Category Archives: Singularity

Britton Braggin Rights Braggs noticed Darnell, 14, and James, 11, sitting on their bikes in front of Winchester Avenues B&K Grocery.

You heard about these people getting hurt out here with guns? the Newhallville-raised rapper asked the boys. They nodded. Were walking because we want kids like you guys to be safe, Braggs said.

Bragg, 29, was walking Newhallville Monday night along with dozens of other adults issuing a call to stop the violence.

After running in the store for an Arizona to share, Darnell and James joined a crowd on walkers on their bike, mostly sticking by Braggin Rights side. And the quest continued to spark a community response to the rise in gun violence on New Haven streets.

I know what its like. Sometimes these kids just need someone to talk to, Braggin Rights said.

We came because we want the killing and violence to stop, said Darnell.

Black lives matter. We shouldnt be killing each other, said James.

The gathering began around 6 p.m. at Bassett Street Park. Former Alder Carlton Staggers (pictured) issued a call to parents and residents of Newhallville to come together to figure out a strategy for addressing the spike of sometimes deadly shootings in town over the past month.

Fifty people responded to Staggers call.

Staggers came with no script or agenda for the rally besides talking with adults about how to engage the youth.

We dont want the police or mayor involved. This has to be a message coming from the people, our kids need us, Staggers said.

Staggers also has five kids of his own for whom he fears every day. I wanna see my kids. I want my kids to bury me, he said.

We need to get our kids. What do we do? Staggers asked the crowd.

A conversation ensued followed by the group taking to the streets.

One audience member suggested the group collaborate with community organizations in the future to increase their impact.

Reeves said in his experience with todays youth he has learned they are most interested in entrepreneurship. They dont all want to be trained in trades like we were. They want to be entrepreneurs, Reeves said.

Reeves also said Newhallville needs to have a dedicated spot for meeting up as a community.

Newhallville nativeBrother Born stopped by the gathering in passing to share with the crowd that a Saturday breakfast program will start up this week from 10 to 11 a.m at the Newhallville Learning Corridor on the corner of Hazel Street and Shelton Avenue.

Devin Avshalom-Smith founder of the Newhallville Community Action Network, encouraged the crowd to attend the Newhallville Equality and Empowerment Rally on July 26 from 2 p.m to 5 p.m at Lincoln Bassett Community School. Books, groceries, mask, and gloves will be distributed, census and voter registration, blood pressure checks, and Covid-19 testing.

The city has taken away our Covid testing site, so were bringing it right back, Avshalom-Smith said.

In order to rebuild a community village, Reeves said, neighbors must hold each other accountable. I gotta be able to talk to your kid when they doing wrong, he said. We have to get off singularity thinking if were going to save these kids.

Staggers and others agreed.

We need to change the culture of resolving beef, Jahad said.

Before beginning their walk the group chose when and where they would meet next with the goal of walking in every New Haven neighborhood to engage youth directly. West Hills Alder Honda Smith suggested Westville Manor. The group agreed and decided they will walk around Westville Manor on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

So which way are we going? Staggers asked.

About 30 walked through the neighborhood streets stopping at residents sitting on their porches, cars, and bikes.

Were walking out here today to let people know were tired of all these young kids getting killed. Its time to put the guns down, said Staggers to a family hosting a gathering in their backyard. And if you support us were walking Westville Manor on Wednesday, tell friends. Or you could come walk with us right now.

Retired Police Sgt. Jacqueline Jackie Hoyte was amongst the walkers. On Shepard Avenue, Hoyte and neighbor Lakeisha Williams stopped in front of a white two-family house.

On the front porch sat Manualynn King. Come walk with us. Were trying to talk to these kids out here, said Hoyte.

Oh yes. Let me get my shoes, said King who ran inside to get shoes and her mask then joined the crowd.

God put this opportunity in front of me today, said King. These kids dont know love, hope, and peace so we need to help them.

Jahad passed out his card to neighbors during the walk telling people of all ages he can help out anyone from entrepreneurs who need help writing grants or getting funding to youth who just need someone to talk and care about them. If you have some young heads send them my way, I got some jobs for them, Jahad told neighbor as he passed them his card. We need to change the culture of resolving beef, he said.

I feel like Im doing my job especially because I know I have influence and platform, he said. Braggin Rights shared videos of the walk on his Facebook and Instagram where another 12,000 people could follow along.

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Adults Walk The Anti-Violence Talk - New Haven Independent

"The 1619 Project" from The New York Times refers to the year that the first enslaved people were brought to the U.S. and looks at how slavery continues to shape every aspect of American culture.

When it was first published last August, the magazine created a sensation, and this past May, "The 1619 Project" won a Pulitzer Prize. Now, Oprah Winfrey and Lionsgate have teamed up with creator Nikole Hannah-Jones to bring the work to an even wider audience through multiple platforms.

"The 1619 Project" continues to resonate during ongoing Black Lives Matter protests because it contributes to the lexicon of how America reached this current period of racial reckoning, Hannah-Jones says.

"I think it has allowed many Americans, particularly white Americans, to connect dots that they werent connecting before," she says, "that this police violence and inequality, that these arent just unrelated incidents, but have a long and deep legacy that has to be confronted."

The project is also inspiring changes to school history curriculums in Chicago, Washington, D.C. and Buffalo, New York. This marks the latest push for more accuracy in American history textbooks, which have been under scrutiny for being "highly politicized" and embodying a "nationalistic agenda," Hannah-Jones says.

Teaching a history "that speaks to American exceptionalism" downplays the role of slavery, she says, and "all of the other ways that America has not lived up to those ideals of exceptionalism."

"That has robbed Americans of the ability to properly assess their country and why things are like they are," she says.

What many parents have recognized is that "The 1619 Project" offers a counter to that narrative, which Hannah-Jones hopes will prompt people to question other narratives in U.S. history.

