A Tamil teen claims to have designed Raffi, a robot with emotions: Why it matters

Folks, meet Raffi, a robot with emotions, or so its developer Prateek vaunts. The latter is a 13-year-old student from Tamil Nadu who has apparently created this emotional robo. Prateek says, “'Raffi', my robot, can answer queries. If you scold him, he won't answer your queries until you're sorry. It can even understand you if you're sad.”

Tamil Nadu | A 13-year-old student, Prateek, has claimed to have designed a robot with emotions, in Chennai 'Raffi', my robot, can answer queries. If you scold him, he won't answer your queries until you're sorry. It can even understand you if you're sad: Prateek (24.08) pic.twitter.com/9YbqGMBXUw

— ANI (@ANI) August 24, 2022

However, we haven’t come across any explanations for how Raffi works or how Prateek designed this robot with emotions.

So, if Raffi is indeed an emotional being, let’s understand how this tech could work and what are its uses and concerns with that usage.

Emotion AI: What is it and how does it work?

Emotion AI/ Emotional AI/ Affective computing is the branch of AI and machine learning that works towards interpreting and responding to human emotions. Think of AI as an infant without a sense of the world let alone emotions. When you feed it with massive data sets involving examples of human emotions, reactions, and temperament, in time it is designed to learn patterns and compounding.

So, upon processing things like text, voice tone, facial expressions, and gestures, it tries to replicate human emotions (at least theoretically).

For processing, AI uses related technologies like computer vision (for analyzing video and images), speech science (for audio), and deep learning algorithms, among other techniques. 

Now, all those technical jargons aside, the crux of the matter is that it is being heavily researched and even being applied in areas like customer care, hospitality, etc. The global emotional AI market is anticipated to hit $173.81 billion and a CAGR of 34.05% by 2025.

On the flip side, the concerns are things like bias (of AI) and privacy based on the data it has been fed. Now, although it is not clear how and whether Raffi addresses these things, we will try to learn all those things in time. Let’s see.

from Machine Learning and AI News https://ift.tt/1ZBwDry

Google Play Games for PC feature expands to 5 countries

New Delhi, Aug 25 (IANS) Google on Thursday expanded its Play Games for PC feature under an open beta to users in South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand and Australia.

Earlier this year, the company announced that Google Play Games would be coming to PCs as a beta experience for a limited number of players.

"Beginning today, we're continuing our rollout by making Google Play Games beta available for download to all players in Australia," said Arjun Dayal, Director of Product, Google Play Games.

In the last few months, the company doubled its Google Play Games catalogue to more than 50 titles, which can be played on Windows PCs via a standalone application built by Google.

The catalogue includes many of the most popular mobile games in the world including Summoners War, Cookie Run: Kingdom, Last Fortress: Underground, and Slam Dunk.

"We've also made significant strides in reducing the minimum spec requirements to run Google Play Games. Players who have a Windows 10+ PC with an integrated graphics card and 4+ core CPU can now access Google Play Games," informed Dayal.

Amazon has also partnered with Microsoft to get Android apps to PC users.

Google said that its broader goal continues to be meeting players where they are and giving them access to their games on as many devices as possible.

"Players participating in the beta have expressed excitement at being able to seamlessly play their favourite games across their phones, tablets, Chromebooks and PCs," said the company.

(Except for the headline, the rest of this IANS article is un-edited)

For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in

from Machine Learning and AI News https://ift.tt/OWITR1i

Heavy news consumption triggers stress, anxiety, poor physical health

New Delhi, Aug 25 (IANS) If you have an obsessive urge to constantly check news, you are more likely to suffer from stress, anxiety as well as poor physical health, researchers have warned.

Being exposed to a 24-hour news cycle of continually evolving events can have serious impacts on mental and physical wellbeing, said the study published in the peer-reviewed journal Health Communication.

During the last two years, humanity has lived through a series of worrying global events, from the pandemic to Russia invading Ukraine, large-scale protests, mass shootings and devastating wildfires.

For several people, reading bad news can make us feel temporarily powerless and distressed.

"Witnessing these events unfold in the news can bring about a constant state of high alert in some people, kicking their surveillance motives into overdrive and making the world seem like a dark and dangerous place," said Bryan McLaughlin, associate professor of advertising at Texas Tech University in the US.

For these individuals, a vicious cycle can develop in which, rather than tuning out, they become drawn further in, obsessing over the news and checking for updates around the clock to alleviate their emotional distress.

