{"id":3829,"date":"2019-10-18T00:01:28","date_gmt":"2019-10-17T13:01:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alexshoolman.com\/blog\/?p=3829"},"modified":"2024-08-08T10:27:06","modified_gmt":"2024-08-08T00:27:06","slug":"the-tipping-point-2019-week-42","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alexshoolman.com\/blog\/2019\/10\/18\/the-tipping-point-2019-week-42\/","title":{"rendered":"The Tipping Point – 2019 Week 42"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We believe that everyone’s future can be richer, happier and more efficient<\/strong>. But you can’t embrace that future unless you take the first, most crucial step: being informed about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Welcome to The Tipping Point<\/a>, a regular post on Future Tech for people who don’t have enough time to read all the full news stories. Instead we shorten them, concentrate everything into one post, put that in your face, and you have to suck it. So let’s go!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This Weeks News!<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

AI: Solving Rubik\u2019s Cube with a Robot Hand<\/a>
OpenAI<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We\u2019ve trained a pair of neural networks to solve the Rubik\u2019s Cube with a human-like robot hand. The neural networks are trained entirely in simulation, using the same reinforcement learning code as OpenAI Five paired with a new technique called Automatic Domain Randomization (ADR). The system can handle situations it never saw during training, such as being prodded by a stuffed giraffe.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

COMPUTE: Google Store pre-orders are live for Pixel 4, Nest Mini, Pixelbook Go, and Nest Wifi<\/a>
Android Police<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“If the Pixel 4 is what you’ve been waiting for, you can get it for $799 with 64GB of storage or $899 with 128GB, while the larger Pixel 4 XL is $899 for 64GB and $999 for 128GB. The upgraded Nest Mini speaker is also available to pre-order for $49 in the US and \u00a349 in the UK. Probably the device I’m most excited about is the Pixebook Go, Google’s attempt at a Macbook-style clamshell laptop. Pricing starts at $649\/\u00a3629 for the model with an Intel Core m3 processor with 8GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, and goes all the way up to $1,399 for a fully-specced Core i7 16\/256GB variant.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CRYPTO: How To Move $6 BILLION AUD For $1.60 AUD<\/a>
Blockchain<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While it’s not well know who (or which company\/group) performed this transaction it still gives an impressive use case for Bitcoin. Moving utterly massive amounts of money around for cheaper than the price of a coffee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NANO: Scientists pinpoint cause of harmful dendrites and whiskers in lithium batteries<\/a>
Phys.org<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Scientists have uncovered a root cause of the growth of needle-like structures\u2014known as dendrites and whiskers\u2014that plague lithium batteries, sometimes causing a short circuit, failure, or even a fire.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ROBOTICS: Skydio Launches Dock For Enterprises<\/strong><\/a>
DroneDJ<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The concept of a \u201cdrone in a box\u201d has long offered the promise of fully automated data collection for myriad enterprise applications from repeated mapping of construction sites, to security patrols of sensitive areas, to keeping drones on call as first responders for emergency situations. However, nothing has come close to delivering on those promises. Existing solutions are massively complex, expensive, and impractical. And beyond all of this, if you want persistent operations that don\u2019t require a pilot in the loop, you need a drone that\u2019s smart enough to fly itself.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SPACE: Virgin Orbit says it wants to send tiny spacecraft to Mars in 2022<\/a>
Technology Review<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“On Wednesday, Virgin Orbit, the satellite-focused spinoff of space tourism company Virgin Galactic, announced plans to launch three missions to Mars. The company has inked a partnership with Polish satellite company SatRevolution and groups from Polish universities to send three small robotic spacecraft to Mars for science investigations. The missions would be launched by Virgin Orbit\u2019s flagship LauncherOne rocket and could start as early as 2022.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TRANSPORT: How transport prices may very well go negative…
Steve Jobs Ghost<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While not an article this Twitter thread from the aptly names Steve Jobs Ghost outlays how fully electric, fully autonomous robotaxis may very well soon plunge the costs of transport not just lower, but negative. It’s a very interesting thought and something I can fully see happening in only a few years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

I had this crazy thought in the shower today.

Right now transportation costs $1 – $2 per mile. The biggest components of this cost are gasoline and human labor.

Those are about to be eliminated at the exact same time. The price of transportation will go to free, then negative pic.twitter.com\/U2QC67B5qP<\/a><\/p>— Steve Jobs Ghost \ud83d\udc7b (@tesla_truth) October 15, 2019<\/a><\/blockquote>