#Multimodal Interaction

[goodoldbandit]

Transforming Interaction: A Bold Journey into HCI & UX Innovations.

Sanjay Kumar Mohindroo Sanjay Kumar Mohindroo. skm.stayingalive.in Explore the future of Human-Computer Interaction and User Experience. Uncover trends in intuitive interfaces, gesture and voice control, and emerging brain-computer interfaces that spark discussion. #HCI #UX #IntuitiveDesign In a world where technology constantly redefines our daily routines, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)…

[manmishra]

🚀 Exciting news! Google has launched Gemini 2.0 and AI Mode, transforming how we search. Get ready for faster, smarter responses to complex queries! Explore the future of AI in search today! #GoogleAI #Gemini2 #AIMode #SearchInnovation

[updatedideas]

Amazons GPT55X Unveiled

Hey there, tech enthusiast! 🚀 Grab your coffee because we’re about to dive into one of the most exciting innovations in the world of AI: Amazon’s GPT55X. Picture this: you’re chatting with a friend, and they casually mention this groundbreaking piece of tech. Confused? Don’t fret. We’re here to break it down for you, friend-to-friend. Introducing the Rockstar: Amazons GPT55X Ever watched a movie…

[storyofmychoices]

PB shared the announcement on their blog.

I googled "Series Entertainment" and found article about this news and the article starts with:

Series Entertainment – itself a game development company that "pioneer[s] the use of generative AI to transform imaginative ideas into unforgettable gaming experiences" – says the acquisition "signifies Series' strategy to build out its studio system to deliver a diverse catalog of different genres that leverage its world class development technology, the Rho Engine", the world’s first "AI-native, multimodal full-stack game creation platform". [X]

And here is another article

Series Entertainment, a fast-growing AI game development company, has acquired interactive fiction mobile game studio Pixelberry.

From the companies website...

So basically we told Choices we didn't want AI and they sold the company to an AI entertainment company 🤦‍♀️

[janegorelove]

𝕵ust like there are cathedrals everywhere for those with the eyes to see, there is also deep eroticism all around for those with their sensibilities tuned in to particular currents of chaos.

𝕿he shapes, curves, and angles of typefaces; the irreplicable playfulness in colors and aromas of tropical flowers; the patterns in spectrograms of whispered confessions; the synaesthetic harmony of lime and honey.

𝕴n heightened states of existence, eyes have the same relationship to the aesthetic mode of interaction with the world as the clitoris has to the tactile. In an inversion of an ancient theory positing the eyes to be a tactile sensory organ projecting countless invisible tentacles onto the outside world, I have experienced the equally countless tentacles of the outside world gently massage waves of ecstatic pleasure into my eyes. There are textures and temperatures and rhythms which, when combined under the right conditions, can coax an orgasm out of your entire system; be those tactile, visual, aural, or otherwise, does not ultimately matter if you're primed to receive and perceive the advances of 𝕾ister 𝖀niverse.

𝕿here are ways and techniques of experiencing pleasure on a surprisingly multimodal, perhaps higher-dimensional basis, and I might be able to impart some of them.

𝕴, just like many others, am a conduit of 𝕷ilith-𝕾appho; her messenger and her message; her loyal succubine.

𝕬ccept the sight and sound.

𝕱𝕹𝕳𝕹𝕯𝖂𝕿𝖂

𓁺

[marvelfansassemble]

Marvel Fans and What we talk about

I haven't watched any of the movies yet except the one about spiderman so I can't comment much on which I think would be the best here but seems like a lot of the fans love spiderman's return!!

Regardless, I've been thinking a lot lately about how the Marvel fandom interacts through multimodal content across social media platforms, and I I came across this post by m.c.u.n. Spider-Man, Wolverine, Deadpool, and characters from Avengers: Endgame.

I love how replies turn into a discussion of the Marvel multiverse and variations in character arcs across different films. I also love this post for bringing everyone into the discussion. I am noticing something that is common in fan communities: fans come together to correct each other’s knowledge, provide additional context, and, in the process, assert their identity as knowledgeable Marvel fans.

