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Just in case you think that Elon Musk is unstoppable — it seems that SpaceX just lost 40 satellites, worth 20 million dollars, after a geomagnetic storm — ouch. Many couples now find themselves navigating the potential conflicts that could arise with Super Bowl LVI falling on the eve of Valentine’sValentine’s Day. However, everyone can agree that technology has changed the game inside the $5 Billion SoFi Stadium with a mouthwatering 70,000-square-foot 4K Infinity Screen by Samsung and a Cisco Network helping fans consume 18TB of data.
Predictably, the NFL has partnered with Meta to create Super Bowl LVI Shirts for digital avatars. For the geeks in the crowd, a new programming language for high-performance computers proves that speed and correctness do not have to compete as academics also discuss why classrooms should be teaching 4 new laws of computing.
Refreshingly, news that a reconfigurable AI device shows brain-like promise and the great resignation is giving birth to digital employees powered by ML and RPA highlighted how technology works best when solving real problems.
Enjoy the newsletter — as always, we welcome your thoughts, feedback, or suggestions Steve@NYCMediaLab.org
Steven Rosenbaum
Executive Director
The NYC Media Lab
Must-Read
A New Programming Language for High-Performance Computers
Many of us are guilty of taking high-performance computing for granted when bringing vast quantities of data to life. But we will also have no problem admitting there has traditionally been a trade-off between speed and reliability. However, all that could change as a team of researchers explores how a new tensor language prototype could pave the way for a game-changer moment where speed and correctness will no longer have to compete. Maybe in the not-so-distant future, we really will be able to have it all.
MIT/ 3 min read
Geomagnetic Storm Takes Out 40 of 49 Brand New Starlink Satellites
On Thursday, February 3, Falcon 9 launched 49 Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Everything appeared to be going to plan with each satellite successfully achieving controlled flight. Unfortunately, they have since been impacted by a geomagnetic storm causing an atmospheric drag which sent the satellites 50 percent higher than during previous launches.
With 1,915 Starlink satellites already in orbit, losing up to 40 of them won’t impact the company too much. But the incident is expected to cost up to $100 million. The only positive that can be taken from the event is that the safety design ensures the satellites will be incinerated upon re-entering Earth’s atmosphere to prevent the tech from contributing to the growing space junk problem.
The Register/ 2 min read
Tech + Media
I Found Out Why Metaverse Avatars Don’t Have Legs
Microsoft and Meta have proudly unveiled their vision for virtual worlds of the future. The Metaverse promises to transform how we see the world and participate in it as we float around meeting rooms while conversing with cartoon versions of our bosses. But as we create digital versions of ourselves, the only question techies found themselves asking is, why don’t our avatars have legs?
Thankfully, Ivan Mehta from the TNW has solved the problem and shares why we can expect to see floating torsos in the Metaverse for the foreseeable future.
TNW/ 3 min read
Reconfigurable AI Device Shows Brainlike Promise
Any news around AI and neuroscience converging will excite and concern audiences in equal measure. As a result, the scientific community was cautiously optimistic about the announcement that a neuromorphic computer aims to mimic the human brain’s ability to adaptively learn from experiences.
The team dared to explore if they could mimic neurogenesis behaviors in electrical hardware to create machines that learn throughout their lifespan. The results make for an intriguing read, but before we all get too carried away, the research is still very much in its infancy.
IEEE Spectrum/ 2 min read
The Great Resignation Gives Birth to Digital Employees Powered by AI, ML, and RPA
When a record-breaking 4.5 million US workers voluntarily left their positions in November, it became impossible to escape headlines around the great resignation. As employees turned their back on roles that included repetitive and mundane tasks, businesses turned to digital workers that automate and streamline the jobs that nobody wanted to do.
Welcome to the new self-learning ecosystem of digital workers. Learn how virtual employees powered by AI, machine learning, RPA, and analytics are becoming even more advanced. But rather than replace their human counterparts, learn how they are empowering them to tackle more impactful, high-level tasks and projects that add value.
