Posts
How We Perceive Color
Originally shared by Neuroscience News
How We Perceive Color
Researchers researchers found that this 'filling-in' effect only makes a small contribution to how colourful an images appears.
The research is in i-Perception. (full open access)
http://neurosciencenews.com/color-perception-9050/
How We Perceive Color
Researchers researchers found that this 'filling-in' effect only makes a small contribution to how colourful an images appears.
The research is in i-Perception. (full open access)
http://neurosciencenews.com/color-perception-9050/
Google Provides Free Machine Learning Course For Everyone
Originally shared by TechNotification
https://www.technotification.com/2018/04/google-free-machine-learning.html
https://www.technotification.com/2018/04/google-free-machine-learning.html
How Melatonin Promotes Sleep
Originally shared by Neuroscience News
How Melatonin Promotes Sleep
Researchers discovered that blocking melatonin receptors in the brain at bedtime significantly increased wakefulness.
The research is in Journal of Pineal Research. (full access paywall)
http://neurosciencenews.com/sleep-melatonin-9052/
How Melatonin Promotes Sleep
Researchers discovered that blocking melatonin receptors in the brain at bedtime significantly increased wakefulness.
The research is in Journal of Pineal Research. (full access paywall)
http://neurosciencenews.com/sleep-melatonin-9052/
How REM and Non-REM Sleep May Work Together to Help Solve Problems
Originally shared by Neuroscience News
How REM and Non-REM Sleep May Work Together to Help Solve Problems
Non-REM sleep helps us organize information into useful categories, whereas REM helps us see beyond those categories to discover unexpected connections.
The research is in Trends in Cognitive Sciences. (full open access)
http://neurosciencenews.com/rem-nrem-problem-solving-9049/
How REM and Non-REM Sleep May Work Together to Help Solve Problems
Non-REM sleep helps us organize information into useful categories, whereas REM helps us see beyond those categories to discover unexpected connections.
The research is in Trends in Cognitive Sciences. (full open access)
http://neurosciencenews.com/rem-nrem-problem-solving-9049/
Our Brains Are Obsessed with Being Social
Originally shared by Neuroscience News
Our Brains Are Obsessed with Being Social
The greater the connectivity between these two default network regions, the higher the levels of social memory performance.
The research is in Cerebral Cortex. (full access paywall)
http://neurosciencenews.com/social-brain-9066/
Our Brains Are Obsessed with Being Social
The greater the connectivity between these two default network regions, the higher the levels of social memory performance.
The research is in Cerebral Cortex. (full access paywall)
http://neurosciencenews.com/social-brain-9066/
Why We Need to Figure Out a Theory of Consciousness
Originally shared by Neuroscience News
Why We Need to Figure Out a Theory of Consciousness
These big claims are controversial and are (unfortunately) undermining the great potential for progress that could come from following some of the ideas behind the theory.
http://neurosciencenews.com/consciousness-theory-9059/
Why We Need to Figure Out a Theory of Consciousness
These big claims are controversial and are (unfortunately) undermining the great potential for progress that could come from following some of the ideas behind the theory.
http://neurosciencenews.com/consciousness-theory-9059/
To speed up machine learning, Google’s DeepMind simulates the effect of dopamine on the human brain
Originally shared by Ward Plunet
To speed up machine learning, Google’s DeepMind simulates the effect of dopamine on the human brain
Artificial intelligence systems based on deep learning algorithms have shown their ability to outperform real people in all manner of tasks, including classifying images and playing classic board games such as chess and Go. But despite those impressive achievements, deep learning systems still struggle to compete with humans when it comes to the speed at which they can learn new concepts. For example, machine learning algorithms still require hundreds of hours of training to master simple video games such as Breakout and Pong, something the average human can achieve in just a few hours. Google Inc.’s deep learning subsidiary DeepMind Technologies Ltd. believes that the secret behind human’s ability to learn new ideas and concepts so quickly might have something to do with dopamine, a neurotransmitter that’s released by neurons in the brain and is believed to be responsible for emotions, movements and sensations of pain and pleasure. In a paper published Monday in the journal Nature Neuroscience, DeepMind’s researchers talked about the concept of “meta learning,” which is the process of learning from examples and then deriving rules from them over time in order to learn new concepts faster. Scientists believe that meta learning is what allows people to acquire fresh knowledge more easily than computers can, but the process itself is not very well understood.
https://siliconangle.com/blog/2018/05/14/googles-deepmind-simulates-affect-dopamine-human-brain-speed-machine-learning/
To speed up machine learning, Google’s DeepMind simulates the effect of dopamine on the human brain
Artificial intelligence systems based on deep learning algorithms have shown their ability to outperform real people in all manner of tasks, including classifying images and playing classic board games such as chess and Go. But despite those impressive achievements, deep learning systems still struggle to compete with humans when it comes to the speed at which they can learn new concepts. For example, machine learning algorithms still require hundreds of hours of training to master simple video games such as Breakout and Pong, something the average human can achieve in just a few hours. Google Inc.’s deep learning subsidiary DeepMind Technologies Ltd. believes that the secret behind human’s ability to learn new ideas and concepts so quickly might have something to do with dopamine, a neurotransmitter that’s released by neurons in the brain and is believed to be responsible for emotions, movements and sensations of pain and pleasure. In a paper published Monday in the journal Nature Neuroscience, DeepMind’s researchers talked about the concept of “meta learning,” which is the process of learning from examples and then deriving rules from them over time in order to learn new concepts faster. Scientists believe that meta learning is what allows people to acquire fresh knowledge more easily than computers can, but the process itself is not very well understood.
https://siliconangle.com/blog/2018/05/14/googles-deepmind-simulates-affect-dopamine-human-brain-speed-machine-learning/
To Build Truly Intelligent Machines, Teach Them Cause and Effect
Originally shared by Ward Plunet
To Build Truly Intelligent Machines, Teach Them Cause and Effect
Judea Pearl, a pioneering figure in artificial intelligence, argues that AI has been stuck in a decades-long rut. His prescription for progress? Teach machines to understand the question why.
https://www.quantamagazine.org/to-build-truly-intelligent-machines-teach-them-cause-and-effect-20180515/
To Build Truly Intelligent Machines, Teach Them Cause and Effect
Judea Pearl, a pioneering figure in artificial intelligence, argues that AI has been stuck in a decades-long rut. His prescription for progress? Teach machines to understand the question why.
https://www.quantamagazine.org/to-build-truly-intelligent-machines-teach-them-cause-and-effect-20180515/
While companies like Tesla, Uber and Waymo (among many others) have already been testing cars that drive themselves,...
Originally shared by Rob Jongschaap
While companies like Tesla, Uber and Waymo (among many others) have already been testing cars that drive themselves, there are others, including Airbus, Boeing and Toyota, who are working on flying cars. Even NASA is onboard with this vision for the future, and has an Urban Air Mobility (UAM) research team working toward this goal, which the agency calls “a safe and efficient air transportation system where everything from small package delivery drones to passenger-carrying air taxis operate over populated areas, from small towns to the largest cities.”
https://www-ibtimes-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/www.ibtimes.com/nasa-urban-air-mobility-plan-transport-goal-future-2678851?amp=1&_js_v=0.1
While companies like Tesla, Uber and Waymo (among many others) have already been testing cars that drive themselves, there are others, including Airbus, Boeing and Toyota, who are working on flying cars. Even NASA is onboard with this vision for the future, and has an Urban Air Mobility (UAM) research team working toward this goal, which the agency calls “a safe and efficient air transportation system where everything from small package delivery drones to passenger-carrying air taxis operate over populated areas, from small towns to the largest cities.”
https://www-ibtimes-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/www.ibtimes.com/nasa-urban-air-mobility-plan-transport-goal-future-2678851?amp=1&_js_v=0.1
AI is Taking Low-Light Photography to the Next Level
Originally shared by Rob Jongschaap
https://petapixel.com/2018/05/09/ai-is-taking-low-light-photo-quality-to-the-next-level/
https://petapixel.com/2018/05/09/ai-is-taking-low-light-photo-quality-to-the-next-level/
Awesome doggos are teaching the #AI, so we can build service robots that can replace service dogs.
Originally shared by Ivan Raszl
Awesome doggos are teaching the #AI, so we can build service robots that can replace service dogs.
https://thebark.com/content/dogs-contribute-artificial-intelligence
Awesome doggos are teaching the #AI, so we can build service robots that can replace service dogs.
https://thebark.com/content/dogs-contribute-artificial-intelligence
Can We Make An #Artificial #Sun on #Earth ? : http://sciabc.us/B8CwQ #science
Originally shared by Science ABC
Can We Make An #Artificial #Sun on #Earth ? : http://sciabc.us/B8CwQ #science
http://sciabc.us/B8CwQ
Can We Make An #Artificial #Sun on #Earth ? : http://sciabc.us/B8CwQ #science
http://sciabc.us/B8CwQ
Methuselah Star Is Older Than The Universe – How Is It Possible? | MessageToEagle.com
Originally shared by Adriana Barcajova
http://www.messagetoeagle.com/methuselah-star-older-universe-possible/
http://www.messagetoeagle.com/methuselah-star-older-universe-possible/
Google’s AI advances are equal parts worry and wonder https://engt.co/2KV01lp
Originally shared by Engadget
Google’s AI advances are equal parts worry and wonder https://engt.co/2KV01lp
https://engt.co/2KV01lp
Google’s AI advances are equal parts worry and wonder https://engt.co/2KV01lp
https://engt.co/2KV01lp
Some people are creeped out by Google Duplex, the AI that can make a haircut appointment.