"There are many different stories that really need to be told so that we can have a fuller version of the American project," she says, "and not just one that seeks to glorify us, but really one that seeks to challenge us."

On if this period of racial reckoning will lead to reparations

"I dont think that there is enough of an appetite for it right now. I just was looking at some polling on this yesterday and it showed among white Democrats so, you know, the party that the vast majority of Black Americans vote for that only about 30% of white Democrats support the idea of reparations. So clearly, there is a lot of work to do on that. But at the same time, I think, again, its related to the work of 'The 1619 Project.' There is such a visceral response that many of white Americans have to the idea of reparations, and I think thats really based on the fact that they actually have no understanding of this history. They have no understanding of the singularity of Black suffering, of the dragnet of laws and policies that have created the generational disadvantage that Black Americans face. And part of what I try to do with my piece on 'What Is Owed' is really lay that history out and really show that there is nothing that Black Americans can do on our own to erase a 350-year system of racial segregation and economic exploitation.

"So no, were not ready for that yet. But part of the work that Im doing and that so many others are doing is trying to move that conversation forward so that we can maybe get to the point where we can be serious about addressing that. And we have seen movement. So when you look at the fact that in ... the Democratic primary debates, reparations was treated as a serious question by journalists and by people on that stage. Five years ago, you wouldnt have seen that. When you look at H.R.40, which is the bill to study the issue of reparations, its been introduced every year for 30 years and has never made it out of committee. But a few years ago, it had just three co-sponsors. Now it has well over 100 co-sponsors. So we are seeing some traction, and like many things, when it comes to racial justice, its a decades long struggle, not a months, a years-long struggle."

On the racial reckoning also happening in newsrooms

"Yeah, I think there is a reckoning happening right now. And of course, when you are a Black journalist, youve never bought into this idea that your identity is unrelated to your coverage. And weve known that thats not true for ourselves, and weve certainly known that thats not true for white journalists either. Of course, white journalists identity in a white-dominated society plays a role in how they cover stories, what they choose to cover and what they dont.

"So its always been interesting to me that our role as journalists is to explain the world to itself. And so here we are reporting on these national reckonings a racial reckoning is happening across all of these different institutions and all of these different organizations and private companies yet we dont fully understand this ourselves, and we have not dealt with these issues ourselves. So how can we explain to the world that which we dont fully understand? So I think this is a very interesting time that were in where Black journalists are speaking out and are really pushing our news organizations in a public way, which is more unusual. And I hope that the only reckoning that comes out of this time of protests, that it also comes to our industry as well. If we see ourselves as really the linchpin, the free press as a lynchpin of democracy, then we have to democratize our own institutions."

On if she is optimistic that this moment will lead to change

"No. No, Im not. I think Im realistic, and realistically, if you study history, then you know that massive transformation is very rare and only comes after very sustained periods of resistance, and then it never fully transforms society and is often faced by a backlash and a retrenchment. So Im already looking at how little news coverage the protests are getting, how little coverage were seeing in media around if theres actually going to be police reforms or not. Were already seeing this narrative because of a rise in shootings that, you know, we cant defund police because look at all this violence in these communities. So I think that what were fighting against is so deeply entrenched that its hard to be hopeful that were going to see that real necessary transformation. With that said, I am hopeful that people will keep fighting, because even if we dont think that were going to see that, we are, I think, obligated to fight for it."

Emiko Tamagawa produced and edited this interview for broadcast with Tinku Ray. Samantha Raphelson adapted it for the web.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

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Bringing The Pulitzer Prize-Winning '1619 Project' To A Wider Audience - WFAE

Last month, a 3D printed house that can float on a pontoon was unveiled in the Czech Republic. Last year, work started on a community of 3D printed houses for low-income families in Mexico. While building homes with 3D printers is becoming more scalable, its also still a fun way to play around with unique designs and futuristic concepts for our living spaces.

It doesnt get much more futuristic than living on Marsand guess what? Theres a 3D printed home for that, too. In fact, there are a few; last year saw the conclusion of a contest held by NASA called the 3D Printed Habitat Challenge.

The long-running competition, started in 2015, tasked participants with creating homes that would be viable to build on Mars. Teams had to consider not just the technology theyd use, but what type of material will be available on the Red Planet and what kind of features a Martian home will need to have for a human to survive (and ideally, to survive comfortably); the structures need to be strong enough to make it through a meteor collision, for example, and able to hold an atmosphere very different than the one just outside their walls.

The top prize ($500,000) went to AI Space Factory, a New York-based architecture and construction technologies company focused on building for space exploration. Their dual-shell, four-level design is called Marsha, and unlike Martian habitats weve seen on the big screen or read about in sci-fi novels, its neither a dome nor an underground bunker. In fact, it sits fully above ground and it looks like a cross between a hive and a giant egg.

The team chose the hive-egg shape very deliberately, saying that its not only optimized to handle the pressure and temperature demands of the Martian atmosphere, but building it with a 3D printer will be easier because the printer wont have to move around as much as it would to build a structure with a larger footprint. That means less risk of errors and a faster building speed.

Its important to be structurally efficient as a shape, because that means you can use less material, said David Malott, AI Space Factorys founder and CEO. If you think about an eggshell on Earth, [its] a very efficient shape. The eggshell can be very, very thin, and still it has the right amount of strength.

The homes layout is like a multi-level townhouse, except with some Mars-specific tweaks; the first floor is both a preparation area, where occupants can get suited up before heading outside, and a wet lab for research. Theres a rover docking port just outside the prep area, attached to the house.

On the second floor is what Id consider the most important roomthe kitchenand the third floor has a garden, bathroom, and sleeping pods that take the place of bedrooms (sorry, no space for your antique dresser or Ikea desk here). The top floor is a rec area where you can recreate either by watching TV or exercisingor perhaps both simultaneously.

