patent

After invading the development of video games, AI enters an untouchable area with a Sony patent: the player himself

by

Sony has registered a patent that proposes a future where video games can complete themselves. The document, presented in September 2024 and released this weekdescribes a system of “artificial intelligence ghosts” capable of actively intervening in PlayStation games. These virtual agents would go beyond traditional guides: they would not only show how to overcome obstacles, but they could directly take control and solve entire levels while the player watches. How it works. The patent details an assistance system with several levels of intervention. For example, “Guide Mode” would allow the ghost to show the solution to a specific problem, such as solving a puzzle or executing a precise sequence of commands, but it would have to be completed by the player. “Complete Mode”, on the other hand, would hand over total control to the artificial agent, which would overcome the obstacle autonomously. More modes. The registration document describes four modes Selectable additional features: Story Mode, Combat Mode, Exploration Mode and Full Game Mode, suggesting specialization in certain tasks, depending on the type of challenge presented to the player. The system would function as a layer superimposed on the user’s character, visible on the screen as a visual reference. In some cases, this digital ghost could even hold conversations with the player’s avatar to offer contextualized instructions. What does it feed on? The technology would be fueled by recordings of previous games, including content shared on YouTube and social networks. The original patent document justifies the need to access these videos by stating that “players can research the game or search for previous gameplay on Internet sites, but that process is time-consuming.” Help systems. Player aids have come a long way. In the ’90s, players who got stuck called support lines (Nintendo’s being especially popular) or consulted guides in magazines, full of maps and secrets. The web democratized access through databases such as GameFAQs and, later, through audiovisual content on YouTube that allowed step-by-step solutions to be seen. In fact, Playstation 5 already incorporates Game Helpa system that displays clips of other users overcoming specific sections of the game. Its application, however, leaves something to be desired. Microsoft, of course, is betting on Copilot in the form of a conversational assistant that answers questions about the game. The proposal for artificial ghosts goes one step further, going from pre-recorded content to direct intervention in the game. AI in industry. The artificial intelligence integration video game development is accelerating. In 2024Unity revealed that 62% of studios that were using its tools implemented AI in some phase of production, highlighting animation as the main application. A survey from the Game Developers Conference of the same year indicates that approximately a third of professionals in the sector were already using these technologies. Data from the Tokyo Games Show raised the figure to more than half of Japanese companies. The automation of gameplay It’s not new either. Kotaku mentions in its article successful titles such as ‘Vampire Survivors’, with semi-automatic mechanics; ‘Megabonk’, nominated for the Game Awards for its automated design; or, in general, all idle subgenrewhich has such popular examples as ‘Ball X Pit’. The debate. This technology poses a dilemma: on the one hand, it would allow more players to enjoy complex content and prevent abandonment due to frustration. It would be integrated into the accessibility options (difficulty settings, control remapping, color blind modes), without forcing anyone to use it. On the other hand… do we run the risk of losing the “challenge” of games by delegating our participation to AI agents? What’s the point of playing then? And of course, it raises multiple questions in multiplayer environments, where there will be a temptation to take credit for victories achieved by the ghost. In Xataka | The new “test” to discover whether or not an AI model is truly intelligent: play Pokémon

Huawei has a patent with which to manufacture 2nm chips. The only problem is that it’s just a patent.

