As the world grapples with climate change and dwindling fossil fuel reserves, biodiesel emerges as a promising renewable alternative to conventional diesel. However, the journey toward sustainable biodiesel production faces significant hurdles, particularly in selecting the right feedstocks that don't compete with food supplies. A groundbreaking comprehensive review reveals how artificial neural networks (ANNs) and deep learning technologies are revolutionizing this field, offering unprecedented solutions to longstanding challenges.

A new Simon Fraser University course this fall marks a world first: a university professor teaching alongside a live, fully expressive 3D artificial intelligence collaborator on stage. This pioneering course introduces a new model for human-AI interaction in an academic setting, positioning SFU at the forefront of educational innovation.

Developed at the School of Interactive Arts and Technology’s iViz research lab headed by professor Steve DiPaola, the AI named Kia is a high-end, expressive digital persona. With real-time facial expressions, lip-sync, and a multitude of emotive body languages, Kia is designed to be a dynamic and intellectual sparring partner for DiPaola for a course exploring the principles, potential, and ethics of AI technologies. 

Kia will engage in real-time discussions, debate complex topics, and explore questions alongside DiPaola, creating a uniquely interactive and thought-provoking student experience.

Kyoto, Japan -- The Japanese mud shrimp, Upogebia major, constructs burrows that can reach two meters deep into the sandy shores of East Asia and Eastern Russia. The size and Y-shape of these double entrance burrows make them appealing to other small dwelling species, resulting in a symbiotic relationship that effectively makes them roommates.

Recently, a collaborative team of researchers from Kyoto University and Kochi University confirmed that the Japanese mud shrimp has a new roommate: Betaeus levifrons, a rare species of alpheid shrimp that until now has only been found in the Russian Far East.

When surveying burrows of the Japanese mud shrimp along the Pacific coast of Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost main island, the researchers collected five specimens of B levifrons, all of which were found in U major burrows. This suggests that B levifrons is an obligate symbiont of U major, meaning it depends on U major for shelter.

A new review published in Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Systems（AIAS） highlights how artificial intelligence can tackle the pervasive problem of missing traffic data in intelligent transportation systems. The study categorizes and compares leading data imputation methods, offering a clear roadmap for researchers and city planners to improve traffic management and smart city operations.

Recently, defect detection systems using artificial intelligence (AI) sensor data have been installed in smart factory manufacturing sites. However, when the manufacturing process changes due to machine replacement or variations in temperature, pressure, or speed, existing AI models fail to properly understand the new situation and their performance drops sharply. KAIST researchers have developed AI technology that can accurately detect defects even in such situations without retraining, achieving performance improvements up to 9.42%. This achievement is expected to contribute to reducing AI operating costs and expanding applicability in various fields such as smart factories, healthcare devices, and smart cities.

Faculty members from the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at University of Tennessee are involved in two collaborative National Science Foundation grants that aim to address health disparities research and enhance the performance and productivity of AI science.