Techlife News

BEHIND THOSE DANCING ROBOTS, SCIENTISTS HAD TO BUST A MOVE 06
TOP AUTOMOTIVE TECH AT CES 2021 16

ELON MUSK: DIG TUNNELS AS SOLUTION FOR MIAMI’S TRAFFIC JAMS 30
NHL PULLS MICROCHIPPED ‘TRACKING’ PUCKS 6 DAYS INTO SEASON 40
UNITED AIRLINES POSTS $1.9 BILLION LOSS IN PANDEMIC-LADEN 4Q 46
AMAZON OFFERS ASSIST WITH US COVID-19 VACCINE DISTRIBUTION 54
MORGAN STANLEY PROFITS RISE 48%, HELPED BY STRONG MARKETS 60
GOOGLE, FRENCH PUBLISHERS SIGN COPYRIGHT NEWS PAYMENT DEAL 66

GM TEAMS UP WITH MICROSOFT ON DRIVERLESS CARS 72
GOOGLE MUSCLES UP WITH FITBIT DEAL AMID ANTITRUST CONCERNS 78

TALK SAFER: APPS TAKE PRIVACY FIGHT TO FACEBOOK AND GOOGLE 84
PARDON FOR FORMER GOOGLE ENGINEER WHO STOLE TRADE SECRETS 102
HIGH-TECH INDOOR FARMER APPHARVEST STARTS SHIPPING TOMATOES 106

RIP: MARS DIGGER BITES THE DUST AFTER 2 YEARS ON RED PLANET 112
BURIED TREASURE, IMPENDING WAR AND LOSS IN ‘THE DIG’ 116
‘LOCKED DOWN’ MIRRORS OUR QUARANTINE EXPERIENCES 122

NETFLIX’S BIG 4Q LIFTS VIDEO SERVICE ABOVE 200M SUBSCRIBERS 128
DR. DRE BACK HOME AFTER REPORTED BRAIN ANEURYSM TREATMENT 134

CYBERSECURITY FIRM: BOOTING HACKERS A COMPLEX CHORE 138
TEENS TUTOR PEERS ONLINE TO FILL NEED DURING PANDEMIC 146
EU FINES VIDEO GAME FIRMS FOR BLOCKING CROSS-BORDER SALES 154
FEDEX TO CUT UP TO 6,300 JOBS IN EUROPE OVER NEXT 18 MONTHS 158
SKOREAN COURT GIVES SAMSUNG SCION PRISON TERM OVER BRIBERY 162

CANADA OKS RETURN OF BOEING 737 MAX AIRCRAFT 170
JACK’S BACK: CHINESE E-TYCOON ENDS SILENCE WITH ONLINE VIDEO 174
US BLACKLISTS XIAOMI, CNOOC, SKYRIZON, RAISING HEAT ON CHINA 180
DEATHS, SELF-IMMOLATION DRAW SCRUTINY ON CHINA TECH GIANTS 186

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BEHIND THOSE
DANCING ROBOTS,

SCIENTISTS HAD
TO BUST A MOVE

The man who designed some of the world’s
most advanced dynamic robots was on a
daunting mission: programming his creations to
dance to the beat with a mix of fluid, explosive
and expressive motions that are almost human.
The results? Almost a year and half of
choreography, simulation, programming and
upgrades that were capped by two days of
filming to produce a video running at less than 3
minutes. The clip, showing robots dancing to the

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1962 hit “Do You Love Me?” by The Contours, was
an instant hit on social media, attracting more
than 23 million views during the first week.

It shows two of Boston Dynamics’ humanoid
Atlas research robots doing the twist, the
mashed potato and other classic moves, joined
by Spot, a doglike robot, and Handle, a wheeled
robot designed for lifting and moving boxes in a
warehouse or truck.

Boston Dynamics founder and chairperson Marc
Raibert says what the robot maker learned was
far more valuable.

“It turned out that we needed to upgrade the
robot in the middle of development in order
for it to be strong enough and to have enough
energy to do the whole performance without
stopping. So that was a real benefit to the
design,” Raibert says.

The difficult challenge of teaching robots to
dance also pushed Boston Dynamics engineers
to develop better motion-programming tools
that let robots reconcile balance, bouncing and
doing a performance simultaneously.

“So we went from having very crude tools
for doing that to having very effective rapid-
generation tools so that by the time we were
done, we could generate new dance steps
very quickly and integrate them into the
performance,” Raibert says.

The quality of the robots’ dancing was so good
that some viewers online said they couldn’t
believe their eyes. Some applauded the robots’
moves and the technology powering them.
Others appeared to be freaked out by some of
their expressive routines.

