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This Chess-Playing Robot Was Competing; Then It Broke Its Opponents’ Hand
Artificial intelligence AI robots are nothing new in the world of chess. For years, scientists have harnessed the power of smart robots against chess grandmasters. But in shocking news, a chess robot breaks a boy’s finger while in a competition in Russia.
In late July, video footage of a robot holding its opponents’ hand went viral online. The result is a 7-year-old boy fracturing his hand upon prolonged contact.
According to the Moscow Chess Foundation, the robot held the boy’s hand for about 15 seconds before letting go.
A freak incident?
In an interview with Tass, a state-controlled news network, the chess federation said the boy hurried the robot. The event took place during the Moscow Open Chess Competition.
The video shows the robot reaching for the boy’s piece and discarding it. In response, the boy attempted another move. He pushed one of his rooks to the spot of the recently moved piece. But, the robot’s arm had yet to retract.
So, the robot reached its mechanical claws toward the board. But instead of reaching for a chess piece, it grabbed the boy’s fingers for about 15 seconds. Two bystanders jumped to action and tried to pry the claws open. But, the chess robot had already fractured the boy’s finger.
Sergey Lazarev, a representative of the federation, reacted to the situation. He begins by clarifying that there were certain safety rules that the child violated. “When he made the move, he did not realize he first had to wait,” he said.
Lazarev also noted that prior to the incident, the machine had played other matches. All went without a hitch. He still stands that the robot is safe. But because the chess robot breaks the boy’s finger, he says, “This is, of course, bad.” He added that the children “apparently need to be warned” about the safety rules. Nevertheless, the boy continued playing in the competition with his hand on a cast.
Furthermore, he also revealed that the boy’s parents were thinking of calling the prosecutor’s office. Lazarev promised that the federation “will communicate, try to sort it out and help in any way we can.”
He added that the robot operators have to do some thinking, so the situation doesn’t happen again.
Chess Robot Breaks Boy’s Finger Incident Elicits Online Reactions
News outfits say a Telegram post from Baza News named the boy Christopher. According to the outlet, he is in the top 30 list of best chess players under 9.
Since videos of the event went online, social media users expressed a lot of fear.
Garry Kasparov, a Soviet Era world chess champion, even tweeted: “I tried to warn you!” Kasparov had been famously defeated by an AI chess robot himself. In 1997, the supercomputer Deep Blue, programmed by IBM scientists, defeated Kasparov in a six-game match.
And since Kasparov’s bitter loss, scientists have only strengthened chess robots. Even today, a joint chess program by Microsoft, Cornell University, and the University of Toronto is in the works. Entitled Maia Chess, the program seeks to use chess as a case study to help AIs develop human skills.
And the chess robot breaks boy’s fingers incident may serve as a case study itself.
AI in chess
Notably, AI in chess has been popularized since the late 90s. It’s not uncommon to find chess apps and games which put players against robots.
The system itself began taking shape in the 70s. By then, scientists have created chess-playing calculators. Deep Blue was created in 1989. But that same year, it was defeated by Kasparov in two games. Scientists then continued to program Deep Blue until it could defeat Kasparov.
But since chess robot breaks boy’s fingers, operators have a new puzzle to figure out. And that’s to guarantee the safety of human opponents.
And for other news, read more here at Owner’s Mag!
Social media trends come and go, everyone’s well aware of this by now. And currently, the app at the center stage is TikTok, the short-video hosting app. However, a new kid on the block is making waves, the BeReal app. Looking at the feedback from TikTok users, it seems that BeReal appears to have exploded so quickly.
What is BeReal App?
Source: Android Police
BeReal app is a new social media phenomenon that operates under a simple premise at works this way:
- Once a day, the app will alert you to take a photo. It will take one from your rear camera and one from your front camera a few seconds later.
- You will have a two-minute interval to take this photo to capture candid images.
- Then, the BeReal app will lay your front photo over your rear photo.
- You can share it with your friends. However, you won’t be able to see their posts until the next day. And if you missed the two-hour window, you’ll have to wait until the next day.
- You can also react to your friend’s posts by sharing a quick selfie attached to their post.
