Category Archives: Futurist

Image by Natasha Connell via Unsplash / Futurism

A new artificial intelligence algorithm built by IBM may be able to help doctors diagnose or predict the onset of Alzheimers disease years before symptoms emerge.

And all it takes, The New York Times reports, is for subjects to tell that algorithm a story. By comparing writing samples from study participants over the years, the algorithm was able to predict the onset of Alzheimers disease years in advance with 75 percent accuracy potentially giving doctors a new tool for spotting Alzheimers and other serious neurodegenerative conditions before they would have otherwise.

The algorithm looks at data from a neurological study with 270 participants who were asked to, among other things, vividly describe what was happening in a simple image several times over the course of years, according to research published in the journal The Lancet. Based just on those samples, the algorithm learned to identify patterns like increasingly-repetitive language, typos, or missing words as signs of neurodegenerative disease.

This is the first report I have seen that took people who are completely normal and predicted with some accuracy who would have problems years later, Dr. Michael Weiner, an Alzheimers disease expert at the University of California, San Francisco who didnt work on the study, told the NYT.

Now that its been tested on Alzheimers, the IBM team plans to move on and test the algorithm against other neurological conditions, according to the NYT.

What is going on here is very clever, University of Pennsylvania Alzheimers research Dr. Jason Karlawish, who also didnt work on the study, told the NYT. Given a large volume of spoken or written speech, can you tease out a signal?

Read more:
IBM Algorithm Can Tell Who's Going to Get Alzheimer's by Reading Their Writing - Futurism

Apple car has been the hot topic for motorheads and tech enthusiasts alike for quite some time now. Now the ideation finally seems to be heading towards fruition as Apple has officially announced plans to collaborate with Hyundai-Kia to manufacture Apple electric vehicles. The deal is almost final as Apple plans to manufacture the car at the Kia assembly plant in West Point, Georgia. Presumably, the self-driving EV will be called Apple Car and slated for a 2024 production initiation. After years of speculation and pop-up rumors, this is some substantial news for Apple fanatics who want the ecosystem of Apple products to extend to the automotive realms.

The direct competitor for the Apple Car is obviously going to be Tesla whos got a strong foothold in the self-driving electric car market. According to some sources, the Apple Car will not have any drivers seat or even driving controls which could be a bummer for motorheads who love the feel of controlling their machine. What the Apple Car will look like is anybodys guess but to give a close idea of what it may be like, Ali Cams Apple Car 2076 is a good reference point to take home some inspiration. Adopting Apples sharp design aesthetics, the car looks like a mouse shaped like a car at first glance, but then you realize its actually a minimal car concept. Loaded with advanced driving systems Ali envisions the blueprint far in the distant future the year 2076 to be precise. The choice of year apparently is the 100the anniversary of Apple ever since it was founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne.

On the inside, the Apple Car is more like a luxury lounge with infotainment displays all around (even on the doors), gesture controlled-entertainment systems, and the holographic display traverses the riders into a completely different reality. You would not expect the car to have a driver seat in the year 2076 which coincides with the vision for the Apple Car just announced. So, the Cupertino giant can take some healthy inspiration from Alis design. Access to the cabin is via touch ID sensors and presumably, Apple ID is going to be used here. The gull-winged doors give the car a very futuristic appeal, ready to take its passengers for a smooth ride actuated by the magnetic levitation technology. Yes, the one you see on maglev trains.

Although the final Apple Car will be electric powered and the maglev dream is a bit far-fetched for now, this concept by Ali Cam that could rival the edgy Tesla Cybertruck design refreshes things up in anticipation of the Apple Car thats slated to come sometime in 2024 or 2025. And of course, the real one is going to have wheels, so you can muster up the design with wheels on this one. Things are seeming exciting already, arent they?

