THE TECH-LICIOUS

Organs-on-Chips emulate human organs, could replace animals in tests

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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><img alt="Emulate's lung-on-chip, seen here, is lined with human lung and blood vessel cells " height="358" src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/emulate.jpg" title="Emulate's lung-on-chip, seen here, is lined with human lung and blood vessel cells " width="640" /> </span></span></h1>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The search for more efficient tests of pharmaceuticals without animal
 models is taking a stride forward, with a new technology being 
developed in the US called Organs-on-Chips. The new miniature platform 
and software, which mimic the mechanical and molecular characteristics 
of human organs, were developed by bioengineers from the Wyss Institute 
for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The device, about the size of a small computer memory stick, is 
created using microchip-manufacturing techniques. It features a porous 
flexible membrane that separates two channels at the center of the 
device. The channels are filled with living human cells and tissues 
cultured in a fluid that mimics the environment inside the human body. 
Micro-engineering and automated instrumentation allows the system to 
perform real-time analysis of biochemical, genetic and metabolic 
functions within single cells.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The idea is to authentically replicate, or "bioemulate" in 
science-speak, the workings of human organs. This way, scientists and 
even clinicians without high-level expertise can determine the efficacy 
and safety of potential new drugs, chemicals and cosmetics, with no 
animal models in the process.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The Wyss Institute team has formed a company called Emulate to 
further develop and market the product. They have also developed a 
system to automate the chips and connect them with a blood-like medium 
in order to reproduce the experience of the whole human body on chips. 
This way, researchers can get a better picture of the responses of the 
body as one unit and not just as series of individual organs.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">"This advanced technology is the beginning of a revolution in the way
 we study human biology and disease," said senior scientist Geraldine 
Hamilton. She added that Emulate is more predictive of the human 
situation than animal models, besides being more cost-effective and less
 time-consuming. Therefore, new pharmaceuticals could get to market, and
 to those in need of them, more rapidly.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Another aspect of the new technology is that it paves the way for 
more personalized treatment with stem cells. "Our vision is we can one 
day put each patient’s cells on chips that mimic the function of organs,
 and this will open up new ways for us to design truly personalized 
treatment with stem cells, based on each patient’s unique genetic 
profile on their own individualized Organs-on-Chips," added Shlomo 
Melmed, senior vice president for Academic Affairs and Dean of the 
medical faculty at Cedars-Sinai, one of the institutional investors in 
the new company.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Emulate has just secured a US$12 million Series A financing to 
develop the product for commercial purposes. The team will now focus on 
design, biology and engineering in order to further develop the 
technology and design new products for various industries.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Besides the lung-on-chip
 seen at the top of the page, in the last four years the researchers 
have also developed more than 10 types of organ/chips, including some 
that emulate the liver, gut, kidney, and bone marrow.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Elsewhere, other researchers are looking for methods to replace animal testing including the similarity ensemble approach and sensor nanoparticles.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">SOURCE-<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/organs-on-chips-testing/33337/" target="_blank">GIZMAG</a> </span></span></div>
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Organs-on-Chips emulate human organs, could replace animals in tests

The search for more efficient tests of pharmaceuticals without animal models is taking a stride forward, with a new technology being developed in the US called Organs-on-Chips. The new miniature …

13 Aug 2014

Download iOS 8 On Your Android – Sort Of

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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">While iOS 8 is Apple’s forthcoming operating system which will be 
available sometime later this fall, you can easily download a taste of 
it now. Here’s the catch: you have to be an Android user. Yes, that’s 
correct – if you want your phone to look like it’s running Apple’s iOS 
8, you have to have an Android phone. (Android users, don’t deny it – 
sometimes you really like that iOS look). If you’re one of those people,
 even if you don’t like to admit it, I have an easy way to help you. All
 you have to do is download the <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.one.appx.launcher" target="_blank"><em>iOS 8 Launcher HD Retina Theme</em></a> from the Google Play Store. Best of all, it’s free!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This is a pretty simple way to get the best of both worlds – you 
still have all of your Android functionality with the new iOS look. Who 
says you can’t have your cake and eat it too? The launcher even acts 
like iOS – for instance, when you hold down on one of the icons, it will
 jiggle around, just like on an iPhone. It also transforms all of your 
icons and folders into iOS-like buttons.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><img alt="Download iOS 8 On Your Android - Sort Of" class="lazy alignnone size-full wp-image-17991 data-lazy-ready" data-lazy-src="http://news.filehippo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/9f4ca9348d71ae7fb8e6217a100646929a8603c4.jpg" data-lazy-type="image" height="524" src="http://news.filehippo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/9f4ca9348d71ae7fb8e6217a100646929a8603c4.jpg" style="display: inline;" width="640" /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Pretty impressive, huh? As I said earlier, all this app does is give 
your phone a visual change – it does nothing to how your Android works 
on the inside.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">What do you think? Let us know in the comments section below!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">SOURCE-TECH BEAT </span></span></div>
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Download iOS 8 On Your Android – Sort Of

