Lifeboat News: The Blog – Safeguarding Humanity

Human bias is a huge problem for AI. Here’s how we’re going to fix it

Posted by Genevieve Klien in information science, robotics/AI

Apr 10
2018

Machines don’t actually have bias. AI doesn’t ‘want’ something to be true or false for reasons that can’t be explained through logic. Unfortunately human bias exists in machine learning from the creation of an algorithm to the interpretation of data – and until now hardly anyone has tried to solve this huge problem.

A team of scientists from Czech Republic and Germany recently conducted research to determine the effect human cognitive bias has on interpreting the output used to create machine learning rules.

The team’s white paper explains how 20 different cognitive biases could potentially alter the development of machine learning rules and proposes methods for “debiasing” them.

Solar storm could strike Earth this week: What you need to know

Posted by Genevieve Klien in futurism

Apr 10
2018

A solar storm is forecast to hit Earth Tuesday after the sun unleashed a powerful solar flare — a burst of high-energy radiation.

NanoRacks lays out vision for turning rockets into space outposts, starting with Independence-1

Posted by Genevieve Klien in habitats, space travel

Apr 10
2018

Texas-based NanoRacks is fine-tuning and rebranding its concept for turning upper-stage rocket boosters into orbital outposts, starting with a habitat called Independence-1.

88,000-Year-Old Middle Finger Discovery Changes Human History

Posted by Genevieve Klien in futurism

Apr 10
2018

The discovery of an 88,000-year-old human finger fossil in the Nefud Desert in northern Saudi Arabia is changing the way researchers think about the migration of early humans.

Robots Go Mental

Posted by Danko Nikolic in biological, robotics/AI

Apr 10
2018

We created the first working AI using the theory of practopoiesis. We are still far away from biological intelligence, but still we have something much better than classical machine learning. You can play with a live demo here:

Scientists splice genes from roses and celery to create superflower

Posted by Genevieve Klien in futurism

Apr 10
2018

New rose will be less prone to wilting and will create longer lasting bouquets.

Bryan Nelson

Contact Lens Kinda Makes You Cyborgy

Posted by Genevieve Klien in biotech/medical, computing, cyborgs

Apr 10
2018

This one’s kinda hard to swallow so take a deep breath, open your minds, and pretend it’s 2100. I CONTACT is essentially a mouse fitted to your eyeball. The lens is inserted like any other normal contact lens except it’s laced with sensors to track eye movement, relaying that position to a receiver connected to your computer. Theoretically that should give you full control over a mouse cursor. I’d imagine holding a blink correlates to mouse clicks.

The idea was originally created for people with disabilities but anyone could use it. Those of us too lazy to use a mouse now have a free hand to do whatever it is people do when they sit at the computer for endless hours. I love the idea but there is a caveat. How is the lens powered? Perhaps in the future, electrical power can be harnessed from the human body, just not in a Matrix creepy-like way.

Designers: eun-gyeong gwon & eun-jae lee.

The Future of Work

Posted by Genevieve Klien in futurism

Apr 10
2018

Technology is giving rise to a new workforce — one governed by creativity, flexibility and the ability to travel anywhere.

Next Transportation Concept Would Improve Traffic Fluidity And Commuting Time

Posted by Genevieve Klien in robotics/AI, transportation

Apr 10
2018

next is an advanced smart transportation system based on swarms of modular self-driving vehicles, refined by italian designers and engineers. the modules can drive autonomously on regular roads, joining themselves and detach even when in motion. when joined, the doors between modules fold, creating a walkable open space among modules. founded by tommaso gecchelin, the concept would greatly outperform conventional transportation when used in conjunction with other modules. the collection of next modules would improve traffic fluidity, commute time, running costs and pollution prevention by optimizing each module occupancy rate.

next-future-transportation-concept-designboom-02
once linked, passengers would be able to walk between modules
the modules would be individualized
shipping and goods transportation could be adapted
companies would offer specific modules to the system piotr boruslawski I designboom.

Laser Crosswalk Saves Pedestrians From a Painful Death

Posted by Genevieve Klien in futurism

Apr 10
2018

Anything that keeps people from getting hit is important.

When the light turns red, a huge laser wall projecting apparitions of crossing pedestrians spans across the crosswalk. The concept is designed to keep crossing pedestrians safe from any overzealous drivers who otherwise might have ran the red light.