Harmony Evans's Blog, page 617
November 28, 2023
Mother plucker: Steel fingers guided by AI pluck weeds rapidly and autonomously
Enlarge / The Ekobot autonomous weeding robot roving around an onion field in Sweden.
Ekobot AB
Anybody who has pulled weeds in a garden knows that it’s a tedious task. Scale it up to farm-sized jobs, and it becomes a nightmare. The most efficient industrial alternative, herbicides, have potentially devastating side effects for people, animals, and the environment. So a Swedish company named Ekobot AB has introduced a wheeled robot that can autonomously recognize and pluck weeds from the ground rapidly using metal fingers.
The four-wheeled Ekobot WEAI robot is battery-powered and can operate 10–12 hours a day on one charge. It weighs 600 kg (about 1322 pounds) and has a top speed of 5 km/h (2.5 mph). It’s tuned for weeding fields full of onions, beetroots, carrots, or similar vegetables, and it can cover about 10 hectares (about 24.7 acres) in a day. It navigates using GPS RTK and contains safety sensors and vision systems to prevent it from unintentionally bumping into objects or people.
To pinpoint plants it needs to pluck, the Ekobot uses an AI-powered machine vision system trained to identify weeds as it rolls above the farm field. Once the weeds are within its sights, the robot uses a series of metal fingers to quickly dig up and push weeds out of the dirt. Ekobot claims that in trials, its weed-plucking robot allowed farmers to grow onions with 70 percent fewer pesticides. The weed recognition system is key because it keeps the robot from accidentally digging up crops by mistake.
AdvertisementTwo years ago, Ekobot announced a collaboration with Swedish telecom company Telia that led to the integration of 5G mobile technology into the robot, which lets it communicate remotely with a central server to share collected learning data from anywhere in a farm field. This development was part of a pilot project for onion cultivation, and just recently, the company announced that the first “5G onions” grown using this weeding method are now available.
“The 5G onion has proven to have an extended shelf life, something that contributes to a reduction in wastage,” reads a press release from Telia. “The 5G onion is not only more sustainable—it also tastes better. This is because efficient weeding and reduced use of pesticides enables onion shoots to grow more freely and for longer, enabling the onions to receive more sunlight and nutrients, making them more hardy and tasty.”
Telia says that a limited number of 5G onions are available in Telia stores now (grab us one if you go) and that Ekobot’s weeding technology will soon be used on carrots and beets.
Aside from Sweden, the tech is available in the Netherlands and is about to come to Denmark and Norway. Telia expects that the Ekobot system will become available “in 9 EU countries, the United Kingdom, and the United States” by 2030. When coupled with research on lasers that zap pests in flight, AI may help pave the way for a more sustainable and environmentally friendly farming system if widely adopted.
Source link
The post Mother plucker: Steel fingers guided by AI pluck weeds rapidly and autonomously appeared first on Harmony Evans.
The ultimate Xbox Series X Forza bundle is back in stock
There have been some fantastic savings on the Xbox Series X this Black Friday, and we’ve seen many of the most tempting bundles fall out of stock as the weekend progressed.
Included in this bundle is the 1TB console, Forza Horizon Premium edition with the Hot Wheels expansion and a choice of either Dying Light 2, Immortals of Aveum or Greedfall Gold Edition.
The ultimate Xbox Series X Forza bundle is back in stock
ArgosSave £29 + get a free game£409.99If this deal isn’t for you, plenty of other Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals are around. You’ll find the very best Cyber Monday deals in our continually updated live blog.
How good is the Xbox Series X?Our review of the Xbox Series X two years after release
ProsSleek and premium designXbox Game Pass offers a stunning level of valueQuick Resume is a game changerSSD makes games and applications faster than everConsUser interface and overall design is very familiarNot as many high-quality exclusives as PS5 and SwitchStanding up against the PS5, the Xbox Series X is Microsoft’s attempt at a next-gen console and we’re big fans. The design is far subtler than Sony’s offering, even if it remains big, and features like Quick Resume allow you to easily get back into a game even when the console has been switched off. The SSD allows games and apps to load quicker than ever and of course, there’s Game Pass.
Sign up for Game Pass and you can play a load of games, including first-party Microsoft releases like Starfield and the recent Forza Motorsport title.
