The Future of Everything

Percy Liang, an authority on AI, discusses the paradigm shift in AI powered by foundation models. He explains how they are built, evaluated, and the concerns with lack of openness. Topics include training on trillions of words, context length's impact on predictions, hallucination in models, and alignment in training.

Guest Alex Konings discusses the global cycles of water and carbon and how they shape ecosystems, droughts, and fires. They explore the significance of transpiration in water loss, its implications on weather and solar energy, and the changing dynamics of transpiration due to climate change. The podcast also covers the use of satellite data to measure water content in plants, the transportation process in ecohydrology, and the impact of satellite measurements on addressing challenges like droughts and wildfires.

Dr. Zhenan Bao discusses the development of artificial skin and its applications in creating bendable electronics, restoring touch for amputees, and improving prosthetic limbs. The conversation also explores self-healing properties of artificial skin, potential applications in energy sources like solar cells and batteries, and integrating multiple sensory functions. The podcast highlights the challenges and opportunities in this field of research.

Debbie Senesky, an expert in developing electronics for extreme environments, discusses the challenges of space exploration, the operational temperatures of new materials, the history of Venus missions, and the engineering challenges in other space missions.

Using math to improve photographs, with expert guest Gordon Wetzstein. Such methods have exploded in recent years and have wide-ranging impacts from improving your family photos, to making self-driving cars safer, to building ever-more-powerful microscopes. Somewhere in between hardware and software, he says, is the field of computational imaging, which makes cameras do some pretty amazing things. Wetzstein and host Russ Altman bring it all into focus on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.Connect With Us:Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything WebsiteConnect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / MastodonConnect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / FacebookChapters:(00:00:00) Introductions Host Russ Altman introduces the guest, Gordon Wetzstein as well as the concept of non-line-of-sight imaging.(00:02:58) Computational Imaging Gordon Wetzstein explains the concept of computational imaging and the way it integrates hardware and software for optimal image capture.(00:04:22) High Dynamic Range (HDR) Imaging  & Focal StackingAn explanation of what HDR is and how it captures high-contrast scenes, and the similar process of focal stacking, using multiple images to create depth. (00:09:56) Non-Line-of-Sight Imaging (00:15:51) Optical Computing: Extending Hardware Capabilities Insights into optical computing, explaining how specially designed hardware can preprocess data for AI algorithms.(00:18:08) Applications of Optical ComputingExploration of applications for optical computing in power constraint systems and increased efficiency in data centers.(00:23:07) The Intersection of AI, Physics, and Computer Graphics Synergy between AI, physics, and computer graphics in creating 3D content and models. (00:25:47) Generative AI to Create 3D from 2DExploring the challenge of generating 3D digital humans from unstructured 2D images using algorithms(00:32:02) Challenges & Advancements in VR and AR Design  Connect With Us:Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything WebsiteConnect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / MastodonConnect with School of Engineering >>>Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook

Explore the challenges in cancer treatment and the need for more targeted therapies. Learn about the three main elements of cancer treatment and the drawbacks of chemotherapy. Discover the development of a tumor targeting protein using a peptide from the squirting cucumber. Delve into advancements in targeted chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Understand the importance of collaboration in scientific research and the challenges of commercializing scientific discoveries.

Karl Deisseroth, bioengineer and psychiatrist, talks about his research techniques shaping our understanding of the brain. Topics include optogenetics, controlling brain cells with light, and CLARITY, rendering the brain transparent. He discusses the challenges of balancing technology development and scientific exploration in neuroscience.

Sheri Sheppard, mechanical engineering professor and founder of the Designing Education Lab at Stanford, discusses the importance of diversity in engineering, the integration of empathy in the design process, and the changing landscape of the automotive industry. The podcast also touches on the challenges faced by change agents in engineering and the value of building relationships.

Monika Schleier-Smith, a physicist, discusses the fundamentals of quantum mechanics including quantum uncertainty. She also explores the concept of entanglement and its non-local properties. The podcast delves into experiments with atoms to prove entanglement and explores the applications of quantum mechanics in solving complex problems.

KC Huang, expert on the ecology of the human gut, discusses the challenges of studying the gut microbiome, the potential for engineering ourselves through microbiome manipulation, and the diversity of gut microorganisms. The podcast also explores the significance of horizontal gene transfer among bacteria and its implications in antibiotic resistance, as well as the potential applications of understanding the gut microbiome and how it can be engineered to improve health.