Tag Archives: Tech

9 February 2024
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Technology Trends for 2024

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The breakneck pace of technological advancements is causing a domino effect on change, impacting more than just technology itself. This evolving landscape forces IT professionals to acknowledge that their roles will fundamentally shift in a post-contactless world. To thrive in this new reality, continuous learning, unlearning, and relearning will become essential, not just a personal choice, but a necessity for IT professionals navigating the future.

Generative AI

It may seem obvious to start with generative artificial intelligence, but it has become arguably the most influential technology.

We may see a focus on democratizing knowledge and training across different business roles and functions, as well as technical.

Gartner predicts that “by 2026, more than 80% of enterprises will have used Generative AI APIs and models and/or deployed GenAI-enabled applications in production environments, compared to less than 5% in 2023″. This eye-catching figure will help bring new products to market faster, increase business efficiency and productivity, hyper-personalization, and the most advanced technology available today, within everyone’s reach.

Cybersecurity as a central pillar

Cyber attacks have become a major concern for businesses in recent years. As a result, cyber security is no longer just another priority but an absolute necessity.

IT leaders must adopt a pragmatic and systemic approach to adjust cybersecurity optimization priorities continuously. This is best achieved through basic steps such as using encrypted services, training and raising employee awareness, conducting pentesting tests, creating and updating protocols and software, and validating compliance and governance….

Finally, adopt a Zero Trust approach, a model that assumes potential data breaches and verifies each request as if it came from an uncontrolled network. Thus, each access request is strongly authenticated, authorized within the constraints of the policy, and inspected for anomalies.

“Figital” convergence and Digital Twins

It is a novel concept that refers to the space created where the real and digital worlds converge. The two are increasingly intertwined, and technologies such as augmented reality, virtual reality, and immersive experiences are breaking down the blurred line between the two.

Closely linked to the digital twins, we are witnessing a moment where the digital is becoming more realistic and the real much more flexible and malleable. This technology allows us to change the components we want in the digital world until they are optimized and achieve their best version in the real world.

It is a trend that will accelerate new digital skills in all kinds of jobs, as well as refine business processes, improve efficiency and save exponentially on costs.

Quantum Computing

It is a form of computing that takes advantage of quantum phenomena such as superposition and entanglement. It is a technology that has the potential to optimize investment strategies and encryption or discover new products in unseen timeframes.

The significant differentiating factor of this trend is that quantum computers are much, much faster than regular computers, which is why large companies such as Microsoft, AWS, and Google are putting a lot of effort into innovating in this field. In fact, their global market revenues are expected to exceed 2.5 billion dollars by 2029.

Green Tech

We are in a time of environmental crisis, and technology is one of the keys to helping create an ecological and social rights balance.

Governments and organizations commit to zero emissions agreements and sustainable technologies to prevent, mitigate, and adapt to environmental risks. Indeed, they improve human rights outcomes, well-being, or prosperity, as well as enhance business conduct, capacity building, or overall performance.

A greener and more sustainable future can be created without sacrificing efficiency and business growth thanks to new technologies such as AI, blockchain, cloud computing, extended reality, robotics, and many others.

Platform Engineering

It is the discipline of creating and managing internal self-service platforms. That is, each platform is a layer created and maintained by a dedicated product team designed to meet user needs by interfacing with tools and processes.

It is a practice that optimizes the developer experience and accelerates the delivery of business value. It reduces cognitive load by improving developer experience and productivity, enhancing their ability to run, manage, and develop their applications, improving talent retention, and ensuring reliability and security.

Smarter applications

With the advent of generative AI, enterprise apps are going one step further, becoming much smarter and transforming the experience for customers, users, product owners, and developers.

By incorporating data from transactions and external sources, intelligent applications bring insights into the applications that business users already use, and through AI, they add predictions or recommendations, allowing applications to be tailored to the user, resulting in better outcomes and data-driven decision-making.

Sources:

https://www.plainconcepts.com/tech-trends-2024/

https://bard.google.com/chat/e630ea8f5e30d2ee

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10 December 2023
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Business, Devices, Software

Neuralink : The device that enhances your brain

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Neuralink is a neurotechnology company founded by Elon Musk in 2016 to develop implantable brain-machine interfaces. The company aims to create devices that can be implanted in the human brain, allowing for a direct connection between the brain and a computer. This technology has the potential to revolutionize the way we interact with technology and could have a wide range of applications, from medical treatments for neurological disorders to enhancing human capabilities[1].

The chip Neuralink is developing is about the size of a coin and would be embedded in a person’s skull. From the chip, an array of tiny wires, each roughly 20 times thinner than a human hair, fan out into the patient’s brain. The wires are equipped with 1,024 electrodes, which are able to monitor brain activity and, theoretically, electrically stimulate the brain. The chip transmits this data wirelessly via the chip to computers, where researchers can study it [3].

The company’s primary goal is to assist individuals with paralysis in regaining independence through the control of computers and mobile devices. The devices are designed to facilitate easy communication through text or speech synthesis, internet exploration, and the expression of creativity through various mediums such as photography, art, and writing [1].

