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Loki is a simple simulation of a one-dimensional world populated with simple coloured agents that replicate when they have enough energy. Their colour and ability to acquire energy is inherited from their parent. Over time the evolution of different coloured germlines produces continually interesting and varying patterns.

Here https://youtu.be/w4O72g3_cjE is a video of it running as a standalone installation projecting onto a picture frame.

More videos, pictures, details on the simulation, installation, and all the source code at ALifeOnPi.com

Proof of concept that robots can be used as intermediaries between bees and zebra fish. Simple zebra fish behaviour (e.g. clockwise swimming) is detected and mimicked by a zebra fish robot and the robot’s behaviour communicated to a bee robot changes its behaviour to affects the behaviour of its bee friends. And vice-versa. Maybe the beginning of interspecies communication mediated via embodied AI?

Source: Robots Help Bees Talk to Fish – IEEE Spectrum

A morphology-changing robot is potentially a good platform to embody and evaluate simulated robot morphologies.

Source: Robot Melts Its Bones to Change How It Walks – IEEE Spectrum

Where bits and blobs meet: measurements of the physical world have been updated: Kilogram, ampere, kelvin and mole redefined: International System of Units overhauled in historic vote — ScienceDaily

The original Nuraphone Kickstarter video. During the development Bluetooth wireless capability was added, in addition to the array of cable options (USB, lightning, 3.5mm jack).

Surprisingly, after launch all Nuraphones were updated to G2 for free, adding active noise cancellation amongst other cool features.

Simply the most amazing headphones I’ve ever used. They are not cheap, but you can get a 20% discount simply by using this referral link https://friend.nuraphone.com/vwp9bmw2hd

 

Fly-inspired robotics.

Source: Robotic Fruit Fly Won’t Eat Your Fruit | Hackaday

 

Parkinson’s Disease Research

Subtle changes in behaviour may warn of early-onset of Parkinson’s Disease before it becomes diagnosable. One question is how to measure this? PDLab have published research detecting PD using machine learning to analyse users’ typing pattern, which is a pretty clever, unobtrusive source of data.

Similarly, this research demonstrates that early-onset Alzheimers can be seen through changes in writing style (example table below taken from paper).

Patterns of linguistic changes expected in normal aging and dementia

Linguistic marker Normal aging Dementia
Lexical
    Vocabulary size Gradual increase, possible slight decrease in later years Sharp decrease
    Repetition Possible slight decrease/increase Pronounced increase
    Word specificity Possible slight increase/decrease Pronounced decrease
    Word class deficit Insignificant change Pronounced deficit in nouns; possible compensation in verbs
    Fillers Possible slight increase Pronounced increase
Syntactic
    Overall complexity No change or gradual decline, possible rapid decline around mid-70s Sharp decline
    Use of passive Possible slight decrease Pronounced decrease
    Auxiliary verb Be-passives dominate Get-passives dominate
    Agentless passive Moderate decrease Greater decrease

There’s also an interesting radiolab podcast on this latter research.

Source: PDLab – research into Parkinson’s Disease

Looking forward to a 3D printer that can print these.

Wireless although ‘tethered’ to a laser beam for power. A next evolution of Washington University’s RoboBees.

More information at http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~christoy/Projects/Telescopes.html with link to the paper with some 3d printed examples and the source code.