For now, the lab version has an anemic field of view — just 11.7 degrees in the lab, far smaller than a Magic Leap 2 or even a Microsoft HoloLens.

But Stanford’s Computational Imaging Lab has an entire page with visual aid after visual aid that suggests it could be onto something special: a thinner stack of holographic components that could nearly fit into standard glasses frames, and be trained to project realistic, full-color, moving 3D images that appear at varying depths.

Like other AR eyeglasses, they use waveguides, which are a component that guides light through glasses and into the wearer’s eyes. But researchers say they’ve developed a unique “nanophotonic metasurface waveguide” that can “eliminate the need for bulky collimation optics,” and a “learned physical waveguide model” that uses AI algorithms to drastically improve image quality. The study says the models “are automatically calibrated using camera feedback”.

Although the Stanford tech is currently just a prototype, with working models that appear to be attached to a bench and 3D-printed frames, the researchers are looking to disrupt the current spatial computing market that also includes bulky passthrough mixed reality headsets like Apple’s Vision Pro, Meta’s Quest 3, and others.

Postdoctoral researcher Gun-Yeal Lee, who helped write the paper published in Nature, says there’s no other AR system that compares both in capability and compactness.

Apple plans to start its foray into generative AI by offloading complex queries to M2 Ultra chips running in data centers before moving to its more advanced M4 chips.

Bloomberg reports that Apple plans to put its M2 Ultra on cloud servers to run more complex AI queries, while simple tasks are processed on devices. The Wall Street Journal previously reported that Apple wanted to make custom chips to bring to data centers to ensure security and privacy in a project the publication says is called Project ACDC, or Apple Chips in Data Center. But the company now believes its existing processors already have sufficient security and privacy components.

The chips will be deployed to Apple’s data centers and eventually to servers run by third parties. Apple runs its own servers across the United States and has been working on a new center in Waukee, Iowa, which it first announced in 2017.

While Apple has not moved as fast on generative AI as competitors like Google, Meta, and Microsoft, the company has been putting out research on the technology. In December, Apple’s machine learning research team released MLX, a machine learning framework that can make AI models run efficiently on Apple silicon. The company has also been releasing other research around AI models that hint at what AI could look like on its devices and how existing products, like Siri, may get an upgrade. 

Apple put a big emphasis on AI performance in its announcement of the new M4 chip, saying its new neural engine is “an outrageously powerful chip for AI.” 

After overcoming the hurdles of COVID-19 delays and budget overruns, NASA has finally given the Dragonfly rotorcraft mission the go-ahead. 

This autonomously operated nuclear-powered rotorcraft is set to embark on a groundbreaking journey to Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, in 2028.

Why Titan?

Titan is no ordinary celestial body. Located about 746 million miles from Earth, it’s the second-largest moon in our solar system and the only one with a dense atmosphere besides Earth. But what makes Titan truly unique is its organic chemistry. With an atmosphere rich in nitrogen and methane, it’s a haven for scientists seeking to understand the building blocks of life.

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Artist’s concept of Dragonfly rotorcraft (NASA/JHU-APL)

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The challenges of exploration

Titan’s swamp-like surface, composed of petroleum byproducts, poses a significant challenge for exploration. Traditional rovers won’t do well there. Enter Dragonfly, a rotorcraft powered by a radio thermal generator. It flies using aluminum/titanium rotors, designed to leap across Titan’s landscape, conducting geological surveys and searching for biosignatures.

Artist’s concept of Dragonfly rotorcraft (NASA/JHU-APL)

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Dragonfly’s quest for life

Dragonfly’s mission is to travel to multiple locations on Saturn’s moon, Titan, to uncover signs of life. The spacecraft will scrutinize the surface and just beneath it, searching for organic compounds and life indicators. Equipped with a neutron spectrometer, a drilling mechanism and a mass spectrometer, Dragonfly will enable researchers to analyze Titan’s complex organic chemistry extensively.

Artist’s concept of Dragonfly rotorcraft (NASA/JHU-APL)

The mission’s journey

Despite financial debates, the mission’s delay necessitates a more powerful rocket to ensure Dragonfly’s arrival on Titan. With a budget of $3.35 billion, the mission represents NASA’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of space exploration.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

As NASA’s Dragonfly rotorcraft prepares to take flight, it is a testament to human ingenuity and the relentless pursuit of knowledge. This mission may not only unveil the secrets of Titan but also shed light on the origins of life itself. With the world watching, Dragonfly is poised to soar into the records of space exploration history.

How do you think the Dragonfly mission’s discoveries on Titan could reshape our understanding of life in the universe? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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