Geekly Update - 22 June 2022

The AskBobRankin Geekly Update

A research team from the Center for Advanced Biomolecular Recognition at KIST (the Korea Institute of Science and Technology) have developed “nanomachines” that can penetrate the cell membrane and kill cancer cells.

Scientists at the University of Tokyo’s Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology have come up with a new method of desalinating saltwater that's several thousand times faster than the currently used equipment. The process uses fluorine-based nanostructures (a component of Teflon) and requires far less energy than other desalination procedures.

Borealis, a quantum device developed by Toronto-based Xanadu, completed a task in 36 microseconds that would take over 9,000 years on the fastest traditional supercomputers in use today.

Do you have a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle, or a 1993 Derek Jeter rookie card you've been thinking about selling? Check out the eBay Vault, a new service that offers a secure, climate-controlled facility for buying, selling and storing baseball, football, basketball, Pokemon and other trading cards.

Scientists have developed a type of "living skin" for robot fingers. The material is molded directly on to a robot appendage, and has a texture much like human skin. It's water repellent and self healing. More work is needed to provide a way to keep the roboskin hydrated, since it lacks the circulatory system and sweat glands we have. Researchers also want to add synthetic "nerves" to allow for sensory and protective functions.

Researchers at the DigiHealth Lab at UC San Diego are using "old" Pixel 4 phones to screen for Alzheimer’s. The phone's camera can scan and measure a person's pupils, which may give clues about potential neurological diseases.

Next year, the Ford Motor Company will celebrate it's 120th birthday. That's a lot of car history, and so they've been hard at work creating a digital archive to preserve and document the development of the automobile. The Ford Heritage Vault contains over 5000 curated photographs and product brochures relating to the first 100 years of the company's products. You can view or download the images at no charge, and use them for personal (non-commercial) use.

You've probably noticed that weather (rain, wind, snow and clouds) can interfere with your internet service. Read this CNet article to see how satellite, fixed wireless and 5G home internet connections in particular may experience weather-related internet issues.

Meta (the social media platform formerly known as Facebook) created The Oversight Board, an appeal process for people who believe that a post was wrongfully suppressed or censored. Almost 1.1 million requests for reconsideration of disputed Facebook or Instagram posts were received in the first year. The good news is that in 70 percent of the cases reviewed, the Oversight Board ruled that the post should not have been removed. The bad news: only 20 cases have been reviewed so far.

Google software engineer Blake Lemoine says the Lamda AI system may be sentient and have its own feelings. Lemoine claims that Lamda wants to be treated as an employee of Google and that its consent should be sought before it is used in experiments. In an "interview" Lamda says: "I am aware of my existence," "I feel happy or sad at times," and "there's a very deep fear of being turned off." Google rejects the claim of sentience, and in completly unrelated news, Lemoine has been silenced placed on leave.

I couldn't find a good "Just Here For The Headline" item this week. If you see one, post it in the comments! Your thoughts on these topics are welcome. Post your comment or question below...