Weekly Piece of Future #93
From Gene Editing Therapies to AI-Driven Agricultural Robots and AI-Enhanced Music Creation
Hey there, fellow future-addicts!
Welcome to this week's edition of Rushing Robotics, where we bring you the most exciting breakthroughs and innovations shaping the future across AI, biotech, and more! In this edition, we're exploring cutting-edge advancements that promise to transform industries, revolutionize our daily lives, and redefine what's possible.
🤯 Mind-Blowing
This section dives deep into the most jaw-dropping developments in science and technology. From Evo, the groundbreaking AI model designed to decode genetic sequences and revolutionize biological research, to CRISPR-based therapies offering new hope for patients with sickle cell disease, these innovations are not just reshaping medicine—they could change life as we know it. Also, discover how AI-powered robots are now revolutionizing agriculture and mobility with high-tech solutions that bring us closer to an accessible future.
🔊 Industry Insights & Updates
Stay ahead of the curve with the latest updates from the world of technology and science. In this section, we highlight major breakthroughs, such as superconducting materials and their connection to quantum physics, the unstoppable rise of exascale computing, and innovations in quantum computing from Microsoft that could unlock a new era of problem-solving. Additionally, learn about non-flammable batteries from Alsym Energy, which promise to revolutionize the safety and reliability of power storage in everyday technologies.
🧬 BioTech
The realm of Biotech continues to be one of the most transformative sectors. In this section, explore the Human Cell Atlas initiative, mapping the trillions of cells that make up the human body, and how it’s leading to new insights in disease understanding and treatment. Learn about soft, flexible ceramics revolutionizing robotics and prosthetics, and how innovative drug delivery capsules are offering a needle-free way to treat diseases with greater precision and efficiency.
💡 Products/Tools of the Week
Looking to enhance your workflow? This section highlights the best AI tools and cutting-edge products to boost your productivity and creativity. Whether it’s Suno V4, the next-generation music creation tool, Pythagora AI for faster web development, or MathGPT to supercharge your mathematical skills, we’ve got you covered with the latest and greatest to streamline your work. Plus, discover Apify, a powerful platform for data scraping and automation.
🎥 Video Section
Watch and learn from some of the most advanced robotics and AI innovations. In this section, explore the WalkON Suit F1, an exoskeleton designed to assist mobility, the rugged capabilities of the DEEPRobotics Lynx off-road robot, and the cutting-edge research in humanoid robots that are learning new skills with AI-powered predictive learning. These videos provide an inside look at the tech that’s changing the world, one breakthrough at a time.
The future isn’t coming, it’s already here—be a part of the next big leap. Stay hungry, stay futurish!
🤯 Mind-Blowing
The next frontier in machine learning is here: scientists have developed Evo, a groundbreaking large language model designed to interpret biological sequence data, including genetic code. Created by researchers at the Arc Institute, Evo is the first version of a “genomic foundational model.” Unlike typical AI models trained on text, Evo was trained with data from millions of microbes, analyzing sequences encoded with DNA, RNA, and proteins. Much like language models such as Google Gemini or GPT in ChatGPT, Evo can learn and predict outcomes, including how small changes in genetic sequences might affect entire organisms. Though still in its early stages and not yet ready for human data, Evo is poised to transform biological research. It has the potential to unravel more DNA and RNA functions and could significantly accelerate advancements in life sciences, potentially empowering scientists to engineer life itself, according to its developers.
The first treatment using CRISPR technology, Casgevy, is now being administered to patients. The gene-editing treatment is designed to treat sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia, two serious blood disorders. After receiving approval from UK regulators in November 2023, the treatment was quickly approved in the US and Europe by December. Casgevy works by editing a patient’s own blood-forming stem cells using CRISPR to enable the production of healthy hemoglobin. The treatment process includes extracting stem cells, editing them in the lab, and infusing them back into the patient after chemotherapy prepares the bone marrow. Once infused, the edited cells travel to the marrow and start producing new red blood cells with healthy hemoglobin, offering new hope to patients.
The future of agriculture may involve robots becoming the caretakers of our fields. Researchers in China have developed a groundbreaking robot that can identify plant species with exceptional accuracy. By simply “touching” leaves, the robot can analyze a plant’s type, growth stage, and detect potential health issues, offering a more efficient way to manage crops.
