Weekly Piece of Future #89
From Targeted Cancer Drug to Lifespan-Extending Mifepristone and Autonomous Flying Cars
Hey there, fellow future-addicts!
Welcome to this week's edition of Rushing Robotics! We’re thrilled to bring you the latest breakthroughs in artificial intelligence and robotics that are reshaping industries and transforming lives.
🤯 Mind-Blowing
From the groundbreaking introduction of the Walker S1 humanoid robot taking on manual labor in factories to Kevin Weil's eye-opening discussion on AI's potential in the legal sector, this newsletter is packed with insights that highlight the incredible advancements we're witnessing.
🔊 Industry Insights & Updates
Dive into the world of innovation as we explore cutting-edge projects like Aetherflux's modular satellite system for space-based solar power and the revolutionary flying car prototype unveiled by Chery. These developments signal a thrilling shift toward automation and sustainability across various industries.
🧬 BioTech
In the realm of biotechnology, exciting research is underway, including a new cancer treatment that selectively targets harmful cells and the creation of tiny, soft lithium-ion batteries designed for biomedical applications. These advancements promise to push the boundaries of health and longevity.
💡 Products/Tools of the Week
We’ll also introduce you to game-changing products and tools like Globe Explorer and Keywords AI, designed to enhance learning experiences and streamline the development of large language models. These innovations are set to revolutionize how we approach technology in our everyday lives.
🎥 Video Section
Finally, don’t miss our video highlights featuring the Kepler Humanoid Robot and the latest in AI automation from Brightpick. These segments showcase the practical applications of AI technology and its implications for the future.
Join us as we unpack these exciting developments and more, offering a glimpse into the remarkable future that lies ahead. Stay hungry, stay futurish!
🤯 Mind-Blowing
The Walker S1 humanoid robot has officially started taking on manual jobs in factories, including those operated by BYD, the world’s largest electric vehicle manufacturer. Developed by the Chinese robotics company UBTech, the Walker S1 aims to ease the labor shortages currently facing the manufacturing sector. Recent reports indicate that UBTech has received over 500 orders for its industrial humanoid robot from major automakers, signaling a strong interest in automation technologies as more companies look to streamline their operations. The Walker S1 was officially launched on Monday and is already being put to work in various factories, highlighting the growing trend toward automation in China’s manufacturing landscape.
OpenAI’s Chief Product Officer, Kevin Weil, has ignited a significant conversation regarding the transformative effects of AI on professional services, particularly focusing on the legal sector. During his presentation at ‘Ray Summit 2024,’ he unveiled the capabilities of their o1 model, which can produce legal briefs that would typically require the expertise of high-billing associates. This development underscores a dramatic shift in the economics of professional services. The comparison between traditional legal work and AI-powered alternatives is striking: a task that once demanded six hours of a $1,000-per-hour associate’s time can now be completed in just five minutes for a mere $3 in API credits. This astonishing 99.9% reduction in both time and cost prompts critical reflections on the future of professional services and their pricing structures.
Biologists at USC Dornsife College have identified a potential new role for mifepristone, a drug primarily known for pregnancy termination, in extending lifespan. Published in the journal Fly, the study hints at possibilities for future anti-aging treatments. Mifepristone, also used for treating Cushing’s disease and specific cancers, was tested on fruit flies by John Tower, a professor of biological sciences at USC. Results showed that both mifepristone and rapamycin independently increased lifespan in the flies, suggesting mifepristone could offer a new pathway for longevity research.
Bioengineers have proposed an innovative “electro-agriculture” system that could revolutionize food production, improving its efficiency and adaptability, particularly for unique environments like space. Rather than relying on traditional photosynthesis, which utilizes only 1% of light energy, this approach uses solar power to convert CO₂ into a plant-usable organic compound. “If sunlight is no longer necessary for plant growth, we could shift agriculture to indoor, controlled settings,” said researcher Robert Jinkerson, highlighting the potential for decoupling food production from environmental conditions.
Liver tissue grown in space could revolutionize organ donation, as scientists use the International Space Station (ISS) to produce highly functional human liver tissue. At the heart of this breakthrough is the “Tissue Orb,” a custom bioreactor designed for microgravity. Unlike Earth-based methods, which rely on synthetic frameworks to direct cell growth, the ISS’s low-gravity environment enables cells to naturally self-assemble. Consequently, liver tissues formed in space exhibit greater differentiation and functionality than those grown under terrestrial conditions.
🔊 Industry Insights & Updates
Aetherflux, a startup founded by a physicist with a background in financial services, aims to advance space-based solar power (SBSP) through a modular low Earth orbit satellite system. Unlike traditional approaches that rely on large, single satellites in geostationary orbit, Aetherflux’s plan involves deploying a constellation of smaller satellites to capture and beam solar energy back to Earth using infrared lasers. The company believes its innovative approach could make SBSP more scalable and cost-effective, potentially moving the technology beyond its early development phase.
