Designing new drugs takes years, but A.I. could help reduce that to days
A new biotech company called Insilico Medicine is using advanced artificial intelligence algorithms to potentially discover the next world-changing drugs. Here's what it recently demonstrated, and why it could potentially prove to be such a big disruptor in the pharma space.
How Moots uses 3D printing to build titanium bikes that last a lifetime
Founded in 1981, Moots has made a name for itself building titanium bikes that last a lifetime. It now uses 3D printing in its design and production, pushing its exotic cycles further into the future. We spent some time with Moots to find out how a new titanium bike goes from concept to the road.
Tomorrow’s jobs: 7 future roles that will exist in the age of automation
Forget Skynet gaining sentience, the real fear a lot of folks have about artificial intelligence and robots is what it means for all of our jobs. The good news: While robots will certainly eliminate certain jobs, new roles will be created as well. Here are seven great examples.
On your mark. Get set. Blow: The race to build a breathalyzer for weed
With the growing legalization of marijuana, a number of research labs and startups are working to develop a breakthrough breathalyzer that can objectively determine whether or not a person is high. Here's why such a tool is required -- and when we can expect it to arrive.
DARPA’s latest pursuit? Stealth gliders that dissolve when exposed to sunlight
Imagine the scenario: there’s a mission in which spies or soldiers must travel into enemy territory without raising any alarms or leaving behind any evidence. How do they do it? DARPA thinks the answer involves a glider that self-destructs in the sunlight. Here's how it works.
Meet the subversive startup that’s fighting mass surveillance with t-shirts
Adversarial Fashion is a new fashion line which sells t-shirts, hoodies and other items designed to confuse license plate-reading surveillance cameras. Here's how the technology works -- and why its computer security expert creator, Kate Rose, is fighting the good fight.
Conjuring catastrophes: Inside the world’s largest hurricane simulator
With their state-of-the-art hurricane simulators, researchers like Brian Haus hope to gain critical insights that help improve forecasting and fortify our coastal cities before the next big one hits.
Photorealistic CGI product placement ads could soon invade your favorite movies
You know the kind of targeted advertising that you get online? Thanks to a new Hollywood visual effects startup, it could be coming to the world of movies and TV as well. Welcome to a future of personalized unskippable ads in your favorite media. Here's how the technology works.
Wreckage, reefs, and robots: The high-tech quest to find Amelia Earhart’s plane
Over 80 years ago, aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart disappeared while trying to fly around the world. Now a cutting edge expedition is trying to find out what happened to her -- and it's calling in an impressive autonomous water-based robot to help find some answers. Here's how.
Eric Geusz: Apple engineer by day, spaceship designer by night
An Apple software engineer by day, artist Eric Geusz spends his nights drawing everyday household objects as amazing, science fiction-style spaceships. The results have cultivated him an impressive online community of fans. Geusz told Digital Trends how it all got started.
Amazing app promises a full fitness checkup from a 30-second selfie
Researchers at the University of Toronto have developed a mobile app that's able to gather vital health information about users with nothing more invasive than a 30-second selfie. Here's what it's able to predict, how it works, and when you'll be able to get your hands on it.
The best deepfakes on the web: Baby Elon, Ryan Reynolds Wonka, and beyond
Deepfakes, the A.I.-aided face-swapping technology that threatens the future of truth as we know it, are everywhere. But while some of the potential applications are pretty darn unnerving, some of them are just plain fun as well. Here's a selection of the very best we've seen.
The future has arrived. Want proof? Check out these amazing robotic exoskeletons
From Aliens’ Power Loader to the Combat Jackets from Edge of Tomorrow, science fiction is full of amazing assistive robot exosuits that can be worn by humans to increase their capabilities. But real life is fast catching up with sci-fi. Here are some of the most exciting real examples.
Why tech companies are ill-equipped to combat the internet’s deepfake problem
How do you solve a problem like deepfakes? It’s a question that everyone from tech companies to politicians are having to ask with the rise of A.I. manipulated video and images. Here's why it's such a major challenge -- and whether or not there's any way of answering it.
Don’t speak: This wearable lets you give voice commands without saying a word
Imagine if you had a smart A.I. assistant in your head, capable of silently feeding you external information whenever you required it, without you needing to say a single word? That's exactly what MIT postdoctoral researcher Arnav Kapur has developed. Here's how it works.
What Bill Nye’s solar sail means for the future of space travel
The unique spaceship LightSail 2 was recently able to fly through space powered solely by sunlight. This is a remarkable achievement in its own right, but it could have even more profound effects on the future of space travel -- making it possible to visit other planets and even other solar systems.
CGI faces will soon be indistinguishable from real ones. Here’s how
British computer graphics company Cubic Motion has developed a breakthrough way of doing high fidelity motion capture without requiring markers and a motion capture suit. Here's how it works -- and why the company's dream of next-gen motion capture goes way beyond video games.