by

Huawei has just applied for a patent in which a new and unique process of advanced chip production. The patent focuses on improving one of the limitations of the technology of deep ultraviolet photolithography (UVP) to try to compete in this way with the extreme ultraviolet machines (UVE) to which China still unable to access. There are, however, many uncertainties here. The patent. Huawei formally submitted the technical documentation in June 2022 to the Chinese patent office, allowing the invention to be “protected” since then. The detailed content of their study was made public in January 2025, but It is now that it has come to light. The patent is only applied for, not granted or granted. The patent office is examining the application to determine if it meets the requirements. Why is it important. This patent tries to address the limitations of the so-called edge placement error (EPE, Edge Placement Error) in the advanced interconnection process used when manufacturing advanced chips. The method discovered makes it theoretically possible to use “metal spacings” smaller than 21 nm, even when using deep ultraviolet (UVP) technology instead of extreme ultraviolet (UVE), which is the most advanced photolithographic technology today… and to which Chinese manufacturers like Huawei do not have access. If it achieves its objective, the firm could have access, for example, to chips that would theoretically compete even with chips made with 2nm photolithography. Metal spacing? That term (metal pitch in English) refers to the minimum distance that exists between the metal lines that form the interconnections within the integrated circuit or, in this case, the chip. These lines carry power and data signals between the transistors, and that metal spacing is extraordinarily small for advanced nodes. The objective of the patent is precisely to allow the manufacture of these lines with a spacing of less than 21 nm. This gives rise to a possible process that could compete with the 2nm UVE photolithography used, for example, by TSMC. The important word there is “could.” Edge Placement Error (EPE). EPE is the error that occurs when a pattern on a chip is not placed exactly where it was intended by the chip design. The closer that metal spacing is, the smaller the EPE margin must be to prevent the lines from touching and causing a short circuit. At this scale it is incredibly complex to solve this problem, and Huawei’s patent precisely proposes a way to achieve it. Supervitaminizing “old” lithography. What makes this method possible is that UVP photolithography, less powerful and advanced than UVE, can be used to compete with it. This method would allow “jumping” the limits that this process now faces, and which normally had many difficulties in going beyond 21 nm. A double hard mask process of two materials and a special patterning scheme are introduced that theoretically allow us to go below 21 nm. and even 5 nm which are already very complicated to achieve with EUV. In short: China could achieve advanced chips without the need for use the most advanced ASML machinesto which you do not have access. But. Although the technique is apparently striking, there are two big problems here. The first and most important is that this is just a patent and that does not mean that the process can be transferred to reality. The difficulties in doing so are enormous, and that leads us to the second problem: the effectiveness of production would probably be very low and the yield (process success rate) would be greatly affected. That is to say: of all the chips theoretically produced with this technique, only a small part would be valid, which would waste a huge part of the investment. In Xataka | In its race to make advanced chips, China has tried to copy ASML. It’s going wrong

There is only one correct way to place the toilet paper. A patent ended the debate in 1891

