Personal gardening robot

FARM-BOT (Open-source)

Wi Vi: Using wifi signals to sense human presence and activity

Abstract:

Wi-Fi signals are typically information carriers between a transmitter and a receiver. In this paper, we show that Wi-Fi can also extend our senses, enabling us to see moving objects through walls and behind closed doors. In particular, we can use such signals to identify the number of people in a closed room and their relative locations. We can also identify simple gestures made behind a wall, and combine a sequence of gestures to communicate messages to a wireless receiver without carrying any transmitting device. The paper introduces two main innovations. First, it shows how one can use MIMO interference nulling to eliminate reflections off static objects and focus the receiver on a moving target. Second, it shows how one can track a human by treating the motion of a human body as an antenna array and tracking the resulting RF beam. We demonstrate the validity of our design by building.

Link to paper:

http://people.csail.mit.edu/fadel/papers/wivi-paper.pdf

Link to project web-page:

http://people.csail.mit.edu/fadel/wivi/

From 3D printing to robot tattooing

Tattoo robot "made in France", yes Sir. Visual servoing people rejoice!

Spot Mini

Introducing robots in the train stations of France

This is a cleaning robot that will shortly be deployed in the Gare de Lyon. I wander how this is considered from the socialist party of François Hollande. Of course, cleaning jobs will be shortened but engineering posts will be opened, but in the end, what is the real (economic and societal) cost for the introduction of such robotic technology?

On the other hand, a robot "valet" that carries your suitcases and follows you, is indeed within the french culture and in my opinion should have no problem to be accepted as technology...

Deep Art

------ http://www.deepart.io/ ------ 

Abstract: In fine art, especially painting, humans have mastered the skill to create unique visual experiences through composing a complex interplay between the content and style of an image. Thus far the algorithmic basis of this process is unknown and there exists no artificial system with similar capabilities. However, in other key areas of visual perception such as object and face recognition near-human performance was recently demonstrated by a class of biologically inspired vision models called Deep Neural Networks. Here we introduce an artificial system based on a Deep Neural Network that creates artistic images of high perceptual quality. The system uses neural representations to separate and recombine content and style of arbitrary images, providing a neural algorithm for the creation of artistic images. Moreover, in light of the striking similarities between performance-optimised artificial neural networks and biological vision, our work offers a path forward to an algorithmic understanding of how humans create and perceive artistic imagery.

Original article

Training eagles to intercept drones?

A "catchy" idea for the moment, but unrealistic in terms of induced cost. Makes me wonder of the reaction of the eagle in the scenario where the drone is equipped with a very high-frequency sound emitter to deafen the eagle. 

Object recognition App for the visually Impaired - Aipoly

http://aipoly.com/

Help EMILY robot help drowning refugees

Friends of CRASAR (Center for Robotic-Assisted Search & Rescue)

We can't wait any longer- people are drowning and the technology exists to help. We have permission from the Hellenic Coast Guard and partial funding but are short $5,000. We will send 2 small robot marine vehicles (EMILY, which are used by the Los Angeles County Fire Department to rescue drowning victims) and a team of 4 to rescue drowning refugees fleeing from Turkey to Greece. Check fundraiser site below

https://www.gofundme.com/Friends-of-CRASAR