Zume’s robot pizzeria could be the future of workplace automation

Originally shared by Ward Plunet

Zume’s robot pizzeria could be the future of workplace automation

Zume Pizza, a food delivery startup in the San Francisco Bay Area, is expanding to a new location in the heart of Silicon Valley — with the help of robotic companions. The company, which starting today will deliver fresh pizzas to Palo Alto and the Stanford area in addition to its hometown of nearby Mountain View, says it has pioneered a robot-assisted technique for pressing pizza dough in a perfect circle in just nine seconds. That allows the operation to improve efficiency and let its human employees spend time on less tedious work, according to CEO and co-founder Julia Collins. “We wanted to identify places where humans were overtaxed physically, bored, or whether the job they were doing was not safe, like sticking their hand into a 600 degree oven for six hours a day,” Collins said in an interview with The Verge. “That’s why we focused next on this practice of opening the dough.” The new robot, aptly named Doughbot, is now being deployed on Zume’s “robot-enabled pizza assembly line,” where it does the job of pressing dough up to five times faster than even the most seasoned pizza spinning pros.
https://www.theverge.com/2017/6/28/15882852/zume-pizza-doughboy-robot-automation-future-food-delivery

#transportation

Originally shared by Jack Uldrich

#transportation
https://jalopnik.com/heres-the-first-look-at-googles-self-driving-semi-truck-1796465587?utm_source=MIT+Technology+Review&utm_campaign=0facc9b5a4-The_Download&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_997ed6f472-0facc9b5a4-153946973

Google Photos' AI-powered sharing is now available http://engt.co/2s3moLE

Originally shared by Engadget

Google Photos' AI-powered sharing is now available http://engt.co/2s3moLE
http://engt.co/2s3moLE

HEBI Robotics Building Blocks for Custom Robots

Originally shared by Panah Rad

HEBI Robotics Building Blocks for Custom Robots
http://www.roboticgizmos.com/hebi-robotic-building-blocks

neat

SciTech Digest - 11/2017.

SciTech Digest - 11/2017.
Abridged due to an exceptionally busy week.

Permalink here: http://www.scitechdigest.net/2017/03/synthetic-yeast-20-human-crispr-editing.html

Synthetic yeast 2.0, Human CRISPR editing, Automated gene therapy, Mitochondria delivery, Synthetic DNA robot, Molecular switches, Single-atom magnet, Baidu speech synthesiser, Metamaterial radar imaging, Magnetic Mars shield.

1. Synthetic Yeast 2.0 Project
The Synthetic Yeast 2.0 project has produced the first fully designed, partially synthesised, made-from-scratch eukaryotic genome, building on synthetic bacteria work and offering a range of industrial applications https://www.wired.com/2017/03/synthetic-yeast-genome/.

2. CRISPR Edits Human Embryos
CRISPR has been used to edit and correct the mutations in the cells of viable human embryos, correcting the genetic disease beta-thalassemia for example https://www.newscientist.com/article/2123973-first-results-of-crispr-gene-editing-of-normal-embryos-released.

3. Cheaper Automated Gene Therapy
A new device called Prodigy automates the gene therapy process to genetically alter a patient’s cells - to treat disease or target cancer - before being collected and introduced back into the patient’s body much quicker and cheaper than manual techniques https://www.technologyreview.com/s/603762/this-lab-in-a-box-could-make-gene-therapy-less-elitist/#comments.

4. Mitochondria Delivery as Therapy
Proof-of-concept experiments show that healthy mitochondria can be delivered into different cells types in animals to provide healthy replacements for defective mitochondria, and combined with other methods for targeting and destroying defective mitochondria might provide an early stage rejuvenation therapy https://www.fightaging.org/archives/2017/03/a-demonstration-in-mice-of-whole-mitochondria-delivered-as-a-therapy/.