[creacherkeeper]

is the class you’re teaching this semester the same as last semester?

nope, different classes!!

the last three semesters i've taught composition 1 (basic writing for new college students). this semester i'm teaching advanced composition, which is a junior level (3rd year) class. im really honored because only one person gets to teach it a semester and its usually a phd or faculty member (im still masters)

but with advanced composition we basically get to do ... whatever we want? as long as its a topic in advanced writing. theres no required units like in comp 1, theres no specifics that go into the class structure. i got to go ham

so my class theme is "interactive text and multimodality"

first unit is interactive text, so were looking at interactive fiction, interactive essays, and one ttrpg ("LOGAN: an autobiographical tabletop game" by @breathing-stories). for their big unit project, they can do twine, bitsy, or a ttrpg project for their essay

second unit is zines. were looking at a couple of indie zines and one big one that was very professionally put together. were gonna do collage work in class and also do one sheet mini zines. then my students are doing a "research zine" where they research a topic and instead of a research essay theyre making it into an 8 page zine

third unit is presentations. were looking at a ted talk, and animated short, and a youtube video essay. im having them give a 3 minute persuasive presentation on why we should get into the media they really like. and then they get to give a longer presentation in a format of their choice (poster board, powerpoint, video essay) on a topic they care about

the writing topics were exploring throughout the class are exigency, writing for the public vs wtiting for a discourse community, and multimodality

then our final unit is a 3 week workshop on a large project based on something from the writing journals they keep throughout the semester. theyre taking something theyve written about and are making it into a large multimodal project

im also trying a new grading method this semester so fingers crossed!!

so far im really enjoying the class and i have a great batch of students. idk if you intended for this infodump but here ya go :)

[thequietcreator]

I asked Grok To Make A Comparison To ChatGPT, and I Was Surprised

ChatGPT vs. Grok 3: A Detailed Comparison

Both are powerful, but they cater to different strengths and audiences. I didn’t notice the difference in the first place, I thought it was the same, but just made by different companies. So, I decided to ask one of them to make a comparison for me, to be clear on what I need for my journey, or which one could help me with a variety of needs. I wanted to know details: their features, performance, accessibility, pricing, and ideal use cases to help me decide.

1. Background and Development

ChatGPT (OpenAI)

ChatGPT, launched in November 2022, is built on OpenAI’s GPT architecture, evolving from GPT-3.5 to GPT-4, GPT-4o, and the newer o1 and o3 models. OpenAI, co-founded by Sam Altman and others in 2015, has leveraged massive funding (e.g., $13 billion from Microsoft) to create a versatile AI known for human-like text generation. Trained on diverse datasets like books, articles, and web content, ChatGPT excels in creativity, reasoning, and broad conversational tasks. Its reinforcement learning with human feedback (RLHF) refines responses, making them coherent and contextually relevant. For creators like me, this is just excellent.

Grok 3 (xAI)

Now, Grok 3, released in February 2025, is xAI’s latest model, succeeding Grok 1 and Grok 2. Founded by Elon Musk in 2023, xAI aims to accelerate scientific discovery with AI. Grok 3, trained on xAI’s Colossus supercluster with 100,000 GPUs, uses a custom large language model (LLM) with 2.7 trillion parameters and a 128,000-token context window. Its real-time data access via the X platform (formerly Twitter) sets it apart, emphasizing truth-seeking and technical reasoning.

Key Difference: ChatGPT benefits from a longer development history and broader data sources, making it more established and versatile. Grok 3, a newer contender, leverages massive compute power and real-time X data for up-to-date, technical responses.

2. Core Features

ChatGPT

Multimodal Capabilities: Supports text, image processing (via DALL·E 3), and voice conversations. It can analyze charts, photos and generate images.

Web Browsing: Integrates with Bing for real-time web searches, enhancing current event responses.

Plugins and Integrations: Offers 943+ plugins (e.g., OpenTable, Wolfram) for extended functionality like restaurant bookings or advanced computations.

Memory and Context: Retains conversation history, allowing follow-up prompts and context-aware responses.

Modes: Features Search and Reason modes to enhance contextual understanding and problem-solving.

Customization: Allows tone and style adjustments via custom instructions or API settings.

Grok 3

Real-Time Data Access: Pulls live data from X posts and web searches via DeepSearch, ideal for trending topics and current events.

Multimodal Support: Processes text and images (e.g., documents, diagrams) but does not generate images natively, relying on FLUX.1 for image creation.

Interaction Modes: Offers three modes:

1. Think Mode: Transparent reasoning, showing how conclusions are reached.

2. DeepSearch Mode: Iteratively searches the web and X for real-time insights.

3. BigBrain Mode: Not publicly available, reserved for advanced tasks (details limited).

Humor and Personality: Known for witty, irreverent responses with pop culture references, reflecting Elon Musk’s style.

