Technology and Science Highlights of the Week #24 September 2024

1. Google is Working on AI that Can Hear Signs of Sickness

Google, in cooperation with the Indian startup Salcit Technologies, is working on artificial intelligence that can detect early signs of diseases based on sounds. The company trains its basic AI model on 300 million audio recordings, including coughs, snorts, and heavy breathing.

Salcit Technologies is engaged in the creation of artificial intelligence for respiratory diseases. Companies want to bring the technology to smartphones, which could help high-risk populations in regions with limited access to healthcare.

This is not Google's first attempt to digitize the human senses. Its venture arm has also backed at least one startup that uses artificial intelligence to try to detect signs of illness by smell.

2. Window-Cleaning Robots Hang out in New York for World-First Deployment

Last week, the automated window cleaning system Ozmo from Skyline Robotics was tested right on a 45-story office skyscraper in New York. Platforms with manipulators were suspended from the roof of the building, which cope with the work 3 times faster than human cleaning teams. To calculate the pressure on the glass and position themselves in space, the mechanical arms use special LiDAR sensors. The structure is stabilized by an artificial intelligence algorithm, ignoring even strong gusts of wind. At the moment, the Ozmo system is not fully automated - the hands are controlled by an operator via a computer located right on the roof of the skyscraper. But in the future, it is planned to have no people at all. In any case, the idea already allows not only to close the labor shortage for window cleaning but also to protect people from danger.

3. China Launches World's First Hydrogen-Powered Drone With 100km Range

“Tianmushan No. 1,” the world’s first hydrogen-powered multi-rotor drone with a range of 100 km, developed by China’s Tianmushan Laboratory, has completed its maiden flight.

“The drone was developed to solve the industry’s problems related to the insufficient endurance and resistance of industrial drones to low temperatures,” the laboratory said in a press release.

The main feature of the drone is its hydrogen fuel cell. With an energy density five to six times that of lithium-ion batteries, the flight duration is greatly increased. In addition to the hydrogen fuel system, the drone uses a built-in intelligent parachute system and four types of carbon cylinders to store hydrogen. The air-cooled fuel cell stack ensures optimal performance even in challenging conditions.

4. China Robots ConferenceSpotlights the Changing Face of Humanoids

BEIJING, Aug 26 (Reuters) - As China seeks to race ahead in humanoid robot development, its supply chains showcased cheaper and innovative parts at the World Robot Conference in Beijing, but some executives warn the industry has yet to improve product reliability.

Wisson Technology (Shenzhen), known for its flexible robotic manipulators, doesn’t depend on motors and reducers - transmission devices commonly used in robotics - but instead uses 3D-printed plastics and relies on pneumatic artificial muscles to power its robots.

"(Wisson’s) pliable arms could be used in humanoids," said Cao, adding that the company has already provided samples to overseas companies that make humanoid robots, without elaborating.

5. Research Team Proposes Solution to AI's Continual Learning Problem

In their paper, a team of researchers from the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii) explores a difficult problem that has long been suspected in deep learning models but hasn’t received much attention: For some reason, many deep learning agents engaged in continuous training lose their ability to learn, and their performance drops off dramatically.

Many existing models aren’t designed to learn continuously. Sutton cites ChatGPT as an example; it doesn’t learn continuously. Instead, its creators train the model for a set amount of time. Once training is complete, the model is deployed without further training.

The researchers proposed a method called “continuous backpropagation” that helps models retain their learning ability for longer, solving this problem. This discovery could be an important step toward creating more robust and efficient AI systems.

6. Mysterious 'Donut' Structure Found Hidden Inside Earth's Core

Geophysicists from Australia have discovered an unusual structure in the liquid core of the Earth, which may improve our understanding of the dynamics of the planet's magnetic field.

The Earth has a complex internal structure, which consists of several layers. In the center of the planet is the core, which is divided into two parts: a solid inner and a liquid outer. Above the core lies the mantle, and the outer layer is formed by the Earth's crust. Recently, a team of researchers from the Australian National University made an important discovery. They found a previously unknown structure in the outer core of the Earth, near the boundary with the mantle.

Professor Hrvoje Tkalčić, co-author of the study, explains that the new structure was discovered thanks to the slowing down of seismic waves. According to him, it resembles a donut shape and extends for the first hundreds of kilometers below the boundary of the mantle and the core.

The outer core of the Earth consists mainly of molten iron and nickel. The movements of this electrically conductive mass create a magnetic field that protects the planet from cosmic radiation. Professor Tkalčić suggests that the discovered structure is enriched with light chemical elements, which enhances mixing in the outer core.

The geophysicist also notes that this discovery may be important not only for studying the Earth. New knowledge about the structure of the Earth's core and its influence on the planet's magnetic field may be useful for studying the magnetic fields of other planets.

See You Next Week with News!