Technology that helps people who suffer from health-related issues is my favorite thing to write about. And this is a cracker! Diagnoses of Parkinson's are rapidly increasing, and for those afflicted, the challenges of everyday life can be significant. Patients now have an alternative beyond medication and surgery - the GyroGlove.
The GyroGlove is a hand tremor stabilizer. It uses a gyroscope to stabilize the wearer's hand instantly. The gyroscope rotates four times faster than jet turbine blades, helping the wearer reduce and almost remove the effects of hand tremors. This allows people to go about their daily lives as they did before experiencing their symptoms. GyroGear, the company that makes the GyroGlove, is currently researching and testing to miniaturize the gyroscope to make it easier to wear and less noticeable.
Watch the video to see the immediate and positive impact this will have on people. Hooray for technology!
One to be wary of: Google AI Fail
Hooray for technology? Maybe not so much in this case. Try Googling "2024 best printer" and see whether The Verge's article is in the top few results. The article, with the catchy title, "Best printer 2024, best printer for home use, office use, printing labels, printer for school, homework printer you are a printer we are all printers," was written with the help of Google's Gemini AI. It was created to see if Google knows how to identify and appropriately rank articles written by AI that are just trying to game the search algorithm. And it was a resounding success!
Companies spend a lot of time and resources on SEO techniques to ensure their content ranks well in Google searches. We are constantly told not to write for Google but to write for the reader. This experiment shows otherwise. Since it seems Google can't stop fake content from ranking high, we should be concerned about how quickly the web will be overrun by crappy and potentially misleading content.
We can't stop AI from generating content, but Google can do better in ranking search results. The Verge's experiment has cast doubt on whether experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness still matter to Google. The next time you search for "best of something," remember that just because it ranks, doesn't mean you can rely on it.
One to amaze: Atlas 2.0
We intentionally haven't written about Boston Dynamics for a while as they get a lot of media coverage. But this is a sizable shift for them.
Watch the video to see the new version of their famed Atlas robot being previewed, now fully electric (as opposed to the previous hydraulic version).
It has no visible cables, sleeker looks, longer legs, is stronger than before with new grip variations, and redesigned swiveling joints to give it a broader range of motion. The increased agility and dexterity can be seen when Atlas rises from the ground, twisting its legs and head in a way that reminds me of 'The Exorcist'. The ring-light head also gives it a pretty cool sci-fi feel.
Boston Dynamics wants to make Atlas not just mimic human movements but "move in ways that exceed human capabilities." The goal is to enable the robot to complete its tasks as efficiently as possible, even if that means contorting its limbs. Atlas has been equipped with new AI and machine learning tools that enable it to interact with its environment more naturally.
Will Atlas lead the charge of Boston Dynamics' humanoid robots? I won't be surprised to see it out taking Spot for a walk.