Bitcoin: Cryptocurrency Bitcoin has been on the decline. Last week was the largest weekly decrease in over three years. Cryptocurrency (crypto) differs from traditional currency in that crypto is decentralized, meaning that there is no central bank that issues the currency. Analysts partly attribute the decline to a lower demand for digital assets.
Technology at the Olympics: Modern technology is shaping the way events are run at the Olympic Games. Since 1932, Omega has been the official timekeeper of the Olympics. This year, the watchmaker debuted new cameras, capable of capturing 40,000 images per second. For snowboarding and skiing, Omega has sensors that are able to track speed, hangtime, number of rotations and elevation. Drones will be used to capture shots that were not possible before, such as racing alongside a skier. In curling, a new tracking system will enable viewers to see each stone’s speed, path and rotation, all in real-time. Olympic Broadcasting Services is using artificial intelligence (AI) to refine replay sequences and aid teams in finding video clips most relevant to their home audience, enabling faster production times.
AI Docu-Drama: As part of the “On This Day…1776 series”, filmmaker Darren Aronofsky has produced a series of short videos with visuals generated entirely by artificial intelligence. On This Day…1776 is a photorealistic (but technically animated) telling of what happened in the year of the American Revolution. The project has been licensed to Time Studios, whose president Ben Bitonti said that the project offers “a glimpse at what thoughtful, creative, artist-led use of AI can look like— not replacing craft, but expanding what’s possible and allowing storytellers to go places they simply couldn’t before”.
Reviews are mixed, with CNET declaring that “the overall effect lands somewhere between unsettling and laughable.” In spite of that, the script was produced by humans and the voiceovers were performed by Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists union actors, with music by Jordan Dykstra.
NASA: For the first time, space agency NASA is allowing its astronauts to take personal cellphones into space. The change will impact Crew-12 and Artemis II crew members, who will be taking flight within months. NASA administrator Jared Isaacman lauded the decision as “giving our crews the tools to capture special moments for their families and share inspiring images and video [sic] with the world.” Previously, the most modern camera equipment included a 2016 Nikon and GoPros several years old. Due to the familiarity most of the crew members have with smartphones, NASA believes that the switch could result in more photos being taken. While smartphones have orbited the Earth before, this marks the first time personal phones are allowed on a government mission.