Designer: Ali Cam

More here:
This Apple Car showcases a futuristic automotive revolution that makes the Tesla Cybertruck look old-school! - Yanko Design

"Every indication we have so far, in week two of the new administration, is that Artemis will not be abandoned."Forging Ahead

Even though its under new leadership and commanded by a new presidential administration, NASA is still pushing ahead to launch and complete the Artemis missions to the Moon.

The series of missions, which include plans to send the next man and the first woman to the surface of the Moon and to establish a base of operations on the lunar surface, were set forth under the Trump administration, alongside extremely ambitious deadlines. But in an interview with Futurism, acting NASA Administrator Steve Jurczyk said that NASA is still pushing ahead despite the change in leadership, and he doesnt expect to be told otherwise.

Every indication we have so far, in week two of the new administration, is that Artemis will not be abandoned, Jurczyk told Futurism.

But no matter how much NASA wants to meet the timelines, financial reality may get in the way. Jurczyk told Futurism that NASA was only granted $850 million for the human landing system in its 2021 budget about a quarter of the $3.2 billionthe agency asked for which might force it to push later Artemis missions back.

Mostly driven by budget and not necessarily by policy, Jurczyk said, were looking at the timeline for the Artemis III mission and that might affect the Artemis IV mission.

That said, Jurczyk said he still plans to launch Artemis I an uncrewed test of the Orion spacecraft and the Space Launch System in November of this year.

But even if individual missions within the Artemis program get pushed back, Jurczyk maintains that the program will still be invaluable as a testing ground and development environment for bigger and better things specifically reaching Mars.

And because of that, he feels that the Artemis missions and other human space travel initiatives will be safe and valued during the current and future presidential administrations.

I think using the International Space Station, using missions around and on the surface of the Moon, with the ultimate goal being Mars, is still the strategic direction for human exploration, Jurczyk said.

Read the rest of the Q&A: We Interviewed the New Head of NASA About SpaceX, China, and Aliens

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NASA Boss: We Have "Every Indication" That Artemis Is Safe Under Biden - Futurism

Dinner with Gertrude and Lillian

Caryl Churchills Top Girls engineered a meeting between female historical figures. Little Wars, Steven Carl McCaslands new play, also sticks with literary heroines. When a dinner party includes Lillian Hellman (Juliet Stevenson) and Gertrude Stein (Linda Bassett, wondrous in Escaped Alone at the Brooklyn Academy of Music), the conversation could get interesting. Through Feb. 14; broadwayondemand.com

L.A. Theater Works specializes in audio theater with startlingly good casts, and its impressive catalog keeps growing. The latest offering is Hannie Raysons eco-minded Extinction, with a cast that includes Sarah Drew and Joanne Whalley. Hankering for the days of before? Check out the last two productions Theater Works recorded in front of a live audience, early last year: a commissioned adaptation of Frankenstein by Kate McAll, starring Stacy Keach as the creature; and Qui Nguyens semi-autobiographical Vietgone, inspired by his Vietnamese refugee parents, and directed by Tim Dang. latw.org

Theater or something companies are calling theater by mail is alive and well. Ars Novas P.S. project has been going on since November; the second season of the Artistic Stamp companys epistolary project is underway, with a third beginning soon; and next month, Arena Stage is starting Ken Ludwigs Dear Jack, Dear Louise: Love Letter Experience.

The most ambitious initiative yet may well be Post Theatrical, which encompasses 13 mail-based theatrical experiences from companies in the United States, Lebanon and Hong Kong. Through June 30; posttheatrical.org

Remember Yorick, the jester whose skull plays a big part in Hamlet? He takes center stage in Francisco Reyess solo with puppets Yorick, la Historia de Hamlet/Yorick, the Story of Hamlet, presented by the Los Angeles contempory-arts center Redcat. American audiences may know Reyes from his role as Orlando in the Chilean movie A Fantastic Woman. In English with Spanish subtitles. Feb. 12-14; redcat.org