Researchers from Universidad Complutense de Madrid in Spain have developed an intermediate band (IB) solar cell using gallium phosphide and titanium, which has the potential to achieve an energy conversion efficiency of up to 60%. This solar cell is designed to operate efficiently at wavelengths of 550 nm and higher. Unlike traditional silicon-based solar cells, which only capture part of the sunlight and release the rest as heat, this new technology offers a promising solution for more effectively harnessing solar energy from the sun.
Chinese automaker Chery has revealed a flying car prototype at the Chery Global Innovation Conference in Anhui, China. Called the "Land and Air Vehicle," the car is fully autonomous, lacking both a steering wheel and accelerator. The futuristic vehicle has already successfully completed a 50-mile test flight. With this innovation, Chery aims to solidify its standing in the global automotive industry. The three-body hybrid-wing design features three key components: an aircraft, an intelligent cockpit, and an intelligent chassis, enabling the vehicle to seamlessly switch between flying and driving modes for urban commutes. Capable of vertical takeoff and landing, the flying car promises to reduce traffic congestion in cities.
Airbus UpNext and Toshiba Energy Systems are joining forces to advance superconducting technology for hydrogen-powered aircraft. Airbus has been making strides in high-power electric propulsion, achieving a milestone last year by powering up a 500 kW integrated cryogenic propulsion system. The companies see hydrogen-powered aircraft as key to achieving net zero emissions by 2050. Superconducting technologies, cooled by liquid hydrogen at -253°C, could significantly improve the efficiency of electric propulsion systems.
🧬 BioTech
Researchers at NYU Langone Health and the Perlmutter Cancer Center have developed a new drug that selectively targets cancer cells while sparing healthy ones, promising a potential breakthrough in cancer treatment with minimal side effects. For certain proteins, a single DNA mutation can transform them from harmless to cancer-causing, yet their close similarity to normal proteins has historically made them difficult to target without damaging healthy cells. This study introduces a biologic drug that targets the HER2 mutant protein, commonly associated with certain cancers, without affecting its healthy counterpart.
Researchers at the University of Oxford have created a tiny, soft lithium-ion battery specifically for biomedical uses such as heart defibrillation and pacing. This battery, composed of biocompatible hydrogel droplets, is rechargeable, biodegradable, and activated by light. According to the research team, the battery could power various biomedical devices, including drug delivery systems, heart defibrillators, and microrobots. With its innovative, biocompatible design, the hydrogel-based battery addresses critical challenges in powering biomedical devices, offering a safe and efficient solution for minimally invasive applications.
A sweat-powered wearable developed by engineers at the University of California San Diego could make continuous health monitoring as easy as wearing a Band-Aid. This innovative electronic finger wrap measures vital chemical levels—such as glucose, vitamins, and drugs—by analyzing fingertip sweat, from which it also draws its power. Fingertips, equipped with over a thousand sweat glands, produce far more sweat than most body areas, even at rest. This steady perspiration provides a natural energy source, allowing the device to monitor health metrics continuously, even during sleep or inactivity.
💡Products/tools of the week
Designed as an AI-powered knowledge platform, Globe Explorer allows users to explore new topics through visually-driven search results. Unlike traditional search engines, it organizes complex information into well-structured sections, providing a table of contents enhanced with relevant images and diagrams for each sub-topic. The platform offers an interactive research experience, where users can click on tiles representing key concepts to delve further into their learning journey. With AI summaries and visual aids, it's an ideal tool for students, educators, and professionals looking for effective, visual learning methods.
Cognition is pushing the boundaries of software engineering with its AI-powered tool, Devin. By autonomously writing, testing, and deploying code, Devin helps engineering teams scale their operations and speed up delivery times. It improves developer efficiency by enhancing decision-making processes and supporting real-time collaboration. Key features like "restore checkpoints," customizable Devins, and enterprise-grade deployment make Devin especially suited to industries with high compliance needs and complex coding environments.
Keywords AI is an all-encompassing platform designed to ease the development and management of Large Language Model (LLM) applications. It provides a single API for accessing 200+ LLM models, alongside features like monitoring tools, proxy integration, and prompt management and testing. For AI developers and startups, Keywords AI offers a streamlined way to integrate LLMs, improve reliability, and gain actionable insights into performance. By efficiently managing prompts across models, it helps enhance both the overall functionality and user experience of AI applications.
Thoughtly provides businesses with the tools to create and implement AI-powered voice agents for managing phone calls and SMS interactions. Its intuitive interface enables users to build agents capable of handling inbound and outbound calls, automating customer service, and delivering round-the-clock support. By using Thoughtly, businesses can increase operational efficiency, reduce expenses, improve customer satisfaction, and gather data-driven insights, all without the need for deep technical expertise.