The premise behind these weird shooting windows is to encourage people to share snippets from their lives that aren’t just hand picked from parties or any planned events. But, it’s not the first app to go for the candid angle. Back in 2016, Casey Neistat of YouTube developed an app called Beme. The app encouraged users to take videos with their phones clasped to their chest so that, allegedly, they could stay focused on the moment. Later that year, CNN bought the app but ultimately shut it down in 2018.
BeReal vs Beme
What BeReal had that Beme didn’t was the ability to operate for two years with the increasing number of users showing for it. Based on a BeReal app job posting, the app has more than 10 million daiily users. It also says the company’s goal is to increase this number to over 100 million. Quite an ambitious goal but recent reports project the mid-size social media network Snapchat at about 350 million daily active users.
As Snapchat popularized the concept of communication through disappearing messages, BeReal may be relying on its own style to continue and encourage future partnerships with other businesses. Clubhouse, an audio-based social app that went live around the same time as BeReal, had plenty of activities to back it up, but things have quickly cooled down. It is recently experimenting with new features to make the app nteresting enough to attract more users. Meanwhile, the novelty of BeReal is still fresh, but once the surge of interest from TikTok has mellowed down, it will need to learn to be independent and beat the competitors.
What is an Instagram Candid?
Meta seems to be working on a feature called “Candid Challenges” for Instagram. Discovered by self-described reverse engineer Allessandro Palluzzi, users would be notified once a day to take and share a “candid.” It also copies BeReal right down to the last detail, giving users just two minutes to take the candid.
An Instagram spokesperson told Engadget that the feature was an “internal prototype” and with no users testing the feature. Still, we are yet to see this announced soon in an Instagram update.
While Meta has been the only company confirmed to be working on a BeReal clone, it wouldn’t be surprising if Twitter or TikTok followed suit as well. Twitter, specifically, might see BeReal candid shots a fit for the microblogging platform, but considering its brave attempt at copying Snapchat’s stories and the on-going buyout buzz with Elon Musk, it’ll need to stride carefully.
While BeReal is becoming popular, it faces an uncertain future. Will it end up being defeated by Meta as have many other successful startups that even vaguely have a conflicting interest with its existing properties? Or will it fail to innovate like Clubhouse did and die off after its 15 minutes in the spotlight? It might be a welcome change to the airbrushed faces and saturated filters from Instagram, but BeReal might just end up being a little too real for its own good.
If you’re interested in trying out the BeReal App, download it from the Play Store. Just remember you know how to take a selfie before you start aad that you’ll only get one shot daily.
Looking for an alternative to Design Pickle? We have just the list for you.
Design subscriptions are now popular amongst entrepreneurs, small businesses, and even corporate giants. The model is simple: you pay a flat monthly rate and get as much design help as you need – websites, custom illustrations, branding assets, ad design, packaging design, and more.
In a world where traditional agencies charge exorbitant fees and the freelance market is hit or miss, more and more brands are opting for this simple, comprehensive design solution. If you have no time to vet freelancers for every project and no budget for a team of in-house designers, this might be a perfect fit for you.
We went ahead and ranked the top unlimited graphic design companies in the industry that rival Design Pickle.
1. Penji
One of the top competitors of Design Pickle is Penji. This is because Penji offers a very comparable gamut of design services at a lower price point. Penji is one of the biggest unlimited graphic design providers in the industry and has consistently received strong reviews (4.8 average) across sites like Trustpilot, Facebook, and Google.
Penji stands out for its responsive customer service and exceptional designers. Their user-friendly platform makes requesting designs simple, allowing users to easily navigate and communicate with their designer. Each tier of Penji’s subscription is tailored to cater to diverse requirements, be it ad creatives, presentation designs, or motion graphics, ensuring various types of clients get the most value for their dollar.
Why we recommend:
– Designers are matched to your project based on their skillset and your specific need
– Penji offers logo designs, illustrations, and UX/UI for apps & websites
– Their customer support is responsive and quick
– There are over 100 design services to choose from
– You get access to a Project Manager or Art Director at higher tiers
Price: $499-$1497
2. Superside
Superside is a well-known company offering scalable design solutions that are suitable for brands of various sizes, from startups to large enterprises. Their services are priced significantly higher than other graphic design services, so they’re best for companies with larger budgets.