by

We have been freeing all kinds of battles, and in some cases the response passed between disputes of each other. Among those debates there is one that never seems to disappear because both sides have it as clear. We refer to toilet paper and correct way to hang it. If we take decades to achieve a significant advance of the roll, it makes sense that the controversy has endured. The funny thing is that the answer was from the beginning. A “war” of the century and a half. Eternal dispute over How to hang up The toilet paper (with the “above” or “below” sheet) has generated opinions found, family debates and even discussions lit. Those who prefer the “OVER” method (above) Feel practical and hygienic reasons: it is easier to locate the end of the paper, reduce the risk of wall contact (and therefore with germs) and is visually more orderly. However, on the other sidewalk, the supporters of the “under” (below) appeal to a more discreet appearance and the fact that, for example, it makes it difficult for pets or children at home unwind the whole paper. An enlightened invention. However, all this controversy seems to have found an official response in an unexpected place: a document more than 130 years ago. In 2015, writer Owen Williams He rescued an image historical of Google Patents Archives which showed the patent recorded in 1891 by Seth Wheeler, nothing more and nothing less than the inventor of the perforated toilet paper. In it, it is clearly enlightened how the paper should be hung: above the roll (image below). The patent, registered by Albany Perforated Wraping Paper Company, includes unequivocal diagrams in which the paper unwinds from the front. The Wheeler patent Wheeler’s reasons. The inventor not only patented the concept of perforated paper in 1871, but, two decades later, perfected the roll design, with the intention of minimizing waste and facilitating its use without the need for complicated portarrolls. Your goal It was efficiencydo not feed endless debates: “My improved roll can be used in simpler supports,” wrote in the text of the patent. In its original conception, the paper had to fall forward to facilitate the individual tear of the perforated leaves, thus avoiding accidental unwinders or an unnecessary waste. Yes, Nokia played toilet paper before mobile Rescue science. There are more data that corroborate that the “pro-insane” are right. Science also supports this orientation for purely health reasons. According to Dr. Christian Moro explainedProfessor of Health Sciences at the Bond University, hanging the paper with the blade above reduces the risk that users touch the rear wall of the support when looking for the end of the roll, which can minimize that propagation of bacteria. Moro remembered that among the potential infection agents which can be found in the bathrooms are streptococcus, staphylococcus, E. coli and common cold viruses, all capable of transmitting through contact with contaminated surfaces. Preventing the hands from entering unnecessary contact with the wall or roll support is, therefore, a simple but effective measure to reduce the risk of infection in shared spaces. An invention … to review? Beyond the debate on how it should be placed, in recent years others have appeared around the invention. Explained the New York Times In a column that although its invention represented at the time a technical improvement with respect to previous methods (which included, attention, leaves, marine shells, sticks with sponges or even reusable ceramics), the persistence of its use reveals less a functional efficacy than a cultural resistance to abandoning the family. Here appears the Covid-19 Pandemia, at which time the toilet paper acquired An unusual prominence: Not because of its medical utility, but as a symbol of control against chaos. The Collective hysteria He led to empty shelves, ignoring that neither the supply was threatened nor the role was the most hygienic solution. And despite this, experts agree that it is far from being the cleanest or healthier option. The evidence. The Times explained That researchers in infectious diseases and colorectal health agree that the exclusive use of paper does not guarantee adequate cleaning and can, in fact, cause irritations and favor disease transmission. Among the pathogenic agents that can survive in poorly eliminated fecal remains are those germs and bacteria that we comment before and that are the cause of urinary infections. Even traces of the same were detected Coronavirus at the time in human feces. According to Dr. H. Randolph Bailey, colorectal surgeon in Houston, many anal ailments that he observes in consultation come from Excessive cleaning or with inappropriate products, such as wet wipes with irritating perfumes and chemicals. Water as a solution. Here a parallel debate opens, surely more bitter. The reason? The most hygienic method, according to many specialists, is the rinse with water, either by drums or similar. In Japan, for example, smart toilets with jets of warm water They are the normwhile in the West adoption remains marginal. The reasons are not technical or economic (today there are compact and accessible solutions), but rather cultural. Bidé rejection has been historically associated with prejudices of modest During World War IIwhen American soldiers met the bida in French brotheses, which made them “suspect” objects. The anecdote of an American tourist who confused it with a bathtub For babies illustrates to what extent the discomfort in the face of the unknown has stopped its adoption, even in France, where it was originally common. O Tallitas. In recent times a “plan C” has emerged in front of the fundamentalists of roll or water: wet wipes. The problem is that it has been accompanied by Environmental consequences. Its accumulation in sewerage networks, combined with fat and waste, has given rise to huge obstructions (known in the world Anglo as “Fatbergs“) capable of collapsing urban sanitation systems. Under that prism, instead of improving the panorama, the wipes have added a new problem to another already existing one, fed by an industry that promotes … Read more

