Kozminski Techblog

Image: BBC

Treating illnesses and disorders is very important. Everybody wants to be healthy, but unfortunately treatments and drugs for certain illnesses do not exist yet. The scientists are doing everything in their power to push the researches forward. A British start-up Exscientia and Japanese pharmaceutical firm Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma have joined together in order to develop the first AI which can help scientists created drugs for those illnesses.

The fruit of their cooperation was the first drug developed with the help of AI. Typical development for a drug takes about five or more years, but this AI has done it in just 12 months. This drug is supposed to help people with obsessive-compulsive disorder and will soon enter clinical trials.

Finding a new medicine is very hard and time-consuming. Many hard decisions have to be taken, and test conducted. Scientists work tirelessly in order to help other people. There are still many illnesses without known means of treatment and finding them can take a very long time, during which many sick patients might die. This AI has learned from professionals and studied many scientific researches. It can work faster than any human and doesn’t need breaks. It can constantly work and decrease the amount of time needed to invent new drugs and medicine. This is a huge step in the direction of improving the medical field.

If the results of trials of this new drug are positive, it can open many new paths for scientists. The medical field might make great progress in a very small amount of time, leading to many new discoveries and improvements. Maybe in the future, more drugs will be invented with help of AI.

References:
[1]https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-51315462
[2]https://www.outsourcing-pharma.com/Article/2020/01/30/AI-developed-drug-goes-to-trial

Scientists have recently developed a new type of patch. The goal of a patch is to “fight back against antibiotic resistance and heal wounds more quickly“.

Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Science in China write in their published paper (link in sources) – “However, the common methods of sensing resistance are limited (by time), the requirement for professional personnel, and expensive instruments. Moreover, the abuse of antibiotics causes the accelerated process of bacterial resistance“. However bandage recently discovered, can overcome some of these limitations. Ingredients that are in our patch can be easily distributed and fight bacteria immediately, without professional personnel and equipment required. Moreover, a person wearing bandage gets continuous feedback on what’s happening with the wound.  

The green color on the patch means no bacteria in our wound. The yellow color means that the bacteria are drug-sensitive responsive to our antibiotics. Red color, on the other hand, means that that the bacteria need extra help to be wiped out because it’s drug-resistant. “If drug resistance is detected, an intense beam of light can be used to activate the release of a highly reactive species of oxygen to weaken the bacteria, making them more susceptible to the antibiotic in the material.” – as David Nield from sciencalert.com refers. After testing this kind of bandage on mice, scientists were able to successfully treat both DS (drug-sensitive) and DR (drug-resistant) E.coli bacteria infections using the new method.

In recent years we’ve noticed many updates of traditional bandages, such as nanofibre mesh or the novel bandage for burn wounds, that stop bacteria from multiplying and minimizes the risk of infection. Color changing bandage not only releases antibiotics to the wound but also informs the patient about the situation inside his wound.

Researchers from ACS Central Science say – “This work develops a new way for the rational use of antibiotics, […] given the low cost and easy operation of this point-of-care device, it can be developed for practical applications.”

Sources:

• https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acscentsci.9b01104
• https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-have-developed-a-colour-changing-bandage-to-detect-bacterial-infections?perpetual=yes&limitstart=1

It is estimated that around 50 million tons of e-waste is generated annually around the world, on average over 6 kg per person. MEPs covered that one standard charger could cover this. They recognized that the introduction of a common charger for mobile phones, tablets, e-books and other portable devices is necessary, because firstly it makes life easier for consumers, and secondly it helps reduce the amount of electro-waste. The number of cables and chargers produced and discarded each year is unacceptable. Europeans change their smartphones on average every two years, so every second year our citizens are forced to buy new chargers when buying new devices, even if all chargers are still working. Demand is increasing, and with it wastage and exploitation of natural resources.

However, Apple is protesting against European Union plans. The company warns that forcing manufacturers to standardize the charger will inhibit innovation and – paradoxically – will contribute to the creation of new waste when, for example, current chargers are no longer needed. We believe that regulations enforcing a uniform charger model will hinder innovation and will only harm European consumers and the entire market. We hope that the Commission will look for other solutions – those that will not harm the development of the technology industry,” Apple wrote in a statement to Reuters.

Source:

https://businessinsider.com.pl/technologie/nowe-technologie/jeden-rodzaj-ladowarki-do-wszystkich-telefonow-rezolucja-pe/4qbsnm0

Toyota set to require that concept to a completely completely different level by reworking a former works into a city wherever individuals can live, work, and research mobility.

Danish architecture studio BIG is designing a “prototype city of the future” with wooden buildings and autonomous vehicles for Japanese car company Toyota near Mount Fuji in Japan.

