Home BlogWeekly News 10 Bits: The Data News Hotlist

10 Bits: The Data News Hotlist

by Morgan Stevens
by
soccer ball

This week’s list of data news highlights covers November 27, 2021 to December 3, 2021 and includes articles on using an AI system to review soccer plays and launching a digital vaccine passport in Washington state.

1. Finding Black Holes

Astronomers at the University of Texas’ McDonald Observatory have used a supercomputer to find an unusually large black hole in one of the Milky Way’s small satellite galaxies. The team found that the small galaxy’s black hole is almost as large as the Milky Way’s black hole. 

2. Reviewing Soccer Plays

FIFA, soccer’s governing organization, has instituted an AI system to better review offside calls during soccer matches. Officials in the Arab Cup 2021 will use the system to analyze data collected by 10 cameras on the stadium’s roof.

3. Reproducing Robots

Scientists at the University of Vermont, Tufts University, and Harvard University have announced that the programmable organisms they created from African clawed frog stem cells can biologically reproduce.

4. Promoting Flu Vaccinations

CVS and IBM have partnered to use IBM’s Watson AI system to promote flu vaccinations. The companies will use the system to identify and target communities at risk of flu outbreaks with personalized mobile messaging campaigns.

5. Launching Quantum Computers

IQM Finland Oy, a quantum computing hardware company, and VTT Technical Research Centre, Finland’s public technology research organization, have launched Finland’s first quantum computer. Researchers will use the 5-qubit computer to learn more about programming and operating quantum computers.

6. Creating Movie Trailers

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have developed an AI system that can create movie trailers for existing films. The system creates trailers by analyzing the film’s audio and video recordings and reviewing a text version of the film to identify significant scenes.

7. Proving Vaccination Status

The Washington State Department of Health has launched a digital vaccine passport for residents to display their vaccination status from a mobile phone. Residents can enter their information on the Department’s website and receive a link to download their COVID-19 vaccination records.

8. Detecting Tumor Cell Death

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital have created an AI system that can detect tumor cell death in MRI images after virus-based cancer therapy. With the system, doctors can learn about patients’ responses to treatment as soon as 48 hours after administration. 

9. Presenting Santa Claus

NBC, a U.S.-based news network, used augmented reality to add special effects to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The parade featured Santa Claus flying over 34th Street and a turkey kicking a football through goalposts.

10. Predicting Spider Webs

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have created an AI system that can predict spiders’ web-building progression. The team developed the system with observational data on spiders’ leg movements.

Image credit: Flickr user Jarrett Campbell

You may also like

Show Buttons
Hide Buttons