Protanopia

Quick, Draw! by Google

Quick, Draw! is an artificial intelligence experiment that looks for familiarizing yourself with how neural networks work to identify objects and text in photos 

Mario Kart 64 with Neural Evolution of Augmenting Topologies (NEAT)

Project from NIck Nelson applies Neural Network learning to playing Mario Kart 64 with successful results:

This is NOT a human playing the game, it is in fact the program I wrote. It is a special kind of machine learning that models biological evolution to evolve “species” to find the optimal solution to the problem. In this case the problem is Mario Kart 64! This run is the result of about two days of training. 

Code for the project can be found here

A.I. Artificial Intelligence - 2001 Steven Spielberg

Thanks Graylock

Struggle no more – Virtually choose your nail polish color

In an effort to solve the trial-by-purchase problem, the nail gurus at Sally Hansen are introducing a new app which lets you virtually paint on nail polish.

With ManiMatch, there’s no need to upload a photo or take a picture. Launch the app and put your hand in front of the camera and it starts scanning to determine your skin tone in order to provide color recommendations. Choose one, and the app paints the color right onto your nails then, Voila! Your nails on the screen.

Google’s DeepMind AI just taught itself to walk

Current AI programming techniques are incompatible for creation of human intelligence

        When artificial intelligence first came about in the first computing machines, computing was restricted by technology and computing power. The easiest way to get around giving intelligent functions to a machine was to give it basic sets of rules. These finite set of rules took up small amounts of memory, and could be used dependent on the input and goal. The rules could be combined to create more complex functions, exponentially increasing the amount of total functions available.

       The current computing grew from these beginnings, now using complex algorithmic and recursive functions using basic rules to further increase the amount of computing possibilities. The search for true artificial intelligence, one comparable to our amount of intelligence and conscious awareness, is in the works. A robotic creation using transistors and circuits and algorithmic programming whilst having the conscious and cognitive abilities that humans possess is the end goal. We know so far that even the most advanced artificial intelligence makes semantic and perceptual errors about the physical world.

       The problem with creating an artificial intelligence like our own is the rule-based computing which is the seed of modern computing intelligence. The seed planted was a rule-based one, and since we used these seeds to grow modern computing, we now have this type of computing available. I strongly believe this rule-based computing will never allow for true human-based artificial intelligence to be used. Human cognition and consciousness is not a rule-based system, and rule-based systems are not able to perform the amount and type of processing that the human mind does.

       The human mind processes information in bottom-up and top-down processes by integrating sensory info and semantic knowledge in integration centers of the brain. The mind can take this info and again reanalyze in in a seemingly subjective fashion, or by applying further conscious reason to perform a reaction to the input info. The mind has the ability to consciously engage ideas in the brain in a way that doesn’t seem to obey rules.

       Humans can be argued to be mostly a tabula rasa (blank slate) at birth, with arguably some innate abilities; perhaps there are some undefined “rules”. To create a “fully grown” and “mature” robot instantaneously, as well as endow it with all the knowledge of the world and processing an adult human would possess is a disastrous thought. We can’t program a mature robot, we need to grow it. Create a robot with the ability to learn, and to perform connections by repeated pairings of stimuli. A robot would be endowed with the learning abilities of which humans possess, so that it may learn connections in the world and be endowed with human-type knowledge and ability. The way we “program” robots now with artificially intelligent algorithms does not begin to scratch the surface of human knowledge ability.

       A robotic creation as a “newborn” with very few programmed rules besides rules for stimuli pairing, feature detection, whilst integrating the perceptual info similar in fashion to how the info bonds and integrates in the human brain is essential. No need for large highly complex algorithmic programs, we set a few basic algorithms, and allow the robot to “learn” the world on its own. While this is a long process, I believe it is the closest approximation to a human-like artificial intelligence. We bare the robot, and allow it to grow and mature in the human world by interaction with the world and gaining knowledge in the fashion that we do. This is the only way to create a robot which can be perceptually and semantically comparable to a human.

This post was inspired by this video on cognitive science: https://youtu.be/0T_nOzpBYxU

Tetsuya Mizuguchi, Game Creator

Last episode of the season from tocotocotv profiles developer responsible for many music-related video games, most famously recognized for Rez.

Remember to Click on “CC” to activate English subtitles:

Our last episode of the season features Tetsuya Mizuguchi, game creator and founder of the Enhance Games studio. Mizuguchi is the creator behind the iconic Rez, recently remastered as Rez Infinite, he also created Lumines, Child of Eden or Space Channel 5, which are all gaming experiences strongly influenced by music. Always ahead of his time, Mizuguchi will tell us more about his motivations behind Rez Infinite, and his pursuit of new forms of perception, supported by new technologies such as virtual reality, or through original concepts such as the Synesthesia Suit. Our day with Mizuguchi will take us to the heights of Mori Tower, then to the intimacy of the Restaurant Bohemian, where we will learn more about his philosophy and his work. 

Link

Way to Artist

Installation by teamVOID uses industrial robots to perform life drawings alongside human artists:

‘Way to Artist’ has the purpose of rethinking the process of artistic creation through a comparison of robot and human actions. Drawing is assumed to be a creative activity that only humans are capable of. Nowadays, however, the emergence of artificial intelligence has some believing that artwork could be created by robots. In connection with this, the work involves drawings executed by a robot and a human, each with different drawing skills. In the process, it reconsiders the general meaning of the drawing activity. 

Whilst this isn’t the first example of this type of setup, it isn’t clear whether the robots have any visual interpretation model, so this could be a metaphorical rather than technical presentation.

Link

The CGI Hugh Jackman in Logan

Check out this outstanding behind the scenes look at the digital double process used to create the stunning VFX work for the Hollywood blockbuster, “Logan”, created by the talented folks over at Image Engine!

Full video: TheCGBros