Originally shared by Wayne Radinsky
Some people are creeped out by Google Duplex, the AI that can make a haircut appointment. "It was even a topic on sports radio. On Wednesday morning, the Murph & Mac show on KNBR in San Francisco played a clip of Duplex talking. Soon you could get a call and wonder if the voice on the other end is real or not, the hosts said."
"Scott Huffman, an executive on Google's Assistant team, said the response to Duplex was mixed. Some people were blown away by the technical demos, while others were concerned about the implications. Huffman said he understands the concerns. Although he doesn't endorse one proposed solution to the creepy factor: Giving it an obviously robotic voice when it calls. 'People will probably hang up,' he said."
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-10/google-grapples-with-horrifying-reaction-to-uncanny-ai-tech
Some people are creeped out by Google Duplex, the AI that can make a haircut appointment. "It was even a topic on sports radio. On Wednesday morning, the Murph & Mac show on KNBR in San Francisco played a clip of Duplex talking. Soon you could get a call and wonder if the voice on the other end is real or not, the hosts said."
"Scott Huffman, an executive on Google's Assistant team, said the response to Duplex was mixed. Some people were blown away by the technical demos, while others were concerned about the implications. Huffman said he understands the concerns. Although he doesn't endorse one proposed solution to the creepy factor: Giving it an obviously robotic voice when it calls. 'People will probably hang up,' he said."
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-10/google-grapples-with-horrifying-reaction-to-uncanny-ai-tech
As it gets integrated into our lives, it no longer feels like "the future".
Originally shared by Mark Lewis
As it gets integrated into our lives, it no longer feels like "the future". It is though. We are definitely living in the future. I really have an urge to watch Minority Report again.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/05/08/google-ceo-unveils-new-era-of-robots-that-sound-like-humans/
As it gets integrated into our lives, it no longer feels like "the future". It is though. We are definitely living in the future. I really have an urge to watch Minority Report again.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/05/08/google-ceo-unveils-new-era-of-robots-that-sound-like-humans/
Ever recognize the repeating patterns of nature?
Originally shared by Jennifer Ouellette
Ever recognize the repeating patterns of nature? There’s a theory for that. "Everything flows from the fluids inside our bodies to the electricity that feeds our homes. But it’s more than that. Information in computers and cultural norms flow too, as do artistic movements and breakthrough developments. Everything has flow and the greater our knowledge about it, the better we can manage our life and the world around us." http://bigthink.com/philip-perry/this-little-known-physics-law-silently-controls-your-life
http://bigthink.com/philip-perry/this-little-known-physics-law-silently-controls-your-life
Ever recognize the repeating patterns of nature? There’s a theory for that. "Everything flows from the fluids inside our bodies to the electricity that feeds our homes. But it’s more than that. Information in computers and cultural norms flow too, as do artistic movements and breakthrough developments. Everything has flow and the greater our knowledge about it, the better we can manage our life and the world around us." http://bigthink.com/philip-perry/this-little-known-physics-law-silently-controls-your-life
http://bigthink.com/philip-perry/this-little-known-physics-law-silently-controls-your-life
Navigating with grid-like representations in artificial agents
Originally shared by Ward Plunet
Navigating with grid-like representations in artificial agents
Most animals, including humans, are able to flexibly navigate the world they live in – exploring new areas, returning quickly to remembered places, and taking shortcuts. Indeed, these abilities feel so easy and natural that it is not immediately obvious how complex the underlying processes really are. In contrast, spatial navigation remains a substantial challenge for artificial agents whose abilities are far outstripped by those of mammals....In our most recent paper published in Nature, we developed an artificial agent to test the theory that grid cells support vector-based navigation, in keeping with our overarching philosophy that algorithms used for AI can meaningfully approximate elements of the brain.
https://deepmind.com/blog/grid-cells/
Navigating with grid-like representations in artificial agents
Most animals, including humans, are able to flexibly navigate the world they live in – exploring new areas, returning quickly to remembered places, and taking shortcuts. Indeed, these abilities feel so easy and natural that it is not immediately obvious how complex the underlying processes really are. In contrast, spatial navigation remains a substantial challenge for artificial agents whose abilities are far outstripped by those of mammals....In our most recent paper published in Nature, we developed an artificial agent to test the theory that grid cells support vector-based navigation, in keeping with our overarching philosophy that algorithms used for AI can meaningfully approximate elements of the brain.
https://deepmind.com/blog/grid-cells/
The Verge: Boston Dynamics’ robots are learning how to run outside and navigate autonomously.
Originally shared by Rob Jongschaap
The Verge: Boston Dynamics’ robots are learning how to run outside and navigate autonomously. https://google.com/newsstand/s/CBIw7JHq6jo
https://google.com/newsstand/s/CBIw7JHq6jo
The Verge: Boston Dynamics’ robots are learning how to run outside and navigate autonomously. https://google.com/newsstand/s/CBIw7JHq6jo
https://google.com/newsstand/s/CBIw7JHq6jo
Scientists in the United States have developed a simple and robust approach for directly reprogramming mature skin...
Originally shared by Manuela Casasoli
Scientists in the United States have developed a simple and robust approach for directly reprogramming mature skin cells into immature muscle cells.
[...]
In conclusion, our study reports on a simple and robust approach to generate expandable, non-transformed myogenic cell populations with characteristics of muscle stem cells directly from fibroblasts and muscle tissue. Our results also raise the intriguing possibility that any other stem/progenitor populations of interest could be derived using similar principles, i.e., overexpression of differentiation-associated transcription factors and pharmacological suppression of pathways that resist reprogramming.
Bar-Nur et al. (2018) Direct Reprogramming of Mouse Fibroblasts into Functional Skeletal Muscle Progenitors:
1)https://www.cell.com/stem-cell-reports/fulltext/S2213-6711(18)30177-2
2)https://www.cell.com/stem-cell-reports/pdf/S2213-6711(18)30177-2.pdf
https://eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-05/cp-cra050218.php
Scientists in the United States have developed a simple and robust approach for directly reprogramming mature skin cells into immature muscle cells.
[...]
In conclusion, our study reports on a simple and robust approach to generate expandable, non-transformed myogenic cell populations with characteristics of muscle stem cells directly from fibroblasts and muscle tissue. Our results also raise the intriguing possibility that any other stem/progenitor populations of interest could be derived using similar principles, i.e., overexpression of differentiation-associated transcription factors and pharmacological suppression of pathways that resist reprogramming.
Bar-Nur et al. (2018) Direct Reprogramming of Mouse Fibroblasts into Functional Skeletal Muscle Progenitors:
1)https://www.cell.com/stem-cell-reports/fulltext/S2213-6711(18)30177-2
2)https://www.cell.com/stem-cell-reports/pdf/S2213-6711(18)30177-2.pdf
https://eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-05/cp-cra050218.php
Google Photos is undoubtedly one of Google’s most successful software products of the last few years; it has quickly...
Originally shared by Rob Jongschaap
Google Photos is undoubtedly one of Google’s most successful software products of the last few years; it has quickly become the go-to photo storing and sharing platform for many iOS and Android users alike. And with that, a notable presence at I/O, as has been the case in years past (Photos was announced at I/O 2015, by the way), is perhaps expected for I/O 2018.
Here’s some of what we think might be coming for Photos this year based on information from our APK Insight series and various sources familiar with the company’s plans…
https://9to5google.com/2018/05/04/google-photos-expectations-i-o-2018/
Google Photos is undoubtedly one of Google’s most successful software products of the last few years; it has quickly become the go-to photo storing and sharing platform for many iOS and Android users alike. And with that, a notable presence at I/O, as has been the case in years past (Photos was announced at I/O 2015, by the way), is perhaps expected for I/O 2018.
Here’s some of what we think might be coming for Photos this year based on information from our APK Insight series and various sources familiar with the company’s plans…
https://9to5google.com/2018/05/04/google-photos-expectations-i-o-2018/
Mars is the perfect planet for this project: It’s large enough to be geologically interesting and, like the Earth,...
Originally shared by Physicsism
Mars is the perfect planet for this project: It’s large enough to be geologically interesting and, like the Earth, has a core and mantle beneath its crust. But the Red Planet isn’t so large and geologically active that its crust is constantly changing and erasing evidence of what it was like in the past.