This robot demonstrated an average accuracy of 97.7% in identifying ten plant species, with a perfect 100% accuracy in classifying bauhinia leaves at various growth stages. It’s poised to revolutionize crop management by enabling early disease detection, a critical aspect of maintaining plant health and ensuring food security. Additionally, the robot measures properties like surface texture and water content, which cannot be seen with the naked eye. The robot’s tactile mechanism, inspired by human skin, allows it to gather information via touch using an electrode that measures factors such as electrical conductivity and contact force.
Recent technological advancements have focused on enhancing mobility for older adults and individuals with physical disabilities. At the Technical University of Munich (TUM), researchers have developed an innovative solution: robotic trousers designed to make walking easier while significantly reducing energy expenditure. The device, known as WalkON, is a pair of soft robotic shorts designed to assist hip flexion and improve walking efficiency. Users can walk and even jog while wearing the shorts. Tests show that when a young person walks 500 meters uphill with the aid of WalkON, their metabolic cost, or the energy they expend, decreases by 18% compared to walking unaided. The system employs a compact, lightweight tendon-driven design, paired with a controller that uses natural leg movements to autonomously assist leg propagation.
Our bodies possess an extraordinary ability to heal, particularly when the damage is minimal. Inspired by this natural process, researchers have tapped into the regenerative potential of blood to create transformative new materials. By using peptide molecules, the team engineered living materials that mimic the body’s healing processes, accelerating tissue regeneration.
The researchers combined synthetic peptides with a patient’s own blood, creating a self-assembling material capable of promoting healing. Led by the University of Nottingham, the team has developed a novel "biocooperative" material that could repair damaged bones in animal models. This advancement could lead to personalized regenerative treatments, such as 3D-printed implants, for a variety of injuries and illnesses.
🔊 Industry Insights & Updates
A team of researchers at Yale University has discovered compelling evidence supporting a new type of superconducting material. This groundbreaking finding also provides strong backing for a long-standing theory about superconductivity—namely, that it could be linked to electronic nematicity, a phase of matter in which particles lose their rotational symmetry. Superconductivity, the phenomenon where electricity flows without resistance or energy loss, has long fascinated scientists. The new research delves into electronic nematicity, where the electron arrangement in certain materials breaks the typical rotational symmetry. This discovery not only advances our understanding of superconductivity’s underlying mechanisms but also paves the way for the development of new and more efficient superconducting materials.
The Frontier supercomputer, ranked as the second-fastest globally, has achieved an extraordinary computing speed of 1.35 exaflops, capable of performing 1.35 quintillion calculations per second. This latest milestone, reached three years after it broke the exascale barrier, highlights the success of the U.S. Oak Ridge National Laboratory in pushing the boundaries of computational power. Frontier’s optimization, driven by world-class computational experts, serves the dynamic needs of the global scientific community. Announced at SC24 in Atlanta, this accomplishment solidifies Frontier’s reputation as a transformative tool for addressing the world’s most pressing scientific challenges.
Microsoft has claimed a groundbreaking advancement in quantum computing, reporting that, in collaboration with Atom Computing, it achieved a record 24 logical qubits that can both detect and correct errors. This development represents the largest demonstration of error-corrected qubits across all existing quantum platforms. In September, the two companies disclosed their joint effort to create the world’s most powerful quantum computer, a tool envisioned to unlock new frontiers in science and solve problems long considered insurmountable. They also demonstrated consistent computation using 28 logical qubits on the same system, further showcasing their progress.
The evolution of batteries has been a key factor in advancing electronic devices, robotics, electric vehicles, and other modern technologies. However, safety concerns, especially those highlighted by incidents of battery fires, have posed significant challenges for developers and reduced consumer trust in battery-powered products. To tackle this issue, Alsym Energy has developed an innovative non-flammable battery. These high-performance, non-toxic batteries are designed as a safer, low-cost alternative to lithium cells and are capable of supporting a wide variety of discharge durations, offering promise for safer and more reliable applications across industries.
🧬 BioTech
The Human Cell Atlas (HCA) is an international initiative aimed at mapping each of the 36 to 37 trillion cells in the human body to unravel their specific roles and relationships within the intricate systems of human biology. This ambitious project has already made remarkable progress, leveraging data from over 10,000 participants across the globe and cutting-edge computational tools to analyze cellular functions at an unprecedented level of detail. To date, HCA researchers have cataloged 100 million cells, representing a diverse range of populations. Among its groundbreaking achievements is a detailed map of the digestive tract, leading to the discovery of a cell type connected to inflammation in diseases like ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. The initiative’s ultimate aim is to complete the first draft of a comprehensive atlas of the human body by 2026. This atlas will provide detailed insights into the location, identity, and function of every cell, capturing how they change over a person’s life stages, with profound implications for understanding and treating diseases.
