Weekly Piece of Future #86
From Tooth Regeneration to AI Glasses and DNA Data Storage
Hey there, fellow future-addicts!
Welcome to this week's edition of Rushing Robotics! Prepare to be amazed as we explore cutting-edge developments that challenge our understanding of privacy and security.
🤯 Mind-Blowing
This week, discover how AI-powered glasses can reveal personal information at a glance and learn about the AI bots achieving a perfect success rate on traffic-image CAPTCHAs. These innovations raise important ethical questions and signal a shift in our interaction with technology. We’ll uncover the potential for humans to regrow teeth within six years, an exciting breakthrough that could change dental care forever. Additionally, we’ll discuss CheekAge, a revolutionary tool that estimates mortality risk through cheek cell analysis, and a pioneering robotic surgical tool designed for minimally invasive procedures.
🔊 Industry Insights & Updates
Stay informed about the latest trends and breakthroughs in various industries. This week, learn about a Spain-based startup making history with its graphene-based brain-computer interface in tumor surgery, a robotic coffee kiosk revolutionizing how we enjoy our morning brew in Shanghai, and Huawei's latest efforts in AI chips amid rising competition in the semiconductor market.
🧬 BioTech
Biotechnology continues to unveil incredible discoveries! In this section, we’ll delve into how scientists have encoded brain MRI data into DNA, a monumental step in data storage solutions. We'll also explore the first-ever complete brain map of an adult fruit fly and the discovery of EndoMac progenitor cells, which have the potential to revolutionize tissue repair and regeneration.
💡 Products/Tools of the Week
Explore the tools transforming productivity and creativity! This week, we feature Pika Art, a platform that turns text and images into dynamic videos; Neolocus, which creates photorealistic 3D renderings for design projects; TailorTask, an AI-driven solution for automating repetitive tasks; and Bookkeeping.ai, which simplifies financial management for small businesses.
🎥 Video Section
Don’t miss the latest updates in the tech world! This week, catch news about Tesla’s upcoming Gen 3 robot and the latest developments from the iCub robot.
With each breakthrough, we inch closer to a future filled with possibilities; let’s explore them together. Stay hungry, stay futurish!
🤯 Mind-Blowing
New AI glasses reveal personal information such as names and addresses just by looking at people. This model employs smart glasses equipped with a camera to snap a person’s face in public. The students who conducted this research used Meta Ray-Ban 2 glasses in their experiment, as they look almost indistinguishable from regular eyewear. After capturing an image of a person’s face, the image undergoes processing using facial recognition models similar to those utilized by search engines such as PimEyes and FaceCheck.id. This technology raises significant questions about privacy and the ethical implications of easily accessible personal information.
AI bots are now able to beat 100% of traffic-image CAPTCHAs. According to new research, locally run bots using specially trained image-recognition models can achieve human-level performance in these types of CAPTCHAs, reaching a 100 percent success rate despite not being human. The researchers behind the study claim that this rise to a perfect success rate indicates that "we are now officially in the age beyond CAPTCHAs." As machine learning models continue to approach human-level abilities, developing effective CAPTCHAs has become increasingly challenging.
Humans may be able to grow new teeth within just 6 years. While bones can regrow themselves when they break, teeth aren’t so fortunate, leading to millions of people worldwide suffering from some degree of edentulism, or toothlessness. Now, Japanese researchers are advancing a promising tooth-regrowing medicine into human trials. The first patients are set to receive the drug intravenously this September. If the trial proves successful, researchers hope the medication will become available for all forms of toothlessness by around 2030.
Researchers in the United States have developed an advanced tool called CheekAge, which analyzes methylation patterns in easily accessible cheek cells. In a breakthrough discovery, the team showed that CheekAge can reliably estimate mortality risk, even when epigenetic data from different tissues are used. Epigenetic markers are chemical modifications to DNA that don’t change the genetic sequence but influence how genes function. Methylation, one such modification, is often associated with aging. By analyzing these patterns, scientists create “age clocks” that estimate biological age, indicating how rapidly someone is aging. Additionally, the study revealed that specific methylation sites are key to this correlation, uncovering potential links between certain genes, biological processes, and mortality as captured by the age clock.
A new robotic surgical tool has been created, introducing a first-of-its-kind innovation in the medical field. A robotic convoy has successfully performed a minimally invasive endoscopic microsurgery, utilizing several millimeter-sized robots referred to as TrainBots. Researchers from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) developed these miniature medical robots for diverse applications, including drug delivery and surgical operations. In their experiment, the team employed a convoy of three TrainBot units to “simulate” a surgical procedure involving the bile duct. This tube is responsible for transporting bile from the liver to the small intestine, where bile—produced by the liver—plays a vital role in breaking down fats.