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Others added that what they were seeing was
probably computer-generated imagery, or CGI.

Not so, Raibert says.

What was on display was a results of long, hard
work fueled by a determination to program the
robot to dance to the beat, he says.

“We didn’t want a robot doing robotlike
dancing. We wanted it to do human dancing
and, you know, when a human dances, the
music has a beat and their whole body moves to
it — their hands, their body, their head,” he says.
“And we tried to get all of those things involved
and coordinated so that it, you know, it was ... it
looked like the robot was having fun and really
moved with the music. And I think that had a lot
to do with the result of the production.”

Teaching robots to dance with fluid and
expressive motions was a new challenge for a
company that spent years building robots that
have functional abilities like walking, navigating
in rough terrain, pick things up with their hands
and use attached advanced sensors to monitor
and sense many things, Raibert says.

“You know, our job is to try and stretch the
boundaries of what robots can do, both in terms
of the outer research boundary, but also in
terms of practical applications. And I think when
people see the new things that robots can do, it
excites them,” he says.

The advanced Atlas robot relies on a wide
array of sensors to execute the dance moves,
including 28 actuators — devices that serve as
muscles by converting electronic or physical
signal into movement — as well as a gyroscope
that helps it to balance, and three quad-
core onboard computers, including one that

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Do You Love Me?

processes perception signals and two that
control movement.
Still, the fact that video of the dancing robots
has fired up the public imagination and inspired
a sense of awe was gratifying, Raibert says.
“We hoped ... that people would enjoy it and
they seem to. We’ve gotten calls from all around
the world,” Raibert says. “We got a call from one
of the sound engineers who had recorded the
original Contours performance back in the ’60s.
And he said that his whole crew of Motown
friends had been passing it around and been
excited by it.”

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TOP AUTOMOTIVE
TECH AT CES 2021

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The atmosphere at the 2021 Consumer
Electronics Show, held virtually for the first
time due to the pandemic, struck a different
tone than in years past. Without hordes of
tech-hungry onlookers jockeying for position
through packed convention center halls,
automakers appeared more reserved in their
proclamations for the future. Several high-
profile exhibitors — such as Ford, Honda and
Toyota — opted to sit out this year.
The automakers that did present to online
audiences focused on more advanced
infotainment systems and the continued
evolution of electric vehicles, some of which
you’ll be able to see on dealer lots by this year.
Here are some of the top car tech features
experts saw at CES 2021.

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AUDI: E-TRON GT PROTOTYPE

At CES the luxury automaker showed a near-
final prototype of its upcoming e-tron GT
electric vehicle. The e-tron GT will be a sleeker
and sportier sedan version of Audi’s current
e-tron Sportback SUV. Audi says it will have an
estimated range of more than 200 miles.
The e-tron GT should be just as smooth as it is
fast. There will be a comfortable cruising mode
that operates in near silence for maximum
efficiency, as well as a dynamic performance
mode that uses an adaptive suspension and
four-wheel steering to attack curving roads.
The interior can be ordered as leather-free, with
cabin materials including recycled plastics and
microfibers. Audi will unveil the production
version of the e-tron GT later in 2021. Expect it
to compete against rivals such as the Porsche
Taycan and Tesla Model S.

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BMW: NEXT-GENERATION
IDRIVE OPERATING SYSTEM

Twenty years after the introduction of its
pioneering iDrive infotainment system, BMW
teased a sweeping update to the software
to be fully unveiled later this year. The luxury
automaker promised further integration of the
system’s current features — such as intelligent
voice-activated controls and remote software
upgrades — as well as new ones.

The new iDrive promises greater access
to services from the digital cloud, plus
increased awareness of the vehicle’s physical
surroundings. It will recognize hazard warnings
from other BMW vehicles on the road, predict
the availability of parking spaces in certain
situations, and enhance automated parking
capabilities. The upcoming BMW iX electric
crossover, expected to go into production in
2022, will be the first vehicle equipped with the
updated iDrive system.

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FIAT CHRYSLER
AUTOMOBILES: UCONNECT 5

The automaker behind brands such as Jeep,
Dodge and Ram revealed new additions to its
Uconnect Market services and the Uconnect 5
infotainment system. For instance, in one of the
most topical announcements at CES, drivers
will now be able to place Grubhub orders for
contactless pickup through the Uconnect Market.

