human
Deep neural networks show promise as models of human hearing | MIT News
Computational models that mimic the structure and function of the human auditory system could help researchers design better hearing aids, cochlear implants, and brain-machine interfaces. A new study from MIT has found that modern computational models derived from machine learning are moving closer to this goal. In the largest study yet of deep neural networks…
The 2023 discoveries that made us rethink the story of human evolution
Stone age paintings in Chauvet cave in France Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images This is an extract from Our Human Story, our newsletter about the revolution in archaeology. Sign up to receive it in your inbox for free every month. At this point it’s a truism that the story of human evolution is being rethought. Discoveries in…
DeepSouth: Supercomputer that simulates entire human brain will switch on in 2024
An artist’s impression of the DeepSouth supercomputer A supercomputer capable of simulating, at full scale, the synapses of a human brain is set to boot up in Australia next year, in the hopes of understanding how our brains process massive amounts of information while consuming relatively little power. The machine, known as DeepSouth, is being…
AI made from living human brain cells performs speech recognition
Brain organoids growing in a Petri dish Science Photo Library / Alamy Balls of human brain cells linked to a computer have been used to perform a very basic form of speech recognition. The hope is that such systems will use far less energy for AI tasks than silicon chips. “This is just proof-of-concept to…
Traces of cannabis found in pre-modern human bones for the first time
A femur, one of the bones that held traces of cannabis Gaia Giordano, Mirko Mattia, Michele Boracchi, et al. The first evidence of cannabis discovered in archaeological skeletal remains comes from bones of people buried under a hospital in Milan, Italy, in the 17th century. “Molecules of medicinal plants can be detected by toxicological analysis…
Video Games That Encourage Human Interaction Can Build Better Vibes
Gamers have long been stigmatized as lonely weirdos. Some of that has been deserved—ask anyone who’s had a bunch of children shout horrible slurs at them during a match of Call Of Duty. But some leaders in the gaming industry want to push back against that narrative by creating games that encourage users to form…
AI copilot enhances human precision for safer aviation | MIT News
Imagine you’re in an airplane with two pilots, one human and one computer. Both have their “hands” on the controllers, but they’re always looking out for different things. If they’re both paying attention to the same thing, the human gets to steer. But if the human gets distracted or misses something, the computer quickly takes…
An ‘AI’ fast food drive-thru is mostly just human workers in the Philippines
Artificial intelligence-powered drive-thru company Presto Automation described itself as “one of the largest labor automation technology providers in the industry,” and boasted its ability to increase sales and “save” human labor time. But according to recent filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, off-site human workers are stepping in and completing over 70 percent…
The moon may enter a new geological period thanks to human activity
US astronaut Buzz Aldrin on the surface of the moon in 1969 NASA Humanity’s influence on the moon is so great that we should define a new geological epoch, just as we are doing on Earth with the creation of the Anthropocene, researchers argue. We should also create lunar “national parks” to preserve areas for…
Honeyguide birds respond to special calls from human honey-hunters
A Yao honey-hunter in Mozambique holds a honeyguide bird Claire Spottiswoode People from multiple cultures in Africa have unique sounds that they use to communicate with honeyguide birds, and the birds recognise these signals as an invitation to cooperate. Greater honeyguides (Indicator indicator) lead humans to bees’ nests so that honey-hunters will break them open….