Thứ Bảy, 8 tháng 10, 2016
One socially conscious company is making your emoji keyboard a little less perfect in an effort to tackle food waste. Hungry Harvest, a startup service that delivers "recovered produce" to consumers' doorsteps, has created a series of "ugly" fruit and vegetable emoji meant to get people thinking — and typing — about our preoccupation with aesthetically pleasing food. In late September, the company rolled out Ugly Produce!, an iOS app that gives every user a package of new emoji, including a slightly misshapen strawberry and an imperfect potato. Pretty produce is the standard in most U.S. supermarkets, meaning fruits and veggies that have visible variations from our standard idea of a robust apple or a snappy carrot are usually tossed. That means roughly 1 out of every 5 edible fruits and vegetables are thrown out every year — simply for appearing a little out of sorts. Roughly 1 out of every 5 edible fruits and veggies are tossed every year. This adds up to a lot of wasted food — but it's not only an American problem. About one-third of all food produced worldwide is wasted or lost between the process of food production and consumption, worth around $1 trillion annually. All this waste is disheartening when you consider the realities of hunger and food insecurity across the globe. But high rates of discarded food also have adverse impacts on the environment. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, organic waste is the second highest component of landfills in the U.S., contributing substantially to methane gas emissions that warm the atmosphere. Image: Hungry Harvest/Itunes Hungry Harvest wants you to use its emoji to make an impact. But it isn't stopping with just an opt-in app. The company is taking its mission further, currently petitioning to encourage Unicode, Apple and Google to adopt the imperfect produce into their standard emoji keyboards. While it isn't likely that these massive tech companies will change their faultless emoji fruit for something a little more flawed, iPhone users who want to make a difference can tackle the issue through tech. At the very least, it will make you think twice next time you scoff at a misshapen melon.
Thứ Hai, 26 tháng 9, 2016
Welcome to the 2016 presidential election. Here we have a photograph of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton standing before a crowd full of excited young supporters at a campaign event in Orlando... except the group of "millennials" greeted Clinton by literally turning their backs to her. You're probably asking yourself what could possibly be more important than looking directly at the potential first female president of the United States. A selfie, of course. The iconic photograph, captured by Barbara Kinney — a former White House photographer for Bill Clinton who is currently working full time for the Hillary Clinton campaign — perfectly highlights the essence of this generation's technological priorities. 2016, ya'll. pic.twitter.com/M0AZceVagQ — Victor Ng (@victomato) September 25, 2016 Though it is unclear whether the massive group selfie session was requested by Clinton herself, the candidate is no stranger to the art of selfie taking. Selfie master Hillary Clinton posing with a supporter after speaking at a campaign event at City Garage in Baltimore, Sunday, April 10, 2016. Image: Patrick Semansky/ap photo Hillary Clinton cheesing for a selfie with a group of supporters at a rally at California State University on June 3, 2016. Image: John Locher, File/ap photo What a time to be alive. Mashable has reached out to Barbara Kinney for comment.
Thứ Ba, 16 tháng 8, 2016
Google is updating its search features to make it easier for people to find information about how to vote. The feature follows a previous update aimed at educating users about voter registration. But while that feature pointed to voter registration deadlines as well as places to register online, the latest update provides information people may need on voting day. With the update, when you search for "how to vote," or a similar query, Google will serve up detailed information about what you will need in order to vote in your state on election day. This includes when you can vote and whether or not you will need to show an I.D. to vote. Though first-time voters may find the details particularly useful, it could also be a handy resource for those looking to vote by mail, as the results will explain how you may be able to vote early or get an absentee ballot. Image: Google Google is also sharing some new data around how search trends for voting information have changed since the last presidential election, with a new interactive map. The map shows how interest in registering to vote has changed since the 2012 election, based on Google searches. Interest in registering to vote has increased across every state since that election, with the exception of Kansas and Oregon, according to the company's data. Google also notes that several swing states — including Ohio and Virginia — have seen significant spikes in voter registration searches since 2012. Google is also making much of this data available to some third parties in an effort to continue "making it easy for people to find information, and have their voices heard in November." Google's "how to register to vote" and "how to vote" data will be available to nonprofits and other organizations that promote voting.
