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Apple robots might invade your home [The CultCast]

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A humanoid robot, plus the CultCast logo and episode 641 label.
Just how far will Apple go with robotics?
Photo: Owen Beard/Unsplash License/Modified by Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: After pulling the plug on an ambitious project — creating a self-driving car — Apple sets its sights on making … home robots?!? Say it ain’t so, Tim!

Also on The CultCast:

  • New iPhone 16 dummy units bring the rumors to life. But as for those long-predicted fancy new iPads, we’re still waiting. Get used to it!
  • The next-gen Apple processor could give Macs a serious performance boost. Erfon talks specs and speculation.
  • Vision Pro’s new Spatial Personas aren’t creepy at all … 👻
  • Griffin serves up some tips on how to take a proper photo during the upcoming total solar eclipse.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

The CultCast live stream archive

Here’s the video version:

And below are our sponsors and the stories we discussed.

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This week’s top Apple news

On the show this week: Your host Erfon Elijah (@erfon), Cult of Mac managing editor Lewis Wallace (@lewiswallace) and Cult of Mac writer D. Griffin Jones (@dgriffinjones).

Here are the headlines we’re talking about on this week’s show:



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Apple’s Work on Robots: What We Know So Far

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With the Apple Car canceled, Apple is exploring new markets where it might be able to find new revenue streams, and personal robotics is apparently one area the company is investigating.

roseytherobot
This guide highlights everything we know about Apple’s interest in robotics, and we’ll update it with new rumors going forward.

The Robot Rumors

According to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman, Apple is looking for its “next big thing,” and robotics are one area of focus. Apple has engineering teams working on various in-home robotic devices and the AI software and functionality that might be able to make a home robot useful.

Apple’s work on robotics takes place in the hardware engineering division and in its AI and machine learning group under AI chief John Giannandrea.

Mobile Robot

Apple is considering a mobile robot that would follow users around the home, presumably serving as something like an iPad on wheels. A robot would likely be able to place FaceTime calls, monitor the home and the people in it, carry out simple tasks, and answer queries.

Apple is said to be exploring AI algorithms that would be used to help robots navigate cluttered spaces in homes, and while Apple wants to design a robot that would clean and do chores much like Rosey in the Jetsons, it’s too complicated for now. Gurman says that such a robot is unlikely this decade due to “extraordinarily difficult engineering challenges.”

Table-Top Robot

Another Apple project is described as an “advanced table-top home device” where robotics are used to move a display around. The device, which is described as a robotic motor on a small stand, would mimic the head movements of a person on a ‌FaceTime‌ video call. It would be able to nod, or precisely lock on to a single person during a group ‌FaceTime‌ call. Gurman says that Apple has had some difficulty with weight and balance, and Apple is also not sure that consumers will pay “top dollar” for such a product.

The robotic display is said to be further along than Apple’s mobile robot, but it has been “added and removed from the company’s product roadmap” several times over the years.

Secret House Facility

Apple reportedly has a secret facility that is designed to look like the inside of a home, and that’s where it is testing future home products.

Other Home Devices

There are some more realistic products that are in the works, with rumors suggesting that Apple is developing an iPad-like home hub device that would serve as a central way to control smart devices. Apple has also been rumored to be working on a version of the Apple TV that integrates HomePod speakers and a camera, and there have been rumors of a ‌HomePod‌ with a display.

Apple’s Competition

Amazon has a $1,600 “Astro” robot that it sells by invitation. Astro is able to navigate the home and remotely check specific rooms, people, and things when the user is away from home.

Amazon AstroAmazon Astro
The robot is able to send an alert if an unrecognized person is detected, or if there are sounds like an alarm. Astro has a built-in display and can be used for watching TV, placing calls, setting reminders, sending messages, and more. Astro uses Alexa, and Amazon suggests that it can be used to “remotely care for aging loved ones.”