No Plugins: Lacks a plugin ecosystem, focusing on X integration.

3. Performance and Benchmarks

ChatGPT

Benchmarks: Built on GPT-4o and o1, ChatGPT scores 79% in math (AIME’25), 78% in science (GPQA), and 72.9% in coding (LiveCodeBench). Its o3 model (not fully public) reportedly outperforms Grok 3 in math and science.

Strengths: Excels in creative writing, structured tasks, and broad knowledge. Its RLHF ensures polished, contextually accurate responses.

Weaknesses: Can be slower in real-time tasks due to periodic data updates. Responses may feel formal or overly cautious.

Grok 3

Benchmarks: Scores 93.3% in math (AIME’25), 84.6% in science (GPQA), and 79.4% in coding (LiveCodeBench), outperforming ChatGPT’s o1 in these areas. Achieved a 1400 ELO in Chatbot Arena blind tests.

Strengths: Superior in mathematical reasoning, scientific problem-solving, and coding, with 25% faster responses and 15% higher accuracy in natural language tasks. DeepSearch enhances real-time accuracy.

Weaknesses: May lack depth in creative or structured writing compared to ChatGPT. Humor can be inconsistent, leaning toward bland “dad jokes.”

Key Difference: Grok 3 leads in technical domains (math, science, coding) and speed, while ChatGPT shines in creative and general-purpose tasks. Benchmarks suggest Grok 3’s edge in reasoning, but ChatGPT’s o3 may close the gap, and that’s one of the things I need.

4. Accessibility and Pricing

ChatGPT

Free Tier: GPT-3.5 is free via web and mobile apps, with basic conversational capabilities.

Paid Plans:

ChatGPT Plus: $20/month for GPT-4o, o3-mini, web browsing, and 10 Deep Research requests.

ChatGPT Pro: $200/month for o3, 120 Deep Research uses, and a 200K context window.

Enterprise/Team: Custom pricing for businesses with enhanced security and API access.

Platforms: Available on web, iOS, Android, and Azure OpenAI Service. API integration is widely supported.

Global Reach: Accessible in countries like the U.S., U.K., India, and more.

Grok 3

No Free Tier: Requires a paid subscription, limiting accessibility. (This is the first surprise I experienced while comparing)

Paid Plans:

X Premium+: $16-$50/month (varies by region; $50 in some markets), includes Grok 3 access.

SuperGrok: $30/month for higher usage quotas on grok.com.

Platforms: Accessible via X platform, grok.com, iOS/Android Grok apps, and X iOS app. API access is planned but limited currently.

Limitations: Primarily tied to X ecosystem, with no confirmed global availability details.

Key Difference: ChatGPT’s free tier and lower-cost Plus plan make it more accessible. Grok 3’s premium-only model and X integration may deter budget-conscious users. And a first minus for Grok.

5. User Experience

ChatGPT

Interface: Seamless, intuitive across web and mobile, with a clean design and context-aware responses.

Tone: Neutral, formal, friendly, and professional, with humor available on request. Custom instructions allow tone tweaking.

Memory: Saves chat history, enabling seamless follow-ups.

Deep Research: o3’s Deep Research mode (available in Plus/Pro) delivers detailed, evidence-based responses, ideal for complex queries.

Grok 3

Interface: Minimalistic, integrated into X or grok.com, with a focus on transparency via Think Mode.

Tone: Witty, casual, and sometimes edgy, with a playful, Musk-inspired personality. May not suit professional contexts.

Memory: Lacks persistent chat history, resetting after sessions, which frustrates some users.

DeepSearch: Fast, real-time research with concise outputs (1,000–2,000 words), but less comprehensive than ChatGPT’s Deep Research (up to 75,000 words).

Key Difference: ChatGPT offers a polished, memory-enabled experience for professional and creative users. Grok 3’s snarky tone and real-time focus appeal to casual, trend-savvy users, but its lack of memory is a drawback. So, I give another minus to Grok.

6. Ideal Use Cases

ChatGPT

Creative Writing: Excels in generating articles, stories, and marketing content with polished, SEO-friendly prose.

General Knowledge: Handles diverse queries, from philosophy to customer service, with broad contextual understanding.

Coding: Strong for debugging and writing code, though slightly less efficient than Grok 3.

Business Applications: API integrations and enterprise plans suit customer support, content automation, and data analysis.

Deep Research: Ideal for academic, analytical tasks requiring comprehensive, evidence-based responses.

