News September 10, 2024
Inside Google’s 7-Year Mission to Give AI a Robot Body
Google X, Alphabet’s secret innovation lab, was established in 2010 with the goal of tackling some of the world’s most pressing problems. The lab was deliberately located away from the main campus to foster its own culture and encourage big risks, rapid experimentation, and celebrating failure as an indication that we had set the bar exceptionally high. When I joined X in 2016, it had already hatched several projects such as Waymo, Google Glass, and science-fiction-sounding projects like flying energy windmills and stratospheric balloons that would provide internet access to the underserved.
The projects at X were different from Silicon Valley startups in that they encouraged big thinking and long-term solutions. To be considered a moonshot, a project needed to address a problem that affects hundreds of millions or billions of people, have breakthrough technology that gives us line of sight to a new way to solve the problem, and have a radical business or product solution that sounds like it’s just on the right side of crazy.
Eight and a half years later, it seems as if a new robotics startup pops up every week, which has led me to believe that robots need to come. However, I have concerns that Silicon Valley’s focus on “minimum viable products” and VCs’ general aversion to investing in hardware will be patient enough to win the global race to give AI a robot body. Additionally, much of the money being invested is focusing on the wrong things.
Crispr-Enhanced Viruses Are Being Deployed Against UTIs
Locus’s therapy is a cocktail of six phages that can effectively target E. coli infections. The company used artificial intelligence to predict the most effective combination. The phages are engineered with Crispr to enhance their effectiveness and work by infecting E. coli cells and causing them to burst open, or degrading the bacteria’s DNA using the Crispr system. The therapy was tested in a Phase 2 trial and showed promising results, with levels of E. coli in the urine rapidly declining and UTI symptoms clearing up within four hours of treatment. While phage therapy is not licensed in the US, it has been used experimentally in certain cases with permission from the US Food and Drug Administration. The use of a fixed cocktail like Locus’s could make the therapy more easily scalable, and the Crispr-enhanced phages may prevent regrowth of phage-resistant bacteria, leading to more effective treatment.
James Earl Jones’ Darth Vader Has Already Been Immortalized With AI
James Earl Jones, the actor who provided the voice of Darth Vader in various Star Wars films, has passed away at the age of 93. His passing marks a pivotal moment in the future of AI-generated performances, particularly in the world of voice acting. The full recreation of vocals may feel haunted, but it also feels more poignant. The question now is how well AI Vader will be received by fans and whether there will be a point at which fans let go of the character.
Best vacuum cleaners of 2024: 4 best stick and robot vacuums
The best vacuum cleaner setup is subjective and depends on personal preferences. However, there are some universal factors that can make or break any type of vacuum’s usefulness in your home. These include how likely you are to use it and its actual cleaning performance. If a vacuum is difficult to use or gets stuck frequently, it may not be as effective.
I have tested several automatic and upright cordless vacuums and recommendations for both types of vacuums based on their performance. However, the ideal setup depends on your main priority when it comes to vacuuming. If you want a robot vacuum that automates the most steps and gives you as little work as possible, then an upright cordless vacuum may be more suitable. On the other hand, if you prefer a vacuum that does the absolute most meticulous job, even if you still have to do the work, then a robot vacuum might be better.
It’s important to consider the drawbacks of each type of vacuum as well. While a robot vacuum can save time and effort in the long run, it may also piss you off sometimes. An upright cordless vacuum requires more effort and time to use, but it has better suction than corded vacuums.
In summary, the best vacuum cleaner setup is subjective and depends on personal preferences. It’s important to consider how likely you are to use it and its actual cleaning performance when choosing a vacuum. Additionally, it’s important to consider the drawbacks of each type of vacuum as well.
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