Artificial intelligence and machine learning have already established their stronghold in areas like software, industries, healthcare and even the financial sectors. AI's ability to learn and predict has made it immensely successful in the above mentioned areas. Now, scientists and technology majors are using AI to try and save millions of lives that are affected due to natural calamities like floods, storms, earthquakes and forest fires every year all over the world. Making use of the data that is already available, AI will now be able to predict storms and other natural disasters thus preventing loss of lives. After the floods wreaked havoc and lead to the death of over 300 people in Kerala recently, several established IT companies are joining hands and announcing innovations to prevent such incidents in the future.

SYDNEY – A robot submarine able to hunt and kill the predatory crown-of-thorns starfish that are devastating the Great Barrier Reef was unveiled by Australian researchers on Friday. Scientists at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) said the robot, named the RangerBot and developed with a grant from Google, would serve as a "robo reef protector" for the vast World Heritage site off Australia's northeastern coast. The RangerBot has an eight-hour battery life and computer vision capabilities allowing it to monitor and map reef areas at scales not previously possible. "RangerBot is the world's first underwater robotic system designed specifically for coral reef environments, using only robot-vision for real-time navigation, obstacle avoidance and complex science missions," said Matthew Dunbabin, the QUT professor who unveiled the submarine. "This multifunction ocean drone can monitor a wide range of issues facing coral reefs including coral bleaching, water quality, pest species, pollution and siltation."

The Justice Ministry will impose new regulations on Japanese-language schools in October to ensure students who enter Japan to learn the language do not spend the majority of their stay working instead of studying. The change was implemented after one applicant raised the ministry's eyebrows by asking about setting up a school that would be in session for just half a year, presumably so students could use the longer holiday period to work. Under current student visa conditions, students can work up to 40 hours a week when their schools are on holiday and 28 hours when they are in session. Although there were previously no rules on how long a school should be in session, the new rule will require schools to be in session for at least 35 weeks a year. "The main duty of a student is to study," said Justice Ministry official Tetsuya Soga, who explained that the new rule is intended as a way to clarify that students should be putting their effort into studying rather than working.

This project demonstrated how modern data science can greatly increase the efficiency of conventional research at sea, and improve the productivity of interactive seafloor exploration with the all too familiar "stumbling in the dark" mode. "Developing totally new operational workflows is risky, however, it is very relevant for applications such as seafloor monitoring, ecosystem survey and planning the installation and decommissioning of seafloor infrastructure," said Thornton. The idea behind this Adaptive Robotics mission was not to upturn the structure of how things are done at sea, but simply to remove bottlenecks in the flow of information and data-processing using computational methods and Artificial Intelligence. The algorithms used are able to rapidly produce simple summaries of observations, and form subsequent deployment plans. This way, scientists can respond to dynamic changes in the environment and target areas that will lead to the biggest operational, scientific, or environmental management gains.

They have their own interests, preferences and concerns. Sending the same message to every one of your customers and prospects is unlikely to win their hearts. Instead, it will only see your efforts quickly ignored and leave a sour taste in their minds. For marketing to be effective in any industry, you need to find a way to speak to your audience on a personal level, and using personalized techniques backed by artificial intelligence (AI) is the way to go. It is now a common practice to use marketing automation tools to reach a wider audience, but the most obvious mistake that marketers tend to make is simply ignoring the option of personalization.

SHANGHAI, CHINA - AUGUST 27: People visit an Artificial Intelligence (AI) equipment experiencing area during the 5th Popular Science Products Expo at Shanghai Exhibition Center on August 27, 2018 in Shanghai, China. The 5th Popular Science Products Expo is held on August 24-27 in Shanghai. You are standing in line waiting to board your regular afternoon flight home. You give your boarding pass to the check-in attendant and suddenly a light flashes on the board. The attendant says, "Sorry, we can't allow you on this plane because you have a history of treatment for alcohol abuse which the airlines consider makes you a travel risk."

SINGAPORE: Singaporeans ranging from secondary students to working adults will get to pick up artificial intelligence (AI) basics for free as part of a programme called AI for Everyone (AI4E) unveiled on Thursday (Aug 30). The programme, which targets 10,000 participants, aims to familiarise them with AI and help them understand how it can be used in their daily lives, said Minister for Communications and Information S Iswaran at an event to commemorate the first-year milestone for AI Singapore (AISG). It will also help dispel fears that AI will replace jobs, according to a separate joint fact sheet by AISG, Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA) and the National University of Singapore (NUS). Materials for the three-hour workshop will be provided by tech giants Intel and Microsoft. These free workshops will start from the end of this month and will run for three years.

Internet-connected robots that can stream audio and video are increasingly helping housebound sick children and elderly people keep in touch with teachers, family and friends, combating the scourge of isolation and loneliness. Zoe Johnson, 16, hasn't been to school since she was 12. She went to the doctor in 2014 "with a bit of a sore throat", and "somehow that became A&E [accident and emergency]," says her mother, Rachel Johnson. The doctors diagnosed myalgic encephalomyelitis, ME for short, also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - a debilitating illness affecting the nervous and immune systems. Zoe missed a lot of school but was able to continue with her studies with the help of an online tutor.

Researchers at the University of Tokyo and Keio University have created a robotic system called Fusion that's worn on a user's back and operated remotely. Fusion is a telepresence robot with two arms and a head and it can allow a remote operator to not only see what the wearer sees, but also manipulate the robot's arms or use the robot to move the wearer's arms. Yamen Saraiji, a researcher on the project, told The Verge that Fusion could be used, for example, by an expert to "guide new practitioners on how to operate certain instruments or to assist them remotely without the need of their physical presence." You can see Fusion at work in the video above. It shows how the system can be used to help two individuals communicate and collaborate from a distance, and describes the three modes of action -- directed, enforced and induced. You can also see how the telepresence user can operate the robot through an Oculus Rift headset.

The company that brought you milk chocolate, Maggi instant noodles and Rocky Road ice cream is worried about your health. Nestle SA, the world's largest food company, has joined the trend for personalized nutrition with a blend of artificial intelligence, DNA testing and the modern obsession with Instagramming food. The program, begun in aging Japan, could provide the Swiss company with a wealth of data about customers' wellness and diet as it pivots toward consumers who are seeking to improve their health and longevity. In Japan, some 100,000 users of the "Nestle Wellness Ambassador" program send pictures of their food via the popular Line app that then recommends lifestyle changes and specially formulated supplements. The program can cost $600 a year for capsules that make nutrient-rich teas, smoothies and other products such as vitamin-fortified snacks.