Lifeboat Foundation

If the forecast calls for rain, you’ll probably pack an umbrella. If it calls for cold, you may bring your mittens. That same kind of preparation happens in buildings, where sophisticated heating and cooling systems adjust themselves based on the predicted weather.

But when the forecast is imperfect—as it often is—buildings can end up wasting energy, just as we may find ourselves wet, cold or burdened with extra layers we don’t need.

A new approach developed by Fengqi You, professor in energy systems engineering at Cornell University, predicts the accuracy of the weather forecast using a machine learning model trained with years’ worth of data on forecasts and actual weather conditions. You combined that predictor with a mathematical model that considers building characteristics including the size and shape of rooms, the construction materials, the location of sensors and the position of windows.

Continue reading “To conserve energy, AI clears up cloudy forecasts” »

A team of researchers including Neil Johnson, a professor of physics at the George Washington University, has discovered that decentralized systems work better when the individual parts are less capable.

Dr. Johnson was interested in understanding how systems with many moving parts can reach a desired target or goal without centralized control. This explores a common theory that decentralized systems, those without a central brain, would be more resilient against damage or errors.

This research has the potential to inform everything from how to effectively structure a company, build a better autonomous vehicle, optimize next-generation artificial intelligence algorithms—and could even transform our understanding of evolution. The key lies in understanding how the “sweet spot” between decentralized and centralized systems varies with how clever the pieces are, Dr. Johnson said.

Continue reading “Decentralized systems are more efficient at reaching a target when its components are not overly capable” »

Forensics is on the cusp of a third revolution in its relatively young lifetime. The first revolution, under the brilliant but complicated mind of J. Edgar Hoover, brought science to the field and was largely responsible for the rise of criminal justice as we know it today. The second, half a century later, saw the introduction of computers and related technologies in mainstream forensics and created the subfield of digital forensics.

We are now hurtling headlong into the third revolution with the introduction of Artificial Intelligence (AI) – intelligence exhibited by machines that are trained to learn and solve problems. This is not just an extension of prior technologies. AI holds the potential to dramatically change the field in a variety of ways, from reducing bias in investigations to challenging what evidence is considered admissible.

AI is no longer science fiction. A 2016 survey conducted by the National Business Research Institute (NBRI) found that 38% of enterprises are already using AI technologies and 62% will use AI technologies by 2018. “The availability of large volumes of data—plus new algorithms and more computing power—are behind the recent success of deep learning, finally pulling AI out of its long winter,” writes Gil Press, contributor to Forbes.com.

Continue reading “The Coming AI Revolution in Digital Forensics” »

Lawmakers and experts are sounding the alarm about “deepfakes,” forged videos that look remarkably real, warning they will be the next phase in disinformation campaigns.

The manipulated videos make it difficult to distinguish between fact and fiction, as artificial intelligence technology produces fake content that looks increasingly real.

The issue has the attention of lawmakers from both parties on Capitol Hill.

Continue reading “Washington fears new threat from ‘deepfake’ videos” »

Leonardo the lanky robot can sort of hover-walk on two legs—and that could land it on Mars one day.

Register now! We’re calling on the world’s greatest minds to achieve a new milestone for the future of artificial intelligence and autonomous flight.

Fast, accurate and no typos! Bloomberg News, The Washington Post and The Associated Press test out machine-generated journalism.

Robots are already capable of doing many things for us. As this video shows, mobile robots can be used to automate tasks in the lab. They use tags and picture recognition to handle items. The robots are also capable of accessing lab devices.

More like this ➡️ here.

Continue reading “Omnidirectional Robots Used for Lab Automation” »

The longevity industry gets a boost with the launch of a $100 million venture fund, Longevity Vision Fund, focused on longevity biotechnology and artificial intelligence. The fund will invest in infrastructure projects enabling the longevity biotechnology industry.