Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC) is a method to obtain a posterior distribution without a likelihood function, using simulations and a set of distance metrics. For that reason, it has recently been gaining popularity as an analysis tool in cosmology and astrophysics. Its drawback, however, is a slow convergence rate. We propose a novel method, which we call qABC, to accelerate ABC with Quantile Regression. In this method, we create a model of quantiles of distance measure as a function of input parameters. This model is trained on a small number of simulations and estimates which regions of the prior space are likely to be accepted into the posterior. Other regions are then immediately rejected. This procedure is then repeated as more simulations are available. We apply it to the practical problem of estimation of redshift distribution of cosmological samples, using forward modelling developed in previous work. The qABC method converges to nearly same posterior as the basic ABC. It uses, however, only 20\% of the number of simulations compared to basic ABC, achieving a fivefold gain in execution time for our problem. For other problems the acceleration rate may vary; it depends on how close the prior is to the final posterior. We discuss possible improvements and extensions to this method.

We typically think of artificial intelligence (AI) within our industry in terms of processes and calculations. Media buying, for example, is ripe for intervention by sophisticated algorithms and machine learning systems. The commonly-held assumption is that developments such as these will free up humans to spend more time on creative tasks, like campaign strategy and content production. But as we move from rule-based automation to true AI, should we believe that creativity will remain a singularly human pursuit? How close is artificial intelligence to being able to carry out the role of a content marketer?

Researchers have developed the world's first autonomous, zero-emissions cargo ship. The vessel could dramatically reduce diesel emissions from conventional cargo ships. The vessel, developed by agriculture company Yara International ASA and high-technology systems firm Kongsberg Gruppen, will be loaded and unloaded automatically using electric cranes. Researchers have developed the world's first autonomous, zero-emissions cargo ship: The Yara Birkeland. Developed by agriculture company Yara International ASA and high-technology systems firm Kongsberg Gruppen, will be capable of autonomous mooring and route planning.

Google parent Alphabet on Monday reported a quarterly profit of $3.5 billion, in a sharp decline from a year ago, with a massive fine by the European Commission biting into earnings. The technology giant reported that revenue grew to $26 billion in the recently ended quarter, and that profit would have tallied nearly $6.3 billion if it weren't for a $2.74 billion antitrust fine levied on search engine Google by the European Commission. The earnings for the quarter fell 28 percent from the same period last year. Google's parent company Alphabet says its quarterly profits took a hit because of a $2.74 billion anti-trust fine imposed by the European Union Alphabet announced separately that Google chief executive Sundar Pichai would join Alphabet's board of directors. Pichai is responsible for Google s product development and technology strategy, as well as the company s day-to-day-operations.

As self-driving cars are being tested everywhere from the US to South Korea, Germany to Australia, reports today make it clear that it won't be happening in India. The country's transport and highways minister, Nitin Gadkari told reporters today, "We won't allow driverless cars in India. I am very clear on this." Rather, the minister's rejection of self-driving vehicles is about the jobs they would take away from drivers in the country. "We won't allow any technology that takes away jobs. In a country where you have unemployment, you can't have a technology that ends up taking people's jobs," said Gadkari.

Both Microsoft and Google envision a not-so-distant future in which donning smart headgear to repair an elevator or assemble a tractor motor is the norm. Over the past several days, both tech giants have revealed they're each taking concrete and compelling steps to make that happen. Microsoft just revealed that it's working on a new artificial intelligence chip to power its second-generation HoloLens headset. The coprocessor's chief job will be implementing deep neural networks -- a machine learning technique with a structure that loosely resembles the human brain -- into the HoloLens' core processing unit. A dedicated A.I. chip is necessary for a gadget like the HoloLens, says Microsoft, which must be able to comprehend large amounts of complex data gathered by its depth and camera sensors without latency.

From Pratt's Bottom to Giggleswick, Britain is well-known for its unusual place names. But there is now an artificial intelligence programme that can generate its own. Oregon-based programmer Dan Hon, who created the programme for fun, posted a new list of British place names created by the AI on Twitter. The programme analysed thousands of British names of towns and villages and was then trained to make new ones at random. It created almost 4,500 'incredibly British' place names in total, and from'Filton-on's Forton' to'Grinachard St Ringley', many sound just like real places.

Facial recognition software is a reality and an increasingly irritating one. Smart cameras are monitoring the streets of most major cities, social media have massive databases of users' faces, and god knows how security services are planning to use it. Is there any way to escape Big Brother and enjoy some privacy? Developers and researchers are already working on this. For example, Carnegie Mellon University recently showed how specially designed glasses can trick facial recognition software into thinking you are someone else, and projects such as CV Dazzle explore how fashion can be used as camouflage.

Mobile application trends are the same as web application trends. Which is why they can be traced to a greater degree of traditional software changes. An important disparity, nevertheless, is that mobile apps are usually documented and categorically seize the privilege of the outstanding characteristics a specific device gives. For example, a gaming application can be possibly documented to make use of the iPhone's instrument made for detecting vibrations. A method to make sure that application displays best achievement on a specific device is to progress the application natively on that device.

In fact, it's about a thousand of them, give or take a few. An experiment using fake ducks to stand in for the real thing has found that when it comes to counting birds, drones beat humans. Jarrod Hodgson and his colleagues at the University of Adelaide in Australia had previously used aerial images from drones to count seabirds and found that the drones had a more comprehensive view of the colonies than the people trying to count them on the ground. However, neither could provide an exact count of the number individual birds. "We couldn't test for accuracy," says Hodgson.