Technology
3D Printers and 4 ways they may change the world
Published
8 years agoon
Seemed like it was just yesterday when 3D printers were the talk of the town, hyped to the maximum, the next big thing, a technological wonder that was poised to revolutionize our world like never before. However, the fire seems to have burned out pretty quickly as most now think that these 3D printers are only suitable for printing miniature action figures for geeks.
Yes, its is known that these machines can do a lot more than just print action figures, but do their boons far outweigh their bane. Here are some talking points on potential harmful consequences of using 3D printers:
1) Energy-Hogging – They consume about 100 times more energy to melt plastic and mold it than injection molding.
2) Air Emission – The emission of unhealthy toxins from burning of plastics resulting in environmental issues and health risks.
3) Plastic Reliance – When the world is moving towards a plastic free age, ironically, the devices is centered around the usage of plastic for printing purposes.
4) Manufacturing Impact – Introduction of these printers in the car or aviation manufacturing industries to replace the human element will result in loss of jobs for manual labor.
For every bad thing that can be said about anything, there can definitely be a good thing that can be said about it too. Let us see how 3D printers can help change the world for the better.
Changing the way rhinos are being poached:-
A San Francisco-based startup has come up with an interesting concept to curb the poaching of rhino horns. Coupling the usage of 3D printers and the advancements in biotechnology, they are attempting to fabricate rhino horns from not synthetic materials but organic matter, metals, minerals, proteins and in cases even actual rhino DNA. The idea is to sell these artificial rhino horns to the said poachers ( to cover the cost of printing it ) who then go on to sell them in various international markets to make money and feed their families. This way, the rhinos are left unharmed and the market eventually dies out.
Tracking poachers using turtle egg shells:-
Not as big as a rhino but just as endangered, turtles have a huge market for their goods. Turtle eggs are stolen and sold for huge money with one egg going for a whopping $150. Paso Pacifico, an environmental conservation organization has taken the initiative to safeguard these turtle eggs from being poached and sold. They proposed to use 3D printers to print fake eggs, equip them with GSM and mixing them with the real eggs so as to enable the authorities to track their movement and uncover the sellers and their markets.
Medicine and health care:-
While we are on the topic of turtles and their safety, here’s another usage of the 3D printer, that is soon to be adopted by almost all veterinary hospitals around the world.
The image displayed below is of Akut-3 a loggerhead sea turtle that got struck on the jaw by a boat’s propeller. It was rescued by an organization called Dekamer.
A CT Scan of his skull showed what needed to be done, and BTech Innovations a company that specializes in custom implants created this printed beak and jaw made out of titanium for the wounded turtle. Now, Akut-3 is swimming freely deep in the ocean with his almost perfect printed jaw.
Self Service Dentistry:-
From turtles onto humans, we go on to the case of one Mr. Amos Dudley, a digital design student from New Jersey who decided to implement all that he learned about his own treatment. Choosing not to wear braces as a child left Amos with a crooked smile. Being broke but having unlimited access to all the high-end equipment from his lab at college, Amos decided to take things into his own hands.
Some cheap alginate powder that gave him a mold of his teeth along with a 3D laser scan that could translate imagery into existence which finally was fed into a 3D printer, he was able to print a model of his braces. At the cost of $60, he now has a fully functional set of bracers that are doing wonders for him. This is clearly an indication that 3D printing can be widely used in dentistry for treating the untreatable.
3D printers capable of outputting in colour and multiple materials already exist and will continue to improve to a point where functional products will be able to be output. With effects on energy use, waste reduction, customization, product availability, medicine, art, construction and sciences, 3D printing will change the manufacturing world as we know it.
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Artificial Intelligence
Microsoft’s New Phi-3.5 Models: A Leap Forward in AI!
Published
1 hour agoon
December 21, 2024Microsoft has made significant strides in the field of AI with the release of its new Phi-3.5 models. This series includes Phi-3.5-MoE-instruct, Phi-3.5-mini-instruct, and Phi-3.5-vision-instruct, which demonstrate impressive performance, surpassing industry benchmarks and rivaling models from leading AI companies like OpenAI, Google, and Meta.