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/nasa-readies-launch-insight-first-lander-investigate-mars-innards
Mars is the perfect planet for this project: It’s large enough to be geologically interesting and, like the Earth, has a core and mantle beneath its crust. But the Red Planet isn’t so large and geologically active that its crust is constantly changing and erasing evidence of what it was like in the past.
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/nasa-readies-launch-insight-first-lander-investigate-mars-innards
Do you hate putting together IKEA furniture? These robots could help! 🤖🤣🤓
Originally shared by MakeUseOf
Do you hate putting together IKEA furniture? These robots could help! 🤖🤣🤓
https://muo.co/2jgmrBc
Do you hate putting together IKEA furniture? These robots could help! 🤖🤣🤓
https://muo.co/2jgmrBc
Ch2oose, una botella de papel reciclado para salvar los océanos del plástico.
Originally shared by Ecoinventos
Ch2oose, una botella de papel reciclado para salvar los océanos del plástico.
https://ecoinventos.com/ch2oose/
Ch2oose, una botella de papel reciclado para salvar los océanos del plástico.
https://ecoinventos.com/ch2oose/
Researchers have secured £1.1 million in grant funding to develop artificial intelligence systems to enable...
Originally shared by LCAS
Researchers have secured £1.1 million in grant funding to develop artificial intelligence systems to enable self-learning robots to be deployed in place of humans to hazardous nuclear sites.
http://www.lincoln.ac.uk/news/2018/05/1458.asp
Researchers have secured £1.1 million in grant funding to develop artificial intelligence systems to enable self-learning robots to be deployed in place of humans to hazardous nuclear sites.
http://www.lincoln.ac.uk/news/2018/05/1458.asp
Scientists Reanimate Disembodied Pigs' Brains - How Could This Impact the Human Mind?
Originally shared by Neuroscience News
Scientists Reanimate Disembodied Pigs' Brains - How Could This Impact the Human Mind?
Some have argued that even with a fully functional body, immortality would be tedious. With absolutely no contact with external reality, it might just be a living hell.
http://neurosciencenews.com/pig-brain-reanimation-8970/
Scientists Reanimate Disembodied Pigs' Brains - How Could This Impact the Human Mind?
Some have argued that even with a fully functional body, immortality would be tedious. With absolutely no contact with external reality, it might just be a living hell.
http://neurosciencenews.com/pig-brain-reanimation-8970/
What Causes Earth's #MagneticField? : http://sciabc.us/dY7ac #science
Originally shared by Science ABC
What Causes Earth's #MagneticField? : http://sciabc.us/dY7ac #science
http://sciabc.us/dY7ac
What Causes Earth's #MagneticField? : http://sciabc.us/dY7ac #science
http://sciabc.us/dY7ac
Custom Touch Pads for the Body Allow Users to Control Devices
Originally shared by Before It's News
Custom Touch Pads for the Body Allow Users to Control Devices
They are similar to ultra-thin patches, their shape can be freely chosen, and they work anywhere on the body. With such sensors on the skin, mobile devices like smartphones and smartwatches can be operated more intuitively and discreetly than ever before.
Computer scientists at Saarland University have now developed sensors that even laypeople can produce with a little effort. The special feature: the sensors make it possible, for the first time, to capture touches on the body very precisesly, even from multiple fingers. The researchers have successfully tested their prototypes in four different applications.
“The human body offers a large surface that is easy to access, even without eye contact,” Jürgen Steimle, a professor of computer science at Saarland University, explains the researchers’ interest in this literal human-computer interface. Yet the scientists’ vision had so far not succeeded, because the necessary sensors could not measure touches precisely enough, nor could they capture them from multiple fingertips simultaneously. Jürgen Steimle and his research group have now developed the appropriate special type of sensor.
More https://goo.gl/imTZNq
https://goo.gl/imTZNq
Custom Touch Pads for the Body Allow Users to Control Devices
They are similar to ultra-thin patches, their shape can be freely chosen, and they work anywhere on the body. With such sensors on the skin, mobile devices like smartphones and smartwatches can be operated more intuitively and discreetly than ever before.
Computer scientists at Saarland University have now developed sensors that even laypeople can produce with a little effort. The special feature: the sensors make it possible, for the first time, to capture touches on the body very precisesly, even from multiple fingers. The researchers have successfully tested their prototypes in four different applications.
“The human body offers a large surface that is easy to access, even without eye contact,” Jürgen Steimle, a professor of computer science at Saarland University, explains the researchers’ interest in this literal human-computer interface. Yet the scientists’ vision had so far not succeeded, because the necessary sensors could not measure touches precisely enough, nor could they capture them from multiple fingertips simultaneously. Jürgen Steimle and his research group have now developed the appropriate special type of sensor.
More https://goo.gl/imTZNq
https://goo.gl/imTZNq
"Autonomous agriculture is coming everywhere, and it's happening much faster than autonomous cars.
Originally shared by Wayne Radinsky
"Autonomous agriculture is coming everywhere, and it's happening much faster than autonomous cars. There are fewer restrictions, far less likelihood of interactions with other farm equipment or people, and a measurable payback for large-scale farmers."
"John Deere's move into electronics dates back to the late 1990s, when the company rolled out a GPS-enabled parallel tracking feature for it's vehicles." "In the mid 2000s, the company introduced a system that allowed a vehicle to turn around by itself at the end of a row, and by 2010, the company had fully self-driving vehicles."
"That still required an operator to be in the vehicle. One of the reasons for that is with agricultural vehicles, it's not just about driving like it is an automobile. It's also about getting the vehicle tuned correctly to do a job, and that's a whole different component of autonomy that we have yet to figure out. We have a parallel journey in trying to deliver autonomy to that part of the system. Basically, how do we make all parts of the system autonomous?'"
"In order to be able to make it really fast through a field of corn that's already five feet tall, you have to make sure you stay within those rows. We install that camera and the camera basically uses machine vision to make sure that the sprayers stay within the rows. It's essentially looking for the middle of the row and does those calculations real-time."
https://semiengineering.com/toward-autonomous-farming/
"Autonomous agriculture is coming everywhere, and it's happening much faster than autonomous cars. There are fewer restrictions, far less likelihood of interactions with other farm equipment or people, and a measurable payback for large-scale farmers."
"John Deere's move into electronics dates back to the late 1990s, when the company rolled out a GPS-enabled parallel tracking feature for it's vehicles." "In the mid 2000s, the company introduced a system that allowed a vehicle to turn around by itself at the end of a row, and by 2010, the company had fully self-driving vehicles."
"That still required an operator to be in the vehicle. One of the reasons for that is with agricultural vehicles, it's not just about driving like it is an automobile. It's also about getting the vehicle tuned correctly to do a job, and that's a whole different component of autonomy that we have yet to figure out. We have a parallel journey in trying to deliver autonomy to that part of the system. Basically, how do we make all parts of the system autonomous?'"
"In order to be able to make it really fast through a field of corn that's already five feet tall, you have to make sure you stay within those rows. We install that camera and the camera basically uses machine vision to make sure that the sprayers stay within the rows. It's essentially looking for the middle of the row and does those calculations real-time."
https://semiengineering.com/toward-autonomous-farming/
.
Originally shared by Rob Jongschaap
... Kilopower is a technology that uses heat generated by the nuclear fission of uranium to produce power. It could theoretically supply constant power for hundreds of years, with no need to rely on consumables or the Sun.
At the core of the reactor is an enriched uranium core, encased in a reflector made from beryllium oxide. A rod of boron carbide starts the fission reaction in the uranium, producing heat that’s transported by pipes to the power generators, known as Stirling converters. ...
https://thesciencepage.com/nasa-just-tested-a-new-nuclear-fission-reactor-and-the-results-were-incredible/
... Kilopower is a technology that uses heat generated by the nuclear fission of uranium to produce power. It could theoretically supply constant power for hundreds of years, with no need to rely on consumables or the Sun.
