Robotics/AI – Lifeboat News: The Blog

The Singularity Controversy: 3 years later (A London Futurists Event)

Posted by Amnon H. Eden in Elon Musk, robotics/AI, singularity

Apr 7
2016

Three years have passed since the publication of the volume of essays “The Singularity Hypotheses” — a publication that was marked at the time by a London Futurists discussion event. During these three years, public awareness of the concepts of an intelligence explosion has grown sharply — fuelled, in part, by statements from luminaries such as Stephen Hawking and Elon Musk.

In this event, Amnon Eden, lead editor of Singularity Hypotheses, returns to London Futurists to provide an update on the controversies about the Singularity. Topics to be covered will include:

• Luddites, Philistines, and Starry-Eyed: The War over Killer Robots.
• AI (Artificial Intelligence) vs. IA (Intelligence Augmentation)
• “Technological Singularity”: A Definition, Sufficient and Necessary Conditions.
• Perennial Fallacies, Debunked and Re-debunked.
• Learning from the media storm.

Self-Taught Robot Is Ready to Seize Another Warehouse Job

Posted by Shailesh Prasad in computing, robotics/AI

Apr 7
2016

A new robot uses computer vision and machine learning to break down pallets of boxes faster than human workers.

Taco Bell wants you to order food from a chat bot

Posted by Shailesh Prasad in food, robotics/AI

Apr 7
2016

We’ve seen some clever ways to order food online in our day, but this one is decidedly off the wall. Taco Bell is testing TacoBot, a chat AI that helps you order (what else?) tacos in a Slack conversation. Think of it as a tasty text adventure — you can ask questions about the menu, customize your order and check your cart. It’s only in a private beta with a few companies at the moment, but you can sign up for a waiting list to have your Slack team give TacoBot a try. Just think — you could have tacos sent your way while you’re stuck in a planning session.

Imperial ambitions | The Economist

Posted by Odette Bohr Dienel in augmented reality, big data, business, drones, internet, Mark Zuckerberg, robotics/AI, virtual realityTagged facebook, solar power

Apr 7
2016

“The scale of Facebook’s ambition, and the rivalries it faces, reflect a consensus that these technologies will transform how people interact with each other, with data and with their surroundings.”

Mapping the Brain to Build Better Machines

Posted by Karen Hurst in information science, neuroscience, robotics/AI

Apr 6
2016

Interesting; especially since things have been very quite around IARPA and DARPA on their BMI efforts lately.

The Microns project aims to decipher the brain’s algorithms in an effort to revolutionize machine learning.

How AI-powered robots will protect the networked soldier

Posted by Karen Hurst in encryption, robotics/AI

Apr 6
2016

DARPA’s “Squad X” uses Android tablets, encrypted real-time communication, and Artificial Intelligence to save lives.

Report: Drones, 3D Printing, and A.I. Will All Create Deadly New Challenges for the U.S. Military

Posted by Karen Hurst in 3D printing, drones, military, robotics/AI

Apr 6
2016

We all know that anything that the public can get their hands on, the black market, etc. already has access as well as those hard to get items like a rocket launcher, etc. So, not sure why anyone will be surprised by this article.

New technologies will level the playing field between the major powers and smaller, independent players.

Robots Are Learning to Fake Empathy

Posted by Karen Hurst in military, robotics/AI

Apr 6
2016

Military-funded research has developed artificial intelligence that can read and respond to human emotion.

System Could Help Prevent Mid-Air Collisions

Posted by Karen Hurst in robotics/AI, transportation

Apr 6
2016

1st success seen in system designed to help aircraft automatically avoid mid-air collisions.

Flight tests demonstrate optical sense-and-avoid capability that detects and tracks nearby aircraft, setting the stage for future manned and unmanned aircraft to autonomously steer clear of them.

Virtual reality helps farmers connect to kids, public

Posted by Karen Hurst in education, food, internet, robotics/AI, sustainability, virtual reality

Apr 5
2016

I expect education to be taught more through VR & AI. I know as a kid, my own elementary, Jr High/ Middle School, and HS experience was pretty mundane and boring at times. By having VR & AI technologies to enable the catering/ customizing of education to the student’s needs and pace will be awesome.

Virtual reality on a Nebraska farm tour combined with a live audience made for a first-time event Tuesday at Deere & Co. headquarters, Moline.

Designed to highlight innovation behind sustainable food production, the web broadcast may have originated in Moline, but it was seen online by 37,000 high school students in the United States.

It was sponsored by the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance, St. Louis, and Discovery Education, an arm of the Discovery network.