Thứ Năm, 28 tháng 7, 2016
Republican Party nominee for president of the U.S., Donald J. Trump, made good on his promise and held a Reddit AMA (ask me anything) session late Wednesday. And while many thought this would be a disaster, Trump and his supporters on Reddit managed to turn the normally open concept of the AMA interview into a very on-message experience. Trump played this one smart. Instead of doing the AMA — basically an open-ended interview, where the Reddit community asks the questions — on Reddit's IAmA subreddit, he did it on the pro-Trump subreddit The_Donald. There, the subreddit's moderators could filter any unwanted questions, which is exactly what they did. The result was a fairly boring and short AMA session, with a total of 13 answered questions. Many of these were non-answers — to a question about NASA, Trump said, "Honestly I think NASA is wonderful! America has always led the world in space exploration." And many of the questions were heavily biased in Trump's favor to begin with. When you get questions like, "We firmly believe Hillary will try and steal this election through vote fraud (...) What is your campaign doing to ensure that we have a fair election?" or "Are you getting tired of winning," the answers just flow. The few answers that weren't just phrases were pretty basic outlines of various aspects of Trump's proposed reforms. On a question about immigration, Trump essentially linked to the "immigration reform" portion of his website. To a question about Obamacare, the answer was a few pointers from Trump's proposed healthcare reform. Trump also listed his favorite U.S. presidents (George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Dwight Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan, if you're wondering), endorsed "new media," as a "great way to get out the truth," and used the rest of the answers to highlight the shortcomings of Clinton and her campaign. Check out all of Trump's answers here. Given the number of high-profile blunders during Reddit AMA sessions, it was probably prudent of Trump and his camp to keep this one tightly controlled. What makes Reddit AMAs interesting, however, is the unpredictability of the questions. Often, you'll see celebrities, politicians and other high-profile figures being asked very detailed, extremely well-informed or surprising questions, the likes of which you'll never see on, say, a live TV interview. If you remove that unpredictability from the equation, the result is just boring.
Thứ Sáu, 1 tháng 7, 2016
We are all full of good ideas — and sometimes those good ideas can change the world. Whether it's an innovative take on an existing invention or a brand-new way to tackle a tough problem, inventors aren't shy when it comes to setting their impactful ideas into motion. From a re-engineered condom to solar-powered charging stations for refugees, here are 12 innovations that caught our attention in June. Startup AMPARO creates alternatives to traditional prosthetics, simplifying the process of custom-fitting an artificial limb. Traditionally, even the quickest turnaround for a custom prosthetic would be at least several weeks. The woman in the video above, however, was fitted for her AMPARO prosthetic in just two hours. An AMPARO prosthetic's socket is also re-moldable, able to adjust to big or small changes in limb size for more comfort, and at no cost for replacements. With 80% of amputees worldwide lacking access to modern prosthetics, AMPARO hopes its innovation will help simplify the main barriers in access: manufacturing and customization. The AMPARO prosthetic was one of three winners at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Innovation Showcase in June. Image: LELO HEX LELO HEX condoms are stronger, more durable condoms that decrease the chance of tears. The design, which has been seven years in the making, uses a hexagonal pattern to mold to the wearer, proving to be more forgiving of stress and friction than traditional condoms. The inventors behind LELO HEX hope the condoms will reduce unintended pregnancies and STI transmissions by providing a more secure, more pleasurable type of protection. The condom was released on June 13, with the company currently running an Indiegogo campaign to distribute the product to consumers. Image: Facebook/Elpis Smartphones are an essential lifeline for refugees, granting access to maps and information that aid in their journeys. Mobile devices also house messaging applications, allowing refugees to connect with families back home without high charges. These features are crucial, but charging phones in overcrowded camps, where electricity is scarce, can be difficult. That's why a team of students from Edinburgh University developed sun-powered charging stations for mobile phones, allowing refugees to