Today, society is almost split on the idea of robots and artificial intelligence. If you were to go around and take a random sample of people and ask whether they support the advancement of robots, I’m sure the results wouldn’t be one sided. Some people believe having robots and artificial intelligence will greatly improve society, and others believe the robots will be able to take us over, becoming smarter than us, and eventually becoming the superior species.

Researchers at the University of Southern Carolina have developed a robot that was capable of teaching itself how to walk, without being programmed to do so. Within 5 minutes, the robot was able to use the algorithm given to learn how to walk. The researchers say the algorithm was based on real-life biology, similar to how animals learn how to walk at a young age. However, animals, and even humans take a while to learn how to walk, and this robot was able to do it in a short amount of time. The article covers how most robots today need a lot of time before interacting with humans and society, but this new algorithm allows them to learn and test themselves out fast and develop skills by easily just doing them.

I believe this is a cool, yet scary idea. I think the promotion of this new algorithm is a cool idea, allowing researchers and creators to not have to program the robots with sophisticated equations and numbers, but allow the robots to learn just by doing something. At the same time, it is a tad scary that a robot can just learn that easy, and that fast. At the same time, the article covers two benefits to this technology, such as giving a better prosthetic for a disabled individual, or sending a smarter robot into a new environment for a search and rescue mission. Essentially, there are a lot of benefits and pros to this new algorithm, but I think we need to be careful with what we use it for, because it could potentially be very good for society.

Source: https://www.sciencealert.com/this-robot-leg-learned-to-walk-all-by-itself-without-any-programming

One thing we talked about in class in the first semester was the concept, Moore’s Law. Moore’s Law is the projection that technology will grow stronger and stronger every year, and the amount of processors will double every year. We covered this closely in the first half of the semester, for it was an important idea to what we learn within the class, but also for our daily lives.

The article discusses China’s businesses bought more semiconductors last year. Specifically, the businesses purchased these products from an Intel plant located in Israel. As far as an economical standpoint, both China and Israel benefited from this situation. Intel might have seen this coming too, or at least wanted to see this happen, because in 2017 they invested $5 billion to expand this power plant, and of course, a year later it was determined that this plant exported almost $4 billion in products. It is also noted in the article that Israel and China are working toward a trade deal, which is believed to be focused around technology, probably because of this situation. I also found it interesting that the article says that although the sales of semiconductors to the United States ‘slipped 20 percent’, yet they still have a whopping $10.9 billion overall good exports.

I thought this article was interesting because it covers an idea and topic that we covered in class. I thought it was cool to see what I’ve learned being applied right before my eyes. I also found this article interesting because we don’t really pay attention, or think how much companies like Intel are developing, along with countries buying more of these chips and semiconductors to make or develop new products and technology. This mainly has me excited to see what technology will be available to us soon, due to Intel investing more time, money, and effort into their products, and at the same time, countries using these products to develop new, advanced technology.

Source: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/exclusive-israels-chip-sales-china-060142687.html

In class, we’ve always talked about how the Internet of Things is the future, and how normal everyday technology is becoming smarter by the days. This expansive idea has also been thought about with cars, allowing us to imagine how smart and sophisticated cars can be by talking to one another. A road consisting of only smart cars has been thought of as traffic less, no accidents, and a smooth ride to your destination.

Recently, the Audi A8 has incorporated a “Traffic Light Information” feature. This new software uses AT&T’s LTE connection and is able to pull data from nearby traffic lights. Before, this software was only able to give the driver a countdown for red lights, but since has expanded to green and yellow lights also. This feature is called “GLOSA” or “Green Light Optimized Speed Advisory”. GLOSA will allow a driver to know how fast he or she has to drive to the light to make the green light. This new feature allows drivers to know if they are able to catch a light, how long they have, and how fast they need to drive to reach the green light, or if they have to wait at a red light, the car also gives them a countdown for how long until the next green light.

