Erica is a robot android designed in 2015 by Hiroshi Ishiguro, a professor at Osaka University in Japan. According to him, this model is a step forward towards the creation of a robot that resembles the human being as much as possible. Erica's face and skin are almost flawless. In addition, the machine is able to demonstrate minimal facial expressions. It is assumed that the robot can replace secretaries, administrators and receptionists.
The Nadine robot was developed by specialists of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and presented to the general public in December 2015. It can talk about everything, memorize things that the interlocutor mentioned earlier, and also recognize a person it met before thanks to the fact that it is equipped with modern software. Such robots can help elderly people at home or become a universal personal assistant at work and at home.
Sofia is a robot launched in 2015 by the Hanson Robotics Hong Kong company. According to the developers, the Android possesses artificial intelligence, is equipped with visual processing functions and face recognition technology. Sofia can also imitate human gestures and facial expressions and answer questions on pre-determined topics. The creators of the robot hope that in the end, Sofia will be able to fully interact with people and get the necessary social skills.
Mark 1 is a robot with the appearance of Hollywood actress Scarlett Johansson. It was made by a designer from Hong Kong, Riki Ma, and presented to the public in early April 2016. The machine has a skeleton printed on the 3D printer. The skin covering its body and hiding mechanical and electronic components is made of silicone. The robot can move hands, legs, and head, and also it has facial engines, with which it can, for example, raise its eyebrows in surprise and even wink. In addition, Mark 1 can communicate in a question-answer format.
The Jia Jia robot was designed and presented at the end of April 2016 by a group of inventors from the Chinese University of Science and Technology. The machine is endowed with artificial intelligence, can simulate emotions and recognize the facial expressions of people, navigate in space through cloud technologies. Also, Jia Jia can easily look from one person to another, and the movements of its lips are synchronized with speech. It is known that one day it even decided to joke and asked not to shoot it too close, because its face will seem big.
Economic inequality remains one of the most pressing issues in today's world. To measure the gap between the rich and the poor in each country, the Gini index is used. This coefficient reflects how income is distributed within a society: the closer the index is to 100, the greater the inequality. Let's explore which countries currently have the highest Gini index values
This year has been pivotal for Bitcoin, the world's leading cryptocurrency. One of the key milestones was the approval of Bitcoin spot ETFs by the US Securities and Exchange Commission. In April 2024, Bitcoin also experienced a halving event, which is typically seen as a positive development for the digital asset. This year, the cryptocurrency is up 57%, and analysts remain optimistic about its future. However, they highlight four key factors that could influence Bitcoin's trajectory, both for better and for worse
Analytical periodical US News and World Report has presented its ranking of the best countries in the world in terms of quality of life, based on a survey of nearly 17,000 people. The list considers factors such as economic and political stability, a strong labor market, income equality, family-friendliness, safety, the quality of education, and healthcare systems. Let's find out which countries made it to the top of this list.