Grok 3

Real-Time Insights: Perfect for tracking current events, trends, or breaking news via X integration.

Technical Tasks: Superior in math, science, and coding, especially in STEM research or technical problem-solving.

Engaging Conversations: Suits users who enjoy witty, dynamic interactions for casual or exploratory queries.

SEO and Marketing: Generates quick, keyword-rich drafts, though less polished than ChatGPT or Claude.

X Ecosystem Users: Best for those already active on X, leveraging its social media integration.

7. Limitations and Challenges

ChatGPT

Outdated Data: Free tier (GPT-3.5) has a knowledge cutoff (September 2022), and even paid tiers rely on periodic updates.

Formal Tone: Can feel stiff or overly cautious, limiting engagement for casual users.

Cost for Advanced Features: Deep Research and o3 access require expensive Pro plans ($200/month).

Hallucination Risk: Like all LLMs, it may generate inaccurate information, though RLHF mitigates this.

Grok 3

No Free Tier: Excludes budget-conscious users, unlike ChatGPT’s free option.

Limited Ecosystem: Tied to X, with fewer integrations and no plugin support.

Memory Absence: Resets chats, hindering long-term conversations.

Humor Inconsistency: Witty tone may not always land, and humor can feel forced.

Data Privacy Concerns: X’s default use of user posts for training (opt-out required) raises privacy issues.

Key Difference: ChatGPT’s broader accessibility and ecosystem are offset by slower real-time updates and higher costs for advanced features. Grok 3’s real-time edge and technical prowess are limited by its premium model and X-centric design.

8. Which Should You Choose?

Choosing between ChatGPT and Grok 3, as told before, depends on your needs, budget, preferences, etc. To be more precise, these are a few things that could help people decide:

Choose ChatGPT if:

You need a versatile AI for creative writing, general knowledge, or business applications.

You want a free tier or an affordable paid plan ($20/month).

You value memory, plugins, and a polished, professional tone.

Deep research for academic or analytical tasks is a priority.

You prefer a widely accessible platform with global reach and API support.

Choose Grok 3 if:

You need real-time insights for current events or trends, especially on X.

You’re focused on technical tasks like math, science, or coding.

You enjoy witty, engaging conversations and don’t mind a premium subscription ($30-$50/month).

You’re active in the X ecosystem and value its integration.

Speed and reasoning transparency (Think Mode) are important.

Both models are exceptional, and the choice isn’t about one being “better” but about what aligns with your goals. If you’re budget-conscious or need broad functionality, ChatGPT’s free tier or Plus plan is a great starting point. If you’re an X user or need cutting-edge technical reasoning, Grok 3’s real-time data and speed make it a compelling option. You might even try both to see which fits your workflow best, and this is exactly what I have been doing for quite some time now.

9. Future Outlook

ChatGPT: OpenAI’s ongoing investment in GPT-4.5, o3, and beyond suggests continued improvements in reasoning, multimodal capabilities, and integrations. Its enterprise focus and global reach will likely solidify its dominance.

Grok 3: xAI’s plans to open-source Grok 2 and expand API access could boost community contributions and integrations. Daily updates and voice mode additions show rapid iteration.

AI Landscape: The gap between top models is narrowing, with compute power and speed driving competition. Both models will likely evolve, but their distinct philosophies — OpenAI’s safety-focused versatility vs. xAI’s truth-seeking dynamism — will shape their paths.

Final Conclusion

I am giving a slight advantage to ChatGPT because of the tone, creativity, and numerous options on a free basis, as that is what I need.

But let’s not underestimate Grok, as it is quite a powerful AI model based on search engines across the web.

ChatGPT and Grok 3 are remarkable AI models with unique strengths. ChatGPT’s maturity, accessibility, and versatility make it a go-to for creative, professional, and research-heavy tasks. Grok 3’s real-time data, technical prowess, and engaging personality cater to trend-savvy, STEM-focused users within the X ecosystem. By understanding their features, performance, and use cases, you can choose the AI that best suits your needs — or even leverage both for complementary strengths. The AI race is heating up, and it’s an exciting time to explore these tools!

[cookiesnerd]

ChatGPT and Google Gemini are both advanced AI language models designed for different types of conversational tasks, each with unique strengths. ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, is primarily focused on text-based interactions. It excels in generating structured responses for writing, coding support, and research assistance. ChatGPT’s paid versions unlock additional features like image generation with DALL-E and web browsing for more current information, which makes it ideal for in-depth text-focused tasks​.