I think this is a good feature for cars and can really provide drivers with a new way or approach to drive. At the same time, I think it is somewhat dangerous. Some drivers may become too aggressive, thinking they can make a light and the car could malfunction, telling them to go at a wrong speed or give them wrong information about the light. There are some risks to this, and it is noted in the article when the author, Rob Pegoraro, talks about how the car’s software did not recognize he was in a turning lane with a different signal and his countdown went from 70 seconds to 7 in an instant. It was also noted the car recommended him to drive 35 to 40 mph at one point, but this speed could have made him drive straight into the back of a bus. All in all, I think this software is a good idea, but has too many risks. I believe it needs to be tested with more and perfected, before being implemented into cars. However, once again we see the future of technology is closer than we think, so who knows, maybe it can be perfected soon enough.

Source: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/audi-traffic-light-system-143313582.html

AI has certainly come a long way, taking many different shapes and forms. We have seen smart robots, smart watches, even smart homes come onto the scene and emerge as, what seems to be, the very close future. Countries all over the world have been testing with AI, trying out new things, seeing exactly how we can fit AI into our daily lives, to make tasks easier and get done in an efficient manner.

Vaak is a company based in Tokyo, Japan. Their new software, which has been in the works since 2017, allows AI to catch shop lifters. It is implemented into camera systems and has the ability to judge consumers as they walk around stores and determine how likely there are to shoplift. The software is easily integrated within camera hardware systems, which most stores or businesses have, making this an easy transition. The software judges how people are shopping, how they are picking up and viewing items, or even walking around and gives a suspicion level, based on their actions. The founder believes this technology can go further than retail and could be used for suicide prevention.

Although this seems like a cool and good idea to save all the money lost by shoplifting, it is somewhat of a risk. This software could falsely accuse someone of shoplifting, or give someone a high suspicion level, when in reality, they’re just shopping. The stores and businesses could run into more of a headache if the software is red flagging people who aren’t shoplifting, and then they could run into wrongly accusing people and have more of a problem on their hands. However, toward the end of the article it talks about how this technology could go further, with suicide prevention. Imagine if one of these cameras were set up near a tall bridge, and the camera is able to determine if someone is contemplating suicide, an alert can be sent to police or first responders to just simply go to the scene, in case anything does happen. Instead of immediately assuming someone will commit suicide, they could just be alerted and be prepared to keep a close eye on that individual. Although, they may run into the software wrongly assuming someone is trying to end their life, but in my opinion, someone on the scene for safety would be better than just allowing someone to end their life.

Source: https://www.bloomberg.com/amp/news/articles/2019-03-04/the-ai-cameras-that-can-spot-shoplifters-even-before-they-steal?__twitter_impression=true

Over the first half of the semester, we have learned about augmented reality and virtual reality. Augmented reality is having something that combines elements of the real world and technology. In class, we have always said augmented reality and virtual reality are closer than we actually believe. There has always been cool headsets and glasses around, but they weren’t exactly affordable for the average person.

Microsoft has recently launched its ‘HoloLens 2’. It is available for preorder at $3,500, or Microsoft has opted to include it with its ‘Dynamics 365 business-application services’, for $125 a month, for 2 years, which equals out to $4,500. This allows it to be more affordable, even though it costs more over time, it is split into different and smaller payments, making it more affordable. The HoloLens 2 is built like more of a headset than glasses, but it still has a sleek, professional look. It is said Microsoft is ‘attempting with what it calls “mixed reality”, technology that overlays computer-generated objects onto the real world’ (Pegoraro 2019). The author of this article, Rob Pegoraro, looks back on his experience with the product. He speaks of a floating bird assistant he could see that helped him out. He also describes how the HoloLens 2 was able to sense his fingers touching, and was able to press virtual buttons, without necessarily pressing an actual button.

