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Researchers used an AI technique called reinforcement learning to help a two-legged robot nicknamed Cassie to run 400 meters, over varying terrains, and execute standing long jumps and high jumps, without being trained explicitly on each movement. Reinforcement learning works by rewarding or penalizing an AI as it tries to carry out an objective. In this case, the approach taught the robot to generalize and respond in new scenarios, instead of freezing like its predecessors may have done.  “We wanted to push the limits…

But the project switched locations several times. Most recently, the team hoped to launch a balloon to test out the aircraft’s hardware from the Esrange Space Center in Kiruna, Sweden in the summer of 2021. But those plans were canceled on the recommendation of the project’s advisory committee, which determined the researchers should hold discussions with the public ahead of any flights. The effort was also heavily criticized by the Saami Council, which represents the indigenous Saami peoples’ groups in Sweden and…

On a bright chilly day last December, a crowd of doctors and scientists gathered at a research institute atop a hill in Novato, California. Their goal is to help people add years to their lifespans, and to live those extra years in good health. But the meeting’s participants had another goal as well: to be recognized as a credible medical field. For too long, modern medicine has focused on treating disease rather than preventing it, they say. They believe that it’s time to move from reactive healthcare to proactive…

“The term ‘immortality’ should never be part of our discussion… it’s a total pipe dream,” says Verdin, who personally hopes to live to around 95. “My worry is that it makes us like a cult.” Longevity doctors also tend to agree that, while longevity clinics are a pricey experience for the rich, they should eventually be accessible to everyone. “The clinics charge between $5,000 and $50,000 a year,” says Verdin. “It’s medicine for the rich, by the rich, which is something I deplore.” At the December meeting, attendees…

Two chips. Two operating systems. Dual GPS. It seems the “2” suffix in the OnePlus Watch 2’s moniker holds deeper meaning than just pointing towards the second-gen aspect of the brand’s smartwatch. Come to think of it, the OnePlus Watch 2 is so drastically different from the first one that it can’t even be called a successor in the truest sense. Upping the ante significantly, the Watch 2 comes across as more premium, and given that it runs Wear OS, more capable too. Let me dive into some more detail.Design and displayThe…

Unlike many of its competitors, Lava takes a modest approach to its smartphone launches. The domestic smartphone maker introduces a limited number of devices, with many, particularly in the Blaze series, proving to be quite enticing. A recent add-on to this lineup is the Lava Blaze Curve 5G – priced below Rs 18,000. It competes against popular smartphones in the market such as the Redmi Note 13 (review) and Realme 12. Read this Lava Blaze Curve 5G review for details on the smartphone’s real-world performance, camera…

Projectors have been around for decades but their use cases have traditionally been limited. The most common issues users face are with the physical dimensions of the device, the slow response time, the requirement for a large space, and the lack of colour accuracy in comparison to TVs and monitors. As a result, projectors have mostly been used in dedicated home theatres for watching movies, or in classrooms, or boardrooms. All that said, BenQ seems to be on a mission to acquire a whole new audience through its new…

Allison Murray/ZDNETWhat is the deal?The medium-sized Wacom Intuos Prodrawing tablet is made for creatives, and it feels like pen to paper when you're drawing or sketching on it. If you're looking to detail finer strokes or have a super responsive drawing tablet, this is the one. Full disclosure: I am not an artist. However, I am a tech reporter who's tested various tablets and knows the ins and outs of what makes a good tablet. And the Wacom Intuos Pro is a good tablet. Also: The best drawing tabletsThis drawing…

June 2023 Astronomy should, in principle, be a welcoming field for blind researchers. But across the board, science is full of charts, graphs, databases, and images that are designed to be seen. So researcher Sarah Kane, who is legally blind, was thrilled three years ago when she encountered a technology known as sonification, designed to transform information into sound. Since then she’s been working with a project called Astronify, which presents astronomical information in audio form.  For millions of blind and…

In training AI systems, games are a good proxy for real-world tasks. “A general game-playing agent could, in principle, learn a lot more about how to navigate our world than anything in a single environment ever could,” says Michael Bernstein, an associate professor of computer science at Stanford University, who was not part of the research.  “One could imagine one day rather than having superhuman agents which you play against, we could have agents like SIMA playing alongside you in games with you and with your…