5. Synthetic DNA Robot
A DNA-powered micro-robot combines 27 molecular components inside a fluid vesicle and including membrane proteins bound to tags that can reversibly link to specific DNA sequences that in turn bind tags linked to microtubule proteins; when the DNA is activated a cytoskeleton forms that can deform in a cell-like manner http://spectrum.ieee.org/the-human-os/biomedical/devices/celllike-robot-programmable-with-dna. A platform that might be loaded with sensors, drugs, or other tools.

6. Molecular Switches
First, a single molecule switch has been demonstrated, a molecular tripod bound to surfaces supporting a molecular “cantilever” that can be reversibly switched into two different states mechanically and electrically https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-03/uok-sms031017.php. Second, light-driven molecular crystal motors have also been demonstrated https://www.oia.hokudai.ac.jp/blog/on-the-path-toward-molecular-robots/.

7. Single-Atom Magnet
The smallest magnet ever produced - a single atom - has been demonstrated and used to store and retrieve a single bit of data http://spectrum.ieee.org/nanoclast/semiconductors/nanotechnology/single-atom-serves-as-worlds-smallest-magnet-and-data-storage-device.

8. Baidu’s Synthetic Speech
Baidu has demonstrated a deep learning system called Deep Voice that functions as a text-to-speech system that can learn to talk in a few hours with little to no human interference https://www.technologyreview.com/s/603811/baidus-artificial-intelligence-lab-unveils-synthetic-speech-system/. This is an improvement on DeepMind’s WaveNet system.

9. 3D Radar Imaging with Metamaterials
A new metamaterial has been formed into a dynamic metasurface that functions as an antenna at radio wavelengths that can be used exert a range of precise controls over radio beams for much higher-resolution, cheaper, quicker 3D radar imaging and jamming applications https://www.technologyreview.com/s/603839/how-metamaterials-are-reinventing-3-d-radar-imaging/. Achieving this for shorter wavelengths would be transformative.

10. Magnetic Shield for Mars
An interesting proposal suggests that placing a 2 Tesla magnet at Mars’ lagrange point would shield the planet from the Sun’s solar wind and allow the atmosphere to thicken over time, greatly assisting any terraforming efforts http://www.nextbigfuture.com/2017/03/2-tesla-magnetic-shield-placed-at-mars.html.

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SciTech Digest - 14/2017.

SciTech Digest - 14/2017.
Permalink here: http://www.scitechdigest.net/2017/04/stretchy-neural-implants-blackest.html

Stretchy neural implants, Blackest blacker black, First rocket re-use, Human teaching for AIs, Boosting DNA repair, Better solar cells, RNA zika vaccine, Colloidal crystal proof, Smallest polymer features, Bitcoin botnet protocol.

1. Stretchy Neural Implants
A rubber-like flexible polymer fiber functions as an effective neural implant for forming both optical and electrical connections with neurons for stimulation and recording, and which has mechanical properties compatible with tissues http://news.mit.edu/2017/stretching-boundaries-neural-implants-0331.

2. Blackest Blacker than Black Material
A spray-on form of Vantablack has been developed, which despite not being quite as black and only blocking 99.8% of all light (instead of 99.96%), it can be used to coat just about any object to make it appear like a two-dimensional hole http://www.sciencealert.com/this-object-has-been-sprayed-with-the-world-s-blackest-pigment-and-it-s-freaking-us-out. Vantablack achieves this by comprising a tangled forest of 20nm carbon nanotubes that absorbs all light.

3. First Re-Use of SpaceX Booster
SpaceX successfully re-launched a rocket booster that had been previously recovered from a successful barge landing after its first launch; after delivering its payload to orbit the rocket was again recovered via a barge landing http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-39451401.

4. Teaching Virtual Agents Like Humans
Baidu’s AI group successfully taught a virtual AI agent to navigate a simply environment in a similar manner to how humans are taught things; using natural language commands through positive and negative reinforcement and instilling a zero-shot learning ability and a basic sense of grammar https://techcrunch.com/2017/03/30/baidus-ai-team-taught-a-virtual-agent-just-like-a-human-would-their-baby/?ncid=rss. In related news deep neural networks can now transfer the style of one photo to another http://www.theverge.com/2017/3/30/15124466/ai-photo-style-transfer-deep-neural-nets-adobe.