The development of Neuralink technology has raised concerns about potential dangers. Improper implantation of the device could lead to infections and inflammation in the brain, increasing the risk of developing conditions such as Alzheimer’s.Additionally, there have been allegations of animal cruelty and claims that monkeys used to test the device died as a result of the brain chips. Furthermore, the U.S. Department of Transportation is investigating Neuralink over the potentially illegal movement of hazardous pathogens, which could cause serious health issues in infected humans. These concerns highlight the need for thorough evaluation and regulation to ensure the safety and ethical use of this emerging technology[5].

Although Neuralink may be the most recognizable, a handful of other companies are also working on brain implants and grappling with common problems such as safety, longevity, and what they can get the implant to do. Two former Neuralink employees have started their own BCI ventures [2]

The potential impact of AI and Neuralink on knowledge management is significant. With a high bandwidth brain-machine interface, we will have the option to go along for the ride. These drastic changes in the ways we will learn and communicate in a world where Elon manages to achieve his vision for Neuralink have many implications for the way we work, especially for knowledge workers [4]

In conclusion, Neuralink technology has the potential to revolutionize the way we interact with technology and could have a wide range of applications, from medical treatments for neurological disorders to enhancing human capabilities. Although the technology is still in development, it has already garnered significant attention and could have a significant impact on the future of technology and human capabilities.

[1]https://www.findlight.net/blog/neuralink-technology/

[2]https://www.wired.com/story/all-the-actually-important-stuff-neuralink-just-announced/

[3]https://www.businessinsider.com/neuralink-elon-musk-microchips-brains-ai-2021-2?IR=T

[4]https://blog.re-work.co/neuralink-and-the-future-of-ai/

[5]https://www.reuters.com/technology/elon-musks-neuralink-may-have-illegally-transported-pathogens-animal-advocates-2023-02-09/

This blog post was made with perplexity ai

Image was generated with Dalle 3

Some of the prompts I’ve used:

Write a techblog post about neuralink technology

write a techblog post paragraph containing concerns about the dangers of neuralink technology

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3 May 2022
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DWARF II. A new way to look in the sky.

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Every astronomy enthusiast who likes to look at celestial bodies in the sky understands that such a telescope can be quite expensive. Moreover, traditional telescopes are large, heavy, and not mobile enough. This is why the DWARF II telescope was created by TinyScope CAM, which enables users to pursue their interests without difficulty. This smart telescope gives users incredible detail of an object, at the same time being extremely small in size.

The developers took into account all the shortcomings of the previous model DWARF I and created an improved version of the telescope, which is so beloved by users. Moreover, they added the ability to control the telescope using a cell phone. The developers also said that in the nearest future they will provide API and documentation for developers. So they will allow users to develop and run their own programs on DWARF II.

Developers claimed that this cutting-edge telescope is able to take pictures of objects located deep in space, and moreover, it is even capable of taking photos of other galaxies. Due to the diagonal of the sensor of the IMX415 telescopic camera, the diagonal of the 35mm frame is approximately 6.7. Thus, on a 35mm camera, this 100mm lens is approximately equivalent to a 675mm lens. The Developers say that this should be enough for taking fantastic pictures of the Moon and other bigger galaxies. DWARF II can capture multiple images using 2-axis scanning technology and, later, stitch them together to form one image. In this case, The number of pixels can even reach one billion.

DWARF II is compact, and has the following technical characteristics:

Lens: 100 mm focal length, is optimized to the diffraction limit

Motor: 0.001°/s~36°/s ultra-wide speed range, high-precision positioning

Sensor: SONY IMX415 Starvis, 8 million pixels, high sensitivity

CPU/NPU: 4-Core Cortex-A7 1.5 GHz CPU, 2 TOPS NPU

To take a photo of any deep-sky object, traditionally, astronomical observation telescopes must be equipped with an equatorial instrument and a camera. All these equipment prices start at $1500 and can be even higher. So, it can be concluded that for ordinary users it will be quite costly. Whereas, DWARF II early bird price starts from $459.

Summarizing everything that was mentioned before, It must be said that DWARF II is an awesome, light, user-friendly, and compact telescope. In comparison with traditional equipment, it is very cost-effective. Moreover, it allows users to develop custom software, using their API. And in my opinion, this advantage allows them to gain experience that simply can not be achieved with traditional telescopes.

Resources:

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/dwarf-ii-smart-telescope-astro-nature-photography–2#/

https://youtu.be/c_blFgd3ky0

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIUcl9HrkNf7rZXVZSkrw9w

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tinyscope/dwarf-ii-a-portable-and-versatile-smart-telescope

https://astronomy.ru/forum/index.php/topic,198227.0.html

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31 January 2022
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The Quantum Computer – Will it still break the internet?

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Ever since quantum computing has been theorized, many questions have been asked among scientists on what it could potentially do. With the high development speed of new technologies, will it still have a significant impact today and on future generations?

The origin up to today

Back in the 1980s, Yuri Manin and Richard Feynman came up with the idea that such a computer was scientifically possible to build. If you are unfamiliar with quantum physics, I recommend you look up “Schrodinger’s cat”. 

