Daily Archives: July 21, 2021

In brief OpenAI has disbanded its AI robotics team and is no longer trying to apply machine learning to physical machines.

Wojciech Zaremba, co-founder of OpenAI, who led the robotics group confirmed that the company recently broke up the team to focus working on more promising areas of artificial general intelligence research.

"Here's a reveal ... as of recently we changed the focus at OpenAI, and I actually disbanded the robotics team," he said during an episode of the Weights & Biases podcast.

Zaremba said a lack of training data was holding the robotics research back: there wasn't enough information on hand to teach the systems to the level of intelligence desired.

"From the perspective of what we want to achieve, which is to build AGI, I think there was actually some components missing," he added. A spokesperson from OpenAI this week confirmed it had, indeed, stopped working on robotics.

DeepMind released AlphaFold, the most advanced protein-structure-predicting machine-learning model yet, on GitHub, this week.

If you want to play around with it, youll need to be familiar with Docker, and have the space to store hundreds of gigabytes of genetic sequencing data as well as the model.

AlphaFold is trained to predict how a protein folds and takes shape given its constituent amino acids. Last year, DeepMind entered its system into the Critical Assessment of Protein Structure Prediction contest, and thrashed its rivals.

DeepMind's goal is to get the model accurate enough to be useful in developing drugs that can target specific proteins to cure or mitigate diseases. A paper by DeepMind on AlphaFold's design was published this month in Nature.

In a separate project, a large team of researchers at various universities and academic institutions also published their own open-source AI protein folding model. Known as RoseTTaFold, it doesnt perform as well as AlphaFold though its not too shabby, according to a paper published in Science.

A New Yorker review of Roadrunner, a documentary about the late and great Anthony Bourdain, has sparked questions over whether its ethical or not to use machine-learning technology to low-key fake peoples voices.

In the magazine piece, the documentary's filmmaker Morgan Neville admitted to using software that mimicked Bourdains voice, making the celebrity chef and writer say words he had only written. Specifically, the software was used to read out an email Bourdain had written to a friend. The code was trained on clips of Bourdain speaking on TV, radio, audiobooks, and podcasts.

If you watch the film ... you probably dont know what the other lines are that were spoken by the AI, and youre not going to know, Neville said. We can have a documentary-ethics panel about it later.

Should the director tell viewers or listeners when an audio clip has been synthetically generated? Does it matter, seeing as Bourdain did express those sentiments albeit in an email and not into a microphone? Will this blow a hole in trust in future documentaries, journalism, and media output? This Tech Policy Press interview with Sam Gregory a deep-fakes expert and program director of Witness Media Lab has more on that.

IRC-for-the-next-generation Discord has snapped up an AI startup for its automated moderation tools.

Sentropy, based in Palo Alto, California, confirmed the deal in a blog post this week. Three years after starting this company with Michele, Ethan, and Taylor, Im thrilled to announce that were joining Discord to continue fighting against hate and abuse on the internet, said CEO and co-founder John Redgrave.

The upstart has built proprietary machine-learning models said to be capable of detecting hate speech and toxic language to shut down online harassment. The amount Discord paid to acquire Sentropys technology and team was not disclosed.

Discord was known for being primarily popular with gamers, though it has exploded in use in other communities, from programming to cryptocurrencies. It reportedly walked away from a $10bn offer by Microsoft, earlier this year.

Read more:

OpenAI shuts down robotics team because it doesn't have enough data yet - The Register

Intelligent robot technology has expanded beyond cinematography and has found its place in photography now, too, as shared by a photo and video production company that has started to use one to achieve shots and angles that would be hard to replicate manually.

Although cinema robots are still out of reach for many creators due to the high cost that accompanies such technology, they are becoming more approachable and devices of this kind have slowly begun to enter the workflows of smaller production companies that dont have multi-million dollar Hollywood studio budgets.

Designed to cut production times and to increase efficiency, cinema robots such as the ones designed by SISU Cinema Robotics have also become more user-friendly and require minimal technical knowledge so photographers and filmmakers can get started right away after their product training.

The line between photography and videography is also blending, as many cinema cameras can capture RAW still frames that work just as well as a traditional still camera but allow a photographer to capture video at the same time. For example, photojournalist Tom Palmaers captures photos and videos simultaneously thanks to RAW video. The stills featured in this story are another example of this: RAW frames extracted from clips captured using a RED Ranger Gemini camera.