While iOS 8 is Apple’s forthcoming operating system which will be available sometime later this fall, you can easily download a taste of it now. Here’s the catch: you have to be an Android user. Ye…

13 Aug 2014

Samsung Galaxy Alpha launches with iPhone 6 in its sights

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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Samsung Galaxy Alpha is finally here - a premium Galaxy smartphone that shares some similarities to the flagship Galaxy S5 while also ploughing its own furrow.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It's
 the metal framed chassis which Samsung is putting the main emphasis on 
here, as it looks to bring a higher class look and feel to the handset.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Galaxy Alpha won't be competing with the likes of the HTC One M8 or Sony Xperia Z2 however - the 4.7-inch, Super AMOLED 720p display links this particular handset more closely with the upcoming iPhone 6.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A
 super slim, 6.7mm body wrapped in a band of metal is reminiscent of 
Apple's design, although Samsung's new soft touch, dimpled polycarbonate
 rear still sneaks its way onto the back of the device.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">While
 the screen may not live up to the full HD offerings we're now 
accustomed to, the octa-core (quad 1.8GHz + quad 1.3GHz), 2.5GHz 
quad-core (depending on which country you're in) processor and 2GB of 
RAM is certainly up there with the best of them.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Finger scannin' good</span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Galaxy Alpha also inherits the fingerprint scanner under the home key and the heart rate monitor on the rear from the Galaxy S5, but there are no water or dust resistant features in play here.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Another
 area that takes a bit of a spec hit is the camera, with a 12MP snapper 
adorning the rear, while on the front you'll find a 2.1MP offering.</span></span></div>
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<figure><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img alt="Samsung Galaxy Alpha" src="http://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/mobile_phones/Samsung/Galaxy%20Alpha/Press/GalaxyAlpha-Press-04-580-90.jpg" width="580" /></span></span></figure></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In
 terms of storage there's 32GB of internal space to play with, but in an
 interesting twist Samsung has decided not to put a microSD slot into 
the Galaxy Alpha.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">There doesn't appear to a SIM tray 
round the outside of the handset, so we're still hopeful the rear cover 
will come off providing access to that and the 1860mAh battery - 
although we'll have to wait for confirmation.</span></span></div>
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<figure><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img alt="Samsung Galaxy Alpha" src="http://cdn3.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/mobile_phones/Samsung/Galaxy%20Alpha/Press/GalaxyAlpha-Press-05-580-90.jpg" width="580" /></span></span></figure></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The
 Samsung Galaxy Alpha release date is set for the start of September and
 it will be available in Charcoal Black, Dazzling White, Frosted Gold, 
Sleek Silver and Scuba Blue, although we currently have no word on 
price.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">SOURCE-<a href="http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/samsung-galaxy-alpha-launches-with-iphone-6-in-its-sights-1261344" target="_blank">TECH RADAR </a></span></span></div>
</div>

Samsung Galaxy Alpha launches with iPhone 6 in its sights

The Samsung Galaxy Alpha is finally here - a premium Galaxy smartphone that shares some similarities to the flagship Galaxy S5 while also ploughing its own furrow. It's the metal framed chassis whic…