The reason there are so few quantum computers available today (in 2018, there were only 11 of them) is mainly linked to the fact that high computational resources are required. In quantum computers, one of the requirements is to reach the phenomenon of “superposition”. Essentially, this means that the computer must be able to “superpose” all the different available paths. Equivalently, a traditional computer will use bits, also known as “binary digits”, whereas quantum computers will use qubits or quantum bits that allow the phenomenon of superposition.

Another reason why quantum computers are incredibly rare is also since they can become dangerous in the wrong hands. As for today, it is extremely hard to purchase one of these technologies, as it will cost you a few million dollars. Even if you were able to purchase one, there is such a scarce amount of them in circulation, that it is easy for the government to regulate the use.

With the arrival of quantum machine learning, it is easier to have access to quantum computers. The first solution is to use the cloud. 

Big companies such as IBM give access to quantum computers through the cloud, the problem is that there is a limited number of slots available. On the other hand, Google gives you access but you need to be on the approved list to be able to use it. Finally, Amazon provides quantum computers, but the issue is that you must pay for every execution you do, making it very expensive to use.

Other solutions are cloud simulators and local simulators. They do not give you the same processing power as that usual quantum computer, but they can help you work with it and see the potential of machine learning.

If it happens that you are interested in the subject, I suggest that you watched the video with the link below:

The uses of quantum computers

As mentioned above quantum computers can be used for artificial intelligence and machine learning. With the recent rise of deep learning, quantum computers are very useful for this industry, as high processing power is needed. 

This technology could also be used in computational chemistry. Its capacity of superposition makes it easy to map molecules and therefore build new drugs. In other words, quantum computers can also the healthcare industry. 

It is clear that for any analytical subjects these computers have incredible potential. If you take the example of financial modeling, you could be able to understand many different trends on wall streets making it also a very profitable technology. Yet, there is one industry that scares many researchers: cyber security and cryptography. 

You may or may not know that to hack someone’s accounts the most known technique is to use a library of names with different combinations of numbers and characters. Then you let the program run until it finds the right password. Now imagine that with the same program you would use one of the quantum computers, breaking passwords would become extremely easy, making it an incredibly dangerous weapon.

To protect users from such threats engineers are using quantum machine learning in cybersecurity to protect any potential attack on a user with such a technology.

Time is running out

One of the main factors of accessibility of this technology is obviously the price. Yet recently a startup based in Shenzhen, SpinQ has proved that they could make computers that would cost less than $5000. If these sorts of start-ups start multiplying and becoming more popular, soon we’ll all be able to have a quantum computer, which would completely change the industry of computer science. 

Every company would have to work on their cyber security as they would be vulnerable. To prevent that, it is important to create restrictions institutions that leave time to programmers and computer engineers to limits the drawbacks of quantum computers. Of course, SpinQ’s technology is nowhere as close as one of the 11 quantum computers that exist today.

But as the co-founder of the Institute for Quantum Computing at the University of Waterloo, Michele Mosca said: 

“Cryptography is a foundational piece in today’s digital infrastructures and security. Not all cryptography will be vulnerable to quantum computing, but many current forms will. Public key encryption could be decimated by it. Past communications, for example, such as those via video calls or through VPNs that have been recorded and stored could be hacked into through quantum. That ship has sailed.”

Now is the time to act

if we don’t want the next generation or even the present generation to be harmed by the dangers of quantum computing, institutions must be put into place today. I believe that it is important to teach the younger generations and the older about the potential threats of quantum computing.

If quantum computing is taught at school at the youngest age, consequently the probability that students would be interested in this in this industry should potentially be higher. It is important to train as many Cybersecurity talents as possible today, in order to fight against cybercrimes and potential cyber wars.

Sources used:

–      https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/quantum/concepts-overview#:~:text=Quantum%20computers%20were%20proposed%20in,to%20model%20even%20simple%20systems

–      https://www.britannica.com/technology/quantum-computer 

–      https://www.quora.com/How-many-quantum-computers-exist-as-of-2018 

–      https://towardsdatascience.com/what-if-i-cant-afford-a-quantum-computer-51ce96cd7b9c#:~:text=So%2C%20even%20they%20do%20exist,learning%20today%20rather%20than%20tomorrow.

–      https://analyticsindiamag.com/top-applications-of-quantum-computing-everyone-should-know-about/

–      https://futurism.com/the-byte/quantum-desktop-computer-5000 

–      https://home.kpmg/uk/en/blogs/home/posts/2021/10/calculating-the-quantum-computing-threats-and-opportunities-in-tmt.html#:~:text=The%20quantum%20cyber%20threat&text=Not%20all%20cryptography%20will%20be,be%20hacked%20into%20through%20quantum. 

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31 January 2022
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NFTs – What are the market prospects? Should you invest in them?

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When did NFTs start?

As a reminder, NFTs or Non-fungible tokens, or at least the meaning of “non-fungible” means: 

“That it’s unique and can’t be replaced with something else. For example, a bitcoin is fungible — trade one for another bitcoin, and you’ll have the same thing. A one-of-a-kind trading card, however, is non-fungible. If you traded it for a different card, you’d have something completely different.”

“NFTs can really be anything digital (such as drawings, music, your brain downloaded and turned into an AI), but a lot of the current excitement is around using the tech to sell digital art.”