It took 30 hours to build a one-third scale model of the home, but this doesnt mean it would take 90 hours to build the real thing; printing during the contest was done in 10-hour increments, and since the model contains all the same structural aspects of the full-size home, the 3D printer would just need to expand its reachable surface area and height to print the real thing.

If all goes as planned (which, really, there are no plans yet; just ideas), there will be plenty of material on hand to build the real thing in the real place (Mars, that is). AI Space Factory collaborated with a materials design company called Techmer PM to come up with a super-strong mix of basalt fiberwhich would come from rocks on Marsand a renewable bioplastic that could be made from plants grown on Mars. In NASAs tests, the material was shown to be stronger and more durable than concrete and more resistant to repeated freezes and thaws.

The company was set to open an Earth version of Marsha, called Tera, in upstate New York this past March, and people leaped at the chance to pay $175-500 to sleep in the structure for a night; but the plans were derailed by the coronavirus pandemic, and the company hasnt yet announced a re-opening of the Earthbound cabin.

Image Credit: AI Space Factory

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The 3D Printed Homes of the Future Are Giant Eggs on Mars - Singularity Hub

Jason McLeods artisan jewelry career path was informed by car crashes. Back in the early aughts, McLeod was living in Oakland, California, and running an advertising and graphic design business when a pair of back-to-back fender benders laid him up long-term in the hospital.

He needed something to fill the hours, and I just started making jewelry as a way to keep my hands and my mind busy, McLeod says. But when he saw the enthusiasm his uniquely designed rings and necklaces generated, he realized his hobby had the potential to become a business.

In the ensuing years, McLeod and his wife moved to Charlottesville and he displayed his metalwork at East Coast art shows, developing his brand and honing his craft, eventually setting up shop in an Allied Lane office space.

McLeod has established himself as a local artisan whose work has a unique, speculative twist. His online store is filled with Singularity pendants and Time Traveler rings, intricate creations as otherworldly as their names suggest. The goal, McLeod says, is to create products that look like theyre from the past and the future.

Hes succeeded with the newest product on his site: the Time Traveler Shamanic Mask. The fully functional mask is decked out with 18-karat gold and black silk, and comes with a leather strap. Its a steampunk fantasybut at $20,020, it might exceed the typical cosplay budget.

The price, of course, is a tongue-in-cheek reference to this year and its unprecedented events, without which this mask would never have been created. McLeod says he might be willing to negotiate on its cost, but hopes a wealthy someone will pay full price. Its part of the package, he says.

McLeod also emphasizes that, should his mask find a buyer, the profits will go to a coronavirus medical expense relief charity, giving the project a Robin Hood purpose.

Whether or not the first mask sells, McLeod plans to create moremaybe even a series. Future design ideas include tear gas-resistant goggles, he says, to remain applicable to 2020. But if the Time Traveler Shamanic Mask is any indication, he wont be abandoning his signature aesthetic. On the masks two respirators, McLeod inserted golden versions of the earth and the sunspecifically, its corona. (Get it?) Across the silver surface, hes etched tiny stars and other celestial symbols.

The celestial, global aspect is what initially inspired McLeod to make the mask. Part of whats really amazing about this quarantine pandemic thing is that its brought out theglobal group organism, he says. The macro, not the micro.

And yet McLeods own celestial path finds him in the business of sculpting those big ideas into a small, wearable piece of art.

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Behind the masks: Jason McLeod Jewelry updates its inventory for 2020 - C-VILLE Weekly

Algorithms:

According to author Pedro Domingos, algorithms are a sequence of instructions telling a computer what to do.[1] These software-based coding rules started with simple and routine tasks, but now have advanced into more complex formulations, such as providing driving instructions for autonomous vehicles, identifying possible malignancies in X-rays and CT scans, and assigning students to public schools. Algorithms are widely used in finance, retail, communications, national defense, and many other areas.

Indian engineers Shukla Shubhendu and Jaiswal Vijay define AI as machines that respond to stimulation consistent with traditional responses from humans, given the human capacity for contemplation, judgment, and intention.[2] This definition emphasizes several qualities that separate AI from mechanical devices or traditional computer software, specifically intentionality, intelligence, and adaptability. AI-based computer systems can learn from data, text, or images and make intentional and intelligent decisions based on that analysis.

Augmented reality puts people in realistic situations that are augmented by computer-generated video, audio, or sensory information. This kind of system allows people to interact with actual and artificial features, be monitored for their reactions, or be trained on the best ways to deal with various stimuli.

Extremely large data sets that are statistically analyzed to gain detailed insights. The data can involve billions of records and require substantial computer-processing power. Data sets are sometimes linked together to see how patterns in one domain affect other areas. Data can be structured into fixed fields or unstructured as free-flowing information. The analysis of big data sets can reveal patterns, trends, or underlying relationships that were not previously apparent to researchers.

Automated tools for answering human questions. Chatbots are being used in retail, finance, government agencies, nonprofits, and other organizations to respond to frequently asked questions or routine inquiries.

Data storage and processing used to take place on personal computers or local servers controlled by individual users. In recent years, however, storage and processing have migrated to digital servers hosted at data centers operated by internet platforms, and people can store information and process data without being in close proximity to the data center. Cloud computing offers convenience, reliability, and the ability to scale applications quickly.

Computers that develop knowledge based on digital pictures or videos.[3] For example, cameras in automated retail outlets that are connected to CV systems can observe what products shoppers picked up, identify the specific items and their prices, and charge consumers credit card or mobile payment system without involving a cash register or sales clerk. CV also is being deployed to analyze satellite images, human faces, and video imagery.

Cars, trucks, and buses that communicate directly with one another and with highway infrastructure. This capacity speeds navigation, raises human safety, and takes advantage of the experiences of other vehicles on the road to improve the driving experience.