If youre wondering about the back story to the French song in that Allstate commercial, its Non, je ne regrette rien, made famous by Edith Piaf. And if you missed the biopic La Vie en Rose, head over to Raquel Brittons docu-concert Piaf Her Story Her Songs, brought to us by Broadways Best Shows and the Actors Fund. Feb. 15-18; actorsfund.org

For tunes in English, turn to Theater Forward, an organization that supports regional theater, which will offer performances by Jason Robert Brown, Kate Baldwin, George Salazar, Anika Noni Rose, Shaina Taub, Branden Noel Thomas, Taylor Iman Jones and the Bengsons for its annual benefit. Feb. 8; theatreforward.org

Excerpt from:
Theater to Stream: Shakespeare Villains and Hot-Tub Dreams - The New York Times

By Express News Service

BENGALURU:Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is looking at a 2024-25 deadline to develop its unique Combat Air Teaming System (CATS), a deep penetration attack system that enables a fighter pilot to remain safely within the countrys borders, while being able to deploy missiles or swarms of drones deep into enemy territory to destroy targets.

The project, with an initial investment of Rs 400 crore, comprises three components that can be separately or simultaneously deployed CATS Hunter, CATS Warrior and Alpha-S -- all of which are unmanned systems, but which can be controlled from the mothership, the fighter aircraft from which it is launched by its pilot from a safe distance. This unique concept will ensure maximum firepower against enemy targets, while keeping the pilot and fighter aircraft out of enemy fire.

The CATS Hunter is being conceived as an air-launched cruise missile that has the capability of deep penetration strikes which can be released by a fighter aircraft like LCA Tejas, Jaguar or Sukhoi-30 MKI. CATS Warrior can take off on its own from the ground and target enemy locations carrying heavy explosives. It can go up to 700km and hit a target, or fly 350km, release attack drones and return to base, said Arup Chatterjee, Director (Engineering, Research & Development), HAL.

The Warrior can also carry and release the Alpha-S, a swarm of up to 24 drones each carrying about 5-8kg of explosives, and can target multiple enemy locations simultaneously on being released. Alternatively, the Alpha-S can be released directly by a fighter aircraft using a glider that can carry the drone swarms deep into enemy territory, controlled by the pilot from the mothership. The drones in the swarm of Alpha-S are networked via electronic data links, and equipped with electro-optical and infrared sensors. This enables each drone to select separate targets.

The CATS Warrior and Hunter can be powered by a modified PTE-7 engine of the HAL, which was the power plant of the Lakshya unmanned aircraft. He said it will take around 15 months for the mothership to be made compatible with CATS.

We should be able to develop the CATS by 2024-25, he said. We are investing our own funds and going ahead with the project, and subsequently the Indian Air Force will come in. HAL had quietly initiated the CATS project in 2017, and also tested the project in Pokhran for the IAF, and its capability had left senior officers impressed.

Rotary Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (RUAVs) are being developed and tested to deliver rations and supplies to soldiers posted at high altitude border posts, Chatterjee said. With extremely difficult conditions making helicopter flights almost impossible to carry rations to forward posts, HAL has come up with RUAVs to do the job instead.

SHOOTER SATELLITE UAVHAL is planning to develop an unmanned flying system that can fly at about 70,000ft continuously for 2-3 months, to maintain surveillance on the ground below. Arup Chatterjee, Director (Engineering, Research & Development), HAL, described it as the first in the world. This is a futuristic concept which no other country has yet developed. It will be a solar energised system. We are developing this jointly with a startup,he said.

IAF proposal for basic trainer HTT40HAL has received a Request for Proposal (RFP) and quotation from the IAF for its basic trainers requirement, at Aero India 2021 on Thursday. The documents were handed over to HAL CMD R Madhavan, by Deputy Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Sandeep Singh, and Director General (Acquisition), Ministry of Defence, VL Kantha Rao. The RFP is for 70 HTT40 aircraft, with an additional clause for 38 more. Production will take place at HALs two manufacturing units in Bengaluru and Nashik. The RFP has come within six years of HALs first flight, which is claimed to be the shortest timeline in the aircraft industry. The trainer will have more than 60% indigenous content.