Why we recommend:
– You get access to a dedicated design team
– They offer static and motion ad creative for testing ads
– They’ve worked with big brands like Google, Shopify, and Meta
– Superside’s video production quality is top notch
– If you run out of design credits, you can order more at any tier
Price: $5,000-$13,000 (50-150 credits)
3. Fiverr
Fiverr is the only non-subscription service on the list, but many people don’t realize that individual freelancers can now offer subscriptions on Fiverr. The platform is famous for its wide range of freelance services at an incredibly affordable price. Typically, Fiverr matches you with a freelancer for a one-off project like a logo or website design. You might be able to get a logo for just $15, but in-demand designers might charge you $1000-2000 for a website.
Why we recommend:
– Fiverr manages the relationship, making financial transactions safer
– There’s no need to waste time or money hiring a full-time designer if you don’t need one
– You can choose from hundreds of designers to find the exact style you like
Price: varies widely (You might be able to get a logo for just $15, but in-demand designers might charge you $1000-2000 for a website.)
4. Flocksy
Flocksy is another unlimited graphic design service much like Penji and Superside. The company has a decent reputation online and offers comparable services to other design subscriptions. However, there are two major differences: They offer copywriting and video editing. Flocksy gives you access to an easy-to-use platform for submitting requests, tracking progress, and communicating with the creative team.
Why we recommend:
– Flocksy offers video editing and copywriting in their two highest tiers
– You can get Zapier integrations at every tier if desired
– They offer a 14-day money back guarantee if you choose not to continue
Price: $499-$1695
5. ManyPixels
Manypixels is another growing company that offers a similar service to Design Pickle at a comparable price. The company boasts clients like Teachable and Buffer. You can also get free stock assets from Manypixels, which is a nice perk to complement unlimited designs.
Why we recommend:
– Have an intuitive online platform for communication and storing files
– Pay monthly, quarterly, or yearly (save 10% quarterly, 20% yearly)
– Get a designated designer at the highest tier and collaborate in real-time
Price: $549-$1299
6. Kimp
Kimp is similar to other graphic design subscription services but offers unique pricing tiers. Unlike its competitors, Kimp provides both design and video services without requiring separate plans, ensuring a comprehensive creative solution. Clients also benefit from dedicated design and video teams, ensuring consistent quality and brand alignment across all projects.
Why we recommend:
– Choose only what you need: video, graphics, or both
– A speedy 2-4 day turnaround for video projects
– Kimp offers a 2-month discount as you’re getting started
– Get free stock video, audio and images in their top tier
Price: $599-$995
7. DesignJoy
DesignJoy came along just two years after Superside and have similar price range. They’re a big name in the design industry because they’ve worked with brands like Google and Verizon. Their standard tier allows you the manage unlimited brands along with unlimited users and stock photos.
Why we recommend:
– Webflow development available on both tiers
– Unlimited users on their higher tier
– You can refer a friend and get 5% monthly recurring commissions
Price: $4,995-$7,995
8. Delesign
Delesign has existed since 2017 and has leveled up its services each year. For the same price as many others on the list, Delesign also offers 2D animation videos. We’re not sure of the quality, length, or requirements, but this is a great bonus for brands that want to incorporate it.
Why we recommend:
– 2D animation videos are included in the package
– Guarantees quick turnaround times for initial drafts: 24 to 48 hours
– Zapier and Slack integrations on every plan
Price: $599 – $1799
9. No Limit Creatives
Roughly the same age as Delesign, No Limit Creatives is another design services that has grown in notoriety in recent years. They’re unique in that they offer 4 tiers for graphic design while most offer 3. Like Kimp, they have a tier for graphics and video, and each tier allows a different number of requests at a time. Their lowest price tier uses design credits much like Superside’s model.
Why we recommend:
– Get a dedicated design team on 3 out of 4 tiers
– A whopping 3 requests at a time are available at the highest tier
– The highest tier also offers real-time communication through Slack
– NLC provides video editing and video creation
Price: $499-1499
10. Kapa99
Kapa99 is a small company but they compete well with larger competitors like Design Pickle. They’ve been around since 2014 and thus have had plenty of time to perfect their craft. Kapa’s tiers are split into just two: Business and Business Express. Express offers speedier delivery for clients with more pressing deadlines.
Why we recommend:
– They offer a significant discount for the first two months of your subscription
– There’s no limit to how many ‘active tasks’ you can have on your dashboard
– Native Adobe source files
– Canva file delivery
Price: $499-$999
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