Our favourite Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals:Source link
The post The ultimate Xbox Series X Forza bundle is back in stock appeared first on Harmony Evans.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson Blames City’s Illegal Immigrant Crisis on ‘Right Wing Extremism’ (VIDEO) | The Gateway Pundit
Chicago’s useless left wing mayor Brandon Johnson is trying to blame the city’s illegal immigrant problem on right wing extremism.
Of course, the last time we checked, Joe Biden is in charge of the border, but Johnson can’t blame the leader of his party for the city’s problems.
He is taking a page right out of the same playbook that Ireland’s leaders are using right now. Everything is the fault of the evil right wing.
Transcript via Real Clear Politics:
CHICAGO MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON: It has to be better coordination. What we have seen is a raggedy form instituted by right-wing extremism. Everyone knows that the right-wing extremism in this country has targetted Democratically-ran cities and quite frankly, they’ve been very intentional about going after Democratically-ran cities that are led by people of color.
Their whole motivation is to create disruption and chaos because that’s what this particular party has been about. This is the same political party that did not want to accept that President Obama was actually an American. It’s the same Republican right-wing extremism that stormed the Capitol. It’s the same right-wing extremism that refuses to accept the results of the Civil War. It’s raggedy. It’s disrespectful it’s mean-spirited. It’s an unclean spirit, quite frankly.
So I got you. I got you. I just want to make sure that people understand what we’re facing. That’s why it’s so important that the faith community is leaning in at this moment. And so what what I’ve said, there has to be better coordination.
See the video below:
Mayor Brandon Johnson blames the city migrant crisis on the far-right, January 6th, and not accepting the Civil War outcome. pic.twitter.com/eimODTqiDG
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) November 28, 2023
Chicago is in serious trouble. How long are voters going to put up with Jonson’s ridiculous excuses for what’s happening to their city?
The post Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson Blames City’s Illegal Immigrant Crisis on ‘Right Wing Extremism’ (VIDEO) | The Gateway Pundit appeared first on Harmony Evans.
Victor Reacts: Jimmy Fallon Canceled? Mob Targets Fallon for Calling Transgender “Bud” (VIDEO) | The Gateway Pundit
No matter how hard you try, you can never keep up with insanity.
As reported by the Gateway Pundit, Jimmy Fallon is being targeted by the woke mob for calling a transgender guest “bud.”
Late-night host Jimmy Fallon is under fire from the woke mob for calling a transgender guest on his show “bud.”
The guest was actor Hunter Schafer, a biological male who identifies as a woman.
Schafer is in the new Hunger Games prequel, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, and was discussing how he has long been a franchise fan.
“For Halloween, I was obsessed with how the capitol people were in costume and made my own costume,” Schafer said.
“Congratulations, bud,” Fallon said, showing a photo of Schafer as a little boy wearing a homemade Hunger Games costume. “This is really cool, now you’re in Hunger Games — as a capitol person!”
The innocent and friendly exchange did not sit well with Schafer’s fans, however.
as if i didn’t have reason enough to hate Fallon, he takes this opportunity to show that he doesn’t see Hunter as the beautiful, immaculate queen sitting before him
to my cis readers, i hope you don’t see this as an overreaction—bud/buddy is unquestionably male-coded https://t.co/gzrf9cIHCk
— TheAverageGirlLovesFall
(@thearae60) November 20, 2023
Breitbart News noted that Fallon has previously addressed singer Ariana Grande as “pal” and original star of The Hunger Games, Jennifer Lawrence as both “dude” and “man.”
Will the woke mob ever be satisfied? It seems not. Eventually, reasonable people will no longer go along with the increasingly bizarre demands of the radical left.
The post Victor Reacts: Jimmy Fallon Canceled? Mob Targets Fallon for Calling Transgender “Bud” (VIDEO) | The Gateway Pundit appeared first on Harmony Evans.