(theverge.com)

Now that we have an understanding of what NFTs are, we can start focusing on the origin of this technology. On the 7th of August 2015, the first NFT was born. Its name was “Terra Nullius”, and it was part of the Ethereum blockchain. It turns out that the NFT had one particularity, it made users able to “claim a stake”. Essentially this means that you were able to insert a short message to personalize the NFT.

Then, a few months later, Etheria v1.1 also named Blockplots was created. Other than being one of the first NFTs to be introduced to the world, Etheria had a specific trait, the buyers were able to buy “tiles” from a 457-piece map. This concept please many NFT creators, and similar concepts were created.

One of them was named “PixelMap”, created at the end of 2016, it allowed users to purchase one or more images from a blockchain with 3,970 pieces available. PixelMap was some sort of combination of Etheria and Terra Nullius, as it not only had a limited number of buys but was also individually customizable. 

The idea of owning individual digital pieces was approved by other creators and therefore decided to diversify the asset. In 2017, Ethereum Name Service was invented, and granted the possibility to users to purchase one of their decentralized domain names. As time went by, you were able to own collectible cards thanks to Curio Cards, or even one of 400 plots on the moon with Lunar Token.

All in all, NFTs have existed since 2015 and have diversified in terms of the content of the purchased asset. Thanks to the graph below, you can visualize that NFTs have just recently become a trend.

Yet as you know now, NFTs have been around for 7 years now, so why is it now so popular?

NFT and its on-growing popularity.

As no media seem to understand the proper reason for its popularity, economic and technological factors, that made sense for NFTs to have such a prosperous run. NFTs’ ability to be purchased by cryptocurrencies is therefore greatly interlinked with Bitcoin’s recent bull run. As you may or may not know, at the end of 2020, reached a record-breaking all-time high of $68,0000. One can think that bitcoins’ popularity has therefore led to crypto-purchasable assets such as NFTs. 

One of the historically notorious NFTs back in late 2017 was CryptoKitties. It turns out that they made a comeback today with the “NBA Top Shot”. The American basketball league and CryptoKitties created NFTs of the best moments of the season. As a result, the duo became the number one source of volume on the NFT market. NBA being having such popularity; one can imagine that the cooperation became a catalyzer for the technology.

Finally, the pandemic has had a major influence on the international market, particularly on the collectibles market. The collectibles market value grew to $522b (irei.com, 2021), explaining one of the reasons why NFTs became so popular.

The different sorts of NFTs

To understand if NFTs are investable today, it is important to understand the different types that exist today.

Today the main types of NFTS on the market are: 

– Music: Allowing musicians to create a smaller audience of their biggest fans.

– Art: This allows digital art lovers to have their unique pieces.

– Access: Tickets that allow you to have access to digital content.

– Redeemable: A token that authorizes you to claim a physical good.

– Game objects: Think of skins for example (the color of your character in a video game), when purchased by the player, the company still has ownership. With NFTs, the player would have full ownership of the object and be able to benefit from its interoperability. 

– Identity: Users will have the possibility to benefit from NFTs interoperability and the blockchain’s secured system.

– Web 2.0 Databases: Keeping personal or even professional information decentralized will benefit the user in the way that they will be able to secure them, but also transfer their data to a decentralized system to a centralized one.

Should you invest in NFTs today?

It depends on the sort of investor that you are. If you are a risk-taking capitalist, in that case, trending cryptos such as the BAYC (Bored Ape Yacht Club) NFTs. This company has created many digital arts selling for millions of dollars. One of them, the “Bored Ape #3749”, sold for 740 ETH, the equivalent of around $2.9 million. Many celebrities are contentiously investing in them today, making the prices reach extremely high summits. If you are a specialist in the Art market, in that case, Art NFTs might be for you.

Of course, if you are purchasing the NFTs to support creators, or just because you want to have your “hands” on one, then sure, go for it!

On the other hand, the more “practicable” aspect of NFTs can become a great way to protect your data but also interoperate your credentials to different devices. This feature is becoming an interest for more and more companies, thus you might want to hold on to your wallet, as future competition in the industry will probably rise the buyers’ bargaining power.

Sources used:

–      https://bernardmarr.com/the-10-best-examples-of-nfts/#:~:text=2%20January%202022,lining%20up%20to%20buy%20them

–      https://www.theverge.com/22310188/nft-explainer-what-is-blockchain-crypto-art-faq 

–      https://www.one37pm.com/nft/tech/the-definitive-timeline-of-early-nfts-on-ethereum#:~:text=1.,’claim’%20on%20the%20blockchain

–      https://nftevening.com/terra-nullius-nft-project-is-the-newest-oldest-nft-in-existence/ 

–      https://medium.com/momentum6/nfts-have-a-future-beyond-investment-the-seven-types-of-nfts-you-can-get-today-674195d78087

–      https://influencermarketinghub.com/nfts-statistics/  

–      https://medium.com/geekculture/how-did-nfts-become-so-popular-f894eea22f90 

–      https://time.com/nextadvisor/investing/cryptocurrency/bitcoin-record-high-price/ 

–      https://irei.com/news/collectibles-market-value-grow-522b/ 

–      https://www.nftsstreet.com/top-10-most-expensive-bored-ape-yacht-club-nfts/ 

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31 January 2022
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VR for mental health – How beneficial is it? Should you use it today?