Paul Lanterman, Creative Technical Specialist at OMS Photography, an imaging and production company, tells PetaPixel that the company he works for has embraced a SISU cinema robot and now uses it as part of its photo and video projects. OMS Photography was in the market for a motion control system for its commercial videography project, and while its photography team had extensive experience crafting still imagery, the company wanted to find a system that would blend those talents with added opportunities of moving the camera on set.

Previously, the team used several slider-based systems but felt they lacked flexibility, and changing sets and editing paths took too much time out of the shooting schedule and often left them with disappointing end results.

After they tested out the SISU robot, they found the appeal in its ease of use where if you can move your arm, you can program a camera move in movements. The robot utilizes a wands trigger and joystick which allow users to position the camera with a wave of their hand and it can be easily programmed to perform accurate movements.

Lanterman explains that after they unboxed the system, they plugged it in using standard AC power and one hour later, they had clients on set, directing flybys of products. The device is now used for 75% to 80% of the teams video work because the system helps them get a higher volume of completed shots without needing more equipment or more people on set, which offsets the higher cost of renting or purchasing it.

An added benefit is the ability to extract stills, should the client want exact frames captured in any video clips. The repeatability of the robotics means the same shot can be used for multiple takes of different products:

For OMS Photography, the robot allows the team to treat video shots with the same attention to detail that they can on still shots. For example, after they design a camera move, the system lets them go to any point on the path and see exactly what theyll capture. This level of precision and repeatability allows the production team to tweak everything throughout the entire shot, such as reflections, background, lens flares, subtle lighting, and so forth.

Each programmed move also makes it very clear what the result will be with no surprises along the way, which helps instill visual confidence in clients.

Its like working with live stills, says Lanterman. It eliminates bad takes, which then saves time on set, space on the media, and time spent copying files that nobody will want to use.

Although cinema robots such as these are capable of performing complex moves and angles, they can also perform simple slider moves, zolly shots, and others. Lanterman notes that the ease of setting up a simple move and saving it to get the same shot on 24 different product/combo shots is really powerful.

The cinema robot opens up creative and technical possibilities that may not be possible when shot manually precise repeatability is one such factor that is simply impossible without one. However, Lanterman explains, that for that reason, the set might need to be more detailed and robot users need to pay more attention to ensure background areas are camera-ready. This is because the more dynamic camera moves can reveal angles that are not typically visible.

Similarly, extra preparation is needed for high-speed and slow-motion projects to ensure that everything is where it needs to be and in focus. For this, shooters need to think it through ahead of time and be good at visual analysis to figure out where things might not be lining up before the shot has begun.

These types of motion control systems arent new but are slowly coming down in cost and becoming more accessible to smaller and medium-sized production companies. Although this particular SISU system is more suited for commercial projects and would still land somewhere between $3,000 to $5,000 in rental fees per day plus an operator or from $109,000 to $169,00 as an outright cost, Lanterman explains that the OMS Photography has seven photographers and this technology is now well within the companys reach.

For individuals with smaller budgets, a DIY motion kit setup would be more suitable, however, the technology has advanced and continues to do so, eventually bridging the gap and providing smart device accessibility to more individuals and companies.

More information about SISU robots can be found on the SISU Cinema Robotics website and the OMS Photography portfolio can be viewed on the companys website and Instagram.

Image credits: All images provided by OMS Photography and used with permission.

Excerpt from:

Camera Robots Help Artists Capture Action-Filled Photos and Videos - PetaPixel

AMP Roboticsis expanding its presence in Europe as demand grows for the company's AI and automation solutions.

AMP has appointed REP-TEC Advanced Technologies, specialists in the supply, installation, and support of recycling equipment, as an official reseller and integrator for customers in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

In addition, to further support the expansion of its business in Europe, AMP has hired Gary Ashburner as its European General Manager to build out the company's infrastructure across the region. Based in the UK, Ashburner leads customer and partner acquisition, pre- and post-sales consulting, system design, supply, installation, training and service.

AMP's European expansion reflects strong year-over-year revenue growth and investment in operational scale made possible by its latest funding round of USD $55 million at the beginning of the year. The company's AI platform, AMP Neuron, encompasses the largest known real-world dataset of recyclable materials for machine learning, with the ability to classify more than 100 different categories and characteristics of recyclables across single-stream recycling; e-scrap; and construction and demolition debris, and reaching an object recognition run rate of more than 10 billion items annually.