5. Boosting DNA Repair to Slow & Reverse Aging
The NAD signalling molecule has been revealed as a key regulator of DNA repair enzymes, which was demonstrated in mice treated with NAD to mitigate both age-related and radiation-induced DNA damage http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2017/03/harvard-scientists-pinpoint-critical-step-in-dna-repair-cellular-aging/. Human trials are expected later this year.

6. Better Solar Cells
First, copper oxide on silicon solar cells are projected to reach 40% energy efficiency; watch this space http://www.nextbigfuture.com/2017/03/a-copper-oxide-solar-cells-on-top-of.html. Second, commercial plants look set to begin producing spray-on solar cells next year http://www.nextbigfuture.com/2017/03/pilot-commercial-plants-for-spray-on.html.

7. RNA Zika Vaccine
A programmable mRNA vaccine that encodes Zika virus proteins packaged in virus-sized dendrimer nanoparticles that can enter cells appears to produce a strong and effective immune response against the Zika virus http://news.mit.edu/2017/rna-nanoparticles-zika-vaccine-0329.

8. Prove Mermin-Wegner Fluctuations
A model colloidal system has provided a proof of the Mermin-Wegner theorem that states it is impossible for long-range ordering and crystal formation of particles in lower (one- and two-) dimensional atomic structures https://www.uni-konstanz.de/en/university/news-and-media/current-announcements/news/news-in-detail/das-anwachsende-ende-der-ordnung/. The positions of particles naturally deviate from perfect lattice sites.

9. Smallest Ever Polymer Features
New techniques with block copolymers facilitate controlled fabrication of sub-10 nanometer features including the complex patterning required for chips http://news.mit.edu/2017/self-assembly-smaller-microchip-patterns-0327.

10. Bitcoin Botnet Internet of Things Protocol
NeuroMesh claims to have developed a bitcoin-based “unhackable” botnet product intended to support security applications for internet-of-things devices and protocols http://www.coindesk.com/this-bitcoin-botnet-is-vying-to-be-future-of-secure-iot/.

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SciTech Digest - 15/2017.

SciTech Digest - 15/2017.
Permalink here: http://www.scitechdigest.net/2017/04/on-chip-particle-accelerator-diamond.html

On-chip particle accelerator, Diamond laser amplifier, Tensor processing units, Robot cloud brains, Memory circuit formation, Octopus gene regulation, CycleGAN deep learning, Tailored thymus organoids, Self assembling transistors, Blockchain voting applications.

1. Particle Accelerator on a Chip
The accelerator on a chip project continues to make progress towards the end-goal of getting the power gradient of a 3.2km long accelerator down to 30m http://spectrum.ieee.org/nanoclast/semiconductors/devices/nanofabrication-enables-acceleratoronachip-technology, but with applications including desktop accelerators that might produce medically-relevant particle beams for example.

2. Diamond Laser Amplifier
Ultrapure diamond crystal lenses are being used at the point of convergence to combine incoming laser beams into a single, more powerful output laser beam, which would have a range of obvious applications http://www.mq.edu.au/newsroom/2017/04/03/the-star-wars-superlaser-may-no-longer-be-sci-fi-new-australian-research/.

3. Google’s Tensor Processing Units
Google’s custom machine learning chips, known as Tensor Processing Units, have been demonstrated to be 15x - 30x faster than conventional chips for these applications, and offer 30x - 80x better efficiency https://techcrunch.com/2017/04/05/google-says-its-custom-machine-learning-chips-are-often-15-30x-faster-than-gpus-and-cpus/?ncid=rss.

4. Cloud Brains for Robot Pickers
RightHand Robotics has a robotic hand picking system for warehouses and assembly lines that uses cloud-based learning and memory so that every robot hand gains the benefits of each hand learning distinct and independent picking tasks for different objects and situations https://www.technologyreview.com/s/604038/a-robot-with-its-head-in-the-cloud-tackles-warehouse-picking/.