The Android-based Uconnect 5 system will make
its way into new vehicles later this year. Among
them are the recently unveiled Jeep Compass
and Grand Cherokee L, plus the Chrysler Pacifica
minivan. Key features include faster processing,
support for higher-resolution screens, enhanced
voice control, and wireless capability for both
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

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GENERAL MOTORS: NEW EV INITIATIVE

In a wide-ranging keynote presentation that
addressed everything from the practical to the
fantastical — a single-seat drone aircraft, shown
in a concept video, actually did make the cut —
General Motors outlined its plans to accelerate
the production and adoption of electric vehicles
across a full spectrum of styles, sizes and brands.
The automaker plans to introduce 30 new
electric vehicles globally by 2025, including
an update to its Chevrolet Bolt hatchback and
a larger crossover version as well. The Cadillac
Lyriq is an electric crossover with a 33-inch
digital display and the futuristic Celestiq will
offer all-wheel drive, four-wheel steering and a
full glass roof. Eventually, the battery-powered
platform underneath these vehicles will be
applied to everything from performance cars to
full-size pickup trucks, the company said.

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MERCEDES-BENZ: MBUX HYPERSCREEN

Automakers have been racing to catch up
with Tesla when it comes to large, splashy
infotainment touchscreens. With the CES launch
of its new MBUX Hyperscreen, a 56-inch digital
display stretched across the entire dashboard
without any dials or buttons, Mercedes has
firmly set a new standard.

The MBUX Hyperscreen builds upon the MBUX
system in current Mercedes models with a
larger surface and new user interface that aims
to make it easier to use. It will debut on the
upcoming EQS electric crossover as an optional
feature. The real splash will come in a few short
years when the Hyperscreen is available on
standard Mercedes sedans and SUVs.

Automakers were restrained in their
announcements compared with years past,
but the new tech features outlined at CES 2021
demonstrate the future of automotive progress
will consist of incremental improvements rather
than a sweeping, rapid revolution.

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ELON MUSK:
DIG TUNNELS
AS SOLUTION
FOR MIAMI’S
TRAFFIC JAMS

As a solution to Miami’s notoriously congested
traffic, Tesla Inc. founder Elon Musk is proposing
to dig tunnels with The Boring Company, one of
his many business ventures. Experts say the idea
would be costly and is fraught with engineering
obstacles, but it’s not outright crazy.
Musk, who also founded SpaceX and Neuralink,
tweeted that he spoke with Gov. Ron DeSantis
about the idea earlier this month.
“If Governor & Mayor want this done, we will do
it,” Musk tweeted. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez,
a Republican, described the idea as a “no
brainer” and replied, “we would love to be the
prototype city.”
Miami-Dade Democratic Mayor Daniella
Levine Cava and Florida’s Republican
chief financial officer, Jimmy Patronis, also
expressed enthusiasm.

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Critics wondered: How plausible is it to build
large tunnels under a city that is only a few feet
above sea level, especially with Miami widely
regarded as one of the world’s most vulnerable
cities to rising sea levels?

“It doesn’t seem very smart and it is certainly
going to be expensive,” said Kurtis Gurley,
a professor of structural engineering at the
University of Florida.

Gurley said one challenge of the project would
be keeping water out of the tunnels while
shoring up its walls.

The subterranean construction also runs the risk
of contaminating Florida’s aquiferm, Gurley said.

But large diameter tunnels are possible in Miami
if proper planning and precautionary measures
are taken, said Conrad Felice, a professor of civil
engineering at the University of Florida.

Felice noted that engineers earlier this decade
completed the 4,200-foot (1,280 meters) Port of
Miami Tunnel, which had a price tag of $668.5
million. That tunnel runs 120 feet (37 meters)
below the surface.

The Boring Company burrows utility and freight
tunnels under cities to alleviate congestive
traffic and shave down transportation times. So
far, the only completed tunnel is the company’s
1.14 mile (2.25 kilometers), $10 million test
tunnel in Hawthorne, California, just outside
SpaceX headquarters.

South Florida is largely on a foundation of
limestone, which is sponge-like, allowing
water to move through it easily. But tunneling
through limestone and beneath groundwater is
common, said Michael Mooney, a professor of

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underground construction and tunneling at the
Colorado School of Mines.

Mooney said that rising sea levels would increase
the pressure on a finally designed tunnel, but that
can be accommodated by design.

Sen. Shevrin Jones, D-Miami Gardens, whose
district includes south Broward County, said he
would rather focus on raising roads, fixing bad
pipes and taking serious precautions in a city
that is already struggling to combat flooding.

The back-and-forth on Twitter between Musk
and Miami’s mayor has yet to be discussed
by the city’s professional planning staff, city
spokesman John Heffernan said.

Suarez’s attention-grabbing tweets directed at
the second wealthiest man on the planet are his
latest attempts to make Miami a tech mecca.

