Science fiction author Isaac Asimov came up with the three'laws' of robotics in a story he published in 1942. The first of these laws says a robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. Now artist and roboticist Alexander Reben has developed the first robot that breaks this rule, by hurting humans in an unpredictable way. Artist and roboticist Alexander Reben claims he has developed the first robot (pictured) that hurts humans autonomously and in an unpredictable way. It is a'near certainty' that a major technological disaster will threaten humanity in the next 1,000 to 10,000 years.

A robot that can decide whether or not to inflict pain has been built by roboticist and artist Alexander Reben from the University of Berkeley, California. The basic machine is capable of pricking a finger but is programmed not to do so every time it can. Mr Reben has nicknamed it "The First Law" after a set of rules devised by sci-fi author Isaac Asimov. He said he hoped it would further debate about Artificial Intelligence. "The real concern about AI is that it gets out of control," he said.

In the garden of London's Victoria & Albert Museum stands the Elytra Filament Pavilion, a 2,000-square-foot canopy named for--and designed after--a beetle's elytron, the insect's fibrous, double-layered forewings. In the months ahead, the structure will adapt and grow in response to the people who visit it. By looks alone, the pavilion is imposing. But its engineering is even more impressive. The modules weigh just 99 pounds apiece, putting the entire structure in the neighborhood of 5,400 pounds--or about the same weight as just 21 square feet of the museum's stone facade.

A tree familiar to players of the computer game "Minecraft" could also be the tallest tree in the tropics, conservationists have found. Researchers spotted the enormous yellow meranti (Shorea faguetiana), extending 293.6 feet (89.5 meters) above the forest floor, on the northern part of the island of Borneo, where they were conducting reconnaissance flights to assess local biodiversity. Their discovery was described in an announcement published online June 8 by the University of Cambridge. "Yellow meranti" is also one of the sapling "species" available to Minecraft users in the game's "Forestry" modification pack, and it grows into a mahogany tree. But while Minecraft users can spawn an infinite number of trees and plant them in any biome, in the real world, the yellow meranti is threatened by habitat loss and is classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN.)

Artificial intelligence is one of the most popular topics in IT world. Famous inventors and celebrities Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak are concerned about AI researches and assume that its creation is a real threat to humanity. In fact, science fiction and Hollywood films created many misconceptions about AI. Technology blog Gizmodo decided to penetrate into the topic and find out if AI really poses a danger to us. So what makes us imagine Skynet destroying our planet and can AI trigger unemployment? On the other hand, can it be our way to prosperity?

The department of applied mathematics of CentraleSupelec has an immediate opening at the level of assistant professor in the areas of statistics, and / or machine learning and /or data mining. Successful applicants should have an outstanding track record & publications and should will to contribute to the further expansion of the department in one of the above areas both from research (establish an independent research group) and teaching view point. Research-wise the applicant could also benefit from the established collaboration between CentraleSupelec and Inria which is the French National Institute for Research in computer science and applied mathematics. Successful applicants should hold a PhD in mathematics, computer science or engineering in an area like statistics, machine learning or data mining or a related one and should be able to demonstrated an outstanding record in research and teaching. Applications should be mailed electronically to the chairs of the hiring committee: - Professor Nikos Paragios, nikos.paragios@ecp.fr - Professor Erick Herbin, Chair of the department, erick.herbin@ecp.fr

The Machine Learning (AppStat) group of the Linear Accelerator Laboratory (LAL) is seeking a postdoctoral researcher for working at the interface of machine learning and experimental high-energy particle physics. The researcher will work with the dynamic interdisciplinary group which organized the HiggsML challenge, including Cecile Germain and Isabelle Guyon (LRI), and Balázs Kégl and David Rousseau (LAL) Some of the ongoing themes are deep learning for next-generation high-resolution pixel calorimeters, including the systematic uncertainties in training ML models for discovery, and budgeted learning for real-time triggers. All themes include the development of state-of-the-art ML solutions that can make a real difference in both the design and in the data analysis phases of ongoing and future large-scale physics experiments (e.g., ATLAS, LHCb, the future ILC). The candidate will also be part of the Paris-Saclay Center of Data Science and will be expected to participate in the mission of the center through its activities (eg, RAMPs, software carpentry, thematic days). We are accepting candidates both from data science (ML, statistics, signal processing) and from high-energy physics, given that the candidate is ready to cross the disciplinary aisles.

Domestic companies are coming up with a series of new services that leverage the latest in drone technology. MicroAd Inc., a Tokyo-based online advertising company, has unveiled a service called Sky Magic to produce sound-and-light extravaganzas. Drones illuminated with LED lights can project logos, words, shapes and pictures in spaces above large-scale events. At its roll-out event in Chiba in April, five drones flew in a formation depicting an inverted image of Mt. Fuji as a live shamisen performance was held in front of an audience of some 1,300.

Matt Krisiloff is in a small, glass-walled conference room off the lobby of Y Combinator's office in San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood, shouting distance from some of the country's wealthiest startups, many of which Y Combinator has nurtured and helped fund. Krisiloff, who manages the operations of the tech incubator's program for very early-stage companies, is explaining why it is committed to investing an amount said to be in the tens of millions of dollars in a venture that is guaranteed never to make a penny. It's the simplest business model conceivable: hand thousands of dollars over to individuals in return for nothing, no strings attached. Krisiloff insists he and his Y Combinator colleagues can't wait to get started giving away the money. "This could be really transformative," he says. "It may help change how humans, society, and technology all operate together in the future."

Light globes that change colour with the tap of an app, coffee machines you can talk to, and ovens that know exactly how long to cook your food: our homes are getting smart. These devices, just a few examples of what is known as "the internet of things" (or IOT), have been called the "next great disruptor" and "the second digital revolution". One of the great hopes of this revolution is that it will help households save energy. Sensors can turn off lights and appliances when not in use, or turn the heating down when people go to bed. Smartphone apps can provide households with more insight into the energy use of their appliances.