5 Unexpected Applications of AI technology
It may still be COVID-19 now, but tech developments are showing no signs of stopping. Artificial Intelligence (AI), in particular, has seen some rather interesting applications besides those recently being used to battle the COVID-19 pandemic. In this blog post, we round up 5 of the most interesting applications of AI that are sure to make you take a second glance.
AI Influencers and Virtual Idols serving brands
Forget human influencers, make way for AI influencers. Though their human-like resemblance is somewhat uncanny (they behave and talk just like a real human being), they are increasingly being used in the world today. In countries like Singapore, such AI influencers have taken on paid gigs, appearing in various advertisements and paid collaborations with brands. In China and South Korea, these AI influencers have taken on the form of virtual idols, with South Korea’s new K-pop girl group Eternity being entirely made up of these virtual idols using Deep Real AI Technology.
Perhaps the main draw of having such influencers is the relatively minimal risk of bad publicity as these avatar influencers are under the direct management of brands, unlike their human counterparts who might engage in activities that result in bad reputation. There are also less limitations as these virtual influencers can literally be deployed anytime and anywhere — a plus point especially in the current situation of COVID-19.
So the next time you watch a K-pop group perform, you might be surprised to find that they are not real human beings, but virtual idols programmed by AI.
AI-powered furry companion with feelings
If you have ever wanted a pet but you just can’t due to various reasons such as having allergies, the robot pet Moflin might be just the thing you are looking for. Resembling the shape of a guinea pig, Moflin is able to feel and develop emotions like a real living creature. This is all thanks to its special algorithm which lets the furry little robot learn and grow from its interactions with people, allowing it to possess emotional capabilities. Powered by microphones, built-in sensors and touch sensors, Moflin is able to evaluate its surroundings and respond to human touch.
Interestingly, the creators of Moflin say that you can elicit different responses from the robot, depending on how you treat it. When not in use and being charged in its cute charging container, Moflin resembles a real sleeping animal, making similar sounds and movements that are just so soothing to look at.
Smart collar helping owners to better understand their dog
Another cool gadget in the pet space is Petpuls’ AI collar. If you have ever wanted to communicate with your canine, or try to understand them (think The Secret Life of Pets), this AI collar can help you get a sense of what your dog is feeling. Using AI-enabled voice recognition technology, the collar analyses your dog’s bark together with 10,000 bark samples from 50 breeds of dogs in its database to identify which emotional state (relaxed, anxious, angry, sad or happy) your dog is in. The collar works by pairing with an accompanying iOS or Android app via wi-fi.
Besides helping you to monitor your dog’s emotional well-being, the collar is also able to analyze your dog’s physical activities and rest time via an activity tracker and rest tracker. The activity tracker has an in-built accelerometer sensor that automatically calculates the number of calories that your dog burnt during exercise, enabling you to better manage your furry friend’s lifespan.
Smart perfume helping you smell good
Like putting on perfume but not sure what scent suits you most? As it turns out, AI can also be used to help you smell good! With the help of an AI-powered app and a virtual perfumer called Pierre, you can now customise your very own perfume by mixing and matching scents on your mobile device. The Ninu bottle itself is programmed to be linked to the app so everything is synced. No knowledge of perfume is needed, as Pierre will help you out by offering you suggestions on what scents to mix. When your fragrances are running low, Pierre will also helpfully notify you to replenish the stock. And if the perfume didn’t turn out right, all you need to do is tell the app if the perfume made the last time was too strong, and it will adjust the perfume concoction for next time.
Smart mask enhancing communication
The Japanese have done it again with their innovative ideas. While most of us just wear a mask to protect ourselves from the COVID-19 virus, this C-FACE smart mask developed by Donut Robotics goes one step further to enhance the clarity of our speech from behind the mask. As some of us might have already experienced, speaking with a mask on can greatly hinder communication as our voices come out all muffled. Many of us are all too familiar with that situation when we try to speak with others through a mask, and the other person goes, “Sorry, could you repeat that?”
This is where Donut Robotics’ C-FACE smart mask comes in. By transmitting the wearer’s voice to the smartphone of another person who is some distance away, their smartphone effectively becomes a speaker, amplifying the wearer’s voice. Using machine learning, the mask is also able to translate Japanese into several other languages such as English and Chinese.
At the same time, the mask can transcribe the wearer’s speech into text messages that appear on the other person’s smartphone, reducing any ambiguity that might arise from unclear speech. With social distancing and mask wearing still required in many places, this smart mask could be the new essential mask that everyone needs.
So there you have it! While some of these tech innovations have yet to officially launch, until then, we can start dreaming about them in the meantime.
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