Named Woven City, the first phase of development on the site of a former car-factory will be home to 2,000 people who will test the vehicles, robotics and smart homes in a “real-world environment”. The city of the future will include houses made from sustainable wood built in the Japanese tradition of wood joining. They’ll also have photovoltaic tiles for power. Additionally, these homes will be home to AI and robot experiments. The vision is for them to take care of things like taking out the trash, setting the temperature on your fridge and even checking in on your health. For the first period of time Toyota’s facilities there will be housing for employees, their families, scientists and retirees.

The Woven City will be built around a network of streets that will cater for transportation at three different speeds.Buildings throughout the event are engineered from timber with star panels placed on the roofs. The blocks are organized in teams around central courtyards. “By simply ‘reprogramming’ existing streets, we can begin to reset the balance between people, mobility, and nature in cities as diverse as Tokyo or New York, Copenhagen or Barcelona”, said Akio Toyoda.

https://www.copcap.com/newslist/2020/danish-star-architect-to-design-city-of-the-future

https://www.engadget.com/2020/01/06/toyota-woven-city-sustainable-autonomous/?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAEVTMsHuvpsCapZrHyJIVX9h8pio_6TV6LN0k4KMyq-_rpwxOznwdBYm2lGzP8HTNCtafWdfk31QgjXdk6ohlNpFPBTeFmIZpgMeCLIUPmJJkwqvPyM-EkjMF1f2R2kG2V3OyL4sIjCDmD2nie3L_4pdT4n3zWLgpsN3MSUUjdTo

Uber’s self-driving cars will be in the streets of Washington, DC, shortly after, announcing that the driving firm will gather data to support its autonomous vehicle fleet growth. Nevertheless, the engines are not self-operating. Alternatively, it will be driven by human drivers to launch, gather mapping data and catch driving scenarios replicated by Uber’s engineers.

Moreover, the firm is hoping that its self-drive cars will eventually drive themselves on their own in Seattle. The Company’s Advanced Technologies Group said in a medium-sized announcement, “We expect that this first hand-driven collection of data lays the groundwork for our car self-driving trials in Washington, DC.” “Whilst we are excited about the prospects, we continue to make sure every mile on public roads leads to our role as development professionals through healthy and effective learning.”

Since the fatal crash in TEMP in Arizona that took place in March 2018, Uber conducted the self-drive experiments with plenty of caution. Elaine Herzberg, 49, was struck and killed when she was riding her bike across the street by the car, which had only a safety driver behind her wheel.

Later, the police said the safety guard did not look at the road but instead streamed The Voice on her phone when the crash happened. In a blistering official report that also blamed the federal government for the inability of the company to regulate adequately, the National Transportation Safety Board divided the responsibility between Uber, the safety driver, the perpetrator and the state of Arizona. Local authorities have excluded the organization from alleged misdeeds. Uber settled an undisclosed dispute with the Herzberg estate.

Nine months after the crash testing was officially resumed, with Volvo’s SUV’s working in a locked loop at the center of Pittsburgh, with its head office in Uber’s Advanced Technologies Group. Across three major markets including San Francisco, Houston, and Toronto, Uber collects data as well. Nevertheless, in any of those cities other than Pittsburgh, it is still important to allow autonomous training. The enterprise recently introduced its third-generation vehicle, to be tested this year.

Uber is not the only organization in our nation’s capital that operates self-driving cars. Since 2018, Argo has been testing its cars in DC, the AV startup backed by Ford and Volkswagen. Optimus Ride, based in Boston, is also operating in northern Virginia with a small float of autonomous shuttles.

References:

https://www.theverge.com/2020/1/23/21078864/uber-self-driving-cars-washington-dc-testing-manual-autonomous

https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/uber-bringing-fleet-driving-cars-washington-dc/story?id=68504129

https://venturebeat.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/b75020d1-894d-4cae-89e8-ac3ec2c3c419-e1572304180828.png?fit=1200%2C600&strip=all

https://image.cnbcfm.com/api/v1/image/104181597-GettyImages-605519688.jpg?v=1529473695&w=1600&h=900

Most traffic jams are unnecessary, and this deeply irks mathematicians who specialize in traffic flow. They reserve particular vitriol for local transport engineers. “They do not have competencies in the field of system-related increases in traffic performance,” says Alexander Krylatov, a mathematics professor at St. Petersburg University. “If engineers manage to achieve local improvements, after a while, the flows rearrange and the same traffic jams appear in other places.”

Krylatov would like to solve urban traffic jams forever, so much so that he has co-authored a book of new math approaches to traffic and ways to implement them. Four takeaways:

1. All drivers need to be on the same navigation system. Cars can only be efficiently rerouted if instructions come from one center hub. One navigation system rerouting some drivers does not solve traffic jams.
2. Parking bans. Many urban roads are too narrow and cannot be physically widened. Traffic-flow models can indicate where parking spots should be turned into lanes.
3. Green lanes. For cities that want to increase electric car use, special lanes should be created for electric cars, providing an incentive for their use.
4. Digital twins. Traffic demands and available infrastructure can only be balanced with digital modeling that creates an entire “twin” of existing roadways. The software will be “an extremely useful thought tool in the hands of transport engineers.”

