Contents
Theme of the week: AI needs a rest too
Scientists from the Los Alamos National Laboratory in the United States are exploring impulse neural networks – models built by analogy with the human brain. Like humans, they can learn on their own by analyzing large amounts of data and finding patterns in them. The researchers noticed that after long periods of training, neural networks cease to work stably, and suggested that artificial intelligence, like a person, needs to rest.
During the experiment, scientists acted on the neural network using a digital code, similar in frequency to brain waves during slow sleep. The researchers found that the algorithms are best stabilized by Gaussian noise, a set of statistical errors whose values are given by the normal distribution law. A large set of frequencies and amplitudes allows you to activate unused neurons in the network, making it work more productively.
Problems with the stabilization of the neural network arise if scientists try to model the functions of the human nervous system with its help. In the case of fully artificial networks, this complexity does not arise, because the mathematical algorithms that control their work do not have to comply with the laws of biology.
The next goal of the researchers is to build a digital system based on an upgraded neural network and the Intel Loihi neuromorphic processor, which copies the structure of the human brain. The solution will analyze images using machine vision and “rest” between work. Scientists hope that their discovery will make the system more productive.
Problem of the Week: IoT Vulnerable to Cyber Attacks
Industrial robots are an indispensable invention for assembly line production, but they, like other digital devices, can suffer from cyberattacks. Hackers find vulnerabilities in factory equipment software even though it runs on offline networks that do not connect to the internet. Federico Maggi and Marcello Pogliani, researchers from the IT company Trend Micro and the Technical University of Milan, warned about one of these “holes” in the security system in their report.
Experts reported vulnerabilities in the software of industrial robots produced by large companies – ABB Ltd and Kuka AG. If hackers took advantage of the flaws in the security system, they could paralyze the work of enterprises or harm their employees. Maggi and Pogliani identified the problem by analyzing robot tuning applications from ABB Ltd’s official website using reverse engineering. Experts also identified a vulnerability in the site: hackers could bypass the authorization system and download their application instead of the official one.
Scientists from the Georgia Institute of Technology in the United States reported that the cybersecurity of energy networks is also under threat. Hackers are able to create a system of many electrical devices that can be controlled using special bots (botnet). At the right moment, they are forced to work at maximum capacity, which leads to an increase in demand for electricity and, in theory, can cause a failure of the electricity supply system and the collapse of energy markets. In May 2020, hackers have already tried this strategy, but so far such attacks have not been successful.
Technology of the week
New Zealand to test wireless electricity transmission
New Zealand startup Emrod has agreed with Powerco, one of the local electricity suppliers, to test a microwave power transmission system. This system consists of a transmitting antenna, sets of relays, and a receiving rectenna that converts microwave radiation into electricity. The technology itself is not new: it has been used by NASA and the military since the 1970s. But commercial projects have been made possible by new materials and more accurate computer simulations.
The first prototype, built by Emrod, can transmit power over a distance of 10 m. Company CEO Greg Kushnir says that for a working version, this distance will be 30 km. During transmission, the system will lose about 30% of energy, but the startup hopes to improve performance due to the development of 5G technologies. For comparison: the efficiency of a low-voltage wired network is 85-90%.
Microwave energy transfer is safe because it uses long waves of not very high density – 1 kW / sq. m (with such a power at the equator on a clear day the sun shines). The system also has a built-in laser interrupt mechanism. It is activated if the energy flux density exceeds the allowable one. To ensure an uninterrupted supply of electricity, Emrod plans to connect batteries to the grid or add redundant channels.
Wireless power transmission technology will not replace wired, but it will be useful for connecting hard-to-reach areas, such as mountain villages, to the network.
Article of the week
Social robots will help children develop emotional intelligence
Social robots are like pets: they can distract from unpleasant thoughts and stress levels. In addition, their actions are predictable and do not need to be cleaned up after them. Such robots help children with autism to socialize, and older people with dementia to worry less.
Several companies are now working with pediatricians and child development specialists to develop robots to teach children how to manage their emotions. Purrble, a mouse-like toy, uses sensors to detect that it is being stroked. From the touch of her “heart” beats more slowly, and she begins to purr. The robot is intended for children from three to nine years old. The creators of Purrble believe that if a child learns to calm someone else, it will be easier for him to control his emotions. The toy is being developed by the non-profit organization Committee for Children.
Embodied Inc. created a social robot named Moxie. He looks like a tumbler, knows how to talk and build a conversation based on information that he learned earlier. Every day, Moxie gives kids a challenge to learn how to be kind and make friends. The robot will not replace the child with living people – if it is used for more than two hours a day during the day, it turns off.
One line
- A schoolgirl from Nizhny Novgorod created a myosuit for rehabilitation after spinal fractures.
- AI has made histological examinations more accurate.
- ITMO students have developed a silicon nanoplatform that can become an effective tool for drug delivery.
- The first nuclear power plant in the Middle East has been launched in the UAE.
- Amazon has invested $ 10 billion in the development of satellite Internet and has become a competitor to SpaceX.
- The EyeBox device analyzes eye movement and determines if a person has a concussion.
- Scientists in Australia have 3D printed an endoscope so small it can penetrate blood vessels.
- The robot will write a theatrical play.
- Drones have learned to gather in swarms and not collide.
What to listen
Release of Changing the Game with Industry 4.0 in the Intelligent Enterprise podcast about Digital threads. This model collects data on the operation of the device from the moment of its creation to the final failure and links the digital twins into a single system. Representatives of Siemens, SAP and CIMdata will talk about their experience in using the technology.
What to see
American engineers have created a crane robot based on microorigami technology. It allows devices to work effectively regardless of weather conditions and change shape to adapt to the environment. In the future, they want to use this technology to create spacecraft.
What to read
Longread on how affordable genetic tests can affect family relationships. The Wired edition tells the stories of people who found out that they were not their own children. For some, this discovery did not change anything, while others rushed to look for real parents. Journalist Caitlin Harrington reflects on how family ties are changing in the IVF era and whether genetic kinship is so important to being a family.
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