Key Highlights of the Phi-3.5 Models
- Phi-3.5-MoE-instruct: This powerful model features 41.9 billion parameters, excelling in advanced reasoning tasks and outperforming larger models such as Llama 3.1 and Gemini 1.5 Flash. It supports multilingual capabilities and can process longer context lengths, making it versatile for various applications.
- Phi-3.5-mini-instruct: A lightweight yet potent model with 3.8 billion parameters, it demonstrates strong performance in long-context tasks, outperforming larger models like Llama-3.1-8B-instruct and Mistral-Nemo-12B-instruct-2407. This model is optimized for quick reasoning tasks, making it ideal for applications such as code generation and logical problem-solving.
- Phi-3.5-vision-instruct: With 4.15 billion parameters, this model excels in visual tasks, surpassing OpenAI’s GPT-4o on several benchmarks. It can understand and reason with images and videos, making it suitable for applications that require visual comprehension, such as summarizing video content or analyzing charts.
Open-Sourcing the Future of AI
Microsoft’s commitment to open-sourcing these models aligns with its vision of democratizing AI technology. By making these models available on Hugging Face under an MIT license, Microsoft empowers researchers and developers to build innovative AI applications without the constraints typically associated with proprietary software.
The Phi-3.5 models have the potential to revolutionize various industries, including healthcare, finance, and education. Their advanced capabilities can help automate tasks, improve decision-making processes, and enhance user experiences across different platforms.
Advanced Features
One of the standout features of the Phi-3.5 series is its extensive context window of 128,000 tokens, which allows the models to process large amounts of data effectively. This capability is crucial for real-world applications that involve lengthy documents or complex conversations, enabling the models to maintain coherence over extended interactions.
The training process for these models was rigorous:
- The Phi-3.5-mini-instruct was trained on 3.4 trillion tokens over a span of ten days.
- The Phi-3.5-MoE-instruct required more extensive training, processing 4.9 trillion tokens over 23 days.
- The Phi-3.5-vision-instruct was trained on 500 billion tokens using a smaller training period of six days.
These extensive training datasets comprised high-quality, reasoning-dense public data that enhanced the models’ performance across numerous benchmarks.
Conclusion
As AI continues to evolve, Microsoft’s Phi-3.5 models are poised to play a crucial role in shaping the future of technology by offering smaller yet highly efficient solutions that outperform larger counterparts in specific tasks. By focusing on efficiency and accessibility through open-source initiatives, Microsoft is addressing the growing demand for powerful AI tools that can be deployed in resource-constrained environments as well as large-scale cloud settings.
The introduction of these models not only signifies a leap forward in AI capabilities but also challenges traditional notions about model size versus performance in the industry, potentially paving the way for more sustainable AI development practices in the future.
Artificial Intelligence
Apple Voice Memos Gets a Major Boost: AI-Powered Layered Recording on iPhone 16 Pro!
Published
2 days agoon
December 19, 2024Apple is revolutionizing the way we create music and podcasts with a groundbreaking update to the Voice Memos app on the iPhone 16 Pro series. The introduction of AI-powered layered audio recording in the iOS 18.2 update allows users to effortlessly combine multiple audio tracks directly on their iPhones, making it an invaluable tool for musicians, podcasters, and content creators.
Key Features of Layered Recordings
The new Layered Recordings feature enables users to:
- Record Vocals Over Instrumental Tracks: Users can play their music through the iPhone’s speakers while simultaneously recording their voice. This feature allows for capturing professional-quality audio without the need for external equipment, making it highly accessible for creators on the go.
- Create Complex Audio Projects: The ability to layer multiple tracks of vocals, instruments, and sound effects empowers users to build intricate compositions directly on their devices.
- Edit and Mix Audio: Advanced editing tools are available within the app, allowing users to fine-tune their recordings and apply professional-grade effects. This makes Voice Memos a powerful alternative to traditional studio setups.
