UniversityOfEdinburgh
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Neural networks can add natural animation to video games
We've seen procedurally generated worlds and weapons in video games before, but piecing together believable animations from a pool of variables is pretty tough. Previous attempts at it have looked janky and disjointed. It's okay in something like Ubisoft's experimental and quirky Grow Home, but big-budget AAA blockbusters akin to Uncharted 4 carry a different set of expectations. New research out of the University of Edinburgh is a bit different, and might help video games get away from one-size-fits-most pre-scripted animations, though.
Photo editor uses neural networks to airbrush like a pro
Most people think Photoshop is a magical tool that can change reality, but it does require a skilled artist for decent results. Using neural networks, however, University of Edinburgh researcher Andrew Brock has built an uncanny image editing app that can transform someone's entire hairstyle with just the stroke of a brush.
Protein prevents your ice cream from melting quickly
In the future, you might not have to rush to eat your ice cream cone on a hot summer's day. Scottish researchers have discovered a naturally occurring protein that binds the air, fat and water in ice cream, which slows melting. The move would prevent your dessert from becoming a puddle, and spare companies from deep freezing their treats for as long as they do today. You could see higher-quality ice cream, too -- the protein promises a smoother texture without as many ice crystals or saturated fats.
Of course the UK's depressing tower blocks are getting a digital archive
Where would we be without digital archives? Not playing old MS-DOS games and browsing defunct GeoCities Labyrinth fan sites while we should be working, that's where. And while some institutions are busying themselves preserving such things as classic literature, one is embarking on a far more important task: building a fully searchable image archive of all the UK's miserable concrete housing blocks. The "Tower Blocks - Our Blocks!" project is the brainchild of social and architectural historians at the Edinburgh College of Art, because how else would you manage to snag over £50,000 in Heritage Lottery funding to scan pics of ugly buildings if it didn't have something to do with art? That money will be put towards digitizing 3,500 old photos of high-rises, some of which have long been demolished, and "support local outreach initiatives" to get residents to tell of their experiences within these concrete melting pots.
Scientists grow whole organs inside animals for the first time
Researchers have had success growing organs in controlled lab environments, but repeating that feat inside a complex, messy animal body? That's more than a little tricky. However, researchers at the University of Edinburgh have managed that daunting feat for the first time. They've grown thymus glands inside lab mice by "reprogramming" the genes in tissue-regenerating cells and partnering those with support cells. The team didn't have to use scaffolds or other "cheats" to trigger the growth; it just injected the cells and waited. There weren't even any obvious limitations. The organs were full size (unlike the baby-like results from some experiments), and they were just as efficient at producing virus-fighting T-cells as the real deal.
