Abstract--The current paper proposes a novel neural network model for recognizing visually perceived human actions. The proposed multiple spatiotemporal scales recurrent neural network (MSTRNN) model is derived by introducing multiple timescale recurrent dynamics to the conventional convolutional neural network model. One of the essential characteristics of the MSTRNN is that its architecture imposes both spatial and temporal constraints simultaneously on the neural activity which vary in multiple scales among different layers. As suggested by the principle of the upward and downward causation, it is assumed that the network can develop meaningful structures such as functional hierarchy by taking advantage of such constraints during the course of learning. T o evaluate the characteristics of the model, the current study uses three types of human action video dataset consisting of different types of primitive actions and different levels of compositionality on them. The performance of the MSTRNN in testing with these dataset is compared with the ones by other representative deep learning models used in the field. The analysis of the internal representation obtained through the learning with the dataset clarifies what sorts of functional hierarchy can be developed by extracting the essential compositionality underlying the dataset. ECENTL Y, a convolutional neural network (CNN) [1], inspired by a mammalian visual cortex, showed a remarkably better object image recognition performance than conventional vision recognition schemes which employ elaborately hand-coded visual features. A CNN trained with 1 million visual images from ImageNet [2] was able to classify hundreds of object images with an error rate of 6.67% [3], and demonstrated near-human performance [4]. As a consequence, CNNs are less effective in handling video image patterns than static images. To address this shortcoming, a number of action recognition models have been developed. H. Lee is with the Department of Electrical Engineering, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea, email: (haanvidlee@gmail.com). M. Jung is with the Department of Electrical Engineering, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea, email: (minju5436@gmail.com).

It is an approach best summed up by Homer Simpson, who told his son Bart'If something is hard to do, then it's not worth doing'. Now, researchers say the view may actually be hardwired in our brains. They say it is so powerful, it can even change what we think we see to make the easier option more attractive. Researchers say the approach may actually be hardwired in our brains. They say it is so powerful, it can even change what we think we see to make the easier option more attractive.

The human species is about to change dramatically. That's the argument Yuval Noah Harari makes in his new book, Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow. Harari is a history professor at Hebrew University in Israel. He tells NPR's Ari Shapiro that he expects we will soon engineer our bodies and minds in the same way we now design products. The three main ways of doing that, first of all, is to take our organic body and start tinkering with it with things like genetic engineering, speeding up natural selection and actually replacing it with intelligent design -- not the intelligent design of some God above the clouds, but our intelligent design.

Think that artificial intelligence isn't intelligent yet? Quick: What do you think of when you hear the words "artificial intelligence?" You might think of Siri or Alexa. Maybe you picture robots that are coming to steal your job. Or perhaps you think of technology that turns against its inventors and spells the end of the human race. Whatever your personal stance may be, according to recent headlines, the population is split when it comes to their belief in AI.

The machines haven't taken over. However, they are seeping their way into our lives, affecting how we live, work and entertain ourselves. From voice-powered personal assistants like Siri and Alexa, to more underlying and fundamental technologies such as behavioral algorithms, suggestive searches and autonomously-powered self-driving vehicles boasting powerful predictive capabilities, there are several examples and applications of artificial intellgience in use today. However, the technology is still in its infancy. What many companies are calling A.I. today, aren't necessarily so.

February 21, 2017 --Scientists have compiled a map detailing wild bee activity across the US, but the picture it paints isn't great. It's no secret that bees are struggling to stay aloft. The precise reasons are up for debate, but many experts agree that a perfect storm of pressures from pesticide use, the rise of monocrop agriculture, declines in natural habitat, and global warming are squeezing many bee populations out of existence. A 2016 UN report found that 2 out of every 5 spineless pollinator species are facing extinction. Unchecked, this trend could have disastrous consequences for global agriculture.

FILE - In this June 7, 2010 file photo, Mexican forensic experts examine the body of 14-year-old Sergio Adrian Hernandez Guereca under the Paso Del Norte border bridge in the city of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. The Supreme Court appears to be evenly divided about the right of Mexican parents to use American courts to sue a U.S. Border Patrol agent who fired across the U.S.-Mexican border and killed their teenage son. FILE - In this June 7, 2010 file photo, Mexican forensic experts examine the body of 14-year-old Sergio Adrian Hernandez Guereca under the Paso Del Norte border bridge in the city of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. The Supreme Court appears to be evenly divided about the right of Mexican parents to use American courts to sue a U.S. Border Patrol agent who fired across the U.S.-Mexican border and killed their teenage son. FILE - In this June 7, 2010 file photo, Mexican federal police and forensic experts stand next to the body of 14 year-old Sergio Adrian Hernandez Guereca, under the Paso Del Norte border bridge, as US officials watch from the US side at right, in Ciudad Juarez, northern Mexico.

A startup called Exyn Technologies Inc. today revealed AI software that enables drones to fly autonomously, even in dark, obstacle-filled environments or beyond the reaches of GPS. A spin out of the University of Pennsylvania's GRASP Labs, Exyn uses sensor fusion to give drones situational awareness much like a human's. In a demo video shared by the company with TechCrunch, a drone using Exyn's AI can be seen waking up and taking in its surroundings. It then navigates from a launch point in a populated office to the nearest identified exit without human intervention. The route is not pre-programmed, and pilots did not manipulate controls to influence the path that the drone takes.

Businessman and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban turned to Twitter to warn about robots' threat to unemployment. "Automation is going to cause unemployment and we need to prepare for it," Cuban said Sunday. The tweet also included a link to warnings about artificial intelligence from tech leaders, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Bill Gates and Stephen Hawking. Cuban didn't elaborate on the subject, but in a recent interview with CNBC he said President Donald Trump and his administration don't understand technology advancements in machine learning and artificial intelligence. Cuban is a strong critic of Trump and had endorsed his opponent, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, during the presidential campaign.

Okay, so maybe the 21st century under-delivered on the whole flying car thing, but it appears we're a lot closer to another form of personal flight than you probably thought. It seems the hoverbike, a tried and true addition to any futuristic science fiction arsenal, is already a reality. Hoversurf just released a trailer for its first fully manned hoverbike, built on a heavy duty drone platform called the Scorpion 3, and it's just as cool as it sounds. The video shows off the team's successful attempt at a fully manned hoverbike -- and just seeing the speedy contraption in action is enough to get your blood pumping -- but the real star of the show here is the Scorpion 3 drone platform. Hoversurf built the Scorpion 3 platform to be used in a number of different applications, and the hoverbike seen here is just one of those.