VentureBeat/ 4 min read
3 Data Privacy Trends to Watch in 2022 and Beyond
The death of third-party cookies is on the horizon, and increases in data protection regulation as once again made data privacy a hot topic. In the years ahead, every brand will be judged by its data privacy practices in the public eye, and Amazon’s $886.6 million in fines from the EU for GDPR violations served as a big wake-up call for the industry.
As consumers become more educated on their data privacy rights, they increasingly question what businesses know about them. These 3 data privacy trends are a must-read for anyone looking to position themselves as a privacy-first brand that can be trusted.
VentureBeat/ 5 min read
What We’re Watching
Inside The $5 Billion SoFi Stadium
On Super Bowl Sunday, over 70,000 fans will head to the SoFi Stadium, which famously costs $5 Billion to construct. However, with tickets costing between $4000 and $30,000, it will be much cheaper to take a virtual tour around the stadium and the technology behind it all.
For techies who want to take a peek behind the curtain, Cisco’s connected Wi-Fi network has more than 2,500 Wi-Fi 6 access points, the largest such deployment at a sports venue. Fans are expected to consume 18TB of data during the game, all of which will be complemented by Samsung’s 70,000-square-foot 4K Infinity Screen, which proves that technology is changing the game.
Tech Vision YouTube/ 5 min watch
What We’re Listening To
Darknet Diaries — Spam Botnets
Botnet operators famously employ their botnets to send spam, scan for new victims, steal confidential information from users, perform DDoS attacks, host web servers, and phishing content. But what really motivates attackers? And how do these stories end? In this week’s episode of Darknet Diaries, the hosts share stories from some of the world’s biggest spamming botnets. They discuss all things botnet-related such as Rustock, Waledac, and Cutwail. The episode is a must-listen for anyone who is curious about who was behind them, what their objectives were, and what their fate was.
Apple Podcasts/ 1 hour 11 mins
Virtual Events & Jobs
NEW ROLE — NYC Media Lab, Director of Membership.
We have an amazing new role as we continue to grow in 2022. We’re hiring for a Director of Membership, and if you know someone who would be great, please ask them to check out www.NYCMediaLab.org/Jobs — or maybe it’s you! Reach out to learn more.
Black Excellence, Black Invention
Sunday, February 13, 2022
Hear from Black scientists, educators, creators & descendants of Black inventors in a celebration of Black innovation & a conversation about why it is important to highlight Black contributions. This event is moderated by Dr. Carolyn Ransom-Scott, who has been distributing the Black Inventors bookmark for decades & will relaunch a new version available at the Library as part of the More Than a Month, Black History Month commemoration.
Buying Real Estate In The Metaverse
Tuesday, February 15, 2022
Metaverse mortgages are being issued to buy virtual land — and one of the first-ever was just signed for a property in Decentraland. So if you want to learn more about this space, understand how it’s currently being implemented and where it all might go, this event promises to answer any questions you might have.
Growth Through Personalization & Customer Journeys
Wednesday, February 16, 2022
Personalization has become the prime driver of marketing success, and companies of all sizes are challenged with staying ahead of the curve. Join a panel of experts in discussing using personalization and customer journeys to drive growth.
A Deeper Look
Moore’s Not Enough: 4 New Laws of Computing
Most subscribers of this newsletter will know all about Moore’s Law and how the number of transistors on a chip will double every two years. Similarly, many institutions also teach Metcalfe’s Law and how the value of a network would grow proportionately to the number of its users squared. However, these two laws are arguably no longer enough in a digital world. Adenekan (Nick) Dedeke ay IEEE Spectrum states a case why classrooms should also consider these four new laws of computing.
IEEE Spectrum / 8 min read
Read More Today’s newsletter written in partnership with Neil C. Hughes, the Tech Blogger and host of Tech Talks Daily
Copyright © 2022 NYC Media Lab, All rights reserved.
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