Immersive Helmet

Could you imagine being able to see the Earth from space with your own eyes? The immersive helmet could be the closest thing many people will be to experiencing what outer space is like. National Geographic recently came out with a new documentary called “One Strange Rock”. It “showcases the beauty of our planet as seen through the eyes of astronauts, the only people who have viewed it firsthand from hundreds of miles above Earth’s surface” (Weisberger). On March 14th, National Geographic held a special viewing of the new series. There many people put on the immersive helmet and it re-created the “dizzying sensation of hovering far above the planet” (Wesberger).

In the future these helmets will be used in other presentations, schools, planetariums, etc. The immersive helmet is very similar to a virtual reality headset where you are immersed in a whole different environment. The immersive helmets have a wider view than virtual reality headsets, and users can freely move their head inside the helmet to look at different things around them. Each of these helmets contains a built-in media player and laser projector. It is like you are wearing an actual astronaut helmet in space.

I am fascinated by space and how big it is; I have always thought that I would never be able to see space with my own eyes. But, if I put on this immersive helmet I will be submerged by space and be able to see with my own eyes what it would be like to be in space. That would be an awesome experience.

This helmet allows people to share the same experiences astronauts have in space. It opens up new doors to learning and it expands the idea of virtual reality. The immersive helmet really shows how technology can grow for the better and be used for new experiences and new learning techniques.

Source: https://www.livescience.com/62042-helmets-one-strange-rock.html

 

Deep-Sea Drones

The ocean is a big place that covers most of planet Earth and yet we barely know much about life under the sea. “Humanity has explored less than 5% of the ocean, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)” (Grossman). The Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE is a competition that challenges teams to come up with new and advanced technologies that can withstand the conditions of deep water pressures and be able to explore the deep ocean without a human. The ultimate goal is to “build robots that can create a bathymetric map [of the ocean floor] and then photograph various items underwater” (Goodman).

The competition has multiple rounds and scenarios that the robots will go through to see if they can withstand the conditions and be able to do what they are supposed to do There are now nine teams in the final round. In the final round they will test the teams’ technologies to see if they can “demonstrate their ability to rapidly map the ocean floor at 4,000 m depths – that’s deeper than the Grand Canyon” (Grossman).

Each of the teams have different types of drones. For example, one team wants to use an “18-rotor aerial drone to drop smaller SONAR pods”, while another team is focusing around “surface vessels that can peer towards the bottom with lasers, or communicate with deeper diving drones” (Grossman).

This can open up new doors to the discovery of the deep ocean and find out new information about the mysterious ocean. The ocean has always interested me and the fact that we know so little about the ocean amazes me. With this competition we can test out new and different technology and maybe find some new information and species along the way. These drones are being put to good use, by using them we can open up new doors and information.

Source: https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/robots/a19139755/ocean-xprize-round-2-finalists/

 

 

Robot Carpenters

Recently, researchers at MIT have created “robot-assisted carpentry”. This new AI system will make putting furniture together easier, faster, and cheaper. MIT calls this new AI system AutoSaw. AutoSaw is “made up of two parts: design software and semi-autonomous robots” (Vincent). Users of this AI system can choose from a software template what they want to make, this includes a chair, table, etc. and can choose the size and shape. This order will be turned into instructions for the AutoSaw and will saw the correct materials. The user will then put the cut pieces of wood together to make the finished product.

As of right now the AutoSaw is pretty basic and can only do a number of things. But, with more time and review of the AutoSaw it can become a more common system. The AutoSaw is still being tested and can only cu through foam, not wood yet. Maybe in the future you will see the AutoSaw cutting through other materials other than wood, for example, concrete.

This AutoSaw is evidence that you can easily fit a robot system in everyday jobs. The AutoSaw can make carpentry jobs safer and more efficient. It can cut the number of injuries if the AutoSaw was used to cut the pieces for the furniture. These AutoSaws will “improve safety and augment their skillset”, they will not be replacing carpenters. It is an advanced tool that will really help out the carpentry industry.

I find the AutoSaw to be a great new AI system that will really help improve the carpentry jobs and help carpenters. AI technology is heading in the right direction.

Source: https://www.theverge.com/2018/2/28/17058532/robot-carpentry-automated-mit-assisted-furniture

A.I. is Getting Cheaper: Good or Bad News?

Recently, Skydio, a start-up company, introduced a new drone that can set a course on its own. All you have to do is download an app which tells the drone where to go or to follow someone. Stated by Cade Metz, this new drone is “meant to be a fun gadget – sort of a flying selfie stick” (Metz).

Skydio announced that this drone costs $2,499, which is on the expensive side but many people can still afford it. This drone was “made with technological building blocks that are available to anyone: ordinary cameras, open-source software and low-cost computer chips” (Metz). This seems a little unnerving because this drone was made with simple supplies and that shows that anyone can make a drone, which can be dangerous.

This new drone is a very new and exciting product that is becoming more affordable for everyday consumers. It opens up a new door in the technology world and what is available for consumers. Soon you will see more drones flying around the sky. Although this new gadget has many positive aspects, there are also many negative aspects. Many A.I. systems sometimes have strange or unexpected behavior because many companies are still experimenting and testing out how A.I.’s work. Also, some people who buy this drone may not use it the way it should be used and that could be dangerous. Companies are coming out with more and more technologic items and A.I. items, but society might not be ready for all of these new advances. There needs to be more regulation on these A.I. gadgets because they could be manipulated and used in the wrong ways.

It is great that Skydio made these new drones because it is something new and soon many consumers will be able to afford it, which is good news. However, these drones can cause a problem because people could use them in the wrong way and that can be dangerous. It might be too soon to introduce consumers to new and advanced technology.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/20/technology/artificial-intelligence-risks.html

 

Amazon Alexa or Apple HomePod

Many people are familiar with Amazon Echo with the virtual assistant, Alexa. This home device is voice activated that can playback music, podcasts, or audio-books, set up to-do lists, alarms, and give you information about the weather, traffic, etc.

Apple recently came out with the HomePod, which is their first smart speaker. The technology market is very competitive and it seems as though Apple is coming into the ‘all-in-one speaker’ market a little too late.  However, “to set it apart from the numerous Amazon Echo and Google Home devices out there, Apple designed and developed the HomePod to deliver first and foremost an amazing audio experience” (Vazharov). The HomePod plays music, answers questions, controls “HomeKit-compatible products”. The HomePod is small and can easily be placed anywhere, and all you have to do is plug it into the wall and connect your iPhone. The downfall of this product is that it only connects to other Apple products, it does not connect to Samsung or Android products, for example.

Apple focuses on giving customers an amazing audio experience. It has six speakers that are positioned throughout the speaker. The HomePod has spatial awareness, which means that the “speaker can literally detect if it has been placed near a wall, on a shelf, or in the middle of a table, and it’ll adjust its audio performance accordingly” (Vazharov). This aspect of the HomePod is what makes this Apple product different from other similar products.

So, Apple HomePod or Amazon Alexa? Apple HomePod has an amazing speaker and has the best audio quality. However, you can only connect other Apple products to this device, making it more exclusive. Also, the HomePod cannot control as many connected appliances, Siri cannot tell the difference between voices, and cannot answer questions as detailed as the Amazon Echo. With Amazon Echo you can connect different types of products to it, it gives you accurate and detailed answers to questions, and you can connect multiple home devices to it. Both of these products are very similar and it depends on the consumer’s preferences about which product they would rather have. However, Apple might need to make a few adjustments to the HomePod in order to keep up with the competition.

Source: https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/audio/a17553948/apple-homepod-siri-smart-speaker-review/