13 Aug 2014

Lost Android Phones Can Now Call Their Owners

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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Parents teach their children to memorize their phone number(s) from 
an early age so that they can call them if they’re ever lost or have an 
emergency, and that’s definitely a wise thing to do. Now, smartphones 
can do the same thing – if they’re running the newest version of Android
 at least. In a <a href="http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/lost-android-phone-can-now-call/#%21bB9PtL" target="_blank">new update</a>
 to the Android Device Manager, there’s a new setting that allows you to
 add a message and a phone number to your lock screen in the event your 
phone gets misplaced.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Say you’ve lost your phone and an honest person happens upon it. 
Since they want to do the right thing, they try to unlock it to see who 
it belongs to so they can get it back to its owner. They’ll have two 
options: enter a correct passcode to unlock the phone, or call the 
rightful owner. Sounds like a good idea to me.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><img alt="Lost Android Phones Can Now Call Their Owners" class="lazy alignnone size-full wp-image-18009 data-lazy-ready" data-lazy-src="http://news.filehippo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Lost-Android-Phone.jpg" data-lazy-type="image" height="236" src="http://news.filehippo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Lost-Android-Phone.jpg" style="display: inline;" width="640" /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><strong>Help Your Lost Phone Find Its Way Home!</strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">If you’ve ever lost your phone somewhere, then you know how 
frustrating of an experience it can be. There are, of course, options 
out there to find your phone remotely, but that doesn’t always enable 
you to get it back. This new update sounds like a good step forward, but
 obviously it only works if someone who finds your phone wants to help 
get it back to you.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">source-<a href="http://news.filehippo.com/2014/08/lost-android-phones-can-now-call-owners/" target="_blank">tech beat </a></span></span></div>
</div>

Lost Android Phones Can Now Call Their Owners

Parents teach their children to memorize their phone number(s) from an early age so that they can call them if they’re ever lost or have an emergency, and that’s definitely a wise thing to do. Now,…

13 Aug 2014

Driverless Cars to Hit UK Roads by Early 2015

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<a href="http://www.engineering.com/Portals/0/BlogFiles/DesignerEdge/0814/autoncar1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="UK, autonomous, car, driverless" border="0" height="213" src="http://www.engineering.com/Portals/0/BlogFiles/DesignerEdge/0814/autoncar1.jpg" style="background-color: transparent;" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 2;">Business Secretary Vince Cable has announced two new measures that give the <strong style="color: #003366; text-decoration: none;"><a href="http://www.engineering.com/DesignerEdge/DesignerEdgeArticles/ArticleID/6357/Tesla-Working-on-Autonomous-Car.aspx" style="color: #003366; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">green light for </a></strong></span><strong>autonomous cars</strong><span style="line-height: 2;"> to take to UK roads from January 2015.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">UK cities can now bid for a share of a £10 million competition to host a driverless cars trial. The government is calling on cities to join together with businesses and research organisations to put forward proposals to become a test location.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Up to 3 cities will be selected to host the trials from next year (2015) – and each project is expected to last between 18 and 36 months and start in January 2015.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 26px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Ministers have also launched a review to look at current road regulations to establish how the UK can remain at the forefront of driverless car technology and ensure there is an appropriate regime for testing driverless cars in the UK.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 26px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Two areas of driverless technology will be covered in the review: cars with a qualified driver who can take over control of the driverless car and fully autonomous vehicles where there is no driver.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 26px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Speaking at vehicle engineering consultancy, test and research facility, <a href="http://www.mira.co.uk/about-mira" rel="external" style="color: #003366; text-decoration: none;">MIRA</a>, where he tested a driverless car with the Science Minister Greg Clark, Business Secretary Vince Cable said:</span></div>
<blockquote style="background-color: white; line-height: 26px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"The excellence of our scientists and engineers has established the UK as a pioneer in the development of driverless vehicles through pilot projects. Today’s announcement will see driverless cars take to our streets in less than 6 months, putting us at the forefront of this transformational technology and opening up new opportunities for our economy and society."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"Through the government’s <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/using-industrial-strategy-to-help-the-uk-economy-and-business-compete-and-grow" style="color: #003366; text-decoration: none;">industrial strategy</a> we are backing the automotive sector as it goes from strength to strength. We are providing the right environment to give businesses the confidence to invest and create high skilled jobs."</span></blockquote>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 26px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Transport Minister Claire Perry said:</span></div>
<blockquote style="background-color: white; line-height: 26px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"Driverless cars have huge potential to transform the UK’s transport network – they could improve safety, reduce congestion and lower emissions, particularly CO2. We are determined to ensure driverless cars can fulfil this potential which is why we are actively reviewing regulatory obstacles to create the right framework for trialling these vehicles on British roads."</span></blockquote>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 26px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Science Minister Greg Clark said:</span></div>
<blockquote style="background-color: white; line-height: 26px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"Britain is brilliantly placed to lead the world in driverless technology. It combines our strengths in cars, satellites, big data and urban design; with huge potential benefits for future jobs and for the consumer."</span></blockquote>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 26px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Iain Gray <abbr title="Chief Executive Officer">CEO</abbr> of the UK’s innovation agency, the Technology Strategy Board, said:</span></div>
<blockquote style="background-color: white; line-height: 26px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"This competition for funding has the potential to establish the UK as the global hub for the development and testing of driverless vehicles in real-world urban environments, helping to deepen our understanding of the impact on road users and wider society."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"The ability to test driverless cars at scale, when married to the UK’s unique strengths in transport technologies and urban planning, will also attract further investment, helping to establish new design and manufacturing supply chains, driving forward UK economic growth."</span></blockquote>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 26px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The driverless cars competition is being funded by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department for Transport, in partnership with the UK’s innovation agency, the Technology Strategy Board. Successful projects must be business-led and need to demonstrate close collaboration with partners such as technology developers, supply chain companies and manufacturers.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 26px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">MIRA’s Chief Commercial and Technical Officer Dr Geoff Davis said:</span></div>
<blockquote style="background-color: white; line-height: 26px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"We welcome the announcement made by the Rt Hon Dr Vince Cable today at our site in encouraging further advancements and UK engineering excellence. Our 10 years of experience developing driverless car solutions with successful applications in defence and security as well as cooperative systems in road transport applications means we are already working on a number of projects that explore the potential of connected and cooperative driverless cars."</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">SOURCE-<a href="http://www./DesignerEdge/DesignerEdgeArticles/ArticleID/8222/Driverless-Cars-to-Hit-UK-Roads-by-Early-2015.aspx" target="_blank">engineering.com </a></span></div>