Baidu believes to have the key and has registered it in a new patent

by

The idea of ​​talking with our pets has been feeding the collective imaginary. And although we continue to maintain a conversation with a dog or a cat in the style of Doctor Dolittleartificial intelligence (AI) begins to explore a much more realistic land: to interpret how they feel. The last sample comes from China: BAIDU has requested a patent proposed by a system capable of translating the emotional state of animals into understandable language for humans. An emotional translator, not a talk with your dog. The application, submitted by the company to the State Office of Intellectual Property of China raises a system that does not intend to translate barking or meowed in human phrases as if they were words, but to identify relevant signs of animal behavior (such as voice, gestures or physiological changes) to estimate its emotional state and express it in natural language. In other words: it’s not about talking to animals, but better understanding what they feel. As Sina collectsthe key is to build an emotional interpretation channel that allows humans to react to what animals, obviously, cannot express in words. The difference with respect to other existing tools is in the depth of the analysis. Most initiatives in this field focus on the superficial interpretation of sounds or expressions, but do not capture complex emotions. Baidu’s proposal aspires to break that limit. Artificial intelligence with multimodal approach. The system key is in its integral approach. According to the technical summary of the patent, the method relies on technologies such as automatic learning, deep learning and natural language processing. These three pillars allow to process large volumes of data and extract relevant patterns in real time. Innovation is how the different signs collected are combined: vocalizations, postures, behavioral variations and physiological data. All this is analyzed jointly to avoid errors that usually occur when it is based on a single source. The ultimate goal is to achieve a more precise emotional reading, with less margin of ambiguity. Applications in Care, Conservation and Animal Study. The potential use of this technology goes far beyond the domestic sphere. According to the document, it could be used to improve the welfare of pets, adjusting their care and company based on their mood. But it could also have an important role in scientific research, helping biologists to better understand the behavior of rare or endangered species. In reservations and conservation centers, these types of tools could become an ally to anticipate states of stress or discomfort before they manifest themselves in an evident way, facilitating the task of the staff. It is not yet a product. As with any patent, its publication does not imply that technology is available or becoming a commercial product. In fact, South China Morning post points That the evaluation process can be extended for more than a year, and Baidu has not announced concrete plans to develop it in the form of a device or service. For now, what the company poses is a technical basis that opens a new chapter in the relationship between humans and animals. One in which, perhaps, we can begin to understand more precisely what those who cannot talk to us with words feel. Images | Stephen Yu | Werzk Luuuuuu In Xataka | Loneliness is already a matter of public health. We have more and more evidence that animals help us to placate it

patent changes in the brain of mothers

by

A few will surprise to know that pregnancy and childbirth imply fundamental changes in many aspects, even at the neurological level. However, we are still investigating the nature of these changes to resolve issues such as exactly these changes and what are due. Brain and childbirth. Now, a study led by researchers at the Gregorio Marañón hospital in Madrid and the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII) has studied the effect of pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum on the brain of women. The team He found changes associated with these last two stages, but did not find significant alterations during the gestation period. Hippocampus and tonsil. The analysis allowed us to observe changes in the hippocampus and the tonsil of the participants. Changes that were associated with negative experiences of childbirth and the appearance of depressive symptoms in the postpartum. More specifically, the team detected an increase in the volume of the hippocampus among the mothers who had a “negative perception” of their childbirth; while the appearance of depressive symptoms in the postpartum was associated with a greater increase in the volume of the amygdala. “Childbirth and postpartum are moments of great emotional intensity that the mother remembers throughout her life. She changes her life and can change her body, a body also located in a context and influenced by him,” explained in a press release Cristina Ballesteros, co -author of the study. 88 first -time mothers. In the study, more than a hundred women participated, 88 of them, mothers who were examined at the end of the third trimester of pregnancy and during the first month after giving birth. The second group, of control, included 30 women without children who were examined during the same interval. Changes in the brain of the participants were examined through magnetic resonance images. The details of the study were Published in an article In the magazine Science Advances. Looking for the cause. The study, Explain the teamallowed to find correlations between certain experiences in childbirth and postpartum and changes in the brain, but to elucidate possible cause and effect relationships in these relationships is a more complex task. This implies the need to continue advancing in the investigation of this matter. The authors of the study indicate that the changes could be seen as an adaptation of the brain before “challenging” events such as childbirth or the early stages of motherhood, “as well as indicators of possible vulnerabilities.” Chained projects. A year ago, part of the team responsible for the present study published An article In the magazine Nature Neuroscience in which he also addressed the question of the changes that occur in the brain of mothers during pregnancy. That study did detect some changes in the brain that occurred before childbirth. Specifically in a brain red, explained at the time“Involved in the perception of the self and social cognition, the famous default network.” This is a region of the brain that remains active when we are not doing any particular activity, hence its particular name. In Xataka | That mothers share the birthday with their children is something surprisingly common Image | Leah Newhouse

