What’s new: Google DeepMind has skilled a robotic to play desk tennis on the equal of amateur-level aggressive efficiency, the corporate has introduced. It claims it’s the primary time a robotic has been taught to play a sport with people at a human degree.
How good is it? The system is way from good. Though the desk tennis bot was capable of beat all beginner-level human opponents it confronted and 55% of these taking part in at newbie degree, it misplaced all of the video games in opposition to superior gamers. Nonetheless, it’s a powerful advance.
Why it issues: The analysis represents a step in direction of creating robots that may carry out helpful duties skillfully and safely in actual environments like properties and warehouses, which is a long-standing purpose of the robotics neighborhood. Learn the total story.
—Rhiannon Williams
This futuristic area habitat is designed to self-assemble in orbit
Extra persons are touring to area, however the Worldwide House Station can solely maintain 11 individuals at a time. The Aurelia Institute, a nonprofit area structure lab primarily based in Cambridge, MA, has an method which will assist: a habitat that may be launched in compact stacks of flat tiles and self-assemble in orbit.
Constructing massive area habitats is tough, and harmful. However the Aurelia Institute’s TESSERAE area habitat, which resembles a futuristic, one-story-tall soccer ball, may make it a lot simpler. Learn the total story.
—Sarah Ward