Welcome to ACM Tech Pulse, your source for the latest updates, events, and news from the ACM VVIT Student Chapter! Join us as we dive into the tech scene of Summer 2024, bringing you weekly insights and highlights straight from our chapter. Get ready to stay ahead of the curve with ACM Tech Pulse, exclusively on our blog.

Tech Highlights of the Week:

1.Tech Giants Start to Treat Southeast Asia Like Next Big Thing:

Tech giants like Amazon, Microsoft, and Apple are increasingly investing billions in Southeast Asia, drawn by its burgeoning market potential and business-friendly environment. With the region's growing workforce and pro-investment policies, it's becoming a major battleground for AI and cloud services.

Despite challenges like cultural diversity and currency volatility, companies are tapping into the region's advantages, including its skilled yet relatively low-cost workforce. Training programs are underway to bolster local talent in AI skills, reflecting a strategic shift influenced by both geopolitical tensions and internal growth imperatives.

2.Japan team uses Fugaku supercomputer to develop language model for AI:

Researchers from Tokyo Institute of Technology, Fujitsu, and others have developed a large language model (LLM) using the Japanese supercomputer Fugaku. Trained extensively on Japanese data, the Fugaku-LLM model is expected to advance research on generative AI tailored to domestic needs.

Unlike other models, Fugaku-LLM is trained from scratch, offering transparency and safety. Notably, it was trained using central processing units (CPUs) instead of graphics processing units (GPUs), addressing GPU shortages. The source code is publicly available.

3.Robot sommeliers and baristas go to work in labor-starved South Korea:

South Korea's robotics companies are targeting the service sector to address labor shortages, showcasing innovations like a robot sommelier arm and barista robots. With a high robot density, South Korea leads globally, driven by its electronics and automotive industries. The country's focus is shifting towards collaborative robots (cobots) to complement human workers.

Predictions suggest a doubling of service robot sales by 2026, driven by labor shortages and a declining working-age population. Despite challenges like reliance on conglomerates and a lack of dedicated players, the government aims to boost the robotics industry through investment and talent development initiatives.

4.Blurred lasers make for better 3D printed optics, study finds:

In an update on May 9, 2024, Christopher McFadden reports on a breakthrough study by the National Research Council of Canada (NRCC). Their innovative technique, blurred tomography, enhances 3D-printed optics' quality while reducing printing time to just 30 minutes. By intentionally blurring the laser used in 3D printing, this method produces optics comparable to commercial ones.

Daniel Webber of NRCC explains that adding optical blurring enables the creation of smooth surfaces, facilitating precision optical components. Blurred tomography promises cost-effective and rapid prototyping of optical components, simplifying designs with complex shapes. It holds potential for various applications, from commercial manufacturing to individual inventors. The researchers' validation of the method with a basic plano-convex lens demonstrates its efficacy and opens new possibilities for the future of 3D-printed optics.

5.Tiny Sample of Human Brain Reveals 57,000 Cells, 150 Million Neural Connections

Harvard researchers, partnering with Google, have mapped the intricate neural circuitry of a small piece of human brain tissue, revealing unexpected complexities. This study, conducted on tissue from a 45-year-old woman who underwent epilepsy surgery, uncovered 57,000 cells, 150 million neural connections, and 23 centimeters of blood vessels

Using electron microscope images and machine learning algorithms, the team identified novel features, such as symmetrical arrangements of neurons and strong cell connections, challenging existing knowledge. While mapping the entire human brain remains a long-term goal, future collaborations aim to reconstruct a mouse brain's wiring, offering insights into fundamental aspects of brain function and behavior.

Global Tech Roundup: Must-Attend Events and Insights

1.ACM TechTalk: Understanding the LLM Development Cycle:

Join us for the ACM TechTalk, "Understanding the LLM Development Cycle: Building, Training, and Finetuning," on June 5, presented by Sebastian Raschka, Staff Research Engineer at Lightning AI, and moderated by Marlene Mhangami, Senior Developer Advocate at Microsoft. Sebastian will cover key stages of large language model (LLM) development, from coding to deployment, with real examples and interactive discussions. Duration: 60 minutes.

Sebastian Raschka, PhD, brings over a decade of machine learning and AI experience to this session. He focuses on AI and LLM research at Lightning AI and is known for his bestselling books on machine learning. Marlene Mhangami, a Senior Developer Advocate at Microsoft, will moderate the session. Register now for this insightful TechTalk!

2.PhD Clinic slots for May, Research Facilitation Grant, Travel Grant, Hosting ROCS

The PhD Clinic offers nationwide feedback to PhD students, enriching their research with insights from subject matter experts. With 35+ mentors spanning various CS/IT topics, any PhD student can seek guidance.

The Research Facilitation Grant aids researchers in academic publishing and learning. It covers publication costs, supports attendance at exclusive events, and covers extra page costs for top-tier conferences and journals. Additionally, ACM India-IARCS travel grants support travel to academic conferences abroad for students and faculty from Indian institutions. Participation is open to all, and inquiries can be directed to pk.guru@iiit.ac.in. Spread the word among interested participants and institutions.

3.ByteCast Podcast Episode 53: Francesca Rossi, IBM Fellow and AI Ethics Global Leader

In Episode 53 of the ByteCast Podcast, hosts Sabrina Hsueh and Karmen Williams welcome Francesca Rossi, IBM Fellow and AI Ethics Global Leader, and current President of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI). Rossi's work at the Thomas J. Watson IBM Research Lab in New York focuses on artificial intelligence, constraint reasoning, preferences, multi-agent systems, and computational social choice.

She is deeply engaged in ethical issues surrounding AI development and behavior, with over 200 scientific articles published and fellowships with AAAI and EurAI. Rossi's extensive contributions include serving as president of the International Joint Conference on AI (IJCAI), Executive Counselor of AAAI, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of AI Research, and Board of Directors member of the Partnership on AI. The podcast is available on the ACM Learning Center and popular platforms like Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher.

ACM VVIT Student Chapter Events:

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