power-up their devices. The students have installed two units in refugee camps in Greece, with each unit able to fully charge up to 240 devices each day. Image: WeCount When you donate something, you want to make sure it goes where it's needed most. A new app is helping people do just that, connecting unwanted items to homeless populations in Seattle. WeCount matches those in need with everything from sleeping bags to personal hygiene items. Once a person in need claims a donation via the website, the app provides both parties with directions to a safe and secure public drop-off site. The app also gives donors and recipients the option to keep in touch. Though the app just launched in Seattle last month, reps say there are plans to expand to cities like San Francisco and Oakland soon. Image: University Corporation for Atmospheric Research Farmers in rural Zambia often don't have access to accurate weather forecasts, and weather stations are a rarity in these locations. But knowing the expected weather is crucial for any farmer, especially those in developing regions. Their crops — and ultimately their livelihoods — depend on it. Researchers at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research have spent the past three years developing a cheaper alternative to costly weather stations, using 3D printing to install weather stations in previously uncovered parts of the region. The 3D-printed stations cost a mere $300 — far less than the $10,000 to $20,000 a traditional setup runs. And maintenance costs are low as well, because replacement parts are easily printed. The project is now in testing phases, with five pilot structures in Zambia. The researchers plan to hand off the entire project, including 3D-printers, to Zambian partners once their prototype phase is completed. Tubes of toothpaste are often overlooked as a major source of waste. Once you toss a plastic toothpaste tube, it can sit in a landfill for more than 500 years before decomposing, according to new startup Poppits. So the company made tiny pods of toothpaste that generate little waste. The pod itself is made of an entirely edible film, and the packaging is biodegradable. The eco-friendly toothpaste startup ran a lucrative Kickstarter campaign in June to help fund its innovate take on this common household necessity. Image: Facebook/treewifi Amsterdam's pollution problem has long been criticized by officials and activists, breaking European Union standards and subjecting the region to fines. But a new initiative is showing residents just how bad the problem is — and incentivizing them to do something about it. TreeWiFi tackles the pollution problem — with unsuspecting little birdhouses equipped with light-up roofs. If the air quality is low, the roof lights up red. If the air quality improves, the roof lights up green — and free Wi-Fi becomes available to residents. TreeWiFi began prototype phases in June, with an official rollout expected throughout Amsterdam in September. Recycling is essential, but humans are extremely bad at it. We either don't properly sort our garbage, or don't even bother trying. That's where Trashbot comes in. Created by startup CleanRobotics, Trashbot uses cameras, sensors, metal detectors and motors to sort discarded items into the right locations, cutting out human error or laziness. A Trashbot prototype demonstration took place at the HAX8 conference in Shenzhen, China, in early June. The innovation will soon be beta-tested in Pittsburgh, at the city's airport and Google's local office. This Bangladeshi invention, dubbed the Eco-Cooler, is a zero-electricity air conditioner that uses repurposed plastic bottles to draw cool air into tin huts. The simple invention consists of halved plastic bottles placed on a board, which is then placed on the wall of a hut. The bottles' necks compress hot air and cools it down, dropping temperatures inside a hut by as much as 5 degrees. The simple design has already been installed in more than 25,000 homes across Bangladesh, helping to make the unbearable summer heat a bit more manageable. Tackling climate change is no small undertaking — and even video games are gearing up to help. A new video game called Eco is inspiring middle schoolers to become invested in their environment. The game, developed by Strange Loop Games, allows students to build a virtual civilization with sustainability in mind. Gamers need to protect their own virtual ecosystems through a series of tasks. They even have the ability to become climate activists within Eco, proposing and lobbying for laws — but only if they are backed by scientific data. The game is currently in prototype phases, but won the 2016 Games for Change "Climate Challenge" in June. Ocean pollution is a big problem — and efforts to curb it need big solutions. Boyan Slat, a