Astro is also able to carry “a variety of accessories” such as a Ziploc container, a blood pressure monitor, and a Furbo Dog Camera that provides treats for a pet.

Sony has experimented with robots, and is best known for the Aibo robotic dog. Priced at $2900, Aibo is designed to act like a real dog with dynamic movements, lifelike expressions, curiosity, and an interest in human interaction. Aibo is able to learn tricks, play with toys, and listen to commands.

There are a number of other home robots on the market, but the best known may be the wide range of robot vacuums like the Roomba that are able to navigate the home to automatically clean up dust, dirt, pet fur, and other debris.

Robot Launch Date

Apple’s work on personal robotics is in the early stages, and the company has small teams that are exploring different concepts. It is not clear if some kind of robot will ever launch, and there is no word on when if so.

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Life Style

Verbose robots, and why some people love Bach: Books in Brief

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Vision Impairment

Michael Crossland UCL Press (2024)

On a typical day in his clinic, London-based optometrist Michael Crossland assesses both young children and centenarians with low vision. Severe vision impairment affects 350 million people around the world, many of whom in poorer countries lack access to any eye care. His fascinating, sometimes moving, account — mixing ophthalmology with the stories of his patients and many others — reveals that life with vision impairment can be “just as rich and rewarding as life with 20/20 vision”.

Literary Theory for Robots

Dennis Yi Tenen W. W. Norton (2024)

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rooted in the humanities, argues Dennis Yi Tenen, a comparative-literature professor and former Microsoft engineer. Chatbots are trained using electronic versions of tools such as “dictionaries, style guides, schemas, story plotters [and] thesauruses” that were historically part of the collective activity of writing. Indeed, a statistical model called the Markov chain, crucial to AI, arose from an analysis of vowel distribution in poems by Alexander Pushkin. Tenen’s cogitation is a witty, if challenging, read.

The Last of Its Kind

Gísli Pálsson Princeton Univ. Press (2024)

Living species could never become extinct, thought naturalist Carl Linnaeus. Charles Darwin disagreed, saying extinction was a natural process. Then ornithologists John Wolley and Alfred Newton began studying great auks, flightless birds living on remote islands in the North Atlantic Ocean. They visited Iceland in 1858 to see great auks, but instead met locals who described killing off the birds — revealing how humans could extinguish a species. Anthropologist Gísli Pálsson tells the engaging story of this “key intellectual leap”.

All Mapped Out

Mike Duggan Reaktion (2024)

Cultural geographer Mike Duggan works in partnership with the UK national mapping agency, Ordnance Survey, to study everyday digital-mapping practices. Important as it is, digital mapping is not superseding analogue maps, he observes in his global history of cartography, which begins with Palaeolithic carvings. Sales of Ordnance Survey paper maps are rising, perhaps because of their convenience. “Although digital maps are improving constantly in accuracy and design, they do not always live up to those promises.”

The Neuroscience of Bach’s Music

Eric Altschuler Academic (2024)

Physician and neuroscientist Eric Altschuler regards J. S. Bach as the greatest composer ever, as do many others. Altschuler’s pioneering study — illustrated with numerous musical examples — aims to show how Bach-centred neuroscience “can help us better appreciate perceptual and cognitive affects in Bach” and create better performances of the composer’s work. It also teaches us how music perception is not localized to one region of the brain but occurs throughout it, and varies from person to person.

Competing Interests

The author declares no competing interests.

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OpenAI and 1X Robotics autonomous robots will change the world

OpenAI and 1X Robotics autonomous robots

Yesterday  in a groundbreaking collaboration, OpenAI and 1X Robotics have unveiled a new robot that is capturing the attention of the tech world. This robot, known as the EVE, is a fully autonomous robot that can operate on its own, without the need for human guidance. It’s a significant step forward in the field of humanoid robots, and it’s sparking conversations about the future of artificial intelligence and the role of robots in our daily lives.

