Month: August 2024
Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Aug. 20
Here are the answers for the NYT Mini Crossword for Aug. 20.
Here are the answers for the NYT Mini Crossword for Aug. 20.
The closest thing to C-3PO can be yours – if you have $16,000
Unitree G1 is a quantum leap ahead of the company’s H1 robot but it will cost you dearly.
Unitree G1 humanoid robot has speed, agility, and a slightly haunting faceless head – and it can be yours for $16,000.
The G1 is the more polished and accomplished follow-up to Unitree’s H1 humanoid, a robot I saw doddering around like an old man at CES 2024. That bot walked slowly but remained upright even when Unitree developers delivered a kick to its stiff back. G1, by contrast, is more flexible and faster than its predecessor. It might even be able to run away from that kick.
In a recently released YouTube video (below), G1 gets up from a prone position, walks, runs, climbs stairs, and handles getting punched and kicked. It then settles onto a couch, rotates its arms and legs 360 degrees, and folds its 77-pound, 4-ft. tall body into a small, carryable size (a developer does come along and hoists G1 over his head). It even engages in a bit of krav maga stick work, which I believe demonstrates how it uses imitation and reinforcement training to learn new skills.
(Image credit: Unitree)
While Unitree G1 has LiDAR scanners built into its head, it lacks a face. It also doesn’t ship with hands, but you can purchase a pair of three-fingered dextrous hands that can be used, at least according to the video and Unitree website, to crack walnuts, forcefully open a bottle of Coke, cook, and delicately solder electronics.
The specs promise two hours of battery life, but there’s no indication it can recharge on its own, a skill I can expect even from the most run-of-the-mill iRobot Roomba robot vacuum.
For all its skill, the Unitree G1 is not intended as a home robot. The fine print in the announcement video states, “The humanoid robot has a complex structure and extremely powerful power. Users are asked to keep a sufficient safe distance between the humanoid robot and the humanoid robot. Please use with caution.”
Yes, it appears there’s an error in that statement since one assumes it might be completely safe to leave G1 alone with another G1 but not with your kids.
(Image credit: Unitree)
The video also notes that some of the skills featured are still under development. Between that and the fact you have to pay extra with the dextrous gripping hands, it’s not clear exactly what you’d get if you have a spare $16,000 lying around.
The good news is that Unitree made significant progress from the H1 robot, and at this pace, there’s a solid chance that by 2025, the next G1 will be cheaper, safer, and far more capable.
Maybe now’s the time to start saving up.
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Can Grammarly’s AI bloodhound sniff out text written by ChatGPT?
Grammarly releases new Grammarly Authorship feature to detect AI-written text,
Grammarly’s expansion from writing assistance to AI tools that can write for you continued this week with a new feature designed to spot AI-composed text. Grammarly Authorship is coming to Google Docs as a beta and aims to help educators in particular work out when students are using AI to write their assignments.
Teachers and education policymakers have been wrestling with the issue of figuring out when something is written using AI for a long time, but ChatGPT and its rivals heightened the sense of urgency for such a tool as they make the traditional methods unreliable. The difficulty has been compounded by issues around false positives and difficulties in picking AI compositions from those written by students learning how to write, especially those who have English as a second language.
Grammarly Authorship attempts to address those problems by avoiding the way many existing AI detection tools analyze a text when it’s done. Instead, Grammarly Authorship tracks the real-time writing of a text. Supposedly it can tell when something has been typed, pasted from elsewhere, or generated on the page with AI. The tool will integrate with more than half a million applications and websites, centering on writing platforms like Google Docs, Microsoft Word, and Apple’s Pages.
The feature can track typing as it happens and note when text is copied over or when an AI tool generates or modifies text, such as Google Gemini or Microsoft’s Bing AI. Grammarly Authorship then makes a report and splits the paper up into categories based on if it was written, AI-generated, or pasted from elsewhere. It even shows a replay of the document being written to show exactly what happened.
