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10 Bits: The Data News Hotlist

by Morgan Stevens
by
Cards

This week’s list of data news highlights covers March 26, 2022 to April 1, 2022 and includes articles on an AI system beating world champions at bridge and using a supercomputer to analyze the genetic sequences of mammal species.

1. Monitoring Brain Activity in Space

Israeli neurotechnology company brain.space has created a headset to determine the effect of space travel on the brain. The headset contains around 500 electroencephalography (EEG) sensors that can detect electrical signals from neurons in the brain and an AI system that can decode the signals. Astronauts on board the International Space Station will wear the headset periodically in space and on Earth to assess the impact of space travel on the brain.

2. Controlling Weather Patterns

Researchers at RIKEN, a scientific research institute in Japan, have used a supercomputer to design simulations for controlling weather patterns. The team found that applying artificial temperature fluctuations to local weather systems in certain points of time could influence their weather conditions. Scientists could potentially use artificial fluctuations to redirect or mitigate dangerous weather conditions.

3. Updating Search Engines

Google has updated its search engine to include a new machine learning model that can detect signs of emotional crises in natural language search queries better than previous models. The new model will respond to queries indicating crises with an information box saying that “Help is available” and contact information for mental health organizations.

4. Delivering Cargo Autonomously

FedEx and Elroy, a U.S.-based autonomous air cargo company, have partnered to use autonomous vertical take-off and landing systems for middle-mile deliveries. The systems can carry 300 to 500 pounds for up to 300 miles, and use radio frequency beacons to determine the location of future cargo.

5. Playing Bridge

NukkAI, a French company, has created an AI system that can play bridge. The company built the system to be a hybrid of rules-based and deep learning systems by teaching it the game’s rules and then instructing it to practice plays. In a recent tournament, the system beat eight world champions in 83 percent of games.

6. Discovering Mammal Species

Researchers at Ohio State University have used a supercomputer to analyze millions of gene sequences and environments for over 4,000 mammal species and found that hundreds of mammal species are undiscovered. The team determined that most undiscovered species are likely to be small animals like bats and rodents.

7. Detecting Heart Conditions

Researchers at Mayo Clinic have created an AI system that can detect clogged arteries using a voice recording. The system uses data on six voice features highly correlated with coronary artery disease to issue a score. During the study, 58 percent of patients with a high score visited a hospital due to chest pain or acute coronary syndrome, while only 31 percent of patients with a low score went to a hospital for the same symptoms. The team trained the system with three 30-second voice recordings from 108 study participants.

8. Collecting Litter

Plymouth City Council in the United Kingdom has partnered with MSUBS and Marine AI, two U.K.-based marine technology companies, to create autonomous robots that can collect plastic litter in the ocean. Officials are currently remotely operating the vehicles, known as Waste Sharks, in Turnchapel Wharf.

9. Making Medical Decisions

DARPA, a research and development agency in the U.S. Department of Defense, has launched an initiative to create an AI system that can make medical decisions on the battlefield. The system could help military medical staff and trauma surgeons decide the best courses of action in providing care to wounded soldiers.

10. Building a Smart City

Officials in Busan, South Korea have built a smart city to learn more about how the government and private sector can improve urban development and energy efficiency. The city hosts 54 households who use Samsung tablets and sensor technologies to collect data like residents’ energy use, health information, and food supplies. Officials provide municipal services like package delivery and street cleaning with drones and other small robots.

Image credit: Flickr user JiahuiH

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