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Intel and Penn Medicine are developing an AI to spot brain tumors
Using Intel’s AI hardware and software, Penn Medicine will lead 29 international healthcare and research institutions in creating an AI model trained on the largest brain tumor dataset ever -- and it will do so without sharing sensitive patient data.
CRISPR gene editing has been used on humans in the US
The first human trials in the US for CRISPR gene editing are officially underway. A University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia spokesman has confirmed to NPR that two cancer patients, one with myeloma and one with sarcoma, have received CRISPR treatments after standard treatment didn't hold. The trial removes, modifies and reinserts immune cells in hopes they'll destroy cancerous cells.
BACtrack's new wearable told me how drunk I was at CES
At 7 PM the exhibition center's doors opened and hordes of journalists broke through the velvet rope line holding them at bay. They rushed down broad, carpeted hallways, deftly ignoring the staff's pleas for calm and demands for proper identification. There was no time for pleasantries that night: It was a land rush, with limited table space and access to the precious few Ethernet connections. Welcome to the Pepcom Digital Experience, where exhibitors and reporters alike jockey for the other's attention in hopes of scooping their competition. It's madness, enough to drive a man to drink. So that's exactly what I did.
UPenn robots spring into action, save wooden hero (video)
Like you, we assumed that the University of Pennsylvania robotics team wouldn't be able to top the wow factor of that amazing video of Quadrocopters playing the James Bond theme, but if this doesn't best it, it sure comes close. Marvel as a quadrocopter, RC truck and a team of scale shipping-containers-turned-autonomous-robotic-boats band together to aid a wood artist's model. It's quite the site to behold, and according to the University, all the researchers have to do is tell the boats the final shape -- in this case a curved, floating bridge. Video's after the break.
Alt-week 9.1.12: growing bones, repairing voices, and a pair of satellites
Alt-week peels back the covers on some of the more curious sci-tech stories from the last seven days. There's definitely more than a touch of a biological theme to proceedings this week. In fact, so much so that we thought we might well end up with enough ingredients to make our own cyborg. Or rather, a light-responding canine cyborg with a really cool voice. Yep, science and technology is working hard to make all of these things possible -- albeit independently. If science ever does do the right thing, and pool its resources on such a project, you can thanks us for the tip off. This is Alt-week.
Wharton School of The University of Pennsylvania offers custom engraved iPads to students
If you're heading back to school, attend the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and need to buy an iPad, you can pick up one with the school's logo engraved on the back. iPad engraving has been offered since October 2010 and has since begun to offer logo etching for corporations, and Wharton worked with Apple to produce a custom-branded 32 GB Wi-Fi iPad that's available for current students and staff. Dan Alig, the Wharton School's senior IT director, said that it's been working with Apple for the past two years to deploy branded iPads to the school's executive MBA program. "Because it's a fully funded program, we buy the units on the student's behalf," Alig said. "The goal of the pilot was to enable a very mobile student population with a more portable version of their course material." After seeing the pilot-program students with the custom iPads, other students, faculty and alumni began inquiring about purchasing them. Because the logo engraving is only available for bulk institutional orders, Alig said, Apple worked with Wharton and campus reseller Penn Computer Connection to make the custom iPads available for sale. In addition to the engraving, the Wharton iPads have customized lock screens and desktop backgrounds, the school's branding video in the video library, the support office in the Contacts app and a number of Safari bookmarks geared toward helping students. Current students and faculty can purchase the Wharton iPad through Penn Computer Connection, and the Wharton School plans to work with its alumni relations team to try to make it available for alumni.
X-RHex Lite robot grows a tail, always lands on its feet (video)
By far the greatest challenge for robots with legs is staying upright when the going gets rough. A team at the University of Pennsylvania's Kod*lab has a hunch that we don't need extra smarts to make that happen -- just an extra appendage. The upgraded X-RHex Lite (XRL) carries a tail that will swing in the right direction to keep the robot upright if it's caught out by a fall, much like a cat. That's impressive for a nearly 18-pound robot (the previous Tailbot was 0.4 pounds), but we're pretty sure no feline has six springy legs; the XRL can crash to the ground and still get back up like it ain't no thing, which gives it a fudge factor others don't have. We don't know if the hexapod critter will lead to more than further experiments. If there are fewer stuck rovers on future exploration missions, though, we'll know who to thank.
Researchers use 3D printer, sugar, to create a fake artery network for lab-grown tissue
Printing a chocolate heart is easy enough, but how about an actual organ? There are folks working on it, but it turns out those veins of yours aren't exactly a breeze to replicate. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and MIT may have found a semi-sweet solution -- dissolving a sugar lattice in a batch of living Jell-O. The research team uses a RepRap 3D printer and a custom extruder head to print a filament network composed of sucrose, glucose and dextran which is later encased in a bio-gel containing living cells. Once the confectionery paths are dissolved, they leave a network of artery-like channels in their void. Tissue living in the gel can then receive oxygen and nutrients through the hollow pipes. The research has been promising so far, and has increased the number of functional liver cells the team has been able to maintain in artificial tissues. These results suggest the technique could have future research possibilities in developing lab-grown organs. MIT Professor Sangeeta Bhatia, who helped conduct the effort, hopes to push the group's work further. "More work will be needed to learn how to directly connect these types of vascular networks to natural blood vessels while at the same time investigating fundamental interactions between the liver cells and the patterned vasculature. It's an exciting future ahead." Scientists at other labs could also get their mitts on the sweet templates since they're stable enough to endure shipping. Head past the break for a video of the innard infrastructure.
