This week’s list of top data news highlights covers February 17, 2024 to February 23, 2024, including the use of virtual reality to help astronauts exercise and the use of AI. Contains articles about improving forest fire detection.
1. Forest fire detection
Kazakh telecom operator Beeline Kazakhstan has introduced a new AI-based forest fire detection system, Orman-AI, which uses cameras mounted on antenna masts. The initiative, in collaboration with the Kostanay Regional Environment Agency, aims to strengthen early detection and response to forest fires and reduce the growing threat posed by climate change.
2. Improved access to LLM
Google announced Gemma 2B and 7B, open source AI models. These provide developers with a more accessible alternative to Gemini, a larger closed AI model. Google designed these lightweight models to run on standard computers, offering a combination of performance and affordability.
3. Promoting women’s health
Myna Mahila Foundation, an India-based non-profit organization, has introduced a chatbot for questions related to women’s reproductive health. The foundation aims to remove barriers to information access and foster an informed and empowered female population.
4. Enhanced IoT connectivity
British telecommunications operator BT Group has announced a narrowband IoT network designed to provide internet connectivity to IoT devices across the UK. Covering 97% of the country, this network supports the advancement of smart cities by providing internet connectivity to low-data infrastructure such as groundwater sensors and street lights.
5. Diagnosis of heart disease
Researchers at the University of Texas at San Antonio are training AI to detect heart disease from artery scans. The AI system learns to recognize early plaque buildup, a warning sign of a potential heart attack. This tool aims to help doctors detect heart risks early and save lives.
6. Write faster online
Google has launched “Help me write,” an AI-powered feature in Chrome designed to help users create text for online forms, emails, and reviews. The tool, integrated into Chrome’s latest update, leverages generative AI to provide context-aware writing suggestions that aim to streamline the writing process and save you time.
7. Improving astronaut training
Astronauts on the International Space Station use virtual reality headsets in conjunction with stationary bikes to simulate cycling on Earth, virtually connecting with their natural surroundings to increase workout motivation and improve mental health. offers advantages.
8. Wind turbine defect detection
Researchers from the Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne in Switzerland and the University of Glasgow in Scotland have created a new AI tool to find defects in wind turbine blades. This method uses radar and a computer program to check the inside of the blade without damaging it. This is a quick and energy-efficient way to check blade integrity and can prevent costly repairs.
9. Improving computing power
Researchers at the University of California, Riverside have introduced “Simultaneous Heterogeneous Multithreading” (SHMT). This new computer architecture technique allows devices like smartphones and computers to double their processing speed while using their existing hardware and reducing power consumption. This approach allows simultaneous use of GPUs, AI hardware accelerators, and other processing units, enabling parallel processing and avoiding data transfer bottlenecks.
10. Find prime factors
Researchers at the University of Trento in Italy have developed a new method for factoring prime numbers using quantum computers. This method can speed up the factorization process and has a wide range of applications in optimization and solving computational problems.