In December, a Twitter user wrote, “what if we
move silicon valley to miami.” Suarez replied
“How can I help.”

On Instagram, Suarez hosts Cafecito Tech Talk,
a daily conversation with tech entrepreneurs
who have recently moved to Miami, including
Barstool Sports founder David Portnoy.

He also offered incentives for tech moguls
to relocate to Miami. In December, Suarez
partnered with Matteo Franceschetti - the
founder of Eight Sleep - to offer tech founders,
investors and employees 20% off when
purchasing a mattress.

Earlier this week Suarez announced the City
of Miami’s partnership with Reef, a Miami tech
company, to transform parking lots around the
city into “neighborhood hubs and parks.”

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Jones, the state senator, said that while
Miami can become the next Silicon Valley,
transportation innovations should be focused
on safeguarding and adding infrastructure that
is resistant to flooding – not tunnels.
“I get that Miami has the potential to be a tech
hub,” Jones said. “But to what extent are we
going to do that? Are we going to forget that
there are some really pressing issues that we
need to be talking about as a community?”

Image: Robyn Beck

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NHL PULLS
MICROCHIPPED

‘TRACKING’
PUCKS 6 DAYS
INTO SEASON

The NHL is temporarily ditching microchipped
pucks six days into the season after concerns
were raised about their performance.
The league announced games from Tuesday
night on would be played with pucks made for
last season. A review showed the first supply
of pucks used for tracking weren’t finished the
same way as those from the playoffs, when
player and puck tracking made its debut in the
conference finals.
The first 44 games this season were played with
the “tracking” pucks that players and coaches
could tell were a little off.

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“I was aware that the NHL was using a different
puck,” Philadelphia Flyers coach Alain Vigneault
said. “I thought a couple times it didn’t slide as
well on the ice. We didn’t know if that was the
puck or the ice surface.”

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin said off-
hand, “These pucks are bouncing everywhere.”

Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said before the
season that all 31 arenas were equipped with
the necessary puck and player technology.
Player tracking will continue.

The NHL expects new tracking pucks to be
available soon and put back into play after
undergoing testing.

“I’m sure that they’ll figure it out here,”Vigneault
said. “It’s early in the season, and they’ll do the
right thing.”

Puck and player tracking has been in the works
for years as a way to provide additional data,
enhance broadcasts and add another element
of hockey for bettors to gamble on. So far, TV
has been the only home for that information
with NBC Sports executive producer Sam Flood
saying the network was “all in” on trying to
capitalize on the technology and translate it
for viewers.

It’s unclear exactly when puck tracking will
return or when stats like players’ skating speed
will be available to the public.

“We’ll continue to work with our partners in
terms of the information rollout and and the
uses of the information,” Daly said last week.
“I think that’ll continue to develop over the
course of this season. But sitting here right now,
I couldn’t I couldn’t give you exact timelines.”

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UNITED AIRLINES
POSTS $1.9
BILLION LOSS
IN PANDEMIC-
LADEN 4Q

United Airlines said that it finished one of the
worst years in its history by losing $1.9 billion in
the last three months of 2020, and it predicted
more of the same in the first quarter of this year.
The loss was wider than analysts expected. The
number of U.S. airline passengers had been
building slowly since May but was hammered
again when COVID-19 cases began surging in
the fall, causing health experts to beg people to
stay home.
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Image: Jeff Chiu

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United lost $7.1 billion in 2020, an amount Image: Michael Loccisano
exceeded only in 2005, when bankruptcy-
related costs pushed the company to a $21
billion loss. Including debt and severance
payments, the airline burned through $33
million in cash per day.

Revenue plunged 69% in the fourth quarter
compared with a year earlier. United predicted
a similar decrease — between 65% and 70%
— in the first quarter of 2021, a slightly more
pessimistic view than the one expressed by
Delta Air Lines last week.

Analysts believe that Americans who have
been cooped up since March are eager to
travel again once it is safer. But the slow pace of
vaccinating Americans against COVID-19 and
concern about new variants of the virus are
hurting airline bookings.

Chicago-based United tried to reassure
investors that it is laying the groundwork
for a gradual recovery once the coronavirus
outbreak is contained.

United said that it starting to cut $2 billion in
annual structural costs from its operations. At
the same time, the airline expressed confidence
that crucial business travel will eventually
bounce back, although not as quickly as
leisure travel.

The combination will result in higher profit
margins in 2023 than United saw in 2019, before
the pandemic, the company predicted.

“Aggressively managing the challenges of 2020
depended on our innovation and fast-paced
decision making,” CEO Scott Kirby said in a
statement. “But, the truth is that COVID-19 has
changed United Airlines forever.”

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