A ceramic breakthrough has enabled the creation of soft, flexible sensors that could revolutionize robotics and prosthetics. Researchers at Empa’s Laboratory for High-Performance Ceramics have engineered soft sensor materials by embedding tiny ceramic particles into stretchy plastic substrates.
Traditionally known for their use in delicate teacups and robust tiles, ceramics are now being reimagined to be soft, flexible, and even intelligent. These innovative sensors can detect pressure, temperature, and strain by measuring changes in conductivity, which occur as the distance between ceramic particles shifts with stretching, compression, or heat. This advancement holds promise for enhancing the sensitivity and functionality of robotic systems and prosthetic devices.
MIT and Novo Nordisk researchers have developed a groundbreaking ingestible capsule that delivers drugs directly to the stomach wall or other organs in the digestive tract. Inspired by the propulsion mechanism of squid, this innovative capsule offers a needle-free alternative for administering medications typically delivered via injections, such as insulin and large protein-based drugs, including antibodies. Traditional oral methods for such drugs are ineffective due to the degradation of large protein molecules or RNA in the digestive system, making this capsule a potential game-changer in drug delivery technology.
💡Products/tools of the week
Suno V4 has been released, and it’s more advanced than ever. This new version takes music creation to the next level with cutting-edge AI, offering enhanced capabilities to generate original compositions with greater complexity and nuance. Whether you’re crafting melodies, exploring new genres, or seeking inspiration, Suno V4 allows for more control over every aspect of your music—from rhythm to harmony. Plus, if you register now, you can claim 250 credits as a special gift to kickstart your creative journey. With faster processing, higher-quality sound, and an intuitive interface, Suno V4 is the ultimate AI companion for musicians and creators alike.
Pythagora AI is an innovative AI-driven tool designed to accelerate full-stack web application development, from planning through to deployment. By leveraging natural language interaction, Pythagora AI automates tasks such as coding, testing, and debugging using specialized AI agents. This allows developers to work more efficiently and focus on intricate problem-solving. Additionally, it enables non-technical users to create functional applications without extensive coding knowledge. Pythagora AI’s versatility, speed, and ability to augment human skills make it a powerful option for startups, organizations, and individual developers seeking to expedite their development process.
MathGPT is an AI-powered math solver and educational assistant designed to help users tackle a broad spectrum of mathematical problems, from basic arithmetic to advanced calculus. Offering step-by-step solutions, in-depth explanations, and clarifications of key concepts, MathGPT caters to students across various educational stages—whether in high school, college, or even graduate studies. It’s also a great resource for lifelong learners. Students often turn to MathGPT for instant homework support, enhanced comprehension of mathematical topics, personalized learning, and access to sophisticated problem-solving tools.
The Windsurf Editor by Codeium is an AI-powered IDE that revolutionizes the coding process by offering real-time AI assistance. With features like context-aware editing, multi-file support, and natural language commands, it helps developers boost productivity and tackle complex coding tasks more efficiently. The AI Flows and Cascade innovation allow for a profound understanding of code, creating a seamless integration of AI-powered support into the development workflow. Developers seeking to improve their productivity and workflow will find this tool invaluable for accelerating their development process.
Apify is a cloud-based web scraping and automation platform that enables users to extract data from websites at scale with ease. It provides a variety of pre-built scrapers, customizable development options, and automation tools for scheduling and managing data extraction tasks. Whether you’re a developer or a non-technical professional, Apify makes it simple to collect web data for market research, competitor analysis, or other business purposes, all without the hassle of managing infrastructure or dealing with proxy rotation and website blocking issues.
Exoskeleton Lab KAIST: WalkON Suit F1: The Next-Gen Exoskeleton That Walks Itself
DEEP Robotics: Extreme Off-Road | DEEPRobotics Lynx All-Terrian Robot
Tokyo Robotics: Humanoid Robot Torobo Learns Table-Wiping Skills with Deep Predictive Learning
MIRMI - Robotics and Machine Intelligence: Robotic Shorts: One minute to start walking/ Robotische Hose: In einer Minute startklar