Business
Guard Bot: Amazon Household Robot Patrols Home for Intruders
Amazon unveiled a robot that patrols users’ homes, scopes out strangers, and warns of perceived dangers.
Robotics
Tech & Society
Distance Killing: Israeli Agents Assasinated Iranian Scientist With AI-Sniper Rifle
A remote sniper used an automated system to take out a human target located thousands of miles away.What happened: The Israeli intelligence agency Mossad used an AI-assisted rifle in the November killing of Iran’s chief nuclear scientist,
Business
Dances With Robots: Tesla Unveils a Robot and D1 Chip at AI Day
Tesla unveiled its own AI chip and — surprise! — plans for a humanoid robot.What’s new: At Tesla’s AI Day promotional event, the company offered a first look at an upcoming self-driving computer powered by custom AI chips.
Business
Outstanding in the Field: John Deere buys Bear Flag Robotics for $250 million.
One of the world’s largest makers of farm equipment is doubling down on self-driving tractors. John Deere agreed to pay $250 million for Bear Flag Robotics, a California startup that upgrades conventional tractors.
Tech & Society
Fresh Funds for U.S. Research: The U.S. plans to build new civilian AI research labs.
The U.S. plans to build nearly a dozen new civilian AI research labs. The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) committed $220 million to fund 11 National Artificial Intelligence Research Institutes, complementing seven other AI research institutes that were established last year.
Business
To Bee or Not to Bee: AI farm robots help to pollinate tomatoes.
Insects that spread pollen to fruiting plants are in trouble. A possible alternative: Robots. Farmers in Australia and the U.S. are using robots from Israeli startup Arugga Farming to pollinate greenhouse tomatoes.
Business
Bye Bye Bots: OpenAI quit robotics to focus on AGI.
The independent research lab OpenAI wowed technology watchers in 2019 with a robotic hand that solved Rubik’s Cube. Now it has disbanded the team that built it. OpenAI cofounder Wojciech Zaremba revealed that OpenAI shuttered its robotics program last October.
Machine Learning Research
Walking the Dog: Training a robot to walk over unsteady terrain with RL.
A reinforcement learning system enabled a four-legged robot to amble over unfamiliar, rapidly changing terrain.
Tech & Society
A Bicycle Built for Zero: Self-driving bicycle stays upright and avoids collisions.
Self-driving cars, get ready to share the road with self-riding bikes. Beijing-based machine learning researcher Zhihui Peng built a riderless bike that stays upright, navigates, and avoids collisions.
Business
Every Problem Looks Like a Nail: AI-powered devices that automatically paint fingernails
Robots are brushing their way into the beauty market. A trio of companies is developing automated nail-painting devices that integrate robotics and computer vision.
Tech & Society
Deadly Drones Act Alone: Libya's military may have used AI-powered drones in 2020.
Autonomous weapons are often viewed as an alarming potential consequence of advances in AI — but they may already have been used in combat. Libyan forces unleashed armed drones capable of choosing their own targets against a breakaway rebel faction last year.
Science
Algorithms for Orcas: AI-powered drones help with killer whale conservation.
A combination of computer vision and drones could help restore dwindling killer whale populations. Researchers at Oregon State University and conservation groups SR3 and Vulcan developed a system that assesses the health of orcas.