I find this article interesting because it introduced another augmented reality product to the market. It is also somewhat affordable, and makes me think if this could be at Penn State soon. Considering Penn State has a Microsoft pack, maybe they could also include some of these headsets into the deal soon. Maybe we could have these sooner than we expected, and maybe they could be all over campus, in some of the labs, and provide all students with an augmented reality experience. It will be interesting to see how this product will be incorporated into schools, businesses, and even hospitals.

Source: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/microsoft-hololens-2-augmented-reality-jobs-175027873.html

Many people have wondered, how much better can smartphones get? Some people loved the direction companies like Apple and Samsung were going with making phones larger, almost tablet sized. Others hated the idea, loved a nice small smartphone that didn’t take up so much space in your pocket, or need an obnoxious case to protect it. Personally, I believed it was only a matter of time before these companies went bigger, exceeding expectations of what is already on the market.

Samsung has announced another new phone, the Galaxy Fold. This phone’s name does exactly what it is named for; it folds. However, it is how it folds that is interesting. You can fold this phone, to make it a normal sized phone, or expand it, to a tablet size. The phone itself comes with some pretty good specs, such as 4.6 inch HD+ screen, 12 GB of RAM, and a 12 megapixel camera in the back of the phone. It doesn’t stop there though, after folding open, the tablet has a nice 7.3 inch QXGA+ display for its tablet mode. A folding phone has always been a far fetched idea that has been passed around, but now Samsung has made it a reality. The Galaxy Fold is starting out at a price of about $2,000.

I found this article, and the announcement of the Galaxy Fold to be quite interesting. I have always wondered what a “folding” phone would look like, simply because I could never picture a phone folding. However, this product really caught my eye because of one topic we covered before our first exam, and one that was on our study guide prior to the first exam, technology convergence. Technology convergence can best be described as different types that were originally viewed as distant or unrelated, coming together and unifying into one piece of technology. One example we covered was the iPhone, consisting of things like a calculator, phone, and camera all meshed into one device. In the Galaxy Fold’s case, it almost seems to be integrating a phone, tablet, and laptop all into one. It has the capability to be the size of a phone, make calls and any other action the normal Galaxy phone’s can, but then have the ability to expand into the size of a tablet. It was also mentioned in the article that it is capable of having 3 apps open at once, similar to a laptop or computer where you can have multiple softwares running, in different windows, all on the same screen. It is truly amazing this device is capable of so much, while still being able to fit into your pocket. I am very interested in this technology and seeing where it can go from here.

Sources: https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/20/18231249/samsung-galaxy-fold-folding-phone-features-screen-photos-size-announcement

The future of sports has always been an interesting thing to think about, due to the technology rapidly improving. For example, the NFL has continuously sought out ways to improve the contact of football, designing helmets and equipment to decrease the risk of concussions and other long-term injuries. Not even just for the athletes, technology can improve the experience for fans of any sports.

At the NBA All-Star Technology summit, Commissioner Adam Silver unveiled a breakthrough for the NBA. Only through using an app on a phone, Silver was able to change the number and name on a jersey, in a matter of seconds. This opens a world of possibilities for the NBA, its athletes and the fans. From what we know as a stitched jersey consisting of cotton and other materials, now has the possibility to change before our very eyes. The article also went on to talk about using facial recognition technology for fans to get tickets and into games, and also mentioned smart glasses to enhance the experience for fans at the stadium.

This is truly astonishing from a personal standpoint, because in my own closet I have tons of NBA jerseys, with my favorite players, or different jersey concepts I think look good. For a fan to have this technology, and change their jersey based on favorite players or teams is something I don’t think anyone could have pictured. It is truly amazing to see something that we’re used to picturing as stagnant, turn into something we can edit with just a couple of clicks. It makes you think where the NBA and other sports leagues can go with technology. I believe the possibilities are endless, and I am excited to see what else these leagues can incorporate to make provide a better experience for players and fans.

Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nba-jersey-of-the-future-all-star-technology-summit-today-2019-02-15/

In history, one of the worries with robots and AI machines is they can become too smart, and in some cases turn on the human race due to them being superior. There have been plenty movies where the plot consists of some robots and machines taking over and attacking the human race, when they should be only furthering mankind. One example I can think of is the movie iRobot. This movie has a futuristic setting, in which robots and humans live in a society together. To sum up the overall plot, new robots are created, and are meant to do purely good. However, they are essentially hacked and taken over by one grand AI system, and soon attack humans and cause chaos, until being shutdown, of course. This movie depicts the exact worries some people have with technology always advancing.

The company, IBM, has been no stranger to the spotlight when it comes to creating AI to compete against humans. In the past, they have created an AI machine to play against a world champion chess player, and then another machine to compete against champions of the game show, “Jeopardy”. Interesting enough, both times the AI machine came out victorious, and it had some people amazed, others stunned, and some worried. However, this wasn’t the case recently when IBM created an AI machine they have been working on since 2012. This time, the machine would be given the task to compete in a debate against a human. It was a little different from before, where there was a right answer in the game show, or a right move in chess. This time, it was more of an opinion based scale, with almost infinite ways to attack a problem. IBM’s machine, “Project Debater”, was able to use its database to look up statistics and news from reliable sources, when composing its argument. The debate had normal rules, and the winner was determined by the change in percentage on the argument by the audience. So, whichever debater got the audience to essentially change their mind won. Luckily for us, the human, Harish Natarajan, came out victorious.

I thought this was an interesting article because it showed how far AI systems have come along. Of course, you can play computers and AI’s in games where there’s really only limited ways to win, but for a system to be smart enough to compete in a debate is very intriguing. This may worry some people and pose the question, what happens if they do become smarter than us? However, I believe using an AI system that has a bank of almost unlimited knowledge can help us out greatly. It provides different insight on problems, another mind evaluating possible outcomes and ways to solve problems. I think if there are more machines like this, some industries could benefit tremendously. This is a great step for technology, and could possibly open a new door for AI systems.

Sources: https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/11/tech/ai-versus-human-ibm-debate/index.html

Almost every college student is aware of apps such as GrubHub, Door Dash, and Uber Eats. Each of these apps provide ease of access for delivery of food, just by the click of a couple buttons. Students are easily able to order their favorite restaurants or fast food places, and have their meals be delivered within a short amount of time. The only difference between these apps and physically going to the restaurant is just a couple dollars for a delivery fee. So the question remains, what can beat that?

Starship Technologies has begun a new approach for college students to easily order food at George Mason University. The company has launched a group of small robots that is capable of delivering food. The user is able to go on their app, pick the food they want, and set a pin location of where they want it delivered on campus. The little robot is able to navigate itself around the campus, through any obstacles and conditions. The robot also will not open up its lid, until it gets to the person who ordered it, ensuring the food cannot be stolen. Also, just like a shipment tracking, the user is able to see their food move across campus with real time updates. Arguably, the best part could be the fact that it is only a slight increase in price at about two dollars.

As a college student, I personally believe this is a neat idea. Just like we saw in class, Amazon is testing out delivery drones, so why can’t another company do it with food? After seeing such success with apps like Uber Eats, it was only a matter of time before someone tried it. I think this would be an interesting thing to be incorporated at Penn State. You have 40,000 students, some up throughout the whole night studying or out having fun, and at some point they’ll want some food. So, why not have a group of little robots cruising around campus silently at night delivering food. Of course, this could take a jab at the jobs that are created from these apps, but the companies could save money and time due to human error. Overall, I think it is a cool idea, and I wouldn’t mind seeing it be incorporated at campuses all across the country.

https://www.theverge.com/platform/amp/2019/1/22/18193391/robots-delivery-george-mason-university-students-dunkin-starbucks-blaze-pizza?utm_campaign=theverge&utm_content=chorus&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&__twitter_impression=true