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A brief story about VR

To understand when VR started, it is important to define the term. VR or Virtual Reality is:

“The use of computer technology to create a simulated environment. Unlike traditional user interfaces, VR places the user inside an experience. Instead of viewing a screen in front of them, users are immersed and able to interact with 3D worlds. By simulating as many senses as possible, such as vision, hearing, touch, even smell, the computer is transformed into a gatekeeper to this artificial world. The only limits to near-real VR experiences are the availability of content and cheap computing power.” (marxentlabs.com)

Some argue that the idea of virtual reality was born in the 19th century with panoramic paintings, such as the battle of Racławice exposed in Wrocław since 1947, which aimed to immerse the spectator in the setting. Yet, the true VR concept was born in the 1930s thanks to the writer Stanley G. Weinbaum in Pygmalion’s Spectacles. In his science fiction novel, he mentions the use of glasses that would make the wearer perceive a fictional world (with sight but also smell, taste, and touch).

VR as we know it will have to wait for the 1960s and the help of Ivan Sutherland, an American IT engineer. Sutherland will create what he calls the “Ultimate Display”, which according to him, is as follows:

“The ultimate display would, of course, be a room within which the computer can control the existence of matter. A chair displayed in such a room would be good enough to sit in. Handcuffs displayed in such a room would be confining, and a bullet displayed in such a room would be fatal. With appropriate programming, such a display could literally be the Wonderland into which Alice walked.” 

Ivan Sutherland will become one of the VR pioneers in history, and thanks to his game “Sword of Damocles”, the world will consider his work as the archetype of modern VR.

The name VR will have to wait until 1987, when the founder of the virtual programming lab (VPL), came up with the term “Virtual Reality”.

25 years later, co-founder of the “Oculus rift” Palmer Lucky would take the contraption to a whole new level. His invention had so much potential that Facebook would eventually purchase the Oculus, 2 years later. Google would try to retaliate by making VR accessible to all thanks to its “Google Cardboard”. Unfortunately for them, this will only become a fad and would never reach the same success as the Oculus.

VR and Therapy

Even though the origins of VR were mostly focused on science fiction and video games, the technology had a serious impact on the medical industry. The first treatments ever began in the 1990s with the help of computer scientist Larry Hodges and psychologist Barbara Rothbaum. It turned out that the result of their research proved to be beneficial in treating phobias, especially: acrophobia (the fear of heights). With such a breakthrough in psychological science, Albert Carlin and Hunter Hoffman, both psychologists, theorized VR as being a potential cure against arachnophobia (the fear of spiders).

Studies have continuously been made in the field of VR healthcare, and many conclusions have been made that the technology could be used for PTSD, anxiety-related disorders, and phobias in general. Emmy-nominated journalist, Hannah Kuchler says: “People on opiates could be given a VR tour of what their body would look like after years of addiction”, suggesting that VR could play a major role against addictive disorders.

According to statista.com: “As of 2018, the North American healthcare AR and VR industry was valued at 477 million U.S. dollars. By 2025, that is expected to increase dramatically to 4.64 billion U.S. dollars.” The business perspective for such technology is underlyingly huge. With all the studies, all the positive feedback from the doctors and the patients, what could be the challenges for the technology?

Challenges to VR

With respect to Dr. Kalpana Srivastava, side effects to VR are: “dizziness, nausea, headache, eye strain, reduced limb control, reduced postural control, decreased sense of presence, and the development of responses inappropriate to the real world”. In other words, to be optimal and ready to be used efficiently, engineers still need to find a way to better VR.

With the exponential growth of VR in healthcare, one can hope that companies will make the technology side-effectless and hopefully financially accessible to most people.

Should you use VR?

VR has proved through history to be beneficial for mental health, there is even a word for it: VR exposure therapy (VRET). Its scalability is incontestable, and anxiety disorders being the most common of mental disorders “affecting nearly 18.1% of adults” (frontiersin.org, 2019), the potential is more than just promising.

In my humble opinion, if I had to recommend VR for health issues, I would definitely do so. For the skeptics, alternatives still exist today such as traditional therapy, or on the more unconventional spectrum, hypnosis. Yet, with all the studies and practices that have been done, it is clear that if you suffer from mental health disorders, VR is a solution today.

Sources used:

History Of Virtual Reality
What is Virtual Reality? [Definition and Examples]

https://careersinpsychology.org/why-virtual-reality-transform-mental-health-treatment/#:~:text=Therapists%20began%20to%20use%20virtual,therapy%20in%20mental%20health%20treatment

https://www.ft.com/content/1a9a4cac-83cb-11e8-96dd-fa565ec55929

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1033162/healthcare-ar-and-vr-market-forecast-worldwide-by-region/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4361984/

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00773/full#:~:text=Incorporating%20VR%20in%20therapy%20can,in%20vivo%20or%20imaginal%20exposure.

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30 January 2022
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Xenobots, a revolution in robot life – What are they? Should their legality be internationally considered?

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Earlier, in December 2021, the world was introduced to the Xenobots 3.0. To fully understand what Xenobots are, it is important to travel back in time to 2020, when this technology was still a theory.