The EVE robot is unique because it can charge itself, which means it doesn’t need humans to keep it powered. This self-charging ability is a major development, as it allows the robot to work for extended periods without interruption. It’s a key feature that could lead to robots being more integrated into various settings, from homes to businesses, without the need for constant human supervision.

What sets the EVE robot apart from earlier models is its ability to respond to its environment in real time. This is a big deal because it means the robot can handle tasks that require immediate action, much like a human would. The robot’s quick reflexes are made possible by its advanced neural networks, which process information directly, allowing it to learn and adapt on the fly. This is a departure from traditional programming methods and is essential for the robot to perform a wide range of tasks.

EVE autonomous humanoid robot

The EVE robot also boasts a new hand design that gives it the ability to grip and manipulate objects in a way that’s different from human hands but still highly effective. This innovation expands the types of tasks the robot can do and improves its overall functionality. Additionally, the robot’s vision-based neural network processes visual information at a rapid pace, enabling it to quickly adapt to changes in its environment. This is crucial for tasks that require precision and fast reactions.

A new kind of software engineer, known as a “Software 2.0 Engineer,” is emerging to work with these advanced robots. These engineers train the robot’s neural networks using data, moving away from traditional coding. This shift is vital for the development of autonomous robotic systems and represents a new direction in software development.

OpenAI invests in robotics

The partnership between OpenAI and 1X Robotics is strategic, aiming to combine robotics with AI to create more sophisticated embodied AI systems. Experts in the industry recognize the potential impact of the EVE robot’s self-charging feature on the future of robotics. To support the ongoing development of the EVE and the upcoming bipedal android model Neo, 1X Robotics has secured funding, including a significant investment from OpenAI. Neo is designed for domestic assistance and is capable of performing a wide range of tasks, which could transform the concept of home automation.

In some instances, Neo could be operated remotely by human controllers, who would manage its vision and movements. This opens up the possibility of new job sectors where operators can control robots from afar, extending human capabilities into different environments. The integration of humanoid robots into everyday life is promising, with potential uses in both residential and commercial areas. As these robots become more common, they are expected to create new job sectors focused on their management and maintenance, changing the workforce and how we interact with technology.

The joint effort by 1X Robotics and OpenAI to create the EVE robot is a notable step toward more advanced artificial intelligence. With capabilities like real-time operation, self-charging, and sophisticated neural networks, the EVE robot is poised to become a valuable tool in both home and business settings, marking the beginning of a new era in autonomous robotics.

OpenAI’s venture into autonomous robotics marks a turning point in the industry. These robots’ ability to learn and adapt through advanced neural networks and visual data processing suggests a new era for task automation and physical labor. As these robots become more integrated into various sectors, they’re set to not only change the nature of work but also create new job opportunities in the ever-evolving world of robotics.

Filed Under: Technology News, Top News





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OpenAI backed 1X EVE humanoid robots demonstration

OpenAI backed 1X EVE humanoid robotics demonstrated 2024

1X, an AI and robotics company which is backed with investment from OpenAI, has demonstrated androids designed to safely and intelligently augment the global labor force. Their mission is to create androids that can work alongside humans, addressing labor demands and contributing to an abundant society. The androids are designed with human-like form factors to operate effectively in human-centric environments. The company has implemented a system that learns motor behaviors from visual inputs using neural networks, which has been deployed on their EVE robots for tasks such as patrolling.

These robots are not just any ordinary machines; they are designed to work in harmony with humans, to take on tasks that could reshape the way we think about labor and productivity. The event put a spotlight on the EVE robots, a fleet of machines that can autonomously carry out intricate tasks, such as security patrols, suggesting they are ready to join humans in a variety of work environments.

At the heart of these robots’ capabilities is a sophisticated vision-based neural network technology. This innovation allows the robots to process visual data and respond with movements that are strikingly similar to those of humans. The EVE robots can drive, manipulate objects, and interact with their surroundings in ways that were once thought to be the exclusive domain of humans. This advancement in robotics points to a not-so-distant future where machines could take on specific roles, operating with minimal human intervention.