At the core of the reactor is an enriched uranium core, encased in a reflector made from beryllium oxide. A rod of boron carbide starts the fission reaction in the uranium, producing heat that’s transported by pipes to the power generators, known as Stirling converters. ...
https://thesciencepage.com/nasa-just-tested-a-new-nuclear-fission-reactor-and-the-results-were-incredible/
Lobe’s ridiculously simple machine learning platform aims to empower non-technical creators
Originally shared by Ward Plunet
Lobe’s ridiculously simple machine learning platform aims to empower non-technical creators
Machine learning may be the tool de jour for everything from particle physics to recreating the human voice, but it’s not exactly the easiest field to get into. Despite the complexities of video editing and sound design, we have UIs that let even a curious kid dabble in them — why not with machine learning? That’s the goal of Lobe, a startup and platform that genuinely seems to have made AI models as simple to put together as LEGO bricks. I talked with Mike Matas, one of Lobe’s co-founders and the designer behind many a popular digital interface, about the platform and his motivations for creating it. “There’s been a lot of situations where people have kind of thought about AI and have these cool ideas, but they can’t execute them,” he said. “So those ideas just like shed, unless you have access to an AI team.” This happened to him, too, he explained. “I started researching because I wanted to see if I could use it myself. And there’s this hard to break through veneer of words and frameworks and mathematics — but once you get through that the concepts are actually really intuitive. In fact even more intuitive than regular programming, because you’re teaching the machine like you teach a person.” But like the hard shell of jargon, existing tools were also rough on the edges — powerful and functional, but much more like learning a development environment than playing around in Photoshop or Logic. “You need to know how to piece these things together, there are lots of things you need to download. I’m one of those people who if I have to do a lot of work, download a bunch of frameworks, I just give up,” he said. “So as a UI designer I saw the opportunity to take something that’s really complicated and reframe it in a way that’s understandable.”
https://techcrunch.com/2018/05/05/lobes-ridiculously-simple-machine-learning-platform-aims-to-empower-non-technical-creators/
Lobe’s ridiculously simple machine learning platform aims to empower non-technical creators
Machine learning may be the tool de jour for everything from particle physics to recreating the human voice, but it’s not exactly the easiest field to get into. Despite the complexities of video editing and sound design, we have UIs that let even a curious kid dabble in them — why not with machine learning? That’s the goal of Lobe, a startup and platform that genuinely seems to have made AI models as simple to put together as LEGO bricks. I talked with Mike Matas, one of Lobe’s co-founders and the designer behind many a popular digital interface, about the platform and his motivations for creating it. “There’s been a lot of situations where people have kind of thought about AI and have these cool ideas, but they can’t execute them,” he said. “So those ideas just like shed, unless you have access to an AI team.” This happened to him, too, he explained. “I started researching because I wanted to see if I could use it myself. And there’s this hard to break through veneer of words and frameworks and mathematics — but once you get through that the concepts are actually really intuitive. In fact even more intuitive than regular programming, because you’re teaching the machine like you teach a person.” But like the hard shell of jargon, existing tools were also rough on the edges — powerful and functional, but much more like learning a development environment than playing around in Photoshop or Logic. “You need to know how to piece these things together, there are lots of things you need to download. I’m one of those people who if I have to do a lot of work, download a bunch of frameworks, I just give up,” he said. “So as a UI designer I saw the opportunity to take something that’s really complicated and reframe it in a way that’s understandable.”
https://techcrunch.com/2018/05/05/lobes-ridiculously-simple-machine-learning-platform-aims-to-empower-non-technical-creators/
"Ali Rahimi, a researcher in artificial intelligence (AI) at Google in San Francisco, California, took a swipe at...
Originally shared by Wayne Radinsky
"Ali Rahimi, a researcher in artificial intelligence (AI) at Google in San Francisco, California, took a swipe at his field last December -- and received a 40-second ovation for it. Speaking at an AI conference, Rahimi charged that machine learning algorithms, in which computers learn through trial and error, have become a form of 'alchemy.' Researchers, he said, do not know why some algorithms work and others don't, nor do they have rigorous criteria for choosing one AI architecture over another."
"Without deep understanding of the basic tools needed to build and train new algorithms, he says, researchers creating AIs resort to hearsay, like medieval alchemists. 'People gravitate around cargo-cult practices,' relying on 'folklore and magic spells,' adds François Chollet, a computer scientist at Google in Mountain View, California. For example, he says, they adopt pet methods to tune their AIs' 'learning rates' -- how much an algorithm corrects itself after each mistake -- without understanding why one is better than others. In other cases, AI researchers training their algorithms are simply stumbling in the dark."
"Csaba Szepesvári, a computer scientist at DeepMind in London, says the field also needs to reduce its emphasis on competitive testing. At present, a paper is more likely to be published if the reported algorithm beats some benchmark than if the paper sheds light on the software's inner workings."
http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/05/ai-researchers-allege-machine-learning-alchemy
"Ali Rahimi, a researcher in artificial intelligence (AI) at Google in San Francisco, California, took a swipe at his field last December -- and received a 40-second ovation for it. Speaking at an AI conference, Rahimi charged that machine learning algorithms, in which computers learn through trial and error, have become a form of 'alchemy.' Researchers, he said, do not know why some algorithms work and others don't, nor do they have rigorous criteria for choosing one AI architecture over another."
"Without deep understanding of the basic tools needed to build and train new algorithms, he says, researchers creating AIs resort to hearsay, like medieval alchemists. 'People gravitate around cargo-cult practices,' relying on 'folklore and magic spells,' adds François Chollet, a computer scientist at Google in Mountain View, California. For example, he says, they adopt pet methods to tune their AIs' 'learning rates' -- how much an algorithm corrects itself after each mistake -- without understanding why one is better than others. In other cases, AI researchers training their algorithms are simply stumbling in the dark."
"Csaba Szepesvári, a computer scientist at DeepMind in London, says the field also needs to reduce its emphasis on competitive testing. At present, a paper is more likely to be published if the reported algorithm beats some benchmark than if the paper sheds light on the software's inner workings."
http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/05/ai-researchers-allege-machine-learning-alchemy
PiMecha is a Kickstarter project for a humanoid robot based on the Raspberry Pi.
Originally shared by Wayne Radinsky
PiMecha is a Kickstarter project for a humanoid robot based on the Raspberry Pi.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/127134527/pimecha-humanoid-robot-on-raspberry-pi
PiMecha is a Kickstarter project for a humanoid robot based on the Raspberry Pi.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/127134527/pimecha-humanoid-robot-on-raspberry-pi
Lobe’s ridiculously simple machine learning platform aims to empower non-technical creators
Originally shared by Ward Plunet
Lobe’s ridiculously simple machine learning platform aims to empower non-technical creators
Machine learning may be the tool de jour for everything from particle physics to recreating the human voice, but it’s not exactly the easiest field to get into. Despite the complexities of video editing and sound design, we have UIs that let even a curious kid dabble in them — why not with machine learning? That’s the goal of Lobe, a startup and platform that genuinely seems to have made AI models as simple to put together as LEGO bricks. I talked with Mike Matas, one of Lobe’s co-founders and the designer behind many a popular digital interface, about the platform and his motivations for creating it. “There’s been a lot of situations where people have kind of thought about AI and have these cool ideas, but they can’t execute them,” he said. “So those ideas just like shed, unless you have access to an AI team.” This happened to him, too, he explained. “I started researching because I wanted to see if I could use it myself. And there’s this hard to break through veneer of words and frameworks and mathematics — but once you get through that the concepts are actually really intuitive. In fact even more intuitive than regular programming, because you’re teaching the machine like you teach a person.” But like the hard shell of jargon, existing tools were also rough on the edges — powerful and functional, but much more like learning a development environment than playing around in Photoshop or Logic. “You need to know how to piece these things together, there are lots of things you need to download. I’m one of those people who if I have to do a lot of work, download a bunch of frameworks, I just give up,” he said. “So as a UI designer I saw the opportunity to take something that’s really complicated and reframe it in a way that’s understandable.”
https://techcrunch.com/2018/05/05/lobes-ridiculously-simple-machine-learning-platform-aims-to-empower-non-technical-creators/
Lobe’s ridiculously simple machine learning platform aims to empower non-technical creators
Machine learning may be the tool de jour for everything from particle physics to recreating the human voice, but it’s not exactly the easiest field to get into. Despite the complexities of video editing and sound design, we have UIs that let even a curious kid dabble in them — why not with machine learning? That’s the goal of Lobe, a startup and platform that genuinely seems to have made AI models as simple to put together as LEGO bricks. I talked with Mike Matas, one of Lobe’s co-founders and the designer behind many a popular digital interface, about the platform and his motivations for creating it. “There’s been a lot of situations where people have kind of thought about AI and have these cool ideas, but they can’t execute them,” he said. “So those ideas just like shed, unless you have access to an AI team.” This happened to him, too, he explained. “I started researching because I wanted to see if I could use it myself. And there’s this hard to break through veneer of words and frameworks and mathematics — but once you get through that the concepts are actually really intuitive. In fact even more intuitive than regular programming, because you’re teaching the machine like you teach a person.” But like the hard shell of jargon, existing tools were also rough on the edges — powerful and functional, but much more like learning a development environment than playing around in Photoshop or Logic. “You need to know how to piece these things together, there are lots of things you need to download. I’m one of those people who if I have to do a lot of work, download a bunch of frameworks, I just give up,” he said. “So as a UI designer I saw the opportunity to take something that’s really complicated and reframe it in a way that’s understandable.”
https://techcrunch.com/2018/05/05/lobes-ridiculously-simple-machine-learning-platform-aims-to-empower-non-technical-creators/
UBTECH, a Chinese AI and humanoid robot company, announced US$820 million in funding, putting the company's...
Originally shared by Wayne Radinsky
UBTECH, a Chinese AI and humanoid robot company, announced US$820 million in funding, putting the company's valuation at $5 billion and the world's most valuable AI startup.