Micro machines: How the next big thing in robotics is actually quite small
Think that robots need to be the size of a dog or even a full-grown person to be exciting? Not so, as the fast-developing field of micro-robotics demonstrates. As it turns out, in some cases the world's most innovative robots may even be too small for many of us to see.
Deepfake-hunting A.I. could help strike back against the threat of fake news
Deepfakes are an amazing use of A.I. technology in action. They're also a terrifying glimpse at the future of fake news. At Drexel University, researchers have developed a neural network which can spot these manipulated images with a high degree of accuracy.
Harvard University has a bold new plan to make Mars livable for humans
Want to live on Mars? Researchers from Harvard University have a bold new way to make it happen. They suggest that an insulating material, referred to as a silica aerogel, could be used to make growing plants on Mars feasible. Here's why it makes more sense than many proposals.
Prepare for liftoff! Here are all the moon missions happening in the next decade
Fifty years after the Apollo 11 mission first put astronauts on the moon, the next 10 years is looking poised to be the most significant period in lunar history in decades. What do we have to look forward to? Here, we outline what the next decade looks like as the Space Race heats up once again.
How pioneering pilot Jackie Cochran helped and hurt the Women in Space Program
Before Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space, Jackie Cochran funded the Women in Space Program. The pioneering pilot, who became the first woman to break the sound barrier and played a major role in efforts during World War II, never realized her dream of venturing into space.
IBM’s Wimbledon-watching A.I. is poised to revolutionize sports broadcasts
IBM has developed a smart artificial intelligence with an appreciation for what makes a great tennis match. On display at the recent Wimbledon, it was used to create highlights packages. Here's how IBM developed it -- and why tools like it are the future of sport broadcasting.
MIT’s new drone can hover like a quadcopter, soar like a plane
Researchers at MIT have developed a new type of drone which can turn on a dime from hovering like an ordinary quadcopter to swooping and gliding like a fixed-wing airplane. In doing so, it could solve some of the biggest challenges which exist with modern drones. Here's how.
Stallone in Terminator 2? How one deepfake prankster is changing cinema history
Ever wanted to see The Shining with Jim Carrey instead of Jack Nicholson? How about Stallone in Terminator 2: Judgement Day? Thanks to the unnerving magic of deepfake AI technology, this kind of fantasy recasting is now possible -- as one creator ably demonstrates.
Autonomous ships are coming, and we’re not ready for them
Cars may dominate today’s discussion about the future of autonomous transportation, but some of the world’s largest maritime companies are betting big on autonomous shipping
Move over, Spot. Anymal is a four-legged dog robot with all kinds of new tricks
Boston Dynamics isn’t the only company building impressive dog robots. Swiss robotics company Anybotics has also created its own quadruped robot -- and it's pretty darn impressive. Here's what it's capable of, and the kinds of jobs that it excels at performing.
This robot arm for a wheelchair does everything from open doors to apply makeup
Canadian tech company Kinova Robotics has developed a lightweight, carbon fiber robotic arm which attaches to wheelchairs. Boasting three fingers and six degrees of freedom, it can be used for carrying out a wide range of everyday tasks that a lot of would take for granted.
The founding fathers gave us more than just independence. They gave us tech too
The Founding Fathers may have lived hundreds of years ago, but they were all interested in science and technology to some degree or another. Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and George Washington all tinkered with new techniques and technologies.
MIT and IBM’s new A.I. image-editing tool lets you paint with neurons
Imagine Photoshop for the deep fake generation. No, we're not quite there yet, but researchers at IBM and MIT have created an amazing demo showing how cutting-edge A.I. is going to power future image-editing tools. Check out their demonstration -- and have a go for yourself.
Grub’s up? Lab-grown insect meat could be the future of food production
Would you switch to eating a lab-grown insect flesh diet for the good of our planet? As far as future foodstuffs are concerned, it’s not out of the question. At least, that's what a team of researchers from Tufts University believe. And they're far from alone in their conclusions.
Bill Nye the Science Guy talks “solar sailing” and the new space race
Launching June 24, The Planetary Society’s LightSail 2 will be a milestone in spaceflight, the first craft to raise its orbit around the planet using just the power of sunlight. We grilled Bill Nye on just how it works, and what it means for the future of spaceflight.
A cardiac arrest-detecting smart speaker could save your life
Smart speakers are great for everything from playing music to operate our smart homes. But could they soon also help save lives as well? An innovative research project from the University of Washington could help smart speakers detect cardiac arrest while you sleep.
A giant new solar farm in Texas will harness the sun’s rays to … brew beer?
Brewing beer is surprisingly energy intensive. To help make alcohol production a bit more eco-friendly, the world’s largest beer manufacturer is behind efforts to build a new solar farm in Texas. In doing so, it promises to brew 100% of its beverages using renewable energy.