1. One thing that helps
The clothes we wear will soon help us hear better, interact with our devices, and help monitor our health.
Nanyang Technological University researchers have developed a fabric that can capture minute vibrations, in the scale of nanometers, then turn them into electrical signals in a similar way to how our ears work. This fabric can provide a wide array of benefits such as:
- helping people with hearing issues
- detecting cracks or strains in buildings
- monitoring fish in the ocean through smart nets
- interacting with smart phones/watches etc..
- monitoring our heartbeat and alerting us to any irregularities
One experiment involved having a volunteer wear the shirt and the researchers would clap from various locations. The fabric could not only discern the clapping but could also tell which direction and from how far away the sound was made!
The best part is it’s light, comfortable and machine-washable.
2. One to be wary of
Let’s keep the human in technology. I’m all for using technology to improve our world, and free us up to do the things we love. I get concerned when it helps us avoid doing actual “human” stuff. A panel discussion titled “Optimized Romance: Is Tech Killing the Mood?” covered the topic of dating apps. Let’s look at some questions asked by the audience.
“One person asked whether apps could incorporate features to help people break up with someone more easily. Another, how dating apps can reduce pain points “like knowing what to say about yourself or knowing what to say when you message someone.” A third requested apps do more to help shy people who aren’t naturally skilled at social interaction.”
These questions indicate that people are relying on dating apps not just to look for matches, but also to speak for them. While clicking on a message prepared by AI is much easier than composing your own, it comes at a cost to personal development and moves us all one step further away from each other.
Should we avoid dating apps completely? No. They help people connect with each other which is one of the best things tech can help us with. Algorithms are good at what they do, they can find a potential match based on your profile and preferences. But we still need to handle the human part with all its awkwardness, unpredictability and excitement.
3. One to amaze
3D modeling takes anywhere from a few hours to weeks to finish. It’s time-consuming and expensive but NVIDIA is changing the game. Now we can easily and quickly turn a series of 2D photographs into a 3D model.
Neural radiance fields (NeRFs), developed by researchers from several institutions, can train on a limited data set. Using photographs of the subject, NeRFs builds a 3D model by filling in the gaps between the photographs. NVIDIA Research took NeRFs to a different level by simplifying the algorithm’s architecture and making it run on machines that would have not previously been powerful enough. The result is “Instant NeRF”, able to create a 3D model up to 1,000 times faster.
Instant NeRF can train in minutes then render in seconds and it’s incredibly light compared to existing models. Why are these characteristics important? Instant NeRF promises to bring quick and easy 3D modeling to several industries. For example, autonomous driving benefits greatly from 3D models of road conditions. It allows designers to spend less time on modeling and more on designing. And of course, it allows you to create cool 3D models of your Saturday night party just using all those dodgy selfies you took.