MoUs with MIDHANI, GE Aviation signedHAL on Thursday signed an MoU with MIDHANI (Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited) at the ongoing Aero India 2021 for development and production of composite raw materials. Composites raw materials, mainly in the form of Prepregs used in platforms like LCA, ALH, LCH and LUH are currently imported. HAL also signed a contract with GE Aviation for development and supply of ring forgings for GE Aviation military and commercial engine programmes. The 5-year contract valued over `100 crore involves supplying both steel and nickel alloy forgings for shrouds, cases, rings and seals. The forgings will be manufactured at HALs new facility at its Foundry and Forge Division in Bengaluru.

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HALs futuristic, deadly CATS to be battle-ready by 2024-25 - The New Indian Express

Image by Victor Tangermann

Joe DiMeo, a 22-year-old from New Jersey, recently underwent an extremely rare face and hands transplant, the Associated Press reports a testament to the advancements of modern medicine.

After being badly burned in a car crash in 2018, DiMeo spent months in a medically induced coma and had to have 20 reconstructive surgeries and skin grafts. But the most recent operation carried out at the NYU Langone Health hospital could end up being lifechanging.

I knew it would be baby steps all the way, DiMeo told the AP. Youve got to have a lot of motivation, a lot of patience. And youve got to stay strong through everything.

Despite the surgery, DiMeo will have to make some adjustments. For one, he still has to learn how to control the muscles in his new face and hands. He will also have to stay on medications for the rest of his life to avoid his body rejecting the transplants.

The fact they could pull it off is phenomenal, Bohdan Pomahac, a surgeon at Bostons Brigham and Womens Hospital, who had previously carried out a double hand transplant, told the AP. I know firsthand its incredibly complicated. Its a tremendous success.

The anonymous,deceased donor of DiMeos new hands and face was fitted with replica parts that were constructed using 3D photography and printing, the New York Post reports.

Despite the fact that theyre now declared deceased we still respect the dignity of the donor, Eduardo Rodriguez, lead surgeon, told the New York Post. Its important for us to continue to care for the donor because that patient is still our patient.

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Surgeons Give Man New Face and Hands - Futurism

J&A and sepanta design have collaborated in the interior design of chengdus first fully-automatic unmanned metro line. dubbed chengdu metro line 9 phase I, the project covers approximately 22 kilometers running southeast to northwest and includes 13 underground stations designed to entirely change peoples expectations of what metro stations can offer them.

images by CHAPA

our main aim in the design of chengdu metro stations was to provoke emotions, said reza esmaeeli, founder of sepanta design and design director at chetwoods architects. there are some metro stations around the world that do that, but not many. metro stations in central moscow are a great example of how to take the design to another level and go beyond the functional and regulatory requirements. chengdu metro stations are not going to be merely points of transit. they are going to be memorable spaces that offer their passengers an artistic and futuristic expression of their own culture.

when designing the chengdu metro stations, J&A and sepanta design were inspired by the culture and the artistry of sichuan silk and embroidery. through its interior design they aimed to reflect chengdus progressive and creative spirit. the result is an abstract interpretation of the embroidery techniques, featuring continuous movements of lines that interweave, creating nodes, patterns and textures.

the 13 stations were divided in two categories feature stations and standard artistic stations. the feature stations have a unique concept and reflect their local environment while the standard ones follow the same design with a few local elements differentiating them. each feature station has a different sub-theme based on its location, which is explored and defined by use of its own color palette, featured zones, bespoke furniture, special activities and choice of materials.

overall, sepanta and J&A design wanted to create design concepts that were fully inclusive and that all the conceptual and functional elements would come together under one organizational form.

