Trendwatch AI & Robotics: August 20, 2020

Taming the long tail of data – A.I. bird watchers – Human-robot collaboration – Why loneliness makes people more receptive to social robots – How the pandemic is influencing robotics research 

How to Improve AI Economics by Taming the Long Tail of Data - Venturebeat

As the CTO of one late-stage data startup put it, AI development often feels "closer to molecule discovery in pharma" than software engineering.     

Why Do Solar Farms Kill Birds? Call in the AI Bird Watcher - Wired

Solar facilities kill tens of thousands of birds every year, and no one is quite sure why. An artificial-intelligence-powered birder is on the case.

Here’s Why Human-Robot Collaboration Is the Future of Manufacturing - World Economic Forum

The advantages of robot-human collaboration were already known before the COVID-19 pandemic, but the crisis has made it even more necessary to join forces.          

Researchers Find People Are More Receptive to Social Robots During the Pandemic - Venturebeat      

Feelings of loneliness can drive the purchase of these robots.

How the Pandemic Is Influencing Robotics Research - Venturebeat    

“We can use our simulation tools to do better research. I think it’ll be a boon for robotics research as a whole going forward, even if it’s a tough adjustment period.”