Scientists use metal and silicon to create invisibility cloak (no, you can't wear it)
In the quest to achieve that much-desired invisibility cloak, scientists have redirected light, used heat monitoring and even gone underwater -- with varying degrees of success. The latest attempt at this optical illusion is from engineers at Stanford and the University of Pennsylvania, who have developed a device that can detect light without being seen itself. When the ratio of metal to silicon is just right, the light reflected from the two materials is completely canceled out. The process, called plasmonic cloaking, controls the flow of light to create optical and electronic functions while leaving nothing for the eye to see. Scientists envision this tech being used in cameras -- plasmonic cloaking could reduce blur by minimizing the cross-talk between pixels. Other applications include solar cells, sensors and solid-state lighting -- human usage is conspicuously absent on that list.
SAFFiR: the autonomous, firefighting humanoid robot
It took six years, but at long last, Anna Konda has a formidable firefighting partner. SAFFiR, also known as the Shipboard Autonomous Firefighting Robot, is being shaped by scientists at the Naval Research Laboratory. As the story goes, it's a humanoid robot that's being engineered to "move autonomously throughout the ship, interact with people, and fight fires, handling many of the dangerous firefighting tasks that are normally performed by humans." Outside of being stoic (and brawny) from tip to tip, it's also outfitted with multi-modal sensor technology for advanced navigation and a sensor suite that includes a camera, gas sensor, and stereo IR camera to enable it to see through smoke. We're told that its internal batteries can keep it cranking for a solid half-hour, while being capable of manipulating fire suppressors and throwing propelled extinguishing agent technology (PEAT) grenades. Wilder still, it'll be able to balance in "sea conditions," making it perfect for killing flames while onboard a ship. Of course, it's also being tweaked to work with a robotic team, giving it undercover powers to eventually turn the flames on the folks that created it. Paranoid? Maybe. But who are we to be too careful?Update: Turns out, the same Dr. Hong that we had on The Engadget Show is responsible for this guy as well. It's the next step in evolution of the CHARLI humanoid, and the two photos seen after the break are credited to RoMeLa: Robotics & Mechanisms Laboratory, Virginia Tech.
Light-based 'Metatronics' chip melts minds, not copper
Engineers at the University of Pennsylvania have flipped the switch on a new type of computer circuit. Unlike conventional silicon, the new chip uses light -- not electricity -- to perform its logic. By creating an array of nano-rods, light-flow can be treated like voltage and current. These rods can then be configured to emulate electrical components such as resistors, inductors and capacitors. The benefits of the so-called "metatronic" system would be smaller, faster and more efficient computer chips, which is clearly a welcome prospect. Another curious property the team discovered, is what it calls "stereo-circuitry." Effectively one set of nano-rods can act as two different circuits, depending on the plane of the field. This means your CPU could become a GPU just by changing the signal. We can't speak for the light itself, but our minds are certainly bent.
Acrobatic quadrocopters hunt in packs, seduce you into submission (video)
We've kept a pretty stern eye on the development of GRASP Lab's quadrocopters, and with good reason it seems, now that the four-bladed aerial ninjas have even more alarming abilities at their disposal. In the video after the break, watch them hold a variety of complex formations like it's no thing -- even while on the move. The 'copters can also take flight, or resume position, after being thrown into the air, navigating real world obstacles with deft fluidity. It's part of University of Pennsylvania's Scalable sWarms of Autonomous Robots and Mobile Sensors project (conveniently SWARMS for short), which is responsible for developing the air-born acrobats' new grouping skills. They say it's an attempt to replicate swarming habits in nature, though we're not convinced.
Researchers use children's toy to exploit security hole in feds' radios, eavesdrop on conversations
Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania have discovered a potentially major security flaw in the radios used by federal agents, as part of a new study that's sure to raise some eyebrows within the intelligence community. Computer science professor Matt Blaze and his team uncovered the vulnerability after examining a set of handheld and in-car radios used by law enforcement officials in two, undisclosed metropolitan areas. The devices, which operate on a wireless standard known as Project 25 (P25), suffer from a relatively simple design flaw, with indicators and switches that don't always make it clear whether transmissions are encrypted. And, because these missives are sent in segments, a hacker could jam an entire message by blocking just one of its pieces, without expending too much power. What's really shocking, however, is that the researchers were able to jam messages and track the location of agents using only a $30 IM Me texting device, designed for kids (pictured above). After listening in on sensitive conversations from officials at the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security, Barnes and his team have called for a "substantial top-to-bottom redesign" of the P25 system and have notified the agencies in question. The FBI has yet to comment on the study, but you can read the whole thing for yourself, at the link below.