"But it doesn't help, and the more they check the news, the more it begins to interfere with other aspects of their lives,a McLaughlin added.

To study this phenomenon, known colloquially as news addiction, McLaughlin and his colleagues analysed data from an online survey of 1,100 adults.

Respondents were asked about how often they experienced feelings of stress and anxiety, as well as physical ailments such as fatigue, physical pain, poor concentration, and gastrointestinal issues.

The results revealed that 16.5 per cent of people surveyed showed signs of 'severely problematic' news consumption.

Such individuals frequently became so immersed and personally invested in news stories that the stories dominated the individual's waking thoughts, disrupted time with family and friends, made it difficult to focus on school or work, and contributed to restlessness and an inability to sleep.

People with higher levels of problematic news consumption were significantly more likely to experience mental and physical ill-being than those with lower levels, even when controlling for demographics, personality traits, and overall news use.

The findings show that there is a need for focused media literacy campaigns to help people develop a healthier relationship with the news.

"While we want people to remain engaged in the news, it is important that they have a healthier relationship with the news," said McLaughlin.

In the case of problematic news consumption, research has shown that individuals may decide to stop, or at least dramatically reduce, their news consumption if they perceive it is having adverse effects on their mental health.

In addition, the study also called out the need for a wider discussion about how the news industry may be fuelling the problem.

"The economic pressures facing media outlets, coupled with technological advances and the 24-hour news cycle have encouraged journalists to focus on selecting "newsworthy" stories that will grab news consumers' attention," McLaughlin noted.

(Except for the headline, the rest of this IANS article is un-edited)

For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in

from Machine Learning and AI News https://ift.tt/ysaBRiH

OPPO committed to Europe after stopping smartphone sales in Germany

New Delhi, Aug 25 (IANS) Chinese smartphone maker OPPO will continue to remain committed to the European markets despite suspending sales in Germany, its top global executive has said.

OPPO and its subsidiary OnePlus stopped sales of smartphones and smartwatches in Germany after they lost a patent lawsuit against Finnish telecom player Nokia earlier this month.

Nokia had accused the companies of using its patented technology for processing 4G and 5G signals without paying for a license. Nokia won an injunction to halt sales in a German court.

"Our long-term commitment to the European and German markets stays the same. There isn't an impact on our choice of office location, and the German office, where our European hub is located, will operate as usual," said Billy Zhang, OPPO's vice president of overseas sales and services.

According to TechCrunch, Realme is "closely monitoring the situation" of Oppo's patent challenges in Germany.

OPPO said it is keep on serving its existing customers in Germany.

The company said that it will "integrate certain resources from Central and Eastern Europe with those of Western Europe".

"We are actively working with the relevant parties to resolve the ongoing legal matter," a OnePlus spokesperson had said in a statement.

"OnePlus remains committed to the German market and will continue our operations. Meanwhile, OnePlus users in Germany can continue to enjoy our products and related services such as regular software updates and our after-sales service as before," the spokesperson said.

The Europe smartphone market declined by 11 per cent (on-year) and 13 per cent (on-quarter) to 40 million units in Q2 this year, the lowest since Q2 2020.

Xiaomi and OPPO, hit by China lockdowns, suffered double digit YoY declines in their respective shipments, according to Counterpoint Research.

realme continued its European expansion with double digit YoY shipment growth in Q2.

(Except for the headline, the rest of this IANS article is un-edited)

For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in

from Machine Learning and AI News https://ift.tt/D9WtbuP

Fitbit Sense 2, Versa 4, and Inspire 3 announced: Know their specs and software situation

Fitbit has introduced its fall lineup including Sense 2, Versa 4, and Inspire 3. The former two are smartwatches while the Inspire 3 is the brand’s new fitness band. The key highlights of the devices include new software albeit no Wear OS 3, physical buttons on both watches, and Sense 2’s new exercise activities, upgraded stress tracker, and animal-based sleep profiles. Here are the full details:

Fitbit Sense 2 Specs and Features

Fitbit Sense 2 is equipped with a continuous electrodermal activity (cEDA) sensor used for all-day stress tracking. This is followed by high-stress alerts and recommendations such as mood logging, breathing guidance, and mindfulness sessions. 

It sports new activity modes (up to 40 in total), and Fitbit Premium sleep profiles that present your sleep animal as the watch face. The device will be featuring passive heart rhythm monitoring for atrial fibrillation (heart health). 