To further its market penetration, AMP is actively seeking to establish additional reseller partnerships in Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany and France.

More here:

AMP Robotics partners with recycling reseller on European expansion - Recycling Product News

Dublin, July 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Lab Automation Market - Global Outlook and Forecast 2021-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

In-depth Analysis and Data-driven Insights on the Impact of COVID-19 Included in this Global Lab Automation Market Report

The lab automation market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.53% during 2021-2026.

To scale up the process of manufacturing and to produce accurate results with increased quality and reduce time consumption, lab automation is gaining high traction in the healthcare industry. Many large hospitals in the developed countries have adopted lab automation techniques.

As a result, the global laboratory information management system market is expected to exhibit a significant CAGR and annual growth during the forecast period. In addition, a high level of investment in healthcare and life science research is boosting the demand for lab automation.

LAB AUTOMATION MARKET SEGMENTATION

The global lab automation market research report includes a detailed segmentation by product, application, automation, end-user, geography. The latest workstations, which are modular and customized to suit a particular application, such as sample preparation for genomics, proteomics, cellular analysis, and more, are gaining high momentum in the market. For instance, Abbott provides total labor depending on the requirement of the laboratory, and workstations can be procured. As a result, large laboratories are planning to prefer automated workstations to increase productivity across the globe.

The application of automation is helping researchers to test a more significant number of hypotheses. The automated robots and workstations benefit the researchers to evaluate large numbers of compounds against specific biological targets rapidly. Adopting digital workflow management practices and automated solutions is a key growth driver for labs to improve their efficiency and reduce their costs.

With the rise in the COVID-19 pandemic, most companies have invested in the task-targeted analyzers to increase the safety of lab personnel and handle the virus samples, especially in the preanalytical phase and preparing the samples to analyze it. Some pharma companies and research labs prefer using task-targeted analyzers in the post-analytical phase to produce error-free results. Compared to the total laboratory automation, implementing task-targeted automation is low, creating high growth in the market.

The biotechnology and pharma companies are increasing their usages of automated laboratory instruments, creating lucrative opportunities for the players in the market. The improved agility with the reduced testing time can reduce lead time for quality control labs by 60% to 70% and eventually leading to real-time product releases.

Story continues

Additionally, hospital laboratories are unique entities within the hospitals. Around 92% of the hospitals operate with their laboratories. In recent years, private laboratories have expanded their footprints, especially in developing countries, fueling the market growth.

Public health laboratories are implementing partnership strategies with the World Health Organization and other international health entities to prevent and control health threats. The investments in new technologies with automated features will be high in the upcoming years.

INSIGHTS BY GEOGRAPHY

Many hospitals in North America have started to automate their labs to improve the quality of the labs, to provide better treatments to the people. Shortage of skilled laboratory technicians, increase in the number of diagnostic tests conducted, and increased investments in the life sciences industry are some of the major factors driving the demand for laboratory automation in the US. In Canada, two gene therapies for cancer treatment have been approved, and there are plans to implement somatic gene therapy in the coming years in lab automation market.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Manufacturers such as Abbott and Danaher are continuously focusing on product development and offering lab automation with new technology to increase their presence in the global market. In addition, key players are engaging in strategic acquisitions as part of their inorganic growth strategy to improve sales and profit margins. With the increase in the competition, vendors are expected to actively launch innovative devices to penetrate and tap the huge growth potential in the lab automation market.

Danaher, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Tecan, Illumia, Abbott, and Agilent Technologies are the leading players and accounted for significant shares in the market.

Key Vendors

Tecan

Danaher

Thermo Fisher Scientific

Illumina

Abbott

Agilent Technologies

LabVantage

Other Prominent Vendors

Key Topics Covered:

1 Research Methodology

2 Research Objectives

3 Research Process

4 Scope & Coverage4.1 Market Definition4.2 Base Year4.3 Scope of the Study

5 Report Assumptions & Caveats5.1 Key Caveats5.2 Currency Conversion5.3 Market Derivation

6 Market at A Glance

7 Introduction7.1 Overview7.2 Impact of Lab-Automation on COVID-19

8 Market Opportunities & Trends8.1 Robotics Revolutionizing Lab Automation8.2 Future of Lab-Automation - Smart Labs8.3 Increased Demand for Task-Targeted Automation

9 Market Growth Enablers9.1 Adoption of Lab Automation Among Genome Research Labs & Companies9.2 Increased Product Launches9.3 Increased Adoption of Automated Workstations