Dutch entrepreneur, was only 17 years old when he first proposed his concept for a massive ocean cleanup machine. It's an innovation years in the making that got its sea legs this month — thanks to more than $10 million in funding. The unnamed device floats along the coast, creating an artificial coastline to gather debris on the surface of the ocean. A conveyer system then lifts the debris into a central tower, where it is sorted for disposal. A prototype of the garbage-collecting device launched this month off the Dutch coast. Every child needs a friend, and Leka is a friend that can make a major difference — especially for autistic children. An "interactive and multi-sensory smart toy," Leka encourages autistic children to play independently, helping them develop autonomy. The adorable smart toy is equipped with games that motivate social interactions, and also enhance motor, cognitive and emotional skills. Leka plays sounds and music, speaks, lights up, and vibrates to engage a child in multi-sensory play. But the toy is also completely customizable, and can be tailored to a child's needs and comfort. Leka completed a successful campaign on Indiegogo in June, raising more than 152% of its goal. Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.1. A prosthetic that is custom-molded in two hours
2. The condom that refuses to rip
3. Solar power stations that allow refugees to charge their phones
4. The app that matches Seattle's homeless with donations
5. 3D-printed weather stations bringing accurate forecasts to Zambia
6. Edible toothpaste pods that replace wasteful tubes
7. Birdhouses that reward clean air with free Wi-Fi
8. A robot that separates your recycling for you
9. Zero-electricity air conditioner made with plastic bottles
10. A game that teaches kids how to tackle climate change
11. A device that cleans coastlines by gathering debris
12. The high-tech toy designed to help autistic children socialize
Thứ Năm, 23 tháng 6, 2016
It was history and I was struggling to find a place to see it unfold. The U.S. House of Representative's Democrats were staging a sit-in—the first of its kind in this video-driven digital age— trying to force House Republicans to vote on a pair of gun control bills. Whatever side of the aisle you're on, this was (and is) must-see TV. Except it wasn't on TV. On Wednesday morning, as Rep. John Lewis of Georgia and a small group of other Democratic legislators sat down on the House floor, C-SPAN, the public-service cable network that will stream sometimes painfully dull congressional activity, sometimes gripping congressional testimony and at other times chats about books, suddenly lost what may have been its most compelling feed ever. A tweet pinned to the top of C-SPAN's Twitter feed notes that they do not actually have any control over the House of Representatives video feed. That control sits in the hands of the House Recording Studio, which is under the control of the House Majority Leadership (currently the Republicans). The cameras go on when House Speaker Republican Paul Ryan hits the gavel and opens a House session and they go off when the gavel goes down again to signal the end of the session. Of course, it's unlikely Ryan and other House Republicans would have seen it in their best interest to turn the feedback on when the sit-in began. Rep. John Lewis, D-Georgia, left, and Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont, talk in the Capitol's Statuary Hall before heading to a sit-in on the House floor calling on Republicans to allow votes on gun violence legislation, June 22, 2016. Image: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call Fortunately, various on-the-floor representatives and their staff were already live streaming the sit-in through Twitter's Periscope and Facebook Live. C-SPAN chose to pick up those feeds and deliver them straight to TV. While I tracked the sit-in through Twitter throughout the day and even caught some Periscope snippets and the live streams directly on Twitter, I didn't really watch the feed until late Wednesday night. I was following the #NoBillNoBreak hashtag on Twitter and realized that for as interesting as the tweets were, things were heating up in real time on the floor. I wanted to see it live. I found C-SPAN's web-based feed and started watching. What I saw was remarkable. By the time Ryan returned the House session to order, as the Republicans tried to vote on unrelated bills, the House cameras turned on and C-Span switched from grainy Periscope to the crisp official feed. But as the vote went forward a C-Span anchor took calls, C-Span was effortlessly playing live streams from Periscope and Facebook on the lower third. Democrats were shouting down the Speaker of the House with "No Bill, No Break!" and soon singing "We shall overcome." It was the