Student AI Monitor
Individuals can purchase access to Grammarly Authorship, but educators are clearly the main market for the tool. AI-generated writing among students and in academic circles is contentious and has led to wrongful accusations by teachers, even as other students have admitted using AI to write papers that never get caught.
“As the school year begins, many institutions lack consistent and clear AI policies, even though half of people ages 14–22 say they have used generative AI at least once,” Head of Grammarly for Education Jenny Maxwell explained. “This lack of clarity has contributed to an overreliance on imperfect AI detection tools, leading to an adversarial back-and-forth between professors and students when papers are flagged as AI-generated. What’s missing in the market is a tool that can facilitate a productive conversation about the role of AI in education. Authorship does just that by giving students an easy way to show how they wrote their paper, including if and how they interacted with AI tools.”
Of course, that only matters if educators decide to trust Grammarly’s new concept. It will have to hit performance goals in real-world scenarios. That’s on top of competing with possible rivals. OpenAI has developed some new tools to detect content generated by ChatGPT and its AI models with a kind of watermark. But the company decided against rolling it out yet, lest it cause problems even for those with benign interests. That follows the failure of its first AI text detector, which it shut down in just six months.
Though having proof like the Authorship report would remove the question of whether a student really wrote their paper, there’s an inherent privacy issue that may make some reluctant to use the tool. Students may not want to share all the false starts in their writing or all the ways it didn’t go well. There doesn’t have to be a secret behind wanting only to share the final product. But they may not get a choice. Writing at home may soon resemble taking a test, where a proctor keeps an eye on students to prevent cheating, and even innocent moves may evoke suspicion.
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How to watch Lille vs. Slavia Prague online for free
Watch Lille vs. Slavia Prague in the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world.
TL;DR: Watch Lille vs. Slavia Prague in the Champions League for free with a 30-day trial of Prime Video. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The Champions League is arguably the biggest club competition in the world of football, so naturally, everyone wants to be involved.
Unfortunately, there simply aren’t enough spots for every successful team. And so, teams are forced to battle it out in Champions League playoffs. There are some really tasty matchups in these playoffs, including Lille vs. Slavia Prague.
If you want to watch Lille vs. Slavia Prague in the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is Lille vs. Slavia Prague?
Lille vs. Slavia Prague in the Champions League starts at 3 p.m. ET on Aug. 20. This fixture takes place at the Stade du Hainaut in Valenciennes, France.
How to watch Lille vs. Slavia Prague for free
Lille vs. Slavia Prague is available to live stream on Prime Video in the UK, but you don’t need to be subscribed to Amazon Prime to watch all the action. Instead, you can watch Lille vs. Slavia Prague (plus more Champions League fixtures) for free with a 30-day trial of Prime Video.
Fans from outside the UK will need to use a VPN to watch the Champions League for free on Prime Video. This process is straightforward:
Sign up for a 30-day Amazon Prime trial (if you’re not already a member)
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK
Watch Lille vs. Slavia Prague for free from anywhere in the world on Prime Video
Opens in a new window
ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free)
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Lille vs. Slavia Prague on Prime Video without committing with your cash. This isn’t a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select Champions League fixtures before recovering your investment.
What is the best VPN for Prime Video?
ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on Prime Video, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including the UK
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.
Stream Lille vs. Slavia Prague in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.
How to watch Seattle Storm vs. Washington Mystics online
Watch Seattle Storm vs. Washington Mystics in the WNBA from anywhere in the world.
TL;DR: Watch Seattle Storm vs. Washington Mystics in the WNBA with WNBA League Pass. Avoid blackouts and watch the WNBA from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The Seattle Storm vs. Washington Mystics is next on the court as the WNBA season continues. Both teams have had strong performances so far, so it’s set to be an exciting game.
If you want to watch Seattle Storm vs. Washington Mystics in the WNBA from anywhere in the world, keep reading to find out all the information you need. Don’t miss out.