The analysis of data to gather substantive insights. Researchers use statistical techniques to find trends or patterns in the data, which give them a better understanding of a range of different topics. Data analytic approaches are used in many businesses and organizations to track day-to-day activities and improve operational efficiency.

Techniques that analyze large amounts of information to gain insights, spot trends, or uncover substantive patterns. These approaches are used to help businesses and organizations improve their processes or identify associations that shed light on relevant questions.

Digital images and audio that are artificially altered or manipulated by AI and/or deep learning to make someone do or say something he or she did not actually do or say. Pictures or videos can be edited to put someone in a compromising position or to have someone make a controversial statement, even though the person did not actually do or say what is shown. Increasingly, it is becoming difficult to distinguish artificially manufactured material from actual videos and images.

A subset of machine learning that relies on neural networks with many layers of neurons. In so doing, deep learning employs statistics to spot underlying trends or data patterns and applies that knowledge to other layers of analysis. Some have labeled this as a way to learn by example and a technique that perform[s] classification tasks directly from images, text, or sound and then applies that knowledge independently.[4] Deep learning requires extensive computing power and labeled data, and is used in medical research, automated vehicles, electronics, and manufacturing, among other areas.

The speed, scope, and timing of technology innovation today is often decided not by government officials but by coders, software designers, and corporate executives. Digital sovereigns set the rules of the road and terms of service for consumers. What they decide, directly or indirectly, has far-reaching consequences for those using their software or platform. The power of business decisionmakers raises important governance questions regarding who should decide on matters affecting society as a whole and the role that policymakers, consumers, and ethicists should play in digital innovation.

Connecting frontline people with others who have differing skills and getting them to work together to solve problems. Distributed collaboration differs from current governance paradigms that emphasize hierarchical, top-down decisionmaking by those who do not always have relevant knowledge about the issues being addressed. The new model takes advantage of the fact that a range of skills are needed to resolve technology issues, and those skills are located in different subject areas and organizational parts. Rather than keeping AI expertise in isolation, distributed collaboration brings together software and product designers, engineers, ethicists, social scientists, and policymakers to draw on their respective expertise and integrate their knowledge to solve pressing problems.

Many technologies can be used in a good or ill manner. The very same facial recognition system could be used to find missing children or provide a means for mass surveillance. It is not the technology per se that raises ethical issues but how the technology is put to use. The dual-use nature of technologies makes regulation difficult because it raises the question of how to gain the benefits of technology innovation while avoiding its detrimental features.

A technology for identifying specific people based on pictures or videos. It operates by analyzing features such as the structure of the face, the distance between the eyes, and the angles between a persons eyes, nose, and mouth. It is controversial because of worries about privacy invasion, malicious applications, or abuse by government or corporate entities. In addition, there have been well-documented biases by race and gender with some facial recognition algorithms.

These are fifth-generation wireless telecommunications networks that have been deployed in major cities and feature faster speeds and enhanced capabilities for transmitting data and images. As such, 5G networks enable new digital products and services, such as video streaming, autonomous vehicles, and automated factories and homes that require a fast broadband.

High-tech military situations in which robots, sensors, AI, and autonomous systems play important roles and command decisions have to unfold at speeds heretofore unseen in warfare. Because of the acceleration of the pace and scope of conflict, countries will have to conduct simultaneous operations in every warfare domain and national leaders will need to accelerate technology innovation to build a safe and stable future.[5]

According to Dorian Pyle and Cristina San Jose of the McKinsey Quarterly, machine learning is based on algorithms that can learn from data without relying on rules-based programming.[6] ML represents a way to classify data, pictures, text, or objects without detailed instruction and to learn in the process so that new pictures or objects can be accurately identified based on that learned information. ML furthermore can be used to estimate continuous variables (such as estimating home sales prices) or to play games. Many of its insights come by examining prior data and learning how to improve understanding.

The analysis of textual information to make sense of its meaning and intentions. NLP software can take a large amount of text and see how words are linked together to assess positive or negative sentiment, relationships, associations, and meaning. For example, researchers can study medical records to see which patient symptoms appear to be most related to particular illnesses.

Researchers use computer software to perform some task by analyzing training examples and by grouping data based on common similarities.[7] Similar to the neural nodes of a brain, neural networks learn in layers and build complex concepts out of simpler ones. They break up tasks, identify objects at a number of different levels, and apply that knowledge to other activities. These kinds of systems allow computers to learn and adapt to changing circumstances, similar to the way a brain functions. Deep learning and many of the most prominent recent applications of machine learning operate through neural networks (e.g., driverless cars, deepfakes, and AlphaGo game playing).

Quantum computers have tremendous capacity for storing and processing information because their storage processes are not in the form of a zero or one, as is the case with traditional computers. Rather, they take advantage of superpositionthe fact that electrons can be in two places at onceto create quantum bits that store multiple values in each point.[8] That capability dramatically increases storage capacity and decreases processing times, thereby improving the scope of data, textual, or image analysis.

Futurist Ray Kurzweil describes a singularity as a machine-based superintelligence [that is] greater than human intelligence.[9] It combines advanced computing power with artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data analytics to create super-powered entities. There are extensive (and unresolved) debates regarding whether humanity will face a computing singularity in the next 50, 100, or 250 years.

The ubiquity of peoples online activities enables technology that tracks behavior and rates people based on their online actions. As an illustration, some organizations have piloted systems that compile data on social media activities, personal infractions, and behaviors such as paying taxes on time. They use that data to rate people for creditworthiness, travel, school enrollment, and government positions.[10] These systems are problematic from an ethical standpoint because they lack transparency and can be used to penalize political opponents.

According to Science magazine, supervised learning is a type of machine learning in which the algorithm compares its outputs with the correct outputs during training. In unsupervised learning, the algorithm merely looks for patterns in a set of data.[11] Supervised learning allows ML and AI to improve information processing and become more accurate.