Quadrocopters: blooper reel edition
We have a gut feeling this is the video that'll be playing when 'the hive' takes over -- a sentimental, 'look how far we've come' victory reel for the Quadrotor nation. But for now, let's just keep the focus on the softer side of our future nemesis' training-room foibles. Playing like an über-geek version of America's Funniest Home Videos, we admit we cracked a smile watching these insect-like bots from the University of Pennsylvania's GRASP Lab take a few hard knocks in the humility ring. Fear of the swarm aside, it's a humorous twist on an otherwise droning research project. The take away? Schadenfreude -- it's not just for humans. [Thanks, Daniel]
Rescue robots map and explore dangerous buildings, prove there's no 'I' in 'team' (video)
We've seen robots do some pretty heroic things in our time, but engineers from Georgia Tech, the University of Pennsylvania and Cal Tech have now developed an entire fleet of autonomous rescue vehicles, capable of simultaneously mapping and exploring potentially dangerous buildings -- without allowing their egos to get in the way. Each wheeled bot measures just one square foot in size, carries a video camera capable of identifying doorways, and uses an on-board laser scanner to analyze walls. Once gathered, these data are processed using a technique known as simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM), which allows each bot to create maps of both familiar and unknown environments, while constantly recording and reporting its current location (independently of GPS). And, perhaps best of all, these rescue Roombas are pretty team-oriented. Georgia Tech professor Henrik Christensen explains: "There is no lead robot, yet each unit is capable of recruiting other units to make sure the entire area is explored. When the first robot comes to an intersection, it says to a second robot, 'I'm going to go to the left if you go to the right.'" This egalitarian robot army is the spawn of a research initiative known as the Micro Autonomous Systems and Technology (MAST) Collaborative Technology Alliance Program, sponsored by the US Army Research Laboratory. The ultimate goal is to shrink the bots down even further and to expand their capabilities. Engineers have already begun integrating infrared sensors into their design and are even developing small radar modules capable of seeing through walls. Roll past the break for a video of the vehicles in action, along with full PR.
GRASP Lab quadrocopters learn to follow the leader and fly in formation
The University of Pennsylvania's GRASP Lab has already recklessly taught its autonomous quadrocopters to move in packs, fly through hoops and build things on their own, and it's now for some reason decided to teach them yet another trick they'll surely use against us one day. As you can see in the video above, the quadrocopters are now able to take cues from a leader and fly in formation. What's more, they can even continue with the formation if one loses communication and falls out of the pack, which the researchers note is key to the success of any swarm. Isn't that reassuring?
UPenn's PhillieBot throws out first pitch, Skynet calls for a reliever (video)
We'll hand it to the University of Pennsylvania -- mixing robotics and sport definitely isn't easy. But in the heart of Citizens Bank Park today, the so-called PhillieBot came close to generating a universal chorus of boos after it failed to successfully toss a first pitch to the Phanatic. We're guessing it'll be wound up a bit more before trying again; after all, it's not like Philly needs another reason to pelt an otherwise lovable character with vitriol (or snowballs).
Quadrocopters learn to build things, when will humans learn to fear them? (video)
The GRASP Lab quadrocopters were impressive enough by themselves, all slashing and swooping through the air with unerring precision, but then their makers had to go and give them the intelligence to work in groups and today the inevitable has happened: they've learned how to construct things! Sure, the structures are rudimentary, but we can recognize the beginnings of human containment cells when we see them. Skip past the break for the bone-chilling, teamwork-infused video.
Quadrocopters can now fly through thrown hoops, the end really is nigh (video)
The future of humanity is assured. Assuredly doomed, that is. That blur you see up above is one of our familiar foes, the GRASP Lab's autonomous quadrocopter, flying through a thrown hoop without the assistance of a human director. Yes, it's downright insane that we're allowing this so-called research to continue our descent toward the robot uprising -- where's the FBI, the CIA, hell, why is DARPA sleeping on this thing? The lethal precision of these quadrotor helis doesn't end there, however, as they've now been enhanced with the ability to recover from "extreme" starting conditions. In simpler terms that just means you can toss one up into the air and it'll right itself into a steady hovering position. From where it can strike upon the unsuspecting and complacent humanoid populace.
Shocker: Touchscreen smudge may give away your Android password pattern
Fast food connoisseurs should pay special attention here -- according to a recent paper by the University of Pennsylvania, Android users are inadvertently leaving their nine-dot lock patterns in the open, courtesy of their fingers' oily smear on the screen. Specifically, the study on potential "smudge attacks" found that partial or complete patterns could be easily retrieved -- even with added noise on the display or after incidental clothing contact -- by using various lighting and camera orientation settings for the smear analysis. Should we be surprised? No. But should our phones be getting Froyo sooner for the extra PIN and QWERTY password options? Hell yeah.