"This round of financing will be mainly used for strengthening R&D capabilities, facilitating marketing and brand development, and attracting top-tier talents."
"Founded in 2012, UBTECH aims to 'bring a robot into every home, and truly integrate intelligent robots into the daily lives of everyone creating a more intelligent way of life."
https://medium.com/syncedreview/ubtech-robotics-gets-us-820-million-funding-becomes-the-worlds-most-valuable-ai-startup-c25cd357e87e
UBTECH, a Chinese AI and humanoid robot company, announced US$820 million in funding, putting the company's valuation at $5 billion and the world's most valuable AI startup.
"This round of financing will be mainly used for strengthening R&D capabilities, facilitating marketing and brand development, and attracting top-tier talents."
"Founded in 2012, UBTECH aims to 'bring a robot into every home, and truly integrate intelligent robots into the daily lives of everyone creating a more intelligent way of life."
https://medium.com/syncedreview/ubtech-robotics-gets-us-820-million-funding-becomes-the-worlds-most-valuable-ai-startup-c25cd357e87e
One Reason Hair Can Turn Gray: Infection
Originally shared by Before It's News
One Reason Hair Can Turn Gray: Infection
Hair’s graying can be caused by activation of the innate immune system, according to a new study from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The article, published in PLOS Biology, highlights the negative effects of innate immune activation on hair pigmentation cells, called melanocytes, suggesting a connection between viral infection and hair’s graying.
“Our research looks primarily at how stem cells are affected by age,” said Melissa Harris, Ph.D., corresponding author and assistant professor in the UAB College of Arts and Sciences Department of Biology. “Using current genomic tools, we are able to look at the whole genome to gain a better understanding of which genes are expressed and when, and this allows us to better address the question of why we age the way we do. Hair-graying and melanocyte stem cells make up the models we use to study this process.”
More https://goo.gl/ctBX6t
https://goo.gl/ctBX6t
One Reason Hair Can Turn Gray: Infection
Hair’s graying can be caused by activation of the innate immune system, according to a new study from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The article, published in PLOS Biology, highlights the negative effects of innate immune activation on hair pigmentation cells, called melanocytes, suggesting a connection between viral infection and hair’s graying.
“Our research looks primarily at how stem cells are affected by age,” said Melissa Harris, Ph.D., corresponding author and assistant professor in the UAB College of Arts and Sciences Department of Biology. “Using current genomic tools, we are able to look at the whole genome to gain a better understanding of which genes are expressed and when, and this allows us to better address the question of why we age the way we do. Hair-graying and melanocyte stem cells make up the models we use to study this process.”
More https://goo.gl/ctBX6t
https://goo.gl/ctBX6t
Walnuts impact gut microbiome and improve health
Originally shared by Ward Plunet
Walnuts impact gut microbiome and improve health
Diets rich in nuts, such as walnuts, have been shown to play a role in heart health and in reducing colorectal cancer. According to a new study from the University of Illinois, the way walnuts impact the gut microbiome—the collection of trillions of microbes or bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract—may be behind some of those health benefits. Walnuts are just one in a line foods that contain dietary fiber and have interested scientists for their impact on the microbiome and health. Dietary fiber acts as a food source for gut microbiota, helping the bacteria to do their jobs—breaking down complex foods, providing us nutrients, or helping us feel full, for example. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and legumes are important plant sources of dietary fiber. Eating a variety of these foods helps promote a diverse gut microbiota, which in turn helps to support health. Findings from the study, published in The Journal of Nutrition, show that consuming walnuts not only impacted the gut microbiota and microbial derived secondary bile acids, but also reduced LDL-cholesterol levels in the adults participating in the study; good news for cardio, metabolic, and gastrointestinal health. "We found that when you consume walnuts it increases microbes that produce butyrate, a beneficial metabolite for colonic health. So the interaction of walnuts with the microbiome is helping to produce some of those health effects," says Hannah Holscher, assistant professor of food science and human nutrition at U of I, and lead author of the study. "It is about getting to the 'black box' that is all the microbes in our GI tract to see how they are interfacing with the food we eat and having downstream health effects.
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-05-walnuts-impact-gut-microbiome-health.html
Walnuts impact gut microbiome and improve health
Diets rich in nuts, such as walnuts, have been shown to play a role in heart health and in reducing colorectal cancer. According to a new study from the University of Illinois, the way walnuts impact the gut microbiome—the collection of trillions of microbes or bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract—may be behind some of those health benefits. Walnuts are just one in a line foods that contain dietary fiber and have interested scientists for their impact on the microbiome and health. Dietary fiber acts as a food source for gut microbiota, helping the bacteria to do their jobs—breaking down complex foods, providing us nutrients, or helping us feel full, for example. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and legumes are important plant sources of dietary fiber. Eating a variety of these foods helps promote a diverse gut microbiota, which in turn helps to support health. Findings from the study, published in The Journal of Nutrition, show that consuming walnuts not only impacted the gut microbiota and microbial derived secondary bile acids, but also reduced LDL-cholesterol levels in the adults participating in the study; good news for cardio, metabolic, and gastrointestinal health. "We found that when you consume walnuts it increases microbes that produce butyrate, a beneficial metabolite for colonic health. So the interaction of walnuts with the microbiome is helping to produce some of those health effects," says Hannah Holscher, assistant professor of food science and human nutrition at U of I, and lead author of the study. "It is about getting to the 'black box' that is all the microbes in our GI tract to see how they are interfacing with the food we eat and having downstream health effects.
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-05-walnuts-impact-gut-microbiome-health.html
Less is More When it Comes to Developing Bigger Brains
Originally shared by Neuroscience News
Less is More When it Comes to Developing Bigger Brains
The results showed that the human brain may develop from fewer raw materials compared to both mice and monkeys
The research is in Cerebral Cortex. (full open access)
http://neurosciencenews.com/brain-development-cells-8966/
Less is More When it Comes to Developing Bigger Brains
The results showed that the human brain may develop from fewer raw materials compared to both mice and monkeys
The research is in Cerebral Cortex. (full open access)
http://neurosciencenews.com/brain-development-cells-8966/
Ever felt that gardeners who talk to their plants are crazy? What about plants talking to each other? Not so crazy.
Originally shared by Peter Friedman
Ever felt that gardeners who talk to their plants are crazy? What about plants talking to each other? Not so crazy.
https://phys.org/news/2018-05-underground-neighbors-stressed.html
Ever felt that gardeners who talk to their plants are crazy? What about plants talking to each other? Not so crazy.
https://phys.org/news/2018-05-underground-neighbors-stressed.html
Grey Hair and the Immune System
Originally shared by Kenny Chaffin
Grey Hair and the Immune System
http://www.newsweek.com/hair-can-turn-gray-when-body-fights-illness-new-mouse-study-suggest-910328
Grey Hair and the Immune System
http://www.newsweek.com/hair-can-turn-gray-when-body-fights-illness-new-mouse-study-suggest-910328
What we found
Originally shared by Rob Jongschaap
What we found
We wanted to understand how daily light physical activity affects people’s metabolic health and their risk of premature death. We carried out a meta-analysis, searching through all the research published to date and averaging out the combined results.
We looked at both laboratory studies of groups of around ten to 40 participants, which show what happens immediately to our bodies when we interrupt long periods of sitting; and long-term studies of thousands of people, which provide insight into the effects of light exercise over several years.
We found that doing twice as much light activity cuts your risk of premature death by almost 30%. This was even after accounting for levels of moderate to vigorous activity and other factors such as smoking.
This means that if you increase the amount you move around each day from one hour to two hours, for example, you cut your risk by 30%. But if you currently do three hours and you raise it to six hours, you cut your risk by the same amount. It’s a law of diminishing returns: if you do little to start with, you get a big benefit because your initial risk is so high.
We also found that moving around positively affects the way the human body regulates blood sugar and insulin in the short term. This matters because our bodies only function adequately when blood sugar levels remain constant. If the blood sugar or insulin become too high, it can lead to serious health complications.
http://theconversation.com/moving-around-has-big-health-benefits-and-now-we-know-how-big-95808
What we found
We wanted to understand how daily light physical activity affects people’s metabolic health and their risk of premature death. We carried out a meta-analysis, searching through all the research published to date and averaging out the combined results.
We looked at both laboratory studies of groups of around ten to 40 participants, which show what happens immediately to our bodies when we interrupt long periods of sitting; and long-term studies of thousands of people, which provide insight into the effects of light exercise over several years.
We found that doing twice as much light activity cuts your risk of premature death by almost 30%. This was even after accounting for levels of moderate to vigorous activity and other factors such as smoking.
This means that if you increase the amount you move around each day from one hour to two hours, for example, you cut your risk by 30%. But if you currently do three hours and you raise it to six hours, you cut your risk by the same amount. It’s a law of diminishing returns: if you do little to start with, you get a big benefit because your initial risk is so high.
