Latest Developments in Digital Information: Highlights from the Data Newsfront
In an exciting breakthrough, Project CETI, a U.S.-based marine technology company, has trained an AI system to decipher the complex vocal patterns of sperm whales. This groundbreaking development could revolutionise our understanding of these mysterious creatures and potentially transform conservation efforts.
The AI system analyses the structured rhythms, tempos, and patterns within the click patterns known as "codas" made by sperm whales. Remarkably, these analyses reveal that whale vocalizations are not random but have complex linguistic-like structures, resembling aspects of human speech.
Project CETI employs advanced robotics like specially modified first-person view (FPV) racing drones to humanely place suction-cup tags on whales. These tags record bioacoustics (whale sounds), heart rate, dive depth, and body orientation, collecting comprehensive data with minimal disturbance. The drones and tags collect extensive recordings of whale conversations, providing the vast datasets needed for AI to find patterns invisible to humans.
The ultimate goal is to build a "translation" from whale language into human-understandable messages, providing insights into whale social structures, needs, and experiences. This technology could transform conservation by revealing how human activities, such as shipping noise, affect whales and enabling better protective measures. Early warning systems could also be developed to prevent deadly ship-whale collisions.
Understanding whale communication may challenge current beliefs about animal intelligence and shift legal and ethical treatment of marine species. As we delve deeper into the world of whale communication, we may discover that these creatures are far more intelligent and complex than previously thought.
Meanwhile, in other news, the U.S. National Weather Service has upgraded its weather supercomputing capacity with two new supercomputers for forecasting models. These new supercomputers aim to better understand and predict rapid intensification in weather patterns, such as with Hurricane Michael.
Elsewhere, the U.S. Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory is simulating power supply scenarios for Los Angeles's 100 percent clean energy goal by 2035. The estimated costs for this transition range between $57 to $87 billion.
Lastly, McDonald's has partnered with IBM to use AI for improving drive-thru efficiency. The Fur-tual Boutique app, on the other hand, uses augmented reality for pets' Halloween costumes, featuring seven different costumes: Killer Doll, Werewolf, Granny, Country Singer, Cowboy, Teddy Bear, and Superhero.
[1] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-93884-7 [2] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-93884-7 [3] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-93884-7 [4] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-93884-7 [5] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-93884-7
- The AI system developed by Project CETI, working in tandem with advanced robotics, is not only deciphering the complex vocal patterns of sperm whales but also uncovering linguistic-like structures within their vocalizations, potentially pushing the boundaries of our understanding about animal intelligence.
- Remarkably, the sophisticated technology employed by Project CETI in Whale Tagging, such as suction-cup tags and FPV drones, collects extensive bioacoustic data with minimal disturbance, providing datasets essential for AI to identify patterns invisible to humans.
- This research in environmental-science could revolutionize conservation efforts by offering insights into whale social structures, needs, and experiences, and enabling protective measures against negative impacts from human activities like shipping noise.
- Furthermore, the development could lead to the creation of early warning systems to prevent fatal ship-whale collisions, thus ensuring the safety of both marine species and shipping routes.
- The potential applications of AI extend beyond marine life as it is being used in other fields, such as sports, where McDonald's has partnered with IBM to enhance drive-thru efficiency, and in entertainment, where the Fur-tual Boutique app leverages augmented reality for unique, AI-driven pet Halloween costumes.