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chengdu's futuristic fully-automated unmanned metro stations open to the public - Designboom

InvestorPlace

A few months ago, I began prodding around the idea of, What are the future FAANG stocks? Weve seen Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL), Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) and other tech stocks swell from modest winners to worldwide behemoths. These stocks went from $100 billion to $1 trillion in market capitalization. So many people talk about what it would be like if we had bought Apple in the 1980s or Amazon in 1999. While anyone who did and was able to hold on until now is ridiculously rich, they also sat through a ton of volatility. InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips Further, investors could have waited until after Apples iPhone moment or Amazons clear dominance of e-commerce and still made a 10x or more return on their investment. Dont believe me? Apple is up over 1,000% over the past decade, while Amazon is up 1,760%. Over just the last five years when it was absurdly clear these two were established leaders Apple and Amazon are up 463% and 442%, respectively. That led me to ponder, what are the next tech stocks that could become new FAANG leaders? Specifically, I am looking for companies in the $50 billion to $300 billion market cap range that can go to $400 billion to $1 trillion or more. Its an admittedly wide range, but who cares these winners are right under our noses. Lets look at seven tech stocks: 7 Safe Stocks to Buy for Solid Returns in Tumultuous Times PayPal (NASDAQ:PYPL) Salesforce (NYSE:CRM) Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) Roku (NASDAQ:ROKU) Shopify (NYSE:SHOP) Adobe Systems (NASDAQ:ADBE) Tech Stocks to Buy for Future Gains: PayPal (PYPL) Source: JHVEPhoto / Shutterstock.com Current Market Cap: $295 billion Many investors have continued to underestimate PayPal. When it comes to FAANG tech stocks in their younger years, that seems to be a staple observation of them as well. However, PayPal has found a way to become a payment juggernaut. While sending money to friends and family is free and convenient, thats simply one part of the ecosystem. The company also makes a sliver of sales when involving another business or merchant. Its become a safe, trusted and convenient way for businesses to sell online or to make subscriptions a piece of cake. PayPals acquisition of Venmo and Honey have only added to those layers of engagement, while e-commerce will continue to be the main catalyst behind its growth. For those looking at tech stocks, the power and trend of e-commerce doesnt need to be explained. Lastly, PayPals now in the cryptocurrency game, allowing customers to buy and sell Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Etherium and Litecoin. Maybe PayPal wont be able to collect its current fee read: commission on these transactions forever, based on how stock commissions vanished almost overnight in the brokerage industry. However, for now it should act as an additional growth catalyst. Bonus: At a $100 billion market cap, Square (NYSE:SQ) could also be a consideration as a member of new FAANG tech stocks in this respect. Salesforce (CRM) Source: Bjorn Bakstad / Shutterstock.com Current Market Cap: $206 billion. It should go without saying that given the massive gains the stock market has registered over the past nine months, the ideal scenario would be a sizable correction for several of the stocks on this list. However, that doesnt apply to all of them. Take Salesforce for example. This company keeps on printing money as revenue continues to chug higher. For all the doubt that Salesforce has endured over the years, it has done quite well. It doesnt seem like management plans on stopping, either. For instance, management is looking to generate $60 billion in revenue by 2034. Most recently, it aims to scoop up Slack (NYSE:WORK), growing its workstation presence and scaling up its fight against Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT). 8 Cheap Stocks to Buy With Your Next Stimulus Check As we are talking about pullbacks, Salesforce is a great example. At the recent low, shares were 25% off the highs. That seems like a great opportunity for a company that continually sports 20%-plus revenue growth. Nvidia (NVDA) Source: Sundry Photography / Shutterstock.com Current Market Cap: $335 billion Admittedly a bit larger than what we were looking for, Nvidia needs to be included on this list. Almost every major technological trend is growing in demand. More internet traffic is creating strain in the cloud, increasing demand for edge-cloud computing. More data is creating more need for datacenters. Increasing self-driving vehicle capabilities demand more computing power. Better computers demand better graphics. The list goes on and on and Nvidia is there at every turn. The companys products cater to multiple end markets with impressive secular growth. Thats why, despite the pandemic, Nvidia saw such an extreme acceleration in both earnings and revenue. Its savvy M&A strategy has allowed it to add high-quality names like Mellanox at reasonable valuations. Now Nvidia is going after Arm, a massive $40 billion deal. Nvidia is already nearing an unstoppable state, but with Arm it would be a juggernaut. From a pure antitrust perspective, Nvidia should be fine. However, this juggernaut position might cause some hiccups. Either way, this is a high-quality name that will only grow in size over time. Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) Source: Sundry Photography / Shutterstock.com Current Market Cap: $111.5 billion For Nvidias smaller sibling, we have Advanced Micro Devices. At about one-third the size, AMD has quickly climbed the ladder while drastically improving its financials. CEO Lisa Su has orchestrated one of the most impressive comeback stories in the stock market. Once left for dead, AMD was trading firmly below the $2 mark in 2016. Now sporting a 52-week high of $99-and-change, the leadership has been stellar. Like Nvidia, AMD is situated in multiple secular growth themes as rising demand in technology results in rising demand for AMD. Also like Nvidia, AMD saw a massive rise in revenue and profit during the pandemic. In one last final comparison to Nvidia, AMD is also working to close a large acquisition. In October, the company agreed to acquire Xilinx for $35 billion. 9 Stocks Selling at a Discount Right Now While it would require years worth of more growth, its not hard to imagine AMD growing to the size of Nvidia ($300 billion). Eventually clearing this level could put it on the lower end of the FAANG status in terms of its size. Roku (ROKU) Source: jejim / Shutterstock.com Current Market Cap: $53 billion Roku is a tough one, because its certainly the smallest name on this list (by a lot) and it just went on a massive rally. Shares are up 90% over the past three months, as Roku has climbed from a market cap of just $28 billion to where it is today. Additionally, investors just dont understand this company. They still think its going head-to-head with Amazon with its stick players. While thats kind of true, the story behind Roku isnt the hardware its the platform. Roku doesnt care if its making money on the hardware. Instead, its focus is on the platform, where it collects fees from content providers and on ad revenue from its free Roku channel. In that respect, growth continues to explode. Analysts expect roughly 50% revenue growth this year, followed by 40% growth in 2021 and 36% growth in 2022. Respectfully, I believe that may be conservative. Bulls will acknowledge that a pullback may be in order (and a potentially large one at that). However, I dont think the top is in for Roku. For AMD I mentioned the lower end of the FAANG status, which would be Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX). Currently, thats a $250 billion market cap and remember, NFLX is at a new high. I could see a scenario where Roku pulls back 20% to 25% giving it a roughly $40 billion market cap and ultimately roaring on to a $200-plus billion entity. Shopify (SHOP) Source: justplay1412 / Shutterstock.com Current Market Cap: $145 billion There is one problem with Shopify and several other names on this list: The rallies. While the massive rallies great for long-term investors, it makes the stocks susceptible to large pullbacks as well. If and when we get those declines, thats investors opportunity to pounce. For Shopify, the bullish reasoning is multifold. First, Shopify is riding a much large trend e-commerce and therefore will continue to benefit from robust growth. When the coronavirus hit, sales were not negatively impacted. Instead, merchants flocked to its platform, driving Shopifys revenue higher. Second, its building out the anti-Amazon business platform giving merchants big and small power and control of the customer experience. Now the reward here is massive, as Shopify builds out multiple business segments likes shipping, credit, Shopify Pay and others. However, the risk is present as well. That is, can these companies that crave independence from Amazon delivery quality experiences for the customer? In the end, businesses and merchants are at least willing to try. In December 2019 I said investors could buy Shopify despite its lofty valuation. My argument centered on its valuation, saying this name could go from a $40 billion market cap to a $100 to $120 billion market cap in a decade. 7 Safe Stocks to Buy for Solid Returns in Tumultuous Times It was not obvious that the more than tripling in its value would take place in just a few months. In the long, long run, its not hard to imagine this name being significantly higher. Adobe Systems (ADBE) Source: r.classen / Shutterstock.com Current market cap: $228 billion Last but not certainly not least is Adobe. This company does a lot more than just Flash or Photoshop. Its become a mainstay in e-commerce while also becoming a beacon in the graphics, digital and creative landscape. Find me a freelance graphic designer whos not using Adobe. The stock has quietly racked up enormous gains as well. Adobe is up 140% over the past three years and 430% over the past five years. Over the last decade, the stock has rallied more than 1,300%, as its market cap was around $16 billion just 10 years ago. Thats some impressive action and Adobe doesnt show many signs of letting up. Analysts expect double-digit earnings and revenue growth this year and next year, while the company gross margins remain solidly above 85%. While its top-line margins have been steady, its bottom-line profit margins have been soaring. Adobe is quickly yet quietly becoming a technology juggernaut right in front of us. Like some others on this list, the stock has been consolidating nicely over the past six months or so. Lets see if this name can resolve to the upside. On the date of publication, Bret Kenwell held a long position in AAPL, ROKU, CRM and NVDA. Bret Kenwell is the manager and author of Future Blue Chips and is on Twitter @BretKenwell. More From InvestorPlace Why Everyone Is Investing in 5G All WRONG Top Stock Picker Reveals His Next 1,000% Winner It doesnt matter if you have $500 in savings or $5 million. Do this now. The post 7 Tech Stocks That Could Be the Future FAANG appeared first on InvestorPlace.