most gripping live politics show I'd ever watched. "It was an unprecedented, milestone moment," C-SPAN Communications Director Howard Mortman told me. An image from C-SPAN'S web feed, which was being streamed through one congressman's Periscope account. Image: c-span "We knew something was happening on the floor, but the feed was down," said Mortman. C-SPAN producers noticed the streaming video from members of congress on their social feeds "and the decision was made to put that on air." C-SPAN has used streaming video in the past, but only to add color to other C-SPAN coverage. "But this is unprecedented, to have this kind of video sustained from Periscope and Facebook Live has never been done," said Mortman. He could not, by the way, tell me if they used more Facebook Live or Periscope video. The stream did start with California Rep. Scott Peters' Periscope of the sit-in. Mortman said they showed that feed for a while before switching to Facebook Live. However, in the hours I watched through the night and even on Thursday morning, most of what I saw were Periscope feeds. And Twitter reported that streams from Peters and fellow Californian Eric Swalwell generated at least 1 million views. Tweets sent today from @ScottPetersSD and @RepSwalwell with #Periscope broadcasts have now been viewed over 1M times and counting. — Twitter Government (@gov) June 23, 2016 Which makes this an important moment for Periscope and a reminder, perhaps, of why we loved the streaming platform in the first place. Ever since Facebook launched Facebook Live, its own streaming video service, Periscope, whether in fact or perception, has been relegated to second-class citizen status. Part of that perception has to do with media companies focusing virtually all of their streaming attention on Facebook's product (most are getting paid to do so). These media companies, including Mashable, are going all-in on Facebook Live not solely because it makes financial sense, but to maintain consistent access to the platform's vast, worldwide audience. It's still not, however, the best platform for real-time news. Periscope parent Twitter is not, as far as I know, paying for anyone to use its product or fill Periscope with content, but it has done work recently to make the service more present and available. Periscope feeds now play live right inside the Twitter stream — certainly something that helped with the House sit-in visibility — and, second, there's now a live video feed button right inside Twitter. It's still Periscope, but now you no longer have to open the app. These were smart, strategic moves, but when most of the media that uses your tool to spread news is using someone else's live video product, it may have been too little, too late. Not since the Pacquiao vs. Mayweather fight have we seen something so forcefully thrust Periscope back onto the national stage. This is Periscope's moment to shine. "This is unprecedented, to have this kind of video sustained from Periscope and Facebook Live has never been done." C-SPAN continued to cherry pick Periscope streams of House Democrats taking the floor, one after the other to call for gun legislation, hours after Ryan and others have left. He adjourned the session late Wednesday night and Democrats ended their protest Thursday morning, 25 hours after it began. Streamed over Wi-Fi or cellular coverage, the video quality was all over the map. "We’re talking about technology that's not of the level and quality that you normally get from a C-SPAN production," said Mortman. But their goal is to get the best streams available and to broadcast content from a diverse set of representatives. I don't know if this sudden surge in Periscope's profile will have any impact on its future fortune, but it serves as reminder of the rather distinct difference between Facebook Live and Periscope. The majority of the Facebook user base posts privately. They all have access to Facebook Live, but are not used to or adept at posting publicly. Periscope and, more importantly, Twitter's user base posts publicity by default. It's democratic and Periscope was probably the most natural place for the House Representatives and their handlers to turn when they wanted to get the word out, especially after C-SPAN's feed was cut. As for C-SPAN, they seem sold on streaming video as another content source. Mortman told me that the streams have given them access to the House chamber in ways that weren't possible before. "It presents an opportunity to be able to add more video to our coverage," he added. Whether or not that means more airtime for Periscope and Facebook Live feeds is unknown. C-SPAN continued to air sit-in streams until the very end, 25 hours later. Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments. Not us
Big for C-SPAN, too
Periscope by a nose?