In contrast, Google Gemini is a multimodal AI, meaning it handles both text and images and can retrieve real-time information from the web. This gives Gemini a distinct advantage for tasks requiring up-to-date data or visual content, like image-based queries or projects involving creative visuals. It integrates well with Google's ecosystem, making it highly versatile for users who need both text and visual support in their interactions. While ChatGPT is preferred for text depth and clarity, Gemini’s multimodal and real-time capabilities make it a more flexible choice for creative and data-current tasks​

[catrinarcarlson]

Original Content 2

When writing a multimodal essay, I usually like to start with outlining my essay and then gathering all of my data and various examples and figure out where to incorporate them into the text of the essay. Additionally, adding any videos I watch on the topic to the essay always helps me defend my major points. I mostly find myself using more numerous types of examples, such as videos, audios, and interactive elements when doing informative or entertaining presentations. This helps appeal to different learning types and catch the eye to make sure my points are effectively communicated.

[dpfocu]

OpenAI’s 12 Days of “Shipmas”: Summary and Reflections

Over 12 days, from December 5 to December 16, OpenAI hosted its “12 Days of Shipmas” event, revealing a series of innovations and updates across its AI ecosystem. Here’s a summary of the key announcements and their implications:

Day 1: Full Launch of o1 Model and ChatGPT Pro

OpenAI officially launched the o1 model in its full version, offering significant improvements in accuracy (34% fewer errors) and performance. The introduction of ChatGPT Pro, priced at $200/month, gives users access to these advanced features without usage caps.

Commentary: The Pro tier targets professionals who rely heavily on AI for business-critical tasks, though the price point might limit access for smaller enterprises.

Day 2: Reinforced Fine-Tuning

OpenAI showcased its reinforced fine-tuning technique, leveraging user feedback to improve model precision. This approach promises enhanced adaptability to specific user needs.

Day 3: Sora - Text-to-Video

Sora, OpenAI’s text-to-video generator, debuted as a tool for creators. Users can input textual descriptions to generate videos, opening new doors in multimedia content production.

Commentary: While innovative, Sora’s real-world application hinges on its ability to handle complex scenes effectively.

Day 4: Canvas - Enhanced Writing and Coding Tool

Canvas emerged as an all-in-one environment for coding and content creation, offering superior editing and code-generation capabilities.

Day 5: Deep Integration with Apple Ecosystem

OpenAI announced seamless integration with Apple’s ecosystem, enhancing accessibility and user experience for iOS/macOS users.

Day 6: Improved Voice and Vision Features

Enhanced voice recognition and visual processing capabilities were unveiled, making AI interactions more intuitive and efficient.

Day 7: Projects Feature

The new “Projects” feature allows users to manage AI-powered initiatives collaboratively, streamlining workflows.

Day 8: ChatGPT with Built-in Search

Search functionality within ChatGPT enables real-time access to the latest web information, enriching its knowledge base.

Day 9: Voice Calling with ChatGPT

Voice capabilities now allow users to interact with ChatGPT via phone, providing a conversational edge to AI usage.

Day 10: WhatsApp Integration

ChatGPT’s integration with WhatsApp broadens its accessibility, making AI assistance readily available on one of the most popular messaging platforms.

Day 11: Release of o3 Model

OpenAI launched the o3 model, featuring groundbreaking reasoning capabilities. It excels in areas such as mathematics, coding, and physics, sometimes outperforming human experts.

Commentary: This leap in reasoning could redefine problem-solving across industries, though ethical and operational concerns about dependency on AI remain.

Day 12: Wrap-Up and Future Vision

The final day summarized achievements and hinted at OpenAI’s roadmap, emphasizing the dual goals of refining user experience and expanding market reach.

Reflections

OpenAI’s 12-day spree showcased impressive advancements, from multimodal AI capabilities to practical integrations. However, challenges remain. High subscription costs and potential data privacy concerns could limit adoption, especially among individual users and smaller businesses.

Additionally, as the competition in AI shifts from technical superiority to holistic user experience and ecosystem integration, OpenAI must navigate a crowded field where user satisfaction and practical usability are critical for sustained growth.

Final Thoughts: OpenAI has demonstrated its commitment to innovation, but the journey ahead will require balancing cutting-edge technology with user-centric strategies. The next phase will likely focus on scalability, affordability, and real-world problem-solving to maintain its leadership in AI.

What are your thoughts on OpenAI’s recent developments? Share in the comments!