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Saudi Arabia's futuristic city project in talks over cloud computing deal - Yahoo Finance

Beyond the Grave

Aaron Ansuini, a student at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada made a shocking discovery: He found that his art history professor wasnt alive anymore.

HI EXCUSE ME, Ansuini wrote in a tweet, I just found out the the prof for this online course Im taking *died in 2019* and hes technically still giving classes since hes *literally my prof for this course* and Im learning from lectures recorded before his passing.

I mean, I guess I technically read texts written by people whove passed all the time, he continued, but its the fact that I looked up his email to send him a question and PULLED UP HIS MEMORIAM INSTEAD that just THREW ME OFF A LITTLE.

Concordia University confirmed to Slate that professor Franois-Marc Gagnon, a lecturer in the universitys art history department, did indeed pass in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.

His lectures, however, live on in Concordias online course catalog and are used for a dedicated online course. The class is technically being led by a different professor and two teaching assistants, with Gagnons recordings being used as a teaching tool, according to Slate.

Musicians recordings are frequently released after they die. Social media data often outlives its account holders as well. But the phenomenon is less common in higher education.

The incident also sheds light on the difficulties of learning online during COVID a phenomenon thats upending all sorts of social norms.

READ MORE: How a Dead Professor Is Teaching a University Art History Class [Slate]

More on online learning: Scientists Predict the Pandemic Will Set Students Back for Years

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A University Is Using a Dead Professor to Teach an Online Class - Futurism

A little over two years ago, artist Malene Barnett started the Black Artists + Designers Guild with the goal of combating the lack of representation of Black creatives in design. Since an early meeting of 12 at the Fabricut showroom in New York, the group has grown to more than 200 from all across the world; its work has been celebrated at industry events ranging from High Point to NY Now; and its members have graced magazine covers and earned spots on the AD100. Now, BADG has its first house projectbut its not the typical 15 rooms in an unoccupied townhouse experience.

I realized early on that we needed to have our own projecta space where we get to explore not only our creativity but thinking about What does space look like and what could it feel like knowing that Black bodies will occupy it? Barnett tells host Dennis Scully on the latest episode of the Business of Home podcast. We took a different approach, not necessarily starting with, Lets find a pretty fabric and a couch and all the accessories and items. It was more about, How do we connect to the community so we can build a space that supports our well-being and health and also think about our lifestyle and culture?

