Category: Technology

By combining a novel metal, CeIrIn5, with a sapphire crystal, scientists can draw superconducting circuits into the crystal.
Until now, the superconducting states were virtually impossible to manipulate in superconductors.
CeIrIn5 has a unique property where some of it can be superconductive, while other parts of it retain a normal metallic state.
Scientists that discovered this have also created a model that enables the design of complex conducting patterns by varying the temperature of the material.
This could lead to new technologies, including a quantum version of a conventional transistor.

Bulleted by Michał Słupski
on October 11, 2019

Alicem is a mobile app that will enable French citizens to access public services, and will go live after a 6-month trial period.
It will read data from an electronic passport chip, and validate the citizen’s identity by confirming the data with facial recognition.
The government insists that it will be secure, and will delete all facial data within seconds of logging in.
Digital security experts warn that if France doesn’t use the most secure, bleeding-edge technology, then it might be too soon for a system like this.

Bulleted by Michał Słupski
on October 5, 2019

Last month (September 2019) marked the first time that AI-controlled funds managed more American equities than humans.
Computers have moved on from buying and selling stocks, to the much more complex task of monitoring the economy and investing capital.
New AI programs write their own investing rules, some of which humans cannot comprehend.
AI in finance has risks -- financial instability, sudden market crashes, lack of governance -- but it’s growing in strength, and it’s here to stay.

Bulleted by Michał Słupski
on October 4, 2019

phys.org

Machine learning turns 2,000 hours of calculations into 23 hours, in order to design a new type of metamaterial.
The designed material is proof of concept for a new type of devices to create electricity from heat.
A thermophotovoltaic device like this could turn specific frequencies of infrared light into energy.

Bulleted by Michał Słupski
on September 27, 2019

nytimes.com

Recent research shows that in the last 6 years, the volume of calculations needed to be a leader in AI has increased 300,000 times.
This has changed the dynamic of innovation in technology, which used to be driven by universities, but now only Big Tech can afford to run sophisticated models.
What’s more, scientists estimated that training a huge deep-learning model can generate the same carbon footprint as the lifetime of five American cars.
Some say this calls for “green AI” (which wouldn’t rely only on increasing raw computational power), and greater democratization of resources for AI research.
Big Tech isn’t staying idle, and various teams at the biggest technology companies are working towards addressing these problems.

Bulleted by Michał Słupski
on September 27, 2019

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