[jan-ala]

On Comprehensible Input

Disclaimer : I am not disagreeing with the comprehensible input theory of language acquisition within the context of the science of linguistics. This post is about a tumor that has grown off of it into the 'science' of pedagogy. Regardless, this is more of a vent post against current instructional strategies than anything. I am not citing any sources, most of what is here is anecdotal.

For those unaware, language classes in K12 have changed a lot since you were in school. Many decades ago, it was primarily a text translation course. Then it became what most of the readers probably had, a course integrating vocabulary and structures into conversational performance. Today, as has been pushed for the last decade or so, we are 'encouraged' to teach with what pedagogy scam artists call a comprehensible input based curriculum.

This largely involves an immersion class with a heavy focus on reading and listening (especially in the novice level) with multimodal texts to guide understanding. To give you an idea of the efficacy of this strategy, almost zero students have achieved a "passing" (4/7) score on the IB DP Language B exams in my district since our coordinator started pushing this. My heavily lauded predecessor at this school had 2s and 3s across the board last year, students on their fifth year of language acquisition.

My current fifth year students have a vocabulary of maybe 200 words, mostly cognates.

I can think of a few reasons why this becomes the case.

Immersion classes at the middle/high school level have a tendency to devolve into the dominant language of the school. Infants learn this way because it is their primary method of communication and interacting with the world around them. In class, the students' dominant language is spoken by everyone in the room (from whom students are constantly seeking validation). This is especially a problem when taking into account class sizes of 30+ students who largely do not even want to be there.

The curricula that are available are weak, untested (scientifically), and teacher-created. Teachers are not curriculum designers, neither by training nor by time allotted. What results is a mish-mash of ideas half-executed, with wide, gaping holes in student knowledge. My Language B coordinator literally just threw a random assortment of various difficulty beginner reader books (one is a story about a capyabara wearing boots, for example) at me with no materials, no guide, no placement within a curriculum. This is not an effective foundation for a high school student's language journey.

Comprehensible Input as a theory is a description of how language is acquired, it is not a prescription for curriculum. Refusing to take into account the differences between someone whose job, 24/7, is exclusively to understand the language enthusiastically, compared to someone who is in a class against their will for maybe 160 minutes per week is ludicrous.

The de-emphasis on output, especially in the beginning levels, leaves students without the tools and muscle memory to become proficient speakers later.

Recently, I have been studying Toki Pona.

Reading the official text, I learned very quickly and very effectively. I made flash cards, read about grammatical constructions, did translation exercises, and assigned myself conversational tasks to practice what I could. Writing very short stories, skits, practicing common dialogue patterns. It has been really fast and effective.

About halfway through the book, I decided to install a game called Toki Pona Island. A self-proclaimed comprehensible input strategy to acquiring the language. I have played for hours, and the only word I have meaningfully retained is alasa (look for, quest, seek). And it is an entire game ABOUT alasa. Every character says it constantly and I had to look it up about 50 times before I forced myself to remember. Even then, while writing this, I originally wrote it as asala before I looked it up for accuracy. So, in effect, nothing was meaningfully learned.

[techblogmeta]

Why Gemini is Better than ChatGpt?

Gemini's Advantages Over ChatGPT

Both Gemini and ChatGPT are sophisticated AI models made to communicate with people like a human and help with a variety of tasks. But in some situations, Gemini stands out as a more sophisticated and adaptable option because to a number of characteristics it offers:

1. Multimodal Proficiency Gemini provides smooth multimodal interaction, enabling users to communicate with speech, text, and image inputs. Gemini is therefore well-suited for visually complex queries or situations where integrating media enhances comprehension since it can comprehend and produce answers that incorporate many forms of content.

2. Improved comprehension of context Geminis are better at comprehending and remembering context in lengthier interactions. It can manage intricate conversations, providing more precise and tailored answers without losing sight of previous debate points.

3. Original Work From excellent writing to eye-catching graphics and artistic representations, Gemini is a master at producing unique content. It is a favored option for projects demanding innovation due to its exceptional capacity to produce distinctive products.

4. Knowledge and Updates in Real Time In contrast to ChatGPT, which uses a static knowledge base that is updated on a regular basis, Gemini uses more dynamic learning techniques to make sure it stays current with data trends and recent events.

5. Customization and User-Friendly Interface With Gemini's improved customization options and more user-friendly interface, users can adjust replies, tone, and style to suit their own requirements. This flexibility is especially helpful for professionals and companies trying to keep their branding consistent.