The audiences, in unpredictable terrain between the bad Broncano streak and the increasingly patent recovery of TV5

by

‘La Revuelta’ It seems to have worked as a revulsive for the stagnation situation that the traditional television audiences liveEl Hormiguero‘. Nothing that was released in that strip seemed to be able to compete, and no format that Tele5 experienced after the fall of ‘Save Me’ planted face. From the fall of last year, however, and with its audiences matching and surpassing those of motorcycles, Broncano seems to have launched a poisonous dart, a doubt: there is nothing sure in the figures of linear television spectators. Broncano collapse. A little less than a month ago We talked about how, with six months of the premiere of ‘La Revuelta’, the competition with ‘El Hormiguero’ had not yet thrown clear data. In the last quarter of 2025, Broncano came out victorious, however little, in the strip of strict coincidence and also in the number of spectators. However, both the Champions and, especially, the unexpected success of ‘The island of temptations’ has affected Broncano’s figures, which had a historical minimum last March 12 And, in general, its lowest figures since it premiered in autumn. The solution, this Thursday. Taking advantage of the fact that this Thursday will be issued number 100 of ‘La Revuelta’, TVE will experiment changing the emission timeand delaying it until 22.35 hours. Like so many other times, Broncano sees his time changed because of football, since TVE will give the match between Spain and the Netherlands before. The seventh gala of ‘Celebrity sewing teachers’, which It is not having very good audiences eithera week is postponed. It is unlikely that TVE is looking for a schedule change for ‘La Revuelta’, since it cannot be allowed, as Tele5, to base its entire grill on a single product. But at the moment it can be an experiment to verify how it is given to escape from the motorcycle sponator. Meanwhile, Telecinco triumphs. Although the Mediaset channel is still in total audiences below Antena 3 and the1 (it will be necessary to see if it recovers second place with the spectacular audiences of ‘The island of temptations’ and ‘survivors’ of March), its climb thanks to the Montoya phenomenon is remarkable not only for the damage it is doing to Broncano, but by the improvement itself for the global computation of the channel. And it is not the only strip that improves its data, but that mornings and afternoons have also experienced remarkable increases. Realities Explosives Montoya became Thanks to the power of memes In a global phenomenon, but what Telecinco perhaps did not expect was that it helped to give a tremendous push so much to the final stretch of ‘The island of temptations’ (a spectacular 26.9% quota came to have in its tenth week on Monday, leading every week and with an average of 19.1%). But the phenomenon continues: in its second week, ‘survivors’ already averaged 20.6% of Share in its main section, and exceeds 20% in three of its first editions. Figures completely from another era, almost pre-streaming. Not everything is the islands. And not just that. Last week, Ana Rosa showed that His return to the morning It had been a good idea because it is not only planting face (without destroying, but enduring the envy very dignity) to Arús, but since he left the afternoons, ‘late’ is strengthening his presence. Last Tuesday 11, both Ana Rosa (15.8%) and ‘afternoon’ (10,1) made respective records of Share In his trajectories, and also ‘Jorge’s diary’ (10) strengthened his space, since he has a good run of double -digit audiences, and on Tuesday he made his best fact since its premiere, demonstrating that the change to the second half of the afternoon has sat very well. Are you seeing Telecinco, finally, the conclusion of your journey through the desert? Header | Mediaset – RTVE In Xataka | Years pass and television continues to mark the times to Netflix. Montoya’s “signing” is the best example

Log In

Forgot password?

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.