Malene BarnettAlaric Campbell Photography

Leyden LewisCourtesy of BADG

Left: Malene Barnett Alaric Campbell Photography | Right: Leyden Lewis Courtesy of BADG

The resulting project, a virtual concept home called Obsidian, debuts online next week. The home, set in a hypothetical future of 2025 and rendered digitally on an imagined site in Oakland, California, showcases the work of 22 BADG members, ranging from interior designers to architects to artists. Beyond presenting beautiful rooms, the goal, say Barnett and designer Leyden Lewis, was to use the project as a testing ground for technology and design concepts crafted with the Black family in mind.

[Architect] Nina Cooke John puts it really well: Its more along the lines of a car show. Mercedes-Benz shows you what theyre envisioning 10 years from now, says Lewis, who, along with Cooke John, designed the architecture of the Obsidian Virtual Concept House. We wanted to say, Lets use that model to put together ideas that not only grab our story now but project that story into whats being referred to as our ancestral future.

The homes digital setting allowed its creators to explore concepts that would either be cost-prohibitive or technologically challenging in a real-life setting. Theres Barnetts Sankofa: Legacy Wall installation, which combines terracotta tiles with an enormous digital screen, all backed by a computer that collects and displays the inhabitants family and medical history on voice command. Then theres Lewiss Room of Requirement, a multipurpose space that acts as both a virtual doctors office and a venue for sexual exploration.

These high-concept explorations sit alongside more day-to-day investigations of Black domesticity. The home, says Barnett, is designed to be an anchor house, a place where extended family can come and staya necessity that the artist says she and her BADG co-creators identified both from their own experience and through interviews with Black families at the outset of the project. A more disturbing practicality? Safety measures that the designers added as a response to the police killings of Black men and women that gripped the nation last springnotably that of Breonna Taylor, who was shot in her own home.

Safety is luxury, says Lewis. Can you imagine that wed actually be thinking about an individual demographic group in America thinking about security as luxury? Its pretty astounding.

Listen to the episode and check out some takeaways below. If you like what you hear, subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. This episode was sponsored by Chairish and Universal Furniture.

Something NewObsidian is not a typical showhouse, by design. Its an idea that opened up a lot of new possibilities, says Barnett, but it presented a challenge to sponsors who are used to the typical we loan you product, we get exposure arrangement. For some sponsors or corporations, they couldnt understand. Because this is all brand-new. Its brand-new for us, its brand-new for them, she says. We got a lot of opportunity for vendors to give us product, but we turned that down. We had to teach the vendors: No, this is how were doing it. We want you to be a part of it, but you have to understand this is our house, we have our own set of standards and rules. Its not about giving us product, because that doesnt position us as creative thinkers if we just keep taking [and placing] product.

Diversity vs. EquityWhen we talk about racial injustice in the design industry, the words we use matter. A focus on diversity, says Barnett, leads to initiatives that showcase Black creatives without backing up that attention with economic investment in their businesses. Real change? It comes from equity. There has been a confusion between what diversity is and equity is. Equity comes with a compensation that our members, our creators, have been lacking in this industry, she says. The companies who want to partner with us have to understand that yes, the exposure is great, but we want to grow our businesses.

Open your rolodexIt can be daunting for even the most well-intentioned peopleand companiesto commit to a more equitable industry. Theres no one way to make progress, say Barnett and Lewis. The first step is generally a personal engagement with the reality of injustice. From there, sustained financial contributions to organizations like BADG dont hurt. Another way to spread equity, they say, is to widen your own circle and spread opportunity. The money is one part, but opening up that Rolodex and making connections is another part, and I think they go hand in hand, says Barnett. When those opportunities do come in, why not think of somebody else thats outside of your circle? Why not start to build a new circle of people that you can connect with and help grow their businesses, as well? If you keep going to lunch with the same people, theyre going to get all the opportunities.

Homepage photo: A rendering of the Obsidian Virtual Concept House | Courtesy of BADG

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BADG's Obsidian is a futuristic concept house powered by Black creativity - Business of Home