6. More Comprehensive Integration Gemini is very flexible for both personal and commercial use because it integrates more easily into third-party tools, workflows, and apps because to its native support for a variety of platforms and APIs.

7. Improved Security and Privacy Users can feel secure knowing that their data is protected during interactions thanks to Gemini's emphasis on user data privacy, which includes greater encryption and adherence to international standards.

[wicofe]

What is the future of public health campaigns in a digital age?

The future of public health campaigns in the digital age is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by rapid technological innovation and the evolving needs of diverse populations. At the forefront is the power of personalization, enabled by artificial intelligence (AI) and big data analytics. These technologies allow health campaigns to move away from one-size-fits-all approaches and instead deliver messages that are tailored to individual behaviors, preferences, and health histories. Wearable devices, mobile apps, and social media platforms generate a wealth of real-time data, which campaigns can use to identify emerging trends, anticipate public health needs, and respond more effectively. This data-driven approach makes interventions not only more targeted but also more impactful.

Digital accessibility and inclusivity are critical in ensuring these campaigns reach all segments of the population, including those in remote or underserved areas. Telehealth platforms offer opportunities to disseminate health education and services to individuals who may otherwise lack access to traditional healthcare infrastructure. Furthermore, creating multilingual and multimodal content—such as videos, animations, interactive tools, and accessible text—ensures that public health messages resonate with people from various linguistic and cultural backgrounds. By adopting an inclusive design approach, campaigns can bridge gaps in communication and health literacy, addressing barriers that have historically excluded marginalized groups.

Emerging technologies such as virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) are redefining how people interact with public health content. These immersive tools can simplify complex health topics, such as demonstrating how vaccines work or teaching people how to perform life-saving techniques like CPR. Gamification is another innovation that holds significant promise, as it turns health-promoting activities into engaging experiences. Fitness apps with rewards, interactive challenges, and games designed to educate while entertaining can motivate individuals to adopt healthier habits, fostering long-term behavioral change.

Social media platforms will remain a central pillar in future public health campaigns, particularly as they provide unparalleled opportunities for engagement and dialogue. Collaborating with influencers, especially micro-influencers trusted by their communities, can amplify messages to reach specific audiences effectively. Interactive campaigns, such as live Q&A sessions with health experts, community challenges, or user-generated content, create a sense of participation and trust. These platforms also allow for two-way communication, enabling health authorities to address public concerns, dispel myths, and build confidence in health interventions.

A major challenge in the digital age is the proliferation of misinformation, which can undermine public health efforts. Combating this will require robust strategies, including deploying AI tools to identify and counter false information in real time. Partnerships with fact-checking organizations and collaborations with social media platforms can help validate credible sources and ensure accurate information is prioritized. Building digital literacy among the public will also be essential, empowering individuals to critically evaluate health information and make informed decisions.

Equity and ethics will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of digital health campaigns. While technology offers immense potential, the digital divide—stemming from disparities in internet access, device availability, and digital literacy—must be addressed to ensure that no one is left behind. Combining digital campaigns with traditional methods such as radio broadcasts, community workshops, and printed materials can bridge these gaps and ensure equitable access. Data privacy and security will also be critical; as campaigns increasingly rely on personal data to tailor messages, implementing robust safeguards will be essential to maintain public trust and prevent misuse.

Finally, community-centric approaches will make campaigns more effective and sustainable. By engaging local communities in the creation and dissemination of campaign content, health authorities can ensure that messages are relevant, culturally sensitive, and authentic. Crowdsourcing ideas and feedback from the target audience fosters a sense of ownership and enhances the credibility of public health initiatives. Tailoring global health messages to reflect local contexts will further ensure resonance, helping campaigns overcome cultural and societal barriers to adoption.

Together, these advancements mark a shift toward more adaptive, inclusive, and impactful public health campaigns. Leveraging digital tools while addressing challenges like misinformation, inequity, and privacy concerns will be key to meeting global health challenges with speed, precision, and humanity. Public health in the digital age has the potential not only to inform but also to inspire communities worldwide to take collective action for better health outcomes.

[rachelsartroom]

Multimodal Content Example

Here is the graphic image that I created for my multimodal essay! I thought it would be super fun to depict the rhetorical situation as a bowl of ramen with the key concepts acting as the ingredients. I had so much fun designing the image and was very intentional when assigning an ingredient to fit the role of each concept. I included definitions for each concept as well as explanations as to how they aid in creating and understanding content for web writing. Since all of the ingredients are pictured in one bowl, I also added text relaying which "flavors" pair the best with one another, meaning which concepts interact most frequently. Doing the graphic this way helped me as a learner because I really had to think about the core elements of each concept and create my own personal definitions and explanations for them.

