Top 5 STEM This Week

Click to read about a robot golfer, vibration allergies, Amazon’s Echo, and more. Photo from Uber.

By Lauren Yang

LDRIC hits a hole in one. Video from PGA Tour.

1. Are robots better at golfing than you?
At the 2016 Waste Management Phoenix Open in Arizona, a robot named Launch Directional Robot Intelligent Circuitry, or LDRIC, sunk a hole-in-one on hole 16 at TPC Scottsdale. In comparison, the odds of an amatuer golfer shooting a hole-in-one is 12,500 to one, according to Golf Digest. LDRIC, named after Tiger Woods’ given name, Eldrick, was built by the company Golf Laboratories. Although you won’t be seeing golfing robots on the course soon, LDRIC is an achievement for the robotics industry. Read more here.

Vibrations may be the culprit to your allergies. Creative commons image from Sergiu Bacioiu.

2. Not-so-good vibes: a new type of allergy
Scientists recently discovered a genetic mutation that causes humans to become allergic towards vibrations. The symptoms are mild, as affected individuals feel fatigued, or get a headache or rash. The cause of this allergy stems from a gene called ADGRE2, which activates the immune system when the body experiences vibrations. Read more here.

Amazon’s Echo can now call Ubers. Creative commons image from Frmorrison.

3. Uber and Echo unite
Amazon’s Echo, a digital personal assistant, can now call your Uber for you. Already equipped with the ability to stream Spotify or order a pizza, Echo’s latest update is part of its larger goal to integrate with as many other platforms as possible in order to provide a seamless experience. Read more here.

DeepMind can now add completing a maze game to its growing list of impressive accomplishments. Image from Google DeepMind.

4. Google deepens its AI with DeepMind
Google’s artificial intelligence program, called DeepMind, can now explore and learn from 3D mazes. The maze game awarded points if the program found certain objects. During the first game, DeepMind scored an average of 2 points per game. After three days of deep learning, DeepMind scored an average of 50 points per game. This improvement is key to AI researchers who can use the data to improve computer vision or spatial recognition algorithms. Read more here.

You can now play chess with Facebook’s Messenger app. Screenshot by Lauren Yang.

5. Facebook’s hidden chat games
Facebook has added a secret, unlockable chess game with its chat feature. To activate the hidden chess game, type “@fbchess” when you’re messaging a friend with Messenger, Facebook’s messaging app. Type “@fbchess” in the chat for more information and instructions.

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