Advanced Technology Behind the Feature
Powered by the A18 Pro chip and advanced machine learning algorithms, Voice Memos can intelligently isolate vocals from background noise, ensuring crystal-clear recordings. This technological advancement enhances the quality of audio captured, making it suitable for professional use.
Apple has showcased this feature with the popular Christmas song “Maybe This Christmas,” recorded by Grammy Award winners Michael Bublé and Carly Pearce, highlighting the practical applications of Layered Recordings in real-world scenarios.
Exclusive Availability
Currently, this powerful tool is exclusive to the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, emphasizing Apple’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of mobile creativity. The app’s capabilities are designed specifically for these models, leveraging their superior hardware to deliver enhanced performance. Users on other models, including the base iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Plus, will not have access to this feature due to hardware limitations.
Broader Implications for Content Creation
The upgrade to Voice Memos represents a significant shift in how content creators can work. By enabling high-quality recording directly on their devices, Apple is catering to a growing demographic of musicians and podcasters who require flexibility and efficiency in their creative processes. This update not only enhances productivity but also democratizes access to high-quality audio recording tools.
Conclusion
With the introduction of AI-powered layered recording in Voice Memos on the iPhone 16 Pro series, Apple has set a new standard for mobile audio production. The combination of advanced technology, user-friendly features, and professional-grade capabilities positions Voice Memos as an essential tool for anyone looking to create music or podcasts on the go. As AI technology continues to evolve, we can expect even more exciting advancements that will further empower creators in their artistic endeavors.
Artificial Intelligence
YouTube Expands AI-Powered Auto-Dubbing to Knowledge Channels!
Published
2 days agoon
December 19, 2024YouTube is taking a significant step in breaking down language barriers by expanding its AI-powered auto-dubbing feature to knowledge and information-based channels. Initially introduced at VidCon 2022, this feature leverages Google’s Aloud technology to automatically translate and dub videos into multiple languages, enhancing accessibility for creators and viewers alike.
How it Works
- Automatic Detection and Dubbing: YouTube’s AI automatically detects the language of uploaded videos and generates dubbed versions in supported languages. This process is seamless for creators, who can upload their content without needing to make additional adjustments for dubbing.
- Language Support: The auto-dubbing feature currently supports translations between several languages, including English, French, German, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish. This wide range of languages allows creators to reach diverse audiences across different regions.
- Creator Control: Creators have the flexibility to review the auto-dubbed versions before they are published. They can choose to approve, unpublish, or delete these versions as they see fit, ensuring that the final content aligns with their standards.
Impact on Educational Content
This expansion aims to significantly increase the reach of educational and informative content to a global audience. By making videos accessible to viewers who speak different languages, YouTube empowers creators to share their knowledge and insights with a wider audience. For instance, a cooking tutorial originally in English can now be enjoyed by non-English speakers in countries like France or Japan.
Limitations and Future Improvements
While the technology presents exciting opportunities, there are some limitations:
- Naturalness of Dubs: Currently, the auto-dubbed voices may not always sound entirely natural or convey the original tone and emotion of the speaker. YouTube acknowledges that this technology is still evolving and may not always produce perfect results.
- Translation Accuracy: There may be instances where translations fall short or do not accurately represent the original content’s intent. YouTube is actively working on improving the accuracy and expressiveness of the auto-dubbed audio tracks.
YouTube has committed to ongoing enhancements, including an upcoming update called “Expressive Speech,” which aims to replicate not only the spoken content but also the creator’s tone, emotions, and environmental ambiance. This improvement will help create a more authentic viewing experience for users worldwide.
Conclusion
As YouTube expands its AI-powered auto-dubbing feature to more knowledge-focused channels, it is poised to make a substantial impact on content accessibility across the platform. By breaking down language barriers, YouTube is enabling creators to connect with audiences globally, fostering a more inclusive environment for learning and sharing information. As this feature continues to develop, it represents a significant advancement in how educational content can be consumed across different cultures and languages.
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