The Birth of Xenobots

In 2020, the Xenobots were designed by biologists at Tufts University in Massachusetts and were then created the same year. Xenobots is the name that was given to them, as their design was inspired by the African clawed frog: “Xenopus laevis”. The main goal at the time was to reproduce the lifeforms through synthetic molecules. Since then, one question remains among the scientific community: should Xenobots be recognized as an organism? A robot? Or something totally new that doesn’t exist yet?

The story about their conception is worth reading, as the blueprints were designed by AI. Douglas Blackiston and Sam Kriegman were the key players concerning its development. Kriegman was responsible for the AI blueprint generator, while Blackiston was responsible for assembling the pieces together.

It is important to note that these “bots” aren’t as big as you could imagine. Their size is less than 1 millimeter wide, making them invisible to the human eye. The recipe for such a technology is made from two ingredients: skin cells and heart muscle cells. The skin cells are in charge of holding up the whole structure, and the heart muscle cells are accountable for their “life”. Ultimately, Tufts University biologists have designed the original Xenobots to be able to move and cooperate. 

In spring 2021, Xenobots 2.0 were introduced to the world. The technology had received major upgrades. First, they have the capacity to self-assemble independently from muscle cells. Furthermore, the second version proved to have the potential of what is known as “recordable memory”. Memory recordings are defined as: “a permanent record of your thoughts, feelings, and memories” (lifenaut.com). Essentially, this means that reinforcement learning would be possible, as they would recall their past experiences.

In December 2021, Xenobots experienced a breakthrough with the emergence of their newest version: Xenobots 3.0. The technology was now able to self-replicate. The goal of working together to survive was now reached, as the synthetic molecules are also able to work together to heal themselves once damaged. This last upgrade raised many topic discussions as to how this could come into play to benefit the world.

Revolutionary Potential

Josh Bongard, computer scientist, and robotic expert believes that the Xenobots need to be given tasks that are more useful. He says: “We want Xenobots to do useful work. Right now, we’re giving them simple tasks, but ultimately, we’re aiming for a new kind of living tool that could, for example, clean up microplastics in the ocean or contaminants in soil”.  

As one of the masterminds behind this work has said himself, Xenobots could come into play against the environmental crisis. Imagine for instance, if a version of the technology was able to absorb the CO2 particles? If it could reinforce and help strengthen the ozone layer? Or maybe it could clean polluted waters by disintegrating waste in the water. This could be one of the solutions, plus we wouldn’t even need to worry about Xenobots polluting water because as Douglas Blackinston specifies: “the Xenobots eventually break apart and are totally biodegradable”.

Another promising potential that Xenobots have, is within the healthcare sector. Many scientists hope that the technology will be used for biomedical needs. Josh Bongard believes that their swarm intelligence capacity will play a major role in this industry. According to sciencedirect.com, “Swarm intelligence (SI) is in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and is based on the collective behavior of elements in decentralized and self-organized systems”. This technology means that in medical fields such as vaccinations, Xenobots could be inserted within the human body to counter diseases. Think about Covid-19 today, you could potentially cure the disease with a “bot” that would learn to adapt and fight against it. This “bot” could therefore be injected inside the human body and become a solution to the pandemic.

With so much potential, so much to offer, one can only ask, what could possibly go wrong?

Lethal Drawbacks

Here is an extract from the United Nations’ Biological Weapons Convention and the 1925 Geneva Protocol and Chemical Weapons Convention: “Any hostile use of Xenobots, or the use of AI to design DNA sequences that would give rise to deliberately dangerous synthetic organisms, is banned”. With the rise of such a technology, the United Nations have already taken a position against its potentially destructive side.

Xenobots, as well as they can be used for good, can also be used for immoral practices. If we take the example of an individual who wants to cause mass destruction, he could use Xenobots and make them a lethal weapon for the human species. Let’s say he taught the synthetic molecule to fight against the humans’ immune system and create a disease that can spread easily and kill you in a matter of seconds. This could potentially be a scenario where humans could go extinct.

However, according to Kriegman, his invention is “an extremely controllable and stoppable and safe system”. As this might be the case today, only one could know how such a technology could evolve in harmful ways, especially if instructions on how to conceive Xenobots were to be leaked.

Should it be legal?

This is a question that can be answered ethically, but also on the health security scale. A good comparison is human cloning. In 2005, the United Nations declared that they would be prohibiting “all forms of human cloning inasmuch as they are incompatible with human dignity and the protection of human life”. As the potential for such innovations seems groundbreaking, its dangers could also become out of control. Technological progress, in general, is extremely volatile, which means that its unpredictability could escalate into terrible conditions for human beings.

Such a dilemma can be found in any technology nowadays. There is this sudden urge to develop as fast as possible, without taking into consideration the possible constraints. The underlying fact is that banning technology is a secure way not to be harmed by it, but is also a way not to benefit from it. For example, banning cloning has proved to work regarding human-clone danger, yet other problems are threatening human life. The major one is the environmental crisis.

As a reminder, “There will be no water by 2040 if we keep doing what we’re doing today”, according to Professor Benjamin Sovacool from Aarhus University in Denmark. This means that we have 18 years to find a solution to counter the effects of the growing pollution. By consistently banning technology, we are closing the doors to solutions that could maybe solve the environmental crisis.