Traffic modeling is a complex branch of applied mathematics, partially because it assumes that drivers are selfish and pursuing their own goals, rather than any predictable or shared efforts. “Every year a considerable budget is allocated for improving roads. [Our models] suggest a set of solutions for the efficient management of these funds.”

As a student, I use public transport pretty often and sometimes traffic jams can actually influence a state of life if you have to be on time. If all roads would be controlled and gridlocks would be eliminated, in my opinion, life would be much easier.

References :

https://www.fastcompany.com/90455739/mathematicians-have-solved-traffic-jams-and-theyre-begging-cities-to-listen

The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has published an application for an unusual design for a new iMac computer.

According to the patent, Apple is considering changing the design of the desktop computer. Apple’s design presents a new vision for a future iMac / desktop PC constructed from a glass housing that includes a continuous surface specified by the upper portion, the lower portion and the portion of the transition.

In the document, Apple describes the “electronic device with a glass case.”  The desktop computer is a monolithic piece of glass curving at the bottom.

Apple clarifies that the glass housing could be made of materials that are clear, polished, painted or otherwise handled to create a non-transparent (e.g. opaque) component; in such situations, the material may still be referred to as transparent, even though the material may be part of an opaque component. Translucent components can be produced by creating a textured or frosted surface on a material which is otherwise transparent (e.g., clear glass). Translucent materials, such as translucent polymers, translucent ceramics, or the like, may also be used.

Since the curved part is not enough to support this unusual computer in an upright position, Apple designed the base, which housed the peripheral interfaces and power.

Apple plans to equip such a machine with a system to change the screen angle and even completely close the unit to bring it into sleep mode according to patent documents.

The patent application lists inventors Kate J. Hendren, Paul H. Wang, and several other engineers.  Hendren is Apple’s product designer for the Macintosh Architecture Group, who previously worked on embedded capacitive touch sensors for the MacBook. Wang, a design engineer, previously worked on VR and AR devices, as well as the shape-changing Apple Pencil concept.

references:

https://appleinsider.com/articles/20/01/24/apple-working-on-radical-imac-redesign-using-single-sheet-of-glasshttps://www.macrumors.com/2020/01/27/apple-patent-mac-single-sheet-of-glass/https://www.smalltechnews.com/archives/69244

Horoscope application that knows about you more than you know about yourself.

The universe is, for most of the people, one huge enigma. After exploring it for thousands of years people still can’t say that they have discovered everything about it. There are still a lot of unknowns and mysteries scientists want to solve.

Meanwhile, people started to add some spiritual value to the stars and planets. Thousands of years ago they distinguished 12 zodiac signs, that we all probably know till now. They refer to our date of birth and are named after different constellations. They define our character and typical behaviours that most of us can relate to.

There are already a lot of apps and websites with horoscopes and zodiac signs descriptions. However, this one claims to have some advantages over others.

Co-Satr is an application which has great achievements such as over 5 million users registered and 1,1 million followers on Instagram.

Contrary to others, it asks you not only about your date of birth but also the exact time and location.”Unlike the broad and vague horoscopes you usually read in magazines, we take more than just your sun sign into account. We use a complete picture of the sky when and where you were born to generate hyper-personalized horoscopes.” It allows generating very specific information about the universe at the time of your birth.  According to their website, they are “powered by AI that merges NASA data with the insight of human astrologers.”

The app provides daily horoscopes telling you about your strong and weak points in the given day. However, most of the popularity that it gained comes from its special notifications. They are thought to be straight forward and very accurate. Although,  not every user know that they are mostly generated by Artificial Intelligence. There is a part of the content that is typed manually by humans but in the end, everything goes through algorithms and is sent by machines.

In an interview with NBC News Stay Tuned, the CEO Banu Guler said that they focus on honesty, simplicity and clarity of the message so as it is easy to understand for anyone and makes it easier for people to relate to it. Sometimes it may seem to be mean or hard to accept but most people find it empowering and motivating.

The app also works as some form of social media. You can add friends to share your charts, compare them and text each other to talk about it.

Surprisingly, young people are getting more and more interested in astrology these days. The $2 billion mystical service industry is still developing and thanks to apps like Co-Star we can learn that there is still a lot of space for new businesses with innovative solutions.

Resources:

https://www.costarastrology.com/

https://www.inverse.com/article/54991-costar-astrology-app-how-it-works

https://techcrunch.com/2019/04/17/co-star-astrology-app-seed-round/

https://www.theverge.com/2019/10/4/20879631/co-star-astrology-app-zodiac-signs

https://www.newsweek.com/co-star-astrology-app-instagram-1451220

http://www.ancient-wisdom.com/zodiac.htm