The backlash against emerging technologies that has developed among many individuals. People worry about a host of problems related to technology innovation, such as privacy invasions, mass surveillance, widening income inequality, and possible job losses. Figuring out how to assuage understandable human fears is a major societal challenge going forward.

Virtual reality uses headsets equipped with projection visors to put people in realistic-seeming situations that are completely generated by computers. People can see, hear, and experience many types of environments and interact with them. By simulating actual settings, VR can train people how to deal with various situations, vary the features that are observed, and monitor how people respond to differing stimuli.

[1] Pedro Domingos, The Master Algorithm: How the Quest for the Ultimate Learning Machine Will Remake Our World (New York: Basic Books, 2018).

[2] Shukla Shubhendu and Jaiswal Vijay, Applicability of Artificial Intelligence in Different Fields of Life, International Journal of Scientific Engineering and Research, vol. 1, no. 1 (September 2013), pp. 2835.

[3] Jason Brownlee, A Gentle Introduction to Computer Vision, Machine Learning Mastery, July 5, 2019.

[4] Math Works, What Is Deep Learning? undated.

[5] John R. Allen and Amir Husain, Hyperwar and Shifts in Global Power in the AI Century, in Amir Husain and others, Hyperwar: Conflict and Competition in the AI Century (Austin, TX: SparkCognition Press, 2018), p. 15.

[6] Dorian Pyle and Cristina San Jose, An Executives Guide to Machine Learning, McKinsey Quarterly, June, 2015.

[7] Larry Hardesty, Explained: Neural Networks, MIT News, April 14, 2017.

[8] Cade Metz, In Quantum Computing Race, Yale Professors Battle Tech Giants, New York Times, November 14, 2017, p. B3.

[9] Quoted in Tom Wheeler, From Gutenberg to Google: The History of Our Future (Brookings, 2019), p. 226. Also see Ray Kurzweil, The Singularity Is Near: Where Humans Transcend Biology (London: Penguin Books, 2006).

[10] Jack Karsten and Darrell M. West, Chinas Social Credit System Spreads to More Daily Transactions, TechTank (blog), Brookings, June 18, 2018.

[11] Matthew Hutson, AI Glossary: Artificial Intelligence, in So Many Words, Science, July 7, 2017.

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The Brookings glossary of AI and emerging technologies - Brookings Institution

Prada Spring Summer 2021

Attention is drawn back to clothes simple clothes, with a use and a value, a longevity and a place within peoples lives. As times become increasingly complex, clothes become straightforward, unostentatious, machines for living and tools for action and activity, read the show notes of Prada Spring Summer 2021. It was part of The Show That Never Happened a digital five-chapter proposition of Pradas Pre-Collection, Multiple Views the theme of non-shows seemingly red hot in fashion right now (yesterday Jean Paul Gaultier launched his No Show).

READ: BREAKING: RAF SIMONS IS GOING TO PRADA

It also perhaps foreshadowed Pradas collaborative future. Earlier this year, Prada announced Raf Simons would join its revered matriarch Miuccia Prada as Co-Creative Director, with Business of Fashions Tim Blanks saying, I cant think of anything like this in the history of fashion of the news. Indeed, it not opened an entirely new chapter for the Prada brand, but the partnership opened a novel dialogue between designers widely acknowledged as two of the most important and influential of today. Conceptually, it was a new approach to the very definition of creative direction for a fashion brand, particuary a storied house rich in history like Prada. A challenge to the idea of singularity of creative authorship, it also expressed a bold reinforcement of the importance and power of creativity in a shifting cultural landscape, namely co-creativity.

This collection was almost like the first step in this new cooperative path: a singular statement replaced by the perspectives of many: multiple views, by a multitude of global creatives. While designed by Miuccia, its delivery proposed myriad interpretations of the Prada man and woman. Five, in fact. Terence Nance, Joanna Piotrowska, Martine Syms, Juergen Teller and Willy Vanderperre were the five image-makers and artists invited to capture their Prada: digest it, define it, and deliver it to an audience streaming it around the world on devices at all hours of the day and night (10pm for this fashion editor). It was all about perspective, varying perspective, and how despite the congruity of one collection, the point of view on Prada shifts depending on who is capturing it and in turn, looking at it.

Each proposed a film capturing a facet of the Prada collection; distinct and definite in their creative statement and ideology, some meditative, others manic, it was their point of view on Prada. It made up a greater dialogue, or a true conversation as per the show notes, whereby varying viewpoints formed one cohesive narrative. This in itself echoes the traditional fashion show, where each observer has their own physical and ideological vantage-point on the collection, their own opinions, their own observations.

READ: MIUCCIA PRADAS GL-ARMOUR. PRADAS CELEBRATION OF FEMININITY IS BOTH DELICATE AND POWERFUL

But it was also to reflect the reality of the digital presentation: where everyone tuned in from their own environments, in their own time, in their own worlds. It was a celebration of multiplicity above all else, with the clothes simply machines for living and tools for action and activity.The meaning of clothes and fashion is something that has been contemplated since the beginning of the pandemic. The industry and its players both great and small have been experiencing somewhat of an existential crisis; weighing up the worth of clothes in this changed world: how clothes are worn, where, and why? Its a question Miuccia Prada asked herself, the quintessence of this very collection.

Making honest, real, simple garments was on her agenda last night. She created clothes to live in, work in, simply be in. Some felt like workwear, classic corporate propositions like tie-and-shirt combos tucked in, both precise and suave. But they were rendered in agile fabrics, technologically-innovative fabrications of Pradas famous nylon and stretch materials, juxtaposed with this kind of traditional suiting. The silhouette was sharp and clean for both men and women, although volume shifted between gender. For men, it was sharp and narrow; for women, clean and voluminous, given a kind of couture treatment with full-skirted smocked dresses and bubbling hemlines. Both featured simple lines but created different shapes again tying back to this broader idea of multiplicity.