🔊 Industry Insights & Updates
A Spain-based startup has successfully showcased its graphene-based brain-computer interface (BCI) in performing precise tumor surgery. INBRAIN Neuroelectronics, a company focused on developing brain-computer interface therapies, implanted its cortical interface in a human patient for the first time. According to a press release, this marks the “world’s first human procedure” using their cortical interface during brain tumor resection. This groundbreaking application of a graphene-based BCI underscores the transformative potential of graphene-based neural technologies in medicine. This clinical achievement heralds a new era for BCI technology, opening doors for advancements in neural decoding and therapeutic applications.
In Shanghai, a coffee revolution is taking shape. Philip Han, the founder of Hi-Dolphin Robot Technology, envisions that his groundbreaking robotic coffee kiosks will redefine how people savor their daily cup of coffee. Founded in 2018, the company has introduced “Cofe+,” a self-sufficient robotic coffee kiosk that delivers a fully automated coffee-making experience. The Cofe+ has numerous benefits, such as lower operational costs, minimal maintenance needs, and consistent quality in every cup of coffee.
Huawei Technologies has reportedly begun testing its new artificial intelligence (AI) chips with Chinese companies, posing a potential threat to Nvidia. According to reports, Huawei has distributed its Ascend 910C chips to prospective clients in China, particularly targeting firms eager to move away from Nvidia products. This development follows the U.S. government's ban on Nvidia from exporting its most advanced graphics processing units (GPUs) to China, which has intensified Chinese companies’ efforts to achieve self-sufficiency in the semiconductor race.
Electricity generated from solar energy at night using a breakthrough device may sound like an impractical concept, but researchers at the University of New South Wales have successfully found a way to achieve this. They have developed a new technology that could soon enable our homes to be powered even after the sun has set. Remarkably, the researchers have already tested this innovative device on Earth and are now planning to evaluate its usability in space as well. The technology operates on the principle of thermoradiative power generation, leveraging the temperature difference between the Earth’s surface and the coldness of outer space.
🧬 BioTech
Scientists have encoded 11.28 MB of brain MRI data into 250,000 DNA sequences. Brain MRI scans offer critical insights into human health, but the vast amount of data they produce creates challenges for long-term storage. Researchers at Tianjin University in China have developed a novel approach by storing brain MRI data in DNA. DNA, recognized for its stability and data density, is increasingly being explored as a medium for preserving digital information across generations. The team believes that DNA could be a highly effective solution for storing MRI data in the future.
A total of 139,000 neurons have been uncovered in the first-ever complete brain map of an adult fruit fly, marking a significant advancement in neuroscience. The human brain is a biological marvel known for its intricate complexity. To delve deeper into understanding the brain, scientists have begun to explore a smaller but equally intriguing model: the brain of the fruit fly. Researchers from Princeton University have successfully mapped the entire brain of an adult fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster). Interestingly, this map acts like a “Google Map” for the fruit fly brain, complete with detailed annotations that enable precise navigation and investigation of the complex organ.
A team of scientists from the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) has discovered a previously unidentified type of cell that has the potential to transform tissue repair and regeneration in mammals. These newly identified cells, referred to as EndoMac progenitors, possess the unique ability to differentiate into two distinct cell types: endothelial cells, which form blood vessels, and macrophages, immune cells essential for tissue repair and immune defense.
💡Products/tools of the week
Pika Art leverages AI to turn text, images, and existing videos into dynamic video content, offering tools like text-to-video conversion, image-based video creation, and video modifications. Designed for content creators, marketers, educators, and storytellers, Pika Art is known for its user-friendly interface, creative freedom, and efficiency in generating high-quality videos in a short time, without requiring advanced technical knowledge.
Neolocus is an advanced AI-driven platform designed to create photorealistic 3D renderings for interior design and architectural projects. It seamlessly converts 2D layouts into detailed 3D visualizations with speed and precision, offering a more efficient and affordable alternative to conventional rendering techniques. Designers and architects can rely on Neolocus to optimize their workflows, improve communication with clients, and achieve a competitive advantage through high-quality visuals produced in record time.
TailorTask uses AI to automate repetitive tasks in various fields, including content research, business monitoring, report generation, and social media analysis. Aimed at professionals like marketers, researchers, and business analysts, the platform helps save time and increase productivity. With TailorTask, users can shift their focus to more strategic work while benefiting from accurate and reliable data collection and analysis. Its easy-to-use interface, flexible customization, and seamless integration make it an ideal choice for streamlining workflows and boosting overall efficiency.
Bookeeping.ai is an AI-driven financial management platform that automates up to 95% of accounting tasks, such as transaction imports, tax form preparation, and document scanning. It also generates financial reports, ensures tax compliance, and delivers real-time financial insights. Tailored for small business owners, finance teams, and accounting firms, this tool helps cut bookkeeping time and expenses, boosts accuracy, and improves productivity by automating repetitive tasks while offering essential financial guidance.
