This week’s list of top data news highlights covers June 11, 2022 to June 17, 2022 and includes articles on launching exascale supercomputers and creating custom paint colors with an AI system.
1. Preventing Heatstroke in Cars
Toyota has created a sensor that can detect micromovements like heartbeats in cars to prevent hot car deaths. If the sensor detects movement from a living being after the driver has exited, the car will honk, flash its lights, and alert the driver and their emergency contacts. If no one responds, the car’s emergency system will contact first responders.
Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel have discovered one of the world’s oldest campfires. The team used an AI system to detect signs of burning on flint tools and elephant tusks found at an archaeological site thought to be between 800,000 to 1 million years old. They found that both were exposed to temperatures as high as 1,112 degrees Fahrenheit, suggesting that the site’s inhabitants used the fire to cook.
Sherwin Williams, a U.S.-based paint company, has launched a voice-controlled tool that uses an AI system to create custom colors. Users can describe certain places, objects, or shades, like “New York City summer sunset” or “the 1980s” to the tool, which will then create the paint color accordingly.
4. Launching an Exascale Supercomputer
The European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking has announced that Germany will receive the first publicly known European exascale supercomputer next year. Researchers plan to use the supercomputer to solve problems in fields like climate change, pandemics, and sustainable energy production.
The Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations has launched a digital career hub to help residents find jobs. The platform uses an AI system and state administrative data to connect users with job matches and social services.
The San Jose Water Company has received approval from the California Public Utilities Commission to install smart water meters in San Jose. Residents can use the meters to detect leaks and monitor water usage in real time.
7. Improving Health Care and Research
The United Kingdom has announced a new data strategy for the National Health Service to support data-driven innovation in healthcare. The strategy contains seven principles, including improving data for adult social care, developing technical infrastructure, and empowering researchers with data, and will enable patients, doctors, and researchers to access medical data safely and efficiently.
Discord, a U.S.-based social platform, has launched an autonomous moderation tool to flag harmful behavior. The tool can detect certain words or phrases and automatically block the message, alert an administrator, or temporarily prevent the poster from using the platform.
The U.S. National Hockey League has partnered with Dynamic Vision, a Canadian virtual reality and 3D animation company, to create an augmented reality version of the Stanley Cup trophy. Fans can visit the league’s website to interact with a virtual version of the Stanley Cup and use accompanying Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook lenses to hoist it on their shoulders.
Google has updated its Maps application to show total toll prices for a given route, according to the time of day, day of the week, and whether the driver has a toll pass. The feature contains data for nearly 2,000 toll roads in the United States, India, Japan, and Indonesia.
Image credit: Flickr user Terence J Sullivan