Then the inverse: industrial outfits in classic fabrications like leathers, cottons, taffeta, and true sportswear from Pradas Linea Rossa line, functional pieces of outerwear like spray jackets and track pants to play in, even white capri leggings for the daring.

But when stripping back, the obvious conclusion is lingerie: the foundational layer of any outfit and one Miuccia returned to with soft-knit knickers, gauzy boxer briefs and her take on nglige, a lace-trimmed satin slip dress in pale ice blue, utterly divine and so classically Prada.

Within simplicity, however, a complexity unfurls. Remember nothing really is quite as simple as it seems. The clothes are simple, but with the concept of simplicity as an antidote to useless complication, she mused. I think that our job as fashion designers is to create clothes for people, that is the honesty of it. That is really the value of our jobto create beautiful, intelligent clothes. This season, we focused on that idea: It is about clothes, about giving value to pieces.

The value of this collection therefore cannot be underplayed; complex times calls for these simple joys.

view the entire prada spring summer 2021 collection below:

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The Show That Never Happened. Prada's Simple Take On A Complex World - GRAZIA AUSTRALIA

AI is being widely applied to speed up the search for new drugs and new materials that could dramatically improve critical technologies like batteries and solar panels. Most of this work is done in simulation or by trawling through databases, though, and a lot of science still requires work in the lab.

Robots are helping on that front as laboratory automation becomes increasingly prevalent, making high-throughput experiments possible in many different domains. But equipment tends to be tailored to very specific kinds of experiments and still requires considerable oversight by humans.

Now though, researchers at the University of Liverpool in the UK have created a mobile robot that can carry out experiments using standard lab equipment designed for humans and can make decisions on the fly about what experiments it should do next based on its previous results.

Our strategy here was to automate the researcher, rather than the instruments, project leader Andrew Cooper said in a press release. This creates a level of flexibility that will change both the way we work and the problems we can tackle.

The 400 kilogram wheeled system moves about the lab guided by LIDAR laser scanners and has an industrial robotic arm made by German firm Kuka that it uses to carry out tasks like weighing out solids, dispensing liquids, removing air from the vessel, and interacting with other pieces of equipment.

In a paper in Nature, the team describes how they put the device to work trying to find catalysts that speed up reactions that use light to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. To do this, the robot used a search algorithm to decide how to combine a variety of different chemicals and updated its plans based on the results of previous experiments.

The robot carried out 688 experiments over 8 days, working for 172 out of 192 hours, and at the end it had found a catalyst that produced hydrogen 6 times faster than the one it started out with.

Cooper points out to The Verge that this kind of research would normally not get done because its simply too time-consuming for a human to do. But by working around the clock the team predicts the robot can carry out the research roughly 1,000 times faster, opening up new avenues of research previously out of reach.

This isnt the first time researchers have automated the scientific process. A group at MIT built a robot that drags objects through water, observes the flows and vortexes this produces, and then intelligently analyzes the results to decide alterations to the setup to fine-tune the experiment.

Another at the University of British Columbia is using a robotic arm combined with AI to create and test thin films for use in solar panels.

The big difference with this new robot scientist is its generality. Almost all efforts to automate lab work involve static implementations and are hardwired into specific bits of equipment, Cooper told Chemistry World. In contrast, the new system is able to interact with equipment the same way a human would, and it can move around the lab, which should make it possible to adapt for all kinds of applications.

Its creators have launched a startup call Mobotix, which Cooper told The Verge will provide a range of different robots of varying capabilities within 18 months. He also told Chemistry World he envisages the robots eventually being able to analyze the scientific literature to better guide their experiments.

If everything goes to plan it may not be long before an army of robot scientists catapults us into a new age of exponential progress.

Image Credit: Cooper Group, University of Liverpool

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This Robotic Chemist Does Over 600 Experiments a Week and Learns From Its Own Work - Singularity Hub

There are few friends quite like that of the K-pop idols V and Jimin. These two grew up together and although they fight like brothers, theyre family. Would V and Jimin ever collaborate on another song? Heres what these BTS singers said about their subunit and the Map of the Soul: 7 song, Friends.

Although there are seven members in BTS, theres only one kind and sweet Jimin and hilarious and unique V. These two are singers in the K-pop group, who eventually joined forces for the album Map of the Soul: 7. There, they performed the song titled Friends, forming a subunit named the 95s.

This song mentioned the journey of these two idols, from when they went to school together to when they had an argument about dumplings, to the close, soulmate-like relationship they have today.

I liked it because it wasnt predictable, it was so original, V said. The two further elaborated on their stylistic choices during one video for BTS YouTube Channel, even sharing their thoughts on future collaborations as the 95s subunit.

Although nothing has been confirmed by this K-pop group, Jimin and V both mentioned collaborating in the future. Its totally a possibility, especially due to the success of Friends. However, V still rated it a 30, even though the other BTS subunits rated their respective songs 100 on a scale of 100.

For us, we must say that even a song like this is worth 30 points so when we release more songs theyll be better than this one, V said jokingly. Jimin clapped as a response, but he took Vs answer one step further.

Does that mean youll collaborate with me again, Jimin asked, to which V responded, of course. Jimin continued, saying, Do it. Collaborate. You always say you will, but you never do.

Ill try my best, V said, solidifying his score of 30.

The idol, V, has been considerably busy, though. Some believe Vs first mixtape is on the way, although hes already released a few songs as a solo artist.

That includes Winter Bear, a song written and performed entirely in English, his second language.Aside from their duet on Friends, both V and Jimin have their own solo songs with BTS. For V, that includes Singularity off of Love Yourself: Answer.

For Jimin that means Serendipity off of Love Yourself: Answer. Music by BTS, including the single Stay Gold and Map of the Soul: 7, is available for streaming on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music.