We're back
The democratizing platform
As Democrats began a sit-in Wednesday morning to protest the lack of action on gun control legislation, the House of Representatives went into recess. Recess means no TV cameras allowed in the chamber, which in turn meant no cable news coverage of the historic sit-in still occurring in the House. And yet without media access, the story exploded. As C-Span was forced to stop rolling its cameras, the story quickly moved to social media with the hashtag #NoBillNoBreak and later #DemocraticSitIn. Pictures of representatives sitting on the floor were posted all over the Internet, people were retweeting representatives' tweets, tuning into Internet live streams and sharing their thoughts on Facebook. With no television cameras allowed, the phenomenon offered a rare opportunity in 2016: To see how an ongoing news story spreads and evolves when its chief drivers are almost exclusively limited to social media. Here's how it played out, and what the key takeaways are for today's most dominant social video platforms: The live streams began as Representative Scott Peters started broadcasting the sit-in through Periscope. We'll turn off our Periscope feed when they #TurnOnTheCameras.https://t.co/ECMIyz5p3k — Rep. Scott Peters (@RepScottPeters) June 22, 2016 Before Wednesday, Peters told The Guardian he had never used Periscope before and it was suggested to him by one of his staffers. Since the TV camera blackout was still in place, Peters' broadcasts were then picked up by C-Span and other media outlets. In years past, a media blackout like the one on Wednesday would mean the public wouldn't get a live view of what was happening inside the House chamber. But this is the era of social media, where a single tweet can find a worldwide audience. Because Periscope is built on Twitter, the House sit-in played to the strength of that platform: Live, breaking news has always lived first on Twitter, relaying events in real time. It didn't hurt that the media basically lives on Twitter. Periscope generated a lot of the initial attention for the sit-in and, even more remarkably, kept it through the next day. In response to all the interest, Periscope even created a channel to follow everything being broadcast from the House chamber. With official broadcasts suspended in the House, we’ve created a channel to follow #NoBillNoBreak on #Periscope live pic.twitter.com/1xM0QGqvzh — Periscope TV (@periscopetv) June 22, 2016 Thanks in large part to Periscope, the world was able to watch the sit-in live and instead of just reading about it. Peters also suggested to fellow participants to start broadcasting alongside him, which added fuel to the growing fire. Participants soon started broadcasting via Facebook Live, too, including Senator Cory Booker. Facebook Live typically has a larger reach than Periscope in terms of viewership, which helped spread the word beyond the Twitterverse and make it part of mainstream conversation. While there's less of a conversation on Facebook, it's a very effective medium for showing an event to the widest possible audience. Both Periscope and Facebook Live now archive all broadcasts by default, but an ongoing stream has more staying power on Facebook since it can live at the top of many people's feeds. Certainly, Twitter has moved toward algorithmic-driven feeds as well, but its most engaged users favor more of a real-time experience. That's why the sit-in broadcasts on Facebook have hundreds of thousands of more views then Periscope. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday highlighted how live Internet video, and Facebook Live in particular, helped the sit-in reach a wide audience, with more than 3 million views on Facebook Live alone. Consistent posting to Twitter kept fueling engagement with the world outside the House chamber, with images and video clips from participants getting thousands of likes and retweets. My colleagues & I have had enough. We are sitting-in on the House Floor until we get a vote to address gun violence. https://t.co/rTqrPifuUz — John Lewis (@repjohnlewis) June 22, 2016 The sheer amount of content being shared to and spreading around Twitter was how the news of the sit-in spread the fastest, quickly becoming a trending topic and remaining so even after the sit-in ended 24 hours later. Popular Twitter users quickly jumped on the hashtags, with supportive tweets and funny pictures getting huge impressions and further spreading the word, from Kim Kardashian to President Barack Obama. Thank you John Lewis for leading on gun violence where we need it most. https://t.co/vctfqAH5Wt — President Obama (@POTUS) June 22, 2016 While some Instagram posts were shared through Twitter, they didn't get quite the same engagement on their native platform. Congresspeople were even sharing news and scenes from the sit-in on Snapchat, including Booker, Representative Eric Swalwell, Representative Beto O'Rourke and more. A photo from Senator Cory Booker's Snapchat story Image: Cory booker/snapchat Snapchat is the most intimate social network, and all of the Snapchat stories coming from Congresspeople on the floor made the whole event more personal. It's one thing to get the bird's-eye view from C-Span's cameras, and another entirely to feel like you're on the floor with them. Content on Snapchat isn't as easily shareable as on Twitter and Facebook, but its audience is entirely different. Snapchat users tend to skew younger, so the Representatives sharing to that platform helped bring the sit-in to the attention of people who otherwise not know about it. Authenticity rules the day on Snapchat as well, and the Democrats righteous indignation (whether you agree with it or not) certainly plays well to its audience. Ironically, the media blackout became the best catalyst for making the sit-in a social media hit. The inherent interactivity of social platforms means the demonstration became a conversation, as opposed to yet another political event happening way over in Washington, visible on TV but still removed from our lives. With social as the driver, it was in our apps, our phones, our "social graphs" — occupying the same space as our dinner plans and vacation photos. That probably wouldn't have happened if the cameras kept rolling. Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.Periscope