We also found that moving around positively affects the way the human body regulates blood sugar and insulin in the short term. This matters because our bodies only function adequately when blood sugar levels remain constant. If the blood sugar or insulin become too high, it can lead to serious health complications.
http://theconversation.com/moving-around-has-big-health-benefits-and-now-we-know-how-big-95808
"Using deep learning, EyeQuant has built a prototype algorithm that instantly rates ads from 0-100 in terms of how...
Originally shared by Wayne Radinsky
"Using deep learning, EyeQuant has built a prototype algorithm that instantly rates ads from 0-100 in terms of how eye-catching they are, where the 'average' ad scores around 50. The algorithm is built on top of a neural network for object recognition that's been pre-trained with millions of images. The approach seems to work well. The algorithm's results had an 85% correlation with the results of a recent user study with 500 real people (using eye-tracking and online panel research)."
"So what can this new algorithm teach us about display ad campaigns? For starters, it's very easy to design a complete dud. Most marketers think of design as a intuitive skill -- that a good design team just know how to make an ad 'pop'."
http://www.eyequant.com/blog/new-ai-predicts-how-eye-catching-your-ads-are
"Using deep learning, EyeQuant has built a prototype algorithm that instantly rates ads from 0-100 in terms of how eye-catching they are, where the 'average' ad scores around 50. The algorithm is built on top of a neural network for object recognition that's been pre-trained with millions of images. The approach seems to work well. The algorithm's results had an 85% correlation with the results of a recent user study with 500 real people (using eye-tracking and online panel research)."
"So what can this new algorithm teach us about display ad campaigns? For starters, it's very easy to design a complete dud. Most marketers think of design as a intuitive skill -- that a good design team just know how to make an ad 'pop'."
http://www.eyequant.com/blog/new-ai-predicts-how-eye-catching-your-ads-are
"When Angelica Lim bakes macaroons, she has her own kitchen helper, Naoki.
Originally shared by Wayne Radinsky
"When Angelica Lim bakes macaroons, she has her own kitchen helper, Naoki. Her assistant is only good at the repetitive tasks, like sifting flour, but he makes the job more fun. Naoki is very cute, just under two feet tall."
"Wendi Heinzelman, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Rochester and a collaborator of Melissa Sturge-Apple, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Rochester, is developing an algorithm to detect emotion based on the vocal qualities of a speaker. "
"Neal Lathia, a post-doctoral research associate in the computer laboratory at the University of Cambridge, in England, is working on EmotionSense, an app for Android phones which listens to human speech and ferrets out its emotional content in a similar way."
"Maja Pantic, professor of affective and behavioral computing and leader of Imperial College London’s Intelligent Behavior and Understanding Group, uses computer vision to capture facial expressions and analyze what they tell about a person’s feelings."
"Mehdi Dastani, a professor of computer science at the University of Utrecht, in the Netherlands, is providing intelligent agents with what he calls a 'logic of emotion,' a formalized description of 22 different emotional states such as pity, gloating, resentment, pride, admiration, gratitude, and others."
http://nautil.us/issue/60/searches/-how-long-until-a-robot-cries
"When Angelica Lim bakes macaroons, she has her own kitchen helper, Naoki. Her assistant is only good at the repetitive tasks, like sifting flour, but he makes the job more fun. Naoki is very cute, just under two feet tall."
"Wendi Heinzelman, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Rochester and a collaborator of Melissa Sturge-Apple, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Rochester, is developing an algorithm to detect emotion based on the vocal qualities of a speaker. "
"Neal Lathia, a post-doctoral research associate in the computer laboratory at the University of Cambridge, in England, is working on EmotionSense, an app for Android phones which listens to human speech and ferrets out its emotional content in a similar way."
"Maja Pantic, professor of affective and behavioral computing and leader of Imperial College London’s Intelligent Behavior and Understanding Group, uses computer vision to capture facial expressions and analyze what they tell about a person’s feelings."
"Mehdi Dastani, a professor of computer science at the University of Utrecht, in the Netherlands, is providing intelligent agents with what he calls a 'logic of emotion,' a formalized description of 22 different emotional states such as pity, gloating, resentment, pride, admiration, gratitude, and others."
http://nautil.us/issue/60/searches/-how-long-until-a-robot-cries
The Macabre World of Mind Controlling Parasites
Originally shared by Neuroscience News
The Macabre World of Mind Controlling Parasites
The article describes some of the sophisticated, cunning and gruesome ways that various parasites outwit and exploit their insect hosts.
The research is in Frontiers in Psychology. (full open access)
http://neurosciencenews.com/mind-control-parasites-8932/
The Macabre World of Mind Controlling Parasites
The article describes some of the sophisticated, cunning and gruesome ways that various parasites outwit and exploit their insect hosts.
The research is in Frontiers in Psychology. (full open access)
http://neurosciencenews.com/mind-control-parasites-8932/
Quiet Rest Helps Us Retain Detailed Memories
Originally shared by Neuroscience News
Quiet Rest Helps Us Retain Detailed Memories
If we rest quietly for 10 minutes after learning something new, we retain more information
The research is in Scientific Reports. (full open access)
http://neurosciencenews.com/memory-rest-8950/
Quiet Rest Helps Us Retain Detailed Memories
If we rest quietly for 10 minutes after learning something new, we retain more information
The research is in Scientific Reports. (full open access)
http://neurosciencenews.com/memory-rest-8950/
How Decisions Form in the Brain
Originally shared by Neuroscience News
How Decisions Form in the Brain
Our work suggests that there is an important analogue component to cognition.
The research is in Cell. (full open access)
http://neurosciencenews.com/decisions-neuroscience-8936/
How Decisions Form in the Brain
Our work suggests that there is an important analogue component to cognition.
The research is in Cell. (full open access)
http://neurosciencenews.com/decisions-neuroscience-8936/
Higher Levels of Aerobic Fitness Associated With Better Word Production Skills in Older Adults
Originally shared by Neuroscience News
Higher Levels of Aerobic Fitness Associated With Better Word Production Skills in Older Adults
Researchers found that older adults' aerobic fitness levels are directly related to the incidence of age-related language failures such as 'tip-of-the-tongue' states.
The research is in Scientific Reports. (full open access)
http://neurosciencenews.com/aging-fitness-word-production-8922/
Higher Levels of Aerobic Fitness Associated With Better Word Production Skills in Older Adults
Researchers found that older adults' aerobic fitness levels are directly related to the incidence of age-related language failures such as 'tip-of-the-tongue' states.
The research is in Scientific Reports. (full open access)
http://neurosciencenews.com/aging-fitness-word-production-8922/
Brain Stimulation Reduces Suicidal Thinking in People with Hard to Treat Depression
Originally shared by Neuroscience News
Brain Stimulation Reduces Suicidal Thinking in People with Hard to Treat Depression
The promising findings give hope that, with further evidence, rTMS may offer a new way to prevent suicide in people with hard-to-treat depression.
The research is in Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. (full access paywall)
http://neurosciencenews.com/brain-stimulation-suicide-depression-8955/
Brain Stimulation Reduces Suicidal Thinking in People with Hard to Treat Depression
The promising findings give hope that, with further evidence, rTMS may offer a new way to prevent suicide in people with hard-to-treat depression.
The research is in Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. (full access paywall)
http://neurosciencenews.com/brain-stimulation-suicide-depression-8955/
China Construction Bank opened a branch in Shanghai run by smiling robots.
Originally shared by Wayne Radinsky
China Construction Bank opened a branch in Shanghai run by smiling robots. "The 165 square metre ground floor outlet on Jiujiang Road in Huangpu district is equipped with several smart automated tellers capable of a range of services, including account opening, money transfer, foreign exchange, gold investment and the issue of wealth management products. The bank says the new set up will be able to handle 90 per cent of the cash and non-cash demands of traditional banking outlets."
https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2018/05/china-bank-branch-in-shanghai-run-by-smiling-robots.html
China Construction Bank opened a branch in Shanghai run by smiling robots. "The 165 square metre ground floor outlet on Jiujiang Road in Huangpu district is equipped with several smart automated tellers capable of a range of services, including account opening, money transfer, foreign exchange, gold investment and the issue of wealth management products. The bank says the new set up will be able to handle 90 per cent of the cash and non-cash demands of traditional banking outlets."
https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2018/05/china-bank-branch-in-shanghai-run-by-smiling-robots.html
New Clues on How to Improve Memory During Sleep
Originally shared by Neuroscience News
New Clues on How to Improve Memory During Sleep
In the study, researchers simulated slow-wave sleep in lab models and attempted to modulate them using electrical fields.
The research is in NeuroImage. (full access paywall)
http://neurosciencenews.com/sleep-memory-8956/
New Clues on How to Improve Memory During Sleep
In the study, researchers simulated slow-wave sleep in lab models and attempted to modulate them using electrical fields.
The research is in NeuroImage. (full access paywall)
http://neurosciencenews.com/sleep-memory-8956/
A Rose is a Rose is a Rose: Mathematical Model Explains How Different Brains Agree on Smells
Originally shared by Neuroscience News
A Rose is a Rose is a Rose: Mathematical Model Explains How Different Brains Agree on Smells
The journey an odor takes from the nose to the brain is labyrinthine.
