Bots in Society

Researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed a novel aero-elastic pressure sensor, called ‘eAir’. This technology can be applied to minimally-invasive surgeries and implantable sensors by directly addressing the challenges associated with existing pressure sensors.

A recent market study titled “How the STEM World Evolves,” conducted by Computer Futures’ parent company, SThree, unveils a pressing concern: 52% of UK IT and Technology professionals are fearful of potential job loss due to the advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation. This discovery spotlights the rising unease within the tech community, emphasizing the importance of comprehending AI and automation’s profound impact on employment dynamics.

A tiny robot which can travel deep into the lungs to detect and treat the first signs of cancer has been developed by researchers at the University of Leeds The ultra-soft tentacle, which measures just 2 millimetres in diameter and is controlled by magnets, can reach some of the smallest bronchial tubes and could transform the treatment of lung cancer. 

Scientists have started work on a new underwater artificial intelligence bot which can detect activities that harm the ocean environment. The technology, being developed by the University of Southampton with ocean science experts RS Aqua, will be used to spot illegal fishing and protect marine mammals during offshore wind farm construction.

Automata announces a partnership with The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust to unlock the power of open, integrated automation for cancer sample testing. With Automata’s support, the hospital’s Clinical Genomics Service, which is the cancer testing laboratory for the North Thames Genomics Laboratory Hub (NTGLH), will double its genomic testing capacity through a new robotic sample processing platform.  

Bielefeld-based AI startup Semalytix has announced a new tool, PatientGPT, claiming to speed up the process of generating insights in life sciences. The tool, a large language model (LLM), reportedly uses patient experience data to provide analysis and interpretation that traditionally could take up to six months, in a matter of seconds.

With groundbreaking advancements in autonomous vehicles, AI-driven art, and human-like chatbots, the line between human ability and machine learning blurs further. One pressing question has arisen amidst the rapid evolution of these technologies: Can intelligent machines truly replicate human capabilities?

San Francisco has seen an growth in protests by residents rise against disturbances caused by autonomous vehicles. A growing number of protestors have found an unusual method of expressing their discontent – by placing traffic cones on the hoods of these robotaxis, rendering them immobile. Their rallying cry is a defiant rejection of the emerging autonomous future, summed up in the phrase: “Hell no, we do not consent to this.”

At the start of automatica 2023 Reinhard Pfeiffer, CEO of the Messe München Group, highlighted the significant strides in the fields of robotics, pointing out the potential for this technology to increase efficiency, save energy, and contribute to more sustainable production.

Around fifty percent of employees in Germany see robots as helping to address the shortage of skilled workers. A large majority consider the use of artificial intelligence software such as ChatGPT to be a useful aid in making decisions in the workplace in the future. These are results from the trend index of automatica 2023, which takes place from June 27 to 30 in Munich. For this, 1,000 employees in Germany were surveyed by a market research institute.