California’s Privacy Protection Agency set to regulate AI automation
The Privacy Protection Agency of California (CPPA) is preparing to put restrictions on AI automation. The state privacy regulator published a draft of regulations for how people’s data can be used. The draft is called the “draft automated decisionmaking technology (ADMT).” It defines essential new protections related to businesses’ use of AI technologies. The proposed regulation would implement consumers’ right to opt out of and access information about all business use of ADMT — all provided for by the CCPA. The agency’s findings and feedback about the proposed regulation will be discussed at the December 8, 2023 board meeting. A formal rulemaking session will begin next year.California’s Privacy Protection Agency takes a page from the European Union’s GDPR regulations.Taking its approach and inspiration from existing rules in the European Union, the CPPA’s executive director, Ashkan Soltani, said that the draft represents “by far the most comprehensive and detailed set of rules in the ‘AI space.” The GDPR, or General Data Protection Regulation, has given individuals rights over automated decisions.These rights have a legal, binding, and significant impact on individuals since they were enacted in May 2018. The GDPR is building on its regulations with more specific provisions, making it more challenging for tech giants to get out of the compliance regulations. The California Privacy Protection Agency is looking to emulate the decisions of the European Union.The Agency will finalize the core restriction next year after a consultation process.
The Agency plans to finalize the core restrictions next year after their consultation process. Some have questioned whether the restrictions will pass all the consultation processes it must pass and actually become a “hard-baked rule.” Significant implications could follow the U.S. adtech giants, like Meta. Meta’s business model hinges on the ability to track and profile users and target them with ads.
The new CA rulings could circumvent this action as illegal if California signs the ruling into law. This means that companies would have to cease their commercial surveillance if they have not obtained permission from customers who have the ability to opt-out of their data being processed for behavioral advertising.
Featured Image Credit: Photo by Francesco Ungaro; Pexels
Deanna Ritchie Managing Editor at ReadWriteDeanna is the Managing Editor at ReadWrite. Previously she worked as the Editor in Chief for Startup Grind and has over 20+ years of experience in content management and content development.
Source link
The post California’s Privacy Protection Agency set to regulate AI automation appeared first on Harmony Evans.
OnePlus 12 confirmed to fix our biggest OnePlus 11 issue
It’s been confirmed that the forthcoming OnePlus 12 will fix what was arguably the single biggest issue with the OnePlus 11.
We love the OnePlus 11 (pictured) for its flagship qualities and approachable pricing, but it has always bugged us that it lacks wireless charging. Now OnePlus has confirmed that the OnePlus 12 will indeed reinstate this fundamental flagship feature.
OnePlus China president Li Jie has taken to Weibo ahead of the OnePlus 12’s December 5 unveiling, where he has confirmed that wireless charging will form part of the package.
If you’ve been keeping one eye on the smartphone rumour mill, this shouldn’t come as a huge surprise. Around a month ago we brought you the news from a pair of trusted tipsters that the OnePlus 12 was likely to restore wireless charging.
Elsewhere in his lengthy post, Li Jie runs through some other stand-out specs, some of which had already been confirmed or rumoured. There’s an all-new 50MP Sony LYT-808 image sensor and a “new generation of super light and shadow imaging system” (quote via machine translation) that’s been developed with Hasselblad.
We can also expect a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, “an eye protection solution that has never been seen in the industry”, and an IR blaster, among other things.
Throughout his post, Li Jie repeatedly returns to the suggestion that despite its plain name, the OnePlus 12 is a Pro-level product. Adding wireless charging certainly makes such claims more convincing than they were with the OnePlus 11.
Source link
The post OnePlus 12 confirmed to fix our biggest OnePlus 11 issue appeared first on Harmony Evans.
New Book by Former CNN Host Brian Stelter is a BIG FAT FLOP | The Gateway Pundit
Former CNN host Brian Stelter has just released a new book that’s all about how much he hates FOX News and so far, it is a tremendous failure.
Despite the fact that Stelter has gone on pretty much any news show that would have him on to promote the book, initial sales are terrible.
When Stelter was still on CNN, his whole routine was basically just talking about what was happening on FOX News, so his new book is just an extension of that. This is all he knows how to do, apparently.
Mediaite reports:
Brian Stelter’s Fox News Book ‘Network of Lies’ Has Lackluster Sales in First Week
In the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving weekend, former CNN anchor and media reporter Brian Stelter was nearly ubiquitous in the political media world, promoting his new book Network of Lies on various outlets and even hosting a tony and star-studded book party at the legendary Michael’s in New York.
