DW Weekly #166 – 28 June 2024
Welcome to another issue of the Digital Watch weekly!
These perforation-type anchors were inspired by the structure of skin ligaments. The researchers constructed a robotic face covered with dermis equivalent and a silicone layer. They then used perforation-type anchors to move the silicone around the corners of the robot’s mouth and, ultimately, to make a robot smile.
Image credit: Kawai et al., Perforation-type anchors inspired by skin ligament for robotic face covered with living skin, Cell Reports Physical Science
The skin equivalent’s primary advantage, researchers say, is that it is capable of self-healing. It can regenerate missing skin through cellular proliferation without any triggers. Researchers tested this previously, in 2022, on a robotic finger but have not tested it since the invention of perforation-type anchors. They noted that ‘the facial shape, with its intricate unevenness, differs significantly from the simpler, convex shape of a finger’. However, the researchers acknowledged that is a future challenge.
The fun part? The research might be of use to humans in the future: Researchers will study how the face moves to ensure the skin equivalent is applied with sufficient thickness over a robot’s face. As forming expressions such as smiles is closely linked to the development of wrinkles, researchers expect that the knowledge they gain about wrinkle formation could find applications in the cosmetics and orthopaedic surgery industries.
During this process, researchers controlled mechanical actuators beneath the dermis equivalent. The scientists note that replacing mechanical actuators with cultured muscle tissue could advance the understanding of emotions and aid treatments like facial paralysis surgery.
We can expect that while it looks quite unsettling now, the skin-equivalent-covered robot is bound to look better, more realistic, and even more akin to humans.
Monotheistic religions such as Christianity and Islam hold that God made man in his image. Christianity, in particular, holds that God is a benevolent creator who loves his creations. One might ask: Are humans determined to play God with robots?
Andrijana and the Digital Watch team
Highlights from the week of 21-28 June 2024
Criticism also arose over Apple’s delay in launching AI-powered features in the EU, citing DMA compliance issues.
Microsoft has indicated its willingness to collaborate with EU regulators to find solutions.
US authorities have pursued Assange since 2010 following WikiLeaks’ significant disclosure of confidential files.
India is set to mandate USB-C as the standard charging port for smartphones and tablets from June 2025, aligning with the EU’s efforts to enhance user convenience and reduce electronic waste.
Hackers using a variant of LockBit 3.0 ransomware have disrupted Indonesia’s national data centre, affecting immigration checks and over 200 public services, with the government refusing to pay the $8 million ransom demand.
Tech companies like WhatsApp, privacy advocates, legal and security experts, and numerous EU lawmakers argue the plan threatens privacy and encryption, potentially leading to mass surveillance.
The regulations initially target China, Macau, and Hong Kong, with possible expansion to other regions and include various exceptions to address national interest and existing commitments.
The company expands its AI chip offering to the Middle East through a new partnership with Qatar’s Ooredoo amid US export restrictions.
Manufacturing will be outsourced to Taiwan’s TSMC, although production is expected to start later this year.
The decline signifies a lack of organic demand, with most current transactions stemming from banks disbursing benefits to employees.
The event is aimed at identifying expectations (if any) from the concluding session of the Ad Hoc Committee to Elaborate a Comprehensive International Convention on Countering the Use of Information and Communications Technologies for Criminal Purposes. It will highlight the elements that define a positive outcome of this process, based on the insights of different experts and stakeholders.