When is Seattle Storm vs. Washington Mystics?
Seattle Storm vs. Washington Mystics in the WNBA starts at 7 p.m. ET on Aug. 20. This fixture takes place at the Entertainment and Sports Arena in Congress Heights, Washington D.C.
How to watch Seattle Storm vs. Washington Mystics
WNBA fans can live stream Seattle Storm vs. Washington Mystics plus the rest of the 2024 WNBA season from anywhere in the world with the WNBA League Pass.
However, it’s worth noting that the WNBA League Pass may not show locally televised games live in the participating teams’ local areas. But you can beat these geo-restrictions by using a VPN. These tools work by hiding your real IP address so you’ll be able to connect to secure servers in other locations, meaning you can bypass blackouts to watch every WNBA League Pass game live, excluding games hosted by Amazon Prime Video.
You can access every WNBA League Pass game by following these simple steps:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with no broadcast deals for the WNBA
Log in to WNBA League Pass
Stream every WNBA game live (barring games hosted by Amazon Prime Video)
Opens in a new window
ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free)
What is the best VPN for the WNBA?
ExpressVPN is the best choice for hiding your real IP address and streaming more sport, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.
Stream Seattle Storm vs. Washington Mystics in the WNBA from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
How to watch Dallas Wings vs. New York Liberty online
Watch Dallas Wings vs. New York Liberty in the WNBA from anywhere in the world.
TL;DR: Watch Dallas Wings vs. New York Liberty in the WNBA with WNBA League Pass. Avoid blackouts and watch the WNBA from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The WNBA season continues and next up it’s the Dallas Wings vs. New York Liberty. New York Liberty are one of the top-performing teams this season, so it’s set to be an exciting game as the Dallas Wings challenge them for a place in the playoffs.
If you want to watch Dallas Wings vs. New York Liberty in the WNBA from anywhere in the world, keep reading to find out all the information you need.
When is Dallas Wings vs. New York Liberty?
Dallas Wings vs. New York Liberty in the WNBA starts at 7 p.m. ET on Aug. 20. This fixture takes place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
How to watch Dallas Wings vs. New York Liberty
Basketball fans can watch Dallas Wings vs. New York Liberty plus the remainder of the WNBA 2024 season from anywhere in the world with a WNBA League Pass.
However, it’s important to note that the WNBA League Pass may not show locally televised games live in the participating teams’ local areas. However, you can get around this by using a VPN. VPNs are tools that work by hiding your real IP address (i.e. digital location). With this, you’ll be able to connect to secure servers in other locations and watch every WNBA League Pass game live, excluding games hosted by Amazon Prime Video.
To access every WNBA League Pass game, follow these easy steps:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with no broadcast deals for the WNBA
Log in to WNBA League Pass
Stream every WNBA game live (except games hosted by Amazon Prime Video)
Opens in a new window
ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free)
What is the best VPN for the WNBA?
ExpressVPN is the best choice for hiding your real IP address and streaming more sport, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.
Stream Dallas Wings vs. New York Liberty in the WNBA from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
How to watch Los Angeles Sparks vs. Connecticut Sun online
Watch Los Angeles Sparks vs. Connecticut Sun in the WNBA from anywhere in the world.
TL;DR: Watch Los Angeles Sparks vs. Connecticut Sun in the WNBA with WNBA League Pass. Avoid blackouts and watch the WNBA from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The WNBA season continues and next to go head-to-head are the Los Angeles Sparks and Connecticut Sun.
The Connecticut Sun are one of the top-performing teams this season but they’ll face stiff competition from the Los Angeles Sparks as they fight to make it to the playoffs.
If you want to watch Los Angeles Sparks vs. Connecticut Sun in the WNBA from anywhere in the world, keep reading to find out all the information you need.
When is Los Angeles Sparks vs. Connecticut Sun?