5. Better Understanding Memory Formation
New research provides better insight into human memory formation, and shows that in the neural circuits underlying this process in the brain, memories are actually formed simultaneously in the hippocampus and cortex-located long-term storage http://news.mit.edu/2017/neuroscientists-identify-brain-circuit-necessary-memory-formation-0406.

6. Novel Gene Regulation in Octopuses
An unusual type of gene regulation has been found to be very common in octopuses, which is based on extensive RNA editing to a degree much greater than any other animal group https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/04/octopuses-do-something-really-strange-to-their-genes/522024/. Lots of interesting questions to be answered here, and lots of implications including the counter-intuitive finding that the octopuses genome evolves at a much slower rate than other animals.

7. More Deep Learning Image Processing
Seems like not a week goes by without some project or announcement concerning the application of deep learning to image processing. This week CycleGAN is particularly impressive for genuinely impressive artistic photo conversions http://gizmodo.com/someone-finally-hijacked-deep-learning-tech-to-create-m-1793957126.

8. Tailored Thymus Organoids
More progress in creating functional thymus tissue has led to the point of now being able to custom-produce thymus tissue that produces T-Cells with specific desired characteristics https://www.fightaging.org/archives/2017/04/tailored-thymus-organoids-produce-specifically-configured-t-cells/.

9. Self Assembling Carbon Nanotube Transistors
A new method selects out semiconducting carbon nanotubes from solution and self assembles these into transistors on a circuit of gold electrodes http://www.rug.nl/sciencelinx/nieuws/2017/04/20170405_loi?lang=en.

10. Blockchain Voting Applications
Blockchain technology continues to demonstrate prototype voting applications that might be coming to us soon for a range of secure voting applications. For example, Broadridge has a stockholder blockchain voting system http://www.coindesk.com/broadridge-is-building-a-global-blockchain-for-stockholder-voting/, and Open Vote Network uses Ethereum to achieve similar ends http://www.coindesk.com/voting-scheme-ethereum-doesnt-give-away-vote/.

China is building an entire city of smog-sucking vertical forests

Originally shared by Ward Plunet

China is building an entire city of smog-sucking vertical forests
http://mashable.com/2017/06/27/china-forest-city-liuzhou-smog

Is the Brain Augmentation Hype Justified? Here's an Expert's Take http://bit.ly/2tguy6U

Originally shared by Singularity Hub

Is the Brain Augmentation Hype Justified? Here's an Expert's Take http://bit.ly/2tguy6U

Probably not a miracle water but it might help..

Probably not a miracle water but it might help..

Originally shared by Healthy Food Comunity

Today we will present you one of the most effective and refreshing drinks that will help you burn up to 10 kg in just one month without exercising and dieting...
#losewight #healthy #diet #drink #magical #help #exercise #burn #weightloss #recipe
http://www.healthyfoodcomunity.com/2017/06/27/no-diet-no-exercise-drink-magical-fat-cutter-water-lose-weight-10-kgs-month/

Exposure to Light Causes Emotional and Physical Responses in Migraine Sufferers

Originally shared by Neuroscience News

Exposure to Light Causes Emotional and Physical Responses in Migraine Sufferers

http://neurosciencenews.com/light-emotion-migraine-6981/

Researchers identify novel connections between neurons in the eye and neurons in the brain.

The research is in PNAS. (full access paywall)

Brain Evolved to Need Exercise

Originally shared by Neuroscience News

Brain Evolved to Need Exercise

Mounting scientific evidence shows that exercise is good not only for our bodies, but for our brains. Yet, exactly why physical activity benefits the brain is not well understood.