The proper answer is to regulate, or maybe restrict the use of Xenobots to all private companies, so that it is possible to focus and manage the development of such a technology, to prevent it from becoming a deviant mean.  As such, the government should theoretically ensure that the innovation is used in beneficial ways.

Sources used:

https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/xenobots-worlds-first-living-robots-can-reproduce-scientists-say

Xenobots 2.0: Scientists Create the Next Generation of Living Robots
Xenobots 3.0: Living Robots That Can Reproduce
Memory Recordings
Xenobots 3.0: The Marvel of Self-replicating Living Robots

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-unveiled-the-worlds-first-living-robots-last-year-now-they-can-now-reproduce-180979150/

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2273516-living-robots-made-from-frog-skin-cells-can-sense-their-environment/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/swarm-intelligence

https://theconversation.com/will-self-replicating-xenobots-cure-diseases-yield-new-bioweapons-or-simply-turn-the-whole-world-into-grey-goo-173244#:~:text=Any%20hostile%20use%20of%20xenobots,Protocol%20and%20Chemical%20Weapons%20Convention.

https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/xenobot-living-robots-can-reproduce-69477

https://www.nature.com/articles/palcomms201719#:~:text=Feelings%20run%20strong%20on%20both,the%20protection%20of%20human%20life%E2%80%9D.

https://www.theworldcounts.com/challenges/planet-earth/freshwater/when-will-the-world-run-out-of-water#:~:text=Unless%20water%20use%20is%20drastically%20reduced%2C%20severe%20water%20shortage%20will,the%20entire%20planet%20by%202040.

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13 December 2021
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Business, Devices

3D printed Space Rockets and Porsche’s investment in them

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Recently, Porsche has invested in a German startup called Isar Aerospace, which is working on a lightweight launch vehicle with 3D printed parts, including key propulsion components. The first launch is scheduled for 2022.

Geld für Isar Aerospace: Porsche SE investiert in Raketen ...


German journalists are excited to call the startup a competitor to SpaceX, but at present Isar Aerospace is focused on another segment of the aerospace market: launching relatively small satellites using inexpensive light launch vehicles. The main competitor in this niche is the U.S.-New Zealand company Rocket Lab, which has been successfully launching commercial payloads since 2018 (its first partially successful launch dates back to 2017). The company also uses 3D-printed engines. Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket can launch up to 200 kg into sun-synchronous orbit. Isar Aerospace’s Spectrum launch vehicle will be more powerful and can deliver up to 700 kg of cargo to the same altitude. This would not be enough to launch a car into space, as SpaceX once did, but would certainly be acceptable for commercial and research satellites.

Porsche вложилась в космический стартап с 3D-печатными ракетами


The first stage of the 27-meter-high launch vehicle will use nine Aquilla SL engines, while the second stage will use only one Aquilla VAC engine. The company plans to produce up to 80% of the components in-house using additive technologies, with a focus on 3D metal printing. The startup uses laser powder 3D printers from Electro-Optical Systems (EOS GmbH). The devices are used to produce combustion chambers and nozzles.


Isar Aerospace has already received more than $180 million. In addition to Porsche, investors include the venture arm of Airbus and Bülent Altan, a former SpaceX engineer who led a team of avionics engineers for Falcon rockets and Dragon spacecraft. In addition, the startup is supported by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the German Aerospace Center after winning the Boost! competition, which aimed to improve the state of private space in Europe.

Porsche investiert in Raketen-Start-up Isar Aerospace ...

The place is based in Munich and plans to use the Andøya Rocket Range in Norway for launches. It may be too far north, but it is good for launches into polar or near-polar orbits. Funds will go in part to research the reusability of rockets. Reusable launch systems are the current trend: Blue Origin, SpaceX and the aforementioned Rocket Lab are actively pursuing the technology. The cost of the launch has not yet been announced. For example, the cost of launching one Electron vehicle is about 7.5 dollars.

Links:

https://www.porsche-se.com/en/news/press-releases/details/news/detail/News/porsche-se-investiert-in-raketentechnologie-start-up-isar-aerospace

https://www.iflscience.com/space/porsche-enters-space-race-investing-start-up/

https://www.assignmentpoint.com/science/astronomy/porsche-enters-space-race-by-investing-in-rocket-start-up.html

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25 October 2020
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Factory 56 — the future of cars manufacturing

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Even in a difficult economic situation Mercedes-Benz continues to improve its manufacturing process and tries to set a higher bar in the car industry. Another proof of that is the opening of a new Mercedes-Benz’s factory named Factory 56 in the German city Sindelfingen. The company itself calls this factory “Flexible, digital, efficient and sustainable.” Factory 56 was opened at the beginning of September on a ground area corresponding to 30 soccer pitches. It took 2.5 years to finish the project. According to the company’s web-site, Mercedes-Benz is planning to invest about 2.1 billion euros at Factory 56.

But what makes this plant the future of car manufacturing?