[thursdayisbetterthanfriday]

Applied AI - Integrating AI With a Roomba

AKA. What have I been doing for the past month and a half

Everyone loves Roombas. Cats. People. Cat-people. There have been a number of Roomba hacks posted online over the years, but an often overlooked point is how very easy it is to use Roombas for cheap applied robotics projects.

Continuing on from a project done for academic purposes, today's showcase is a work in progress for a real-world application of Speech-to-text, actionable, transformer based AI models. MARVINA (Multimodal Artificial Robotics Verification Intelligence Network Application) is being applied, in this case, to this Roomba, modified with a Raspberry Pi 3B, a 1080p camera, and a combined mic and speaker system.

The hardware specifics have been a fun challenge over the past couple of months, especially relating to the construction of the 3D mounts for the camera and audio input/output system.

Roomba models are particularly well suited to tinkering - the serial connector allows the interface of external hardware - with iRobot (the provider company) having a full manual for commands that can be sent to the Roomba itself. It can even play entire songs! (Highly recommend)

Scope:

Current:

The aim of this project is to, initially, replicate the verbal command system which powers the current virtual environment based system.

This has been achieved with the custom MARVINA AI system, which is interfaced with both the Pocket Sphinx Speech-To-Text (SpeechRecognition · PyPI) and Piper-TTS Text-To-Speech (GitHub - rhasspy/piper: A fast, local neural text to speech system) AI systems. This gives the AI the ability to do one of 8 commands, give verbal output, and use a limited-training version of the emotional-empathy system.

This has mostly been achieved. Now that I know it's functional I can now justify spending money on a better microphone/speaker system so I don't have to shout at the poor thing!

The latency time for the Raspberry PI 3B for each output is a very spritely 75ms! This allows for plenty of time between the current AI input "framerate" of 500ms.

Future - Software:

Subsequent testing will imbue the Roomba with a greater sense of abstracted "emotion" - the AI having a ground set of emotional state variables which decide how it, and the interacting person, are "feeling" at any given point in time.

This, ideally, is to give the AI system a sense of motivation. The AI is essentially being given separate drives for social connection, curiosity and other emotional states. The programming will be designed to optimise for those, while the emotional model will regulate this on a seperate, biologically based, system of under and over stimulation.

In other words, a motivational system that incentivises only up to a point.

The current system does have a system implemented, but this only has very limited testing data. One of the key parts of this project's success will be to generatively create a training data set which will allow for high-quality interactions.

The future of MARVINA-R will be relating to expanding the abstracted equivalent of "Theory-of-Mind". - In other words, having MARVINA-R "imagine" a future which could exist in order to consider it's choices, and what actions it wishes to take.

This system is based, in part, upon the Dyna-lang model created by Lin et al. 2023 at UC Berkley ([2308.01399] Learning to Model the World with Language (arxiv.org)) but with a key difference - MARVINA-R will be running with two neural networks - one based on short-term memory and the second based on long-term memory. Decisions will be made based on which is most appropriate, and on how similar the current input data is to the generated world-model of each model.

Once at rest, MARVINA-R will effectively "sleep", essentially keeping the most important memories, and consolidating them into the long-term network if they lead to better outcomes.

This will allow the system to be tailored beyond its current limitations - where it can be designed to be motivated by multiple emotional "pulls" for its attention.

This does, however, also increase the number of AI outputs required per action (by a magnitude of about 10 to 100) so this will need to be carefully considered in terms of the software and hardware requirements.

Results So Far:

Here is the current prototyping setup for MARVINA-R. As of a couple of weeks ago, I was able to run the entire RaspberryPi and applied hardware setup and successfully interface with the robot with the components disconnected.

I'll upload a video of the final stage of initial testing in the near future - it's great fun!

The main issues really do come down to hardware limitations. The microphone is a cheap ~$6 thing from Amazon and requires you to shout at the poor robot to get it to do anything! The second limitation currently comes from outputting the text-to-speech, which does have a time lag from speaking to output of around 4 seconds. Not terrible, but also can be improved.

To my mind, the proof of concept has been created - this is possible. Now I can justify further time, and investment, for better parts and for more software engineering!