Driverless Cars to Hit UK Roads by Early 2015

Business Secretary Vince Cable has announced two new measures that give the green light for autonomous cars to take to UK roads from January 2015. UK cities can now bid for a share of a £10 million c…

12 Aug 2014

Siri co-creator is working on a virtual assistant capable of anything

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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="Apple Poised to Sell 10 Million IPhones in Record Debut" src="http://o.aolcdn.com/dims-shared/dims3/GLOB/crop/3000x1791+0+0/resize/630x376!/format/jpg/quality/85/http://hss-prod.hss.aol.com/hss/storage/midas/61b533519f7d7792df636a8b21f447aa/200569237/152435606.jpg" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 25.600000381469727px;">There's no question that Apple's </span>virtual assistant<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 25.600000381469727px;"> comes in handy when you </span>need information quickly<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 25.600000381469727px;">. And now, one of Siri's creators is working on a more advanced form of AI that goes far beyond the current iPhone option. Viv Labs says its personal assistant will possess a limitless tool set because the software can teach itself. This means that in addition to the regular ol' search, the artificial intelligence will also be able to perform tasks like booking reservations based on openings in your schedule and more. "Siri is chapter one of a much longer, bigger story," Dag Kittlaus, Viv's co-founder who also worked on Apple's assistant, tells </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 25.600000381469727px;"><a href="http://www.wired.com/2014/08/viv/" style="color: #3399cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Wired</a>. </em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 25.600000381469727px;">Bypassing the need for coders (and constraints), Viv generates its own program to answer queries and complete tasks in seconds. Once the system is "trained" to understand the vocabulary of a subject, the company aims to sort through loads of data to not only lend a hand, but anticipate what we'll need next.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 25.600000381469727px;">source-<a href="http://www.engadget.com/2014/08/12/viv-labs-ai/" target="_blank">engadget</a></span></span></div>

Siri co-creator is working on a virtual assistant capable of anything

There's no question that Apple's virtual assistant comes in handy when you need information quickly. And now, one of Siri's creators is working on a more advanced form of AI that goes far beyond the …

12 Aug 2014

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