Although WearOS 3 isn’t here, you get to see the effects of Google parenting on Fitbit OS in the way of the new Tiles interface, turn-by-turn Google Maps navigation, and impending support for Google Wallet.

Sense 2 claims to run up to six days between charges, and 12 minutes of charging is said to offer 12 minutes of battery life. 

Fitbit Versa 4 Specs and Features

It appears to be a lot like Sense 2 and that extends to features like a physical button, better stress tracking, around 40 activity modes, the aforementioned software features, up to 6 days of endurance, fast charging support, and a sleep animal clock face. It also boasts 10 sleep metrics to help analyze and aid sleep quality.

Fitbit Inspire 3 Specs and Features

Inspire 3 is a fitness band that supports automatic step counting, distance covered, activity zones, calories burned, and heart rate.

It also brings trackers for sleep patterns, Sleep Score, Sleep Stages, heart variability rate, SpO2, breathing rate, and skin temperature. It is advertised to long for 10 days on a single charge.

Price and Availability

Fitbit has made the new wearable available in select markets currently at $299.95 (~₹23,934) for the Sense 2, $229.95 (~₹18348) for the Versa 4, and $99.95 (~₹7975) for the Inspire 3.

(Except for the headline, the rest of this IANS article is un-edited)

For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in.

from General News https://ift.tt/WoYs4wn

Apple September 7 event confirmed: What we know about the iPhone 14 series and other expected launches of the day

Apple on Wednesday announced its flagship product launch event for this year that will take place on September 7. Called 'Far Out,' the event will showcase new iPhone 14 lineup, Watches and other products. This will be an in-person event at Apple's Cupertino campus in the US, the company's first big event to take place since the two years of the pandemic. The tech giant will also stream the launch event online. The next-generation iPhone 14, to be produced in India around two months after its China production, will see four models, viz. a 6.1-inch iPhone 14, a new 6.7-inch iPhone 14, a 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro and and a 6.7 iPhone 14 Pro Max, according to reports. Apple's upcoming iPhone 14 base model is rumoured to cost $799, which is the same price as the iPhone 13. The tech giant has likely discontinued the 5.4-inch iPhone mini this year. While the Pro models will be powered by the A16 Bionic chipset, the non-Pro models will retain the A15 chip. The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max will combine a circular hole-punch cutout and a pill-shaped cutout for their camera setup and Face ID functionality. A recent report said that Samsung Display will be applying different grades of materials on the OLED panels it will manufacture for the upcoming iPhone 14 series depending on the model tiers. It will use its latest and most advanced material set for the higher tier iPhone 14 models, while it will use its prior generation set for the lower tier ones. The move is being made to save costs. The standard iPhone 14 models are expected to get few changes, but the iPhone 14 Pro models will include updated camera technology. There are three Apple Watch models in the works, including the new Apple Watch Series 8, a refreshed Apple Watch SE, and an all-new Pro version that is expected to feature a larger body, updated design and a rugged build. Meanwhile, a recent report said that the tech giant seems confident despite analysts' predictions and reportedly asked its suppliers to build at least 90 million next-generation iPhones. In fact, Apple anticipates to assemble 220 million iPhones in total for 2022.

(Except for the headline and the cover image, the rest of this IANS article is un-edited)

For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in.

from Mobile Phones News https://ift.tt/1NltiFp

Skullcandy Mod launched in India at 5999: Here are its standout features

US-based audio equipment major Skullcandy on Tuesday launched its all-new true wireless earbuds, Mod, for Indian consumers. Launched at Rs 5,999, the earbuds comes with "Clear Voice Smart Mic" technology that utilises artificial intelligence to reduce background noise and isolate the speaker's voice, ensuring calls and Zoom meetings are crystal clear. "In today's work-from-anywhere world, multi-tasking is more commonplace than ever and Mod was engineered to keep up with it all. Our latest solution makes seamlessly toggling between work and play a breeze, while also ensuring users can personalize their audio experience to best suit their listening styles," the company said in a statement. The new earbuds offers "Multipoint Pairing" that enables seamless toggling between multiple devices at once, regardless of platform or manufacturer. Mod's flexibility is further underscored by Skullcandy App compatibility, which enables button function and equaliser mode personalization for a truly customisable audio experience, the company said. An adjustable Stay-Aware Mode helps users dial outside noise levels up or down so they can tune out, or tune in, as much as they want, depending on their situation.Mod is now available across online and offline stores.

(Except for the headline, the rest of this IANS article is un-edited)

For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in.

from Apps News https://ift.tt/zAI8HPc