The research is in Neuron. (full access paywall)
http://neurosciencenews.com/math-olfaction-8931/
A Rose is a Rose is a Rose: Mathematical Model Explains How Different Brains Agree on Smells
The journey an odor takes from the nose to the brain is labyrinthine.
The research is in Neuron. (full access paywall)
http://neurosciencenews.com/math-olfaction-8931/
Researchers Make First Serotonin Measurements in Humans
Originally shared by Neuroscience News
Researchers Make First Serotonin Measurements in Humans
The neurotransmitter serotonin is associated with mood and helps shape the decisions we make.
The research is in Neuropsychopharmacology. (full access paywall)
http://neurosciencenews.com/serotonin-measured-humans-8921/
Researchers Make First Serotonin Measurements in Humans
The neurotransmitter serotonin is associated with mood and helps shape the decisions we make.
The research is in Neuropsychopharmacology. (full access paywall)
http://neurosciencenews.com/serotonin-measured-humans-8921/
City Upbringing, Without Pets, Increases Risk of Mental Illness
Originally shared by Neuroscience News
City Upbringing, Without Pets, Increases Risk of Mental Illness
Research also suggests that raising kids around pets might be good for mental health - for reasons people might not expect.
The research is in PNAS. (full open access)
http://neurosciencenews.com/city-pet-mental-health-8923/
City Upbringing, Without Pets, Increases Risk of Mental Illness
Research also suggests that raising kids around pets might be good for mental health - for reasons people might not expect.
The research is in PNAS. (full open access)
http://neurosciencenews.com/city-pet-mental-health-8923/
New A.I. application can write its own code
Originally shared by Ward Plunet
New A.I. application can write its own code
Computer scientists have created a deep-learning, software-coding application that can help human programmers navigate the growing multitude of often-undocumented application programming interfaces, or APIs. Designing applications that can program computers is a long-sought grail of the branch of computer science called artificial intelligence (AI). The new application, called Bayou, came out of an initiative aimed at extracting knowledge from online source code repositories like GitHub. Users can try it out at askbayou.com. “People have tried for 60 years to build systems that can write code, but the problem is that these methods aren’t that good with ambiguity,” says Bayou co-creator Swarat Chaudhuri, associate professor of computer science at Rice University. “You usually need to give a lot of details about what the target program does, and writing down these details can be as much work as just writing the code.” “Bayou is a considerable improvement,” he says. “A developer can give Bayou a very small amount of information—just a few keywords or prompts, really—and Bayou will try to read the programmer’s mind and predict the program they want. Chaudhuri says Bayou trained itself by studying millions of lines of human-written Java code. “It’s basically studied everything on GitHub, and it draws on that to write its own code.” Bayou co-creator Chris Jermaine, a professor of computer science who co-directs Rice’s Intelligent Software Systems Laboratory with Chaudhuri, says Bayou is particularly useful for synthesizing examples of code for specific software APIs. “Programming today is very different than it was 30 or 40 years ago,” Jermaine says. “Computers today are in our pockets, on our wrists and in billions of home appliances, vehicles, and other devices. The days when a programmer could write code from scratch are long gone.”
https://www.futurity.org/artificial-intelligence-bayou-coding-1740702/
New A.I. application can write its own code
Computer scientists have created a deep-learning, software-coding application that can help human programmers navigate the growing multitude of often-undocumented application programming interfaces, or APIs. Designing applications that can program computers is a long-sought grail of the branch of computer science called artificial intelligence (AI). The new application, called Bayou, came out of an initiative aimed at extracting knowledge from online source code repositories like GitHub. Users can try it out at askbayou.com. “People have tried for 60 years to build systems that can write code, but the problem is that these methods aren’t that good with ambiguity,” says Bayou co-creator Swarat Chaudhuri, associate professor of computer science at Rice University. “You usually need to give a lot of details about what the target program does, and writing down these details can be as much work as just writing the code.” “Bayou is a considerable improvement,” he says. “A developer can give Bayou a very small amount of information—just a few keywords or prompts, really—and Bayou will try to read the programmer’s mind and predict the program they want. Chaudhuri says Bayou trained itself by studying millions of lines of human-written Java code. “It’s basically studied everything on GitHub, and it draws on that to write its own code.” Bayou co-creator Chris Jermaine, a professor of computer science who co-directs Rice’s Intelligent Software Systems Laboratory with Chaudhuri, says Bayou is particularly useful for synthesizing examples of code for specific software APIs. “Programming today is very different than it was 30 or 40 years ago,” Jermaine says. “Computers today are in our pockets, on our wrists and in billions of home appliances, vehicles, and other devices. The days when a programmer could write code from scratch are long gone.”
https://www.futurity.org/artificial-intelligence-bayou-coding-1740702/
How Dopamine Neurons Contribute to Memory Formation in Humans
Originally shared by Neuroscience News
How Dopamine Neurons Contribute to Memory Formation in Humans
A new study examined neurons that produce dopamine, a compound that acts as a transmitter for nerve impulses.
The research is in Current Biology. (full open access)
http://neurosciencenews.com/dopmaine-neurons-memory-8939/
How Dopamine Neurons Contribute to Memory Formation in Humans
A new study examined neurons that produce dopamine, a compound that acts as a transmitter for nerve impulses.
The research is in Current Biology. (full open access)
http://neurosciencenews.com/dopmaine-neurons-memory-8939/
How Artificial Intelligence Can Detect, and Create, Fake News
Originally shared by Neuroscience News
How Artificial Intelligence Can Detect, and Create, Fake News
Researchers already know that online fake news spreads much more quickly and more widely than real news.
http://neurosciencenews.com/ai-fake-news-8951/
How Artificial Intelligence Can Detect, and Create, Fake News
Researchers already know that online fake news spreads much more quickly and more widely than real news.
http://neurosciencenews.com/ai-fake-news-8951/
Researchers Discover Connection Between Circadian Rhythm and Aggression
Originally shared by Neuroscience News
Researchers Discover Connection Between Circadian Rhythm and Aggression
The tool can also be used in other contexts than sundown syndrome.
The research is in Nature Neuroscience. (full access paywall)
http://neurosciencenews.com/sundowning-aggression-8944/
Researchers Discover Connection Between Circadian Rhythm and Aggression
The tool can also be used in other contexts than sundown syndrome.
The research is in Nature Neuroscience. (full access paywall)
http://neurosciencenews.com/sundowning-aggression-8944/
Researchers Find Fear and Courage Switches in Brain
Originally shared by Neuroscience News
Researchers Find Fear and Courage Switches in Brain
Further inquiry revealed that the nerve tract leading to the basolateral amygdala emanates from a nerve-cell cluster in the vMT called the xiphoid nucleus.
The research is in Nature. (full access paywall)
http://neurosciencenews.com/fear-courage-8942/
Researchers Find Fear and Courage Switches in Brain
Further inquiry revealed that the nerve tract leading to the basolateral amygdala emanates from a nerve-cell cluster in the vMT called the xiphoid nucleus.
The research is in Nature. (full access paywall)
http://neurosciencenews.com/fear-courage-8942/
"Employees' brain waves are reportedly being monitored in factories, state-owned enterprises, and the military...
Originally shared by Wayne Radinsky
"Employees' brain waves are reportedly being monitored in factories, state-owned enterprises, and the military across China."
"The technology works by placing wireless sensors in employees' caps or hats which, combined with artificial intelligence algorithms, spot incidents of workplace rage, anxiety, or sadness."
"Employers use this 'emotional surveillance technology' by then tweaking workflows, including employee placement and breaks, to increase productivity and profits."
"At State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power in the southeast city of Hangzhou, company profits jumped by $315 million since the technology was introduced in 2014."
http://www.businessinsider.com/china-emotional-surveillance-technology-2018-4?r=UK&IR=T
"Employees' brain waves are reportedly being monitored in factories, state-owned enterprises, and the military across China."
"The technology works by placing wireless sensors in employees' caps or hats which, combined with artificial intelligence algorithms, spot incidents of workplace rage, anxiety, or sadness."
"Employers use this 'emotional surveillance technology' by then tweaking workflows, including employee placement and breaks, to increase productivity and profits."
"At State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power in the southeast city of Hangzhou, company profits jumped by $315 million since the technology was introduced in 2014."
http://www.businessinsider.com/china-emotional-surveillance-technology-2018-4?r=UK&IR=T
"DNA can store remarkable amounts of genetic information and, as Ötzi demonstrates, can do so for thousands of years.
Originally shared by Wayne Radinsky
"DNA can store remarkable amounts of genetic information and, as Ötzi demonstrates, can do so for thousands of years." Ötzi is a man who died in the Alps five thousand years ago.
