In a groundbreaking culinary development, researchers at the University of Cambridge have taught a robotic 'chef' to watch cooking videos and recreate the dishes showcased. Finally, your dream of having a robot whip up a gourmet meal may be closer to reality.

Armed with a virtual 'cookbook' containing eight simple salad recipes, the robotic chef embarked on its epic culinary journey. By watching a video of a human preparing one of the salads, the robot could accurately identify the recipe and replicate it.

But the learning didn't stop there. The videos also helped the robot expand its repertoire, and it even invented its very own recipe by the end of the experiment. While robot chefs have long been a fixture of science fiction, their real-world counterparts have struggled to match the skills of human cooks. However, this research brings us one step closer to bridging that gap. (Read more here)

The researchers tapped into the power of video content, utilizing publicly available neural networks to train their robotic chef. Through computer vision techniques, the robot analyzed each frame, identifying various objects, ingredients, and even the human demonstrator's arms, hands, and face. Who knew robots could be such expert food critics?

Remarkably, the robot achieved a 93% success rate in correctly identifying recipes from the 16 videos it watched, even if it only detected 83% of the human chef's actions. It could even recognize variations within recipes, such as double portions or minor human errors. It's a culinary detective, sniffing out the secrets of the perfect salad!

But let's be clear, this robot is no match for the dizzying fast-paced cooking videos we find on social media. The flashy cuts and visual effects would leave our mechanical chef in a state of utter confusion. It prefers a more straightforward approach, like a carrot held high for all to see.

With further advancements, however, our robot chef may soon turn to YouTube for inspiration, learning an array of recipes from the online realm. Who knows, in the near future, you might just be following a robot's cooking channel for your next dinner party masterpiece.

So, let's raise a spatula to the robotic culinary revolution. With their keen eyes and precise algorithms, these mechanical maestros are set to transform our kitchens. And who knows, maybe one day they'll even teach us a thing or two about creating delectable dishes. Bon appétit.

That Crazy Genius Professor At Your Fingertips

Say goodbye to boring study sessions and hello to interactive, personalised learning. Connect with our advanced engineering textbooks on Discord and receive instant answers to your questions, grasp complex problems with ease and strengthen your knowledge with quizzes rhymes and poems. Get expert assistance in approaching your studies, finding topics and solving practice problems. Click the link now to elevate your engineering game!

💧 Water Droplets Spill the Beans

New Test Predicts Cement Durability in a Splash

In a quest to make concrete stronger and more reliable, engineers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have devised a clever new test that can predict the durability of cement in record time. No more waiting around for hours or even days – this test gets the job done in mere seconds to minutes! And how does it work, you ask? Well, it involves the captivating behavior of water droplets on cement surfaces, some nifty computer vision technology, and a device that won't break the bank at less than $200. It's a cement quality control revolution in the making!

Led by the brilliant mind of Professor Nishant Garg from the civil and environmental engineering department, this groundbreaking study opens up a world of possibilities for the cement industry. We all know that concrete is a vital material in our infrastructure, but over time, it can start to crumble under the pressure of deicing salts, freeze and thaw cycles, and water infiltration. And let's face it, nobody wants their buildings to turn into modern art installations unintentionally.

To predict the durability of cementitious systems, the researchers focused on water absorption. The more porous the cement paste, the more water it sucks in, leading to corrosion of the reinforcing rebar within reinforced concrete. Traditionally, this durability test involved a lab technician observing the weight change of a concrete sample over several hours or even days. (Read more here)

Enter the new test. Using computer vision, it measures how quickly a single water droplet gets absorbed into the cement surface within a matter of seconds or minutes. Talk about efficiency! This snazzy method is far less tedious than its ASTM counterpart and can be conducted on the go – whether you're out in the field or chilling in the lab.

The results speak for themselves. After conducting over 60 tests, the research team found a strong correlation between their new method and the conventional ASTM test. It's accurate, reliable, and ready to shake up the cement industry. But wait, there's more! The researchers also discovered that the angle at which the water droplets hit the surface affects absorption dynamics. They've thought of everything!

Currently, the team is busy expanding the test to include mortars and other types of complex concrete. They're determined to make this technology a standard in the industry, bidding farewell to the slow, labor-intensive tests of the past. With the power of computer vision and analysis, durability testing is becoming faster, automated, and a whole lot more exciting.

So, here's to water droplets, cutting-edge vision, and cement durability like never before. We're raising our glasses to a future where strong structures stand tall, and concrete doesn't crumble under the weight of time.