Unfortunately for Stelter and his publisher, Simon & Schuster, the promotion and strong reviews have not yet turned into book sales: less than 4,000 copies were sold in its first week.
Network of Lies provides a detailed tick-tock of what went on inside Fox News as it dealt with the defamation suit brought against them by Dominion Voting Systems, which concluded with a whopping $787,500,000 settlement last Spring.
Published on November 14, Stelter’s book sold 3,807 copies in its first week, according to Nielsen BookScan. Those numbers are down 82% from his previous book about Fox (Hoax), which saw first-week sales of 20,832 in August 2020, according to BookScan.
The report goes on to say that Stelter’s book is not going to make it onto the NY Times best seller list. What a shame.
Former CNN Host Brian Stelter’s New Book About Fox News Flops In First Week https://t.co/HPEfTka67J pic.twitter.com/IUSQZZDeu1
— 1776 (@TheWakeninq) November 27, 2023
How much would someone have to pay you to read his new book?
Former CNN Host Brian Stelter’s New Book About Fox News Flops In First Week https://t.co/7hQs77h31W via @dailycaller
— Nicole Silverio (@NicoleMSilverio) November 27, 2023
If people wanted to read Stelter’s new book, he’d probably still have a job at CNN.
The post New Book by Former CNN Host Brian Stelter is a BIG FAT FLOP | The Gateway Pundit appeared first on Harmony Evans.
Police across the U.S. warn parents about “NameDrop” a new iPhone feature
Across the U.S., law enforcement agencies are warning about a new feature on the iPhone that may have privacy and security concerns. In the latest operating system update, iOS 17 introduces the feature “NameDrop.” This extension of the AirDrop feature lets users easily share their contact information with nearby iPhones and Apple Watches.
NameDrop allows users to exchange contact information by bringing their iPhone devices together. According to security experts and the law, the concern is that the feature’s default setting is in the “on” position once users download the update to their phones. Many agencies have posted warnings on Facebook over the weekend urging parents to turn off the feature on their child’s iPhone.
The NameDrop feature requires consent to receive and share the contact information, allowing the user to refuse a request. Two iPhone users can transmit, share, or receive a contact card with their email and phone number by holding the top ends of their smartphones near one another.
Apple says there are safeguards to the NameDrop feature.Apple says that its safeguards are in place, making the accidental sharing of information with a random stranger passing by very low because the phones must be held fairly close together to have the feature engage. The two iPhones also have to remain together while sharing.
How to turn off NameDrop featureGo to SettingsTap GeneralTap AirDropGo to the section labeled Start Sharing ByToggle Bringing Devices Together to the leftOffYou can also do NameDrop with your Apple WatchTo instigate a watch-to-watch transfer, you’ll need to open Contacts and tap on your image. Choose Share and hold your watches close together.
According to Wired, the information merely gives Apple’s iOS NameDrop a little viral moment. A great TikTok vid showing strangers at the gym and on a bus stealing all your information — and the video had 2 million views. Wired says that this is impossible — and that you shouldn’t worry about NameDrop being some colossal security risk.
Here’s how NameDrop works:Remember that all contact sharing will be canceled if the two smartphones are moved apart at any time during the process or if you decide to lock your iPhone using the power button.
Yes, NameCrop is auto-enabled when you update to iOS 17, but consent is required throughout the dropping process. No one walking down the street can bump into you and walk away with any of your information.
Featured Image Credit: 2 iPhones
Deanna Ritchie Managing Editor at ReadWriteDeanna is the Managing Editor at ReadWrite. Previously she worked as the Editor in Chief for Startup Grind and has over 20+ years of experience in content management and content development.
The post appeared first on Harmony Evans.
Roku’s What to Watch makes it easier to find what you like
Roku has announced the launch of its What to Watch feature, which aims to make it easier for users to find what they like most.
The new features such as What to Watch, along with Continue Watching and Save List, will begin rolling out to Roku streaming players in the next few weeks, with Roku TV models following in the next few months.
With What to Watch, viewers can access a personalised selection of recommendations based on “popular content, subscriptions, and their own viewing habits”. As is the norm with Roku, there aren’t any profiles for viewers to log into, so it’ll present recommendations based on the people watching on that particular device. Roku has said they’ll also take into account the device you’re watching, serving up different content.