RELATED: Is Jungkook the Last BTS Member to Create a Solo Song? Heres What We Know About Still With You and the Mixtapes of These K-Pop Idols

RELATED: Jimin From BTS Finally Puts the Dumpling Incident, Mentioned During The Late Late Show With James Corden, to Rest

Continued here:

V Said He Would 'Of Course' Collaborate With Jimin Again, Following the Success of BTS' 'Friends' - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

For the last six weeks, EVE Online has been under siege by an extradimensional enemy known as the Triglavians. Recently, players were asked to join alongside the Triglavians and help them gain a foothold in the EVE universe. Many players accepted this challenge and fought alongside the alien invaders against the NPC empires and against fellow players. With the start of Zenith, the third quarterly update for EVE, the results of this invasion will begin to show.

In a late May update, EVE players were given the choice to side with the invaders or to drive them back into the abyss they originated from. In the weeks since, many battles have been fought in dozens of star systems, involving tens of thousands of players, with several key victories being earned by each side. Where the defenders won, the Triglavians were forced away and the systems were locked against them, preventing further incursions.

However, in areas where the Triglavians and their player allies were victorious, mysterious space stations began to appear in orbit around stars. These stations began to transform those stars, changing their appearance and causing space in their proximity to take on different characteristics, similar to what players have seen inside Abyssal Deadspace, the Triglavians home. An additional effect of the star systems being conquered by Triglavian forces has been the creation of automated defensive structures guarding the entrances to the solar system. These automated turrets make short work of players attempting to enter the system who dont have sufficient positive standing with the Triglavians, which is earned by helping them in their quest for conquest.

In the trailer for the Zenith release, a massive, ring-like structure can be seen being created by the Triglavians. It seems to have a singularity inside of it, which is similar to the graphical effect of the Triglavian weapon systems. The popular theory from many players is that the final fate of the stars in the centre of Triglavian-controlled territories is to be collapsed into singularities and used to power further Triglavian activities in the areas. There is no telling what effect Triglavian control of the stars could have on the EVE universe.

In addition to the ongoing storyline elements being deployed with Zenith, a new feature will be added to the game by way of a special event. A major overhaul is transforming the current Abyssal Proving Ground feature, which is currently only used by a small group of EVE players, into a way for players to find instant PVP action. Players can use special items to launch themselves into an arena where they will be pitted against other pilots in a deathmatch style contest. The winner of the fights will be tracked on a leaderboard visible by the entire game, and rewards will be handed out to players based on their standings at the end of the Zenith quadrant.

These battles will rotate through different scenarios on a weekly basis, with each scenario changing the type of ships allowed, the number of players allowed into the arena, and whether or not players can bring teams in. The first three formats have been announced, with more, scheduled to last through October, remaining a mystery.

This feature offers a way for players to find combat action and short session gameplay. Players will no longer have to roam the stars for hours to find people to fight with, only to either return empty handed or run into a fleet that is much larger than their own and die. Additionally, with the cancellation of the Alliance Tournament years ago, players who enjoy structured battle for prizes have been missing that element of the game. The Abyssal Proving Grounds offer a new platform for CCP- and possibly even player-run tournaments to happen within the game, and could make these organised tournaments a possibility again.

The Zenith quadrant launches today with both the next stage of the Triglavian Invasion and the Abyssal Proving Grounds, with more content releases coming through the third quarter of the year. 2020, while pretty much a dumpster fire, is nevertheless shaping up to be one of the most exciting years of EVEs recent history.

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The Next Stage Of EVE Onlines Alien Invasion Is Here - Kotaku Australia

DC's upcomingFlash movie is serving almost the exact opposite function ofX-Men: Days of Future Past. Evenbefore a global pandemicswept in and put a complete halt on the industry, 2020 felt like a transitional year for superhero movies. After years of dominance, Marvel found themselves in uncharted waters for the first time,with the Infinity saga complete and major stars such as Scarlet Witch, Loki and Falcon all making their way to Disney+. After initially attempting to emulate the shared universe format of the MCU, and not achieving the desired results, DC movies have branched andforged a movie series format all of their own.

Both franchises now appear to befully committed to the multiverse route. After hinting and teasing the existence ofother universes, Marvel haveDoctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness lined up for 2022, but the true influence and scale of the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse remains unknown for now. DC, however, are beginning to show their hand. Due to the very nature of his abilities (and some checkered comic book history), Flash has always had the potential to break down barriers between universes, both in fictional terms and by mashing previously unconnected franchises together. A DCEUFlash movie has been in the works for some time, subject to constant upheaval, but a 2022 release was finally announced towards the end of last year.

Related:Michael Keaton's Batman Return Can Explain Flash's BvS Warning

DC signaled exactly where they hopeThe Flash can take their movie franchise when it was announced that Michael Keaton would be reprising his role as Batman from the Tim Burton movies of the late 1980s and early 1990s. This nothing short of seismic announcement clearly demonstrateshow DC intend to remold their movie universe over the coming years, and it's similar to howDays of Future Pastfundamentally altered theX-Men franchise... but instead of bringing together different comic book movie worlds,The Flash is going to smash the DCEU apart.

Fox'sX-Men franchise may predate both the MCU and the DCEU, but that doesn't mean its timeline was any simpler. Spearheading the modern superhero movie withX-Men in 2000, Wolverine and the ganghit trouble with 2006'sThe Last Stand, which was roundly panned by fans and critics. With a Wolverine solo series also struggling to find its feet, Fox decided to hit (or push very lightly) the reset button andX-Men: First Class in 2011 was the result. A well-loved Hugh Jackman cameo places Matthew Vaughn's X-effort in the same continuity as the existing trilogy but, to all intents and purposes,First Classis a reboot with a younger cast and a new attitude.

