A store with no price tags that is surely losing money

I went into the Amazon bricks-and-mortar store in Seattle recently, finding the experience raised more questions than it answered. Here's an insightful article:
http://www.inc.com/minda-zetlin/7-reasons-amazons-bricks-and-mortar-store-isnt-really-a-bookstore.html

"It may be selling books, but that is not its true purpose..."
The books all face outwards..."the store has about 6,000 titles whereas an average Barnes & Noble might stock more than three times that many."
No price tags - "The way to find out the price of a book...scan the book with your smartphone using the Amazon shopping app...this is clearly one major purpose of the store-"-to make sure all shoppers have an up-to-date version of the app."
"- Amazon received a patent for a system that would actually identify a customer (possibly by facial recognition) and charge that customer for an item at the moment he or she carries it out of the store--eliminating the need for checkout altogether.
"-This store is well-maintained, neat, has lots of staff, and is sitting in some very expensive real estate. Which means you can be sure the Seattle Amazon Books is operating at a loss.

"Be a part of the Verbier Festival Orchestra"

This is a summer orchestra in Switzerland where musicians are fully supported, and where the backdrop of the camp looks like the opening scenes of the Sound of Music.

Very funny photo (mis)alterations

James Fridman (@fjamie013) • Instagram photos and videos

https://www.instagram.com/fjamie013/?hl=en

Cool tech

The Blackbird - a car that can become any car through CGI.

Big arm - haptic control from your arm to a huge robotic strong arm.

Road printer - insert bricks and it arranges and lays them down on the road.

Tunnel-boring arm can be steered and manipulated into the rock face.

Introducing PhotoScan by Google Photos

Because a snapshot of an old photo from your phone has reflections of the flash, this software combined several snapshots of the old photo into one image.

https://youtu.be/MEyDt0DNjWU

Timelapse: Building the world's biggest ship

I'm watching a show about building the world's biggest ship.

https://youtu.be/vxeREd3s_UE

The steel as described by the naval architect, is the same thickness as a beer can if you scale it down. It's designed to flex as waves pass under it. 

The steel, in places 100mm thick, is described here:

http://www.worldsteel.org/media-centre/Steel-news/Triple-E-Container-Ships.html

It has since been surpassed by a yet bigger ship, though these ships are approaching an absolute maximum - "About 22,500 seems to be the size that people believe is the ultimate. Lack of port access becomes a problem after that stage."

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-30696685

Haptic Controller for Backhoe

I don't know why this has taken so long to develop. It's seems so intuitive to me. No need to relearn all the joysticks on a different machine.

https://youtu.be/_R0W0ATEuCM

The concept is explained a little more here.

https://youtu.be/oQ5HzV4doXY

And the engineering that began it all is explained here

https://smartech.gatech.edu/bitstream/handle/1853/4980/frankel_joseph_g_200405_mast.pdf

Coordinated control paradigm for hydraulic excavator with haptic device. 2019

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/333519891_Coordinated_control_paradigm_for_hydraulic_excavator_with_haptic_device

https://re.public.polimi.it/bitstream/11311/1188884/3/Configuring_a_VR_simulator_for_the_evaluation_of_advanced_Human_Machine_Interfaces_for_hydraulic_excavators.pdf

Interactive Dynamic Video

Making objects come to life so you can manipulate them with your mouse.  All based on just a few seconds of video.

https://youtu.be/4f09VdXex3A

World's largest container port.

I was watching a show about the world's largest ship, and they mentioned this port. It's built 30km offshore from Shanghai in order to accommodate the deeper draft of these massive vessels. Have a look at this link with the satellite view. Massive!

https://goo.gl/maps/7NTdk46sEpQ2

Here's a video describing the massive construction project
https://youtu.be/GvK7utRInww

World's largest container port.

I was watching a show about the world's largest ship, and they mentioned this port. It's built 30km offshore from Shanghai in order to accommodate the deeper draft of these massive vessels. Have a look at this link with the satellite view. Massive! I count 65 of those massive gantry cranes.

https://goo.gl/maps/7NTdk46sEpQ2

Here's a documentary about the massive construction project to make it:
https://youtu.be/GvK7utRInww

What Does A.I. Have To Do With This Selfie?

Very cool!! Using neutral networks to transfer these style of a painting to a photo.

https://youtu.be/WHmp26bh0tI

Doubts About the Promised Bounty of Genetically Modified Crops

What a terrible and dismaying conclusion about genetically modified crops - "an extensive examination by The New York Times indicates that the debate has missed a more basic problem — genetic modification in the United States and Canada has not accelerated increases in crop yields or led to an overall reduction in the use of chemical pesticides."

I'm really surprised by that result. That was how GMOs were heralded at their introduction, as a means to help saves the planet. 

From The New York Times:

Doubts About the Promised Bounty of Genetically Modified Crops

Higher yields with less pesticides was the sales pitch for genetically modified seeds. But that has not proved to be the outcome in the United States.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/30/business/gmo-promise-falls-short.html

Autonomous driving in action.

No driver input... And watch the car self-park at the end at 2:34. Checks the entire parking lot for space, then continues out to the street and parallel parks there. 

https://youtu.be/WKrOC5rM4Ok

Sodium acetate crystal ball - beautiful chemistry

https://youtu.be/pzHiVGeevZE

Sodium acetate crystal ball - beautiful chemistry

https://youtu.be/pzHiVGeevZE