Robot Baristas, AI Notetakers, and a 'Bomb Cyclone' Among Latest Developments
A variety of technological and meteorological events captured headlines this week, ranging from the rise of robot baristas and AI-powered notetakers to a winter storm threatening parts of the United States.
In Seattle, robot baristas are gaining traction, exemplified by Artly's "Jarvis" in the Hill7 lobby. Multiple news sources reported that Jarvis uses a robotic arm to craft lattes, challenging the perceived importance of human touch in coffee preparation. One reviewer even noted that the robot barista was able to make latte art. This development comes amid a changing retail landscape that includes vacant storefronts and Amazon Go closures, according to The Verge.
Meanwhile, AI-powered physical notetakers are emerging as alternatives to digital meeting platforms. TechCrunch reported that devices like Plaud Note Pro and Mobvoi TicNote offer recording, transcription, and summarization capabilities for both in-person and remote scenarios. These devices utilize advanced microphones and AI algorithms to capture audio, generate summaries, extract action items, and even provide live translation, potentially disrupting traditional meeting dynamics and workflows. The devices offer varying features, pricing, and subscription models, impacting accessibility and adoption across different professional settings.
On the weather front, a winter storm traveling across the southern United States threatened to drop snow on parts of Florida's Gulf Coast for the first time in a decade. Time reported that forecasters warned it could develop into a "bomb cyclone," a weather event in which atmospheric pressure drops sharply over a short period. By Friday, the storm had already begun to drop snow on parts of eastern Tennessee, the Carolinas, and southern Virginia. Tampa could see snow flurries for the first time since 2010. According to Time, about 240 million people were under cold weather advisories Saturday, and nearly 200,000 customers were without power, some from last week's storm, most in Tennessee and Mississippi.
In other news, one developer detailed the creation of "Drinky," a Telegram bot built with Cloudflare Workers, Durable Objects, and grammY, designed to track and remind users to drink water. According to Hacker News, the developer created the bot after realizing he wasn't drinking enough water and wanted a low-friction way to track his intake.
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