The research is in Trends in Neurosciences. (full access paywall)
http://neurosciencenews.com/evolution-brain-exercise-6982/

Greater muscle strength – better cognitive function for older people

Originally shared by Ward Plunet

Greater muscle strength – better cognitive function for older people

Greater muscle strength is associated with better cognitive function in ageing men and women, according to a new Finnish study. The association of extensively measured upper and lower body muscle strength with cognitive function was observed, but handgrip strength was not associated with cognitive function. Cognition refers to brain functions relating to receiving, storing, processing and using information.

link: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-06-greater-muscle-strength-cognitive-function.html

The Brain's Fight and Flight Response to Social Threat

Originally shared by Neuroscience News

The Brain's Fight and Flight Response to Social Threat

Full article at http://neurosciencenews.com/social-threat-fight-flight-6980/

A study exploring the neural correlates of the 'fight-or-flight' response finds that people who choose to flee perceive a greater threat, which leads them to mentally and behaviorally disengage from the situation.

A city covered in trees will fight air pollution in China http://engt.co/2rXp4ug

Originally shared by Engadget

A city covered in trees will fight air pollution in China http://engt.co/2rXp4ug
http://engt.co/2rXp4ug

AI, Art & copyright protection

AI, Art & copyright protection
A new and interesting subject with regard to products/work generated by machines, with the help of machine learning. Because in that case the creative spark is not from humans but inside the algorithm. Ofcourse machines usually don't have rights in this regard. But that's not the end of the discussion as this blog illustrates.

Originally shared by Erik Jonker

AI, Art & copyright protection
A new and interesting subject with regard to products/work generated by machines, with the help of machine learning. Because in that case the creative spark is not from humans but inside the algorithm. Ofcourse machines usually don't have rights in this regard. But that's not the end of the discussion as this blog illustrates.
http://theconversation.com/should-robot-artists-be-given-copyright-protection-79449?utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#link_time=1498469261

Sony's unorthodox take on AI is now open source

Originally shared by Rob Jongschaap
https://www.engadget.com/2017/06/27/sony-ai-aibo-research-open-source/

Artificial intelligence is entering the justice system

Originally shared by Wasim Muklashy

Artificial intelligence is entering the justice system

Bad news for crooks: RAVN’s AI speeds up the document-sifting process - and is more accurate than humans...

"The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) had a problem. Its investigation into corruption at Rolls-Royce was inching towards a conclusion, but four years of digging had produced 30 million documents. These needed to be sorted into "privileged" and "non-privileged", a legal requirement that involves paying junior barristers to do months of repetitive paperwork. "We needed a way that was faster," says Ben Denison, chief technology officer at the SFO. So, in January 2016, he started working with RAVN..."

#future = #REALnews #robots #tech #innovation #science #design #singularity #engineering #automation #AI #artificialintelligence #economy #finance #universalbasicincome #basicincome #money #UBI 

Artificial intelligence is entering the justice system | WIRED UK http://www.wired.co.uk/article/ravn-artificial-intelligence-peter-wallqvist
http://www.wired.co.uk/article/ravn-artificial-intelligence-peter-wallqvist

10+ Incredible Shadows That Will Make You Look Twice

Originally shared by Rob Jongschaap
http://www.boredpanda.com/shadows-not-like-objects/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=BPFacebook

We're filtering our water for drinking!

Originally shared by Bio E

We're filtering our water for drinking!





#health #healthtip #organic #food #gut #biogenicsmd #facts #run #yoga #diet #vegetables #vegetarian #diet #gmo #pesticides #gmofree #vegetarian #gut #biogenicsmd #fruit #farming #cooking #nature #fluoride #water

How government elites plan to survive a nuclear attack

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4618354/How-government-elites-plan-survive-nuclear-attack.html

Is Coconut Oil Healthy or Hazardous?

https://www.forksoverknives.com/is-coconut-oil-healthy-or-hazardous/?fb_ref=js5ryrPMol-Google&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=ShareButton&utm_campaign=GetSocial

9 things to know about the Amazon robotics facility coming to Thornton

http://www.9news.com/mb/news/local/next/9-things-to-know-about-the-amazon-robotics-facility-coming-to-thornton/448147001