Los Angeles Sparks vs. Connecticut Sun in the WNBA starts at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Aug. 20. This fixture takes place at the TD Garden Arena in Boston, Massachusetts.
How to watch Los Angeles Sparks vs. Connecticut Sun
WNBA fans can live stream this fixture plus the rest of the 2024 season from anywhere in the world with the WNBA League Pass.
However, it’s worth noting that the WNBA League Pass may not show locally televised games live in the participating teams’ local areas. But don’t worry, you can get past these geo-restrictions by using a VPN. VPNs are tools that work by hiding your real IP address (i.e. digital location). This means you’ll be able to connect to secure servers in other locations, bypass blackouts, and watch every WNBA League Pass game live (barring games hosted by Amazon Prime Video).
You can access every WNBA League Pass game by following these simple steps:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with no broadcast deals for the WNBA
Log in to WNBA League Pass
Stream every WNBA game live (except games hosted by Amazon Prime Video)
Opens in a new window
ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free)
What is the best VPN for the WNBA?
ExpressVPN is the best choice for hiding your real IP address and streaming more sport, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.
Stream Los Angeles Sparks vs. Connecticut Sun in the WNBA from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
Teen Builds His Own Nuclear Fusion Reactor At College
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Interesting Engineering: A student has successfully developed a small nuclear fusion reactor as part of his A-Levels. The 17-year-old built the reactor to generate neutrons as part of his Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). Notably, Cesare Mencarini’s work is claimed to be the only nuclear reactor built in a school environment. Showcased at the Cambridge Science Festival recently, the nuclear reactor achieved plasma a few months ago. It also gave Mencarini an A* in his A-Level results, according to reports. […] Mencarini maintained that the goal of the reactor is to create conditions that are required for fusion. However, the project couldn’t get same pressure that’s generated by the Sun due to its own gravity. Therefore, to make atoms hot enough, the teen used high voltage.
The reactor achieved plasma in June. “Two days ago I achieved plasma, which was brilliant and I’m massively happy about this,” wrote Mencarini in a LinkedIn post. “The system is running thanks to a Leybold Trivac E2 roughing pump, which allows me to achieve a minimum pressure of 8E-3 Torr.” At that time, he mentioned that Pfeiffer TPH062 would be used later to achieve fusion. “This turbomolecular pump is currently isolated by a VAT Throttling Valve.” “The grid is then attached to a 30kV rated High Voltage Feedthrough connected to a 5kV Unilab power supply, which allows me to use the fusor in my school (It is limited to a 2mA output). While running the fusor I experimented with 2 grids which you can see in the images,” added Mencarini in the post.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Interesting Engineering: A student has successfully developed a small nuclear fusion reactor as part of his A-Levels. The 17-year-old built the reactor to generate neutrons as part of his Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). Notably, Cesare Mencarini’s work is claimed to be the only nuclear reactor built in a school environment. Showcased at the Cambridge Science Festival recently, the nuclear reactor achieved plasma a few months ago. It also gave Mencarini an A* in his A-Level results, according to reports. […] Mencarini maintained that the goal of the reactor is to create conditions that are required for fusion. However, the project couldn’t get same pressure that’s generated by the Sun due to its own gravity. Therefore, to make atoms hot enough, the teen used high voltage.
The reactor achieved plasma in June. “Two days ago I achieved plasma, which was brilliant and I’m massively happy about this,” wrote Mencarini in a LinkedIn post. “The system is running thanks to a Leybold Trivac E2 roughing pump, which allows me to achieve a minimum pressure of 8E-3 Torr.” At that time, he mentioned that Pfeiffer TPH062 would be used later to achieve fusion. “This turbomolecular pump is currently isolated by a VAT Throttling Valve.” “The grid is then attached to a 30kV rated High Voltage Feedthrough connected to a 5kV Unilab power supply, which allows me to use the fusor in my school (It is limited to a 2mA output). While running the fusor I experimented with 2 grids which you can see in the images,” added Mencarini in the post.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.