This week a judge heard the first arguments in an antitrust case that could reshape the software ecosystem. Who will be the real winners and losers of this digital deathmatch? Quantum computers have limited capabilities, but the technology may yet live up to its promise.
And, how understanding the evolutionary history of exercise could help get people moving. Kenneth Cukier hosts.
With a virtual-reality headset and a virtual meeting platform like Spatial, you can meet up and collaborate with your colleagues as if you were in a real office space. WSJ’s Joanna Stern transformed into a holographic avatar and got in a virtual elevator to test it out.
Photo illustration: Adam Falk
Investors and big auto makers are pouring money into electric-vehicle startups in a search for the next Tesla, with the hopes of cashing in. One company is drawing more scrutiny than most. WSJ explains.
Illustration: Jacob Reynolds/WSJ
The Alphavan is built on Mercedes’ largest Sprinter, the 736-cm (290-in)-long extra-long-wheelbase variant with super-high (299-cm+) roof. For comparison, that van is nearly 1.5 m (5 ft) longer than the Sprinter 144 that underpins notable campers like the Winnebago Revel and Westfalia James Cook.
When 3D printing first appeared, it may have seemed like a fad–something to keep garage hobbyists busy. But over the past few years, it’s become a mainstream manufacturing process. Now, an independent automaker called Local Motors is applying the technology to cars, using 3D printing to make the chassis of its autonomous, electric vehicles at a small factory in Knoxville, Tennessee.
As many as 400,000 Americans die each year because of medical errors, but many of these deaths could be prevented by using electronic sensors and artificial intelligence to help medical professionals monitor and treat vulnerable patients in ways that improve outcomes while respecting privacy.
Haque, who compiled the 170 scientific papers cited in the Nature article, said the field is based largely on the convergence of two technological trends: the availability of infrared sensors that are inexpensive enough to build into high-risk care-giving environments, and the rise of machine learning systems as a way to use sensor input to train specialized AI applications in health care.
These alert systems are being tested to see if they can reduce the number of ICU patients who get nosocomial infections — potentially deadly illnesses contracted by patients due to failure of other people in the hospital to fully adhere to infection prevention protocols.
Constant monitoring by ambient intelligence systems in a home environment could also be used to detect clues of serious illness or potential accidents, and alert caregivers to make timely interventions. For instance, when frail seniors start moving more slowly or stop eating regularly, such behaviors can presage depression, a greater likelihood of a fall or the rapid onset of a dangerous health crisis. Researchers are developing activity recognition algorithms that can sift through infrared sensing data to detect changes in habitual behaviors, and help caregivers get a more holistic view of patient well-being.
Powered by AI and the energy from the sun, the Mayflower Autonomous Ship will be able to spend long durations at sea collecting critical data about the ocean. Working in tandem with human oceanographers and other autonomous vessels, the new-generation Mayflower provides a flexible and cost-effective option for deepening understanding of critical issues such as global warming, ocean plastic pollution and marine mammal conservation. The Mayflower Autonomous Ship is led by marine research organisation Promare, supported by IBM and a global consortium of partners.
Apple reached a staggering $2 trillion market valuation in August, despite years of doubt from critics over whether the tech giant could continue to succeed after the death of Steve Jobs. Here’s a look at Apple’s rise to the very top.
Illustration: Jacob Reynolds/WSJ
The tech battle between the U.S. and China has battered TikTok and Huawei and startled American companies that produce and sell in China. WSJ explains how Beijing is pouring money into high-tech chips as it wants to become self-sufficient.
Video/Illustration: George Downs/The Wall Street Journal
The coronavirus pandemic led to shortages in the blood supply across the U.S. Scientists around the world are working on a potential solution. The Future of Everything looks at the process of making artificial blood.
Illustration: Timothy Wong
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