Content is derived from “local and global favourites”, which in the UK means Channel 4, Disney+, ITVX, Netflix, My5, Prime Video, and many others.
Continue Watch is a feature you may have seen in other streaming apps and platforms. It functions in much the same manner, presenting users with a way to jump back into content they’re watching to resume TV shows and movies.
The Save List is not necessarily a new feature, but it’s been tweaked to make it easy for users “to quickly access content they’ve tagged to watch later”. Roku also says that with the new Save List users can easily add movies and shows from across the Roku platform.
In the UK Roku has grown to become one of the rising players in the UK market where affordable TVs are concerned, challenging the likes of Samsung and LG with its budget TVs. We’ve liked what we’ve seen from Roku, with TCL Roku RC630K winning our best affordable TV of 2023. We’ll be looking to review the JVC and Sharp models in the coming weeks.
Source link
The post Roku’s What to Watch makes it easier to find what you like appeared first on Harmony Evans.
November 27, 2023
‘Deadspin’ Writer Smears Innocent Child, Accuses Him of Wearing ‘Blackface’ with Deceptive Photo – Then a Different Picture Emerges | The Gateway Pundit
*Paging Nick Sandmann’s lawyers*
Sports news site Deadspin smeared an innocent child who attended Sunday’s Kansas City vs Las Vegas game by posting a deceptive photo of only one side of his face.
The little boy, who looks to be only 10 years old, attended a Kansas City Chiefs game with the team’s colors – black and red – painted on his face.
Imagine trying to purposefully ruin a child’s life with a hit piece that is intentionally misleading.
Shame on @carronJphillips and @Deadspin https://t.co/DTeH6RsFS3 pic.twitter.com/dmOedcs2Cv
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) November 28, 2023
Deadspin writer Carron Phillips went after the innocent child and accused him of ‘hating’ black people and Native Americans at the same time.
“It takes a lot to disrespect two groups of people at once. But on Sunday afternoon in Las Vegas, a Kansas City Chiefs fan found a way to hate Black people and the Native Americans at the same time.” Carron Phillips wrote.
Phillips also asked who ‘taught’ the child what they were wearing was appropriate (as if it’s any of his business what another person’s child wears).
The image of a Chiefs fan in Black face wearing a Native headdress during a road game leads to so many unanswered questions.
Why did the camera person give this fan the attention?
Why did the producer allow that camera angle to be aired at all?
Is that fan a kid/teenager or a young adult?
Despite their age, who taught that person that what they were wearing was appropriate?
“The NFL needs to speak out against the Kansas City Chiefs fan in Black face, Native headdress,” Deadspin writer Carron Phillips wrote.
“They’re doubling up on the racism. Are you going to say anything, Roger Goodell?” he said.
The NFL needs to speak out against the Kansas City Chiefs fan in Black face, Native headdress https://t.co/9eGBsA8nca
— Deadspin (@Deadspin) November 27, 2023
Carron Phillips actually tried to defend his article attacking an innocent child and accused his critics of ‘hating Mexicans.’
“For the idiots in my mentions who are treating this as some harmless act because the other side of his face was painted red, I could make the argument that it makes it even worse,” Carron Phillips said on X.
Carron Phillips is not only a coward for bullying a child, he disabled the comments to his tweet. Stunning and brave.
For the idiots in my mentions who are treating this as some harmless act because the other side of his face was painted red, I could make the argument that it makes it even worse.
Y’all are the ones who hate Mexicans but wear sombreros on Cinco.@Deadspinhttps://t.co/MfoG8vArWs pic.twitter.com/oQTxhUeA00
— Carron J. Phillips (@carronJphillips) November 27, 2023
This previous tweet from Carron Phillips is very telling…
I’m from Saginaw. Spent A LOT of time in Flint. I’ve never seen this many White people in Flint in my life. It’s…concerning.
— Carron J. Phillips (@carronJphillips) March 7, 2016
The post ‘Deadspin’ Writer Smears Innocent Child, Accuses Him of Wearing ‘Blackface’ with Deceptive Photo – Then a Different Picture Emerges | The Gateway Pundit appeared first on Harmony Evans.