EVE humanoid robots in action

Here are some other articles you may find of interest on the subject of humanoid robots

The training process for these robots is quite extensive. It involves a large dataset from 30 EVE units, which forms a base model that understands a wide range of physical actions. This model is not static; it’s constantly being improved, enabling the robots to acquire specialized skills for various tasks. The training is overseen by a new breed of engineers, known as “Software 2.0 Engineers,” who rely on data analysis rather than traditional programming methods to enhance the robots’ learning process.

The company behind these robots, 1X, is on a mission to expand its technological footprint. It’s actively seeking the brightest minds in AI from the San Francisco Bay Area, a region synonymous with tech breakthroughs. The company’s approach hinges on imitation and reinforcement learning, which are crucial for the robots’ ability to adapt and improve over time. Moreover, 1X is making strides in the field of autonomous vehicles, signaling its commitment to integrating robotics into our daily lives.

The culture at 1X is dynamic and fast-paced. The company operates on a 24-hour release cycle, which means it’s constantly pushing the envelope of technological progress. This relentless drive ensures that the EVE robots remain at the forefront of the industry. The recent demonstration of these robots provides a glimpse into a future where androids work side by side with humans, potentially boosting productivity and efficiency across various sectors. As 1X continues to refine its robotic technology, the possibilities for its application and the benefits it could bring to society seem to expand by the day.

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Combining robotics and AI to create humanoid robots

Combining robotics and AI to create humanoid robots

The fusion of robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) to create humanoid robots represents a frontier of innovation that captivates both the imagination and the intellect. This fascinating interplay of disciplines aims to craft machines that not only mimic human appearance but also exhibit an unprecedented level of autonomy and intelligence. You’ll be pleased to know that this article delves into the core aspects of this subject, offering an insightful exploration suitable for both enthusiasts and professionals.

These fields are not just changing the way we think about machines, but they are also reshaping our daily lives and work environments. One of the most talked-about developments in this area is Tesla’s humanoid robot, Optimus. This robot, which has been designed to handle routine tasks, has recently shown off its improved ability to walk.

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, has a vision where robots like Optimus will take over the repetitive tasks that humans currently do, freeing us up for more creative endeavors. The latest version of this robot, known as Optimus Gen 2, has demonstrated new features that suggest robots are becoming more independent and capable.

Figure AI humanoid robot

For those who follow the business aspects of technology, there’s an exciting development involving a robotics startup called Figure AI. This company is currently in talks to secure a large amount of funding, with tech giants Microsoft and OpenAI showing interest. If successful, this deal could increase Figure AI’s value to $2 billion.

Although the deal isn’t finalized, Figure AI has already started working with BMW. They are planning to bring autonomous humanoid robots into the car manufacturing process, which could revolutionize the way cars are made by automating complex tasks and making production more efficient. In the demonstration video below you can see the Figure AI humanoid robot making a coffee.

Advancements in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence

Meanwhile, in the field of AI research, NVIDIA is making significant strides. Dr. Jim Fan, a senior research scientist at NVIDIA, is working on creating what’s known as a ‘foundation agent.’ This is a type of AI that can learn in simulated environments and then apply what it has learned to real-world situations. NVIDIA’s projects, Isaac Gym and Isaac Sim, are central to this research. They suggest a future where robots can easily adjust to different tasks and environments, making them incredibly versatile.

Here are some other articles you may find of interest on the subject of humanoid robots and robotics :

Tesla’s work with Optimus is a clear example of how robotics and AI are coming together to create a future where robots assist us with a wide range of tasks, from the mundane to the complex. The improvements seen in Optimus Gen 2 indicate that the day when robots will be a common presence in our lives is getting closer. These robots are set to become our assistants, helping us with everyday tasks and making our lives easier.