Flexibility. At one factory’s assembly line is possible to assemble cars with different body types. The production can adapt to current demand on the market and allows to easily restructure process of assembling to switch from sedan to SUV, for instance.
Digitalization. The plant has no conventional assembly line. A car is manufactured on a remote platform, which allows a car to stay in one place most of the time when all required parts are being transported by remote carts connected to one intellectual network. The digital ecosystem is built on a powerful WLAN and 5G network, which allows workers to supervise all systems automatically. From the monitoring of parts in stock to the system of electronic workflow, which would save 10 tons of paper every year.
Environmental friendliness. Factory 56 became fully carbon-neutral with zero CO2 emissions and significantly low energy consumption. The plant was built using recycled concrete. 40% of the factory’s roof is covered with plants and trees, the roof is also filled with solar panels, which is a sign that Mercedes-Benz does care about the environment. 
Working conditions. More than 1500 employees are working at the factory in two shifts. While organizing the working space, Mercedes-Benz took into account employees’ preferences. For example, via an online survey, they were asked about personal opinions, preferable shifts to work, suggestions, and even people they want to work together with. More than 85% of the suggestions were successfully granted.

At Factory 56 Mercedes-Benz is manufacturing the new S-class W223 and EQS as start models to launch the site. It’s extremely crucial that the company approached this project with responsibility, taking care of the environment.

I would say it should be an example for major companies that it’s possible to remain eco-friendly and efficient at the same time. And, of course, technologies. This is really astonishing to see real technological development, not the one Apple calls “revolution” each year. This is a huge step towards efficiency. For me, it’s really boldly for a company with a reputation and history to do this. It’s clear to see their struggles on this occasion, let alone the new S-class. Mercedes-Benz proved that even investing an enormous amount of money to implement modern technologies is worth it when it comes to technologies.

Sources:

https://media.mercedes-benz.com/article/4a87e260-766b-4d92-935b-a844709da9d0 

https://media.mercedes-benz.com/article/9466d64c-1a10-4d47-a491-b52a54d2f128 

 

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2 January 2020
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The Perfect Wave

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Escaping the cold December noons, you travel to the Hawaii Pipeline. The beach, renowned for its waves, is gleaming in the sunshine. You feel the light breeze of salty water on your cheek and vitamin D soaking into your skin. Having your best holidays, you decide to try this perfect blend of warm water and high waves. You stand on your surfboard and try your skills in the ocean.

 

But this scenario is usually far from reachable. Not only does surfing is highly costly, but also, as the weather is often unpredictable, it can be hard to find high waves. In Europe, the cost generating factor is mostly the absence of ocean that can create such waves as we can observe in Hawaii or Africa. Even assuming that we have the money for such travel, we cannot be sure for 100% that our journey will satisfy our surfing cravings due to the, for example, lack of wind. To fight with both of these factors and raise the popularity of surfing across the globe, Kelly Slater, an eleven-time world champion in surfing, came up with an idea to create a perfect wave machine.

Image result for kelly slater surfing

In 2009, this surfing legend with a spark of creativity and lust for a groundbreaking change to the surfing industry teamed up with the University of Southern California’s professor, Adam Fincham, to find the perfect wave. Inspired by an iconic movie, The Endless Summer, they began working on outsmarting nature and came up with a ring-shaped lake in which the wave endlessly went around the center. But Slater’s idea was to create a rectangular pool that would perfectly imitate the ocean’s atmosphere and skills needed. Studying complex mathematics to find a formula that can crack the geophysical fluid dynamics, in 2015, they invented The Kelly’s Wave. In the middle of California’s country, they set up Surf Ranch and started disrupting the surfing industry.

Image result for kelly slater's wave poolRelated image

In this approximately 2,000 feet long and 500 feet wide pool, the artificial wave is created by a unique system of hydrofoils. The pool is filled with 15 million gallons of UV-and-chlorine-treated freshwater, and the main 100-ton hydrofoil is named “The Vehicle.” Running down a track with the help of more than 150 truck tires, it has the ability to create 6.5 foot-tall waves, which run at about 30 kilometers per hour. Of course, for beginners, you can adjust the height of the stream and its speed to provide them with a safe and enjoyable experience. This invention astonished The World Surf League (WSL), and they are currently the most significant stakeholder in his Kelly Slater Wave Company. Furthermore, from 2019, you can participate in the Freshwater Pro Championships held at the Surf Farm led by the World Surfing Team and WSL.

 

The truth is that Kelly’s wave changed the surfing industry, and, in spite of the numerous wave pools created, Slater’s one is the best in history. Outsmarting nature, the technology behind it enables surfers to create a contest or just enjoy the sport without even thinking about the weather. But this invention also divided surfers into two groups – one that admires surfing because of its search for a wave, vibing with nature and the “perfect imperfections” of the ocean’s dynamics, and the other one that is more focused on the skills, adjusting techniques and making surfing mainstream.

 

Resources:

  • https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/12/17/kelly-slaters-shock-wave
  • https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/04/kelly-slater-built-a-wave-machine-that-could-change-surfing.html
  • https://www.newyorker.com/podcast/the-new-yorker-radio-hour/the-new-yorker-radio-hour-extra-kelly-slaters-perfect-wave-brings-surfing-to-a-crossroads
  • https://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/the-facts-and-figures-behind-kelly-slater-surf-ranch
  • https://blog.theclymb.com/out-there/10-of-the-worlds-best-waves/

 

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