AI Takes Flight: Fruit Flies to Medtech Marvels

Science and tech are taking flight with AI as researchers around the world are beginning to see new applications for the tech one-year into its widespread commercial and public release. New advances in chemistry and robotics will open new doors to future medtech applications. That video your conspiracy-theory living relative sent to you on Facebook isn’t real - I repeat - the head transplant machine is not real.

Welcome to Espresso Talks, a monthly newsletter in a bite-sized ‘snackable’ format.

1. Fly on The Wall:

• Scientists have harnessed AI to monitor and map fruit fly neural activity.
• This research could lead to Medtech breakthroughs, such as brain implants controlling unconscious functions.

1. Starring Nic Cage as John Travolta:

• A viral video claims the invention of a head transplant machine.
• MIT helped debunk this video, proving no such machine exists.

The Dawning of The Unhackable Web:

• Scientists in Cambridge, MA, have created a 35 km fiber-optic loop for the first-ever quantum internet connection.
• Quantum internet would rely on subatomic entanglement, enhancing technology and security.

Robotic Body Building:

• MIT has developed ‘superlimbs’ to assist astronauts in heavy lifting during moonwalks.
• These robotic limbs have potential civilian applications, inspired by space agency innovations like cell phones and insulin pumps.

Better Living Through Chemistry:

• A new breakthrough allows scientists to grow diamonds from scratch in just 15 minutes.
• This could democratize access to diamonds, used in medical devices such as bone saws and precision lasers.

1. Fly on The Wall

Sometimes science strives to answer big bold questions about our universe like “How can we safely split atoms?” or “How can we pull nitrogen from the atmosphere to make the fertilizer that feeds billions?” Other times scientists want to know, “What do flies see with all those eyes of theirs?” or “How can I predict what that fruit fly will do next?”?

Harnessing the power of AI, science has finally cracked those final two age-old questions by monitoring and mapping fruit fly neural activity. This breakthrough might sound silly, but it paves the way for future breakthroughs in medtech like brain implants that can control unconscious functions that would greatly improve the quality of life for some people living with spinal cord injuries - like heartbeat, or the constriction of gastric muscles in the digestive tract.?

2. Starring Nic Cage as John Travolta

Finally science has done something useful and brought us one step closer to living in the universe of the John Woo action film “Face/Off” in which Nic Cage plays John Travolta and vice versa with the invention of the world’s first head-transplant machine.?

Or have they?

MIT recently helped journalists debunk a viral video showing a machine that spews sparks for some reason while performing fully automatic “head transplants.” Although swapping your body out for a more attractive model could become a reality in the future, there is currently no such device in existence. If you would like to live visit the alternate universe where this device does exist, check out the comment section of the viral video on Facebook.???

3. The Dawning of The Unhackable Web:

Scientists in Cambridge, Massachusetts (home to Harvard and MIT) have created a 35 km fiberobtic loop around the academic enclave in hopes of creating the first-ever quantum internet connection. A quantum internet would depend upon principles of subatomic entanglement to manipulate atoms across infinite distances, leading to inconceivable advanced technology that will allow hackers to guess passwords with remarkable accuracy. As companies like Apple prepare for quantum computer attacks, researchers are laying the groundwork for a quantum web that recently witnessed what Bay State computer scientists achieved entanglement of two light photons for approximately one second. Think about how much fun Slack convos at work will be when you can receive messages before they arrive.

4. Robotic Body Building:

More news from MIT: the world renowned technology hub has developed ‘superlimbs’ that will assist astronauts on moonwalks. These robotic limbs will be worn externally to assist in heavy lifting and hold promise for civilian applications in years to come. The space agency’s impressive track record for innovation includes microwave communication (cell phones), memory foam, cochlear implants (surgically implanted hearing aids), and insulin pumps. The medtech applications of super-strength robotic exoskeletons cannot be understated.?

5. Better Living Through Chemistry:

A new breakthrough in chemistry allows scientists to grow diamonds from scratch in just 15 minutes. This new discovery will hopefully lower the barrier to entry for more people to enjoy comedian Patrice O’Neal’s famous taunt: “You couldn't bling bigger than me if I bought you a diamond hat.” Diamonds are also used in the medical devices world in everything from bone saws to precision lasers.?

Conclusion

Tune in next month when I’ll be recapping more ways our future robotic overlords are already getting the upper hand.?