Artificial Intelligence

Astro utilizes a deep neural network to learn new tasks through a process of trial and error

Robotics

Astro robo-dog packs an AI-enabled "brain" in its 3D-printed head

We've already seen several dog-like quadruped robots, which move by walking with their four backward-bending legs. Researchers at Florida Atlantic University are now getting in on the act, with their artificially-intelligent (and dog-headed) Astro robot.

Researchers have developed an AI-powered app that is designed to help combat banana diseases and pests

Science

AI mobile app to tackle banana disease and pest outbreaks

A new artificial intelligence (AI) app developed by researchers from Bioversity International allows banana farmers to identify and combat outbreaks of pests and diseases. Designed to be used with a smartphone, both on and offline, it's claimed to operate with an average success rate of 90 percent.

The A.I. Bar system has been trialed at a London cocktail bar, and is being rolled out to landlords as a software-as-a-service product

Good Thinking

Facial recognition system helps stop queue-jumping at bars

Though facial recognition isn't exactly flavor of the month at the moment, it could prove popular among revelers queuing at a busy bar. Data science company DataSparQ has introduced the A.I. Bar service, which helps bar staff decide who needs serving next by putting customers in a virtual queue.

Medical

Robot MD: How artificial intelligence promises to revolutionize medical diagnosis

When it comes to medical ailments and their diagnosis, time is absolutely of the essence. And lately we are seeing how artificial intelligence is poised to play a monumental role in detecting tell-tale signs of disease long before doctors can.

The software is capable of assessing videos of smiling people, accurately determining whether or not their smile is genuine

Science

Computer system learns to spot fake smiles

In the near future, it may be a lot more difficult to make computers believe that you're happy with something when you're actually not. That's because scientists at Britain's University of Bradford have developed software that can reportedly detect phoney smiles.

The ramifications of artificial general intelligence have the potential to be both good and bad

Computers

Microsoft pumps $1 billion into generalized artificial intelligence

Open AI is an organization focused on ensuring artificial general intelligence (AGI) does the world good, rather than bad, and has just landed a lucrative new partner in the form of Microsoft, which will develop advanced supercomputers to help it do the job.

An example hand from the game showing the AI system (Pluribus) bluffing five professional players

Computers

Landmark AI system beats poker pros in multi-player Texas hold 'em

A team has created an AI system that, for the first time, has defeated several poker professionals in six-player Texas hold 'em. Unlike earlier iterations of the system, the researchers will not publicly release this algorithm’s code, for fear it could decimate the online poker world.

A Southern Resident Killer Whale surfaces in British Columbia

Environment

Intelligent infrared cameras may help keep boats from striking killer whales

There are currently fewer than 80 Southern Resident Killer Whales left in North America's Pacific Northwest, and unfortunately boat collisions with them are on the rise. In order to address the problem, scientists are now looking to artificially-intelligent infrared cameras.

To bring more human-like reasoning to autonomous vehicle navigation, MIT researchers have created a system that enables driverless cars to check a simple map and use visual data to follow routes in new, complex environments

Automotive

MIT is teaching cars to navigate using a simple map and visual data, just like humans

MIT is working on a new way for self-driving cars to get around in unfamiliar areas by imitating the way human drivers navigate. Called Variational End-to-End Navigation and Localization, it uses basic maps and video cameras to navigate a location for which it hasn't been programmed.

Mona Lisa comes to life thanks to Samsung's generative adversarial networks research

Computers

Samsung AI brings the Mona Lisa (or any other picture) to life

Using the latest trend in artificial intelligence – adversarial learning – Samsung has demonstrated that it can take a single image of a person and turn it into a talking head. And if watching the Mona Lisa come to life doesn't send chills down your spine, you need to check your pulse.

Concept sketch of the TRAuma Care In a Rucksack (TRACIR) system

Medical

DoD awards contracts to create robotic suit that autonomously delivers trauma care

The US Department of Defense has awarded contracts worth a total of US$7.2 million to develop an autonomous trauma care system called TRACIR that uses robotics, and artificial intelligence to autonomously treat battlefield casualties almost immediately.

Google describes the early results of the AI it developed to detect lung cancer as "encouraging"

Medical

Google's AI for lung cancer diagnosis proves more accurate than radiologists in early trial

A Google research initiative aimed at harnessing artificial intelligence to better model and predict lung cancer has shown promise in a newly published study, with the technology even outperforming certified radiologists in some regards.