The potential investment in Figure AI, along with its partnership with BMW, shows that there is a significant commercial interest in robotics. Introducing autonomous humanoid robots into manufacturing has the potential to completely change the industry. It could make production lines more efficient and safer by reducing the need for humans to perform dangerous or monotonous tasks.

Figure AI humanoid robot

Building AI Humanoid Robots

NVIDIA’s research, under the guidance of Dr. Fan, is pushing the boundaries of what AI agents can do. By training these agents in virtual environments, they are laying the groundwork for AI that can transition smoothly from simulations to real-world applications. This research could lead to the development of robots that are not only autonomous but also adaptable, able to take on a variety of roles and adjust to different settings.

  • Robotics: The physical embodiment of the robot, including its mechanical design, sensors, actuators, and control systems.
  • Artificial Intelligence: The brain of the robot, encompassing machine learning algorithms, natural language processing, and computer vision, allowing the robot to perceive, understand, and act in its environment.

The Synergy of Robotics and AI

Combining robotics and AI is not merely about assembling parts; it’s about creating an entity that learns and adapts. Here’s how these technologies synergize:

  • Perception and Understanding: AI enables robots to interpret sensory information, making sense of their surroundings and identifying objects and people.
  • Decision-making: AI algorithms process data to make autonomous decisions, guiding the robot’s actions in real-time.
  • Learning and Adaptation: Through machine learning, robots can improve their performance based on experience, becoming more efficient and versatile over time.

Real-world Applications

Humanoid robots, equipped with AI, are not just a staple of science fiction; they’re increasingly becoming part of our reality. Some of the domains they are impacting include:

  • Healthcare: Assisting with patient care and performing repetitive tasks, freeing human staff for more complex duties.
  • Customer Service: Handling inquiries and providing assistance in banks, airports, and retail environments.
  • Education: Supporting teachers with administrative tasks and offering personalized learning experiences.

Challenges and Considerations

While the prospects are exciting, combining robotics and AI to create humanoid robots presents its own set of challenges:

  • Technical Complexity: Designing systems that can reliably interpret and interact with the unpredictable nature of the human environment is immensely challenging.
  • Ethical and Social Implications: Issues such as privacy, employment displacement, and the ethical treatment of AI entities are crucial considerations for developers and society.

In case you’re curious how these technological humanoids might affect your life, it’s worth noting that the aim is to augment human capabilities and improve quality of life. From performing hazardous tasks to providing companionship, humanoid robots have the potential to significantly impact various aspects of our daily lives.

The Future of AI humanoid Robotics

As we continue to explore the potential of humanoid robots, the journey is as much about enhancing their physical capabilities as it is about imbuing them with ethical and social understanding. The integration of robotics and AI stands as a testament to human ingenuity, promising a future where technology and humanity coexist in harmony.

The advancements made by Tesla with Optimus, the potential funding for Figure AI, and NVIDIA’s groundbreaking research are all significant steps forward in the fields of robotics and AI. These developments are pointing us toward a future where robots are an integral part of our daily lives, offering solutions to some of the most tedious and complex problems we face. As these technologies continue to progress, they promise to transform industries and improve our overall quality of life. With each new breakthrough, we get a glimpse of a future where the partnership between humans and robots becomes ever more seamless and beneficial.

At its core, the creation of humanoid robots involves intricate engineering and sophisticated AI algorithms. These robots are designed to perform tasks ranging from simple domestic chores to complex interactions in social and industrial settings. To enhance your experience of understanding this complex integration, it’s essential to grasp the primary components involved:

The journey of combining robotics and AI to create humanoid robots is a complex but thrilling endeavor that reflects the pinnacle of technological innovation. With each advancement, we edge closer to a future where these robotic counterparts not only exist among us but also contribute significantly to society. As this field continues to evolve, it promises to unveil new horizons for human achievement and interaction.

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