10 Market Restraints10.1 Slow Adoption of Automation Among SMLs10.2 Limited Skills Among Lab Technicians10.3 High Cost of Implementing Laboratory Automation

11 Market Landscape11.1 Market Overview11.2 Market Size & Forecast11.3 Five Forces Analysis

12 Product Type12.1 Market Snapshot & Growth Engine12.2 Market Overview

13 System13.1 Market Snapshot & Growth Engine13.2 Market Overview13.3 Market Size & Forecast13.4 System: Geographic Segmentation13.5 Automated Workstations13.6 Automated Microplate Reader13.7 Robotic Systems13.8 Others

14 Software14.1 Market Snapshot & Growth Engine14.2 Market Overview14.3 Market Size & Forecast14.4 Software: Geographic Segmentation14.5 LIMS14.6 ELN14.7 Others

15 Application15.1 Market Snapshot & Growth Engine15.2 Market Overview15.3 Drug Discovery15.4 Clinical Diagnostics15.5 Genomic Solutions15.6 Microbiology15.7 Others

16 Automation16.1 Market Snapshot & Growth Engine16.2 Market Overview16.3 Subtotal Automation16.4 Task-Targeted16.5 Total Laboratory Automation

17 End-User17.1 Market Snapshot & Growth Engine17.2 Market Overview17.3 Biotechnology & Pharma Companies17.4 Hospital and Diagnostic Laboratories17.5 Forensic Laboratory17.6 Food & Beverage17.7 Environmental Testing17.8 Research & Academic Institutes

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/nbrtv6

Excerpt from:

Global Lab Automation Market Outlook Report 2021-2026: Robotics Revolutionizing Lab Automation / Future of Lab-Automation - Smart Labs / Increased...

Sowhy do you actually go about building a robot? If you're a sci-fi fan, it often has something to do with world domination. Or crafting a hyper-intelligence to revolutionize a planet. Or if you're a lonely kid on a sand planet in the middle of nowhere, you just want to build a friend.

Of course, on the planet Earth in the year 2021, it might just be about increasing your skillset, learning something new, and hopefully, having some fun along the way. With the Geeek Club Robot Construction Kit, you can toss out the boring textbooks and tutorials, grab some basic equipment and start putting together robots of your own, even if you aren't the most technically inclined builder on the assembly line.

Crafting a fleet of your own robots is a pretty enticing prospect, which is why it's no surprise that Kickstarter fans flipped for the NanoBot collection, eclipsing their modest $7,000 funding goal by almost 20 times.

All you need to get rolling is a workspace and a soldering gun and iron and if you know how to use 'em, your robot-creatin' future can get underway.The kit includes everything else a builder needs to fashion seven robots, built from 70 parts, over 250 electronic components, a handful of specialized tools, and some detailed instructions that guide budding engineers through the entire process.

Each robot comes in slender packaging that's about the size of a credit card, yet each robot has a personality of its own with some unique features that'll test your robo-crafting capabilities. Builders will even get special videos from each robot's creator, explaining how each robot was created and why.

With intelligent light sensors and advanced vibro-motor mechanics, builders will develop their hardware and electrical engineering skills as they connect motors, place light-emitting diodes, and bring your metal construct to life.

A true balance of skills and big fun, the Geeek Club Robot Construction Kit is available now with all the necessary parts and tools for just $125.99.

Prices subject to change

Read the original:

Be a true robotics genius, creating 7 amazing nano-bots that you build yourself - Boing Boing

Corteva Agriscience is working to take agricultural robotics to new heights using a Spot robot from Boston Dynamics. The company is among the first in agriculture to use this platform to walk between rows of corn, sunflowers and other crops.

The robot has potential applications in field testing of both new seed and crop protection solutions with its ability to autonomously collect data, support the application of new crop protection discovery molecules, and inspect operations.

Spots many capabilities can help Corteva better understand complex phenotypes to support its research and development selection processes. Spot robots automate sensing and inspection, capture data, and explore without boundaries, making operations safer, more efficient and predictable.

Corteva is also collaborating with Trimble for the initial proof-of-concept and to integrate precise GPS guidance technologies with the platform. The jointly developed solution combines the mobility of the Spot robot with Trimbles autonomous navigation capabilities and Cortevas approach to helping farmers overcome agricultures most pressing challenges.

Continue reading here:

Corteva Agriscience Leveraging Mobile Robots to Walk Row Crops - Hoosier Ag Today