Facebook Live
Twitter and Instagram
Snapchat
Chủ Nhật, 8 tháng 5, 2016
Losing jobs to technology is nothing new. Since the industrial revolution, roles that were once exclusively performed by humans have been slowly but steadily replaced by some form of automated machinery. Even in cases where the human worker is not completely replaced by a machine, humans have learned to rely on a battery of machinery to be more efficient and accurate. A report from the Oxford Martin School’s Programme on the Impacts of Future Technology said that 47 percent of all jobs in the U.S. are likely to be replaced by automated systems. Among the jobs soon to be replaced by machines are real estate brokers, animal breeders, tax advisers, data entry workers, receptionists and various personal assistants. 47% of all jobs in the U.S. are likely to be replaced by automated systems. But you won’t need to pack up your desk and hand over to a computer just yet, and in fact jobs that require a certain level of social intelligence and creativity such as in education, healthcare, the arts and media are likely to remain in demand from humans, because such tasks remain difficult to be computerized. Like it or not, we now live in an era dominated by artificial intelligence(A.I.). A.I. can be seen as a collection of technologies that can be used to imitate or even to outperform tasks performed by humans using machines. We might not first see it but we cannot avoid running into one or more systems that use some form of an A.I. algorithm in our day-to-day activities — such as searching for some information using Google, purchasing a recommended product on Amazon, or recognizing faces in an image uploaded to Facebook. Recent breakthroughs in A.I. are largely attributable to a technique called deep learning. Often known as machine learning or neural networking, deep learning involves “training” a computer model so it can recognize objects from images. The power of deep learning-based A.I. systems lies in their ability to automatically detect noticeable features and use them to solve hard recognition problems. It is often difficult for a human to explain the exact procedure at a sufficiently detailed level. Although humans could easily perform such recognition tasks almost unconsciously, it is often difficult for a human to explain the exact procedure at a sufficiently detailed level so that it could be programmed into a computer. With deep learning all this has changed. Now, deep learning-based A.I. systems can figure out the important features for solving difficult problems that were once thought to be solvable exclusively by humans. And as a result, humans will have to mentally prepare for the fact that some of our jobs will be lost to A.I. systems. We might even have to call A.I. systems our colleagues or bosses in the near future. But despite the deeper level of knowledge that our computers will soon acquire, losing our jobs to machines doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Letting machines do the bulk of the work means that humans will be freed from routine tasks that computers are better at performing with higher accuracy rates, such as driving cars. This should enable humans to think like humans instead of machines. It will also free up time and energy for humans to engage in more creative and intellectually stimulating activities, possibly assisted by A.I. A.I. systems have already become far too complicated for the average person to understand, let alone repair, so there will be new roles created which will require people who can act as intermediaries between computers and humans. Similar to professions such as medicine or law, where professionals with specialized skills are required to interpret technical details for everyday folk, we will need professionals who speak the language of A.I. Ethical issues arising from human and AI co-working environments is a real concern. These professionals may vary in their skills and are likely to consist of software developers, computer scientists and data scientists. But ethical issues arising from human and A.I. co-working environments is a real concern. It is one thing getting a face incorrectly recognized in an image uploaded to Facebook, but a totally different matter if cancer is misdiagnosed by an A.I., which could very easily happen. After all, computers make mistakes, just as people do Although A.I.-based systems are becoming smarter than humans in many fields, these systems are far from perfect and are unlikely to ever be perfect considering the unpredictable learning mechanisms they use. That said, it is likely to be the social and cultural changes that will be the real challenge, rather than the technical challenge of A.I. itself. So while robots taking over our jobs can be a good thing, only time will tell if we are ready to accept them as our co-workers. Danushka Bollegala is a senior lecturer at the Department of Computer Science at University of Liverpool. This article originally published at The Conversation here Deep learning
Emotional intelligence
Thứ Tư, 4 tháng 5, 2016
When the right technology is used, solar energy can do far more than make your dashboard toy nod its head. It can power homes, businesses and, as these 3 record-setting examples illustrate, help us make our way around the globe. Click on the solar-powered innovations below to find out just how powerful the sun really is. © 2016 SunPower Corporation. All Rights Reserved. SUNPOWER, the SUNPOWER logo, and MAXEON are trademarks or registered trademarks of SunPower Corporation in the U.S. and other countries as well.
