Recommended Robot and AI Reads This Week

Now There’s An App For That
A story in the Economist looks at how recent advances in AI, especially a machine-learning technique called deep learning, could soon be put to good use in medicine.

U.S. Military Foresees Robot “Transportation Hub” in Space
Robots are already pioneering the exploration of other planets, so why not use them to repair and refuel satellites? Space.com reports on an intriguing DARPA proposal to place an automated spaceport in orbit.

DARPA Adds “Sense of Touch” to Robot Hand
Another project backed by the U.S. military’s research department could allow those who have lost a limb to not only control a prosthetic device using their brain, but also receive some sort of sensory feedback via the appendage.

New Robot Maps Fukushima Reactors
The Japanese newspaper the Manichi reports that a new robot will help with the arduous process of decommissioning the stricken nuclear plant in Fukushima by entering and mapping its buildings. The situation highlights the limitations of existing robots, and is one motivation for trying to develop more nimble and dexterous machines.

Software Is Smart Enough for SAT, but Still Far From Intelligent 
This piece by John Markoff the New York Times offers some interesting context on a widely reported experiment that saw AI software successfully answer a series of 11th-grade SAT geometry questions.