Bots on stage

A group of researchers from the University of Zurich and Intel has set a new milestone with the first autonomous system capable of beating human champions at a physical sport: drone racing. The AI system, called Swift, won multiple races against three world-class champions in first-person view (FPV) drone racing, where pilots fly quadcopters at speeds exceeding 100 km/h, controlling them remotely while wearing a headset linked to an onboard camera.

Generative artificial intelligence (genAI) is revolutionizing the media industry, reshaping the way we consume and engage with media content. From enhancing content creation to optimizing distribution strategies, personalizing user experiences, and bolstering revenue-generating efforts, genAI is making a significant impact. According to the renowned data and analytics company GlobalData, media companies are leading this revolution in an AI-first world.

Ireland’s Robot soccer team, RoboÉireann from Maynooth University, are Challenge Shield winners in the RoboCup 2023 Standard Platform League, an international robotics competition held in Bordeaux, France.

Flying Iron Simulations and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at RAF Coningsby have collaborated in using Microsoft Flight Simulator and 3D printed controls to provide pilots with emergency procedure training.  In a video published by Authentikit, Squadron Leader Mark ‘Disco’ Discombe MBE shares his decision-making process during the simulated failure.

An AI-generated woman named Claudia has successfully sold lewd photographs to unsuspecting Reddit users. Claudia is a 100-percent AI creation who was posted on several subreddits. Claudia’s post prompted a firestorm of users reporting it, leading a moderator for the group to post a disclaimer clarifying that AI-generated photos are not against the subreddit’s rules. The creators behind Claudia say that the onus should be on the consumer to discern whether a model is real or synthetic.

Just one year after returning from its unscheduled break, automatica, the exhibition for smart automation and robotics, will be held again from June 27 to 30, 2023. This is due to a change in its rhythm. From now on, the international automation industry will meet at the Munich exhibition center in odd years, side by side with LASER World of PHOTONICS—World’s Leading Trade Fair with Congress for Photonics Components, Systems and Applications.

Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute has a new artist-in-residence. FRIDA, a robotic arm with a paintbrush taped to it, uses artificial intelligence to collaborate with humans on works of art. Ask FRIDA to paint a picture, and it gets to work putting brush to canvas.

The physical skills of Atlas, one of the robots being developed by Boston Dynamics, have again increased significantly. To show what the robot is capable of, Boston Dynamics has posted a new video.

Miko, an AI robot for kids, gets its own streaming series. Produced by Moonbug Entertainment and available on YouTube, Miko: The Animated Series follows six-year-old Liza and her companions Red and Blue — two robot characters based on the Miko 3 robot.

Belgian developer Chris Umé (33) has created a 3D-deepfake version of Elvis Presley performing. The AR-installation was shown during the show America’s Got Talent. Members of the jury Sofia Vergara, Heidi Klum en Simon Cowell were also programmed to take part in the performance. Umé says he has worked six weeks for 20 hours a day to get this result.