WhileFirst Class was praised as a fresh and exciting take on theX-Men movie franchise, the overall continuity was left a little worse for wear. Between the main series, Jackman's spin-offs and a Cold War prequel, the once-linearX-Men franchise had now become anything but. The story behind Charles Xavier losing his ability to walk was in constant flux, Mystique was an entirely different character and there were multiple versions of characters such as Emma Frost and Moira MacTaggert.

Days of Future Past offered a potential solution. Marrying together the old and new casts in a time-twisting tale, the 2014 movie attempted to establish a clearer timeline forX-Mencinematic canon, but more importantly, sought to mop up any existing disparity. When Wolverine returns to 2023 inDays of Future Past's final moments, he's confused to find more changes to the timeline than anticipated, with Jean Grey and Cyclops walking around likeThe Last Stand never happened. The message is (more or less) clear - a line has been drawn under all previousX-Men continuity, and future movies will be telling their own story going forward. Every pastX-Men installment took placewithin the same physical plane, but the timeline is reset and the future (or, indeed, the past) is unwritten, maintaining the singularity of theX-Men movie franchise. Whether this was the correct move remains a matter of debate, butDays of Future Past succeeded in merging the diverse tracks created by over a decade's worth of films into a single forward-moving mutant train.

Related:Shared Universes Are Dead, Long Live The NEW Shared Universe

Compared to theX-Men franchise, the continuity of the DCEU looks positively watertight. Naturally, there are inconsistencies; abandoning Zack Snyder'splan afterBatman V Supermanmeans certain storybeatslead viewers down a narrative cul-de-sac, and there are some inconsistent character personalities between movies, but these are small superhero potatoes compared to the numerous plot holes and contradictions Fox were guilty of withX-Men. The DCEU has implemented no major retcons and despite diving back in time withWonder Woman, the franchise's fictional history flows without hitting any significant speed bumps. Whatever pitfalls the DCEU might have in terms ofomittingDarkseid and dropping the Knightmare arc, the in-world canon works just fine as it is.

Unfortunately, that situation won't be viable for much longer. Henry Cavill's future as Superman is unclear, with recent reports indicating that the actor could return in a minor capacity, but that Warner Bros. remain hesitant on aMan of Steel 2. Ben Affleck has officially quit as the DCEU's Bruce Wayne, forcingThe Batman to cast Robert Pattinson in the lead role and move into its own area of continuity. The general disdain towards 2017'sJustice League has led to the 2021 release of the Snyder cut, which will effectively replace the theatrical version of the DCEU team-up in the minds of fans. And, finally, James Gunn will be introducing a mostly new cast of reckless reprobates inThe Suicide Squad. Wonder Woman, Aquaman and Shazam will continue to enjoy their own solo adventures and Black Adam's arrival is drawing closer, but in terms of developing the DCEU as a linear "A-to-B" continuity, the momentum has stalled.

This leaves the DC movie franchise in a curious position. Fans are excited for the likes ofWonder Woman 1984,The Batman andZack Snyder's Justice League, but as standalone movies, rather than a part of anylong-term continuity. With 2019'sJoker proving immensely successful and Ezra Miller's Flash popping up in The CW's Arrowverse, it appeared that "standalone" would be the modus operandi for DC movies moving forward. This is whereThe Flash comes in, with Barry not only messing up the timeline (again), but promising something far more exciting for the DCEU as a whole.

By bringing Keaton's Batman back into the fold,The Flashcould shatter established DCEU continuity, creating a multiverse that doesn't just encompass recent DC fare (Joker,The Batman), but that also reaches into decades past. The opportunities such a bold multiversesetup presents are almost endless; any iteration of any DC character could combine with another, offering a unique spin on superhero storytelling that feels entirely separate to what the MCU has offered thus far.

Related:DC's Multiverse Means Pattinson's Batman Can Fight Phoenix's Joker

As well as bringing separate movie franchises together via the multiverse,The Flash could also give the heroes of the DCEU license to operate within their own continuities, depending on howbadly Barry cracks space and time. Wonder Woman, Aquaman and Shazam could be given license to break free from existing DCEU continuity and move forward in their own separate series of films, unrestricted by past creative decisions and the necessity of recasting actors. A hypothetical scenario -Warner Bros. could cast anbrand new Superman for a series of big screen solo ventures, andeventually unitehim with Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman, bringing Pattinson's Batman over fromThe Batman's universefor good measure. All the benefits of interconnected, crossover storytelling, but without the restrictions of shared continuity.

And this is whyThe Flashis exactly opposite toX-Men: Days of Future Past. Faced with the cumulative problems of adhering to a concrete timeline, Fox used Wolverine's time travelling to bring together the diverging threads of theX-Men movie world, consolidating the future into a single path forward. The DCEUnow finds itself with similarcontinuity concerns, but rather than bringing threads together, are seemingly usingThe Flash to break them apart. The multiverse will still allow for future crossover, but whereDays of Future Past was all about reigning in a wildX-Men timeline,The Flash is setting DC's entire movie roster free from the shared universe leash.

More:Why Marvel's Multiverse Will Be Bigger Than The DCEU's

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The Ring: Why The American Remake Cut 50 Percent Of The Original Story

Craig first began contributing to Screen Rant in 2016, several years after graduating college, and has been ranting ever since, mostly to himself in a darkened room. Having previously written for various sports and music outlets, Craig's interest soon turned to TV and film, where a steady upbringing of science fiction and comic books finally came into its own.Craig has previously been published on sites such as Den of Geek, and after many coffee-drenched hours hunched over a laptop, part-time evening work eventually turned into a full-time career covering everything from the zombie apocalypse to the Starship Enterprise via the TARDIS. Since joining the Screen Rant fold, Craig has been involved in breaking news stories and mildly controversial ranking lists, but now works predominantly as a features writer. Jim Carrey is Craigs top acting pick and favorite topics include superheroes, anime and the unrecognized genius of the High School Musical trilogy.

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DC is Doing the Opposite of X-Men: Days of Future Past With the Flash - Screen Rant