its Bard Chatbot to Battle ChatGPT
  A new bot has entered the chat. But Google warns that, like its competitor, it will sometimes “hallucinate.”
• Meta Is Being Sued in Kenya, Again
  Moderators who handled Facebook and Instagram content allege they’ve been blacklisted after raising concerns about working conditions.
• Senators Warn the Next US Bank Run Could Be Rigged
  Lawmakers call for an investigation into the SVB collapse, fearing hostile foreign governments will use social media to manipulate markets.
• When Colleges Offer Coding Boot Camp, Students Can Get a Raw Deal
  Universities boost revenue by partnering with unregulated, for-profit providers. But when a boot camp went bust, some students took the fall.
• Here Are the Skills You Need to Succeed in Tech in 2023
  First, stay human.
• The Weekend Silicon Valley Stared Into the Abyss
  When SVB collapsed, entrepreneurs who feared losing everything spent nerve-wracking days crafting backup plans, seeking new funds, and pleading with politicians.
• The Ugly Lessons of Silicon Valley Bank’s Collapse
  Notoriously smart risk-takers missed a huge threat under their own noses, while avowed libertarians begged for government help.
• In Bulgaria, Russian Trolls Are Winning the Information War
  Pro-Russia groups are gaming Facebook’s review process, and moderators are stuck in the middle.

IDEAS

• AI Loves—and Loathes—Language
  Deep learning networks may look like brains, but that doesn’t mean they can think like humans. On the ever-expanding meganet, that’s a problem.
• The End of ‘Life’ As You Know It
  Society’s outdated ideas about what it means to be alive are obstructing progress on some of today’s most pressing issues.
• How Venture Capital Can Avoid the Next Silicon Valley Bank Fiasco
  The crisis exposed Big VC’s flaws. It’s time to rethink venture capital’s power—and reimagine investment in innovation.
• You Don’t Have to Be a Jerk to Resist the Bots
  The next phase of tech capitalism will demand more, not less, of your humanity.
• AI Will Make Human Art More Valuable
  If history is any indication, society will continue to favor the artistic output of people.
• An AI Told Me I Had Cancer
  Why was an AI looking through my medical records and how did it work? I decided to find out.
• Neuromarketing and the Battle for Your Brain
  You experience subtle and overt manipulation on the web every day, but that doesn’t mean you can’t think and act for yourself.
• The Case for Regulating Platform Design
  Focusing on Section 230 protection for user-generated content is detracting from the real threat: apps’ negligent design choices.
• On Asphyxiation From Trains and Other Inaccurate Predictions
  The internet loves to poke fun at people who got it wrong, but those ridiculed forecasters might get the last laugh.
• An AI ‘Sexbot’ Fed My Hidden Desires—and Then Refused to Play
  Late-night curiosity about the NSFW depths of a chatbot unleashed my fantasies—until we were censored.
• Doctor Unions Are Good for Your Health
  Physicians across the US are unionizing, which can lead to better working conditions for health care providers and greater advocacy for patients.
• The Era of Faked CCTV Has Truly Arrived
  Bad actors are manipulating scenes to cover their tracks, fueling “malinformation” that is tough to contain.
• TikTok’s Screen-Time Limits Are the Real Distraction
  Kids today face problems far larger than their social media usage. Restrictions feed into a moral panic without addressing the root cause of their anxiety.
• When It Comes to OnlyFans, Humans Can Outcompete AI
  When people pay for sexual media, they’re seeking more than an anonymous image. AI cannot replicate the underlying desires that drive sex work.
• Survivors Suffer When Judges Misunderstand Social Media
  In sexual assault cases, the complainant’s fate may depend on the judge’s awareness of how various online communications platforms work.
• A Unique Experiment That Could Make Social Media Better
  Academic researchers weren’t getting anywhere by criticizing Big Tech platforms, so we decided to try collaborating instead.
• How WIRED Will Use Generative AI Tools
  Some publications are already using text and image generators. Here’s how WIRED will—and won’t—use the technology.
• I Asked an Algorithm to Optimize My Life. Here's What Happened
  I spend all day making decisions, and they’re not always good ones. Could an algorithm do a better job of deciding what’s best for me?
• It’s Time to Fall in Love With Nuclear Fusion—Again
  Let’s indulge: Once fusion arrives, handmade suns could wipe out all human problems in a go.
• ChatGPT, Strollers, and the Anxiety of Automation
  I don't feel bad because I no longer need to cream butter by hand or knit my kids’ sweaters, so why do large language models feel different?