"DNA-based storage systems are a tantalizing challenge for coding theorists. We were initially drawn to the challenge of identifying the sources of errors from both writing and reading DNA, and of developing coding techniques to correct or mitigate such errors. Coding improves the reliability of ultimately fallible storage devices and the feasibility of using cheaper options. But DNA-based storage systems are new and uncharted territory for coding theorists."
https://spectrum.ieee.org/semiconductors/devices/exabytes-in-a-test-tube-the-case-for-dna-data-storage
"DNA can store remarkable amounts of genetic information and, as Ötzi demonstrates, can do so for thousands of years." Ötzi is a man who died in the Alps five thousand years ago.
"DNA-based storage systems are a tantalizing challenge for coding theorists. We were initially drawn to the challenge of identifying the sources of errors from both writing and reading DNA, and of developing coding techniques to correct or mitigate such errors. Coding improves the reliability of ultimately fallible storage devices and the feasibility of using cheaper options. But DNA-based storage systems are new and uncharted territory for coding theorists."
https://spectrum.ieee.org/semiconductors/devices/exabytes-in-a-test-tube-the-case-for-dna-data-storage
Decoding the Brain's Learning Machine
Originally shared by Neuroscience News
Decoding the Brain's Learning Machine
Learning in the cerebellum, a part of the vertebrate brain located at the back of the skull that directs and regulates movements, is guided through a process of trial and error.
The research is in Nature Neuroscience. (full access paywall)
http://neurosciencenews.com/cerebellum-learning-8959/
Decoding the Brain's Learning Machine
Learning in the cerebellum, a part of the vertebrate brain located at the back of the skull that directs and regulates movements, is guided through a process of trial and error.
The research is in Nature Neuroscience. (full access paywall)
http://neurosciencenews.com/cerebellum-learning-8959/
Humm..
Humm..
Originally shared by Rob Jongschaap
“My model of a time machine uses the curved space-time to bend time into a circle for the passengers, not in a straight line,” Tippet explained. “That circle takes us back in time.”
Simply put, their model assumes that time could curve around high-mass objects in the same way that physical space does in the universe. For Tippet and Tsang, a TARDIS is a space-time geometry “bubble” that travels faster than the speed of light.
“It is a box which travels ‘forwards’ and then ‘backwards’ in time along a circular path through spacetime,” they wrote in their paper.
Unfortunately, it’s still not possible to construct such a time machine.
“While is it mathematically feasible, it is not yet possible to build a space-time machine because we need materials — which we call exotic matter — to bend space-time in these impossible ways, but they have yet to be discovered,” Tippet explained.
Indeed, their work isn’t the first to suggest that time traveling can be done. Various other experiments, including those that rely on photon stimulation, suggest that time travel is feasible. Another theory explores the potential particles of time. However, some think that a time machine wouldn’t be feasible because time traveling itself isn’t possible. One points to the intimate connection between time and energy as the reason time traveling is improbable. Another suggests that time travel isn’t going to work because there’s no future to travel to yet.
http://www.thescinewsreporter.com/2018/05/new-research-shows-that-time-travel-is.html
http://www.thescinewsreporter.com/2018/05/new-research-shows-that-time-travel-is.html
Originally shared by Rob Jongschaap
“My model of a time machine uses the curved space-time to bend time into a circle for the passengers, not in a straight line,” Tippet explained. “That circle takes us back in time.”
Simply put, their model assumes that time could curve around high-mass objects in the same way that physical space does in the universe. For Tippet and Tsang, a TARDIS is a space-time geometry “bubble” that travels faster than the speed of light.
“It is a box which travels ‘forwards’ and then ‘backwards’ in time along a circular path through spacetime,” they wrote in their paper.
Unfortunately, it’s still not possible to construct such a time machine.
“While is it mathematically feasible, it is not yet possible to build a space-time machine because we need materials — which we call exotic matter — to bend space-time in these impossible ways, but they have yet to be discovered,” Tippet explained.
Indeed, their work isn’t the first to suggest that time traveling can be done. Various other experiments, including those that rely on photon stimulation, suggest that time travel is feasible. Another theory explores the potential particles of time. However, some think that a time machine wouldn’t be feasible because time traveling itself isn’t possible. One points to the intimate connection between time and energy as the reason time traveling is improbable. Another suggests that time travel isn’t going to work because there’s no future to travel to yet.
http://www.thescinewsreporter.com/2018/05/new-research-shows-that-time-travel-is.html
http://www.thescinewsreporter.com/2018/05/new-research-shows-that-time-travel-is.html
Physicists find signs of a time crystal
Originally shared by Rob Jongschaap
... Scientists say that understanding time crystals may lead to improvements in atomic clocks, gyroscopes, and magnetometers, as well as aid in building potential quantum technologies. The U.S. Department of Defense recently announced a program to fund more research into time crystal systems.
Yale's new findings are described in a pair of studies, one in Physical Review Letters and the other in Physical Review B. The studies represent the second known experiment observing a telltale signature for a discrete time crystal (DTC) in a solid. Previous experiments led to a flurry of media attention in the past year. ...
Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2018-05-physicists-crystal.html#jCp
https://phys.org/news/2018-05-physicists-crystal.html
... Scientists say that understanding time crystals may lead to improvements in atomic clocks, gyroscopes, and magnetometers, as well as aid in building potential quantum technologies. The U.S. Department of Defense recently announced a program to fund more research into time crystal systems.
Yale's new findings are described in a pair of studies, one in Physical Review Letters and the other in Physical Review B. The studies represent the second known experiment observing a telltale signature for a discrete time crystal (DTC) in a solid. Previous experiments led to a flurry of media attention in the past year. ...
Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2018-05-physicists-crystal.html#jCp
https://phys.org/news/2018-05-physicists-crystal.html
Facebook announces PyTorch 1.0, a more unified AI framework – TechCrunch
Originally shared by Ward Plunet
Facebook announces PyTorch 1.0, a more unified AI framework
Today, the company announced PyTorch 1.0, a new iteration of the framework that merges Python-based PyTorch with Caffe2 allowing developers to move from research to production in a more frictionless way without having to deal with migration. At Facebook, the company’s AI efforts are split between two teams, the Facebook AI Research group (FAIR) and the company’s Applied Machine Learning team (AML). The distinction ultimately boils down to one division researching AI with seemingly limitless computational resources at their disposal and the other looking to implement lightweight machine learning models more suited for consumers. In the past, the former mission has been better-suited for the research-optimized PyTorch while the more resource-efficient Caffe2 framework has made sense for the latter.
https://techcrunch.com/2018/05/02/facebook-announces-pytorch-1-0-a-more-unified-ai-framework/
Facebook announces PyTorch 1.0, a more unified AI framework
Today, the company announced PyTorch 1.0, a new iteration of the framework that merges Python-based PyTorch with Caffe2 allowing developers to move from research to production in a more frictionless way without having to deal with migration. At Facebook, the company’s AI efforts are split between two teams, the Facebook AI Research group (FAIR) and the company’s Applied Machine Learning team (AML). The distinction ultimately boils down to one division researching AI with seemingly limitless computational resources at their disposal and the other looking to implement lightweight machine learning models more suited for consumers. In the past, the former mission has been better-suited for the research-optimized PyTorch while the more resource-efficient Caffe2 framework has made sense for the latter.
https://techcrunch.com/2018/05/02/facebook-announces-pytorch-1-0-a-more-unified-ai-framework/
"Today Microsoft is announcing the support for PyTorch 1.0 in Azure Machine Learning Services and Data Science...
Originally shared by Wayne Radinsky
"Today Microsoft is announcing the support for PyTorch 1.0 in Azure Machine Learning Services and Data Science Virtual Machine."
"PyTorch 1.0 takes the modular, production-oriented capabilities from Caffe2 and ONNX and combines them with PyTorch's existing flexible, research-focused design to provide a fast, seamless path from research prototyping to production deployment for a broad range of AI projects. With PyTorch 1.0, AI developers can both experiment rapidly and optimize performance through a hybrid front end that seamlessly transitions between imperative and declarative execution modes. Data Scientists can develop models in PyTorch 1.0, which are saved in ONNX as the native format and directly use them in applications built on Windows ML and other platforms that support ONNX."
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/microsoft-extends-ai-support-to-pytorch-1-0-deep-learning-framework/
"Today Microsoft is announcing the support for PyTorch 1.0 in Azure Machine Learning Services and Data Science Virtual Machine."
"PyTorch 1.0 takes the modular, production-oriented capabilities from Caffe2 and ONNX and combines them with PyTorch's existing flexible, research-focused design to provide a fast, seamless path from research prototyping to production deployment for a broad range of AI projects. With PyTorch 1.0, AI developers can both experiment rapidly and optimize performance through a hybrid front end that seamlessly transitions between imperative and declarative execution modes. Data Scientists can develop models in PyTorch 1.0, which are saved in ONNX as the native format and directly use them in applications built on Windows ML and other platforms that support ONNX."
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/microsoft-extends-ai-support-to-pytorch-1-0-deep-learning-framework/