Oregon State University’s (OSU) spinout company Agility Robotics has set a new record with their bipedal Cassie robot 5 kilometers, completing the route in just over 53 minutes. It’s the first bipedal robot to utilize machine learning to control a running gait on outdoor terrain, completely untethered on Oregon State’s campus and on a single battery charge. This robot has knees that bend like an ostrich’s, enabling it to run faster than previous models. Read more for a video and additional information.
In the future, artificial intelligence could be used to train everything from robots to animals and even some basic human tasks. For example, Google’s DeepMind trained various reinforcement learning agents in parallel for 400,000 steps and then evaluated the most promising on a real robot. One of the tasks involved the precise insertion of a USB key stick a computer port. Read more for a video and additional information.
Inspired by the Sián FKP 37 hybrid supercar, the Tecnomar for Lamborghini 63 is an ultra luxurious yacht built with the combined knowledge of the automaker as well as the Italian Sea Group brand. The first unit was delivered to its owner a few days ago, powered by two MAN V12-2000HP engines generating a combined 3945-horsepower, making it the fastest yacht in the Tecnomar fleet of The Italian Sea Group. Read more for two videos, additional pictures and information.
Arcade1Up is set to open pre-orders for its new The Simpsons at-home arcade machine, which celebrates the 30th anniversary of the game’s release in the market. This is no ordinary arcade cabinet, as it includes The Simpsons Arcade Game and The Simpsons Bowling. Plus, it has built-in WiFi connectivity that allows up to four players to experience the endless animation inspired fun remotely. Read more for a first look video and additional information.
The Moto G Power (2021) smartphone could be the best value for your money, and you can get one for $219.99 shipped, this week only, originally $249.99. Featuring a 6.6-inch Max Vision HD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 processor, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage, a triple rear camera setup (48MP + 12MP), an 8MP selfie camera, and a massive 5,000mAh capacity battery. Product page. Read more for a hands-on video review and additional information.
France-based DAB Motors has just unveiled their Concept-E electric motorcycle that was developed from the ground up at their headquarters in Bayonne. It’s powered by a 10kW motor fed by a 51.8V Li-ion battery, which makes it the road legal equivalent to a 125cc bike. Even if you’ve never ridden a motorcycle before, just a few hours of training is enough to master the highly intuitive Concept-E. Read more for a video, additional pictures and information.
Joby Aviation’s piloted, four-passenger, emissions free all-electric aircraft successfully completed a 154.6-mile test flight on a single charge. It was controlled from the ground by Joby chief test pilot Justin Paines, and it completed 11 laps of the circuit at Joby Electric Flight Base at Big Sur, California, logging 1 hour 17 minutes in the air. The aircraft performed a vertical landing to end the flight. Read more for a video and additional information.
Deepfake videos are nothing new, especially on YouTube, but rarely do we discover the identity of the person behind a particular clip. One YouTuber who goes by “Shamook” announced in the comments section of a video that he has been hired at Lucasfilm’s Industrial Light and Magic as a “Senior Facial Capture Artist”. Some of his most popular clips include Tarkin & Princess Leia in “Rogue One” as well as a more recent deepfake that de-ages Mark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker in “The Mandalorian”. Read more for to see both videos.
Russia officially unveiled their fifth-generation SUKHOI fighter jet at its annual MAKS air show, called “Checkmate”. This lightweight tactical aircraft is touted as a rival to the U.S. F-35 stealth fighter and expected to take to the skies in 2023, with the first batch set for production in 2026. A total of 300 Checkmate fighter jets will be produced over 15-years once serial production begins. Read more for a video and additional information.
StyleGAN2 may be one of the most well known face generator AI systems, but when using it, small details like facial hair and wrinkles did not move organically. These froze in the same spots, but with NVIDIA’s Alias-Freen GAN, all of these small details transform coherently, and the same applies when generating the morphs, or when images slowly shift from one to another. Read more for a video and additional information.